Confirming Signs
Christians need faith in 'wonders' to overcome the world's superior strength and achieve fruitfulness in their ministry.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the necessity of divine confirmation in the ministry of evangelism, highlighting that the Church's coldness leads to a denial of the supernatural signs that accompany true faith. He critiques the tendency of believers to rationalize their lack of spiritual power, warning that without God's miraculous aid, efforts in evangelization are futile against the world's strength. Tozer calls for a return to reliance on God's power, asserting that only through divine empowerment can Christians hope to achieve victory in their mission. He concludes with a prayer for God's presence in ministry, recognizing the need for supernatural support.
Text
And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. --Mark 16:20
Such words as these in the second chapter of Hebrews stand as a rebuke to the unbelieving Christians of our day: "God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will." A cold Church is forced to "interpret" such language. She cannot enter into it, so she explains it away. Not a little juggling is required, and not a few statements for which there is not scriptural authority, but anything will do to save face and justify our half-dead condition. Such defensive exegesis is but a refuge for unbelieving orthodoxy, a hiding place for a Church too weak to stand.
No one with a knowledge of the facts can deny the need for supernatural aid in the work of world evangelization. We are so hopelessly outclassed by the world's superior strength that for us it means either God's help or sure defeat. The Christian who goes out without faith in "wonders" will return without fruit. No one dare be so rash as to seek to do impossible things unless he has first been empowered by the God of the impossible. "The power of the Lord was there" is our guarantee of victory. Paths to Power, 12-13.
"May the power of the Lord be with me in my ministry today, so that I might not be 'outclassed by the world's superior strength.' Amen."
Sermon Outline
- The Need for Supernatural Aid
- The Role of Confirming Signs
- The Power of the Lord
- Empowerment for impossible tasks
- The guarantee of victory
Key Quotes
“The power of the Lord was there is our guarantee of victory.” — A.W. Tozer
“May the power of the Lord be with me in my ministry today, so that I might not be 'outclassed by the world's superior strength.' Amen.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Christians must have faith in 'wonders' to achieve victory in their ministry.
- The power of the Lord is our guarantee of victory in impossible tasks.
- Christians must seek to be empowered by the God of the impossible to accomplish their ministry.