Teaching and preaching with authority

Dear Pastor,

What good is it for us to preach and teach the people of God if we do it with nothing more than human words, opinions, and stories?

The Bible says that Jesus taught as one with authority. The people woke up and took notice that something was different about Jesus’ teaching. I once heard that it was a sin to bore people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We all know that as preachers of the word there are times when people fall asleep in our messages (don’t worry they did with the apostle Paul too!) but the question is whether there is power and authority in our words.

Paul said that he knew God had truly chosen the Thessalonian church when the message Paul preached came with “power, deep conviction and the Holy Spirit” (see Thessalonians 1:5) One of the former general superintendents of the church of the Nazarene once instructed that if they had even 1 Sunday where they didn’t sense the power of the Holy Spirit moving on the hearts of people they would fast and pray until that anointing of God would return.

So today, I would ask, beg and plead that before you and I get into the pulpit to preach one more message, we would seek the Lord on our knees. I invite you to seek the anointing and unction of God that would bless and overflow through the delivery of the message He has placed on your heart. Furthermore, I would beseech you: let the Word of Christ richly dwell in you and in the messages you share, for when we share His gospel and His Word by constantly pointing people to what the Bible says, God will abundantly bless that as He watches over His Word.

In closing, let’s you and I pray and seek the face of God, turning from any wickedness in our own hearts, pleading the blood of Jesus over our lives and His church and then share wholeheartedly, unashamedly and boldly the gospel of Jesus! God is able to save completely, the people just need to know the power and authority of God’s gospel and His Word and furthermore the power of His Holy Spirit that even now is present to save, heal and deliver!

Christ is with us, Christ is in us!

Mike Johnson