“…’Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.”
How did Jesus — a carpenter by training — minister as the greatest medical missionary this world has ever seen or will see?
In three years, Jesus restored a leper, gave sight to a blind man, resurrected the dead to life, and performed so many healing miracles that if they were written one by one, even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.1
How?
By the Holy Spirit.
“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”2
And Jesus promised that “he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father”3
“By this Christ did not mean that the disciples’ work would be of a more exalted character than His, but that it would have greater extent. He did not refer merely to miracle working, but to all that would take place under the working of the Holy Spirit.”4
Jesus revealed no qualities, and exercised no powers, that men may not have through faith in Him. His perfect humanity is that which all His followers may possess, if they will be in subjection to God as He was.5
“The preaching of the word will be of no avail without the continual presence and aid of the Holy Spirit. This is the only effectual teacher of divine truth. Only when the truth is accompanied to the heart by the Spirit will it quicken the conscience or transform the life. One might be able to present the letter of the word of God, he might be familiar with all its commands and promises; but unless the Holy Spirit sets home the truth, no souls will fall on the Rock and be broken.
No amount of education, no advantages, however great, can make one a channel of light without the cooperation of the Spirit of God. The sowing of the gospel seed will not be a success unless the seed is quickened into life by the dew of heaven. Before one book of the New Testament was written, before one gospel sermon had been preached after Christ’s ascension, the Holy Spirit came upon the praying apostles.”6
During our time together, we will explore three aspects of the Holy Spirit:
- Healing: God wants to heal us to help heal others.
Before preaching the Gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the end of the earth, Jesus’s disciples needed to be healed of sin, especially pride and selfishness, that caused division among them.. For this, Jesus rejoiced to give the Holy Spirit because the sickness of sin could be resisted and overcome only through the mighty agency of Holy Spirit.7
As the Holy Spirit empowers us to reflect Christ in our everyday interactions with patients and coworkers,we can demonstrate compassion, empathy, and a genuine concern for the holistic well-being of our neighbors – turning regular work days into extraordinary medical mission opportunities where we share the life-transforming message of eternal hope and freedom in Jesus Christ.
- Unity: God has promised that His Spirit can bring unity.
As the disciples united in prayer and supplication in the upper room, the Holy Spirit united them.8
The Holy Spirit unites us in our shared purpose of bringing healing and salvation as we reach out to the world with God’s love.
- Freedom: God desires our freedom – freedom from sin, sickness, and death.
In a broken and hurting world, the gospel offers true liberation, and Jesus said that the Spirit of the Lord was upon him because he “anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, he has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners.”9
Once the disciples were in one place and one accord, they freely preached the Gospel with divine power from the Holy Spirit.
Through preaching the gospel, we have the privilege of introducing individuals to the transformative power of Jesus – offering them a life of purpose, forgiveness, and eternal salvation by His Spirit.
We invite you to join us as we explore the extraordinary combination of medical missionary work and gospel proclamation. Through inspiring presentations, practical seminars, and heartfelt
discussions, we will deepen our understanding of how the Holy Spirit works through us to bring
healing, unity, and freedom.
References:
- John 21:25
- Acts 10:38
- John 14:12-18
- DA 664.5
- DA 664.4
- DA 671.4
- DA 671.2
- Acts 1-2
- Luke 4:18