Manifestations

One thing I like about God's Word is its amazing consistency. The theme of sowing, reaping, and fruitfulness can be found throughout the Word. God intends for seeds to bear fruit, for His Word to bring transformation, and for His disciples to be fruitful learners. Isaiah 55:10-11 tells us that God's Word will not return void and that He has sent the rain and snow with the purpose of watering the earth to produce seed and food.

Another example I was reminded of tonight is that the power of the Holy Spirit will manifest the gifts of the Spirit and bear witness to Christ. We are quick to point out that over the years the Pentecostal movement has wrongly placed an emphasis on the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit and I agree many have done that, but no manifestations means no empowerment. Just like the seed that falls into good soil must manifest a harvest, so the empowerment of the Holy Spirit that falls into a yielded life must manifest the gifts of the Spirit. That will also be a life through which the Holy Spirit can fulfill His role as the witness of  Jesus Christ. Our focus cannot be only on the manifestations and it can not be only on the empowerment. The sower does not focus on the seed, it will do what it was intended to do. The sower does not focus on the harvest, it will come if the conditions are right. However, the sower does focus on the condition of the soil. We need to do the same with our lives. God has sent His Holy Spirit and He will accomplish His purposes. We must look to our own lives and bring them into alignment with the Word of God. Only then will the Holy Spirit empower us and manifest Himself through our lives.

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