The Power of the 3rd Wave
A pastor was taking a tour of Cape Canaveral, he was told, "BTW,
you are teaching the Bible study group in the electrical engineering
department in about 30 minutes." "Thanks for the advanced warning"
2 Tim 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (KJV)
When in doubt have a question & answer period. The 1st questioned
asked was the last one he would have expected in that setting. There were
approx. 40 men of high-tech notoriety, the questioner began, "We have been
very successful here at the Cape of putting men on the moon & bringing
them back. In the Bible we read of God's power healing people and meeting
other needs. Can we expect the same success ratio with regards to God's
power today?"
Interesting question, isn't it? The answer is really very simple.
Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (KJV)
These men were serious seekers of real answers.
SUPERNATURAL POWER A VITAL ISSUE
Power is the central aspect of the Third Wave. That wave is a
coined term explaining God's activity in the church right now. Dr. Peter
Wagner, professor of Church Growth at Fuller Seminary is the author of
this terminology.
I. THE GOSPEL OF POWER
Paul knew Christ because of an encounter of power. He was not a
seeker when he came to Christ. He was a refuser. Even more than that, he
was adamantly active in efforts to remove all of Christ's influence from
the earth. breathing threats of execution he made his way to Damascus
seeking other victims for his inquisition. A light came from heaven. A
force of power forced him to fall to the ground. A voice came calling him
into accountability: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" (vs 4) This
encounter of power not only caused him to face the right questions but
also to give the right answers.
Rom 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is
the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew
first, and also to the Greek." was his conclusion. He knew the gospel.
It was the power of God. He knew that power personally, and the saw that
power demonstrated all over the world in his day. It was that
demonstrated power that affected everything he did.
I Cor 2:1-4 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with
excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of
God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ,
and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in
much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing
words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
Paul not only had faith in God's power, but he wanted everyone
else's faith to rest on God's power also. He knew that the power of God
is at the center of the gospel. Unfortunately, words are often at the
center of the gospel today. In the desert of lost power, words of
sermonic beauty and logic appear as beautiful flowers to decorate the drab
landscape. We have substituted a cultural expression of Christianity for
the power of God.
Getting out of our cultural labyrinth will not be easy. We have
wandered in our wilderness so long that leaving is threatening. The
threat of the unknown is there. Though the unknown is reported to be the
land of abundance, its unfamiliarity contains a threat.
II. A WAVE THAT SWEEPS AWAY THE FEAR FACTOR
Fear blocks most of us from receiving the power of the H.S. fear of
error, fear of failing, fear of financial loss, fear of the unknown as
well as many other fears repeatedly warn our minds not to proceed any
further. Only God's love that is part of the H.S.'s power can wash over
us and sweep the fear away.
We are not called to fear either men or the enemy from whose kingdom
we have been delivered, but to march under the banner of a new Master who
plans to put all His enemies beneath His feet!
III. TIMING IS CRITICAL TO THE 3RD WAVE
God always moves in a time sequence. The times and seasons are in
His hands. "In the fulness of time" (Gal 4:4) is the phrase that
indicates God's timing is always perfect. To rush ahead of God is rank
presumption. Those who run ahead of Him arrive without Him. Those who
dig in and refuse to move ahead with God watch as the cloud of His glory
fades on the horizon.
Some are standing on the shore watching the boat of the 3rd wave
leave. Others plan to catch a jet and rendezvous at another port. It is
time to hear His voice and get in on God's power available today.