Greater Works

Tears of gratitude filled my eyes as I looked at the mangled remains of what had been my car. I declared confidently, “God, You are the only way I walked away from that!” The force of the accident had fractured my ankle, and for the most part, I was physically fine. The night of my accident, I found myself reeling from the day’s events. My hip was visibly swollen and painful, and at the time, I had no idea my ankle was fractured. My friend Therese had begun to pray over me, asking for the Holy Spirit to reveal to her what to pray for. She immediately started praying over my swollen hip, over the joints, bones, ligaments, and tendons. As she prayed, we watched the swelling completely disappear right before our eyes. We were astonished at what we had just seen the Lord do. How awesome is our God!

Jesus’ ministry on earth was short, but His work during that timeframe was crucial. He ministered on earth for about three-and-a-half years. He came to establish the kingdom of God here on earth, sacrifice His life on the cross, defeat hell and the grave, and pave the way for us to return to a right relationship with the Father.

Jesus taught His disciples about the coming of the advocate and comforter, the Holy Spirit. He told them that he had to go away to the Father so that the Holy Spirit could come and teach them and remind them of what He had taught them. Jesus also promised to leave us with another gift—peace of mind and heart amid trouble (see John 14:15-27*).

“Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.” (John 14:28-29*, NLT)

I believe that Jesus was not just referring to His death on the cross at this moment but to His ascension, which marked the end of His ministry on this earth and the beginning of His reign as high priest at the Father’s right hand. After His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus walked the earth for forty days before His ascension (see Acts 1:3*). He prepared those who believed in Him for His ascension and the ministry they would now do through the power of the Holy Spirit.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. (Acts 1:8-9*)

Today, on Ascension Day, we can celebrate that as followers of Jesus, we have the power and authority of Christ to do the work He has placed before us with the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Jesus said that anyone who believes in Him will do the same works He did and even greater works because He will be with the Father (see John 14:12*).

That night, when my friend Therese prayed over my hip, I saw firsthand the power of the Holy Spirit working within her to do amazing things, just like Jesus said (see John 14:13-14*).

Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit to help us not only do the things He did while on this earth but also to enable us to do even greater things.

While you wait for Jesus’ triumphant return, what “greater works” is the Lord leading you to do today through the power of the Holy Spirit?

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.