Preaching The Whole Gospel




Pastor Bruce Hines Spiritual Freedom Church Waco Matthew 24:14 (NASB) says, “This gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” When we read this scripture, most of us think about preaching salvation by the forgiveness of sins, through Christ Jesus’’ atonement. We think of evangelistic crusades, Church out reaches, street ministries and feeding the poor. I thank God for all of these ministries, yet I believe we have fallen asleep concerning the rest of our assignment. The message of salvation is a message that is to release Kingdom power through salvation, healings, deliverances, miracles. What I am seeing more and more is, when people accept the message of grace and the salvation of their souls, the power of the Holy Spirit is gloriously touching not only their spirit, but their souls, and their bodies. Their spirit is being borne again, their souls are obtaining release from demonic spirits, and their bodies are being healed. Even over the phone, people are falling under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and are receiving salvation, healing, deliverance and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus says in Luke 9:56, “for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’’s lives, but to save them.” How are peoples’’ lives destroyed? The meaning is to die, put to death or cause to perish. It is through sin, sickness, torment of soul, poverty. Yet Jesus said He came to save, not to destroy. The word is “sozo” in the original Greek. It refers to the removal of something; the forgiveness of sin, the healing of disease and the deliverance from evil spirits; it means to rescue and deliver from danger what threatens life. If we are preaching the right message, God’’s Kingdom is confirming it with power. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:20 that the Kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. Healing, inner-healing, and deliverance was a major part of Jesus’’ ministry. There’’s no sickness in heaven, or demonic torment in heaven. Jesus says in Matthew 18:18 (Williams N.T. Translation), “I solemnly say to you, whatever you forbid on earth must be already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth must be already permitted in heaven.” Jesus’’ life and ministry shows us what heaven is like and what God desires in the earth. Jesus prays in Matthew 6 that God’’s will, will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus says in John 5:19 that He did nothing of Himself, He did whatever the Father desired. After examining the life and ministry of Jesus, I’’ve come to the conclusion that it is the will of God that all mankind be saved, it is the will of God that all mankind be healed and delivered from evil. The issue is people’’s revelation of Christ, His Kingdom, and who the Church is. Derek Prince says that Jesus is Lord over the Church, and the Holy Spirit is Lord in the Church. That would mean that the ministry of Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit is at work in the Church through salvations, healings, deliverances, signs and wonders and miracles. The question Jesus asked was, will He find faith when He comes back. Faith is the primary tool used to access and release the power of God, but if it is not mixed in relationship, no power. Relationship comes from an enthusiasm for the presence of God. As a Pastor, one of my many blessings is to release the power of the Holy Spirit in McLennan County. When Christ’’s power is being released, the atmosphere has in it a potential for revival. Jesus said in Mark 9 that some standing here will not die until they see the Kingdom present with power. Jesus was speaking about a clothing of power from the Holy Spirit. What ignites God’’s power? Hunger! It is a hunger to see hell plundered and heaven populated. In Luke 5:17, the power of God was present to heal. I really wonder how many Churches see healings and deliverances each week. I wonder how many Churches in McLennan County are holding healing or deliverance services with signs, wonders, and miracles. Let’’s not struggle with the great commission any longer, preach the gospel with signs to follow as in Mark 16. If you are not seeing God’’s manifested power through healing or deliverance each week, you might be in attendance of a meeting and not in the sphere of God’’s Kingdom. I believe people will be surprised who is left behind. v