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Introduction

"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master." (Matt 10:24-25)

This seems to have been one of Jesus' favorite sayings, for it is recorded in the Gospels in several places in different forms (see Luke 6:40 and John 13:16, 15:20). The basic idea in each instance is that a disciple is supposed to be like his teacher. As followers then of Jesus Christ, we should learn to walk like him and talk like him.

And by learning to walk like him, I mean we're supposed to be doing the same kinds of things that he did when he lived among us. And what did Jesus do during his lifetime? He healed the sick, cast out demons, and proclaimed the good news that the kingdom of God was at hand (Luke 9:1-2, 10:9). So that's what we as his disciples are supposed to be doing.

Our own experience, built on what we learned from John Wimber many years ago, has been that ordinary run-of-the-mill Christians (like ourselves!) can indeed learn how to perform signs and wonders like healing the sick and setting people free from demonic oppression. And over the years in our home fellowships and equipping seminars, Ingrid and I have taught many others how to "do the stuff" with some success. But many Christians, especially Evangelicals living in our Western world, have difficulty learning how to pray effectively for the sick or exercise authority over the works of Satan.

Why is that?

I believe a key reason can be found in something Jesus said during a confrontation he had with the Sadducees concerning the nature of the resurrection (Mark 12:18-27):

And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife."

Jesus said to them, "Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong."

Note the connection that Jesus makes here between understanding the Bible and experiencing God's power:

"You know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God."

Ingrid and I believe that an important key for unlocking the "powers of the age to come" (Hebrews 6:5) in our lives is that we learn how to view the Bible in the same way that Jesus did. In other words, if we want to become more effective in doing the stuff that Jesus did, we need to learn how to think like Jesus did—and to think in particular about the Bible: what it is and how we should use it in our lives.

Thus the interplay between the Word and the Spirit. Right understanding of the Bible releases power for our personal salvation (Romans 1:16) and as a witness to the world (Acts 1:8) through both words (Acts 2:14-41) and works (Acts 3:1-16) by the power of the Holy Spirit living within us and coming upon us.

Our goal in writing this short book is twofold: to help you see the Bible the way Jesus saw it, and to demonstrate how such a viewpoint can release more of God's power in your own life and the lives of people you minister to. Our book is not theological in the traditional sense, so you won't find discussion here about the nature of Biblical inspiration or about Scriptural inerrancy and so on. And neither is it a doctrinal exposition on the nature and work of the Holy Spirit. Instead, it's meant to be a practical guide that can help you better know both the Scriptures and the power of God and how they relate to one another. And to help you along your way, we'll also be sharing some of the steps (and missteps) we ourselves have taken or encountered on our own journey towards the kingdom of God

So then, where shall we begin? Well, how about starting at The Beginning?