Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
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Jesus healed the sick, restored missing body parts to maimed people, raised the dead, prophesied of things to come, changed water into wine, fed multitudes with just a little food, walked over water, commanded storms to be still, and performed other mighty miracles that no man had ever done before (Jn. 15:24). The night before he died, however, he told his disciples, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my Father" (Jn. 14:12).
When I look around today for the same indisputably miraculous works that Jesus did, I don't see them. Some claim to have the power of God, but I have noticed that Jesus never did that. Jesus never claimed to have the power of God, and the reason he never claimed that he had the power of God is because he really had it. No one holding a hammer in his hand needs to claim that he is holding a hammer in his hand. What he has is obvious. And no one who is truly anointed with the power of God has to claim that he has it. His works speak for themselves. Christian "charismatic" teachers today who claim to have God's power do not have it; if they had it, they wouldn't need to claim it. Those with it don't need to say a word.
The family of God is cursed and has been cursed for almost two thousand years because long ago it traded its spiritual power and purity for political advantage when it merged with the Roman Empire and became the religion of "Christianity". The saints today are virtually powerless, completely divided, utterly confused, and thoroughly polluted with superstition and sin. They are not alive and well; they are dying to much of what is true and holy, and they are desperately sick in spirit. Still, false teachers claim to have the same power Jesus had, and they encourage God's poor children to claim the same thing. But as long as the children of God cling to phony confessions and refuse to confess our need of repentance and restoration, they will never receive God's real power and be healed.
There was a pastor in ancient Laodicea who boasted of his greatness before the congregation of the Lord. He said, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing!" Jesus told him, "You are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked!" (Rev. 3:17). Claiming something does not make it true.
We who believe in Jesus are virtually powerless. Isn't it obvious? Dear Father, have mercy on us and show us your power! We who believe in Jesus are divided. Can anyone say that is not true? Oh, God, have mercy on us and make us one! We who believe in Jesus are confused. Who knows how to heal the broken body of Christ? Lord Jesus, have mercy on us and teach us your truth! We who believe in Jesus are polluted with sin and superstition. What else could be the cause of our divisions and weakness? Dear God, have mercy on us and make us holy and free!
My prayer is that God will not allow us to be satisfied with anything but His perfect will for all His people. If Jesus said that the one who believed in him would do the works he did, and even greater works, then that is what those who believe in him will do. He also said, "These signs shall follow them that believe: In my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Mk. 16:17-18).
With such words, Jesus was describing a body of believers, one that is untainted by the world and not encumbered by entanglements with it. May God rescue us all from the curse of Christianity and the death of its doctrines and ceremonial forms. May He restore to His people the beauty of His holiness and the blessing of peace. I feel certain that He will, if we will stop claiming to be in good health, if we will confess our very great need of His power and truth, and if we will obey His call to come out of Christianity.