Motives

[Anthony Gladden]

I was in my car driving to work listening to a song. In part of the song the artist says:

You could give to me the gift of walking on water
maybe I will raise the dead
I have one life to live all I have to give to You is love
I have one life to live all I have to give to You is love

If I never walk on water if I
never see the miracles
if I never hear your voice so loud
Just knowing that You love me is enough to keep me here
Just hearing those words is enough is enough to satisfy
You do You do You satisfy I couldn't leave even if a tried
I must have You I must have You

Listening to these words brought to mind what Jesus said would happen to them who believe (Mark 16:17-18). Now I believe and I know that there are others out there who believe too; however these things are not happening or not common place. I know that in order to move in the things of God one must live a Set Apart life style meaning the turning away from the things of this world that feeds the flesh and turning toward the things of God, pulling closer to Him to be more like His nature. There are people, including me, who are turning but Mark 16:17-18 is not happening. This caused me to search a little deeper and inquire of the Holy Spirit as to why we are not seeing this. The thing that Holy Spirit told me was MOTIVES. The questions proposed by Holy Spirit:

1. Why do you want to walk in Mark 16:17-18?
2. Is it because you want the POWER?
3. Why do you want the POWER?
4. Do you want it to show off?

See that’s what satan wanted Jesus to do, to “Show Off”. But He didn’t. One thing that I noticed in scripture was that Jesus moved and operated solely out of compassion and love toward the people. And most importantly out of obedience to the Father’s Will. Jesus truly wanted to help the person(s) and not show off. I’m reminded by the Holy Spirit of Simon in Acts 8. Simon tried to buy the power so that he could have power. Remember Simon practiced sorcery in Samaria and people thought he was great and people listened to him. So you can say that he had some sort of power, it was control over the people. Now Philip comes on the scene and started preaching, Simon became less important as the people believed in what Philip was preaching. Now here is where it gets a little deep. Simon himself started believing and followed Philip. The scriptures say that he was amazed at the miracles that Philip was doing. What took Simon over was when Peter and John came and laid hands on the people imparting Holy Spirit. He offered money to have that power. I believe he wanted the power such that he could show off so others could see and so that others would think he was powerful. As you continue to read in Acts 8 you will find that he was rebuked by Peter. Peter said that he saw that Simon was full of bitterness and captive to sin.

In the Body of Christ today we have people like Simon. They only want the power so others can see and be at awe at them; wanting to control people or feel important. The Holy Spirit just reminded me about the movie Book of Eli. In the movie there was a man who was charged by God to take the last known copy of the Bible to the West Cost such that it can be included in an archive that was being created. There was another man in the movie who wanted that Bible. His sole purpose for wanting the Bible was to control and impress people in this post apocalyptic world ultimately getting glory from man. How many are there in the Body of Christ only want to walkout Mark 16 but only to impress, control people, and have man glorify them. I dare say many. As I am writing this I too am examining myself with these questions…

1. Why do you truly want to move in the Power of God and walk out Mark 16?
2. Is it for self gratification, showing off so others can see?

I pray that all who read this would ask themselves these very same questions. I pray even more that their answer is like mine…

I want to walkout Mark 16 solely to

1. Uplift Jesus Christ
2. Move with the same compassion Jesus had toward the lost.
3. Sharing His LOVE such that people may be saved
4. To establish His Kingdom here on earth

If the answers are not…

MAY THE LORD HELP US ALL!!!!!