The emphasize of Practicing the Power was really about embracing and actively engaging with the Holy Spirit’s gifts and not running from them out of fear or discomfort. I found the book to challenge a lot of my beliefs and truly test my faith in a number of different areas. It is a wonderful read in preparation for an international mission trip. I especially recommend this book for testing the more dogmatic Christians who want control and structure over the power of the Spirit. Especially since It is so rare to find a church that balances scriptural doctrine as truth and the moving of the Spirit in and through the spiritual gifts.
During my time in The Fellowship Residency Program, I read a long list of powerful books. To read more about my residency experience click here. One aspect of my assignments is to summarize and write key takeaways from each of the books. This is a summary of "Practicing the Power". by Sam Storms.
The Bible is the foundation for what we believe and how we live out the Christian faith. However, spiritual gifts are a “manifestation” of the Holy Spirit. “The gifts are God himself working in and through us.” They are not to be any less valued than Scripture. “A charisma or gift of the Spirit is the Holy Spirit himself coming to clear and sometimes dramatic expression in the lives of God’s people as they minister one to another.” The gifts are how God “goes public” with the people. When we welcome and embrace the gifts in our lives, we are essentially welcoming God himself. Scripture tells us that the gifts energize us. We could all use some energizing power from God himself in the form of gifts.
Chapter 1: Welcome to the World of the Spirit
This book is valuable if you believe in the scriptures as inerrant and divinely inspired, you value truth and the importance of the mind, you are not easily manipulated, and you hate the manipulation tactics used by TV Evangelists. Additionally, people who want to pursue the gifts must recognize self-control as a fruit of the Spirit and must be skeptical and cautious about supernatural gifts and power. You are passionate to see God move in life-changing ways, have a desire to prophesize, you’ve encountered demon possession and felt helpless, and/or are over the monotonous routines that plague Sunday morning services. 1 Corinthians tells us that we should have an eager desire for the spiritual gifts. However, before diving into the contents of the book, church leaders should make sure they truly want the church’s spiritual gifts to be fully operational.
We should expect mistakes when walking down this path. A key takeaway for me was that, “Obedience must matter more to you than success or your image.” This statement led me to question what I truly prioritize more. I don’t worry so much about success, but image has always been an idol that I have battled in my life. Many of us may also write off obedience due to someone else doing it wrongly, in manipulation, or in a way that hurt the growth of the church. This is not Biblical and is a poor excuse. For example, we simply cannot avoid evangelism purely because the “damned to Hell” evangelists have hurt the face of Christianity. When Sam introduced the teaching of the gifts to the congregation, he went verse by verse through 1 Corinthians 12-14, spent a year in Acts, 12 weeks on worship, and finally 15 weeks on spiritual warfare so the congregation could get a full picture of the Spirit. To walk in the world of the Spirit, church leaders have to be willing to lose money and people over the decision to pursue obedience. It is helpful to remember, God is not scared or worried about the decisions like we are. In fact, God DELIGHTS in courage and faith and taking risks to be and do what God desires for us. This is an area I will need much more work in to understand fully. God is “far more pleased with our obedience than he is with our success.” When we make mistakes, we should take the opportunity to teach and encourage ourselves rather than hiding in shame and guilt. “The Holy Spirit wants to be pursued but refuses to be pushed.”
Chapter 2: Earnestly Desire Spiritual Gifts
We should not neglect the gifts we have been given. Likewise, we can earnestly desire for God to gift us new gifts after the initial salvation. Timothy provides an example in scripture where he was given a gift after his initial conversion. Many may question, but we are able to petition the Holy Spirit in prayer to gift us with a new or different spiritual gift. There are numerous examples of scripture where God tells us to persevere in prayer and ask God for our heart’s desire. “They had not because they asked not, and they asked not because they believed not!” Even though we believed God can, we shouldn’t expect God to do what we want or expect apart from prayer what He has promised us to do in and through us by prayer.
Chapter 3: The Non-Negotiable Necessity of Praying
As a believer and a church, we should be committed to not only prayer but to actually praying. God desires us to pursue Him in prayer without fear. Don’t simply promise to pray for people, but practice the discipline of praying on their behalf. Our prayers and petitions to God are the means for which God uses to give us what He already knew we needed. God’s omniscience requires honesty. When leading others through the discipline of prayer, we must spend time on increasing the expectancy in the hearts of people. “We should pray expectantly, offering a humble petition to our merciful God for something we don’t deserve but that he delights to give.” We must avoid the belief of functional deism that believes God is good but prefers to let the world run its course while also avoiding a belief that God can be manipulated or coerced into answering a prayer. God is both good and sovereign in answering our prayers. We must pray with good intentions, without bitterness or resentment, and in accordance with the will of God. No amount of faith will overcome God’s sovereignty over our well being. Therefore, we should pray for extraordinary and powerful faith that is content with the blessings that are in alignment with God’s will.
Chapter 4: Fasting for Power
Fasting is primarily how we seek God and the blessings that He has for us. “Fasting is pursuit. Fasting is spiritual seeking. Fasting is asking with an extraordinary intensity and passion.” It is enjoying and feasting on God and expecting Him to do more than we could ever do on our own. Fasting must always be motivated by deep desire. What you deny yourself isn’t the most important thing. Instead it is what you are “feasting” on, God. Fasting as a discipline is focused on spiritual indulgence and abstinence for Christ’s sake. Fasting is not impressive willpower but rather a proclamation of our weakness and utter dependency on God. Fasting does not argue that the pleasures of the world are bad, but simply that God is better. Fasting should be motivated by the desire to glorify God. The discipline opens us up to receive God’s voice and enjoy His presence. It is during, when, or due to us fasting that we receive the Holy Spirit’s guidance and direction. God postures himself to be sought after. Fasting is also particularly powerful to use during spiritual warfare. Fasting should be done through a progression and with understanding of the various degrees of fasting. Sometimes, churches may need to host a time of church wide fasting and prayer when a pressing decision feels unreasonable or heavy.
Chapter 5: Practicing the Power of Healing
There are varying accounts in the scriptures, but often times Jesus healed people because of someone involved had deep faith. Faith is crucial, because it “magnifies the mercy and power of God.” There also appears to be times that God has chosen to withhold healing due to unrepentant hearts. We are told in James to confess our sins so that we may be healed. Just because someone is able to heal once, it does not mean they will always be able to heal. Likewise, just because healing has not worked before, it does not mean it will never work. Jesus himself had limitations from the Father on how and when he could heal (John 5:19; Mark 6:5-6). We are not owed healing from God. He heals because He is compassionate and merciful.
When walking through the healing prayer with someone, Sam Storms recommends that people confess out loud their belief that God can heal them. This “process” begins with an interview where you ask both the Holy Spirit and the person to discuss what their ailment is. This process involves patience, listening, and discernment. Then is the “diagnosis” stage where you attempt to determine where these issues are coming from. It may be truly physical or it may be emotional, demonic, a result of sin (like gluttony or addiction), or completely unknown. Once it is determined, you pray specifically, confidently, and patiently. He recommends saying, “In the name of Jesus, be healed!” During the prayer, it can also be helpful to offer appropriate physical touch and/or anoint with oil. Afterwards, give direction to continue to persevere in prayer unless God says otherwise. We never suggest a lack of healing is due to lack of faith. Success is not measured by healing but rather obedience. We must recognize that the body, that was created by God and determined to be good, is innately spiritual. We must respect it as such.
Chapter 6: Identifying Prophecy in the Local Church
Prophesy is described as “the human report of divine revelation.” We cannot draw conclusions about the cause based solely on the effect. Prophesy will always encourage and build up a person. It is not to be used to rebuke or bring down. Prophesy is not deep conviction as a result of a message. The Holy Spirit will illuminate the mind to better understand a truth or message. However, prophesy is based on a spontaneous revelation from God. The distinction between the two can be blurry. “Prophesy is speaking forth in merely human words of something God has spontaneously brought to mind.” Some people believe prophesy is only something that can be spiritually revealed. Prophecy is based on revelation of the Spirit that is in alignment with Scripture but then goes beyond scripture and speaks to a specific person. Prophesy is more than enlightenment or illumination. Practically, we should remember that we have no control over God, we must long for the gift in a humble manner, and we must look to others to learn. When new to the gift, it is important to seek wise counsel and remember to focus on positive encouragement. Finally, a revelation may not be a massive physical manifestation of a prophesy. Prophesy can feel incredibly routine and still be a revelation from God.
Chapter 7: A Paradigm for Prophetic Practice
To get a thorough understanding of prophetic practice, it is good to dive into Acts 21. The chapter describes friends who are concerned for Paul and through prophetic message urge him not to go to Jerusalem beginning with his time in Tyre. In Caesarea, we see the same thing with a few important notes. Firstly, it is made clear that women can prophesy. Secondly, we see Agabus explicitly give a word to Paul that is of the Holy Spirit. Thirdly, we see many who did not receive the revelation, but chose to interpret its meaning anyways. Additionally, we see Paul actively choose not to listed to their advice. Finally, all involved resign themselves to do the will of God. There are many interpretations as to what went down with Paul not heeding their counsel. Firstly, some believe Paul was disobedient to the will of God. Secondly, there is the wrong idea that the Holy Spirit changed His mind. Thirdly, some believe prophecy did not take place but rather advice from a friend. This is not true, because we hear the words “through the Spirit.” Finally, the most likely answer, is that they received a revelation from the Holy Spirit that said if Paul went to Jerusalem, he would be persecuted. They may have taken the revelation, interpreted it, and applied it to Paul without being directed by the Holy Spirit in the final two steps. The revelation was accurate, but the interpretation and application may not have been in alignment with God’s will.
Continuing forward with revelation can be dangerous, particularly if the revelation is interpreted as unconditional when it is in fact conditional, an invitation, or an opportunity in the future. Prophecy is often a mixture of “infallible divine revelation” and “fallible human interpretation and application.” However, we must be okay with some human error since Agabus himself was wrong. It does not dismiss the need for prophesy. Instead, it demands prophetic humility. The gift of prophesy is not incomplete if it lacks interpretation or application information. Often times, God desires the interpretation and application of the prophesy to be left to others. Error in prophesy does not mean they are false prophets. False prophets are people who deny that Jesus is God. So, what can we conclude? 1. Just because someone loves us and gives counsel, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t carefully analysis the prophecy. 2. We do not have to be in agreement on interpretation or application. 3. The mistakes of prophecy are not fatal to the gift.
Chapter 8: Principles for Prophesy Today
Prophesy builds up the church. With that being said, church leaders need to make sure that people have the opportunity to do so. In small groups, it is crucial that people feel safe to take risks and practice the gift. Their courage should be honored and failures shouldn’t lead to humiliation. Small group leaders must be encouraged to make space for the gift to be utilized and be comfortable with silence. If someone’s word is off base, then they should be corrected with what is taught in Scripture. Doing so will inevitably bring hurt, but speaking the truth in love is crucial. In practicing prophesy in a large gathering, some churches will offer a mic for prophetic word to be spoken. This can be dangerous, particularly for new visitors or difficult attenders who might abuse the privilege. One also must be cautious of interrupting the intentional flow of worship. Therefore, it is likely a better idea to identify a “designated point person” who is responsible for the decision making. The church itself encourages people to share their prophesy with the designated person. That person must then decide if the word is best shared individually or corporately. From there, the decision is when and who will share the word.
Obvious rules should be followed such as limitations on the number of words shared, mentioning specific names with regards to criticism and sin, and avoid predictions around marriages, jobs, or babies. Remember, interpretation and application are not necessary if not given. Simply do not tell a person God’s will for their life, scriptures help us there. Additionally, avoid making rules, doctrines, behavioral standards, or practices based on prophesy that lack spiritual support. As leaders, we must remind people that they are not their gift and also not despise the gift of prophesy simply because others have offended, gone badly, or gotten it wrong. Why is prophesy emphasized? Because “Paul himself believed that is was uniquely beneficial to the spiritual growth and maturity of God’s people.
Chapter 9: User-Friendly Deliverance
When God moves in big ways, Satan often keep up in pace. There is not a specific reference in the NT to a gift of deliverance, but we are still able to use the power and authority we have in Christ to perform deliverances. If we are not properly equipped, demonic beings can affect our relationship with God. Many deliverances are portrayed on movies, shows, etc. as violent acts and therefore deter people from practicing their skills. Other people avoid deliverance ministry, because they believe that it is only for a select few to participate in. Some misinterpret scripture and use that as their reasoning for avoiding deliverance ministry, and others avoid it because they wrongly assume that Christians are unable to be demonized. Storms argues that even if a Christian cannot be “indwelt” then can still experience torture, oppression, and assault by evil spirits. I am not sure where I personally stand on what degree a Christian can be influenced by demons. I will need to pursue this idea in greater detail at a later date. “Regardless of where the demon might be, believers are often in need of deliverance and the freedom that Christ dies to obtain for them.”
The book focuses on Luke 10 as a believer’s reference for our authority in Christ. We are given authority over the enemy in the name of Christ. However, this power is not as powerful as the ability to receive salvation. Storms also suggests that we on the other side of the cross and Pentecost have greater authority than the disciples or the apostles. Evidence of this authority can only be seen in the exercise of the authority. Jesus has entrusted us with this power and desires for us to utilize the authority as a means to glorify Himself. Some argue over what term to use when fighting Satan, but regardless, it is the same power that was given to Paul. We should steward the power well. It is also important to remember that deliverance typically does not come by prayer alone, but also through command. The word of command in Christ’s name should be given until the deliverance is complete.
There are two approaches to deliverance: power encounter and truth encounter. Truth encounters requires the individual experiencing the demonic influence to reject the enemy, repent of their sin, proclaim the truth and submit to Jesus’s authority. Whereas power encounters include confronting the evil directly, command for the demon to identify itself, and cast it out. Typically, it involves expose, engage, and expelling of the evil spirit. Both have merit in their own way. However, when doing either one, we must remember that we are not exorcists but facilitators of the deliverance. Practical tips for deliverance demand the inclusion of someone with the spiritual gift of discerning of spirits. In practicing discernment, we should engage the Holy Spirit and ask Him to speak, pray with our eyes open so we can search for physical symptoms, and learn through experience the evidence of demonization. You begin the deliverance by declaring your authority in Christ and His authority over demonic spirits. Then you should explore the situation and ensure it is not from another cause. Ask questions, particularly ones that ask the person to give their testimony of faith in Christ. Confront the enemy eye-to-eye, and then assess the progress. Close out the experience with a prayer of gratitude for delivering the evil spirit. It is important to remember that “whatever power Satan may have, ours in Christ is greater.” Satan will flee from us is we resist him and cling to Christ.
Chapter 10: Do Not Quench the Spirit!
The Holy Spirit is spoken to be like wind, water, and fire. Wind for the mysterious movements, water for the cleansing experience of new birth, and fire the consumes sin and fuel efforts for glorifying God. What a beautiful picture. We owe everything to the ministry of the Spirit. What we understand in the word, the moral changes, the strength in our weaknesses, the encouragement in despair, and sanctifying influence are all of the Holy Spirit. We can sin against the Spirit by insulting, blaspheming, resisting, grieving, lying, and quenching the Spirit. The Spirit is sovereign and fully God, but He also subjects himself to our decisions. This leads to us quenching His power often. We do this by speaking of His power as an electric current that we can “plug” into and receive some energy. This view neglects to recognize that he has a mind, feelings, will, desire, and functions as a personal being.
Another way that we quench the Spirit is by overlooking, denying, or neglecting aspects of His ministry. Though His primary ministry is Christocentric, it is not all He does. He inspires, directs, bears witness, and gives gift in addition to the primary ministry. A third way that we quench the Spirit is suppressing His work in ministering to the church. Cessationists are the primary guilty party, though we all do this in our own way. We also quench the Spirit when we create a structure in our services and gatherings that does not allow space for the Spirit to move. “We say we want revival… but on our terms.” The book lists brilliant examples of how we invite the Holy Spirit in, only to tell Him exactly how to do His job. Finally, we quench the Spirit when we despise prophetic ministry. It is clear that it is sinful to despise prophecy as it is a gift from God Himself. We don’t take an anything goes approach with prophecy. Instead, we use “biblically informed discernment.” We test and evaluate the utterances against scripture. We hold tightly onto what is good, and reject what is evil.
Chapter 11: Manipulation of Ministry?
We must balance the line between passing unwarranted judgment on the motives of others while also embracing and tolerating all claims of spiritual activity without discernment and speculation. Christians often attempt to manipulate situations in an attempt to maintain some sort of control. We should work to improve our discernment yet also maintain our zeal for the work of the Spirit without sacrificing our moral integrity. Manipulation is primarily concerned with motive over method. It is more about why a service is conducted than how. Manipulation may take the form of selfishness, coercive, deceptive, blaspheming or exalting, and shaming or guilt-producing. For example, many may justify their manipulation by falsely proclaiming, “If I can get them to God, how I do it is of secondary importance.” This is simply not true. Success is only achieved when Jesus Christ is magnified, glorified, and the people are ignited with a passion for Him. Another may believe that the Spirit failed to appear if there are no physical phenomena. However, “a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit may yield the quiet fruit of holiness and humility instead of the overt display of signs and wonders.” This was a major takeaway for me personally, because I often think that if I cannot “feel” the physical presence of the Spirit, then He must not have shown. This is entirely false.
Chapter 12: The Importance of Worship in the Spirit
Worship is simply united with the energizing presence of the Spirit. Otherwise, it is a worship of man’s talent over the beauty of God. Worship should affect the way we see God as well as highlight how we enjoy Him. Sometimes it can feel that we are not allowed to enjoy God, but that is simply not the case. “My gladness and God’s glory seemed to cancel each other out. I felt compelled to choose between the two.” Almost as if pleasure in God was not taking Him “seriously” enough. Instead, our passion for pleasure and passion for praise can merge in a beautiful way that highlights God’s glory in worship. Not only did the author learn to enjoy God, but also feel Him, feel His enjoyment of us, and the power of spiritual intensity swell up. We should seek for God to visit us in worship in this way. When we worship, God does a number of wonderful things to and for us that we cannot even begin to name or imagine. Cessationists use worship to understand God out of fear and reverence that is planned and controlled. Charismatic worship emphasizes emotional and relational connection to God out of joy and love that is free and expressive.
We are called to take a posture of worship because we “surrender to a higher authority…express utter vulnerability…confess our utter dependence…receive a gift from God…direct our attention away from self to the Savior…and because we are the beloved of God.” Deep faith requires risks. However, when we praise Him in faith, we are filled with His presence and His power. Finally, the question is asked often, “Do miraculous gifts still happen today?” In short, yes. By many different Biblical references as well as important personal experiences, I can say with confidence that the Spirit and His gifts are still alive and active in our world today.