Day 242: Supernatural Attestation Through The Power Of The Holy Spirit

That the anointing of the Holy Spirit was responsible for the supernatural confirmation of Christ’s ministry is stated also by Peter in the book of Acts. He spoke to the Jews concerning Jesus in the following terms:

“Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know.” (Acts 2:22)

Peter indicates that one purpose of the miracles, wonders and signs in the ministry of Jesus was to approve or to attest the divine origin and authority of His ministry, and that it was God Himself who gave this testimony to the ministry of Jesus. Speaking to Gentiles in the household of Cornelius, Peter describes the ministry of Jesus in the following terms:

“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38)

Here Peter specifically attributes the supernatural ministry and healing power of Jesus to the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon Him.

As it was in the ministry of Jesus, so it was also in the ministry of His disciples. Before the day of Pentecost there was a measure of the supernatural in their ministry. The first twelve disciples whom Jesus sent out are described this way:

“So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.” (Mark 6:12-13)

The ministry of the seventy disciples whom Jesus sent out later was described similarly.

“Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.’” (Luke 10:17)

We see therefore that even during the earthly ministry of Jesus, His disciples shared in some measure in the supernatural aspect of that ministry toward the sick and the demon-possessed. But this would appear to be on a strictly limited scale and merely an extension of the earthly ministry of Jesus through His close presence with them.

However, after the day of Pentecost the disciples immediately entered into a full supernatural ministry of their own, in which they were no longer dependent upon the bodily presence of Jesus with them on earth.

As a result of the descent of the Holy Spirit, one of the five supernatural signs promised by Jesus in Mark 16 was immediately manifested: “They... all... began to speak with other [or with new] tongues” (Acts 2:4). The next chapter of Acts records the miraculous healing of the lame man at the beautiful gate.

The remainder of the book of Acts is an unbroken record of supernatural testimony by God, through the Holy Spirit, to the message and ministry of the disciples. This supernatural testimony to their ministry is summed up in the verse which we have already examined in Hebrews 2:4.

“God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, and with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will.”