Receiving God’s Power

Receiving The Baptism of Power

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is so crucial to the Christian, but so overlooked in many churches. 2nd Timothy 3 warns us of Godlessness in the last days; “People will have a form of Godliness but deny the power thereof.” The Holy Spirit comes on us with Power. God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power Love and sound mind. Jesus finished His work on the cross and rose again. He is back at the right side of the Father in heaven. Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit would come after he left the world, to comfort us; give us wisdom, and all the fruits of the Spirit. Jesus said “You are in error because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God” Matthew 22:29.

Jesus also said “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the Kingdom of God has come with POWER.” Mark 9:1 In Luke the angel answered “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Luke 1:35. We will see signs, wonders, miracles, healing, deliverance, and even see the dead rise again. Praying with others and standing in faith for healing, provision and breakthroughs are an amazing part of the journey as Christians, but are we experiencing His Power?

Although I was raised a Christian in the Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, I never experienced God’s power until I rededicated my life attended a church pastored by Ken Gullikson which was an offshoot of the Vineyard in 1995. I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit in a small home in Santa Monica with a faithful mother and her son who had been very close to Lonnie Frisbee (A prophet from the Jesus movement in the 70s in California.) The gift of prophecy flowed freely with us, and Meg the mother, confirmed I was a mouthpiece for the Lord.

One night in their living room worshipping the Lord, I felt warm hands touching my back. My eyes were closed so I didn’t know if a person was laying hands on me; but when I opened my eyes no-one was behind me. I started to shake and rock like a conduit for a charge of electricity. It was like I had connected to a power outlet. At the time I didn’t really know what happened. It was supernatural and exciting, yet I had peace. That was when I believe I was baptized by the power of the Holy Spirit. Later in my walk with the Lord, I found out my grandmother was supernaturally healed of cancer through the laying on of hands in a Quaker church, and that the Quakers got their name because they quaked when the power of the Holy Spirit came on them. Perhaps this shaking was also manifesting in me because I had Quaker roots in my family line.

It is time for the church to rise up and take her rightful place and understand her true authority as we are married to the Savior. When we walk intimately with Jesus we become one with Him and are able to walk with Him and do the same things He did when he walked the earth. Jesus said we will do even greater things than He did. The bible says they will know us for our Love for one another. As we grow in the knowledge of His love for us, forgive one another, pray for one another and carry one another’s burdens, we will see God’s love manifest with

power. In Luke 1:17 it says, He will go on before the Lord, in the spirit of power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous – to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Most people think of the power of God as destructive power used for His judgement for our sins. Jesus demonstrated God’s power for healing, and to perform miracles, (he turned water into wine, multiplied five fish and a few loaves to feed over 5000, and He restored broken hearts and gently turned people from their sins.) Jesus also always protected the underdogs in society especially women who were judged more harshly than their male counterparts. Remember the woman caught int he act of adultery? Where was the man she was caught with? Why weren’t the religious leaders stoning him too? In the story of the woman at the well, Jesus gently convicted her of her sins having had five “husbands,” and Zacchaeus the tax collector, he invited to have dinner with. While the religious leaders rebuked Mary the prostitute for breaking an expensive bottle of perfume on the feet of Jesus, Jesus memorialized her in scripture as a hero of faith and love who recognized the voice and heart of her savior and was overcome with worship for Him.

The church is called to walk like Jesus and we are told we will do even greater things than Jesus did, so we must walk in the same power and authority to speak blessings, increase and favor. We must take our stand against the wiles of the devil and having done all we stand! We do not back down or give the enemy ground through believing the lie that we are less powerful than the enemy. Jesus said greater is He who is within you (the Holy Spirit) than he who is in the world (Satan). With God all things are possible and if we ask Jesus in our hearts then He is always with us! He will never leave us or forsake us! We have dunamis (dynamite) power of the Holy Spirit living inside of us! No wonder the devil wants us to stay in fear and deception that we are unworthy and unable to do what Jesus did. The devil is a liar. Jesus came to bring Life and Life abundantly and He supplies everything for the journey! All our needs are supplied by Him. If we ask and wait for the Holy Spirit we will receive the Holy Spirit. Once we do there is NO STOPPING US! When we are Holy Ghost filled dynamite power, word speaking, prophesying faith filled believers the devil will shake in his boots. The victory is ours church. Rise up now!

A native of Hollywood, CA, Sonia Curtis experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit in 1995 at a home church with people who walked closely with the prophet Lonnie Frisbee until his death. She has served in worship and prayer ministry since 1995, alternating between charismatic churches, and Presbyterian/Calvary Chapel churches. She served as a youth pastor at Malibu Vineyard under Grant Owen and a youth pastor under the Apostle Al Fornis, from 1999-2001 where she experienced power, signs, and wonders. In 2001 she met the prophet Shawn Bolz, who came to watch her teach an acting class in Hollywood. Shawn prophesied over her being a front runner in Hollywood and many Christians came to the class where prayers and prophesy for each other and Hollywood flowed. Currently, Sonia has been serving at Expression 58 Church on the Prayer team, as well as leading a home group for the Industry Hollywood for the past year. Her heart is help the saints get equipped with knowledge and power for the last days.