How Does God's Spirit Operate Today?

He was lame from his mother's womb.  Daily, he sat at the temple gate called Beautiful in order to ask gifts of mercy from those entering into the temple.  On one occasion, however, this disabled beggar received a gift that was worth far more than a few small coins.  He was healed ! - Acts 3:2-8.

Although the apostles Peter and John were the ones who "raised him up" so that "the soles of his feet . . .were made firm,"  they did not take credit for the healing.  Why not?  Peter himself explained:  "Men of Israel, why are you wondering over this, or why are you gazing at us as though by personal power or godly devotion we have made him walk?"  Indeed, both Peter and John realized that it was, not by their might, but by God's holy spirit that such a thing could be done. -Acts 3:7-16; 4P:29-31.

At that time, such "powerful works" were provided to show that the fledgling Christian congregation had God's backing.  (Hebrews 2:4)  But after having served their purpose, they would be "done away with," said the apostle Paul.  ( 1 Corinthians 13:8) Thus, we do not now observe  in the true Christian congregation any God-ordained healings, prophetic messages, or the exorcising of demons. (The preachers etc, . . who think they can are not true Christians because they do not teach the truth. Only Jehovah's Witnesses do.   So anyone who pretends to do exorcising either can't or are assisted by the Devil or paid assistants to act the part.  Jehovah does not give that honor to any imperfect human on earth anymore)

Does this mean, though, that God's holy spirit is no longer operative?  Far from it! Let us consider some other ways in which God's spirit was active in the first century and is active in our day.

Next time: "The Spirit of the Truth"

Watchtower, 2000