“Pursuing the Supernatural" Complacency is the enemy of progress. Mark 1:14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel (good news) of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” 2023 will be our best year ever! Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. The Word of God has the power to convict, convince and bring faith into your life. Vision always deals with the future. Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: KJV Sight restricts you to the present but Vision releases you to the uncharted frontiers of the future. Sight is limited to the capacity of the eyes. Vision embraces what could be! The only limitation of vision is the boundaries of the imagination. Sight captures the present but vision captures the future. No limits! 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. Supernatural = that which exists outside the natural realm and above and beyond the human realm Miraculous = God's divine nature and power bringing heaven to invade earth. Miraculous = That which only God can accomplish! 1 Corinthians 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. 3 Keys for Pursuing the Supernatural in 2023 1. Believe Correctly Supernatural power is for the church today. A lot of people don’t experience the supernatural power of God because they think wrong. Never bring God down to the level of your current experience. Raise your level of expectancy to the God described in The Bible. Mark 6:5 Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. Wrong thinking will determine the level supernatural in you life in 2023. Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; Mark 16:17 “And these signs will follow those who believe:In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 “they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” James 5:14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. MSG James 5:14 Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master. Believing- prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. Acts 10:38 “how 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. Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. John 20:21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” **2. Pursue Diligently ** The Supernatural must be pursued. Luke 11:1-13 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” 2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.” 5 And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 ‘for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 “and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? 8 “I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. 9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.11 “If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?12 “Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Resilient faith is the currency of heaven. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. **Faith pursues Diligently ** 1 Corinthians 12:31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. 1 Corinthians 14:1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, 1 Corinthians 14.1, AMP Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire this; make it your aim, your great quest; earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual gifts… **3. Partner Willingly ** The Supernatural requires partnership. Mark 16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. Jesus said it is finished died rose again and went to heaven give us the Holy Spirit and said your move. 1 Corinthians 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. Romans 10:13-14 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? God calls His people to do the ridiculous to see the miraculous. We do the simple steps of obedience and God does the miraculous. John 4:39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” 39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony. John 10:37 “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 “but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” Acts 9:33-35 There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.” Then he arose immediately. 35 So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. 1 Corinthians 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.