Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them.  Matt.4:23-24

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.  Matt.10:5-8

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’ The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”   Luke 10:1, 17-20

Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.  I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.   Jn.14:12-14

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.  For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.  1 Cor. 12:7-11

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of words but of power.  1 Cor.4:20

Notice a pattern.  It is a pattern of power.  Jesus displayed it first.  Preach the gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons, cleanse lepers, raise the dead. Jesus then delegated power and authority to his twelve apostles. He told them to preach, heal, deliver, cleanse, and raise the dead.  Then he sent out seventy-two ordinary disciples who were told to do the same.  They came back triumphant.

Then Jesus promised that anyone who believes on him would do the works he had been doing and in fact they would do even greater things.  Then the Holy Spirit descended on the church and distributed spiritual gifts to every believer which included gifts that display miraculous power. The power of the kingdom of God was not reserved for Jesus or even for the twelve. It was given to seventy-two others and then to the whole church so that the church might continue to do the works Jesus did and even greater things.

There is no hint in these passages that the power and authority distributed first by Jesus and then by his Spirit would fade to a whimper within a few decades of their inauguration.  Power has always been at the core of the gospel: preach it, then demonstrate it.  That is the pattern. Destroy the works of the devil.  Heal broken hearts.  Return health to diseased bodies. Set people free from every form of bondage.

Why would we ever want less or settle for less? Instead, press in, cry out for more, risk asking for and declaring the miraculous works of God.  Bring Jesus everyone he died for by using every bit of the power and authority he paid for.  For the kingdom is not a matter of words but of power.