The Sent

So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. —Mark 16:19–20

Jesus Christ is seated bodily at the right hand of the Father. He will never preach another sermon on this earth; He will never cast out another devil; He will never again heal another sick person. He said, “Go ye,” and then He ascended and sat down. God’s perfect will is that the Church should go, the Church should preach, the Church should cast out, the Church should heal, and the Church should speak in tongues (Mark 16:17–18). Instead, the Church has spent most of its time praying and asking God to do it, pleading with Him and wondering why He does not do it. But the Great Commission does not mandate the Church to send the Lord—in it, the Lord sends His Church. When the Church finally understands God’s plan of operation and goes, each member will be accompanied by signs following them. The time to pray and chase signs and wonders is over; it is time for the supernatural to follow you everywhere you go. People will hear the Good News, they will be delivered of demonic strongholds, and they will be set free from sickness and disease. This should be the lifestyle of a believer in the world today. Jesus has been received up—now it is time for us—for you—to go everywhere!

Pastor Tom Kehres

The Accompanying One

Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted,
and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.—Acts 2:33

We have learned that Jesus was received up into heaven bodily; that the believer should go into all the world and preach the Gospel; and that supernatural signs would follow the believer. When we go, the Lord will work with the believer, not for the believer. If the Lord is seated at the right hand of God, how can He possibly work with us here in the earth? Here the Word tells us the Lord will work with us in the Person of the Holy Ghost. Jesus did not endure the sufferings of the cross just to pay for your sins so that you could receive Him as Savior and be with Him in heaven when you die. Jesus suffered, died, and was raised not only so you could be with God, but so God could be with you here on the earth. God desires to be a part of your life, to be your Lord in every area of life: the God of your life, your marriage, your family, your job, and your money. He desires to work with you so that you not only have life, but have it abundantly. This abundant life is available through the Person of the Holy Ghost. He is not a promise; He is the Promise sent to you, to your children, and to those who are afar off (Acts 2:38–39). He is the “pow” in your power, the “super” in your supernatural, the “vic” in your victory, and the “glo” in your glory! He is the Lord who will work with you— when and if you go!

Pastor Tom Kehres

The Greatest Gift Given

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come,
he will guide you into all truth:
for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. —John 16:13

The Holy Spirit has come! Jesus has been raised and seated in heaven, and He has now sent the Holy Spirit. Before Jesus left, He spent four whole chapters in the gospel of John telling His disciples to get ready because He was going to send another Comforter! He was going to send the Power Source of God to be with them and to live in them. He said that it was better if He left; that they could do greater works by the new power in them. They could now go directly to the Father with their petitions; they could ask and receive. Also, the Holy Spirit would lead them and guide them out of false beliefs and wrong doctrines into all truth! The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Truth. He is on a mission to lead you into the place of total liberty—spirit, soul, and body. If He can get you to know the truth, you can live totally free. You must learn to hear His voice and follow His prompt- ings in order not to be led by your head, but by the Spirit of God. You must desire and seek His guidance in your daily life. Too many people go when they want to go, then end up in a mess and call out to God for help. But you can avoid wrong decisions, wrong turns in life, by learning to follow the Holy Ghost. He is your Guide, your Teacher, and your Friend in this supernatural life. Do not ignore the greatest gift that you will ever receive—the Person of the Holy Ghost!

Pastor Tom Kehres

​​The Advantage

Nevertheless I tell you the truth;
It is expedient for you that I go away:
for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
—John 16:7

Jesus said, “It is expedient, [it is beneficial, it is better] for you that I go away” (John 16:7, emphasis added). Why? Because we would then receive the Holy Ghost. We live today in the greatest God dispen- sation there ever was. It is not God among us, it is not only God with us, but it is now God in us! Jesus was excited to be going to the right hand of the Father so that He could send mankind the Holy Ghost. He declared that you having the Holy Ghost is better than you personally working with Jesus in the flesh! Jesus was the disci- ples’ Leader, He was their Teacher, He was their Provider, and He was their Protector—but only when He was in the same physical place with them. You now have a Leader, a Teacher, a Provider, a Protector, a Comforter, and a Friend with you and in you twenty-four hours a day. He is the Holy Ghost. You can ignore Him, forget about Him, even be unaware of His presence, but that does not change the fact that He is in you. Because most Christians see God only in a picture, or on a cross, or as a distant God, they never receive the benefits of the Holy Ghost in their daily lives. But He desires to show the power of God to a world in darkness, to demonstrate His glory to the nations. We must become aware of the “advantage” the Father has given us. We need to get to know Him and to cooperate with Him in our daily lives. It is better that Jesus left—you now have the Holy Ghost!

Pastor Tom Kehres