This article is based on Pastor Adrian Rogers' message, A Spirit-Filled Church.
Jesus said that we are to be in a wonderful business.
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
There are only two classes of people: believers and unbelievers. Do you say that you believe? Are you doing the works of Jesus—and greater works? If not, something is wrong, and it is not the Scripture.
What is the Church’s program? To do the works of Jesus, and excel them.
What our Lord is talking about in John 14:12 is not raising the dead or walking on water. By “greater works,” He is not talking about quality; He is talking about quantity.
He is talking about leading people to Himself.
Which is the greater work: to raise a man from the dead, or to help a man come to the Lord Jesus Christ so that he can never die? These “greater works” refer to the salvation ministry of Christ.
“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work’” (John 4:34). What did God send Jesus to do? “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).
We, as a Church, are going to do far more than Jesus did when He was on this Earth walking in the flesh. At Pentecost, more souls were saved in one day than came to Jesus in His entire ministry. (See Acts 2:41.)
Do you believe in Jesus? Preaching, choirs, and educational programs are fine, but they all are only a part of a great program, and that is doing the works of Jesus. There is no substitute. Your church exists by evangelism like a fire exists by burning.
In John 14, verses 12 and 13 are conjoined.
…And greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
How do we do these greater works? By believing prayer. Our exciting program of evangelism is based upon a promise: that God will answer our prayer.
Prayer is not a substitute for our work. Prayer is not preliminary to our work. In many senses, prayer is our work.
Do you believe that God will do greater things through your prayer? This next question will be embarrassing: How much, then, do you pray?
You can do a lot without prayer. The pyramids were built without prayer to our true God. But the Church, in order to do the greater works that Jesus commands us to do, must do it by prayer.
Notice what is involved in effectual prayer:
John 14:12 tells us it must be “he who believes in Me.” If you are not a believer, your prayer does not get any higher than the lightbulbs. But if you believe, if you know the Lord Jesus Christ, you are the right person.
What does it mean to ask in Jesus’ name?
The name stands for authority. You put your name on a check, because your name stands for you. If you ask anything in Jesus’ name—that is, with His authority, and His approval—then He will do it.
“…that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13b). The purpose of prayer is to glorify God. It is not to have our little selfish desires met.
Here is how to get your prayers answered: let your purpose and God’s purpose come together—for God to be glorified.
If you love Me, keep My commandments.
If you say that you love the Lord Jesus Christ and you are not keeping His commandments, you are a liar.
What is His commandment? The Great Commission.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…
Our Lord has not called you to be a lawyer, but a witness. A lawyer argues a case; a witness tells what he has seen and heard. The only reason some people do not witness is that they have not seen or heard anything.
A bullet does not make a martyr; it just reveals one. You say, “Oh, I would die for Jesus!” Put that on the shelf. Will you live for Jesus? The word “witness” and the word “martyr” are the same word in the Greek language.
Whatever manpower and ability your church may have, there is still a sense of failure if there is not a soul-winning heart in the life of your people.
You are expected to obey the Lord, if you love Him.
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
Who was dwelling with them? Jesus. Who would be in them? Jesus. “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18). The Holy Spirit is Christ in the Christian.
The word “Helper” is the word “paraclete” (Greek parakletos), which means somebody who will come alongside you, get into the yoke with you, to empower and strengthen you. You will never be alone.
Here, Jesus uses the Greek word for “another” Helper which means “another of the same kind.” And then He says, “I will come to you.” Do you get it? Jesus said, “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do” (John 14:13a). He did not say He would help you to do it. He said, “I will do it.” It happens through the power of the Holy Spirit.
How many of us would say, “I just wish I could have been here when Jesus was on Earth. I wish I could have walked with Jesus, breathed that air, and been there during the miracle times.”
Jesus said, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7).
When Jesus was here on Earth, He was limited by time and space. But when He comes with the Holy Spirit, He is not. The Church is the visible body of the invisible Christ.
So how can we do the works of Jesus, and greater works? Because He will still be doing those works. But He will now do them in you, in me, and in our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is the work of the whole Church, for the whole age.
Do you think you understand this? If so, good. But it would be far better for you not to understand it, than to understand and not obey. Present yourself to the Lord and say, “Lord God, here I am. I will obey. Empower me with Your Holy Spirit to do the job.”
John 4:34, 14:12-18, 16:7; Luke 19:10; Acts 2:41; Matthew 28:19
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!”
Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
