Not Might, but Shall
- Bishop Keith Butler
- Jul 9
- 2 min read
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (Mark 16:17-18)
Jesus didn’t say signs might follow those who believe. He said they shall. This is a promise from Jesus! Signs (semeion in Greek) will follow believers! Semeion means indicators or marks. You could say that these things set apart believing Christians, full of faith, from everyone else.
Believing is vital. Jesus said those who believe would cast out devils, speak with tongues, and take authority over anything that tries to hurt them. When a church lacks power, it’s not Jesus’ fault. Often it’s the pastor’s fault for not teaching his people to believe God’s Word! How many churches are full of people who have never spoken in tongues? You know it’s the majority of them, don’t you? And why doesn’t anyone speak in tongues in those churches? It’s because they don’t believe in it. Most people don’t believe in it simply because they’ve never been taught the whole counsel of Scripture about it. They take one verse out of context and say, “Tongues are not for today.” However, Jesus didn’t say only those in the first century who believed would speak in tongues, did He? Does anyone take Jesus’ command to preach the Gospel to every creature, (only one verse before) as applicable only to the Christians of the first century?
Understanding the gifts of the Spirit comes from God’s Word. Believing begins with knowing the Bible, not cherry-picking verses to support the theological bent taught in cessationist seminaries. Speaking in tongues is only the beginning. Believers shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Not might recover…shall!
Practical Application
Believing God can only begin when you know His Word. When you know God’s promises and believe them, you will do signs that indicate you belong to Jesus!
