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

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, if you are born again, there are certain signs that will be part of your life.  “You shall cast out devils.”  Devils are real spiritual beings.  They are out to destroy mankind through sickness and disease, fear, doubt, and oppression.  God did not call the believer to be harassed by demon spirits, but to enforce their defeat, which was accomplished at the Cross.  Poison is not supposed to have any effect on a believer; bad water should not make you sick; the Flu of the Year should not be able to attach itself to a believer.  You have the supernatural ability to repel harmful things which would hurt the natural person.  “They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.”  This is a supernatural sign that should accompany your life.  You have supernatural power over sickness and disease in the lives of others.  “They shall speak with new tongues.”  Tongues is a supernatural sign that belongs to the believer.  Not just for a few, but for all.  It is a spirit language that is inspired by the Holy Ghost to build you up in the things of the Spirit.  Are you a believer?  How many of these signs are following you?  These signs shall-–if you believe.

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, He will never cast out another devil, He will never again heal another sick person.  He said, “Go ye,” and then 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.  Instead, the Church has spent most of its time praying and asking God to do it, pleading and wondering why God does not do it.  But the Great Commission is not the Church sending the Lord–-it is the Lord sending the 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 get delivered of demonic strongholds, they will be set free from sickness and disease.  This is the lifestyle of a believer in the world today.  Jesus has been received up–-now it is time to go everywhere!

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 found out 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.  The sufferings of the Cross were not just so Jesus could 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 desired to be a part of man’s life, to be man’s 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 more abundantly.  This abundant life is available through the person of the Holy Ghost.  He is not a promise, but the promise sent to you, your children, and 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!

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 that it is expedient, it is beneficial, it is better if I go.  Why?  Because you will receive the Holy Ghost.  We live today in the greatest God-dispensation that 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 He could send mankind the Holy Ghost.  He declared that you having the Holy Ghost is better than to personally walk with Jesus in the flesh.  Jesus was the disciples’ leader, He was their teacher, He was their provider, 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, a friend, with you and in you 24 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.  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” which the Father has given us.  We need to get to know Him and to cooperate with Him in our daily life.  It is better that Jesus left–-you have the Holy Ghost!