There are those who have overemphasized the “spirit” to their own demise, attempting to build a ministry on signs and wonders or just spend all their time “soaking” in God’s presence without any regard for deliberate study, systematic teaching or divine instruction. Many are searching for, and flocking to, the next great “revival” or outpouring of God’s Spirit where they can experience great healings and miracles. But when the final chord is struck, the last prophecy is given, the healing lines are ended, and the “gold dust” settles, no one has been matured or changed to any significant degree.

You can build a ministry quickly today on signs and wonders, but you will never be able to maintain it on just signs and wonders alone. I know of many ministries that were literally thrust into the spotlight almost overnight because of a powerful healing or miracle ministry, yet are no longer around today because they literally self-destructed due to a lack of sound biblical teaching and insight into the purposes of God in the earth.

Prophets especially are notorious for ministering from more of a spiritual dimension (inspiration and impartation) without taking the time to “perfect” the revelation they have received from God (through diligent study). As a result of this, they are often confronted and criticized by teachers who are quite offended with their “off the cuff” use of scripture, while laying waste to sound exegetical and hermeneutical principles. The spirit of their revelation might be accurate, but their use of scripture to support their message is erroneous at best.

Conversely, many teachers are notorious for their dry, boring sermons because they operate purely from a Word dimension (information and instruction) without taking the time to wait in God’s presence till it becomes revelation, with the ability to inspire and impart. Prophets violently oppose these dead forms of ministry because theirs is built upon the “now” or “proceeding” word of God. Everything is accurate – line upon line and precept upon precept – but there’s no life because the letter kills.

And then there are those few who are pregnant with great revelation and spiritual truths, having tapped into the very architecture of heaven with rich insight and understanding, yet they are incapable of producing a living Christ in the earth due to their own spiritual deficiency and lack of enduing power from on high. They are rich in knowledge yet poor in the evidence that validates and confirms the message of the Kingdom with signs following.

Neither of these positions is accurate, and as such, they are doomed to fail. There must be a proper balance of all four elements if our ministry is going to be successful and we reap the desired results.

Are you a diligent student of the Word? Is your teaching current and are you allowing yourself to be continually upgraded and updated with the new architectural designs and patterns from heaven, as well as the new frequencies that the Holy Spirit is releasing upon the earth?

To receive a clearer picture and a more defined blueprint you will need to upgrade. You cannot access God’s high definition signal with its more clearly defined picture using your old “rabbit ears” antenna. Either you will not receive a signal or the signal you receive will be distorted. You cannot access God’s new digital signal using your old analog equipment. As it is in the natural, so it is in the spiritual.

It’s time to surrender completely to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to demonstrate the power of His Kingdom through us and to anoint us afresh for service. Remember, the Kingdom of God is not fully preached unless and until it is confirmed with signs, wonders and miracles. The world has had enough of an incomplete gospel.

I am so tired of preachers trying to make a spiritual dichotomy and claiming that signs, wonders and miracles do not validate one’s ministry, only the fruit of Christ-like character. I used to believe and teach this myself until I realized there was no Holy Spirit dichotomy. Sure, Jesus Himself said that you would know them (false prophets/ministers) by their fruits (or lack thereof), which suggests that true prophets and ministers are ones who are fruitful in Christ-like character, as well as in their words or the content of their message (Matt 7:15-20; 12:33-37).

But consider this: When John the Baptist was seeking confirmation on the true identity of Jesus – whether He was truly the Messiah or not – Jesus didn’t just simply refer him to the accuracy of His message or His sinless character; He referred him to the mighty signs and wonders which were being wrought through His hands (Luke 7:18-23).

When the Jews surrounded Jesus and demanded an answer to basically the same question as that of John, Jesus didn’t just refer them to His message. In fact, He adamantly told them that if they didn’t believe Him because of the words He spoke, they should have believed Him because of the “works” He did, and He was referring to much more than just His holy character – He was referring to the signs, wonders and miracles He performed (John 10:24, 25, 37, 38).

When the apostles went out to fulfill their apostolic ministry, preaching and teaching everywhere after the resurrection of Jesus, the Bible says that the Lord confirmed the word with signs following (Mark 16:20).

The word translated confirmed from the original Greek language (bebaioo) means to make firm or reliable, to corroborate or guarantee. It is synonymous with the Greek word that Jesus used when He said that His works bore witness of Him (John 10:25). These Greek words are synonymous with proof, evidence and validation.

In other words, not only does good Christ-like character and a pure and accurate message prove the authenticity of our ministries, but also the corroborating evidence of signs, wonders and miracles. God uses the supernatural to validate our ministries as well as our message. It’s not one (good character) or the other (supernatural works). The same Holy Spirit is responsible for the fruit as well as the supernatural gifts, so neither of them should be lacking when He is allowed to operate freely in our lives.

True ministry should be able to teach a solid and accurate word, expressed through holy and Christ-like character, while demonstrating the power of the supernatural as corroboration of their message. A deficiency in any of these elements should cause that minister or ministry to be suspect. A ministry with a strong and accurate word but no supernatural evidence should be just as questionable to us as one with a poor word or lack of Christ-like character and mighty miracles. For the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power (1 Cor 4:20).

In conclusion, with only information and instruction (Word) all you do is dry up (die). With only inspiration and impartation (Spirit), all you do is blow up (self destruct from being too flaky and spooky-spiritual). But with all four Is being demonstrated and manifested in proper balance, all you do is grow up (mature) because of successful and effective ministry.