Dear Friends,
I am so excited about what I am going to share with you in my letter this month!
But first, Denise and I want to express our heartfelt thanks to God for all you are doing as a friend and partner with our ministry. Right now, we are giving our best to fulfill the many assignments God has given us, and that includes teaching the Word of God on various media platforms around the world, ministering seriously to the needs of our partners, providing tons of relief to displaced people in our part of the world, and finishing Phase 3 of our Ministry Expansion Project.
We could never do all this alone, but when partners obey what the Holy Spirit asks them to do, a miracle occurs, and the job gets done. For your part in our God-called team, Denise and I are so grateful. Your heart really is in the Kingdom of God, and we sincerely thank you for joining hands with us to do what God has commissioned us to do! Together, we are a God-called team!
I am SO excited to tell you that beginning September 1, you can preorder my new book Christmas — The Rest of the Story! Featuring full-color, original hand-drawn illustrations, this beautiful hard-cover book is sure to leave you spellbound by the wonderful account of our Savior’s birth. From the angel’s pronouncement to Mary to her marriage to Joseph to the angels’ glorious heralding of Jesus’ arrival as a newborn in the cave in Bethlehem, you will see the incredible journey of Christ’s coming to earth — and His purpose for coming — in a way you’ve probably never heard it before. This book is packed with biblical truth and history, and I believe it will be a blessing to you as you read it, as well as a treasure in your family for generations! You can preorder your copy at a discounted price today at renner.org.
Now let me get to what is on my heart to share with you today.
Just moments before Jesus ascended to the Father, He told the disciples, “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).
In this amazing passage, Jesus said that “signs” will follow those who believe. That word “signs” is from a Greek word that refers to a signature or seal that was applied to a document to guarantee its authenticity. It was the proof that showed the document was the real deal.
Jesus was sending His disciples into the world to preach the Gospel, and as He sent them forth, He said, in essence, that God’s supernatural signature would be on their ministry. These “signs” were to be God’s official declaration that His people were sent by Heaven and that the Gospel message was true. Signs following the preaching of the Gospel were to authenticate the message and make clear that this was no manmade message — but one that came straight from God Himself.
The specific signs that Jesus mentioned are as follows:
- They will cast out devils.
- They will speak with new tongues.
- They will take up serpents.
- If they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them.
- They will lay hands on the sick, and the sick will recover.
The Lord said these signs would “follow” those who believe. It’s important that Jesus said in Mark 16:17, “…These signs shall follow them that believe….” The word “follow” is translated from a word that means to follow or to go somewhere with a person, as in accompanying him on a trip. As it is used in this verse, the word “follow” means to tirelessly accompany someone, to constantly be at the side of an individual, or to always be in close proximity with a person, like a faithful companion who is always at one’s side.
This tells us that signs and wonders are to faithfully follow us and the Gospel message everywhere we go. Signs and wonders are to be so in step with us and the message we preach that to live without these signs should seem very strange to us. God intended for these signs to follow us everywhere we go, like our nonstop companions and as God’s signature that the message we speak is true.
Every time you preach or share the Gospel — whether at church, at work, on the mission field, in a bus, on the subway, or at the grocery store — you should expect these supernatural signs to be present with you. These signs should accompany you everywhere you go because they are a part of your spiritual equipment as a faithful partner of the Gospel message!
SO…why don’t we see more of these signs following Christians?
The answer to this question is actually found in Jesus’ words in Mark 16:17. It says, “And these signs shall follow them that believe….” But the tense used in this verse means it would be more accurately translated, “These signs shall follow those who have engaged their faith and are believing….”
That means these signs don’t come automatically just because you are a Christian. Actually, Jesus never said these signs would simply follow Christians. He said they would follow those who are believing for them. If a Christian isn’t believing for these signs to be manifested or expecting supernatural signs to follow him, they probably won’t. Like everything else — signs and wonders are activated by faith.
Throughout our ministry, Denise and I have observed that people who regularly experience the miraculous are those who regularly expect to see it. Rather than being passive — they are aggressive about pushing forward to see the miraculous in their lives or ministries. Those who press forward and release their faith to see the supernatural demonstrated are the ones who often experience these divine demonstrations in their lives.
So the number of signs and wonders that follow you will be determined by how intensely you are constantly believing for them to be in manifestation. If you want signs and wonders to faithfully follow you, you must be constantly believing for them to happen!
- When you preach and share the Gospel, expect things to happen!
- When you pray for the sick, expect them to be healed.
- When you confront someone who’s demonized, expect that person to be set free.
- When you are in a situation that requires the miraculous, expect it to occur.
- When you need protection, expect God’s hand of protection to be upon you.
Remember that these signs always follow those who are believing for them to occur. This is Jesus’ promise! He absolutely promised His supernatural signature would be with anyone who preaches the Gospel and opens the way for the supernatural to come to pass by believing.
In Mark 16:17 and 18, Jesus said those who believe will:
- cast out demons.
- speak with new tongues.
- pick up serpents.
- not be harmed by drinking anything deadly.
- lay hands on the sick and they will recover.
What do these signs really mean — and what do they mean to you? I don’t have space in this letter to answer these questions, but it’s important for you to know the answers. I just finished teaching a new series called THESE SIGNS SHALL FOLLOW THEM THAT BELIEVE, and in this brand-new series, I fully explain what all of this means for you. You can order it by calling our ministry or by going online to renner.org.
But certainly, Mark 16:17 says, “And these signs shall follow them that believe….” Again, it would be more accurately translated, “These signs shall follow those who have engaged their faith and are believing….” So if you want to see these supernatural signs accompanying you in all your paths of life, you have to release your faith and believe for them to be manifested!
My purpose in writing you this letter today is to encourage you to engage your faith and begin believing for these signs to be your partners in life and ministry. If you’ll believe and obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit, these supernatural signs will be God’s signature that goes with you everywhere you go!
This is what I felt led to share with you this month, and I pray it has encouraged you to listen to the Spirit, to believe, and to obey whatever He instructs you to do.
Before I close, I want to remind you to please let us know how to pray with you for whatever it is that you are facing or dealing with in your life right now. We are very serious about hearing your prayer needs, either by phone, by email, or by letter. As soon as you let us know how to pray for you, we will release our faith with you for Jesus to supernaturally empower you right where you are!
We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,
Rick and Denise Renner