Around 16 to 20 years after Pentecost, we find a second-generation apostle of Jesus doing unusual things. He was not of the original 12 but came in afterward.

Acts 19:11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.

This is most interesting because it is a fulfillment of something Jesus spoke.

John 14:12 “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.

Who will do these works?

Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Who will do these works?

Some have sought to apply the argument that these passages are meant only for apostles and that now there are no more apostles, so all these things associated with the work of the Spirit have gone away. This seems pretty weak to me.

These sayings of Jesus are attached to something else Jesus told them.

John 16:7 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.

The glory of the New Covenant is revealed in the Promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not weaken with time. He is eternally who He is, and His power never diminishes. It would be like the enemy of God to sow a doctrine that eliminates the work of the Spirit and leaves believers exposed and vulnerable to his schemes. A doctrine that gets rid of the supernatural empowerment of the Spirit to deal with situations beyond human ability and control. A doctrine that argues against any type of tangible experience of the Spirit and thus inadvertently dismisses the truth concerning the unfading glory of the New Covenant we are now partakers of in Jesus Christ.

It is the ministry of the enemy to steal, kill, and destroy.  He would like nothing more than to promote doctrines that produce a powerless church on this earth so he can execute his plans and purposes without hindrance. Just as the serpent deceived Eve into forfeiting the glory for her best effort, he now seeks to get believers to forfeit the glory for their best intellectual argument against supernatural obstacles and devices. The unfading glory is the person of the Holy Spirit and the help He gives according to the working of His mighty power. Have you been baptized in the Holy Spirit?