Did Jesus mean it, in John 14:12, when He said we would do the things He was doing and even greater because He was going to the Father? The potential of this hit me between the eyes when I memorized and meditated on John 14 in the late nineties. Somehow, those life giving words originally only passed through my mind, but suddenly I realized the metamorphosis possible if we took God at His Word. Even though I read the Bible through every year, this verse never became a rhema (God speaking directly to me through it) until then. I suddenly believed His words but wondered why I had never witnessed anyone healing the sick, commanding severe weather to be still, or trusting Him for miraculous provision. I was shocked but inspired, yet cautious, because I had never seen a miracle manifest.
I turned to the pastor I loved and trusted more than any preacher I knew. He helped me return to ministry when I thought God would never use me again. If anyone could explain the mystery of John 14:12, I figured he could. So, I set an appointment and drove to the small town where he successfully led a church. I was disappointed, however, when this man of God tried to let me down gently. With sincere love and concern, he said, "There are some Scriptures you should not take too literally." He was older than me and had a lot more experience and success than me. Still, I sensed Holy Spirit saying, "This is The Word of God, and you can and should take it literally."
I was led to go on a forty day fast that felt disappointing at first. But through it I was led to earn my master's and doctorate in a school that understood Jesus still wants to do "greater things than these" through His Ekklesia (Church). This book shares my story of being stretched by God until I regularly witnessed God doing "greater things than these" through people who dare to take Jesus at His Word.