In the Spirit and Power
God’s Presence and Answers to Prayer
Pavel Goia and Kelly Mowrer
Every now and then, you read a book that makes you think, “That’s what I need.” In the Spirit and Power was one such book for me. Written by Pavel Goia with Kelly Mowrer, this book uses stories from Pastor Goia’s own life and ministry to show what makes prayer such a necessity, such an adventure, such an avenue for power and change.
Each of the 11 short chapters is built around a story that clearly illustrates a simple but deep principle. The power of the stories is such that there is little need for exposition or theory and Pastor Goia does not labour his points. And though individual chapters deal with complex issues such as the purpose of miracles, spiritual warfare, the Holy Spirit, persistence, grace, faith and loving our enemies, the over-arching message is that God is worth trusting—and worth loving—more than ourselves.
Some stories are moving, like the experiences of Pastor Goia’s father smuggling Bibles into communist Romania and refusing to stop sharing his faith. Others are clarifying, like the story of a woman addicted to drugs who came to understand—and experience—salvation. Some stories show how prayer changes churches and their ministry, and others demonstrate God’s work in Pastor Goia’s own heart as a child, a man and a minister.
Despite the power of these experiences, Pastor Goia is not set up as a paragon. The stories reference his learning process, his weaknesses and—often humorously—his appetite and his youthful fondness for pranks. And in the process, God is lifted up as the One who loves us and loves to answer prayer.
I immediately began to think about what might change in my life and who I could share the book with. And I think that makes In the Spirit and Power worth a recommendation.
In the Spirit and Power is available from Adventist bookshops in Australia and New Zealand, or online.
