One fact that I sometimes forget is this: Jesus was a man.
Yes He was the Son of God. Yes all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell in Him. Yes He and the Father were one. But at the same time, he was a flesh and blood human being.
So what was different about Him? For one thing, he did not have the sin nature that the rest of us inherited from Adam. For Jesus, fulfilling the Law came naturally. It was effortless. So what about us? Has not our sinful nature been crucified with Him (Galatians 5:24)? Are we not by walking in the Spirit capable also of mastery over the works and desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16, Romans 8:4, Romans 6:6)? To which Christian does this promise not apply?
Peter, Steven, Paul, Philip, etc. (only some of whom were classified as “apostles”) all did mighty works that were on par with, and even GREATER, than the works done by the earthly Jesus Himself. For example, in the case of Paul, it is recorded that handkerchiefs that touched his skin were taken to the sick and demon possessed as vehicles of healing power. People brought out the sick so that even Peter’s SHADOW would touch them! In John 14:12, Jesus said that whoever believes in Him would do the works that He was doing and greater works than these would he do. He began this statement with an oath of certainty “Truly, truly I say to you”. This was the same expression Jesus used when declaring the necessity of the new birth for our salvation. There is no limitation, expressed or implied, regarding the one to whom this promise applies, except the qualification that he believes in Jesus. This promise was not limited to just the apostles and/or first generation Christians. It really means “whoever”. If you believe in Jesus, it means YOU!
Paul in 1Corinthians 12:31 instructs us to “earnestly desire” (i.e. COVET) higher spiritual gifts. Jesus likewise in Luke 11:5-13 encourages us, in so many words, to “pester” God for spiritual gifts.
So who sets the limits upon the extent of our individual spirituality? Who is the arbiter of what God CANNOT do through us? Are such limits imposed by God? If so, where do we find these limits defined within scripture? Or are they imposed by others? By ourselves? By the enemy of our souls? What stops us from pursuing a deeper and closer walk with God and a greater manifestation of His power in our lives?
I have come to believe that there is absolutely nothing that God cannot accomplish in us and through us. And just as prayer and obedience were the cornerstones of Jesus’ earthly walk, likewise we too can lay hold of EVERY spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3) through effectual, fervent prayer and determined obedience.
This has been on my mind of late as well. My understanding is that we are the limit, and most of the time, our limits are called ‘quenching’ the Holy Spirit. We do this by refusing to obey, and continuing unchecked will lead to ‘grieving’ http://utmost.org/do-not-quench-the-spirit/