GREATER THINGS / JOHN 14:12

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) John 14:12

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Greater Things: Stepping into the Divine Mandate of John 14:12

Have you ever read the words of Jesus and felt a sudden wave of holy holy reverence—mixed with a bit of utter astonishment? In John 14:12, Jesus makes a promise that defies human logic:

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

It is Jesus’ profound desire that His followers continue to do the exact works that He did. But He doesn’t stop there. He raises the bar, telling ordinary human beings that they will do “greater things.”

How can anyone do anything greater than the perfect ministry of the Son of God?

What Are the “Greater Things”?

To understand this promise, we have to look at the scope, geography, and exponential growth of the early Church. The “greater things” do not mean greater in quality or superior in nature to Jesus’ work, but greater in number and global scope.

The “greater things” include:

  • Spreading His message to the ends of the earth.
  • Leading multitudes of people to life-changing faith in Christ.
  • Performing miracles, signs, and wonders as Jesus did, but on a global scale.

We see this blueprint come alive immediately throughout the book of Acts. While Jesus primarily ministered within the geographic borders of Israel, His disciples—filled with the Spirit—saw 3,000 souls saved in a single day (Acts 2:41). The apostles bore witness to the resurrection with great power (Acts 4:33), and many signs and wonders were done among the people (Acts 5:12). This fulfilled Jesus’ own declaration in Mark 16:17-18 that miraculous signs would follow those who believe. Through Jesus’ followers, an even greater number of people across the globe continue to come to Christ, receiving new life, physical healing, and supernatural help.

The Source of the Power

If we try to accomplish this mandate through our own strength, talent, or spirituality, we will fail. The “greater things” would never happen because of the disciples’ own efforts.

Our work is still Jesus’ work, and it can only be done in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus explained the mechanics of this promise: “because I am going to the Father.” By returning to the Father, Jesus sent the Counselor—the Holy Spirit—to dwell within every believer (John 14:16; 16:7; Acts 1:8).

Because Jesus is with the Father, we have a direct line to heaven. He explicitly links the “greater things” to our prayer life in the very next verses: “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). When we pray in His name, God responds in powerful ways through His Spirit. The scope expands, the numbers multiply, and Christ’s message and power continue to reach the broken, the lost, and the hurting throughout the world.

Are you ready to stop playing it safe and start stepping into the “greater things” He has destined for your life?

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the staggering promise of John 14:12. We acknowledge that on our own, we can do nothing, but through Your Holy Spirit, all things are possible. We repent for the times we have played it safe, shrunk back in fear, or relied on our own human intellect and strength.

Lord Jesus, we want to see Your kingdom expand. We ask for a fresh outpouring of Your Holy Spirit upon our lives today. Grant us holy boldness to preach Your message, to love the unloved, to pray for the sick, and to expect supernatural help. Let our lives be a conduit for Your miraculous power, so that an even greater number of people may receive new life and healing in Your name. May everything we do bring ultimate glory to the Father.

In the mighty and matchstone name of Jesus, Amen.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Bible Study Tools I Use

  • NIV Bible
  • King James Bible
  • www. biblegateway.com
  • www.biblestudytools.com
  • Map Pencils
  • College Ruled Spiral Notebook
  • Ballpoint Pens
  • Some links may be affiliated. By purchasing an item from an affiliate link, I receive a small commission – but you are not charged more or less by clicking or purchasing through the link. Thank you for supporting me!

Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

  1. I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE / JOHN 14:6
  2. I WILL COME BACK / JOHN 14:3
  3. MY FATHER’S HOUSE / JOHN 14:1-4
  4. KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES / JOHN 13:35
  5. LOVE ONE ANOTHER / JOHN 13:34
  6. PIECE OF BREAD / JOHN 13:26
  7. AT A LOSS TO KNOW WHICH OF THEM HE MEANT / JOHN 13:22
  8. WASH ONE ANOTHER’S FEET / JOHN 13:14
  9. UNLESS I WASH YOU / JOHN 13:8
  10. WASH HIS DISCIPLES FEET / JOHN 13:5
  11. ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 12:50
  12. LOVED PRAISE FROM MEN / JOHN 12:42-43
  13. THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE / JOHN 12:39-40
  14. DRAW ALL MEN TO MYSELF / JOHN 12:32
  15. PRINCE OF THIS WORLD WILL BE DRIVEN OUT / JOHN 12:31
  16. WHOEVER SERVES ME / JOHN 12:26
  17. HATES HIS LIFE IN THIS WORLD / JOHN 12:25
  18. SON OF MAN GLORIFIED / JOHN 12:23-24
  19. SHOUTING HOSANNA / JOHN 12:13
  20. THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY / JOHN 12:12
  21. MARY POURED IT ON JESUS’ FEET / JOHN 12:3
  22. FOR THE SCATTERED CHILDREN OF GOD / JOHN 11:51-52
  23. THE DEAD MAN CAME OUT / JOHN 11:44
  24. JESUS WEPT / JOHN 11:35
  25. DEEPLY MOVED IN SPIRIT / JOHN 11:33
  26. I BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE THE CHRIST / JOHN 11:27
  27. I AM THE RESURRECTION / JOHN 11:25-26
  28. STAYED WHERE HE WAS TWO MORE DAYS / JOHN 11:6
  29. JESUS LOVED MARTHA AND HER SISTER AND LAZARUS / JOHN 11:5
  30. SICKNESS FOR GOD’S GLORY / JOHN 11:4
  31. YOU ARE GODS? / JOHN 10:34
  32. THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH / JOHN 10:28
  33. MY SHEEP LISTEN TO MY VOICE / JOHN 10:27
  34. I KNOW MY SHEEP / JOHN 10:14-15
  35. I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD / JOHN 10:11
  36. THE THIEF COMES … I HAVE COME / JOHN 10:10
  37. I AM THE GATE / JOHN 10:9
  38. JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD / JOHN 10:1
  39. THOSE WHO SEE WILL BECOME BLIND / JOHN 9:39
  40. THEY THREW HIM OUT / JOHN 9:34
  41. WORK OF GOD MIGHT BE DISPLAYED / JOHN 9:3
  42. BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS BORN, I AM / JOHN 8:58
  43. WILL NEVER SEE DEATH / JOHN 8:51
  44. HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES / JOHN 8:44
  45. IF GOD WERE YOUR FATHER / JOHN 8:42
  46. YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED / JOHN 8:36
  47. EVERYONE WHO SINS / JOHN 8:34
  48. THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE / JOHN 8:32
  49. IF YOU HOLD TO MY TEACHING / JOHN 8:31
  50. I PASS JUDGMENT ON NO ONE / JOHN 8:15
  51. I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD / JOHN 8:12
  52. NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU / JOHN 8:11
  53. IF ANY ONE OF YOU IS WITHOUT SIN / JOHN 8:7
  54. JESUS HAD NOT YET BEEN GLORIFIED / JOHN 7:39
  55. AS THE SCRIPTURE HAS SAID – STREAMS OF LIVING WATER / JOHN 7:38
  56. GAIN HONOR FOR HIMSELF / JOHN 7:18
  57. IF ANYONE CHOOSES TO DO GOD’S WILL / JOHN 7:17
  58. IT HATES ME / JOHN 7:6-7
  59. FEAST OF TABERNACLES / JOHN 7:2-3
  60. JESUS HAD KNOWN FROM THE BEGINNING / JOHN 6:64
  61. EATS MY FLESH AND DRINKS MY BLOOD / JOHN 6:54
  62. THE FATHER … DRAWS HIM / JOHN 6:44
  63. MY FATHER’S WILL / JOHN 6:40
  64. I WILL NEVER DRIVE AWAY / JOHN 6:37
  65. I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE / JOHN 6:35
  66. DON’T BE AFRAID / JOHN 6:20
  67. JESUS PRAYS ALONE / JOHN 6:15
  68. THE FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND /JOHN 6:7
  69. MIRACLES / JOHN 6:1-2
  70. DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT HE WROTE / JOHN 5:47
  71. ACCEPT PRAISE FROM ONE ANOTHER / JOHN 5:44
  72. YOU DILIGENTLY STUDY / JOHN 5:39-40
  73. YOU HAVE SENT JOHN / John 5:33
  74. THOSE WHO HAVE DONE GOOD – RISE TO LIVE – THOSE WHO HAVE DONE EVIL / JOHN 5:29
  75. HAS GRANTED THE SON TO HAVE LIFE IN HIMSELF / JOHN 5:26
  76. HEARS … BELIEVES / JOHN 5:24
  77. MAKING HIMSELF EQUAL WITH GOD / JOHN 5:18-24
  78. PERSECUTED HIM / JOHN 5:16
  79. STOP SINNING / JOHN 5:14
  80. THE MAN WAS CURED / JOHN 5:9-10
  81. THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS / JOHN 5:5
  82. SIGNS AND WONDERS / JOHN 4:48
  83. CROP FOR ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 4:36
  84. LOOK AT THE FIELDS / JOHN 4:35
  85. SURPRISED TO FIND HIM TALKING WITH A WOMAN / JOHN 4:27
  86. TRUTH / JOHN 4:24
  87. WORSHIP … IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH / JOHN 4:23-24
  88. SAMARITANS WORSHIP WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW / JOHN 4:22
  89. WATER … ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 4:14
  90. SAMARITAN WOMAN / JOHN 4:7
  91. WHOEVER REJECTS / JOHN 3:36
  92. GIVES THE SPIRIT WITHOUT LIMIT / JOHN 3:34
  93. LOVED DARKNESS INSTEAD OF LIGHT / JOHN 3:19
  94. GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD /JOHN 3:16
  95. JUST AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SNAKE / JOHN 3:14-15
  96. THE WIND … THE SPIRIT / JOHN 3:8
  97. BORN OF WATER / JOHN 3:5
  98. BORN AGAIN / JOHN 3:3
  99. TEMPLE / JOHN 2:19
  100. DROVE ALL FROM THE TEMPLE AREA / JOHN 2:15
  101. SIGNS / JOHN 2:11
  102. CHOICE WINE – HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK / JOHN 2:10
  103. WINE – THEY HAVE NO MORE WINE / JOHN 2:3
  104. YOU SHALL SEE HEAVEN OPEN / JOHN 1:51
  105. CEPHAS … PETER / JOHN 1:42
  106. THE FIRST THING ANDREW DID / JOHN 1:41
  107. THE TENTH HOUR /JOHN 1:39
  108. WILL BAPTIZE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT / JOHN 1:33
  109. LAMB OF GOD / JOHN 1:29
  110. PHARISEES / JOHN 1:24
  111. GRACE AND TRUTH / JOHN 1:17
  112. THE WORD BECAME FLESH / JOHN 1:14
  113. BORN NOT OF … HUMAN DECISION / JOHN 1:13
  114. RECEIVED … BELIEVED / JOHN 1:12
  115. THE WORLD DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM / JOHN 1:10
  116. GIVES LIGHT TO EVERY MAN / JOHN 1:9
  117. HIS NAME WAS JOHN / JOHN 1:6
  118. LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS / JOHN 1:5
  119. LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN / JOHN 1:4
  120. WITH GOD IN THE BEGINNING / JOHN 1:2
  121. THE WORD / JOHN 1:1
  122. CREWS N AWAY: ANCHORED IN GRACE

Thanks for stopping by the blog today! I love having you here. If this post resonated with you, please drop a comment below and share your thoughts. See you in the next post!

Blessings, Margarita & Stace

2 Replies to “GREATER THINGS / JOHN 14:12”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *