Sermon Central
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Class: Becoming Spirit Empowered Series
Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 3, 2022 (message contributor)
Summary: The Holy Spirit takes an active role in the life of the believer filling them and empowering them to do the work of the Kingdom of God.
Pursue Kingdom Teaching: Becoming Spirit filled and empowered by The Holy Spirit
Thesis: The Holy Spirit takes an active role in the life of the believer filling them and empowering them to do the work of the Kingdom of God.
Quote: Jim Cymbala from book “Spirit Rising-” “A church without the Holy Spirit will produce a Spiritless Church filled with Spiritless people who have no power to change the world, the culture or themselves. A Spiritless church will become political and deceived when the Spirit is absent or ignored! “
Scripture: Matthew 7:7 Jesus said, “Ask, Seek, Knock”
7“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
This promise by Jesus is also relevant to receiving the power and presence of the Holy Spirit!
Personal Illustration of asking – seeking - knocking:
The School of the Holy Spirit!
? When I first became a Christian, I had a hunger to read the Bible from cover to cover. To study it and to dig deeper so I could grow spiritually. I had actually prayed and asked the Holy Spirit to teach me the truth of God’s Word and show me things in the spiritual realm. The Scripture verse which echoed in my heart and mind was 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” I wanted to know the Word of God – I wanted to know the Word of God because I wanted to know God more personally! I wanted to open to the Holy Spirit to teach me! And guess what the Holy Spirit started teaching me!
? As I studied the Bible I picked up a book by Salem Kirban’s called, “Satan’s Angels exposed.” I no longer have the book - I most likely gave it away to someone in journey - so I thought let’s see if I can get another copy. So, I went on the internet - I was shocked that the book is out of print and still in demand so it’s selling for between $80-100 dollars on ebay and amazon. So needless to say, I did not buy one to show you – far too expensive for a visual - but here is a picture of the book the Holy Spirit used to take me to His school of learning and growing spiritually:
o Show the power point!
? Some of the subjects and topics covered in the book were:
• Jehovah Witness
• Mormons
• Moonies
• Rosicrucian
• Occult
• Satanism
Scripture:
15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
John 14: 26:
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
Acts 1:4-5: 4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Introduction:
Question: Why did Jesus send the Holy Spirit to us Christians? John tells us why!
Answer: So that we could “Be Christ Like” and be empowered to “Do the work of the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Listen carefully the Holy Spirit was not just given to us to be Christ like but to also do the work of the Kingdom like Jesus did! Please hear this you cannot do the work of the Kingdom without the Holy Spirit’s empowerment!
Call to action: So, it is time to get to work for the Kingdom of Heaven and be empowered to see our culture transformed one person at a time.
Jesus promised us the Holy Spirit and He kept that promise in Acts 2 and that promise is still for today. His promise is to empower you and the church to do the work of the Kingdom and to connect with you personally!
Quote: The Holy Spirit is not a teaching to be studied; No, He is the 3rd person of the trinity to be experienced in power and in person! Yes, you can know the Holy Spirit personally!
