Relationships: Empowered By God -- Christ's Invisible Imprit Series

Acts 1:8 You will RECEIVE POWER when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be energized with “explosive power.” Power is the Greek word “ dunamis ” from which we get our word dynamite. The energy of the Holy Spirit will transform your life, in the same way that dynamite was used on a mountain side in the black hills of South Dakota which now bears the images of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. In the same way the “ dunamis ” power of the Holy Spirit will transform you from the inside out.

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is not just to make you feel good; it’s more than just God giving you a prayer language so you can speak in tongues. When we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, our lives should bear the invisible imprint of Jesus.

Why did Jesus say that the dynamite power of God would come upon believers? To equip or enable them to be witnesses of Christ in their world. You are empowered by God’s Spirit, so that as you interact with people around you Christ is made known–both by what we say, and how we live our lives.

Thomas Aquinas said, “Go preach the gospel, use word if you have to.” Your life and mine should be marked by the character of Jesus, so that our testimony–our life story as told in words–is validated or proved by how we live.

Acts 2:4 ALL OF THEM were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues AS THE SPIRIT ENABLED THEM.

God is not going to overlook you; He will empower ALL who believe. The moment you acknowledge Christ as your personal Savior, the Holy Spirit entered your life and made you really alive; you were made new creation in Christ. That’s powerful! But the power does not stop there; the Holy Spirit remains in you life to continually empower and quicken your heart to be like Jesus.

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is should set the match to the fuse; the explosive power of God working in your life is further evidence that your life is being transformed into the image of Jesus.

If you have not been baptized in the Spirit, then ask and expect God to fill you. Peter said in & Acts 2:38-39, "you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." If you have not be baptized in the Holy Spirit, you need to be. If you have been filled, you need to be filled again–scripture teaches us to continually keep on being filled with the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God. You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

Can I put it simply to you? Your body is a temple; a temple that you have either dedicated to God, or a temple that you have defiled for God’s enemy Satan. Ultimately your life and mine is either lived for God or the devil.

Now if you have been saved, the Holy Spirt has entered His temple–your body; He is within you. Okay, now stay with me because I’m about to lose some of you I’m sure, and if I don’t lose you, you may not like what you hear–but it is the truth.

Because your body is a temple filled by the Holy Spirit, how does Paul say we should live? He says we should honor God with our bodies.

Why is that important? Because people around us will should recognize the INVISIBLE IMPRINT which marks our lives–whether good or evil.

EVERYONE--young and old, boys and girls, men and women; EVERYWHERE--American, Arab, Chineese, Indian, European, or African, the rich, poor and middle class--ALL OF US AS HUMAN BEINGS WILL BEAR AN IVISIBLE IMPRIT; an imprit of good or evil–the imprint of God or of Satan. Because our lives are not our own, and the Holy Spirit dwells within us, people should see the imprint of God upon our lives; God empowers our relationships by His presence in our lives, so that our family, friends and acquaintances might see Jesus in us.

What imprint will others see upon your life? How will you affect those you come in contact with each day? God wants to empower your relationships that others may see Him in you.