The Dynamic Presence Of The Holy Spirit Series

Intro: What follows the Holy Spirit taking up residence in those that believe and follow the Lord Jesus Christ? To find out we turn to the book of Acts. The Acts of the Holy Spirit show us the working of God’s holy Spirit in indwelling, empowering, enabling, and pressing the Apostles and disciples outside of their comfort zone of Jerusalem into the hostility of the world. The holy Spirit shakes things up. He does not allow us to stay comfortably complacent as all across the city and world people are separated from God.

I) A desire to know and experience more and closer relationship to God (Acts 2.42)

What had happened? It is almost impossible to get people to come and share in the word and teaching outside of Sunday morning and Sunday evening. What was going on that they devoted themselves to a four fold fellowship? The message translation says they took Peter at His word!! The believed the message about Jesus as Messiah and Savior.

It was no longer just Bible Study. Now they were together to hear a word from God!! This is where it will make a difference in the way you read and study your Bible. From the pages rolls the creative, redemptive, restorative, comforting, encouraging, strengthening, instructional words of God.

This is the God who enfleshed Himself and came to walk and bear your sins before the wrath of God so that you can know what it is to be whole!!

What had the people that took Peter at his word, or believed his message learned?

That the God Peter spoke of wanted to save them. It didn’t merely end at salvation He wanted to speak to them and to you.

Genesis 12.1 “The Lord said to Abraham.”

Joshua 1.1 “The Lord said to Joshua.”

1 Samuel 3.4 “Then the Lord called Samuel”

Jonah 1.1 “The word of the lord came to Jonah of Amittai”

So why don’t we as people hear from God and have the same devotion to the teaching and voice of God that the early church did?

A few reasons:

1) You don’t think God has anything to say to us

2) You don’t know how to hear from Him

3) You disobeyed what he said already

4) You don’t have a relationship with Him and can’t hear from Him

How do I know that God wants to speak to all of us?

Jeremiah 33.2, 3 “"The LORD who made the earth, the LORD who forms it to establish it, the LORD is His name, says this: 3 Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and wondrous things you do not know.

The message translation says marvelous and wonderful things you couldn’t figure out on your own!!

Simply put God has something to say to you!

So what is it that limits the unlimited God’s voice in our life?

I learned this truth through the Holy Spirit by way of Richard Blackaby’s book unlimiting God John 16.12 is part of one of Jesus most powerful and profound teachings. It was His last opportunity to impart truth into the lives of His disciples. The disciples probably thought of it as nothing more than another Passover meal. He taught them profound truth on top of profound truth and then he just stopped.

Listen to Jesus John 16.12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now?”

“God will not reveal more truth to you then you are capable of receiving”

Our minds limit us. Our spiritual maturity limits us. If you have a shallow walk with God don’t expect for Him to reveal His deep truths to you.”

Your heavenly Father wants you relationship with Him to grow so that He can teach you greater and deeper truths about who He is and His plans for you! He wants to reveal His plans for this church. He is revealing His plans for this church. I am convinced He wants us to be a disciple making hub in Carlisle, Lonoke County and beyond.

Jeremiah 29.11 “I know the plans I have for you for blessing and not cursing.”

That doesn’t only apply to Jeremiah!

He goes on to say plans to give you a hope and a future. When do we get hope and a future? Our hope is Jesus Christ, our future is to be in the presence of Him forever. Have you ever heard what God says next?

29.12 “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Richard Blackaby “You will never get the words of meat until you’ve properly digested and obeyed the words of milk.”