God Did Not Leave Us Powerless Series

INTRODUCTION

• SLIDE #1

• Do you feel overwhelmed by life, tired from the struggles, fearful of the future?

• How many of us live in the city of Worryville? How many of us have housing in the new Stress Village subdivision?

• Life can be very tiring, tough and stressful. We can feel alone as we face our daily struggles.

• Do you think that God wants to add to your stress? Do you think He gives you a bunch more things to try to add to the stress of your life?

• Do you feel alone?

• Did God save you so that He could sit back and enjoy watching you struggle?

• We are like the hypothetical people that Max Lucado speaks of who live in Tuckered Town.

• They have nice cars that they are pushing everywhere they go.

• They get in to the car, start it, put it in neutral, then they get out and push the car everywhere they want to go.

• The whole time they are pushing, they have this thing called the gas peddle in the car that if they would use it, they would get where they are going a lot faster and a lot easier.

• Do you realize that many of us are trying to life our lives by our own power?

• We are struggling with sin, life and other issues. Are we trying to live by our own strength?

• Do you know that when you come to the WELL of God to drink, He gives you some special refreshment?

• SLIDE #2

• Last week we focused on accepting God’s Work on the cross, which allows us to experience God’s Grace! God’s work on the cross allows us to be defined by His grace.

• This week we are going to focus on accepting God’s Energy!

• When we come to Him for refreshment, He does not leave us with nothing, He does not leave us to go through it alone, and He does not leave us powerless!

• Today we are look at the wonderful gift of God’s Spirit.

• One of the reasons life gets so difficult for us is because we try to do it alone. One of the things that has to be frustrating for God is the fact that He has given us a gas peddle to push down for more power!

• It is time for us rely on God’s energy. Are you ready to come to God’s well this morning? Let us look at the power God has given to each of us!

• First we need to grasp the fact that….

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

I. GOD‘S SPIRIT RAGES WITHIN US.

• God’s Spirit- God’s power, unseen, undeniable presence is pulsating through our heart canals! Have you ever thought of the Holy Spirit raging inside of us?

• That is how John depicts it in the Gospel!

• If something can well up, it is raging. This leaves us with something we do not realize all the time.

• SLIDE #4

A. We have some untapped potential from which to draw from!

• SLIDE #5

• John 4:14 (ESV) but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

• Jesus says that those who drink from the water that He offers them will NEVER thirst again. We have the untapped potential of the flow of living water!

• God’s Spirit within us gives us power to overcome sin, the power to overcome the obstacles of life, the power to live for Him.

• You do not have to do ANYTHING alone! God is in you.

• SLIDE #6

• Acts 2:38 (ESV) And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

• You cannot live for Jesus without God’s Spirit. The gift God gives to you is the indwelling presence of His Spirit.

• Until you place your faith in Him, repent, and confess Him as you Lord, and submit to being immersed, you do not have the gift of the Spirit in your life.

• When you are immersed into Christ, you get the gift, once you get the gift, you will find life changing for you.

• SLIDE #7

B. He is there whether we feel Him or not.

• Whether you feel Him or not is unimportant. Whether you understand Him is insignificant. God assured us that His Spirit is indeed with in us in a mighty and powerful way!