Praying For The Spirit Series

Nov. 9 - Praying for the Spirit

Ever have something you didn’t need - sports car- power tool - computer

0-60 or 120 mph - solitaire - mail, phone - typewriter - library

Most Christians have no use for the Holy Spirit - (not that we don’t need Him)

Today we will pray for the Spirit - but be careful - be very careful -

You must be desperate You must be Passionate NUTS - never underestimate the Spirit

Devil takes all the good words - Problem with passion - for all the wrong things -

Lust - Sports Fan(atic)- Games - Travel - Power - Extreme Sports and Extreme Vacations

Rare to meet anyone with passion for anything

Trade passion for obligations, debts, careers as if giving away passion is a sign of maturity

How many people retire to do what they always wanted to do - a tragic waste of life

Church has been passion killers Focus on elimination of sin not passionate living.

passion killing words - If it feels good it must be wrong

Don’t make a mistake, = don’t risk Be reasonable - don’t get excited, calm down

Question - do you ignite passion or quench it

God doesn’t want to restrain passion! He wants to unleash it - direct it - INTENSIFY it and purify it but NEVER NEVER ABOLISH IT

Passion has been linked with sin because of misunderstanding. Why do we sin - it is fun we enjoy it - no one has to pay us to sin - why can’t we enjoy God and godly living in the same way

The bible tells us that our old nature of sin has been crucified - but raised with a new nature with new and better passions God save me from hell- God save me from me

Give me one pure and holy passion - one magnificent obsession - glorious ambition for my life

Can you picture Jesus as passionate - of course! Being led by the Spirit is the Ultimate Extreme Sport

We trashed passion to control sin in our lives - we then threw out the only chance to live holy lives we threw out the baby with the bath water

We end up more Buddhist than Christian - eliminate all desire

Our motto should be Recover the fire - the Holy Spirit is the fire

Use tape from Passion 2003 CD

Don’t pray for the HS to fill and refill you unless you are willing to be Passionate

Questions people ask about the Holy Spirit Who or what is the HS? Power -or Person? - what does it mean to be filled with the HS or receive the gift of the HS? Is this a 1 time deal or be refilled?

What did Jesus teach about the Holy Spirit?

To Church leader Nicodemus -

John 3:5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, `You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

My first sailing trip Wind blows where it will - nobody directs it - it flows

Be a sailor - you don’t control the wind - you ride it - dance in it - have fun and trust it.

The Wright brothers early flight watch for the wind moving across the grasses

To woman with messed up life

Worship wars - John 4:23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

To His Disciples at the very end of His ministry - you NEED the HS

JN 14:25 "All this I have spoken while still with you. 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. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

LK 12:11 "When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."

What can I expect the HS to do in my life?