Living With The Power Of God In Your Life Series

11/8/2009

Living with the power of God in your life

Acts 2:1-12

Introduction

We are still in the series of B.A.S.I.C..

We have spent two weeks on discipleship, and this week will be looking at the Holy Spirit being active in your life.

Turn to Acts 2:1-12, we will shortly be reading the Scripture.

For those that have been in the church a long time, hopefully you understand the importance of the Holy Spirit working in your life.

The key word here is in your life as opposed to just knowing of the Holy Spirit.

As Nazarene’s, we focus a lot of attention on holiness, and on Sanctification.

All active things in our life that we cannot do in ourselves. You cannot be holy and you cannot be Sanctified by what you do or accomplish in yourself. It is the Holy Spirit working in your life

I believe many people today live below the standard that God desires for them because they try to be holy. They try to break habits. They try to live a good life. They try to fix things that only God can fix in our lives.

Remember last week:

I said you cannot follow Jesus without Jesus. You go through the motions, you have good intentions, you can give it your best try. But you will fall short.

You cannot follow someone if the someone is not out front leading your life.

The same is true with the Holy Spirit in our lives. He cannot lead you, encourage you, strengthen you, teach you, protect you, if He is not invited to be in you.

Most people’s lives are a train wreck because they are driving the train and it is has gotten off track and we do not know how to get back on.

Most people think the Holy Spirit first appeared on the scene of mankind on the day of Pentecost. That is false, that is wrong Throughout the Old Testament writings, we see the Holy Spirit active and a part of mankind.

Genesis 1:1 “Spirit of God hovering over the waters”

Joel 2:28- “I will pour out my Spirit on all people, your sons and daughters will prophecy, your old man will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”

The Spirit of the Lord fell on God’s servants for a period of time and for the accomplishment of a task. Ex. Moses, Abraham, Joshua, Samson, Elijah, Samuel, the list goes on.

Then the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Who goes to the cross, His death, burial, resurrection redeems mankind to have a personal relationship with God.

The Holy Spirit was always a part of creation. Adam became a living being because God breathed His Holy Spirit in him.

But until Christ came and died for us, He Holy Spirit did not dwell with people.

Acts chapter one- not our text yet.

Jesus has gathered with his disciples. They ask him if he would overthrow the Romans. He says that they are to gather together and receive power when the Holy Spirit comes unto you.

You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Larry Brincefield, a Nazarene pastor in Florida, which I agree with says that we spend so much time focused on the activities of the Holy Spirit we miss the person of the Holy Spirit. He compares it to a birthday card. We quickly open it to see if there is cash in it, most of the time forgetting about reading the card. We miss the blessing of the personal note of encouragement that is inside.

Don’t miss this:

Jesus calls his disciples (believers) and a select few who gathered and believed that God was about to do a new thing (120 in total). To pray and seek God, wanting to be those God said would witness to the world. They turned this world upside down by the power of God working in their lives.

Acts 2:1-12 Read. From the Bible

Some are amazed, some are perplexed. Which are you this morning?

John 16:13:

But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truths.

Jesus showed them that they needed the Holy Spirit to guide and direct them in their daily activities rather than going it alone.

All of them by divine presence, heard the message in their own language and went out and turned their world upside down for Jesus.

Jesus said

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another counselor to be with you forever. The Spirit of truth.

Without the Holy Spirit in our lives we are useless Christians.

We have no power to do kingdom work with power from on high.

The Holy Spirit is not an it

He is not energy floating around,