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A New Testament Church
Contributed by Pastor/Author: Terry Sisney on Sep 22, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: This sermons looks at a biblical definition of a new testament church.
“A NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH”
“Is a Spirit Filled Church”
A New Testament church is a church filled with Power.
Pentecost marked the introduction of the new testament of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The New Testament = Life lived in the power of the spirit. = Having the inner power to live the life that pleases God.
(Ezek 36:27 ) And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
As Moses ratified the old testament with blood. So also Jesus ratified the new testament with his own blood. ( His blood is the signature that Life in the power of the Spirit is now available to everyone who will receive it.
(Acts 1:8) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Every professing Christian should be experiencing the spirit filled Life.
Jesus didn’t shed his blood just to save you from your sins. That blood is the introduction into the life of the spirit.
Lev 14: Tells of the cleansing of the leper. Leprosy = type of sin.
The blood of the trespass offering was applied to his right ear, right thumb, and right big toe. Then the oil was applied on top of the blood.
This is symbolic of how the blood prepares us for the anointing.
How it must grieve the Father and the son and the Holy Spirit, for us to stop short of what he paid so high a price for us to have.
To be filled with the Spirit was not a mere suggestion, but rather a command to his disciples, Which we are if we continue in his word.
(Luke 24:49 ) And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Eph 5:17-20 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
The will of God is that you be filled with the Spirit.
The will of God is actually that we become the channels through which his spirit flows through
That we become ministers of that anointing.
(2 Cor 3:5-6) Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Jn 7:37-38 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
In Eze. 37:7-10 We find the picture of the New Testament Church.
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
Notice: Everything from a natural standpoint may be perfect, but from God’s perspective it is dead until the Spirit has come upon and into. It is the Spirit that turns these bones into an army.
Ezekial was operating in a new testament anointing, he was bringing the life of God to the dead bones.
The great need of this hour is The church to be revisited with New Testament Power and Anointing.
And the church needs to revisit Jerusalem.
Jerusalem = the place of divine desperation, and dependance.
(Mat 3:11-12) I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
If we want to see new testament results, we must receive new testament power.