Free Hugs

“Free Hugs” “8 I baptize you with[e] water, but he will baptize you with[f] the Holy Spirit. 9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” 12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted[g] by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. Mark 1:8-13

Intro: Other than the computer, I can’t think of any invention that has impacted our lives more than the cell phone. This device I hold in my hand goes with us everywhere.

I remember a few years ago a

cell phone interrupted worship right in the middle of a service while I was preaching.

Not only did the lady answer it.

She proceeded to talk for a least a good two minutes.

Then after she hung up

told the entire congregation that her daughter would bring the grand baby to visit her in a few weeks.

As much as a cell phone can be interrupting

They are amazing.

I use mine in the car as a GPS with maps.

We use them to send text messages

We use them to take pictures.

We use them to watch movies,

kids use them to play games.

It’s incredible!

But a cell phone is almost useless if it is not charged up.

I say, “almost useless” because I know of a person,

Who when he is in a hurry…, he will walk around with the cell phone to his ear.

He pretends to be talking to someone and just nods to people he doesn’t want to stop and talk with.

So a dead phone has a little value.

Go ahead and take your cell phone out.

Look up at the top right hand corner and see how much the battery is charged?

Right now mine has 98%

Every night I plug my cell phone in to a power source and charge it up.

When you tap into that power the cell phone stores it up and is ready to go the next day.

Today I want to talk to you about the “Cell Power of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 2:38 “Peter replied, ‘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.’”

When you became a Christian you received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

As you pray and grow in your faith God fills you more and more with His Spirit.

When you were baptized you may have felt a spiritual surge in your life.

Whether you felt it or not, God promised to energize you at that point.

When Jesus was baptized the Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove.

Then we read, “He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.”

When we’re energized by the Holy Spirit we can do much more than we can do in our own power.

The Bible says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

The Holy Spirit can empower you to

follow God’s will,

overcome temptation,

pray effectively,

witness boldly,

understand Scripture,

cope with suffering.

If you try to do those things in your own power you will find yourself pretending, exhausted and ineffective.

The Holy Spirit will strengthen your Christian character.

2 Peter 1:3 and following reads,

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness…

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness;

and to goodness, knowledge;

and to knowledge, self-control;

and to self-control, perseverance;

and to perseverance, godliness;

and to godliness, brotherly kindness;

and to brotherly kindness, love.

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure,

they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

God has equipped us with everything we need to mature in the Christian life.

Our character ought to be deeper five years from now than it is today.

The fruit of the Spirit should be more evident in our lives next year than it is today.

But just as a cell phone can be drained of power and become useless,

so we are of little value if we are not continually renewed by the Holy Spirit.

An early Christian named Stephen

is a good example of how the Holy Spirit empowers the believer and deepens Christian character.

Stephen is a type of steward who was empowered with a heart to serve wisely.