God's Power In You Series

TITLE: The Holy Spirit, God’s Power IN the Believer

TEXT: Acts 1:8

THEME: What’s the big Deal About the Holy Spirit

P.S. Spirit can help us do it, if we ask Him to! He is the power source to live for God. We must plug into Him if we are going to live for Him!

INTRODUCTION

Illustration: The story is told of a logging foreman who sold a city slicker a chainsaw guaranteed to cut down fifty trees in a single day. A week later, a very unhappy city slicker came to report that the power saw must be faulty – it averaged only three trees a day. The foreman grabbed the saw, pulled the cord, and the saw promptly went, “Bzzzzzzz.” The startled city slicker demanded, “Hey what’s that noise?”

We laugh at the foible of the farmer. But, how many of us have had a similar experience when it comes to the Christian life? We respond with great joy and enthusiasm when it comes to a salvation experience, but after a while, we think that we have been had. “This is hard. This is tough. I feel like a failure. I can’t do this!”

But, the Spirit can help us do it, if we ask Him to! He is the power source to live for God. We must plug into Him if we are going to live for Him!

As we have learned over the past few weeks, the Bible does teach that we receive the Holy Spirit at the moment we surrender our hearts to Christ (1 John 3:9, Romans 8:9-10, 1 Corinthians 6:19). God puts His Spirit within us and we are born again as children of God.

However, this is not the end, but the beginning of an excitng life lived under the control of and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Let me explain what I mean by digging in to this topic in scripture. Begin by looking at John 20:

20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you."22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

This scene took place after Jesus rose from the dead. The disciples were gathered in a hiding place out of fear of being persecuted. They have heard rumors that Jesus was alive and some were claiming to have seen Jesus.

Jesus suddenly appeared bodily before them and gave His disciples were indwelled by the Holy Spirit. It is without question that this passage clearly says that they received the Holy Spirit, but the real power was to come later. It would not be until the day of Pentecost that the power of the Holy Spirit fell upon them and these fearful disciples would turn the world upside down for Christ.

They believed on Jesus, received the gift of salvation and were sealed by the Holy Spirit, but the baptism of the Spirit would not come until 40 days later while they prayed in the upper room. Then, suddenly these fearful men hiding from their persecutors came out proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ before the very people they feared moments before. They received the gift of the Holy Spirit right here in John 20, but Jesus also said, “you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:5).

It is because people do not understand that there is a difference between these two events that they do not seek the greater power of God that will completely transform their lives and ministries.

What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

In his book, Want More?, author and teacher Tim Enloe gives this simple definition,

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is the primary empowering from God that New Testament believers can experience.”

Jesus promised it both before and after his resurrection:

Luke 24:49I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

Mark 16:17: 17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

Jesus demonstrated the importance of this Baptism by commanding his followers to wait in Jerusalem, ( Acts 1:4)

4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.

According to the Bible, all new testament followers of Jesus should follow the Lord’s command and be baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Some Christians argue, “Pastor if I received the holy Spirit when I was saved, then why do I need any more?”