Have You Heard Of The Holy Spirit?

-This morning is Pentecost Sunday

-The day when we think on the coming of the Holy Spirit in great power on the believers gathered in the upper room, as presented in Acts 2

-We, as a Wesleyan denomination take special significance in the working of the Holy Spirit

-We believe strongly in entire sanctification as a second definite work of grace

-We believe it to be possible for the believer

-We believe it to be pivotal to victorious Christian living

-We believe it to be mandated in scripture

-Yet, many do not experience this wonderful grace of God in their lives

-For various reasons

-Actually, this is nothing new

-Even in the New Testament we are given examples of some who were believers, but had yet not experienced the life transforming work of the Holy Spirit

-Acts 19:1-7

-There are many reasons why some do not experience entire sanctification

I. They Are Unaware Of The Possibility

A. Through their own fault

-They have not chosen to explore whether God has anything more for them

-They are Heavenbound And Happy

B. Through no fault of their own

1. The church not proclaiming it boldly

-It is not very often preached from pulpits anymore

-Even in Wesleyan and other holiness circles

2. The church proclaiming it incorrectly

a. Many denying it as a second definite work

b. Many denying its importance

c. Many giving it incorrect characteristics

-Gifts of manifestation are not tongues and prophesy

-But the Fruit of the Spirit

II. They Are Unwilling To Submit

-Being sanctified is an act of the Holy Spirit

-He is the only one who can work anything in our lives

-Yet, we hold Him back from sanctifying us by our refusal to surrender to His will and His way in our lives

-Only surrendering the entire house of our lives will open the gates for the Holy Spirit to have complete power and authority over our lives to make the kind of changes He wants to make, and we need to have made

A. We need to truly repent

-Being so sick of our sins and shortcomings that we stop doing them

-Which only with the help of the Holy Spirit is possible

B. We need to utterly obey

-ALL of God’s commands

III. They Are Unimpressed By Some who Profess It

-Many who profess it do not have it

-Some of the most ungodly people I have met are some who profess to having been entirely sanctified

-This does not disprove the doctrine

-It shows the utter need for it

A. If you have it, you do not need to profess it

-Though you will want to

-In order to show the mighty power of God

-Not your own greatness

B. If you do not have it, you need not profess it

-Or else you hypocrisy shines through

IV. They Are Unsure of The Biblical Admonition

A. They have not read it for themselves

-I Thessalonians 4:3a

-I Thessalonians 4:7

-Hebrews 12:14

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:

B. They have not understood it

-We have seen why many do not experience this wonderful grace of God

-Now, let’s consider what entire sanctification does

I. It Perfects Us

A. With power over sin

B. With power to love

-God and fellow man completely

II. It Empowers Us

-To use our spiritual gifts

III. It Opens Us

-To new and even greater growth in grace

-Entire sanctification is by no means the end

-It is actually, just the beginning

CONCLUSION

-As you see, entire sanctification is a wonderful thing

-The question is, what is holding you back

-We have made the possibility clear to you now

-Along with the Biblical admonition to it

-Are you holding on to some sin or selfishness?

-Let go of it, it’s not worth it

-Are you letting the hypocrites keep you down?

-Let them deal with the ramifications of their actions

-You deal with your own situation

-Today, while the Holy Spirit may be in you in His fullness, does He have all of you, allowing you to be filled with Him completely, entirely sanctified

-If not, the opportunity is there, if only you will submit to Him