Holy Ghost Power

ACTS 1:8 “HOLY GHOST POWER”

A) The Greek word for “power” here is “dunamis” where we get our English word “dynamite!”

* We need the fire like Uncle Bud Robison preached about.

* Fire in the pulpit … Fire in the choir … Fire in the pew.

* Holy Ghost power means: An uncontrollable religious enthusiasm; A strength within to do,

to bear, and to resist.

B) Let me tell you, by the help of God, how to get this Holy Ghost power! * Four things …….

(1) MAJOR ON THE BASICS! * The secret is not in the play, but in the performance!

A) Knute Rockne was one of the greatest football coaches who ever lived!

* He was the head coach for Notre Dame for 13 years. * He never had a secret practice.

* In fact, he sometimes would put up a sign for visitors … It read, “Secret Practice … Come

and bring your notebook.” * An Army scout missed the practiced and called Knute …….

* The coach sent him the plays and explained, “It isn’t the play that wins, it’s the execution.”

B) Champions are made by majoring on the fundamentals, the basics, blocking and tackling!

* They execute well! * A team may win a game here and there by a trick play or gimmick …….

* But they won’t be a consistent winner that way.

C) Great churches are built the same way … By majoring on the basics!

* The spiritual fundamentals for the church are: Prayer; visitation; and Bible teaching.

* Some try to build a church on gimmicks, but the trouble with gimmicks is the people get wise

to them and lose faith in leadership. * It also exhausts and wears out the people.

D) So what is the only solution? * Get back to the basics!

* If you build a church on the basics (prayer, visitation, and Bible teaching), and you do the basics

well, there is no limit to how long you can stay and how strong the church will become!

* The secret is not in the play, but in the performance!

E) You don’t build an exciting and spiritual, growing church on some newfangled idea that

no one ever thought of before … You build it on the basics!

* Prayer; visitation; and Bible teaching, and you build it by doing them better than anybody else.

* So, major on the basics … Prayer … Visitation … And Bible teaching … And do it well!

(2) PRAY MUCH! * John 15:5, Jesus says “For without Me ye can do nothing.”

A) With that, He gave us the secret to building an exciting and spiritual, growing church!

* He didn’t say, “Without Me ye can do the necessary.” * He didn’t even say “… the minimum.”

* He said, “Without Me ye can do nothing.” * It is the living Christ who provides the power that

makes the church hum.

B) If we rely upon education, we get what education can do!

* If we rely upon organization, we get what organization can do … If we rely upon money, we get

what money can do … If we rely upon people, we get what people can do.

* But if we rely upon prayer, we get what God can do!

* That’s what our churches desperately need today … We need what God can do!

C) Through the Holy Spirit, the Lord provides all the power necessary to accomplish His work!

* The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost to empower His church for effective witnessing and ministry.

* He is with us now and stands ready to empower us if we lay hold to Him through prayer!

(3) BUILD SPIRIT! * Let’s get all excited! * What kind of spirit do we need in RLCC?

A) One: The Spirit Of Joy! * The surest mark of a Christian is not faith, or even love, but joy!

* Phil. 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” * Give out quiz …….

B) We are to glorify God and enjoy Him forever!

* We’re told in Acts 2:46 that the early church “did eat their meat with gladness and …”

* Paul even described the “giving” as hilarious (2 Cor. 9:7) What must the rest been like?

* So overflowing joy, old fashioned joy, ought to characterize God’s church!

C) Two: The Spirit Of Enthusiasm! * Nothing worthwhile is accomplished without enthusiasm.

* The word “enthusiasm” means “God in us” … It suggests the idea of strong excitement, concern,

dedication, and passion for God.

* The most effective way to reach people for Christ is an enthusiastic Christian that is excited

about Jesus Christ and the church. (Uncle Bud Robison and his mule)