Holy Spirit Active In Our Lives

Holy Spirit active in our lives

Acts 2:1-6

Good morning everyone, glad that you have joined us either in service or online.

50 days after Easter, we celebrate Pentecost.

The birth of the church and the birth of Jesus empowering the church to do what it was called to do and evangelize the world around us. It is a call that is for everyone that has accepted Jesus as Lord of their lives. We are not saved by our works but a life that is changed and for Jesus is a life that will be about spreading the Good News of what Jesus has done for us…we call that witnessing.

To most, it is just another day

Turn to Acts 2:1-6- read

There was something different about those people now, the 120 waiting for the Holy Spirit to fall on mankind.

Waiting for the fulfillment of what Jesus said before he left

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There is a story about three prospectors who found a rich vein of gold in California during the gold rush days. They realized what a great discovery they had, and decided, we have a really good thing going here as long as no one else finds out about it. They each took a vow of silence to keep it secret. Then they headed for town to file their claim and get the equipment necessary to mine the gold. True to their vows, they didn’t say a word to anybody. They filed their claim, bought the equipment, and headed back to their mine. When they did, a crowd of people followed them.

The reason was because the expression on their faces had given them away. their faces were aglow in anticipation of the wealth that soon would be theirs. People knew that they must have found something very special. So a crowd followed.

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A famous speaker was once asked about his most difficult speech. He answered, “Well, it was when I was asked to speak at a national convention of undertakers. My topic was to explain to them how to look sad during a 10,000 funeral. You see, when there is joy inside, it’s awfully hard to keep it from showing on your face.

Pentecost shows us that the early Christians discovered joy unspeakable in the church of the lord Jesus Christ.

Paul writes- “Rejoice in the lord! Rejoice in the lord always, and again I say rejoice.”

Pentecost was a historical event, when the church was born. For a Christian, it should be an everyday victory that is bathed in power from the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us.

The church may never be the most popular institution in the world. (It should be) because it goes against the popular culture.

God wants his church to stand for truth, and the only way we can do that is to be filled with the unshakable power of the Holy Spirit.

The church was born at Pentecost. For Israel it was a time of celebration, a celebration for the harvest of grain.

For the church, and every spirit filled believer, it is a great harvest of the spirit

Because of Pentecost we have the power to be a witness for Christ

Because of Pentecost we have the ability to be renewed and transformed

We are not a Pentecostal church, but we do identify with Pentecostalism-if by definition you are seeking after the fullness of the spirit just like they did at Pentecost.

I want you to know that every time you talk about the power of the spirit. you scare some people away because they want to do everything on their own, and in their strength and anytime they are not in charge they will not like it.

People are limited on how much we can change of our lives ourselves. Some have done a tremendous job. It is God through the Holy Spirit that makes complete turn around possible in a person’s life.

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Roland Stuart was a drunk and alcoholic. He met Jesus, accepted him as his savior, became a Christian, and God healed him of his alcoholism. One day, the idea struck him that if he could just get into major sporting events and put the word of God before the people, it would be seen by hundreds of thousands and maybe even millions of people.

So today, Roland Stuart and his wife Margaret, and a friend named William James, live a very Spartan existence. they drive 55,000 miles a year in an old beat up van, telling their story, and using their money to buy tickets to major sporting events to hang out a sheet saying, “John 3:16"

Don’t you wonder how many tens of thousands have turned to john 3:16 and read that text because of Roland Stuart.

The point is that when we hear the word of God and allow the spirit to work in our lives, we are not limited to what we can do. Our finances and ability are strengthened by what the lord does through us.