How The Fire...works! Series

Fire…Works

Pt. 2 – How The Fire…Works

I. Introduction

Fireworks are an integral part of our lives as Americans. We have become accustomed to using them as part of our celebration. No July 4th or New Year’s Eve Party is complete without these explosions.

Likewise I would say that the fire…works we began talking about last week, being the power of the Holy Spirit, are integral to our lives as Christians. In fact one the things that we must understand, is that the Holy Spirit is so important in our lives that it has even been promised that it is for our children. We discover this in Acts 2:38-39.

38And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.

If the promise is for our children too it should show us just how badly we need the Holy Spirit. We need the explosion of His power in our lives. We can’t even live effectively as children without this element in our lives.

You will remember that we discussed the idea that:

a. Fire. . .Works display takes a lot of work and preparation.

We won’t just show up and have one. We have to prepare with prayer, praise, personally.

b. Visiting or frequenting a fireworks stand doesn’t mean that you will have a fireworks display.

In other words, attending a Pentecostal Church doesn’t make you Pentecostal any more than sitting in a garage makes you a corvette. You must experience Pentecost for yourself.

c. Fire. . .works have an inherent risk. Fire. . .works can be dangerous!

And yet, I for all of the inherent risks of fireworks I am not ready to do away with the fireworks display.

d. Fire…Works don’t have to be limited to once a year! And the other thing we have done is make certain fireworks illegal or off limits.

But this morning what I want to do is talk about the Top 10 ways the Fire…Works. The fireworks you buy for the 4th of July can be placed in categories. Each firework has a specific purpose. It has a specific job that it carries out. You can’t have a balanced firework show unless you understand the purpose and objective of each firework. Likewise, when we discuss the Holy Spirit we must understand the purpose of the fire!

It isn’t enough to want fire…works, we must understand why we need the fire. I am preaching on it in this order because most Pentecostals have become so focused on the gifts of the Holy Spirit (which we will discuss next week) that they have overlooked the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives on a daily basis. Too often we have restricted or boxed in the Holy Spirit to a few outbreaks in services. When the truth is He has works that He performs daily in our lives if we will allow Him to do so.

II. Fire…Works

If you had to write a job description for God what would it say?

God is to make sure everything in the universe is working properly.

God is to look out for orphans, widows, and those who are down and out.

God is to love everyone.

God is to hold everyone accountable for their actions and attitudes.

What about for Jesus?

Jesus is to forgive sins.

Jesus is to provide healing for our bodies.

Jesus is to change my heart.

But what about the Holy Spirit? What is His job description? Is it to make our services powerful? Is it to give us goose bumps? Is He just for a few gifts that operate occasionally? The Holy Spirit has been given a job description by God and it crucial for us to understand His role or we miss out on accessing these things that He does in and through us. Let’s look at how the fire…works.

1. The Holy Spirit brings Regeneration –

The word “regeneration” is only found twice in Scripture and one of these deals specifically with the role of the Holy Spirit.

This is found in Titus 3:4-5. It says, “4But when the kindness of God our Saviour, and his love toward man, appeared, 5not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,”

This word literally means a “new birth.” The Greek word (palingenesia) is used by classical writers with reference to the changes produced by the return of spring. It is a renovation of our heart. In other words, one of the Holy Spirits roles in our lives is to work with Christ to change our heart. To bring rebirth to us. To make everything new. If you have been saved or if you are going to be born again the Holy Spirit will have a hand in that process. It is one of the fire…works.