My Spirit Will Not Always Strive

MY SPIRIT WILL NOT ALWAYS STRIVE

Gen. 6:3

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. I got to visit Chi Alphans last Wed. & Thurs. nights and invite them to church. They were very appreciative of our support and love toward them.

2. I was talking to a college student the other day who’s paying her way through college, so she started a laundry service.

3. One day, a man came in to pick up his laundry and asked, “What is the usual tip around here?”

4. She answered, “I don’t know, but looking at you, I doubt I’ll get a quarter!”

5. Miffed, he took out a 10 dollar bill and said, “Keep the whole thing. By the way, what’s your major in college?” She replied, “Reverse psychology!”

B. DIFFERENT TYPES OF POWER

1. MANY TYPES: Political Power, Financial Power, Military Power, Informational Power, etc.

2. NATURAL TYPES: Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Tidal waves, Earthquakes, Lightning storms, etc.

3. EXPLOSIVE POWER:

a. Fire (gun) power

b. Rocket Engines -- thrust (Cape Canaveral)

c. TNT, Dynamite; C-4

d. Atom Bomb – Hiroshima = 20,000 tons of TNT

e. Mount St. Helen’s explosion = 10,000,000 tons of TNT or 500 Hiroshima's. It was a blast of 300° heat traveling 200 mph. 17 miles away it leveled 150 foot Douglas firs. 60 people were killed.

4. But no power can rival that which Paul encountered on the Road to Damascus -- a power able to transform a soul from death to life.

C. HOLY GHOST POWER

1. We read in Genesis 1:2, "Spirit of God was hovering over the waters."

a. He formed the vast reaches of space.

b. He created suns as large as our solar system.

c. He is so powerful, he can suspend or supersede the laws of the universe!

d. He is so powerful, He can go beyond the physical realm.

2. He is the third person of the Trinity Godhead, One with the Father and Son. He is the "Spirit", "Wind", "Breath" of God. He is the active Presence of God.

D. HOLY SPIRIT IN BIBLICAL HISTORY

1. Moses saw Him, Hovering over the waters of Creation.

2. The Egyptians saw Him -- as a Pillar of fire separating them from God's people.

3. The psalmist David -- saw Him as the "precious anointing oil" which flowed down Aaron’s garments (Psalm 133:2).

4. Isaiah saw Him -- as a Royal Robe filling God's temple.

5. John the Baptist -- saw Him as a beautiful white dove which came and settled on the Lord Jesus at His baptism.

6. Joel (2:23) Saw Him as a Gentle rain which would make righteousness grow.

7. Peter and the disciples -- experienced Him as a Hurricane force wind rushing down in mighty torrents from heaven.

8. Ezekiel and John the Revelator -- saw Him as a River of Living Waters flowing out of God's temple.

E. HOLY SPIRIT: HERE FOR DEFINITE PURPOSES

1. To INDWELL us. Romans 8:3

2. To help us be CONFORMED into the Image of Jesus (John 16:13-14).

3. To give us POWER to WITNESS.

4. To SUPPLY the Body with GIFTS to grow.

F. DAY OF PENTECOST: MASS SPIRITUAL INVASION

1. On July 4, 1776, England's King George III recorded in his diary, "Nothing important happened today." Little did he know that the Revolution had begun in America! On the Day of Pentecost, A.D. 33, I imagine the devil wrote in his diary, "Nothing important happened today." But little did he know, that the Revolution of the Ages had begun!

G. TEXT

6 “Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the

face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. 3 And the Lord said, ‘My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.’ 4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. 5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the Lord said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Gen. 6:1-8 NKJV