Part-Time Pentecost

PART-TIME PENTECOST

by: Pastor Donny Granberry

TEXT: Judges 13:25

"And the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times..."

John 3:8

"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."

The NIV "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going."

Samson was moved at times by the Spirit. It was during those times when he was not moved by the Spirit that he had so much trouble.

John records that the Wind blows wherever it pleases, whenever it pleases.

The indication from Jesus is that one cannot or should not attempt to program the Spirit. He should have total liberty at all times.

Samson’s problem was that he was moved by the Spirit, at times.

Jesus said you can not program the Holy Spirit.

I understand that there is a difference between style and substance; principle and preference; reaction to the Spirit and manifestation of the Spirit. I also know that some have had a tendency to make emotionalism their badge of spirituality.

But, whatever our approach is to reach this generation is we must not exclude the dynamics of the Holy Spirit.

But we must not compromise our Pentecostal Heritage. Pentecostalism did not begin at the turn of the century on Azusa, but 2,000 years ago in an upper room.

A.W. Tozer said, "The Great Commission is not the first call to the church." Tozer reminds us that Jesus first told His disciples to go to Jerusalem and tarry there until they were endued with power from on high.

Jesus had no desire for them to do the work of God until they had a powerful encounter with Him. (Luke 24:49).

Jesus said in Mark 16:17 "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;..."

Churches that have diluted the original mission statement of our Lord have, "...committed two sins: they have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water."

They have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof. These churches have cut themselves off from the spring of living water and subsequently have nothing to fill their cisterns with. What is left is an empty shell, merely an empty hull of theology.

Samson was moved at times.

That’s the problem. Too many people are only moved at times.

They are Pentecostals sometimes. When it is convenient, or when it is politically or socially correct. They are part-time Pentecostals.

Too many have a caffeine free relationship with God.

It won’t stir you up, it won’t keep you up, and it won’t take you up.

What we need is a personal Pentecost.

Pentecostal fire will cause the sleeping folks to wake up; the lukewarm folks to fire up; the disgruntled folks to sweeten up; the discouraged folks to build up; the depressed folks to cheer up; the gossipers to shut up; the dry bones to shake up; and the true soldiers to stand up.

I. THE PROBLEM WITH PART-TIME PENTECOSTALS

If you observe the life of Samson you will see the peril of living a less than committed lifestyle. We cannot afford to be moved by the Spirit only at times.

When you don’t live in the Spirit full-time, every day, in every way you run the risk of following Samson’s path.

Samson (Part-Time Pentecostals) lived a...

a. Part-time Pentecostals live a Rebellious lifestyle.

Samson’s weakness was that he was a playboy.

In three different chapters he has three different women. He keeps running out of relationships. In Judges 14:1, "Samson went down to Timnath and there he was a young Philistine woman and when he returned he said to his father and mother, ’I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnath, now get her for my wife.’"

The KJV-she pleases me. The NIV-she looks good to me.

Here’s the first trap of being Pentecostal some of the time.

• You make decisions based on pleasure instead of principle.

When we start to live our lives out of convenience rather than out of conviction, we are headed for trouble.

God said don’t do it. His parents warned him.

He had made a vow to not marry an unbeliever. But he ignores his plans, follows his glands and falls into sin.

• The Holy Spirit’s power will help you to discipline your desires.

I Peter 4:1-2

"Strengthen yourselves with (Christ’s) way of thinking...Live your lives controlled by God’s will, not by human desires."

If Samson is our prototype then...

b. Part-time Pentecostals are resentful.