Pentecost; Desperate For His Presence

Pentecost; desperate for His presence

Acts 1:1-4 2:1-12

Selective scriptures

INTRO-

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY- I HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY WITH YOUR FAMILY WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO. THE DAY OF PENTECOST AND MOTHER’S DAY FALLS ON THE SAME DAY THIS YEAR. I STRUGGLED WEATHER I WOULD DO A TRADITIONAL MESSAGE OR FOCUS ON PENTECOST. I PRAYED ABOUT IT, WHICH IS GOOD TO DO ON PENTECOST AND EVERYDAY. I FOUND MYSELF CENTERING IN ON GOD. REFLECTING IN ON GOD’S GOODNESS. HOW MUCH ALL OF US NEED HIM TO BE MORE IN OUR LIVES. YOU HEARD THE SCRIPTURES READ- THE FIRST TELLING US OF THE HOLY SPIRIT COMING TO US AND THAT WE NEED TO BE IN A POSITION TO RECEIVE HIM INTO OUR LIVES. THE SECOND SCRIPTURE ;

BEING IN ONE ACCORD IN THE BODY

ALL THAT WANTED TO RECEIVE HIS SPIRIT- RECEIVED

THEY WERE AMAZED AT WHAT GOD HAD DONE

BUT THEY STILL WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPEN AND HOW DOES IT AFFECT THE CHURCH TODAY. PETER AFTER BEING WITH THOSE IN THE UPPER ROOM, COMES AND PREACHES HIS FIRST SERMON.

ACTS 2:17-21- READ

GOD WE NEED THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR LIVES, IN OUR FAMILIES, IN OUR SCHOOLS, IN OUR GOVERNMENT, IN OUR CHURCHES. HAVE YOU EVER ASKED YOURSELF - THERE HAS TO BE MORE. THIS LIFE IS OKAY, BUT GOD I’M LOOKING FOR THE WOW FACTOR. AS THE DISCIPLES GATHERED, THEY WANTED TO RECEIVE THE MORE-

THEY REALIZED THAT THEY CANNOT DO IT ON THEIR OWN.

THEY REALIZED THAT IN THEMSELVES THEY COULD ONLY GO SO FAR.

QUESTION:

HAVE YOU EVER ASKED YOURSELF WHY SOME DON’T ASK JESUS INTO THEIR LIVES? WHY SOME JUST NEVER GET IT- THEY STRUGGLE WITH THEIR WALK WITH GOD. THEY BUILD A FENCE AROUND THEMSELVES, AND DARE GOD TO FIND A WAY INTO THEIR LIFE.

ILLUSTRATION- I WAS SENT A E-MAIL ABOUT WILD PIGS BEING CAPTURED. THEY PLACED A FENCE ONE SIDE AT A TIME UNTIL THEY GET USE TO IT AND ADDED ANOTHER UNTIL THEY HAVE ALL FOUR SIDES UP. THEN ONE DAY THE FINAL GATE IS SLAMMED AND THERE IS NO WAY OUT. THAT’S WHAT IS HAPPENING TO PEOPLE TODAY. GOD DESIRES AND GOD HAS PROVIDED POWER IN THEIR LIVES BIGGER THAN THEY ARE TO LIVE LIFE VICTORIOUS AND THEY ARE ALLOWING THE WORLD TO CLOSE THEM IN AND AWAY FROM GOD A LITTLE AT A TIME UNTIL ONE DAY THE GATE CLOSES AND THEY ARE TRAPPED.

THERE IS A LOT OF NOISE IN THE WORLD TODAY THAT WILL KEEP YOU FROM RECEIVING THE FULLNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YOUR LIFE. (AND THE CHURCHES TODAY)

REV 3:20- HERE I AM I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK. IF ANYONE HEARS MY VOICE AND OPENS THE DOOR, I WILL COME IN AMD EAT WITH THEM AND HE WITH ME. TO HIM THAT OVERCOMES, I WILL GIVE THE RIGHT TO SIT WITH ME ON MY THRONE, JUST AS I OVERCAME AND SAT DOWN WITH MY FATHER ON HIS THRONE. HE WHO HAS A EAR , LET HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAYS TO THE CHURCHES.

-WE DON’T HEAR GOD BECAUSE WE ARE TOO BUSY- ENTANGLED WITH EVERYDAY LIFE, PREOCCUPIED THAT WE NEVER HEAR WHAT IS GOING ON IN HIS CHURCH.

- WE DON’T HEAR GOD BECAUSE WERE TO FAR AWAY- GOD NEVER MOVED, WE HAVE IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

PSALM 10:1- WHY STANDEST AFAR OFF O LORD. WHY HIDEST THOU THYSELF IN TIMES OF TROUBLES. HE HASN’T- WE HAVE

GOD KNOCKS ON THE DOOR OF OUR HEARTS AND WE SOMETIMES TREAT HIM LIKE THE RELIGIOUS CULTS WE TRY TO AVOID.

- WE DON’T HEAR GOD BECAUSE WE GIVE HIM A DEAF EAR, BECAUSE WE HAVE SIN IN OUR LIFE THAT WE ARE NOT READY TO GIVE UP. THERE IS A PICTURE OF JESUS STANDING AT THE DOOR AND KNOCKING WITH A TEAR IN HIS EYE.,LOCATED RIGHT AS YOU COME IN TO THE SANCTUARY.

HOW MANY IF THE TRUTH BE TOLD, ARE SO BUSY AND PREOCCUPIED, THAT YOU DIDN’T EVEN NOTICE. IT HAS BEEN IN THE CHURCH SINCE 1957. THEY SAID AT DISTRICT ASSEMBLY “IT IS AMAZING HOW MUCH THE AMERICAN CHURCHES HAVE DONE WITHOUT GOD”

IF YOU ARE GOING TO ANSWER THE KNOCK OF JESUS ON YOUR HEART, ALLOW HIM INTO YOUR LIFE, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE 2 THINGS HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE.

I. HOLY SPIRIT IS GOING TO TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE

ONCE WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE CANNOT LIFE VICTORIOUS IN OUR SELVES, THAT WE NEED THE POWER OF GOD WORKING IN OUR LIVES. THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT WILL DROP US TO OUR KNEES AND ALLOW US TO GET INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD. BEFORE WE CAN BE FILLED, WE MUST BE EMPTIED. GOD NEEDS A VESSEL HE CAN WORK THROUGH. WE NEED TO BE DESPERATE FOR HIS PRESENCE , WANTING WITH ALL OUR BEING FOR GOD TO WORK THROUGH US AND IN US ON A DAILY BASIS. JESUS WANTS TO BE INVITED INTO OUR LIVES. HE IS NOT GOING TO PUSH HIS WAY IN, HE WANTS TO TAKE RESIDENCY IN A HEART THAT INVITES HIM TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THEIR LIFE. GOD WANTS TO FILL US TO OVERFLOWING WITH WHO HE IS, TO CONFORM US TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, AND THEN POUR US OUT INTO THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.