When God’s Spirit Moves In
1 Corinthians 3:1-3
October 28, 2007
Morning Service
This message is based in part on John Maxwell’s message Let God’s Spirit Move In
Introduction
I tell you of a true story of a soldier who was in Pearl Harbor. On the night before they were attacked by the Japanese Imperial Fleet, he and about twelve of his buddies went to a Bible study. They sat around the room, and the leader asked these Christians to quote their very favorite Scripture from memory, the Scripture that meant the most to them in their lives.
And this guy who had gone to church all of his life began to freeze. He couldn’t remember one Scripture.
They started, fortunately for him, on the other side of the room. As they were coming closer to him, reciting their favorite verses, he panicked. And then all of a sudden he remembered John 3:16. "Ah, that’s the one I’ll quote." And then the guy right before him quoted--you guessed it--John 3:16! When they came to him, he looked up and said, "I’m sorry, I just don’t know any verses."
He went home that evening, spiritually whipped. He thought, "Here I am. I’ve grown up in church, and I can’t even remember a Scripture verse. I’m still a baby."
Little did he know that on the next day the sirens would be raised high, and he would go to his battle station. He said, "I looked over head and there was smoke all over the harbor, and those Japanese planes were flying all over us."
He continued, "I grabbed my gun, but all we had in there was fake ammunition. But in panic, I grabbed my gun and fired into the air at the planes. I was firing blanks for 15 minutes. And while I was there God spoke to me. God said to me, ’That’s exactly how your life is; your life is full of blanks. No power, no effectiveness, no light, no salt, just blanks. And there’s a real enemy all around you bombing you and shooting you. No power.’"
The soldier said, "On the deck of the ship, I looked at God and I said, ’If You will let me live through this, I’ll get out of this baby carnal Christian stage, and I’m going to grow up, and become Holy Spirit-filled so that I will no longer fire blanks in my life.’"
Why are so many Christians and churches firing blanks? The answer is painfully simple; they focus on the wrong things.
The most important factor in the life of the church is ministry. The number of people in the church involved in ministry determines the greatness of the church. It is only when the people of the church serve in weekly ministry that Jesus can use them in a powerful manner. The power of Christ is at the disposal of the church that seeks His face and seeks to serve Him.
No local congregation will be what it should be, what Jesus prayed that it should be, what the Holy Spirit gifted and empowered it to be, until it understands spiritual gifts. John MacArthur
Understanding spiritual gifts is not enough. We must not only understand spiritual gifts but we must also utilize our spiritual gifts.
The church is suffering from a credibility issue. There is no difference between the churched and the unchurched.
Statistics from Mainline churches (Church Members)
50% are not certain of their salvation
60% seldom attend church
70% give less than 1% of their income to the church
80% have no ministry within the church
80% do not attend Sunday School or small group
90% have never been trained or discipled
3500-4000 churches close every year which is about 10 per day
In 1900 there were 27 churches for every 10,000 people
In 1985 there were 12 churches for every 10,000 people
The average size church is 75 people and 85% of them have either plateaued or are declining
Why are some Christians so effective and others are not?
Many Christians have settled for living below their divine privileges.
Listen to the words of Jesus from John 10:10: I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. Notice that there is a comma in this verse. Which side of the comma are you living on? Are you are just existing or are you really living? Jesus died so that you could have a real life. A life that is full of His presence and power. A life that makes a difference in this would with an expectation of the next.
How to get the Spirit filled life
Realize your need (1 Corinthians 13:11)
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
Babies are a gift from heaven but I thank God that they don’t remain babies forever. Think about that for a moment. What are the major characteristics of a baby?
They cry when they don’t get what they want
They cry when they need fed
They cry when they need changed
They demand a great deal of time
Unlike some Christians, babies do grow up. Samuel is a great example of this. It seems like he gets bigger every day. He is 20 pounds heavier than when we brought him home. Each day Samuel is becoming what God created him to be. He is growing and changing. It won’t be long before he is no longer a baby. Babies are meant to grow up and so are Christians
1 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?
1 Corinthians 3:1-3
I’m going to give you a BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF A CARNAL PERSON: he or she allows the attitudes and appetites of the flesh to be controlled by human nature rather than controlled by the Spirit of God.
The major issue with the carnal person is immaturity. Carnal Christians are some of the most difficult people to deal with in the world. Why is this? They still act like babies.
The carnal Christian is a person who refuses to grow up spiritually. They want to remain a baby. They want thing to go their way and cry when they don’t. They want people to focus their energy on them and cry when they don’t. They want to have all of the attention focused on them and cry when they don’t. Do you see a pattern?
Repent of your ways (Revelation 2:5)
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
1. Lack of a fear of sin
Even good churches will go bad when they fail to recognize sin for what it truly is, rebellion against God. When those who know Christ continue in their sin, they do it in the full knowledge of His goodness and grace. It is an act of rebellion against the grace of Jesus. It is an act of rejection of the goodness of Christ. It is an act of ingratitude for Christ’s forgiveness. God is clear on this issue, He loves sinners but hates sin. If God hates sin how can we think that it’s ok?
2. Lack of repentance over sin
The word repent means to turn away from. The biggest problem in the lives of so many Christians is the fact that they may have given their heart to Jesus but never repented of their sins. Too many who come to the altar and pray for salvation walk right back into their old lifestyles and there is no change. The reality is that sin just doesn’t bother us enough to want to change or ask Jesus to help change us.
3. Lack of victory over sin
The only victory that you have in your life is the one that Jesus gained through His resurrection from the dead. The only victories that Satan can ever have over you are the ones that you let him have. We forget this simple fact and we live far below the level we are meant to be living at.
You will never be able to defeat Satan in your own strength. You will never be able to overcome the power of sin in your own strength. The good news is that you don’t have to defeat Satan because he’s already been beaten. Jesus defeated Satan by beating him with a big ugly stick we call the cross.
Release you rights (Romans 12:1-2)
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Are you not acting like mere men? 1 Corinthians 3:3 Paul drive home the point that we are to live differently than the world around us. It is impossible for the church to change the world if we become like the world!
Many Christians believe that they can live however they want through the week and come to church on Sunday with a good relationship with God. It doesn’t work that way.
Things that need to be released
1. Attitude - God wants you to live with grace
• Harboring resentment
• Holding onto grudges
• Hanging on to garbage
2. Abilities - God gave you the gifts
• Selfish by using your gifts for yourself
• Satisfied with you are
• Scared to use those gifts for God
3. Actions - God desires you to live for His glory
• Things you do that just do not please God
• Times when you do what you know is wrong
• Treating others with less than Christ centered respect
• Talking in a manner that tears down rather than build up
Receive God’s power (Acts 1:8)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Luke’s Gospel emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit in the ministry of Christ. Luke continued that emphasis here as he focused on the Holy Spirit’s role in the early days of the church. The term "spirit" (pneuma) occurs nineteen times in Matthew, twenty-three times in Mark, thirty-six times in Luke, twenty-four times in John, and seventy times in Acts. Christ had just reminded his followers that they would soon receive the Holy Spirit (1:5). When the Spirit comes, he told his followers, you will receive power. To do what? To be my witnesses. Power from the Holy Spirit is not limited to strength beyond the ordinary; that power also involves courage, boldness, confidence, insight, ability, and authority. The disciples would need all these gifts to fulfill their mission.
Conclusion
Are you firing blanks? Are you accomplishing little in your spiritual life?
