In praying over this morning message, I wanted to kind of stay in the flow of the work the Holy Spirit has been doing in the last week. As I prayed, the Lord dropped “Now is the Time” into my spirit. I started looking for scripture that held that phrase when the Lord directed me to this morning’s passage. I read over it several times and said “Lord it’s a great passage but what does it have to do with now being the time?” “READ IT AGAIN” and at the close of verse 12 He said “Now is the time!”.
I’m here to tell you this morning that you serve a magnificent God!
You serve a mighty God!
You serve a wondrous God!
You serve a today God!
You serve a relevant God!
You serve an on time God!
He’s an On Time God who is declaring today
“This is your time!”
Your time to: Get out of the boat
Step into the river of His fullness
Break out of that bondage
Bust out of that prison – “He who the Son sets free…”
Jeremiah 33:1-3
1 Moreover the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 2 "Thus says the Lord who made it, the Lord who formed it to establish it (the Lord is His name): 3 ’Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’
You’ve watched from the sidelines while others have experienced great moves of God in their lives.
You’ve convinced yourself that moving in God’s power is for others but not for you.
I’m here to tell you, my friend, that the same God who saved you is calling you to get into the river, into a deeper walk. (It’s your time!!)
The time for “playing church” is over! It’s time for the Church of Jesus Christ to rise up!!
It’s time for this local Body to stop “waiting” for harvest!
Luke 14:23
Then the master said to the servant, ’Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
Stop waiting for a change in your circumstances
Stop waiting for those loved ones to “come around”
Stop waiting for things to change in your neighborhood
Stop waiting for change in your community, workplace, school system, political scene.
“Call on Me” “It’s time for you and I to activate the Power of the Living Word!
But you have to be willing to get wet, I mean – really wet.
If so, some of you need to…
“Stop feasting of the Fruit of the Spirit like it is a smorgasbord”. Gal 5:22-23
“Stop treating the Gifts of the Spirit like a White Elephant Gift Exchange” 1 Cor. 12:7-10 (The Lord took me to Rom 14:3)
Let’s look at a three things that will happen as a result of you and I plunging into the River of God’s Spirit.
1. “As you flow in My Spirit, I will cause the borders of your personal territory to be ‘recreated’ by my hand” (vs. 7)
2. “Everything that comes in contact with the river in you will live”. (vs. 9)
3. “As this Body lives in the flow of the river… (vs. 10-12)
a. Evangelism will prosper (vs 10)
b. Outreach will flourish
c. Great provision will be placed in their hands (vs 12)
d. There will be a great move in the ‘miraculous’
Truth is, Ezekiel could have said to the Angel “that’s okay, I’ll just watch from the bank…” - He would have never experienced life in the River.
It’s a promise that Christ gave to all who believe on His name – not only salvation through His blood, but the flood of His Spirit into their lives.
John 7:37-39
37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Today, just as on the Jesus made that declaration, the enemy causes a stir and debate, “what’s He mean?” “Is it literal or spiritual?” “is it for today?” But notice Jesus didn’t enter the debate. See, you and I make our reply to His call by our action “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me”
Is there more than the New Birth experience of Salvation – Of Course.
Nicodemus (John 3) Jesus drew the comparison Natural and Spiritual birth.
Conception, Birth, Growth, Maturity….
Rolling, crawling, walking, running …
Just as a person does not remain an infant all their lives, Our spirit-man must grow and mature,
It comes through a yielded relationship with the Holy Spirit.
The appeal this morning is as simple as that made by Jesus. Are you ready to take the plunge?
It’s your time now – come on in, the water’s fine!
Let’s Pray!
A note from Pastor Terry,
Thanks so much for looking over this message. I trust that, in some way, you were blessed, encouraged and empowered on your own walk with Christ. Every message I prepare is bathed in prayer that God will draw, inspire, and challenge my listeners (or readers) into a more meaningful and power-filled walk with Him.
Pastors, how we need one another! We need to be encouraged, strengthened and built up in order to encourage, strengthen and build up. It’s my personal prayer that the message you’ve just reviewed has done that for you in a personal way. Use what you can of this message, toss what you can’t and above all, let God’s Spirit inspire it all!
Sometimes I feel like Peter and John at the Temple steps…”Silver and gold; I don’t have but what I do – I give to you”
Grace and peace to you, your family and the Flock you tend.
Pastor Terry
