11/8/2009
Living with the power of God in your life
Acts 2:1-12
Introduction
We are still in the series of B.A.S.I.C..
We have spent two weeks on discipleship, and this week will be looking at the Holy Spirit being active in your life.
Turn to Acts 2:1-12, we will shortly be reading the Scripture.
For those that have been in the church a long time, hopefully you understand the importance of the Holy Spirit working in your life.
The key word here is in your life as opposed to just knowing of the Holy Spirit.
As Nazarene’s, we focus a lot of attention on holiness, and on Sanctification.
All active things in our life that we cannot do in ourselves. You cannot be holy and you cannot be Sanctified by what you do or accomplish in yourself. It is the Holy Spirit working in your life
I believe many people today live below the standard that God desires for them because they try to be holy. They try to break habits. They try to live a good life. They try to fix things that only God can fix in our lives.
Remember last week:
I said you cannot follow Jesus without Jesus. You go through the motions, you have good intentions, you can give it your best try. But you will fall short.
You cannot follow someone if the someone is not out front leading your life.
The same is true with the Holy Spirit in our lives. He cannot lead you, encourage you, strengthen you, teach you, protect you, if He is not invited to be in you.
Most people’s lives are a train wreck because they are driving the train and it is has gotten off track and we do not know how to get back on.
Most people think the Holy Spirit first appeared on the scene of mankind on the day of Pentecost. That is false, that is wrong Throughout the Old Testament writings, we see the Holy Spirit active and a part of mankind.
Genesis 1:1 “Spirit of God hovering over the waters”
Joel 2:28- “I will pour out my Spirit on all people, your sons and daughters will prophecy, your old man will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”
The Spirit of the Lord fell on God’s servants for a period of time and for the accomplishment of a task. Ex. Moses, Abraham, Joshua, Samson, Elijah, Samuel, the list goes on.
Then the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Who goes to the cross, His death, burial, resurrection redeems mankind to have a personal relationship with God.
The Holy Spirit was always a part of creation. Adam became a living being because God breathed His Holy Spirit in him.
But until Christ came and died for us, He Holy Spirit did not dwell with people.
Acts chapter one- not our text yet.
Jesus has gathered with his disciples. They ask him if he would overthrow the Romans. He says that they are to gather together and receive power when the Holy Spirit comes unto you.
You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Larry Brincefield, a Nazarene pastor in Florida, which I agree with says that we spend so much time focused on the activities of the Holy Spirit we miss the person of the Holy Spirit. He compares it to a birthday card. We quickly open it to see if there is cash in it, most of the time forgetting about reading the card. We miss the blessing of the personal note of encouragement that is inside.
Don’t miss this:
Jesus calls his disciples (believers) and a select few who gathered and believed that God was about to do a new thing (120 in total). To pray and seek God, wanting to be those God said would witness to the world. They turned this world upside down by the power of God working in their lives.
Acts 2:1-12 Read. From the Bible
Some are amazed, some are perplexed. Which are you this morning?
John 16:13:
But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truths.
Jesus showed them that they needed the Holy Spirit to guide and direct them in their daily activities rather than going it alone.
All of them by divine presence, heard the message in their own language and went out and turned their world upside down for Jesus.
Jesus said
I will ask the Father, and He will give you another counselor to be with you forever. The Spirit of truth.
Without the Holy Spirit in our lives we are useless Christians.
We have no power to do kingdom work with power from on high.
The Holy Spirit is not an it
He is not energy floating around,
He is not good like Santa Clause.
HE IS THE SPIRIT OF GOD. THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD.
So few of us realize that we must ask the Holy Spirit into our lives.
We must be praying and waiting for the power of God to be active in our lives.
So few of us tap into the available power of God and become the witnesses God desires us to
be.
Listen to me
You cannot have the Spirit of God dwell inside of you without Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
You cannot discern spiritual things without the Holy Spirit.
The power of the gospel is what transforms lives
Billy Graham, the greatest preacher outside of Jesus and the disciples preaches a simple message and lives are changed
For I resolve to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified
Apostle Paul knew the Holy Spirit takes the message of the cross, with redemptive love and grace, through the power of the Holy Spirit infuses into lives with authority and power.
There is dynamite when we preach Chris t
Holy Spirit takes the message and communicates it in to our hearts and minds with power, that is what breaks the barriers.
The Holy Spirit communicates and the vessel is only the messenger.
There is another level for those filled and empowered by the Spirit of God.
Spurgeon tells us-
Take your text and make a beeline to the cross.
That is what I am doing this morning
I realize, some will get this and some will not
I am believing God to break some barriers this morning.
“The man without they spirit does not accept the things that come from the spirit of God, for they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor. 2:14
You cannot do God’s work without God’s strength. You are spinning your wheels.
I believe God’s truths:
Preach the word- it will not return void.
Be filled with the Spirit. Eph. 5:8
Greater things will you do because I go to the Father.
I will not leave you Orphans, I will come to you;
Before the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, they were a bunch of average men who desired to serve God.
Peter denied Christ three times.
Thomas was a doubter.
They fought with each other to decide who was the greatest.
After they were filled, they turned this world upside down. 3 years they were average, abilities only in their own strength. But after Pentecost and by the power of the Holy Spirit, they were transformed and powerful people of God.
Like never before, Peter now stands before 1000’s and He is getting results. Before that hiding behind closed doors.
I don’t want to shoot over people’s heads this morning. The gospel is simple, Jesus Christ died, He was buried. He was raised by the power of God. The promised Holy Spirit, the comforter of mankind comes to dwell with believers to help them live victorious and prosperous lives for God.
Jesus promises power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.
Listen to me:
you will not have to wonder if what God said would happen, you will know without a doubt that God has done something special in your life. Because you will never be the same.
When we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
He says that the promise comes by faith.
I am fully persuaded that God has the power to do what he promised he would do.
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone that believes
I want to know Christ, and the power of His resurrection
Be lead by the Spirit.
So I say live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.
Closing:
Folks listen, without the Holy Spirit working actively in your life, you are just existing.
Being bounced around by all the garbage in the world.
Truth be told, good intentions, but kingdom work hasn’t been happening
Tap into the unlimited resources of God
when we got nothing to say- He gives us the words.
when we are scared- He gives us courage.
when we are needing encouragement- His presence transforms us.
We can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.
We can do extra-ordinary things when we are filled to overflowing with the Spirit of God.
Turn it upside down or live it upside down in ourselves. One is victory, one is defeat.
Illustration-
All men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35
A layperson in Boston went boldly into a hotel, walked up to a lady and said, do you know Christ? She told her husband about it. Didn’t you tell him to mind his own business? She said, but my dear, if you had seen the expression on his face, and heard the earnestness with which he spoke, you would have thought it was his business
Kingdom work is our business. Living in the level of life that God intended for us.
Illustration
Jesus touched the leper. Can you imagine? What that meant to that leper? Ostracized forever, until his death, who had to cry out constantly unclean , unclean Yet Jesus touched him.
He can make the unclean, clean again. The touch of the masters hand in our life means that we can touch other people’s lives.
Illustration
After service, this girl came up to him, and she said; I don’t believe any of this hogwash, he said, well, I don’t think I agree. But do you mind if I pray for you> she said, no one has ever prayed for me before, I don’t guess it will do any harm. He bowed his head, but she looked straight a head and was difiant when he started to pray. As he prayed for the conversion of the girl, the tears began to flow down his cheeks, when he open his eyes she was broken up with tears and said, no one in my whole life has loved me enough to shed a tear for me. They sat down on a bench and that girl accepted the Lord as her savior.
You are here this morning.
God is breaking down barriers this morning.
You have an opportunity this morning to be transformed by the power of God.
Will you let Him this morning?
Will you lay aside what others think?
Will you ask Him this morning to fill you to overflowing?
Recognize your need for more of th Spirit.
Confess your sins and ask Him to forgive you.
Be filled with the Spirit.
Act in faith. *step out this morning)
Illustration
flashlight with no batteries is useless. It looks good.
The bulb is good. Switch works. But without power, it cannot shed light.
God not going to ask anything of you that he not give you power to do.
Society won’t transform until the church is transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Are you going to make a difference today?
Altar Call.
Please rate the sermon so I know how you feel about it.
