GO! BUT WAIT!
I. THE LAST INSTRUCTION OF JESUS BEFORE GOING TO HEAVEN
Mar 16:15 He said to them, "Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all people.
Mar 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Mar 16:17 Believers will be given the power to perform miracles: they will drive out demons in my name; they will speak in strange tongues;
Mar 16:18 if they pick up snakes or drink any poison, they will not be harmed; they will place their hands on sick people, and these will get well."
Luk 24:49 And I myself will send upon you what my Father has promised. But you must wait in the city until the power from above comes down upon you."
1. Go and preach the gospel
2. But wait first until the power from above comes down upon you
II. THE PROMISE FROM THE FATHER
Act 1:3 For forty days after his death he appeared to them many times in ways that proved beyond doubt that he was alive. They saw him, and he talked with them about the Kingdom of God.
Act 1:4 And when they came together, he gave them this order: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift I told you about, the gift my Father promised.
Act 1:5 John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
1. You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit
Baptizo – Greek word which means to be immersed (filled inside and outside)
III. THE PURPOSE OF BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
To receive Power – dunamis – Greek word from which we derived the English word dynamo and dynamite
To make us Witness – Martus – Greek word which means martyr who is not afraid to die for God’s cause.
IV. WHO ARE ENTITLED TO THE PROMISE OF POWER
Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.
1. Unto you ( early disciple, Jews)
2. Your children (future converts)
3. To all that are afar off – (other nationalities, gentiles)
4. As many as the Lord our God shall call ( to those who believe Jesus)
V. HINDRANCES IN RECEIVING THE BAPTISM WITH POWER
1) Un-forgiveness
Mat 6:15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
2) Prohibited practices
Deu 18:10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire, or who uses divination, or is a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer,
Deu 18:11 Or a charmer, or a medium, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
Deu 18:12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and it is because of these abominable practices that the Lord your God is driving them out before you.
3) Fear
Luk 11:11 Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?
Luk 11:12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
4) Unbelief due to wrong teaching
• Baptism in the Holy Spirit is only for early Christians
• Believers were automatically baptized the moment they became Christian
VI. HOW TO RECEIVED THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
1) REPENT
1Pe 1:15 But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living.
2) ASK
Luk 11:13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
3) RECEIVED IT BY FAITH
Same with salvation, it is to be received by faith
4) OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND BLESS THE LORD
Psa 81:10 I am the Lord your God, Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.
5) SPEAK IN OTHER TONGUES
• Prayer language
1Co 14:2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
Rom 8:26 At the same time the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we don’t know how to pray for what we need. But the Spirit intercedes along with our groans that cannot be expressed in words.
• To edify himself
1Co 14:4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.
1Co 14:18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. (Paul)
•
VII. THE EVIDENCE OF THE BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
1) Supernatural sign
Mar 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
2) Initial sign
Act 10:45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.
Act 10:46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
3) One of many sign
Act 2:17 ’In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
Act 2:18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
Act 2:21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
VIII. THE RESULT OF BAPTISM WITH POWER
1) It purifies and transform us
2) It give us power to become effective witness for Jesus
3) It revolutionize our prayer lives
4) It help us to understand the Bible better
5) It help us to hear from God and to know and do God’s will
IX. THE GIFTS OF POWER FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT
1Co 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
1Co 12:5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
1Co 12:6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
1Co 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
1Co 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
1Co 12:9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
1Co 12:10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another [divers] kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
Revelation Gift
1. Word of Knowledge – Refer to Revelation of the Holy Spirit about a person, circumstances or biblical truth
• Sin of David revealed to Nathan (I Sam.11-1-12:23)
• Lying of Ananias and Sapphira revealed to Peter (Acts 5:1=10)
• Exposure of Unbeliever’s heart (1 Cor. 14:24-25)
2. Word of Wisdom – Revelation of the Holy spirit about God’s word of wisdom to specific situation or problem. Sometimes an instruction on what to do with the Word of Knowledge received.
Ex: Joseph
• 7 years famine – Word of knowledge
• Preservation of Harvest – Word of Wisdom
Ex: Daniel
• Telling the dream to the king – Word of Knowledge
• Interpretation of The dream – Word of Wisdom
3. Discerning of Spirits – Supernatural ability to test the kind of spirit that motivates the person who is manifesting supernatural knowledge or power
• Paul and Silas discern the girl who practice fortune telling – Acts 16:16-18
• Jesus discern the heart of men during the healing of paralytic man – Mark 2: 8
Vocal Gift
4. Gift of speaking in other tongues – Supernatural manifestation that comes as an evidence or outward sign of Baptism of the Holy spirit
• Maybe and existing spoken language ( Acts 2:4-13)
• Language unknown to earth like angels ( 1 Cor 13:1)
5. Gift of interpretation of tongues – Supernatural ability to understand and communicate the meaning of an utterance spoken in tongues
6. Gift of prophecy – Supernatural ability to speak or convey the message from God through the inspiration or revelation of the Holy Spirit in a language that the person understand
Power gift
7. Gift of Faith – Supernatural gift given by the Holy Spirit for a specific time, need or difficulty that enable the Christian to believe God for the extraordinary and the miraculous such as healing and miracles
8. Gifts of Healing – Given to the church to restore physical health or heal emotional hurt by supernatural means, sometimes instantly or over a period of time. ( Mark 16:17, James 5: 14-16)
9. Gift of Working of Miracles- Deeds of supernatural power that alter the normal course of nature
• Jesus feeding the 5 thousand men ( John 6:1-15)
• Jesus walking on the water (John 6: 16-24)
• Jesus delivering the demon posses man (Mark 5:1-20)
If you have been blessed, encouraged or inspired by this sermon then it’s your turn to be an encouragement too. You can do it by sending email to this contributor at spy2rb@yahoo.com or post comment on the discussion box below.