Series: We are here
Sermon 1: We are here!
Summary: We are called to be a Spiritual Oasis in a dry parched weary land. We are called by God to be a church which distributes healing water to our community and to other Christians. We are to be a place that helps others to heal from the wounds of this world, this life and the wounds from other Christians. John 4:13-14: Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
The new motto of our ministry is: “A place flowing with healing waters”
Thesis of the series: We are here in 2013 as a church and as Christian individuals to declare the message of Jesus and to bring in God’s heavenly harvest of souls. We are here to be the salt and the light of this world. To do this we must develop our 7 core values.
Our first core value is that we are Prayer focused!
Sermon 2: Prayer Focused!
Thesis: The church and all of us Christians should be prayer focused within our lives. Business should never choke out our prayer life instead we should be committed to prayer first. When we pray we discover God’s presence then we receive God’s power.
Our second core value is that we are Spirit empowered!
Sermon 3: Spirit Empowered
Introduction:
Opening Video: Core by Bluefish TV
Your core muscles are critical to you overall fitness!
• Core exercises improve your balance and stability!
• Core exercises don't require specialized equipment or a gym membership just commitment to doing the exercises which build them.
• Core exercises can help tone your abs and prevent injuries to your back!
• Core exercises make strong core muscles which make it easier to do most physical activities!
• Core exercises can help you reach your fitness goals and live a healthy life!
Fitness trainers and physical therapists will tell you and instruct you to strengthen your core muscles so you can be healthy and physically fit.
Today I want to remind you of our 7 core values (see the slide) here at Christian Hills Church – let me also help you see them as our seven core muscles which help our church to do the following:
• They improve our spiritual balance and stability in the spiritual realm and in our personal lives.
• They don’t require special programs or resources to accomplish only spiritual discipline and consistency in practice.
• They strengthen the foundation of our church to make it anchored and rooted in this world of turmoil and they will prevent injury to our church.
• They will help us to move easier, to have the strength to move forward with God’s agenda.
• They will help us reach our spiritual goals as a church and as individuals.
• They will cause us to be empowered from within to fulfill the Great Commission.
Today we are focusing on being Spirit empowered which is another core value or core muscle for this church and for your personal spiritual journey or race as well. You may be thinking: “What does it mean to be empowered by something?”
In Truth or Dare: Encounters with Power, Authority, and Mystery, Starhawk describes three types of power: “power-over,” which is domination and control; “power-from-within,” or personal ability and spiritual integrity; and “power-with,” which has to do with social power or influence among equals.
We are intentionally focusing on our 7 core values and being empowered by the spirit to have power over the spiritual forces of evil in this world! These core muscles will give us power from within to achieve far more in the Kingdom of God than we could ever do with our natural gifts or talents. They will also give us power with others or influence with others who are lost and in darkness in this world.
So we need to pursue these 7 core values with all of our strength and train to win the race God has called too.
How important are these core values to receive Gods power – listen below and you will see why we need to tap the power of God which will come from training in these 7 core muscle groups for our church:
The importance of the power of God is illustrated in a few Bible verses below:
Exodus 14:31 after God parted the Red Sea: When Israel saw what great power the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord... Numbers 11:23 The Lord said to Moses, "Is the Lord's power limited? Now you shall see whether My word will come true or not?" Psalm 106: 8 Nevertheless, He saved them for the sake of His name, that He might make His power known. Matt 26:64... Jesus said to him..."You have said it yourself, nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. Luke 4:14 And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit...Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2909267
We see that God, Jesus and His sent Holy Spirit are the power forces of this world. They have all power – unlimited power – power to supersede the natural realm and power over the demonic realm of this world. They have the power to deliver nations from slavery and they have the power to deliver people individually. The key to understand is you have to tap their power!
Thesis: Christian Hills Church recognizes that we need to be a Spirit empowered church which means we follow the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit. It also means we yield our hearts as individuals to the Holy Spirit so that the power of Holy Spirit flows through our lives into others lives. We will receive this power by getting our 7 core values into shape and practice in our church daily. We know the key to overcoming in this life is being spirit empowered in our life and church.
Main - Scripture Texts:
John 3:6:
“Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”
Acts 1:5-8:
“For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 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.”
Galatians 5:16-26:
16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. 19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
Other Scripture references which reveal the importance of being empowered by the Holy Spirit:
Acts 6:3-4: 3Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
Romans 8:26: 26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
2 Cor. 3:6: 6He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
T.S. – We see the importance from Scripture of being Spirit empowered. So what does it mean to be Spirit empowered – let’s look at three ways the Spirit empowers us in our life and in our church?
I. Spirit empowered means you produce spiritual fruits that are life changing and Kingdom focused not selfishly focused or fleshly birthed (John 3:6).
a. John 3:6: “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”
i. To produce spiritual gifts, spiritual life through your lives requires the Holy Spirit – you cannot produce spiritual gifts, or spiritual lives, through fleshly means – people have tried to produce spiritual gifts, spiritual lives through fleshly means and it’s always been a disaster.
ii. We have had people try to fake the gifts of the Spirit or even try to buy the Holy Spirit for money.
1. Share the story of Mother Teresa and the million dollar gift she turned down.
2. The Spirit of God or His gifts cannot be bought with money or bargaining in the fleshly realm.
b. Example Simon the Sorcerer Acts 8:9-25
i. 9Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is the divine power known as the Great Power.” 11They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 12But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. 14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
16because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” 24Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” 25When they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.
1. You cannot buy the things of the Spirit with money! Flesh birth fleshly things – Spirit births spiritual things.
c. Example of the Sons of Sceva:
i. Acts 19:11-20:
1. 11God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. 13Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” 16Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. 17When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 18Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. 19A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. 20In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.
a. You cannot drive out or cast out demonic forces with fleshly means – it’s is a spiritual battle we are in– The word of God says we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers in high places.
i. Reference the transformational video “Unconventional war”
ii. Jesus made it clear that spiritual things can only be birthed through the Spirit – flesh cannot produce spiritual things. Flesh only produces fleshly things.
1. This is why it is so important to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
T. S. – Spiritual gifts are spirit given and spirit empowered to effect change in our society and in the church. They are given by the Holy Spirit for service within the Kingdom of God and not for self-glorification.
II. Spirit empowered - means your power to be a witness or to do ministry is spiritually charged – not fleshly driven (Acts 1:8).
a. 8But 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.”
i. The book of Acts traces those empowered by the Spirit and shows what the Lord did through their spirit empowered lives.
ii. The power to be a witness for Jesus comes from the empowerment of the Holy Spirit – not from fleshly talents – or even logical ideas or knowledge.
1. When you look at the apostles of the book of Acts these men and women are different than what you read about in the Gospels.
2. They are bold, they are doing miracles, they are spreading the message of the Good News even in hostile environments.
3. They are not quitting or giving up in their times of suffering, they seem to be fearless. Why, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
a. Different than what you read in the Gospels.
4. So why do so many in the church today think we can do this “Spiritual Thing” by our own strength or our own great ideas?
a. Why do seminaries place so much emphasis on knowledge and intellectualism and nothing on spiritual development?
i. The power to do ministry effectively is spirit empowered not knowledge based or intellectually based.
b. You have to have the Holy Spirit to be spiritually empowered! There is no other way to get it! It comes from God and it is free to those who ask for it and seek to be led by it. You cannot empower yourself with the Spirit only the Spirit gives you power and He comes from Jesus.
i. Jesus said in John 14:26-27: 26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
1. Jesus said the Holy Spirit will teach us – He will show us – he will illuminate things to us! The Spirit shows how we should be doing Christ like things, how the church is suppose to be –the where –the who– the how!
a. But yet the least attended meeting in the church is the prayer meetings were the Holy Spirit speaks to us and through us!
2. When we are led by the Spirit we find that our hearts are not troubled or afraid.
a. Why-because we are following the leading of the Spirit – we have this inside strength which tells us this is where I want you to go!
b. Share about Christa today flying into Sudan to work with orphans from the long civil war.
ii. Jesus said in John 16:13-15: 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.
1. The Holy Spirit will empower you with the ability to see things that are coming your way. I have had this happen several times in my ministry.
a. Share the story of the betrayal of few at New Life and how God showed what was coming.
2. When you know something is coming in the future you prepare for it – this what the Holy Spirit does with me.
3. The Spirit is what makes us aware of the things of God!
a. It’s not even great books or studies – many think by just reading the Bible like literature it will open their eyes to God. It takes the Spirit to open our eyes to see and hear from God.
b. I love to read and study but spiritual truth is revealed by the Spirit –my mind on its own cannot produce spiritual truths!
iii. Could you imagine how our lives would change if we decide to allow the spirit to empower us each day?
1. The following information adapted from the article http://powertochange.com/experience/spiritual-growth/empowered/
a. Imagine how our lives could change if we chose to live every moment in the power of the Counselor-Comforter-Helper-Intercessor-Advocate-Strengthener-Standby Person of the Holy Spirit…think of Him living through you in every moment of life. There is nothing you face alone…absolutely nothing! The indwelling Holy Spirit yearns to indwell and empower you.
i. Everyday – at any time in any situation of life.
b. “The Holy Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us – and He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] – with a jealous love” (James 4:5 AMP). James offers to us a picture of God yearning over His people, eager to dwell within our lives through His Holy Spirit, more eager than we are to be indwelt. This being true, take courage, for it means that God is willing to do everything in His power to enable us to live a Spirit-filled life…You either have all of the Holy Spirit or none of the Holy Spirit. As you grow in love with your Lord, you learn to know and trust more in the person of the Holy Spirit in your life. The Spirit’s power is there – learn to trust in His power.
c. Question: Do you trust in power of the Spirit – will you let it flow through your life into others?
iv. We often think of the Holy Spirit in relationship only to the Pentecostal experience at the birth of the early church. We need to realize –understand that:
1. The Holy Spirit was present in creation – “moving over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2 NASB).
2. The Holy Spirit was present in the creation of man – “Let Us make man in our image” (Genesis 1:26 NASB).
3. The Holy Spirit was present at every important event in the life of Jesus – His conception (Luke 1:35), His baptism (Matthew 3:16), the beginning of His ministry (Matthew 3:17), His temptation experience (Luke 4:1-4).
4. Isaiah prophesied the Holy Spirit’s work in the life of Jesus in Isaiah 61:1-3.
5. This same Holy Spirit indwells us to do His work in today’s world.
v. Anne Graham Lotz’s book Just Give Me Jesus gives her insights about the person of the Holy Spirit.
1. In the Garden of Eden, God had been with man.
2. In the Old Testament, God had appeared to man.
3. In the tabernacle, God had dwelt among men.
4. In the history of Israel, God had spoken through men.
5. In the Gospels, God was visible as man.
6. But at Pentecost, God became available to dwell in man!
c. Paul encourages us to be filled to all the fullness of God and to be filled with the Spirit. In Ephesians 5:18, he says: “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.”
i. That can be translated, “be being filled.” That is a process. In my life, it is a constant process. The secret of “being filled” is simply this: We must live in instant confession of any sin in which the Holy Spirit brings conviction and respond in instant obedience to what the Holy Spirit reveals to us. Simply put, we confess and we obey. “Delayed obedience” is “disobedience.”
d. The Holy Spirit is:
i. In us
ii. Around us
iii. Behind us
iv. Beside us
v. Before us
vi. Under us
vii. Over us
viii. Through us
1. What more do we need in life if He is empowering us?
a. The answer – nothing!
b. So let Him empower your life!
T.S. – We need to be empowered by the Holy Spirit like Jesus promised and then allow the Spirit to lead and guide our lives into right living – holy living.
III. Spirit empowered means you live for the Spirit and not for sinful desires (Galatians 5:16).
a. 16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
i. See Galatians 5:16-26:
1. 16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. 19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
a. Look at the two natures above which one do you believe will bring real freedom to your life?
b. We must live by the leading of the Spirit.
i. If we do we find freedom in life – real freedom!
b. Thought from devotional “Experiencing the presence of the Lord:”
i. 2 Corinthians 3:7: “Wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
1. One of the major by-products of the Spirit is freedom in life. The reason freedom is so amazing is because when you have lived in bondage for a long time and the chains are broken off you sense a euphoric moment in time. All of us start out in that condition as captives of a fallen world and sin plagues and infests our lives. But real freedom comes when we live for the Spirit and have the power to walk away from sin.
2. Freedom from addiction, freedom from murder, freedom from violence, freedom from sin, freedom from fear, freedom from hopelessness, freedom?
c. God has sent the Holy Spirit to direct us in His ways and He will call sin – sin but you have to listen to His spiritual voice.
i. God always calls things for what they are. He does not muddy the water by calling sin by any other name than sin.
1. He will always be consistent through the Spirit with His word and tell you that sin will cost you. But repentant sin will bring His forgiveness and grace.
2. He will tell you repeatedly that you must repent to be saved, to be refreshed and to be made mature in Him!
a. This all has to do with listening to His spiritual voice!
b. There is no other way! Repent means to turn and go the other way.
i. It sounds harsh but in reality it’s refreshing once we have done it.
ii. God’s voice through the Spirit will never be in hurry.
1. Evelyn Underhill states, “God…’works in tranquility.’ Fuss and feverishness, anxiety, intensity, intolerance, instability, pessimism and wobble, and every kind of hurry and worry—these, even on the highest levels, are signs of the self-made and self-acting soul; the spiritual parvenue. The saints are never like that. They share the quiet and noble qualities of the great family to which they belong (Vol. 38, no.2).
a. God is calm and always in control and He is not the one who will push you into anything quickly. He will nudge you to pray about it and consult His wisdom and insight in the matter.
i. This is how the Spirit works in your hear and mind.
2. God is not in a rush. The Spirit of God is not saying “hurry up!”
a. Couchman states, “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” (2 Peter 3:8).A bit of spiritual wisdom claims that God never runs, He walks. And like Enoch who “walked with God” (Genesis 5:22), He invites us to plod along with Him.
i. Remember - It’s the other voices that push you to overreact, panic, hurry and not wait patiently on the Lord.
b. Listen church of Jesus: “God is not running out of time- you might think you are but he knows the perfect timing. “
i. I heard it said, “God is very seldom early but he is never late.”
iii. God’s voice through the Holy Spirit will be specific and clear on what He wants you to do.
1. I did not say on what you want to do!
a. Remember flesh gives birth to fleshly things but the Spirit gives birth to spiritual things.
2. Blackaby states, “You never find God asking persons to dream up what they want to do for Him” (28, workbook)
a. He adds, “To live a God –centered life, you must focus your life on God’s purposes not your own plans. You must seek to see from God’s perspective rather than from your own distorted human perspective. When God starts to do something in the world, He takes the initiative to come and talk to somebody. For some divine reason, He has chosen to involve His people in accomplishing His purposes” (28).
b. Some examples of this:
i. God asked Noah to build the Ark (Gen. 6:5-14)
ii. God asked Moses to lead His people out of Egypt (Exodus 3)
iii. God asked Abraham to leave Ur and start a new Nation (Gen. 12;1,2)
3. I never read of God asking a man or woman what He should or should not be doing as God.
a. When you hear God’s voice through the HS it will always be directing you to join Him in what He is doing.
b. This is the reality of God’s spiritual voice He invites you and I to join Him. Not you tell Him to join you in what you are doing.
c. Blackaby’s 3rd reality of experiencing God is ‘God invites you to become involved with Him in His work” (35).
i. He adds: God is sovereign ruler of the universe. He is the One who is at work, and He alone has the right to take the initiative to begin a work. He does not ask us to dream our dreams for Him and then ask Him to bless our plans. He is already at work when He comes to us. His desire is to get us from where we are to where He is working “(35).
d. I also want you to know that when God speaks to you – you will know it as long as you are in tune with Him.
i. Key is being in the right relationship with Him!
ii. The key is hearing His voice and being empowered by His Spirit!
4. We need to learn to recognize the voice of God (The Spirit) because Jesus told us that the sheep will know His voice (John 10:3).
Conclusion:
1. To be authorized (empowered) by the Holy Spirit is to move in the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
2. To have a spirit empowered life that is beyond your own strength and talents, only comes from the Holy Spirit?
3. To be given an ability to do things beyond the natural realm is spirit empowerment.
4. To be moving in the spiritual realm giving birth to more spiritual things is to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
5. To go beyond the limiting circumstances that are around you is to be spirit empowered.
6. To be given wisdom to use knowledge rightly and correctly is spirit empowerment.
7. To know which direction to go in life is spirit empowerment.
We need to be three dimensional – most people are two dimensional they follow the leading of their body and mind but neglect the spirit – instead we need to be led by the spirit and the spirit keeps the mind and the body in check and empowers us for the Kingdom of God.
Let’s make a commitment to be Spirit – empowered today!
Let’s pray!
