Acts 1:8
We serve a God who makes his presence known (He manifests himself in supernatural ways).
In Exe. He appears to Moses as a flame of fire in a bush
He manifests himself as a pillar of fire and a pillar of cloud
He is the rock that followed the children of Israel and he is the water from the rock.
He manifested himself in the cloud of glory that filled the tabernacle upon completion.
In 1 Kings 18 He was fire falling from heaven and consuming the sacrifice altar and all.
Acts 2:17-19 Tells us that God is a sign and a wonder God.
And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people;
It is Gods choice to use us to manifest his power to the world.
You were created for the power of God.
WE are born of the spirit. Filled with the spirit, led by the spirit, taught by the spirit. Kept by the spirit and empowered by the spirit.
Isa 43:7
for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
There are only two essential powers in the earth
#1 The Power of God #2The Power of the devil
Good Evil
Light Darkness
Love Hate
Both are supernatural Both have Kingdoms
You are either in Gods Kingdom or You are in Satans Kingdom, There is no middle ground
You can’t live in Gods kingdom and derive your pleasure and your enjoyment from Satans kingdom.
1Co 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
You have a High and a Holy Calling on your life
Mt 5:14 Ye are the salt of the earth.
Salt has healing influence, It preserves, it seasons, It makes thirsty.
Christ in you causes your life to be a channel of healing and comfort, a seasoning and preserving influence, Making your life exciting and joyous,
Mt 5:14 Ye are the Light of the world
Christ in you causes your life to be a beacon in the night, (sin is darkness, righteousness is light)
Your life, your words, your attitude, your actions can be and should be a light to those who are in darkness.
This is no time for an attitude of indifference of who cares or what difference does it make, or I can’t make a difference anyway so why even try.
Here------ (Illustration of man throwing star fish back into the ocean)
A man was found at the beach throwing the drying star fish back into the ocean, the tide had washed them ashore, and they were dying,
Some young folks came by and saw it, they said you’re wasting your time you’ll never make a difference there are millions of star fish here,
as the old fellow lifted one star fish and threw him back into the ocean he said with a smile ( it made a difference to that one).
Satans best friend is a lukewarm Christian, (They’re a false representation of Jesus, and they drive people away from Christ rather than draw them to him.
Satan’s attitude toward a lukewarm Christian = Keep up the good work .
What is Gods attitude toward a lukewarm Christian?
Re 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
There Is nothing Satan fears more than to see Young people who are on fire for God.
A fitting Description of on fire for God young people is that of the 300 foxes Sampson set on fire.
All he had to do was turn them loose, There was no planning committee, no strategic outlays of the city, No survey of God conciousness in the community,.
They just ran and took the fire, and destroyed all the enemys crops.
Their fire was all consuming, Contagious, Outrageous, And Unquenchable.
There is nothing Satan desires more than to see the energy of youth perverted in the pursuit of natural earthly, carnal and selfish desires, or wasted wrapped up in a (don’t care),
(so what), it’s my life so what it’s to you attitude.
Your youth is a gift from God: You can return it to God or You can give it to the devil.
God wants to set your life on fire, Fill you with his power, Turn you loose in the fields of the philistines, give you power to be a witness, to cast out devils, to lay your hands on the sick and see them recover.
It’s a wholly Life: God wants everything
It’s a Holy Life: God wants you to live a separated life.
2 Ti 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and meet for the masters use, and prepared unto every good work.
You were created for power
Multitudes of young people today are following after things like, Harry potter, and Ouiji boards, and tarot cards, and the physcics.
These are only the devils counterfit for the power of God.
Acts 1:8 Ye shall receive Power
Ps 63:1-2 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.
Ps 71: 18 O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
There is only one answer for the ills of this world, and it’s not physcology, or AA. Or 12 Step, or sexual reorientation. (It’s the Power of God)
You were created for the Power of God
2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
As a fish was created to live in the water, We were created to live in the atmosphere of the supernatural Power of God.
As a fish living on land would be unnatural and abnormal, So is it unnatural and abnormal to be called a Christian and have no fire of God in our lives, and no taste or desire for the supernatural presence of God.
You were created for power
Someone may say: Thats too strong, We can’t handle this .
The fact is While we are content or satisfied to be powerless, and not pursue The supernatural power of God. The door to the supernatural power of Satan is wide open.
And multitudes of spiritually hungry young people as well as adults, are streaming in.
You were created to receive the power of God and to be a channel for his power to flow through to meet the needs of humanity.