Wednesday, July 25, 2007
God's Peace in the Midst of Stress
Announcing the launch of the YouTube version of the "Spiritual Booster Shot"... please subscribe, link to it, and support it! I will be posting inspirational mini-sermon videos there on a regular basis... I pray that you will be encouraged and that God will use this new ministry opportunity for His glory! Thank you for your support, and be encouraged by His Word...
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Yolanda Adams - Still I Rise
Another amazing performance from the world's greatest voice in gospel music! Take a listen and be inspired!
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Where the Spirit Is...
Introduction:
Today we’ll be continuing our discussion of the Holy Spirit, delving deeper into the Book of Acts, which is probably the greatest place in the Bible to see the Holy Spirit in action. Let’s start by reviewing a few key points from last week… the Holy Spirit is a person, not a power… the Holy Spirit is absolutely crucial to our Christian life… the Holy Spirit is not a power, but provides power… it’s not about getting more of God – it’s about yielding, surrendering, and letting God have more of YOU! Today we’ll be looking at some signs that accompany the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer or church body of believers…
(Read Acts 4:1-12)
The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand. The next day, the rulers, elders, and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and the other men of the high priest’s family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
1) WHERE THE SPIRIT IS, THERE IS POWER AND BOLDNESS
Notice that just because a person is operating with the power of the Holy Spirit, it doesn’t mean that all the opposition will magically melt away. In fact, the opposition might even intensify. God is glorified when we overcome the opposition by depending on His power. In spite of this intense opposition, we see the POWER of the Holy Spirit demonstrated in the fact that 5000 men came to be saved in spite of the religious leaders’ greatest efforts to stop the flow of the gospel. The Holy Spirit brings power to cut through peoples’ facades and touch their hearts, if we are willing to yield and be used to proclaim the message like Peter and John were doing. Remember that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. That which would be impossible for man, is possible through the power of God.
The Spirit also brings amazing BOLDNESS into the life of a believer – the boldness to proclaim the unfiltered truth even to the toughest audiences. Could a tougher crowd have possibly been assembled to preach this sermon to? There is probably no tougher audience to face, than to have to tell Annas, Caiaphas, and the other top religious leaders that they had rejected and killed the Messiah. You’ll notice, however, that through the boldness that comes with being filled by the Holy Spirit, Peter was able to stand flat-footed, look those religious officials right in the face, and speak the truth without watering anything down. Peter didn’t hire a P.R. firm to run focus groups and find the right spin for this particular demographic segment of the population – he just boldly proclaimed the truth of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Now, think of the people who you and I are scared to tell about Christ to – could they be any tougher of an audience than this? Be encouraged today, because the same Holy Spirit that emboldened Peter and John can and will embolden you as you take your own stand for Christ in daily life. A special boldness, a powerful anointing comes when God’s Word is flowing through our mouths. We just have to yield and make ourselves available for the task. It has nothing to do with our ability – it has to do with our availability! Now let’s go back to the story…
(Read Acts 4:13-22)
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
2) WHERE THE SPIRIT IS, THERE IS OBEDIENCE IN SPITE OF OPPOSITION
The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to courageously obey in spite of any opposition that we face. God takes ordinary men and by the power and gifts of the Spirit, enables them to do extraordinary things. When the Spirit is operating, people will stop and take notice. What a wonderful testimony in this passage – the leaders realized that Peter and John were ordinary, unschooled men… but they also knew they had been with Jesus. Wouldn’t you love for people to say that about you? It would be great to have the reputation for being close with Jesus. Time with Jesus is what makes the difference. This type of boldness, this type of obedience – comes only from surrendering completely to God and spending unrushed quality time with Him. You can’t counterfeit a deep walk with God, or the genuine moving of the Holy Spirit. The religious leaders then tried to shut them up, by demanding that they no longer preach the gospel. But when the Spirit is moving in your life, it’s impossible to shut up about how good God is, and what He did through Jesus. Peter and John said they couldn’t help but continue to spread the Good News. Have you ever felt like that, where you just “couldn’t help” but tell the Good News? Strengthened by the Spirit, they stood firm and decided to please God rather than pleasing man. No man can serve two masters. We all face situations where we must pick one or the other, and with the help of the Holy Spirit we can stay faithful and obey God instead of giving in to the world’s pressures. Obedience takes strength, and that strength comes from the Holy Spirit. No devil in Hell can shut you up when you’re operating in the power of the Holy Spirit! Ordinary people become extraordinary!
(Read Acts 4:23-31)
On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and His Anointed One.’ Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your Word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God boldly.
3) WHERE THE SPIRIT IS, THERE IS PERSEVERANCE THROUGH PRAYER
When obstacles came their way, these early Christians, led by the Holy Spirit, didn’t give up – they looked up! Instead of giving up, they looked up, in prayer, to the Almighty God! The Holy Spirit gives us the strength to persevere and leads us to pray instead of throwing in the towel. Imagine how some of us might have responded in this difficult situation – we might have rationalized that these were “closed doors” and that perhaps God didn’t want us spreading the Word in this area. But instead of getting discouraged, or even getting mad and trying to use fleshly methods to fight a distinctly spiritual battle, these men turned to God in prayer. And look what they prayed for! What would you have prayed for under these circumstances? They didn’t pray for God to remove the obstacles, smite their enemies, or to make the pathway smooth. They prayed for BOLDNESS to continue persevering in speaking the Word. They prayed for BOLDNESS to finish the job. They didn’t pray for something selfish like revenge, or for the task to be easy – their prayer shows a total surrender and yielding to God via the Holy Spirit. You can tell that God was pleased with this prayer, because of His response. The whole place literally shook and they received a special anointing of the Holy Spirit that was accompanied by great boldness. It pays to persevere through prayer! Regardless of the obstacles you are facing in your own life and calling, I urge you to follow this example and just watch and see what the Lord will do when you stay faithful and ask Him for boldness to continue doing His work! I continue to pray that we as a church body will become a seriously, fervently praying church – not prayer as a hobby, but as our LIFELINE. When trouble comes, let the Holy Spirit guide you to your knees in prayer! Then you and I will be able to persevere through anything.
(Read Acts 4:32-37)
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
4) WHERE THE SPIRIT IS, THERE IS POWERFUL UNITY -- FOR A PURPOSE
Last but not least, we see that where the Spirit is reigning freely, there is amazing, mind-blowing unity. Imagine a church body where “all the believers were one in heart and mind.” That is an extraordinary statement. Not “90% of the believers”, or “all the currently active believers”, or “all the believers who are reasonably easy to get along with” – but literally, ALL of the believers were sharing this wonderful unity. Furthermore, this was unity for God’s highest purpose – to continue to testify of the resurrection of Jesus and to spread this message to the ends of the earth, just as Jesus had commanded in Acts 1. There is strength in unity, and that’s why unity is so important to God. Don’t be intimidated by the difficulty of the task, because when God calls you to do something, He will always provide the grace and the ability to be able to do it. Where God guides, God provides! This is the same type of unity which I fervently pray for, for our own church body as we seek to fulfill God’s vision for us in the Fresno community. I pray that we will learn from these examples of the early church, and let the Holy Spirit guide and direct our lives like they did. That is when we will see truly amazing things happen, and I greatly look forward to what God has in store! The Book of Acts not only provides a great example, but it should inspire us to be all that God created us to be, and nothing less.
Conclusion:
In closing, I want to remind you that the moving of the Holy Spirit through the early believers in the Book of Acts was not a one-day pep rally, or a one-week spiritual high. Instead, it shows the importance of a sustained, consistent, walking-in-the-Spirit over time… and what God can and will do when we are willing to yield like that, and come together in unity for a purpose, led by the Spirit. Today is the day to get things right… don’t procrastinate another moment! The Book of Acts really doesn’t end, the story of God’s church continues… we’re still living it today -- to the extent that we surrender to the Holy Spirit and let Him take control of our lives and our ministry. I pray that God will write some amazing new chapters through our yielded, surrendered lives…
Today we’ll be continuing our discussion of the Holy Spirit, delving deeper into the Book of Acts, which is probably the greatest place in the Bible to see the Holy Spirit in action. Let’s start by reviewing a few key points from last week… the Holy Spirit is a person, not a power… the Holy Spirit is absolutely crucial to our Christian life… the Holy Spirit is not a power, but provides power… it’s not about getting more of God – it’s about yielding, surrendering, and letting God have more of YOU! Today we’ll be looking at some signs that accompany the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer or church body of believers…
(Read Acts 4:1-12)
The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand. The next day, the rulers, elders, and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and the other men of the high priest’s family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
1) WHERE THE SPIRIT IS, THERE IS POWER AND BOLDNESS
Notice that just because a person is operating with the power of the Holy Spirit, it doesn’t mean that all the opposition will magically melt away. In fact, the opposition might even intensify. God is glorified when we overcome the opposition by depending on His power. In spite of this intense opposition, we see the POWER of the Holy Spirit demonstrated in the fact that 5000 men came to be saved in spite of the religious leaders’ greatest efforts to stop the flow of the gospel. The Holy Spirit brings power to cut through peoples’ facades and touch their hearts, if we are willing to yield and be used to proclaim the message like Peter and John were doing. Remember that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. That which would be impossible for man, is possible through the power of God.
The Spirit also brings amazing BOLDNESS into the life of a believer – the boldness to proclaim the unfiltered truth even to the toughest audiences. Could a tougher crowd have possibly been assembled to preach this sermon to? There is probably no tougher audience to face, than to have to tell Annas, Caiaphas, and the other top religious leaders that they had rejected and killed the Messiah. You’ll notice, however, that through the boldness that comes with being filled by the Holy Spirit, Peter was able to stand flat-footed, look those religious officials right in the face, and speak the truth without watering anything down. Peter didn’t hire a P.R. firm to run focus groups and find the right spin for this particular demographic segment of the population – he just boldly proclaimed the truth of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Now, think of the people who you and I are scared to tell about Christ to – could they be any tougher of an audience than this? Be encouraged today, because the same Holy Spirit that emboldened Peter and John can and will embolden you as you take your own stand for Christ in daily life. A special boldness, a powerful anointing comes when God’s Word is flowing through our mouths. We just have to yield and make ourselves available for the task. It has nothing to do with our ability – it has to do with our availability! Now let’s go back to the story…
(Read Acts 4:13-22)
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
2) WHERE THE SPIRIT IS, THERE IS OBEDIENCE IN SPITE OF OPPOSITION
The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to courageously obey in spite of any opposition that we face. God takes ordinary men and by the power and gifts of the Spirit, enables them to do extraordinary things. When the Spirit is operating, people will stop and take notice. What a wonderful testimony in this passage – the leaders realized that Peter and John were ordinary, unschooled men… but they also knew they had been with Jesus. Wouldn’t you love for people to say that about you? It would be great to have the reputation for being close with Jesus. Time with Jesus is what makes the difference. This type of boldness, this type of obedience – comes only from surrendering completely to God and spending unrushed quality time with Him. You can’t counterfeit a deep walk with God, or the genuine moving of the Holy Spirit. The religious leaders then tried to shut them up, by demanding that they no longer preach the gospel. But when the Spirit is moving in your life, it’s impossible to shut up about how good God is, and what He did through Jesus. Peter and John said they couldn’t help but continue to spread the Good News. Have you ever felt like that, where you just “couldn’t help” but tell the Good News? Strengthened by the Spirit, they stood firm and decided to please God rather than pleasing man. No man can serve two masters. We all face situations where we must pick one or the other, and with the help of the Holy Spirit we can stay faithful and obey God instead of giving in to the world’s pressures. Obedience takes strength, and that strength comes from the Holy Spirit. No devil in Hell can shut you up when you’re operating in the power of the Holy Spirit! Ordinary people become extraordinary!
(Read Acts 4:23-31)
On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and His Anointed One.’ Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your Word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God boldly.
3) WHERE THE SPIRIT IS, THERE IS PERSEVERANCE THROUGH PRAYER
When obstacles came their way, these early Christians, led by the Holy Spirit, didn’t give up – they looked up! Instead of giving up, they looked up, in prayer, to the Almighty God! The Holy Spirit gives us the strength to persevere and leads us to pray instead of throwing in the towel. Imagine how some of us might have responded in this difficult situation – we might have rationalized that these were “closed doors” and that perhaps God didn’t want us spreading the Word in this area. But instead of getting discouraged, or even getting mad and trying to use fleshly methods to fight a distinctly spiritual battle, these men turned to God in prayer. And look what they prayed for! What would you have prayed for under these circumstances? They didn’t pray for God to remove the obstacles, smite their enemies, or to make the pathway smooth. They prayed for BOLDNESS to continue persevering in speaking the Word. They prayed for BOLDNESS to finish the job. They didn’t pray for something selfish like revenge, or for the task to be easy – their prayer shows a total surrender and yielding to God via the Holy Spirit. You can tell that God was pleased with this prayer, because of His response. The whole place literally shook and they received a special anointing of the Holy Spirit that was accompanied by great boldness. It pays to persevere through prayer! Regardless of the obstacles you are facing in your own life and calling, I urge you to follow this example and just watch and see what the Lord will do when you stay faithful and ask Him for boldness to continue doing His work! I continue to pray that we as a church body will become a seriously, fervently praying church – not prayer as a hobby, but as our LIFELINE. When trouble comes, let the Holy Spirit guide you to your knees in prayer! Then you and I will be able to persevere through anything.
(Read Acts 4:32-37)
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
4) WHERE THE SPIRIT IS, THERE IS POWERFUL UNITY -- FOR A PURPOSE
Last but not least, we see that where the Spirit is reigning freely, there is amazing, mind-blowing unity. Imagine a church body where “all the believers were one in heart and mind.” That is an extraordinary statement. Not “90% of the believers”, or “all the currently active believers”, or “all the believers who are reasonably easy to get along with” – but literally, ALL of the believers were sharing this wonderful unity. Furthermore, this was unity for God’s highest purpose – to continue to testify of the resurrection of Jesus and to spread this message to the ends of the earth, just as Jesus had commanded in Acts 1. There is strength in unity, and that’s why unity is so important to God. Don’t be intimidated by the difficulty of the task, because when God calls you to do something, He will always provide the grace and the ability to be able to do it. Where God guides, God provides! This is the same type of unity which I fervently pray for, for our own church body as we seek to fulfill God’s vision for us in the Fresno community. I pray that we will learn from these examples of the early church, and let the Holy Spirit guide and direct our lives like they did. That is when we will see truly amazing things happen, and I greatly look forward to what God has in store! The Book of Acts not only provides a great example, but it should inspire us to be all that God created us to be, and nothing less.
Conclusion:
In closing, I want to remind you that the moving of the Holy Spirit through the early believers in the Book of Acts was not a one-day pep rally, or a one-week spiritual high. Instead, it shows the importance of a sustained, consistent, walking-in-the-Spirit over time… and what God can and will do when we are willing to yield like that, and come together in unity for a purpose, led by the Spirit. Today is the day to get things right… don’t procrastinate another moment! The Book of Acts really doesn’t end, the story of God’s church continues… we’re still living it today -- to the extent that we surrender to the Holy Spirit and let Him take control of our lives and our ministry. I pray that God will write some amazing new chapters through our yielded, surrendered lives…
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Rediscovering the Holy Spirit
Introduction:
Many people shy away from the topic of the Holy Spirit because they see it as wild or mysterious – but really though, the Holy Spirit is just biblical. Although often overlooked, the Holy Spirit is an important part of the Trinity and crucial to our relationship with God. He is not an “it” – but we are meant to know Him as a Person and as a friend. Instead of merely trying to add His power to our lives, we are meant to know Him and surrender to Him. Look at what Jesus had to say about Him and His significance in John 16…
(Read John 16:7-15)
“But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in Me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see Me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But 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. He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to you. All 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.”
What a wonderful gift to us the Holy Spirit is, for Jesus to make the statement that it is actually better that He goes away so the Holy Spirit could come. Many times we as Christians wish we could have been alive back when Jesus was on the Earth, but Jesus is telling us that’s not true – that it is much better for us today with 24/7 direct access to God via the Holy Spirit. And Jesus makes it abundantly clear in this passage that the Holy Spirit is not just some power that God invokes from time to time, or some inferior member of the Trinity, but a divine Person co-equal with God and Jesus. And that’s the first key point…
1) THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON, NOT A POWER
“If the Holy Spirit is a POWER, we’ll want to get hold of it. If the Holy Spirit is a divine PERSON, we’ll want Him to get hold of us.
If the Holy Spirit is a POWER, we’ll want it to accomplish our will and our whims. If the Holy Spirit is a divine PERSON, we’ll want to surrender more to Him in awe and wonder.
If the Holy Spirit is a POWER, we’ll be proud to have it and feel superior to those who do not. If the Holy Spirit is a divine PERSON, we’ll be humbled that in His great love the very Third Person of the Trinity has chosen to dwell within us.”
(quoted from “Welcome Holy Spirit” by Benny Hinn)
Unfortunately, a lot of people see the Holy Spirit as just some kind of heavenly power or influence. They value and reverence Him, but they don’t commune or have a relationship with Him. Jesus made it so clear in John 16 that the Holy Spirit is a Person by refusing to speak of the Counselor as an “it.” In Greek the word for “spirit” would usually be represented by the pronoun “it”, but Jesus clearly used the pronoun “He” repeatedly. In addition, it is clear through the rest of Scripture that the Holy Spirit has characteristics that only a person can possess. He has an intellect, a will, emotions, and the ability to communicate. He can be grieved by our sinful words and actions. He wants to know you and be intimately involved your daily life and decisions. The Holy Spirit is not some kind of power to try to get more of – you received the full Holy Spirit the day you accepted Christ. It’s not about YOU somehow trying to get “more of God”, but rather, letting GOD have more of YOU. Therefore, there is no room for arrogance when it comes to the Holy Spirit. No one can have more of the Spirit than someone else – it’s really a matter of how much you’re willing to humble yourself, and to yield and surrender to Him. When you became a Christian, God already filled you with His Spirit and you can’t be any more or less filled. What you can do, is to give Him more of YOU!
2) THE HOLY SPIRIT IS CRUCIAL TO OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE
(Read Acts 1:4-9)
One one occasion, while [Jesus] was eating with them, He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard Me speak about. 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 dates or times 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.” After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.
The Holy Spirit is so crucial to doing God’s work and God’s will, that Jesus instructed the disciples to not leave and go anywhere from Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit had come upon them. He's like American Express... "Don't leave home without Him"! Without the Holy Spirit, their task of spreading the gospel “to the ends of the earth” would have been impossible and unthinkable. It was only possible for the disciples after “receiving power.” It’s the same with us today. Sometimes we are trying to do God’s work on our own – when He expressly gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us, help us, and empower us. Many churches today suffer from rejecting or ignoring the Holy Spirit – many know ABOUT Him but do not develop a relationship with Him or an awareness and sensitivity to Him on a day-to-day, moment-to-moment basis. Just like how the religious establishment of Jesus’ day suffered from rejecting Him, it is just as serious for us to overlook the Holy Spirit, Whom God intended to be a major part of our lives. After all, He dwells inside of us after we accept Christ as Lord. But just because He’s inside you doesn’t mean you’re sensitive to His nudgings and that you are letting Him lead you (we can choose to quench the Spirit and thus become hard-hearted and insensitive to Him). We should especially appreciate the God’s gift of the Holy Spirit when we look at the difference between how the Holy Spirit operated in the Old Testament as opposed to today. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was only accessible to certain people (usually just the High Priest on a certain day each year) on special occasions, or would briefly empower someone for a certain task or purpose. Today, however, the Holy Spirit dwells within us and we have access to the presence of God and the power and guidance of God anytime, anyplace, anywhere! The Holy Spirit is how we commune with the Almighty God right here on Earth. That is something worth getting excited about! We will never be able to fulfill God’s purpose for our life and our ministry without the assistance of the Holy Spirit. That’s why Jesus told His disciples not to take one step without Him!
3) THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT A POWER, BUT PROVIDES POWER
Although the Holy Spirit is most definitely a divine Person rather than a power, it is clear in Scripture that the Holy Spirit provides abundant power in the life of the believer. Jesus Himself said that future believers would do even greater things than He had done, after He returns to the Father – which implies that those greater things will be accomplished through the Spirit. Let’s look at John 14:12…
(Read John 14:12)
“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”
You may wonder how it is possible for the future believers to do even greater things than Jesus had done. Remember, Jesus returning to the Father paved the way for the coming of the Holy Spirit -- who is omnipresent and is not limited by the physical limitations of a human body. He can be touching, moving, and empowering people all over the globe at once. He has empowered Christians to spread the gospel all over the world – far beyond where it had reached in Jesus’ day. And yes, the Holy Spirit is still in healing and miracle-working business. Today Christians act surprised and become suspicious when they see Pastors or other Christians conducting healing services or being used to perform other miracles… but why? They’re just doing what Jesus did, and Jesus Himself said that with the Holy Spirit we would do even greater things than He had done. Instead of making cynical comments about them, Christians should spend time examining why it is that most churches never see any sort of power or miracles – that is the more important question, and I believe it has a lot to do with a lack of understanding and faith in what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit.
If you still don’t believe me that the Holy Spirit provides amazing power, just take a look in the Book of Acts. The story of the spread of the early church is a powerful testimony of the difference the Holy Spirit makes. These were ordinary people, just like you and I, but who were 100% yielded to the Spirit. Compare Peter, for a moment, before and after receiving the Holy Spirit. Prior to receiving the Holy Spirit, although Peter was a faithful disciple of Jesus, he often misunderstood what Jesus’ teachings meant, and he even denied Jesus three times in one night. In fact, even all the way in Matthew 28, all of the disciples (who had walked and talked with Jesus, witnessed the Resurrection, etc.) were struggling with doubts and not fully understanding what Jesus had to say. But then fast forward up to the 2nd Chapter of Acts, and you will find Peter preaching one of the most bold, on-fire, in-your-face sermons in history, with amazing and powerful results. Peter and the other disciples could never have done these things – moving from doubt to empowerment -- without the transforming power of the Holy Spirit that took them beyond their human limitations. Next, think of Paul before and after his conversion experience – the difference is like night and day. Let’s turn to Acts 9 and take a brief look…
(Read Acts 9:17-22)
Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here – has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
Look at what the Holy Spirit was able to empower Saul/Paul to do, which he could have never done or convinced anyone of on his own. This same Holy Spirit, who empowers and transforms like no other, is right inside of you today! Remember though, the point is to seek a relationship with Him… and then the power will flow through us. The point is not to seek the power – that is a wrong motive. As we develop our relationship with Him in faith, He will give us all the power we need to do His will. You are not trying to get “more of God” – you are humbly offering Him more of you. You’re not trying to become some kind of spiritual magician to dazzle audience or accumulate power for yourself – you’re a humble servant of God, aiming to be open for Him to do what HE wants to do through you. It’s about putting yourself in a position to be used by God.
Conclusion:
God has really laid it on my heart to help us de-mystify the Holy Spirit, and move Him out of the shadows of the church into the spotlight, since He is so crucial to our ability to boldly do God’s will. Yes, there is an element of “mystery” involved with the Holy Spirit – but no more so than with God or Jesus. The Bible gives us plenty of information and insight into the Holy Spirit to be able to commune with Him on a daily basis and invite Him to be a part of our daily activities. We should view each of the 3 members of the Trinity equally, not putting emphasis on two only while ignoring the third. The Holy Spirit is not inferior.
I want to challenge you to call upon the Lord today, to ask/invite the Holy Spirit to be intimately involved in your daily life. I challenge you to seek His guidance, His comfort, and His ministry to you – to ask Him to move in you, to work in you, to EMBOLDEN you for the tasks God has called you to do. If you are lacking boldness, let the Holy Spirit give it to you, and receive it! Ask God for increased sensitivity to His leading, and the strength to carry out His task. Thank God for this wonderful gift. It’s nice to sit here and talk about the Holy Spirit and how wonderful He is, but you will never know until you begin to include the Holy Spirit as a regular part of your daily life. Stop GRIEVING Him, stop QUENCHING him, and let Him WORK in you and through you, without restraint. Get all the junk out of your life that’s blocking His flow (you have the world turned up so loud you can’t hear the promptings of the Spirit), and get serious about submitting and surrendering to what God wants to do through you!
And if you haven’t done so already, the first step is to make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life, because that’s when the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of you. Today is the day… don’t procrastinate!
Many people shy away from the topic of the Holy Spirit because they see it as wild or mysterious – but really though, the Holy Spirit is just biblical. Although often overlooked, the Holy Spirit is an important part of the Trinity and crucial to our relationship with God. He is not an “it” – but we are meant to know Him as a Person and as a friend. Instead of merely trying to add His power to our lives, we are meant to know Him and surrender to Him. Look at what Jesus had to say about Him and His significance in John 16…
(Read John 16:7-15)
“But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in Me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see Me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But 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. He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to you. All 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.”
What a wonderful gift to us the Holy Spirit is, for Jesus to make the statement that it is actually better that He goes away so the Holy Spirit could come. Many times we as Christians wish we could have been alive back when Jesus was on the Earth, but Jesus is telling us that’s not true – that it is much better for us today with 24/7 direct access to God via the Holy Spirit. And Jesus makes it abundantly clear in this passage that the Holy Spirit is not just some power that God invokes from time to time, or some inferior member of the Trinity, but a divine Person co-equal with God and Jesus. And that’s the first key point…
1) THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON, NOT A POWER
“If the Holy Spirit is a POWER, we’ll want to get hold of it. If the Holy Spirit is a divine PERSON, we’ll want Him to get hold of us.
If the Holy Spirit is a POWER, we’ll want it to accomplish our will and our whims. If the Holy Spirit is a divine PERSON, we’ll want to surrender more to Him in awe and wonder.
If the Holy Spirit is a POWER, we’ll be proud to have it and feel superior to those who do not. If the Holy Spirit is a divine PERSON, we’ll be humbled that in His great love the very Third Person of the Trinity has chosen to dwell within us.”
(quoted from “Welcome Holy Spirit” by Benny Hinn)
Unfortunately, a lot of people see the Holy Spirit as just some kind of heavenly power or influence. They value and reverence Him, but they don’t commune or have a relationship with Him. Jesus made it so clear in John 16 that the Holy Spirit is a Person by refusing to speak of the Counselor as an “it.” In Greek the word for “spirit” would usually be represented by the pronoun “it”, but Jesus clearly used the pronoun “He” repeatedly. In addition, it is clear through the rest of Scripture that the Holy Spirit has characteristics that only a person can possess. He has an intellect, a will, emotions, and the ability to communicate. He can be grieved by our sinful words and actions. He wants to know you and be intimately involved your daily life and decisions. The Holy Spirit is not some kind of power to try to get more of – you received the full Holy Spirit the day you accepted Christ. It’s not about YOU somehow trying to get “more of God”, but rather, letting GOD have more of YOU. Therefore, there is no room for arrogance when it comes to the Holy Spirit. No one can have more of the Spirit than someone else – it’s really a matter of how much you’re willing to humble yourself, and to yield and surrender to Him. When you became a Christian, God already filled you with His Spirit and you can’t be any more or less filled. What you can do, is to give Him more of YOU!
2) THE HOLY SPIRIT IS CRUCIAL TO OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE
(Read Acts 1:4-9)
One one occasion, while [Jesus] was eating with them, He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard Me speak about. 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 dates or times 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.” After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.
The Holy Spirit is so crucial to doing God’s work and God’s will, that Jesus instructed the disciples to not leave and go anywhere from Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit had come upon them. He's like American Express... "Don't leave home without Him"! Without the Holy Spirit, their task of spreading the gospel “to the ends of the earth” would have been impossible and unthinkable. It was only possible for the disciples after “receiving power.” It’s the same with us today. Sometimes we are trying to do God’s work on our own – when He expressly gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us, help us, and empower us. Many churches today suffer from rejecting or ignoring the Holy Spirit – many know ABOUT Him but do not develop a relationship with Him or an awareness and sensitivity to Him on a day-to-day, moment-to-moment basis. Just like how the religious establishment of Jesus’ day suffered from rejecting Him, it is just as serious for us to overlook the Holy Spirit, Whom God intended to be a major part of our lives. After all, He dwells inside of us after we accept Christ as Lord. But just because He’s inside you doesn’t mean you’re sensitive to His nudgings and that you are letting Him lead you (we can choose to quench the Spirit and thus become hard-hearted and insensitive to Him). We should especially appreciate the God’s gift of the Holy Spirit when we look at the difference between how the Holy Spirit operated in the Old Testament as opposed to today. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was only accessible to certain people (usually just the High Priest on a certain day each year) on special occasions, or would briefly empower someone for a certain task or purpose. Today, however, the Holy Spirit dwells within us and we have access to the presence of God and the power and guidance of God anytime, anyplace, anywhere! The Holy Spirit is how we commune with the Almighty God right here on Earth. That is something worth getting excited about! We will never be able to fulfill God’s purpose for our life and our ministry without the assistance of the Holy Spirit. That’s why Jesus told His disciples not to take one step without Him!
3) THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT A POWER, BUT PROVIDES POWER
Although the Holy Spirit is most definitely a divine Person rather than a power, it is clear in Scripture that the Holy Spirit provides abundant power in the life of the believer. Jesus Himself said that future believers would do even greater things than He had done, after He returns to the Father – which implies that those greater things will be accomplished through the Spirit. Let’s look at John 14:12…
(Read John 14:12)
“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”
You may wonder how it is possible for the future believers to do even greater things than Jesus had done. Remember, Jesus returning to the Father paved the way for the coming of the Holy Spirit -- who is omnipresent and is not limited by the physical limitations of a human body. He can be touching, moving, and empowering people all over the globe at once. He has empowered Christians to spread the gospel all over the world – far beyond where it had reached in Jesus’ day. And yes, the Holy Spirit is still in healing and miracle-working business. Today Christians act surprised and become suspicious when they see Pastors or other Christians conducting healing services or being used to perform other miracles… but why? They’re just doing what Jesus did, and Jesus Himself said that with the Holy Spirit we would do even greater things than He had done. Instead of making cynical comments about them, Christians should spend time examining why it is that most churches never see any sort of power or miracles – that is the more important question, and I believe it has a lot to do with a lack of understanding and faith in what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit.
If you still don’t believe me that the Holy Spirit provides amazing power, just take a look in the Book of Acts. The story of the spread of the early church is a powerful testimony of the difference the Holy Spirit makes. These were ordinary people, just like you and I, but who were 100% yielded to the Spirit. Compare Peter, for a moment, before and after receiving the Holy Spirit. Prior to receiving the Holy Spirit, although Peter was a faithful disciple of Jesus, he often misunderstood what Jesus’ teachings meant, and he even denied Jesus three times in one night. In fact, even all the way in Matthew 28, all of the disciples (who had walked and talked with Jesus, witnessed the Resurrection, etc.) were struggling with doubts and not fully understanding what Jesus had to say. But then fast forward up to the 2nd Chapter of Acts, and you will find Peter preaching one of the most bold, on-fire, in-your-face sermons in history, with amazing and powerful results. Peter and the other disciples could never have done these things – moving from doubt to empowerment -- without the transforming power of the Holy Spirit that took them beyond their human limitations. Next, think of Paul before and after his conversion experience – the difference is like night and day. Let’s turn to Acts 9 and take a brief look…
(Read Acts 9:17-22)
Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here – has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
Look at what the Holy Spirit was able to empower Saul/Paul to do, which he could have never done or convinced anyone of on his own. This same Holy Spirit, who empowers and transforms like no other, is right inside of you today! Remember though, the point is to seek a relationship with Him… and then the power will flow through us. The point is not to seek the power – that is a wrong motive. As we develop our relationship with Him in faith, He will give us all the power we need to do His will. You are not trying to get “more of God” – you are humbly offering Him more of you. You’re not trying to become some kind of spiritual magician to dazzle audience or accumulate power for yourself – you’re a humble servant of God, aiming to be open for Him to do what HE wants to do through you. It’s about putting yourself in a position to be used by God.
Conclusion:
God has really laid it on my heart to help us de-mystify the Holy Spirit, and move Him out of the shadows of the church into the spotlight, since He is so crucial to our ability to boldly do God’s will. Yes, there is an element of “mystery” involved with the Holy Spirit – but no more so than with God or Jesus. The Bible gives us plenty of information and insight into the Holy Spirit to be able to commune with Him on a daily basis and invite Him to be a part of our daily activities. We should view each of the 3 members of the Trinity equally, not putting emphasis on two only while ignoring the third. The Holy Spirit is not inferior.
I want to challenge you to call upon the Lord today, to ask/invite the Holy Spirit to be intimately involved in your daily life. I challenge you to seek His guidance, His comfort, and His ministry to you – to ask Him to move in you, to work in you, to EMBOLDEN you for the tasks God has called you to do. If you are lacking boldness, let the Holy Spirit give it to you, and receive it! Ask God for increased sensitivity to His leading, and the strength to carry out His task. Thank God for this wonderful gift. It’s nice to sit here and talk about the Holy Spirit and how wonderful He is, but you will never know until you begin to include the Holy Spirit as a regular part of your daily life. Stop GRIEVING Him, stop QUENCHING him, and let Him WORK in you and through you, without restraint. Get all the junk out of your life that’s blocking His flow (you have the world turned up so loud you can’t hear the promptings of the Spirit), and get serious about submitting and surrendering to what God wants to do through you!
And if you haven’t done so already, the first step is to make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life, because that’s when the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of you. Today is the day… don’t procrastinate!
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Call Upon the Name of the Lord!
FOR FORGIVENESS, HUMILITY, AND PERSONAL RENEWAL…
If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. II Chronicles 7:14
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. Psalm 51:10-13
FOR STRENGTH, MATURITY, UNITY, AND PURPOSE IN THE CHURCH BODY
I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit… It was [Christ] who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, blown here and there by every wind of teaching… Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:1-4,11-16
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:2-4
FOR THOSE WHO ARE LOST
I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. Ezekiel 22:30
My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend… He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands. Job 16:20-21, 22:30
I speak the truth in Christ – I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit – I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers… Romans 9:1-3
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the Truth… I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing. I Timothy 2:1-4,8
FOR GUIDANCE, REVIVAL, AND GOD’S WILL TO BE ACCOMPLISHED
Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3
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. Acts 1:8
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. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 2:17-21
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21
Let's pray fervently this summer, in unity, for spiritual revival!!!!!
Revival begins with prayer, and total surrender to the Spirit of God...
If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. II Chronicles 7:14
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. Psalm 51:10-13
FOR STRENGTH, MATURITY, UNITY, AND PURPOSE IN THE CHURCH BODY
I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit… It was [Christ] who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, blown here and there by every wind of teaching… Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:1-4,11-16
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:2-4
FOR THOSE WHO ARE LOST
I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. Ezekiel 22:30
My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend… He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands. Job 16:20-21, 22:30
I speak the truth in Christ – I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit – I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers… Romans 9:1-3
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the Truth… I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing. I Timothy 2:1-4,8
FOR GUIDANCE, REVIVAL, AND GOD’S WILL TO BE ACCOMPLISHED
Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3
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. Acts 1:8
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. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 2:17-21
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21
Let's pray fervently this summer, in unity, for spiritual revival!!!!!
Revival begins with prayer, and total surrender to the Spirit of God...
