Come Holy Spirit, We Need You

Carter, from the historic Times Square Church in New York City cry of my heart in this generation is come Holy Spirit.

We need to a nation is dying around us now and we need you, Lord, will not be able to make a difference without you. We need an empowerment of God's Holy Spirit and the willingness to be ridiculed by a lost for one more time.

So Maria, welcome to a call to the nation with Carter, Jesus revealed to his disciples that one day soon he must leave but he promised he would send the Holy Spirit to be with them forever. Since that time, every believer in Jesus Christ is given that same courage and comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Let's join Carter right now as he takes us to Ann's chapter to this message entitled, Holy Spirit acts chapter 2. That's were going to begin. I've entitled is stirring in God's word.

Come Holy Spirit. We need inside of an old hymn, the song, while not an old one but it was written on.

Not too long documents a song we sung in church when I was a young believer in Christ.

I remembered Sonia for many years.

This come Holy Spirit. We need you. We need your wisdom. You need your power we we can't do this without you.

Acts chapter 2 when the day of Pentecost, verse one had fully come there all with one accord in one place and is that not us today were all in this this one accord as they were in that room that there was a calling on their lives. Since the people of God of their generation.

They were called to be witnesses of the resurrection of Christ, but they all knew they couldn't do it without the power of God, just as you and I do it for if her honesty were going to be reasonable. We can't do this without God's power we are promised the river of living water in Christ where promised. This disability abilities that are beyond us wherever promised. Gifting's you can only come from God.

Words of wisdom, words of faith. Words of knowledge.

Things that God alone can do through each of our lives, where promised these things for the sole purpose of bringing glory to the name of Jesus in reaching lost men and women and children in our generation. So here we are one more time the church began in this room and I feel in my heart that were ending up in this room in our generation were were back in the upper room as of this one more time recognizing that we need him we can't do this without a didn't send them straight from the cross. He could've go into all the world preach the gospel to every creature.

He said go and wait and Terry in this place until I counted until I give you my presence in my power, not just a concept of God but the actual third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit of the living God says I'm going to come take up my residence inside of you. I'm going to lift you out of your weakness in into the strength of God, to walk together may put it this way and I'm going to do through you. It only I can do. You can't do this, but I would do it through you. I will give you abilities you don't naturally have I give you gifting's that are not your own. I'll take you places that you can't go and I'll make you into what you could never be. If you will yield to me if you will yield for my purposes for your life. I will do through you what only I can do and when they were in this one accord and in this one place. The one accord as we want to live for God were all in one place we can't Linford hug without God.

It's it's really that simple. Remember the besetting sin that Satan sewed into humanity in the garden of Eden is that you can be as God is without God.

Remember that right so fast forward from the garden of Eden humankind David it's it's best to try under the laws of the Old Testament to be godly without God, and it just ended up in this hypocritical religious system that actually hated God and crucified his son when he came. So now here we are again and the people finally not came to their senses and said we can't be godly without God. So here we are in one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and sat upon each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues. Now the other times were known languages in their day.

There was nobody there just babbling into the wind. They were actually speaking languages that other people of other cultures new. It's it would be like you and I being filled with the Holy Spirit and you speak Arabic and you speak Italian, you start speaking French. Technically what happened they were speaking known languages and in these languages which they had never learned they were speaking of the marvelous and the Greeks as the megaliths of God, the marvelous works of God. These these wonderful and anticipated out workings of the inward presence of Christ. Now, in each of their lives. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews development from every nation under heaven. When this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.

They're all amazed and marveled, saying want another look, are not all these who speak Galileans how how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born.

How how are they doing this word did this power does speak to us about the wonderful works of God come from.

Then it goes on to list all of the languages. Verse 11 says creature Christians and Arabs we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God so they were all amazed and perplexed, saying one to another. Whatever could this mean others mocking said, they are full of new wine. So there always be markers when God is doing something that only God can do. There will always be unregenerate people who mock it. So don't don't expect that suddenly you're going to be empowered by the spirit of God and everybody's going to love you and say how wonderful you now are some people are going to mock you. They said basically they're all drunk. I mean this that that explains what they're doing but Peter, standing up with the 11, raised his voice and said to the men of today and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words, for these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it's only the third hour of the day, but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel and Ed allowed the original King James where he says this is that which was spoken.

Would you agree with me.

We need another this is that moment in history for her to say this is that it exactly poignant people that would be phenomenal for you and I to be able to stand. You know, before our our work colleagues or wherever it is we have to go and say this is that you're looking at that which God promised this is that that's that's what he was saying this is God doing what God said he was going to do in the last days. It's a come to pass in the last days of the last days began on the day of Pentecost. And as you read through this is going to culminate in a sense, with the return of Christ, so that we have been in the last day since the day of Pentecost and we are in the last days, and quite possibly in the last of the last of the last days in our generation were certainly closer to the last day than they were 2000 years ago. It's a come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions in your old men shall dream dreams and on my main menservants and my maidservants I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above signs in the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord, which is the return of Jesus Christ, and it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Now the question on my heart is knowing this is God's pattern. Knowing this is the way that God works what hinders us from calling out again for what we obviously need in our time. What hinders us, what, why would we draw back from this for what conceivable reason would we talk ourselves out of the power of God that is promised to each of our lives. In the last days the last days which we are now living in which we have been living in since the day that Peter stood up and spoke these words and then let it into the day when the sun will be dark and the moon will turn in the blood there be blood and fire and vapor of smoke.

The awesome day of the coming of the Lord will follow these things and and he says whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

So, for what reasons would we not call out for what we need. I want to talk about three things then share a bit of my story number one is the fear that God will not answer us. In some people's faith is is a hanging by such a threat. I actually remember somebody saying that one time if I ask God for this. He doesn't give it to me. How can I trust him then for anything else and it's like I found this little symbol of faith I'm hanging onto it. I don't want to ask for anything bigger because if he doesn't do it in my life than that, how can I know Israel and I'm going to lose my confidence in him. And so I would rather live here with this little piece of faith that I have been trust them for something bigger lesson should not answer men in the core.

The root cause of that is fear. Jesus said in Luke chapter 11 verses 9 to 13. So I said you asked and will be given to you seek and you will find knock and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he was seeks fines and humor knocks it will be opened if a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone or if he asks for officially given the serpent instead of a fish or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion and then he says these words. If you then, being evil that is in contrast to God realistically were so other than God is, and so he just describes us as we are, so that you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him if we ask him for the right reason.

If we seek him for the right reason. If we knock on heavens door for the right reason for looking for the power of God so that we can bring glory to the name of God in the earth.

If were seeking him as we teacher in our Bible school for the sake of others around us that they, too, because of Christ in us can begin to know that there really is a God he really does change people's lives.

He really does do the things he stood in the temple and the in the days when he was reading the scriptures that the spirit of the Lord is upon me, and then he gave all the reasons to preach to the poor, to set free the oppressed open prison doors to give sight to the blind to to preach the acceptable year of the Lord to tell people this is the time.

This is the season where you can be changing to be transformed. You can be free if we are seeking the same spirit of God for the same ministry for the same reason, much more. He says will your heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.

I want to challenge you not to be afraid to ask will be afraid of you. As for the right reason. The apostle James says if you ask not just to consume it upon yourself, but for the reason that God wants to give it you will receive what God promises to give you an end course. Jesus himself said these words, if you know how to give gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. The second reason why we're hesitant to call out is in Hebrews chapter 11. Speaking of Moses. A number one is its indecision about leaving where we are for what God has for us.

You know a lot of people that want to go to a service and where they want to be touched by the presence of God. They want to experience the presence of God's Holy Spirit.

But they don't want to move from where they are and others. I want the blessing here.

I want it now. I wanted my way I wanted for my thing. I wanted to make me happy.

I wanted to you it's it's really a a lot of distant self consumption but when God's Holy Spirit comes upon you, suddenly here's what happened to Moses. This is by faith. In chapter 11 of Hebrews verse 24 by faith Moses when he became of age refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter so there's an immediate change of family map put it that way.

Immediate leaving of an old old associations. There's an immediate sense of ongoing with God no matter what that cost me whether my family go or whether they stay whether they love me or they don't. Whether they think it's a great path or they think I'm a lunatic I'm going with God that I know what that feels like for quite a few years.

I was in a very difficult relationship with my own family because of Christ and coming to Christ. Verse 25 is is choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, not just a new family, but a new path. If anyone is in Christ becomes light a new creation. That's a new family and a new pathway.

A lot of people don't want to consider the new pathway that God has. They want their pathway. They have their plan.

They have they have the 10 year plan all laid out in the said I just need God to help me fulfill this, but is not the way it works in the kingdom of God when he comes he leads. He doesn't Cundiff to bless our path becomes to lead us onto his path. His will wherever he would have us to go what he would have us to do. Verse 26 is esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt for a looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. So he was adopted into a new family and was led into a new path. He was given a new identification no longer the Sandoval Pharaoh's daughter and all that that came with it. But now he was really just a shepherd.

I called of God to lead the people out of the captivity and into freedom and he was given a new place to dwell. Certainly a lot less pleasant than the palace, wouldn't you agree a lot less.

No accolades, no army, no political influence. Know nothing but affect the path of God to come into the wilderness for 40 years and after the wilderness experience a passive God took him into a very hard ministry. It was never easy for Moses.

It was a hard ministry was a heartbreaking ministry. Ask at times when he had doing door the failings of the people all around him move failed to understand who God is and how God works, but the last reason we were loath in a sense to ask for what we need is pride. It's really that simple. We want to be well thought of, want to be well spoken of.

None of us want to be people say the all drunk or you're a fool is stupid.

Don't you find it ironic that we care more about what people are going to hell for eternity. Think of us than what God says about us were suddenly very very concerned about being rejected in the marketplace and by her coworkers and by people outside the kingdom of God and so we try to come modify our behavior.

We modify what we say we modify how we do it. Just trying to because we just have this general need to fit in in a fallen society. But if Christ is calling of Christ is giving us his Holy Spirit were not going to fit in that society. With the reproaches of Christ will fall upon us as they would treat Christ. They will also treat you. They will also treat me. It's about this there's this inherent pride in all of us and and that's as it Moses he esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in all of Egypt and there's there's a point where we have to die to pride is a point where God says I'll give you what you ask for, but the door is low, you go through on your knees, you don't go through standing directly through that door you just hit your forehead on the door. Jet's only in the place humility you're going to find this another cop's name was Bob. It came to be at work, Anisa Carter, I got permission from the chief to go to the regional jail on the mood by fear. What night it was it was a weeknight in uniform to share Christ with the prisoners and I I said Bob I said there was a Bryant there last month.

There had been a riot. I said if if they ride again wearing their uniform said you know as good as dead is that the I know that. Are you coming or not. And I remember think it'll God didn't have to take me up on this so soon on my my valve when I hit the real I'm going to serve you. If it kills me.

And so we headed out that night were going to the regional detention center. It's called in the on the way there. He said to be Carter so I got I got a buddy a cities annex is outlaws motorcycle gang to: Hells Angels here in the United States are all affiliated with one another and he says it's his one-year spiritual birthday and I just want to drop by and say happy birthday to my said Bob. That is not possible. These guys he can't be saved is no way this guy can be safe is it, you know, the initiation rites to get into these games and you know what they have to do is you can't tell me that meant that I don't believe it and he said to me will come see come see for yourself. So on the way to the jail. We stopped at this halfway house in this halfway house was heavy duty these guys in this halfway house were heavy-duty guys they had done big time crime and they don't know the jail and there being re-instituted in the society regional drawn back gradually because a lot of them are done. A lot of time but they all had found Christ in prison. This is the amazing thing about it so there's a God and all 18 or 20 guys in this and there's real heavy-duty guys. You know, and I knew even of some of them and I remember walking in their uniform and in the lead director. The houses they were about to have a testimonial service in the worship time you want to join us and Bob Zadie want to stay here instead of going to the dip is this your Bob, they'd be just because it was safer to stay there than was to go to the jail.

So they started the worship and it was just amazing that the worship in that place.

The presence of God came down guys had tears coming down their faces and they were just there were just so grateful for what Jesus had done for them and when they began to testify.

It was just amazing.

I mean the stories of where they had come from and what Christ had done for them and then finally, the director turns to me this it would you like to share your testimony and I just I just got up and said I I am so grateful to be here tonight is that I I really don't have anything to say and I sat back down.

So when the meeting was over. These guys all gathered around because it was kind of a curious thing to have a cop in uniform with a really gone on them in this place and they said to me, have you been filled with the Holy Spirit since you were saved and they said, but God not just will bring you to salvation through Christ, but he will give you a secondary power as it is of the Holy Spirit so you can live as a as a witness for him, and suddenly I found myself I can't sleep, largely against them.

But in the back of my mind, it is little voice thing.

What are you talking about, you have no victory. You know you can't wait to stay by you. Remember, punching the steering will you know your why on this to your on this journey. So finally, one of the guys said would you like us to pray for you a member thinking it was it was arrogant on my part is think will these guys need this mean they need something. They're all coming out of jail or going back and decide I'm a cop I'm an upstanding fine citizen. I don't I got the word of God. I don't need this.

And then this other voices. The eugenic unit thing you know they're farther down the road that you are the more Vic. They got they got more victory in their lives than you have been yours does this mean that I have to now be associated with these people, if they think it's okay because I was concerned about what, what's the chief going to say but I experience everything I told her that fear, indecision and pride. So finally out of I said okay. Pray for me.

I really believe it's pride in the human heart says I don't want to look like a fool. I don't want to be associated with with people that you know the RRR may be considered the lower scale of society.

We don't want to be known as a friend of the poor. We don't want to don't want to hang out with people he can further our agenda. We we don't want to be called foolish by people who are lost in this world. And so we we back off and we just say God just give me your spirit, but let B and pride a very private thing.

When the giving of God's Holy Spirit is a very public thing. It launches us into a ministry which is God's ministry is God's intended purpose for our lives. Pray God fill me with your Holy Spirit. Give me your Holy Spirit for your reasons. Take me into the place, or did you want me to go for the purpose that you have for my life and were living in a generation now where I think we got a died in the theater the indecision and the pride and say God I need your Holy Spirit and I don't care if it leads me out of the floor. I don't care if all my friends around me are people I'd never ever hang out with.

Remember they were given in the upper room the ability to speak to people of other other cultures other viewpoints other languages other places that I can honestly say God took me out of the box and I've been all over the world by five actually live to speak to CVs they God preached in the Hindu Muslim presence.

I been in places where only God could take you.

Given words and only God could give it. The Bible says it is not a respecter of persons.

It's it's not as selective gift he gives just to a few Peter said this is that your sons and daughters, your young men, the old, the young everyone. Everyone calls him out on the name of the Lord will find Christ to know the power of God, the cry of my heart in this generation. It is come Holy Spirit. We need to.

We tried to do church without you for years and years and years and years we've done all these works in your name and and and many of them are good and I thank God for a lot of them, but ultimately our church are our nation is dying around us now and we need you, Lord, were not going to be able to make a difference without you it's it's what we've done in the past is not going to work in the future we need and empowerment of God's Holy Spirit and the willingness to be ridiculed by a lost world one more time, so be it. So be it is steaming the reproach of Christ, a greater treasure than all the treasures of Egypt. That's where we have to go the very place and Moses went you and I have to go against the God I don't care what people say about me.

Let them laugh with them call me a holy roller let them call me up a drunken three in the afternoon. I don't really care anymore.

I want your Holy Spirit. And I want your spirit for the purpose of reaching men, women and children for the cause of salvation in Jesus Christ. That's what it's all about. That's what I want my life to date. That's what I want to go and I want to be able to say to the people that I speak to the God is no respecter of persons or what he did for me. He will do for you. All you have to do is get up and ask and see cannot you let him do the rest of your life you been listening to Carter Conlon from Times Square Church in New York City. For more information and resources to help you in your walk in Christ. Log on to TSC, not NYC. That's TSC, not NYC. Be sure to be with us next week for a call to the nation with 100,