TH171019/The Holy Spirit and You

Harvest messages are brought to you by harvest partners receive free email daily devotions were to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org where the gospel of John. Such earning your Bibles to John 14 John 14 in the title of my message is the Holy Spirit and you the Holy Spirit and you you know the Bible of course tells us that God is our father in heaven. That's how our Lord taught us to pray in this way, said pray our father who art in heaven most about. We can grasp that some of us had great fathers, some others not so great. Some of us didn't have a father but maybe we know a father out there so we can sort of get a picture in our mind of God as a father. In fact, in the parable of the prodigal son that Jesus told he compared God do what father who had two sons, and when one of the sons one is straight. The father missed the sun and was anxious for his return.

So, God is presented to us as a father, and then God is also presented to us as the son Jesus said, he that is seen me has seen the father. So you wonder what is God like, look at Jesus. That's what God is like. Because Jesus was and is God.

So Jesus was walking among us as a human being. He was hungry was thirsty.

He was fired he experienced joy, anger, all the things that we experience as human beings for the course. He never sent an for the most part, we can wrap our mind around the idea of God as the son, the son of God, God the father. Then there's the Holy Spirit. And because God is a straw human being. Father, son and Holy Spirit. It's a little tricky to wrap her mind around God as the holy spirit doesn't help that the King James version calls him the Holy Ghost now existed, where what the Holy Ghost heard about a little five-year-old girl who didn't quite grasp the concept of God is Holy Spirit.

So she said praise father, son, and holy toast and so she wasn't still trying to figure it out, but we might think of the Holy Spirit is kind of a force sort of like Star Wars trust the force, Luke Cano, so we think the spirits I comports is God the father is God the son, and theirs is kind of force out there called the Holy Spirit, but that is actually not true. No, maybe we think that because in Scripture. The Holy Spirit is compared to when fire and comes on Jesus in the form of a dove.

However, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit has a distinct personality and it also tells us that the Holy Spirit is God contractor or even specific sins we can commit against the holy spirit including grieving, quenching, resisting, and most notably blaspheming him, and in fact blaspheming the Holy Spirit is the only sin that is actually unforgivable. While talk about that at the end of the message, but it's interesting grieving the Holy Spirit. You not only a) can be read if somebody cuts me off on the freeway. It doesn't grieve me.

It just ticks me off right. But if my wife cuts me off or my son cuts me off, or someone that I love a will that might be more grieving and a stranger insults me I'm irritated but if your best friend or your spouse and soul to your degree. You see it's different because it's a relationship we can grieve the holy spirit. So why did the Holy Spirit, what is the purpose of the Holy Spirit. What does the Holy Spirit want to do in our lives will read about that in just a moment, but sort of death set the stage were in John chapter 14 and it's open with these very familiar words of Jesus in verses 1 to 3 that Jonathan shared with us last Thursday and let not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions that were not so I would've told you.

I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you want to myself that where I am, you may be also.

These words of Jesus have brought comfort, hope and perspective to millions and millions of people for over 2000 years. These are the words that I shared at the memorial service for a young lady named Angela Gomez just the other day she was the youngest victim of the Las Vegas shooting. She was only 20 years old and there's a photo of her and her parents attended our church and she was baptized in our church and she was at that concert and die in this horrible horrible tragedy took place in and as I stood there in the sanctuary and I was down at ground level right in front of her family and am looking at them. I just said I know what it's like to sit in the front row and a funeral and I noticed like to be the guy here. You know, speaking to the people, but I know what it's like to sit there and share the worst news imaginable about your child and experience out in and I don't have any answers for them, but I have the words of Jesus and my hope for them is the hope of heaven because the people who are grieving to people who are afraid to people who are stressed out and are agitated to people well just like us. Jesus says let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. And we live in such troubled times right now you know. Reason research is shown that the US is the most stress ridden nation on the planet.

And guess what the onslaught of technology is only added to that, because now we we get everything on demand right. I mean the moment a new story is breaking.

Our phones are blown up in our pocket by because you're getting the newsfeed or friends or text community. Are you watching what's going on. We click the link you were watching live video.

These are the days were living in this generation. According to experts is the most stressed-out generation in American history one of some research was done, the repeal the college students have the anxiety level of psychiatric patients in World War II and imagine that these are the days were living it. So these words of Christ are so relevant.

Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid to know Jesus continues on in verse 16 of John 14 and I pray the father that he will give you another helper. Underline those two words. Another helper, that he may abide with you forever. The spirit of truth in the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him.

But you know him, for he dwells with you and Shelby in you.

I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you a little while longer in the world will see him no more. But you will see me because I live you will live also.

And at that day you will know that I am in the father and you and me and I and you and he who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves me and he who loves me will be loved by my father and I will love him and will manifest myself to him or reveal myself to him. Judas, not Iscariot said to him, Lord, how is it that you manifest yourself to us and not to the world. Jesus answered and said if any man loves me, he will keep my word and my father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him. He that does not love me does not keep my words and the word what you hear is not mine but the fathers who sent me these things I've spoken to you while being present with you but I helper, the Holy Spirit whom the father will send them my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I've said to you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you not as the world gives do I give you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. There, so this is a pivotal point in the Gospel of John, Jesus is saying to his disciples that so I'm going away during going me. You can come right now but I don't want to be stressed out and agitated and worried I gone to prepare a place for you, to come back and receive you to myself. But in the meantime, I'm not going to leave you alone or Comfort Plus. I'm not gonna leave you without help or hope I'm the little send the Holy Spirit.

Verse 16.

I'll pray the father, who will give you another helper, that he may abide with you forever another helper. This is interesting. It this is from the Greek word Paraclete totes Paraclete totes. It's funny, I do spellcheck in my notes and die am I spellcheck up wanting the spell of this parakeet know were not talking about a parakeet I used to have a parakeet and reviewer had one good little bird. But know this is the Paraclete does. This is the Holy Spirit and what it means is Paraclete just means one who was called alongside to help and another translation of the word as an advocate even another translation puts it this way, another friend for you. Another friend for you. So when Jesus walked this earth. Those disciples had a privilege that we don't have. They can reach out and grab him by the shoulder, they could ask him a question, they could look into his eyes, they would hear the timbre of his voice. They were with them in person and there he was in no way saying I'm going to leave you but I'm in this send the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is going to do our unique work in your life is going to seal you is going to guide you is good advocate for you is going to empower you is going to fill you again and again you know another way, the word Paraclete totes is used is one who pleads a cause before a judge, like a legal assistant or an advocate or for like of a better word and attorney or a lawyer. The Holy Spirit comes to our side. Studies are case and helps us to plead this to someone else and that is the judge. By the way, the same word Paraclete toast is used to describe what Jesus does as our advocate. First John 21 we read my dear children, I'm writing this to you see will not send. If anyone does and we have an advocate with the father who pleads her case before the father is Jesus Christ.

And he's truly right and so what giving away. So wait whose my advocate is in Jesus Christ, or is that the Holy Spirit can be ready for this blow you up to advocate you want to talk about a dream team. Here's how it works you in a court of law, God the father is the judge at the right side of God the father is God the son, who is your advocate. He's your attorney.

He's talking to the judge.

Meanwhile your other advocate. The Holy Spirit is standing by your side and helping you directing you so you can plead your case and here's one of the great thing to know. By the way, the judge's son is your attorney okay so that works out really well in your favor because when things start falling apart. The sun turns of the father and says hey dad, we know that Greg is guilty of the things he's charged with. But we all know what I did for him at the cross of copy zero.

I'm not worthy to approach God. That's right, you're not worthy and you never were and you never will be. Can we just get that out of the way once and for all the hear music consistent with the you never were party on your best day ever you want even close to being worthy, you know that day when you got up at five in the morning and read the Bible for an hour and then you prayed for people all around the world and share the gospel 18 times and you went to church that I remember that day.

That really also date you want even worthy on that day, and anyone worthy on the next day when you slept and forgot to read your Bible, you didn't tell anyone about Jesus objective.

Few people were offended by your behavior in any misses service that night know you want worthy on that day anyone worthy on your best day. It's never been about your worthiness. It's always been about your advocate, Jesus Christ, who paid the price for your sin, and the Holy Spirit who helps you to plead your case now.

There's a lot of misunderstanding concerning the role in working of the Holy Spirit in the lives of both believers and unbelievers. Remember I said the Holy Spirit is not in it. It's ICM it's a personality because later in John 16, eight Jesus says of the Holy Spirit when he has come, he will convict the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. So again the Holy Spirit is not in any easy him for being to be considered a person here she must possess certain characteristics. First among those is intelligence, then there is will then there is a motion so to be a person or to be a personality you must have intelligence you must have will. You must have a motion trees don't have a motion of rocks don't have a motion. Cars don't like have emotions. Sometimes we may think of a car is a someone we talked I've talk to cars before using old cars it don't start because old cars are called to look up and there they always are not breaking down and you can really are you serious you can do this to me right now you're like talking to the car right but we know that's not a real personality. No animals have personalities they have, will they have a motion many always know he is down with the dog right. Dogs are so expressive and sometimes it even looks like they're smiling, you know, they're just tongues thing and tales wagon everything is good. You know they lick you cats. No one can figure them out, and even when they lick you their tongue is like sandpaper and in the Hanover they do it still of a personality, a bad one but a personality. Reptiles are being said have will very limited intelligence and not much of a personality I used to collect reptiles.

I don't know why. Now, in retrospect, but I had turtles and snakes and lizards and you name it I had it and not a lot of personality but in contrast God as a person. He is a personality so the Holy Spirit is a personality in the Holy Spirit as intelligence. He has intelligence first Corinthians 210 says God is revealed these things to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. So the Holy Spirit knows the thoughts of God. Objects don't know things buyers don't know things plans don't know things, but the Holy Spirit knows things. Also, the Holy Spirit has a will. He is a will, because we read in first Corinthians 12.

Speaking of the gifts of the spirit that God's Holy Spirit distributes it says he gives to each one these gifts as he will. It's a Holy Spirit and decides what kind of spiritual gifts. Each believer will receive in acts 1528. The apostles were talking about different issues and they said it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us so Holy Spirit had a will and the Holy Spirit expressed his will listen to this. The Holy Spirit has a motion I mention he can be grieved, quenched, resisted, even lied to a little bit more on that in a moment, but the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer seeks to convict them of their sin or better translation would be convinced that there's nothing I can do to convince you that you're a sinner in need of a Savior. No clever analogy on no illustration is going to do it. Only the Holy Spirit can do that and I trust in the work of the spirit. When I present God's word that he will touch a person's heart and show them their need for Christ. The why we need to pray for people as we share the gospel and once a person believes and is convinced of the need for Christ in ask Christ to come another like it's a Holy Spirit that gives them the inner assurance that there are a believer. Romans 818 says his spirit bears witness with our spirit were the children of God. How many of you are children of God raise her hand. No, I would just dare to say the reason you know your children of God, as you have that inner witness is not just that the Bible says you are.

You believe the Bible and what it says but there's something deep inside of you that says yes I am a child of God, and I know I am a child of God. You know where that came from from the Holy Spirit. His spirit is very witness with your spirit. You are a child of God and not only can I sense that I am a child of God, but I know it when I meet another child of God.

Maybe we've only known each other for five minutes before there's an immediate connection is there a fellow believer in the same Holy Spirit that lives in the lives in them as well.

Those are things that the Holy Spirit does something also Holy Spirit does when you become a Christian. He seals you he seals you. Ephesians 113 says after you trusted her. The word of truth and receive the gospel you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance and the redemption of those are God's possession. What is that even me back in the old days the basil which is as written when goods were shipped from one place to another to be stamped with the wax seal.

This is before Amazon.com little drones flying around rocking out packages would you say they will do soon. I just hope they don't weapon eyes right. So if you're delinquent in your payment you have trouble with the little drone I don't know.

But then the old days they would send documents from one place to another and they would think these documents and they would seal them and they would have the Signet of the person who sent the document. So let's say a document was sent by a king. It's like a scroll of parchment with a wax seal in the King Signet Ring was stamped in the wax soap you saw that document you dare not open it because that is a private correspondence from the king to someone else so the Bible says your seal of the Holy Spirit. It's as though God is good as Mark on you.

Let's use a different illustration second ID tag right when I travel I went for my suitcase and in the another. The promise of the people of suitcases that look like mine because most people have black suitcases, but I have a pink one with the with the Smurf on it and know that's not true, but no IIII was sober suitcase and so it comes down but I always check my ID tag because the other day I picked up my bag. I'm walking out and some lady starts chasing me and says you took my bag and said no this is my and I checked the ID deck. Sure enough it was her back but just like mine that for you chicken I did so someone wants to steal that bad bill think twice.

So here comes the devil, in a wreck havoc in this life, to destroy this life, will away wait is 90 tag. Let me check the ID deck property of the Lord Jesus Christ. He backs off.

He backs off. That's what it means to be sealed by the Holy Spirit. But it's interesting because it also goes on to say he's a deposit, guaranteeing your inheritance until the redemption of God's possession. He's a deposit so you go to buy something you may put up deposit them. Maybe you see a car you want to buy.

Yes, I want to buy this car but I want to hold up farming for a week guys so I really can't do that will how if I put a deposit down good faith okay and then so you put your deposit down so that means that you're putting a certain amount of money done on the car or whatever it is you're buying. Maybe it's a home so I want you not want to buy this on Monday to put a deposit down on it so the whole and not I will go on forever, but don't hold it for a period of time for you and here's what God's sake.

I want you to know I mean business when I say one day you will join me in heaven. I mean it and just so you know I mean business. I'm giving my Holy Spirit to you as a down payment because that's what the word means as a down payment to reassure you that I'm gonna keep all of the promises I've made. That's pretty amazing what else is the Holy Spirit do. He teaches us look in verse 26. Jesus is the helper, the Holy Spirit whom the father will send them.

I mean, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things, and I said to you, the Holy Spirit can open up passages to us an incredible way that comes as we study and read the Bible you want the Holy Spirit to illuminate Scripture, you must read Scripture or listen to Scripture, but get Scripture in you, you can't just hold the Bible of your head and pray that it just jumps in there somehow. You know you want to read it and process up within the Holy Spirit can bring it to life, of a passage can just jump off the page of your head that happened in it so relevant for some and send you a verse in the just so appropriate for what you're facing. And sometimes you're in church or listening to a message in its sole it's like it was written for you and your thinking he's the greatest preacher I've ever heard. I'm not referring to me. Of course, but whoever might be preaching, but it's not that he is the greatest preacher you've ever heard. That's at the Holy Spirit is taking the word of God and is bringing it home to your heart because that's part of the work he does in the life of the believer is not some great preacher.

It's a great God whose Holy Spirit is illuminating the word, and that's one of the things that the Holy Spirit does.

He sheds more light on the original light first Corinthians 29 says it's written.

I have not seen your zero heard, nor is it entered in the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love us.

But God is revealed these things to us by his Spirit, because no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God, so that the Holy Spirit doing that for you to send this the Holy Spirit helps us in our prayers and our obedience to God.

He helps us in our prayers and our obedience to God. The diverse 15.

Jesus is if you love me obey my commandments and allows the father knew give you another advocate who will never leave you. This is the key that unlocks the treasures of heaven in the Old Testament, the law of God was given and effectively love God said don't do those things, thou shall not have any graven images performing thou shall not take the name of the Lord in vain. Thou shall not lie. Thou shall not steal, thou shall not commit adultery, thou shall not covet alone and not a lot of notes and so is an Old Testament believer, you would try to not do those things that were wrong before God and keep his commandments, but in the New Testament. It's different because now those commitments are written in our heart and we do them out of love. We do them because we want to not because we have to. And if you're a Christian that's living in a law like relationship with God, and you see the Christian life is a bunch of restrictions you're missing what it's all about. Because if you really love God with all of your heart, soul and mind, you will not want to do those things that displease him that's exactly what Jesus is saying right here. He's saying if you love me obey my commandments you know I love my wife so I will be faithful to my wife I love my wife so I will not lie to my wife so it's not fear of what will happen if I do the wrong thing, but rather it's a love causing me to want to do the right thing is a double what if I'm torn between two lovers within you're an idiot.

For starters, and effect.

As you know love either you just love yourself. So if you really love someone you want to please them.

And if you really love Jesus shall keep his commandments. Let me flip it over and I don't keep his commandments and do I really love Jesus and a lot of you say oh I love the Lord always love the Lord is get drunk went home on what promises to be drunk with wine people to those with yeah whatever schedule you your disobeying God.

I really love Jesus but I'm in a slander that person over there is still a flannel lab is unlike what I really love Jesus but I'm a look at porn now. I really love Jesus by expelling blank here. Do you really love Jesus, you say you love him, but if you go to deliberately do things his word says you should not do. Do you love him. It would be questionable. What at best a great commentator. I wore pal writes these words quote true love for Jesus accepts his teaching desires. His honor seeks his will promotes his wishes and yearns for his nearness true love for Jesus promotes prayer and provides heart free from a moral cobwebs" and eventually true. Note also Holy Spirit does. He empowers you for service gives you power. But in verse 17 the spirit of truth in the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor does it know him, but you know, for he dwells with you and will be in you see for a believer. At this time there were so effectively living in the old covenant until Christ died and rose still the old covenant, and so the Holy Spirit was in in them yet. So here's what Jesus is saying he's going to come in you. One of that happened that happened in the upper room rental. We read in John 20 after Jesus died and rose again. Christ appeared to them in the room and he said receive the Holy Spirit and he breathed on them and the Holy Spirit came and lived inside of so now when you become a Christian. The Holy Spirit lives inside of you, but there's even another dimension of power. You can experience because over and ask 18 it says you shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit has come upon you to be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem today as Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth, so the spirit comes in you when you become a Christian. But then the spirit can come upon you with the dimension of power giving you will boldness or encourage to be a witness for Christ or to share your faith that happened on the day of Pentecost when all those believers who are the Holy Spirit in them were waiting for power from on high, and God spirit came on them. Remember that story. Listen to this.

After that happened.

Peter said this promise of the Holy Spirit is to you and it's to your children and it's to your children's children and to all that are afar off, even as many as will call on the name of the Lord our God to here's a Peter St. this promise of what happened on Pentecost is available to believers today. We don't need another Pentecost any more than we need another Calvary what happened at the first Calvary is sufficient what happened at the first Pentecost is sufficient. I just need to take hold of it and ask the Holy Spirit to empower me and fill me again and again and again and you refill some people you know you need to get more refills. Another student, but we all need a refill of the spirit and at the end. Tonight will ask God to fill all of us with the spirit. I said earlier that the Holy Spirit has a motion is a motion because the Bible tells us he can be resisted.

You can resist the Holy Spirit acts 751 Stephen standing before the Sanhedrin is just a young guy and he is been brought there before them because of his faith and he could have just been very nice and diplomatic and gone home for dinner but instead he saw it as an opportunity to talk about Christ and so he addressed these people who were very significant powerful people.

The Sanhedrin was sort of like the Supreme Court of the day and so he addressed them on.

Maybe he wasn't as diplomatic as he could have been when he started his message by saying you stiffnecked people with uncircumcised hearts and their off to a great start but it was true. And really what he's saying is you guys should know this and you don't know it, and then he says why is it that you always resist the holy spirit so when you're a nonbeliever. God's Holy Spirit is trying to do his work to show you your need for Jesus and you say no to him. That's called resisting the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit can be resisted. The Calvinist believe in irresistible grace in irresistible grace means that no matter what God called you and preordained you.

You're going to become a believer. Even if you don't want to become a believer because it's irresistible grace.

I beg to differ because of it was irresistible. Why did Stephen say why are you resisting the Holy Spirit. Yeah, it's true that God spirit will come and call you and and try to bring you the Jesus but he will not take over your will, you can resist the spirit many to resist the spirit and then if you continue in that course I can leave youth in the next step which is insulting the Holy Spirit and you know you can insult the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 1029 says, think how much more terrible.

The punishment will be on those who have trampled on the son of God, and treated the blood of the covenant as if it were common, and unholy. These people have insulted and enraged the holy spirit. And if there's one thing I do not want to do.

It's enraged the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit is God and is purpose is to convince me of my need for Jesus. And if I resist him and say no and no one know they can come a point where I now insulting him and it's interesting because it says they treat the blood of the covenant as if it were common, and unholy while it would be like let's say you want to marry a girl and you get a propose marriage I member young man said to me once on a proposed note to this girl that I'm in love with and I want to do it at the end of your message and we happen to be in Israel and we are on the Mount of Beatitudes says I'm in a propose story said is she going to say yes. He said II believe she why said could you really do want to do this in front of everyone. She says no, no, she's gonna say yes so I set him up happened to be her birthday. So is pretty easy to do. I said you know it's it's her birthday today and and she thought I was going to see. Let's all sing happy birthday and I said in, and his name was Aaron her name/Isaac parent has something he wants to see the you and outcomes errantly proposes and thankfully she said yes. Okay. So she would've said no, that would have been about the let's say that you will get a proposal girl. The big moment is gone if hired an orchestra, but they're hiding you know and you come out and you drop down to one knee and the other at a table in a restaurant your business ready to fire up and continue dropped out of the me and you can pull out your little ring and you hold it up and say I love you with all of my heart. Will you marry me and she looks at you and says no because I find you completely unattractive. Everything about you offends me, and I would never if you were the last man on earth they would marry you. Then she says, by the way Kelly still over dinner. Okay you think you might be hurt by that you think you might be insulted by that I mean you just put it all on the line. So here comes the Holy Spirit and he says you need to believe in Jesus. Jesus died on the cross for you Jesus shed his blood for you at Calvary and all you need to do is believe in you and can I get to this later Kelly talked about this another time see that dismissive attitude actually is an insult to God, not of the Bible means when it says you're taking the blood of the covenant, and acting as if it were common, and unholy, you're taking the message of the death of Jesus and dismissing it like it means absolutely nothing. This is scary because first you start by resisting the spirit. No, I don't want to know what that did you take it to the next level in your insulting the spirit and then I can bring you to though worst thing of all, which is the unforgivable sin that's blaspheming the spirit in MS about the solvent. Sometimes Christians are sleep. You think maybe I blessing the Holy Spirit before I was a Christian and I cursed everything I might've cursed the spirit somewhere that's not what it means a back. The very fact that you would be concerned about blaspheming the Spirit would indicate to me, you've certainly not blasting the spirit. The person was blaspheming the Holy Spirit is a person that wouldn't ask about it, they wouldn't care about it there heart would be so hard it would be the last thing they even have a concern about its ascendant only on non-believer can commit but the word blasphemy means the conscious denouncing and rejection of God. It's different clients ever reverence. This set of intentionally and openly speaking evil against God does not just I don't believe it's like not only do I not believe, but I hate everything that you believe I will go out of my way to mock God and mock followers of Christ and even do damage to those who put their faith in Jesus. Now you are headed to the point of no return, because Jesus at all manner of sin will be forgiven, except he who blasphemes the holy spirit. This is the worst thing that can possibly happen. Here's what scarcely I think the easiest place to get a hard heart is in church that surprise you my tale know Greg easiest ways to get a hard heart is innovating and open bars or you know hang around godless people uniting a hard harking around those people. But I think it's easier to get a hard heart in church and I'll tell you why. At least someone right now was in a bar with a neuron once a low live to get the higher whatever it is they're doing, maybe with that person right now at this very moment. The light just went on and they said this is horrible and I need to change my life. So anyway, they may be a little closer and tripped over the speaker in a way in a way they might be a little closer to the kingdom of God than someone in this room and you lost me your Sina person at a party whose height could be closer to the kingdom of God than someone in this room heard me right because maybe that person in that sinful state.

Realizing their need for God is think I need to get right with God. I need to go to church. I need to have my life changed, but the person sitting in church right now has their arms folded, with her arms folded, and here's what you're thinking. I've heard this over this. I know this I have this one is a little kid. Okay, that's nice congratulations. But you see you can hear this truth and then not respond to it and that's how your heart will get hard.

This same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay, so the same message I can change one life can have another sale. I know that I've heard that I know all about that and they rejected so be careful because you don't want your heart to ever get hard whenever heart that's open and responsive to the work of the spirit right now. The Holy Spirit is speaking to some of you who are not Christians yet. Anything you need to do this now you need Jesus in your life.

Now you know it may be that thing. I described that scenario about servicing the emptiness of your life happened to you recently and here you are in this room are listening to this message and you're saying I need to do this. Good. That's the spirit.

But see this grant will bring you so far, then you have to respond. The Holy Spirit will not force you to believe Holy Spirit will show you what you need to do Holy Spirit will show you why you should do it.

But then you have to act on it will help you as you do that, but you need to say I'm willing to take the next step is a what's the next step and admit you're a sinner and ask Christ to come into your life and what happens if you do them go back to a statement Jesus made enclosed with this Jesus said if anyone loves me will keep my word and my father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him but you love that statement. Jesus is saying my father and I will come and make our home with you. That's his promise. He wants to come and take residence in your heart. He wants to be involved in your life. He wants to be your best friend.

But even more he wants to be your father you want to be your advocate. He wants to be your savior. You want to be your Lord, but he will not force his way in your life. The Holy Spirit is saying you need this and you know you need it. Now you have to act on its own. A mumble going to pray nominal extend an invitation for some of you that maybe you have never asked Jesus to come in your life you don't know if your sin is forgiven. Maybe you been resisting the spirit, maybe even running from God. But it's time for you to come to the Lord and believe in the Lord. Maybe you been in the church for most of your life but you never made this personal commitment. You can live off the faith of your parents or the faith of your friends or the faith of your husband, your wife, you have to have your own relationship with God. Jesus died on the cross for you. He rose again from the dead in a come and live in your heart and life right here right now if you'll ask them to commit because he stands at the door of your life any nonsense as if you'll hear his voice and open the door command so you pray in a moment, and I'm in no extend an invitation. In this prayer for you to believe in Jesus I pray that God's Holy Spirit shows you your need for the Lord and that you respond to the work of the Holy Spirit and come to Jesus Christ tonight. Let's all bow our heads father. Now we pray that your Holy Spirit will work though.

You will speak to hearts convict and convince them. Lord, show them their need for Jesus. Only you can do that I can't do it, but you can I pray for those that are seen this need. Now that they will reach out to you and receive the forgiveness you offer. Lord, don't let them leave here with a hard heart to let them say no and then have the heart get a little tougher.

Lord, help them to respond to believe in you. Tonight we ask our heads about and her eyes are closed or praying together. How many of you would say tonight. Greg pray for me. I want Jesus Christ to come in in my life and forgive me of my sin. I want to know that I will go to heaven when I die I want to believe in Jesus pray for me that your desire. Wherever you are if you want your sins forgiven. If you want Christ to come in your life if you want your Guild removed. If you want to know that you go to heaven when you die, I want you to raise your hand up wherever you are in a pray for you just raise your hand up.

I reckon see it saying I want Jesus Christ to my life. I bless you raise your hand and come bless you. You want your sins forgiven you want to know God in a personal way you want to go to heaven. Raise your hand about pray for you wherever you are accomplishing anybody else you want is forgiveness. When we pray for you raise your hand accomplish might be a few more of you that need to take a single step really a big step you want the Lord to come in your life. Or maybe you fallen away from the Lord you want to come back to him. Your prodigal son or daughter raise your hand up when we pray for you tonight. Raise your hand and let me pray for you – review are just raise your hand up a pray for you tonight.

Come bless all right, while our heads are so bad I want all of you that just raise your hand to stand your feet and working a pray together, to stand up everyone to be the raise your hands.

And I want Jesus or I want to come back to Jesus.

I want to get right with God stand up on him and lead you in a prayer even if you did not raise your hand but you want to make this commitment or recommitment stand up. Yes, others are standing by the way, you won't be alone. Even if he did not raise her hand but you want to make this commitment to Christ, you want him to come in your life and forgive you of your sin. Stand your feet nominally join a prayer. Anybody else publish a bless you anybody else stand up now. Bless you to away one more moment you want to make this commitment or recommitment to Christ. Stand your feet when we pray for you.

Anybody else stand outcome bless you bless you right anybody else stand now God's spirit will not always strive with man.

The Bible says looking of the can come a point where you go too far you can sense your need for Jesus come to him now, don't put this off another moment anybody else stand out when we pray with you, you won't regret this. All of you that are standing. I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me again as I pray you pray this out loud right we are standing okay pray this after me out loud, pray Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner but I know you are the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead, Jesus I choose to follow you from this moment forward, the Savior and Lord is gone and friend. Thank you for calling me and accepting me in Jesus name I pray. Amen. God bless each one of you pray that prayer