The Holy Spirit and You | Resisting

Today's episode of a new beginning is brought to you by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God. Learn more@harvest.org and while you're there, browse our library of free e-books designed to help you grow in your faith. Why is it that you always resist the holy spirit draws people toward ushering Lori points out that our free will away from home you will resist the spirit bring it so worth all conscious. No rejection of doing so he knew some people would reject you when you get the Holy Spirit calls out drawing toward the wise person who today on a new beginning pastor Greg Lori points out that one of the job. He has a multidimensional role was know just how involved he is in our lives. The Holy Spirit is going to do a 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 as good a fill you again and again, those are things that the 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 who are God's possession. It's also got as good as Mark on you. So here comes the devil, to wreck havoc in this life, to destroy this life, will away wait property of the Lord Jesus Christ. He backs off the backs off.

That's what it means to be sealed by the Holy Spirit but also the Holy Spirit do. He teaches us. Verse 29 says it's written. I have not seen yours ear heard, nor is it entered in the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him, but God is revealed these things to was 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. Note also Holy Spirit does he empower you for service gives you power but 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. 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 of the Holy Spirit has come upon you to be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, Judeo 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 a boldness or courage to be a witness for Christ or to share your faith. 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 refill some people you know you need to get more refills and others do, 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. Maybe he wasn't as diplomatic as he could have been when he started his message by saying you stiffnecked people with uncircumcised parts in their 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 what 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 is 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. Now, in this believe an irresistible grace and 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 guides true that God's spirit will come and call you and and try to bring you to 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 you in the next step which is insulting. Holy Spirit pastor Greg Lori will have the second half of this message just a moment. Everybody what are you doing this weekend.

I like to hang out with you at harvest and home service at home. It is a time of worship and Bible study exclusively designed for people that are doing in from all over the place so you can be a part of our extended congregation at Harvest at Home. Join us this weekend Saturday and Sunday for Harvest at Home@harvest.org pastor Greg has been talking about resisting the spirit and the consequences and he says it's also possible to insult the spirit of God. He continues that 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 to enrage the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit is God.

It is purpose is to convince me of my need for Jesus. And if I resist him and say no and no and no good can come a point where I know 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 blood so you want to marry a girl and you get a propose marriage I member young man said to me once upon a propose no 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 to. I said is she going to say yes. He said I believe she will 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 happen to be your birthday so it is pretty easy to do. I said you know it's it's her birthday today and she thought I was going to say let's all sing happy birthday and I said in, and his name is Aaron her name/Isaac Aaron 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 about the blood say that you'll 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, the organizers ready to fire up and then you drop down to the knee 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, to place the order dinner. Okay you think you might be hurt by the you think you might be insulted by that I mean you just put it all on the line. So here comes a 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 in no till 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. Not a lot that I want 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 sleep you think maybe I blasting 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 the 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 if I am ever reverence. This set of intentionally and openly speaking evil against God.

So it's not just what I don't believe the site.

Not only do I not believe, but I hate everything that you believe I will go out of my way to mock God in 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. No 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 is in a bar with aileron once a lowlight to get the higher whatever it is they're doing, maybe with a 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. I need to get right with God. I need to go to church.

I need to have my life changed 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 either. 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 seems sound that softens the wax hardens the clay, so the same message I can change one life can have another Seo 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. I know the Holy Spirit is speaking to some of you who are not Christians yet in the same. 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 prayer 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, you'll 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 admit you're a sinner and asked Christ to come into your life and what happens if you do that 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.

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. You 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. Mumble going to pray, to extend an invitation for some of you that maybe 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 you been in the church for most of your life but you remember me this personal commitment. You can live off the faith of your parents or the faith of your friends or the faith of your husband or your wife jumped up your own relationship with God. Jesus died on the cross for you. He rose again from the dead know 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 commit to 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 seeing 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. Don't let them say no and then have the heart get a little out of her Lord, help them to respond to believe in you. Tonight we Greg Laurie important invitation today your on a new beginning. And if you like to make a change in your relationship with the Lord. Pastor Greg will help you do that in just a moment and he'll also close by inviting us to be filled afresh with the Holy Spirit.

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Yeah, that's right. And we want to thank you tangibly was an important new resource. It's a book titled the case, for heaven, subtitled a journalist investigates evidence for life after death. Best-selling author Lee Strobel offers credible answers the most perplexing questions about what happens when we die near death experiences. Heaven and hell and a try.

Thank you gift your donation of any size you can make a donation online@harvest.org or call us anytime around the clock at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 Pastor Greg another seminar audience who felt God speaking to them today through your message and they want to make a change in the relationship with the Lord.

Could you help them with that.

Yeah, you know, Dave.

The Bible says whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved so I would lead you in a prayer we you will be doing just that. Calling on the name of the Lord solicit if you want your sins forgiven. If you want to know that when you die you will go to heaven if you want Jesus Christ to come into your life and take away your guilt and your shame. Then just stop what you're doing and pray this prayer with me right now pray this after me if you would, Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I have broken your commandments.

I have fallen short of your standards but 2000 years ago you died on the cross for me, then you rose again from the dead. So Jesus come in the my life and be my Savior and my Lord and my God, my friend.

I choose to follow you from this moment forward. Thank you for calling me and accepting me and for giving me in Jesus name I pray, amen and amen.

Listen if you have just prayed those words with Pastor Greg and meant them sincerely the Lord is heard you and forgiven you of your sin and we want to welcome you into the family of God and would like to send you some follow-up materials that will help you begin to live a life of faith letter sent you our new believers gross packet. Just give us a call at 1-800-821-3300. You can call anytime.

Again, the number 1-800-821-3300 or just go online to harvest.org and click on know God and then before we go. Pastor Greg closes this way.

One of the things that the Holy Spirit wants to do in our life is still us. The Bible says be filled with the Holy Spirit speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord, you know it's interesting in the original language that can be translated be being Phil so the ideas do it over and over and over. I mean you have to refill your car with gas every you know week or so. Some of you drive SUVs every eight hours for the ideas you have to refill it otherwise. Running we need refills of the spirit so what did Jesus say you are a state will receive power of the Holy Spirit is come upon you to be witnesses so we want that power right. We need that power is no way we can is no way we can do it. God wants us to do without supernatural power. And it's here for us. The same power that was poured out on Pentecost is available to the believer today so organized as God's Holy Spirit. The Phyllis links intent to make this way to mystical lower the lights.

They can lower the lights if you want internal lights up if you want silica Holy Spirit is afraid of light make it dark and then I can sneak in to my thing. Leave no lights on lights off the Y to the motion feel it yeah you might feel it. You can about huge emotional moment, as the Holy Spirit deals you and then again you might feel nothing. I just filled up my car up with gas last night.

I had no emotional experience except when I saw the bill.

No, you got but the reality is, the car ran so yeah you might feel you might not feel it's not about feeling it's not about being Mr. go just about saying I need this power to be this power I receive it because because Jesus said the father will give the Holy Spirit to those who what asking is new.

Given the let's do that right now. Let's all pray father you promised us another helper and advocate a friend, another friend alongside of us to empower us to seal us to bear witness in our hearts that were your children to lead us to give us the power we need to be the witness you called us to be to help us bring for spiritual fruit. Lord we need that power. We want that power we pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit right. I pray that you will fill everyone in this room with the Holy Spirit. You just say Lord fill me with the Holy Spirit. You say that to God right now you say Lord filming Satan anyway you want to say just say Lord fill me now just personal spill me only with this power. Give me all the gifts you want me to have all the power that is needed for what you call me to do Phyllis all Lord we receive this filling of the spirit in the Lord help us to walk in the power of the Spirit because it's not by my nor by power but by your spirit says the Lord. So thank you for the Holy Spirit.

We received him now in Jesus name I new beginning as a podcast, made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God if this show has impacted your life. Share your story leverage you on your favorite podcast back and help others find help