Ministry vs. Magic: Why the Holy Spirit Isn't Safe [Part 1]

Pastor, author and Bible teacher Alan Wright Tim Tatian in the Christian life is the thing that somehow we become Christians by] saving act of God, but that then somehow feel like we need to do this stuff is always tomorrow. Alan Wright other message of good view life in a whole new light. I'm Daniel Britton excited for you to hear the teaching today.

In the series Limited is presented at renewal the church in North Carolina. If you're not able to stay with the entire program to make sure you know how to get our special resource. Right now you can be yours for your donation this month to Alan Wright Ministries as you listen to today's message go deeper as we send you today's special offer. Contact us at pastoralan.org Pastor Alan.org or call 877-544-4860 that's 877-544-4860. More on this later in the program right now.

Let's get started with today's teaching here is Alan Wright and God not only has called you to wonderful holy things that he has for you to do in his name is normally called you but he is ready and willing to equip you, empower you to do everything is about the power of his Holy Spirit is called you to. Good work is called joy, not just call. He is ready and willing.

He wants to desire to empower you for it all with a study in the book of acts we call unlimited because it's a focus on the limitless power of the church of Jesus Christ. That's in influence the world for transformation right from the beginning and maybe today in this generation in the middle of global pandemic. There is an awakening that's happening now through the church is learning all about the spirit empower church and today we come to an interesting place in acts chapter 8 the disciples of the going to be scattered because of the persecution of the church under Saul of Tarsus. Later, the apostle Paul. He was persecuting the church in Jerusalem. And so the disciples began to scatter and Philip went to Samaria. The despised area where the Samaritans lab and he preach the gospel and there were many signs and wonders and healings and deliverance that were taken place.

Many people believe and reading in acts chapter 8 verse nine but there was a man named Simon previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria saying that he himself was somebody great attention to him from the least to the greatest thing this man the power of God that is called great and they paid attention to them because for a long time. He amazed them with his magic, but when they believed Philip as he preach good news about the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women even Simon himself believed in. After being baptized, he continued with Philip and seeing signs in great miracles performed. He was amazed when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John came down to pray for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not fallen on any of them, but they'd only been baptized in the Lord Jesus.

Then they lay their hands on them and they receive the Holy Spirit now assignments all the spirit was given to the laying on of the apostles hands the money thing, give me this power also so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive Holy Spirit. But Peter said to me your silver Paris with you because you thought you could obtain the gift of God and money. You need a partner lot in this matter your heart is not right before God.

Repent therefore this wickedness of yours and pray to the Lord that if possible. The intent your heart may be forgiven for. I see that you are the goal of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity and Simon answered.

Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you said may come upon me. Now when they testified and spoken word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans ones are not as they were nurses and they are on the way to care for patient when their car ran out of gas and there was a gas station safely nearby, but they didn't have any other container except they had a bedpan in the trauma and a bedpan went up to the gas station put a little bit aghast and then came back to Portland to say and as they were pouring the contents of the bedpan into the gas tank, a motorist came happening by stop down the window and saw what they were doing. He said sisters now that some faith is like a car can only run facility is that our lives are designed by by God to run on his power, and the great temptation in the Christian life is to think that somehow we become Christians by great miraculous saving act of God, but that then somehow we start feel like we need to try to do the stuff is called us to do by our own power, but we're learning much about the Holy Spirit and today were going to learn a lot from this incredible story. Philip, one of the disciples who had been scattered and is in Samaria and Samaria is an area between will Jerusalem and the lower part of Judea and then Galilee up in Nazareth where Jesus was raised in this area known as Samaria. They had developed their own worship Center at Mount Gary seem the Samaritans had intermarried and were considered by the Jewish people. I halfbreed. There was so much enmity between the Jews and the Samaritans that they really would have nothing to do with each other, which is why it was a surprising thing when Jesus told the story about the good Samaritan, and it also is amazing that Jesus stopped and went well. He went through Samaria and he stopped and spoke to a Samaritan woman well these things were scandalous and stunning because the Jews had nothing to do with the Samaritans so Philip finds himself in Samaria and he's preaching the gospel along the holy preaching the gospel in all the signs and wonders are having people being healed people being delivered from evil and and people are coming to Christ and it's amazing thing that happened but am very very curious part of the story that I want to talk about today is that this is the Samaritans were baptized into the name of Jesus.

But when Peter and John came the text says they realize that the Holy Spirit had not fallen on them not fallen on the Samaritan believers and so they laid hands on them and the Holy Spirit came upon them was a very curious thing is to how people could what what this possibly means that they had received Jesus but did not receive Holy Spirit and now I think is really important to talk about that but also the story has this interesting character Simon was called a magician and Simon is amazing people are all around them in Samaria. But when he sees the real signs and wonders that are happening by the power the Holy Spirit himself becomes a believer in Jesus. But he's confused and in his zeal or selfishness were not clear.

He asks if he could have the power to lay hands on people so they receive Holy Spirit and he was willing to pay for and is we read Peter was so so upset about why was Peter so upset, so that's one talk about today in order to learn some more about the infilling work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. A lot of Christians have grown up and learned a lot about father learn about Jesus, but not much about the Holy Spirit. Someone said the Trinity is not father-son and honorable mention. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the triune God. He is is wonderful and I would say in in every sense sees the spirit of Jesus and though I think for the Christian invitation is for him to be your helper to be your constant companion and best friend in this world so he is a person of God here now is the fullness of God was learn some more about the Holy Spirit.

I look at this very very interesting story. There's a lot of debate and speculation about what happened in Samaria because the question circles around this. How can you become a Christian and not have received the Holy Spirit and I'm going to offer an interpretation of this for you today that I think will make sense to you, and will build not make sense but help us to hunger for more more the Holy Spirit's work in our life only to start by saying I've read so much scholarly debate about this question and there's a lot of dispute but I don't want to be overcomplicated unless we miss the point of the story.

The point of the story is that when Peter and John came to Samaria and they saw the Samaritans had believed that their authentically believed in Jesus there there there concern was they didn't see the gifts of the Holy Spirit at work within the those believers. They didn't see the power and the signs of God's presence at work through those early believers in Samaria so their instinct was immediately we need to do all we can to make sure that they are fully empowered by the Holy Spirit to live the Christian life is impossible to live the Christian life without Christ power when the early disciples of the apostle Saul that there there instinct was immediately we must we must lay hands on them. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill them inserted into the store. This interesting figure magician named Simon who became very very famous and people called him the power of God that is called great so it might have been that Simon was even going around telling people that he was a God and what he was doing was using some sort of trickery. Probably he was an illusionist. Maybe he was actually magician meaning the evil sense of sorcery or connection with the dark realm were not really sure. But the whole point of this text is that there is no work that can be done in Christ's name, apart from Christ himself that comes by the power of the Holy Spirit right will have more teaching moment from today's important series early and ready for a new year. This is the year you start dreaming friend breaking here right ministries has produced a beautiful, inspiring blog calendar which is not only depicts the month heart stirring image also includes a special blessing for the mind explains in his new book, the power to which releases February is available from Amazon for PO tomorrow. Vision left then told them to be fruitful and not the real word for your productivity perfume for 2021 blessing while calendar gives you space to write down all your important appointments and make plans for a wonderful and most importantly your heart will be strengthened and empowering this year. Don't just organize your life for the 2021 calendar our gift to you.

When you make a donation is not right ministries. Contact us today and start your year out right by the power of blessing 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website pastor like today's teaching you once again is wants to use this illustration, take it and cheese it up tremendously and embellish it greatly.

This is a glove that I think easy. I mean, Jesus ready. This is a glove it is. I work it is seems to be well-crafted and made of cowhide leather. It's should be able to do some good work. There is the glove now let's imagine the glove is that's a picture of who we are.

Apart from the power of the Holy Spirit and soften what we do states take the glove again. The analogy is this is us without Holy Spirit and was okay glove you were created to do good work. Your work. Love is work as a way to say well you know what I think this glove needs some inspiration glove you find love. You made a nice leather you got yes you got places for fingers and you get it is tough you could do some some good hard work. I know you can. I know you can do it let me tell you an inspirational story.

I once knew a glove and did some really good work for somebody some gardening and did some building used a hammer glove you could do it in the glove does nothing. Is that what you know I think you need you name is fellowship. That's what you name you need to isolate and so hair around your brother and sister glove. There just feel the love and then so okay now can you do it in the glove does nothing is always a way. I think Jackson is you need some one on one discipleship you need better training and that's your problem.

You have not been well trained, and I think it gets you on a discipleship's and train you one online if you would meet you and meet with this glove at 6 AM every Friday morning for three years. I think that you're going to be well trained love and you can you and then we did nothing and when you see how the cheesiest ration goes, there's only one way that this is ever going to do anything and that is this going to be actual living hand to go into the glove and and and do work in this glove was like that with us in the Holy Spirit that we are made for good works and and we are not made for good works that we are to do tomorrow which is actually came in all the things that we laughed about right there discipleship training the fellowship and inspiration in all of the all that is essential in the Christian life. But those things in and of themselves do not empower anybody when empowers us in the Christian life is Holy Spirit and a wonder why how can it be that these disciples in Samaria that the earliest disciples there.

This Christian had not received the Holy Spirit.

When the world is Luke who wrote the book of acts. What is he is he saying here. What is he reporting to us, offer an interpretation for you think makes sense to you, help you hunger more more and believe and trust God for the power the Holy Spirit in life and I need to build on this.

To say that Luke, who wrote the gospel and then wrote acts as a sequel to the gospel. He uses a lot of different words and phrases to describe the infilling of the Holy Spirit in their interchangeable words and phrases over and show you just in in the book back, starting with the text that we read one of the phrases that we use is fallen upon speaks of the Holy Spirit.

He had not yet fallen upon any of them. They going to baptize another word that was on our text in verse 17 is received. They lay their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. We said fallen upon received the same thing. There's another word that uses given it verse 18. Simon saw that the spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles answered just in our text today. There's three different phrases fallen upon received given the look he also uses other language for the infilling of the Holy Spirit acts chapter 1 and verse five for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit were another phrase for being filled baptize means to be immersed means to be completely saturated. Fill just the word filled.

Luke uses, of course, and they were next to verse four uses the word here describes what happened as I was. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. And the same word he uses in acts nine in verse 17, where he describes the infilling the Holy Spirit. They sent me that you may regain your site and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Luke also uses the phrase poured out in acts chapter 10 verse 45.

For example, believers from Limon among the circumcising, Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles and one other phrase he uses in verse six of acts 19 when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them.

Okay so I think we can agree that all of these terms are describing the same experience. The infilling of the Holy Spirit, by whatever phrase you call it.

Luke uses different phrases and it would be a misdirected interpretation of any text to try to distinguish what he means something really different when he said fell upon verses 27 received or given or filled baptize report out or came upon them. I think it's pretty obvious and scholars would agree is describing the same experience just uses different phrases and is very hard to describe a mystical experience so to say were filled with the Holy Spirit or he's poured out that always appears like a quantity or something like you're pouring something but he's a person he sees God and so what were describing is how we are encountering the living God, and Luke uses a variety of ways to describe the empowering work of the Holy Spirit in the Christian's life. But one thing's for sure all throughout the book of acts.

There is no discussion ever being a Christian and not having the Holy Spirit come upon you having the Holy Spirit in the power you have in the Holy Spirit do gifts and and work through you and work through the people of God, and signs and wonders.

There's only one way that you become a Christian. In the first place and that is by the work of the Holy Spirit.

This is where this this is where this is where the curious question arises for for any reader of the Scripture or any theologian at any level, is that how can it be that if we become a Christian by the work of the Holy Spirit joins in to our own spirit is a mystical way and makes our spirit alive again so that we become present. How could you say that some I have not received the Holy Spirit. If they had been born again. So Jesus makes John makes this clear in John chapter 1 verse 12 this is what it means to become a Christian all who did receive Jesus who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but born of God. So to be a what we call a born-again Christian, means that your born of God.

Your born of the spirit and this is the only way God is a miracle now in today's teaching ministry versus magic why the Holy Spirit is in safe.

It's rumored teaching unlimited and we've got Pastor Alan joining us by curing the studio with our parting good news thought for the day here in just a moment, ready for a new year.

This is the year you start dreaming friend breaking year ministries has for just a beautiful, inspiring blog calendar with each month not only depicts the Montana heart stirring image also includes especially blessing for the mind explains in his new book, the power to plants which releases February 9 for appeal are now blessing faith vision then told them to be fruitful or not.

The reward for your productivity fuel for 2021 blessing while calendar gives you space to write down all your important appointments and make plans for a wonderful new year.

And most importantly, each time your heart will be strengthened empowering this year. Don't just organize your life for the 2021 calendar our gift to you.

When you make a donation is not right ministries.

Contact us today and start your year out right by the power of blessing 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website Pastor work with pastor now in our parting good news thought for the day. Ministry versus magic in as we talk there but the miracles of Jesus as a kid I think maybe even it it's hard to differentiate the two, but you do a great job in his teaching is replaceable to mark your ministry versus magic well I think were all prone to think that there's some technique to it all. Right if we just say the right magic words do the right magic hocus-pocus now as Christians is not that most of us are like IL-1 try to get into some dark magic, although they are listening and you felt drawn towards the cultic things or astrology. Just know the Bible expressly forbids it, because it leads down, but I think for most of this.

It's misunderstanding of really what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit. So we got in the story that were exploring how much there is a disdain for magic and in the end what were going to discover is that God doesn't want us to settle for magic as he wants to fill us with his Holy Spirit and magic becomes our technique as human and God wants us live by his gracious supernatural power. He wants to minister through and that's not about today's good news message.

It's a listener supported production Allen right ministries