The Power Of The Holy Spirit, Part 1

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ our when the Holy Spirit comes upon you notice he doesn't tell them they can have success. He doesn't tell them that there's nothing to be a struggle. He doesn't tell they can make a living. If this doesn't tell the popular Mintel menu that he tells them. Simply, you can have a perpetual empowering presence of the Holy Spirit is to think about this you can have power, questioning this morning is think about this you think about the fact that you have power, getting most Christians think that all for joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana Pastor Bill Gebhardt now again he shows us how God's word time when shopping your friends and family. If you're looking for a couple things I have some things I like to sell you the first thing I want you to imagine is like to sell you a fire engine red tricycle Heights got tassels the handlebars got the bow on it.

I can make noises a dry dry men's bike and would offer to you for up half-price submitted to rid really good deal.

It only has one thing we need it only has two wills, okay guys, it's a tricycle with two wills buddies don't have to wondered right up to Miller anyway, right now for adults when I have for you is a tripod is its beauty. Top-of-the-line lightweight fits on any camera you could possibly imagine. It's that good a tripod.

It packs very easily into its carrying bag and up.

As you might imagine, it only has one thing different about it only has two links right that makes it lighter, I mean.

From that point of view and is half-price when I talk like that you might be thinking that I'm not really convinced by that kind of an argument. It's very hard for us to see any value in a two will tricycle or too late tripod they don't seem to have any value to us at all. But the mistake that I think is often made by us as believers is for many of you that's exactly the kind of faith that you you have a two will tricycle or to make a tripod. What I mean by that is if I say to you that I want you to think of a God the father, and you might say why am kind of a knob God the father you use the divine plan or easement or he's these big he's really big and is will tell me about what you think about God the son, and yes I love Jesus really embrace him.

I mean I really love him I love what he did for us on the cross and then ask you by God the Holy Spirit and pretty much get almost no responsible.

I'm not sure it's always interested me. People described to me God the father. Of course the wrong but don't describe to me God the father, God the sign that he just got Holy Spirit is a go. I don't really know God the Holy Spirit is mentioned over 100 times in the word of God. Do you realize that Jesus speaks more by God the Holy Spirit than he does about the church. He speaks more by God the Holy Spirit that he speaks about marriage to Jesus Christ God the Holy Spirit is so important. He talks about them so much that the very last words of Jesus ever spoke on earth before he ascended his back on the Holy Spirit.

We drop your Bible is the book of acts chapter 1 the book of acts chapter 1 verses six through eight. From my point of view. Acts chapter 1 and verse eight is a very Mike when my very favorite verses and the reason for this.

It has a lot to do with my experience whenever I was my think of a second near my first year at Dallas seminary.

We took a class called Bible study methods and that is how you study the Bible for yourself and you do it on the basis of three stages. You observe the text you bombarded with questions.

You see what I see here what's really here, who, what, why, where, when all that kind of thing.

The second stage is you interpret the text. You do word studies you understand grammar and syntax a given historical context, and in the third stage as you apply the text you apply it to your life the best you can in this first stage is called observation and Dr. Hendrix said what I want you guys to do is I want to look at acts chapter 1 verse eight, and I want you to make 25 observations about that single verse and so we all dug into that I can remember thinking you know I'm I'm I'm impressed.

The guy I I've always wanted to press some of my Dr. Hendrix. I sent him an impressive work on 40 and I got your be really impressed when I got the class. I kinda wish I hadn't because he said no matter how many you wrote down for class were not collecting the papers I want you to do 25 more for the next class and so now I had to do 40+ at least 25 more.

I enjoyed the class. By the way so much fun that I ended up grieving for Dr. Hendrix in that class and I graded that class for the next three years. Why was seminary and so consequently I got the grade all these papers a came in and I had students that had between 150 and 200 observations of acts 18 essentially impressive but I mean some of them were so lame. It was, not not really that good once you get about 30 or 40. You're kind of a no man's land. But the point was so this word this verse is always meant a lot to me and so what you going to see here is, it says in verse six when they came together they were asking him saying Lord is at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel there. Just think they just can't wait to get the messianic kingdom date is it the time that you're going to come back. Mouse beside you going to rule over the whole world out of Jerusalem. Again, get the Romans out of here and Jesus just says them up now. God has kind of a different plan. Here, he said it's not for you to know the times or Reeboks which the father is fixed by his own authority there asking the son he talks about the father and then he says this but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth. When you think about that when Jesus ends up saying in this verse is God has a plan that's worldwide whole plan to the remotest part of your God has a plan for the whole the whole world and that his planner these 11 guys got 11 guys you because you're the plan that's what the plan is now you speak in gloss and were still part of the plan be speaking to these 11 guys in this undertaking is amazing what you think about who these guys are there uneducated.

I mostly my blue-collar they really never probably left anywhere but Judea and Gallo. They probably never went anywhere. He's a good plan for the whole world not sophisticated in any sense of the word. During his three year ministry them. They demonstrated weak faith over and over again how many times the save the monument of little faith, they don't have faith and at times even in the ministry there, disobedient to he just asked me to take.

Could you guys. We stay awake. Why, I pray tonight the night before the crucifixion because I mean after tomorrow experience the wrath of God died for the sins of the world. They falsely and he says if you look out of my human point of view this is about as hopeless an endeavor that something could be, except for two things he says in that verse. He says you will receive power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you. This isn't going to be about you. This is going to be about the Holy Spirit of God's going to God at work, the Holy Spirit of God, and he says and you are going to receive power power. The word is doing this we get dynamite from it right.

This is power given to receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you notice he doesn't tell them they're going to have success. He doesn't tell them that there's nothing to be a struggle. He doesn't tell they can make a living at this.

He doesn't tell him to be popular until many that he tells them simply didn't have the perpetual empowering presence of the Holy Spirit is and I want to think about this you can have power to change the world, questioning this morning's do you ever think about this at all to do things by this you think about the fact that you have the power within you to change the world sending most Christians like Natalie thinks I don't think that's the case at all.

I want to give you sort of a picture of the spirit of God this morning going me to Job, chapter 34 Job the book of Job, chapter 34 two verses tucked away in their 14 and 15.

I wanted us understand who he is more important than watching understand what a difference you can make in your life. Job 34 verses 14 and 15 who is speaking to Job in this become Scripture. Any says this if he should determine to do so. Speaking of the spirit of God. He said if he should determine to do so if he should gather to himself, his spirit and his breath all flesh would perish together and return to dust what you mean. The Holy Spirit of God is the source of all life is the source of what we call life. In the Genesis chapter 1 verse one we all know that God created heaven together. We got about but second verse says, and the Holy Spirit moved upon the waters Holy Spirit is the life giver.

He gives life. That's kind of power were talking about.

He gives physical life to God's creation.

That's what the Spirit of God thus but is a lot more than that. Go with me now to John chapter 3 Gospel of John chapter 3, Jesus is having an encounter with a brilliant man, a member of the Sanhedrin, a great teacher in the nation Israel, a Pharisee's name is Nicodemus. It says in verse one that there was a man of the Pharisees's name is Nicodemus he's a rule, were the Jews part of the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin is, is this man came to Jesus by night, because he didn't really want any of his colleagues. The knowing what and he said to him rabbi. We know that you have come from God as a teacher for no one can do the signs that you do unless God is with him. That's called in our work flattery, you know that the first thing you do to say something you just meeting you flatter them in and they always say something back and you think were building a bridge or Jesus is in the flattery he just ignores it. He doesn't say a word about it. He just looks at Megan Nicodemus and says, truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. This is like cutting out 10 paragraphs of discussion. Mrs. get to the point unless you are born again unless you're born in Milton from above or, again, unless you are born again, you can see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus letting me know what born again means Nicodemus would assume is a Pharisee of Pharisees, a member Sanhedrin if anybody's going to see God. It's going to be me. Jesus is no lesser born again, you can't.

Nicodemus fights back and says how can a man be born when he sold he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born County. The inference of the question is absurdity. Both he and Jesus know that. But even like Jesus saying that Jesus said truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water are physical birth and the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That's the water birth that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

He said do not be amazed that I said to you.

You must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes and and you hear the sound of it, but you do not work comes from the words going so was everyone was born of the spirit. Jesus is saying here is that the Holy Spirit of God is the midwife to being reborn when you will reborn, are born again because of the work of the Holy Spirit of God the Holy Spirit is not just the giver of all physical life. He is the giver of spiritual life as well.

You see he is the he is the one who convicts us of our sin, he is the one that brings us to Christ, and so the Holy Spirit is the giver of physical life.

He's the giver of spiritual life. Please not done with you once you become a believer go with me to Galatians chapter 5 the book of Galatians chapter 5 and Paul was talking to born-again Christians just like you and me in Galatians chapter 5 in verse 16. Paul says this, he said, but I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh when he says, walk by the Spirit. Paul always means live by the Spirit you need to live your life by the spirit of God say not to those believers and to us as well. If you're going to be a Christian you have to live by the Spirit of God, and you have the choice that's kind of up to you notice what he says. He said for the flesh sets its desire against the spirit, the spirit against the flesh, he said these are in opposition to one another and so that you may not do the things that you please. By the way, that's a description of your life and mine, spiritually speaking, you and I are schizophrenic where all that way we either want to carry out the desires of our flesh, we want to carry out the desires of the spirit. He's indwelling us. But notice, this choice is going to be up to us how we go notice.

Then he says this he said, but if you are led by the spirit. You're not under the law.

Use of the deeds of the flesh are evident, they are immorality and impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, outburst of anger, disputes, dissensions in factions Ambien and drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. He said it, which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God to the flesh is brings about sin. That's what it does. This is why would I want to live a life of sin.

Some of you struggle with that. You know that I'm reading that list that describes the way you behave you see us and why would I want to live that life, he says, but the fruit of the spirit is love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and goodness and faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. He said against such things there is no law. The fruit of the spirit notice when it doesn't say it doesn't say the fruits of the spirit. Christians misunderstand this verse.

This is the fruit of the spirit. In fact, always make up just the fruit all right because here's what Christians have told me though.

Say something like you know I love people and I am joy it might some the time, and in peace.

I got to work on patients of my very patient. That's always talking about here. That's called the human go to your flesh. Some things are better at some things are better to resist but he is not talking about that he saying when the spirit of God controls your life. You bear this fruit and think about this fruit. When you bear fruit. It's always in context of relationship you can have fruit without relationship. For example, you can't have an Apple if you don't have an opportunity to see have to have an apple tree for going to have apples. It's always base a relationship.

That's why Jesus in John 15 picked it up and said look I am the vine, you are the branches. You see, the only thing you need to do is stay attached to me. You need to abide in me is that if you abide in me and I abide in you, you bear much fruit is that apart from me you can do nothing. The whole idea fruit the spirit of God bears the fruit and notice this fruit.

When you look at it. He said love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

You knew that is Jesus, you bear the character of Christ. The Bible calls that being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.

He said if you allow the Holy Spirit if you walk with the Holy Spirit. He said you bear this kind of fruit in your life not want to think about that the spirit gives all creation physical life.

He gives those who are born again spiritual life. He produces the character of Christ with in us. He empowers us to be a witness.

According to acts 184 Jesus Christ according to Ephesians, he produces unity in the context of the church of so many diverse people with different backgrounds and according to Romans, he intercedes for us. Paul says he prays for us when were not sure how to pray for ourselves at all. He said I'll do that for you. He is the spiritual Dumas of our lives. The spirit of God is the power of our lives.

And yet, for many of us.

We don't even seem to realize it and for a lot of us. We never utilize it in our lives at all. So Paul has a prayer Ephesians chapter 1 Ephesians chapter 1, Paul was going to pray. What's interesting is this chapter starts out wonderfully and then Paul breaks into prayer in the beginning of the chapter and verse three says blessed be the godfather of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. How many blessings is God giving you of your child of God in the heavenly places all the snow blessings that I will give you. You have all that. So it sounds like it's a done deal and this is going to be great, but there's something between the blessings and having you and I call that life you get up every day and go to work. We got we live in families, we have a context to live out our faith we have. We live in a cursed planet. We have sinful bodies are flesh of sinful.

So Paul says I want to pray for you in verse 18. He says this I pray that the eyes of your heart will be enlightened, that you will know what is the hope of his calling, what are the riches of the glory of the inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe these are in accordance with the working of the strength of his might which he brought about in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and he seated them in his right hand in the heavenly places light up all previous because, potentially, you and I may never experiences he's praying for you in the spring for me. You may never experienced this in your life. See, there's no guarantee you'll experience this. You have a lot to say whether you experience this or not. The first thing you said, I pray that the eyes of your heart would be enlightened.

You see, there has to be is what he said in Romans 12, a renewing of your mind. I gotta think about this differently.

Secondly, he said that we all don't know the, the hope of his calling.

You know the hope of the calling of God know that that's a bad word in English.

You've heard me say many times hope because I think for a lot of Christians hope always means you cross your fingers and hope that's never what the Greek word means the Greek word hope means future certitude Jesus coming back. That's called the blessed hope of the church. Okay, so the hope of his calling is the surety of heaven. The surety of eternal life.

He said I want you to know the hope of your calling. I say it over and over again. The worst thing that could happen. You can happen to you. I read the end of the book and you win you seek.

Why because a lot of Christians all know that they don't know that they don't have peace and the reason they don't have pieces they don't know the hope of the calling to surety is a guaranteed comes from God. He said no. A lot of them don't realize the inheritance again. Everything listening to Pastor Brogan on the radio ministry of fellowship Lord, if you ever missed one of our broadcasting or maybe you just listen to the message one more time. Remember, you can Google a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen to Fellowship in the Word online at that website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of her previous audio programs as well Fellowship in the Word we are thinking for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. We ask all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help with radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting us monthly. Fourth is the one time support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie, LA 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon, the pastor will deliver during a Sunday morning service of fellowship monitored visit our website FVC Nola.org that FVC and O LA.Margie at our website you will find hundreds.

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