God's Power for Daily Living (Part 3)

Through the years I have come to distinguish between the barrage of worldly power and the real power between the fleeting power and the permanent power between the visible power and the invisible power between the ever dieting power and the ever lasting power between the self serving power and the self giving, power, and is a world of difference between those two categories humanity at large is almost always tempted by the fleeting and the visible and the of a dying in the self serving power that impressed with this type of power. In fact, I heard about the two American Indians who were communicating with each other from two hills of New Mexico across the valley with smoke signals that this is how there were communicating.

One will send up a message and smoke signal, and the other one would responded, and this went on for quite a while and meanwhile in the desert of New Mexico. The US government was doing some nuclear testing and there was a huge explosion in one of the American Indians looked at that and he was absolutely mesmerized. He was fascinated in the next message he was sending his body on the other side is saying why I wish I could talk like that on the day of Pentecost Jesus.

True to his promise that he gave his disciples, he sent the Holy Spirit. Jesus always keeps his promise going to have about true to his word. He sent the Holy Spirit.

He told him that they will not have life without the life giver. He told them that they cannot have an effective witness without the power of the Holy Spirit. He told him that they cannot have any true fellowship with one another without the unity of the spirit. He told them that they cannot develop a Christian character without the fruit of the spirit. He told them that there cannot have true understanding of the word of God without the spirit of truth, and true to his word in acts chapter 210 days after his ascension Jesus sends his Holy Spirit to dwell permanently in the believers turn with me please in your Bibles to the book of acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 2 is a turning point in the history of the kingdom of God.

Acts chapter 2 tells us that on the day of Pentecost. Jesus kept his word. But not only that, it tells us something more significant is telling us that the day of Pentecost like Christmas day like Good Friday like Easterday like as sentient day, the day of Pentecost is repeatable, it cannot be repeated. Pentecost was the inaugural day for the reviewing for the giving of the Holy Spirit. While Pentecost is individually experienced and fresh in each believers life when they become born again. The day of Pentecost itself is on repeatable, it cannot be repeated just like you cannot repeat Christmas just like you cannot repeat Good Friday just like you cannot repeat Easter Sunday. Just like you cannot repeat ascension day. So in order to focus on attention and get our thoughts in gear. Let's look at this passage of acts 210. Concentrate on the three headings. First of all, in verses 1 to 4. Acts chapter 2, I want to talk about the evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit.

Secondly, verses 5 to 11. I want to talk about the effect of the power of the Holy Spirit. And thirdly, verses 12 and 13. I want to talk about the explanation of the part of the Holy Spirit, the evidence, the effect on the explanation in verse one of chapter 2 in the book of acts Dr. Luke is telling us something very significant is what he saying as a scientist and a scientific mind will organize systematic he is telling us that when the day of Pentecost had come, there were all together in one place. There hundred and 20 all the there were the 12 and then hundred and 20, but total hundred and 20 in one place.

They were all in one accord. What is admin there were jammed together.

I'm sure there were jammed physically, but there were jammed spiritually together.

That's really what it means there were united in purpose.

There were united in waiting that were united in an anticipation. There were united in their expectation of the coming of the Holy Spirit the work Pentecost means 50th.

All comes from 50 the 50th was admin well it was the Jewish feast of harvest and the Jewish feast of the harvest always took place 50 days from the date of Passover as well as go the 50th day the 50th day of Passover is the day of the harvest. It was also a celebration of Moses being given the law by God. Remember this, that the New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old Testament. Remember that the Old Testament is the shadow in the New Testament is the real thing. What people so vaguely. Now they see clearly all the symbolism in the Old Testament now have taken place and seeing the fulfillment and the ultimate fulfillment in the New Testament to all of the Old Testament symbols and now found their meanings in the New Testament in the Old Testament. It was on Passover day that the Jews, slate, LIN, in order to remind them of their escape from the days of slavery and the reason was called Passover. You remember because God told him to slay a lamb and then put the blood on the door posts so that the angel of death will come and he was slain, the firstborn of the Egyptians, but then he was seeing the blood and he will pass. You said this is God's people as local Passover. There were passed over and over saved and the wood delivered out of Egypt out of slavery and it was on that Passover day. 2000 years ago that the Lamb of God, was slain on the cross of Calvary, in order that he might deliver all those who put their trust in him from not only sin but the consequences of their sin not only sin but the punishment of sin. So 50 days later when the Jews celebrated the feast of offering the first fruit to God. 50 days after the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The first spiritual fruit were given 50 days after the Passover where the Lamb of God, was slain, the believers inheritance was manifested. Dr. Luke said that on that day, suddenly and here's a word.

Suddenly, which indicate a sense of surprise. You say why surprise there were waiting for the Holy Spirit, the conch, Jesus told them before they left that the Holy Spirit is coming. They knew he was coming, but they didn't have a clue as to how and when is coming, my beloved Christians listen to me please the same thing is going to happen on the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who love his appearing. Those who are longing for his return. Those who are expecting his return.

Those who know that his return is eminent is still going to be an element of surprise because he's going to come as a thief in the night with me ask a question if Jesus comes back today we be ready to meet him. Can you say, Jesus, about all my affairs in order, I can wait for you to come back in here Dr. Luke is telling us of the three evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit is that there was an awesome sound that was an awesome life. And then there was an awesome speech there was an awesome sound in the upper room now in the Hebrew language, you must understand that the word breath.

The word wind in the word spirit. Three words in English one word in Hebrew rolloff sounds like a breath doesn't want that your breath away. In Genesis chapter 1 verse two when it says that the spirit of the Lord was hobbling American English sounds so anemic just sounds like he is a gentle glove just flying over the waters. No no no, that's not really what it means to tell you what it means. Think of the wind that blows on a hurricane at 100 and 2040 maybe 200 miles an hour and then you get the picture. God used that power of that powerful wind in order to create the world. The earth is not telling of what speed and what power of that wind that took place in the first creation. When God created the world. When the breath of God breezed upon the earth when his spirit was, not hovering but gusting on the earth. So here in acts chapter 2 verse two.

It tells us that there was a violent wind why why there was a violent wind associated with this historic event of the coming of the Holy Spirit to dwell on the other for the first time because on the day of Pentecost as a new creation is taking place here on the day of Pentecost and use spiritual creation is happening right in front of our eyes in Genesis we see the creation of man. In the book of acts received the re-creation of man in Genesis we see God breathed in man and he gives them a soul.

And here in the book of acts we see God breathe this into men and women, and they become born again of the spirit of God not only it was an awesome sound but it was an awesome site. Luke said that there were tongues of fire now this was not literal fire. By the way, because if it was popular but in the Bloomingdale or how do I know that the my making this up.

Note says as all as all of tongues of fire.

What does the fire symbolizes do you what is a far symbolizes what the fire in the Old Testament symbolize the presence of God, fire in the Old Testament symbolize light from the Old Testament symbolize warmth filing Old Testament symbolize purity and before the coming of the Holy Spirit of God, the world was cold. It was dark it was unloved. It was impure.

Then when the Holy Spirit came.

He's changed all that and that Jesus himself said in Luke chapter 12 verse 49. He said I came to bring fire and earth.

It was a flat of his presence there was a fight of his life.

It was a flat of his love. It was a fight of his warmth.

It was a fire of purity. I presume you right there are some foolish people who are going around attacking the Christian faith and attacking Christians in there saying that Christians should not serve in public office.

I want to tell you something they are truly ignorant of the fact that if it was not for the Holy Spirit of God in the believer's life in this world, this world would become talk and mechanistic horrible and unlivable. And one day when God takes the believers home I noticed that it is withdrawing from this world.

They don't understand the miserable condition in which they gonna find themselves and they would try to be regretful but it will be too late. Awesome sound affecting the years.

Awesome site affecting guys with and that was an awesome speech. When the Holy Spirit filled the disciples, they were able to speak foreign languages.

Why, why, well, so that I Michael yourself become a Christian.

Note this is not an egotistical state.

Don't misunderstand, member and explain the tournament. The standard direct effect from the day of Pentecost. To this day where you're sitting here watching me. In fact, this is my second point that I'm getting into now versus 5 to 11.

The effect of the power of the Holy Spirit. The effect of the power of the Holy Spirit. When the apostles spoke in tongues. There were speaking a foreign language. It was not gibberish.

It was definable language on the day of Pentecost. There were pilgrims from all over the known world at the time in the city of Jerusalem and that amazing how God works. But Jesus will be crucified in a day of Passover, when the estimate is about more than 1 million people come from all over the world to Jerusalem, and here they are, by the hundreds of thousands in Jerusalem for the feast of the Pentecost and the Holy Spirit comes in to dwell permanently on the roof. They were from every corner of the room another from Mesopotamia, there were from Cappadocia from ponchos from Asia from Phrygia from Pamphylia from Egypt from Rome from Crete and from Arabia.

What is the purpose of the time. Why did God the Holy Spirit manifested himself in such power and giving them the ability to speak a foreign language.

Why you see most of these guys on the spoke Hebrew and spoke the colloquial Hebrew at best. Some of the new Greek, but not much. Remember what Jesus said to them, and we saw that chapter 1 of the book of acts member when he said he said to them what to wait in the upper room, right. But before that, he said what he said you gonna be my witnesses but is unable to do it on your own if you got any only be discouraged within couple of days is all over but is it you wait until the Holy Spirit might Holy Spirit comes upon you is the one who's going to empower your peers on is going to encourage you. Here's the one who's going to give you boldness here is on is going to speak through you is the one who's going to make you effective, so don't go off on your own. But wait until the Holy Spirit comes but you are going to be my witnesses.

Now, the Holy Spirit had come with such awesome sound such awesome site and now they're given an awesome speech speaking foreign language.

Why so that they can be witnesses to all these hundreds of thousands of people from every corner of the Roman Empire. The city can be my witnesses but the Holy Spirit is going to come upon you and then you going to be effective with Mrs. Hocking to become effective witnesses on this with a part of the Holy Spirit. He gave them the ability to speak the languages of those people who were visiting Jerusalem. This was such an awesome power so that the hundreds of thousands of visitors who came to Jerusalem could hear the gospel in their own tongue, and they can believe in the Lord Jesus Christ but me show you how effective their witness of the day was 2000 years later the Bible said little devout Jews from Alexandria who were there on the day of Pentecost, and these devout Jews heard the gospel are sticking to their hearts and they believed in Jesus Christ and immediately took the gospel to the city of Alexandria in that city as all Egyptian cities were pagans worshiping pagan gods.

But as they began to proclaim the gospel and the gospel began to spread. In fact, history tells us that within about 100 years, 85% of the population give the life to Jesus Christ talk about the effect of the power of the Holy Spirit and the people of Egypt who were worshiping the sun as you and that God Ra turned around and renounced paganism and I began to worship these sound as all and the son of God, Jesus Christ, and then for the next few hundred years, Egypt became the center Alexandria become the center of Christian theology until some 600 years later when the Arabs came in changed all that. But nonetheless my ancestors remain faithful for 2000 years to the passing of the witness from those handful of devout Jews who were in Jerusalem the day of Pentecost the my generation about 10 to 12 million Christians will survive the onslaught of persecution for 2000 years and all began on the day of Pentecost. The tell you something, beloved friends.

When God says to you, do something I'm going to give you my proud of my Holy Spirit to do it. You can be sure he's not only going to do that, but you are going to have an impact that is lasting until Jesus comes back down under mine. Don't underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit working in the life of a believer and obedient believer. Another lukewarm believer another social Christian not appear warmer, but an obedient Christian. This power in the mixture between an obedient child of God and the Holy Spirit. And it all goes back to the day of Pentecost talk about the effect of the power of the Holy Spirit. I give it to you in chapter and verse in history and I believe God can use us in this place just as much a way if we have God's vision for his work and today there are faithful witnesses empowered by the Holy Spirit being effective witnesses for Jesus Christ and every corner of the globe and and just because it is does not make headline news on CNN just because it does not make headline music in the Washington Post of the New York Times. It doesn't mean that is not happening. It is taking place all over the world.

There is an invisible power which the world is so blinded to cannot see, cannot understand cannot comprehend that is happening in every corner of the globe.

Today, in fact, this week I saw a quote from Spike Lee, the filmmaker and I thought was a sobering court and I want to read it to you. He said as we move into the new millennium, the most powerful nations are not those who have nuclear bombs, but those who control the media and debtors where the battle is being fought. This is how you control people's minds."

Make no mistake about it, the secular media would cling to the fleeting power they were clinging to the earthly power there were clinging to the ever dying power there were clinging to the self-serving power, but we proclaim the invisible power we proclaim the permanent power we proclaim the everlasting power we proclaim the self giving power faithful believers around the world. No what it is to have real power, everlasting power, permanent power self giving power invisible power one day when the invisible power becomes visible.

One day when Jesus is manifested in his glory. Those who have been intoxicated with false fleeting earthly powers are going to weep and gnash their teeth.

The Bible said. But, beloved friends, it'll be too late to see the spirit of universalism invaded the church first in the mainline church now in the evangelical church and now is invading the hearts of Christians of God is to loving God is too kind. He will not send anybody to help for sure. He wants anybody to help, but that was in themselves to help will be too late to see the daughter of Mercy one day will be shut the door of grace. One day will be shut the door of salvation.

One day will be shut the door of forgiveness that is open today and you taking it for granted and you're taking it for granted, one that will be shut and will be too late.

It was too late to elect employer.

If you have not come to know the Lord Jesus Christ submitted to his authority and received him as a savior of your life that you would do that today. The evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit.

The effect of the power of the Holy Spirit. Thirdly, the explanation of the power of the Holy Spirit versus 12 to 13. There were two reactions to the manifestation in the my power of the Holy Spirit to reactions, though some who will stick into their heart. They were amazed there perplexed and then when people explain things to them 3000.

Some of them have come and responded to the invitation of salvation. That's one reaction there's another reaction.

There were those who mocked those who ridicule they said they have too much wind or drunk to reactions and know whatever the gospel is faithfully preached. You will always get to reactions in the third two reactions. There are those who stand in amazement and find the salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. They have the peace that passes understanding in this life and eternal life, and there are those who mock those who ridicule those who rationalize the rejection and will end up in torment for the rest of eternity. Nothing changed in 2000 years we hear people today who say mentioning the name of Jesus in public is divisive while deeply I grieve for them and I really truly do my reactions like I will be like the kids and say, of course, is divisive.

Of course, what else do you expect Jesus said he told us, so his name is divisive. He said that my name will be divisive. He said that I came to bring a sword and the sword divides causes divisive. He himself said I came to bring up fire causes divisive. Jesus said that they're going to be sheep and are going to be go.

Jesus said that they're going to be. We is going to be chaff. Jesus himself told us that there are those who will believe in him and those who will ignore him and reject him. We shouldn't be surprised. We really shouldn't be surprised sad motivated to make it known, but not surprised.

Sad because the day of the harvest, the day of the coming judgment. Those who mocked him, those who rejected him.

Those who ignored him. Those who despised him will experience eternal separation from him separation from all that is good in this world for anything that is good in this world comes from his hand hundred years ago somebody said you know I said the for the nonbelievers. This world is the best that is going to be for the both of the believers in Jesus Christ would experience in this world is the worst you ever going to experience because he is someone who tells us time to rise in the morning.

He has a lot of tells the grass to grow.

Here's the one who tells Lorraine to pour down here is the one from whom all blessings flow. Try to imagine this world without him hell on earth. But for those who have received him. Those who humble themselves before him. Those who recognize him as a savior more than the master of the life those who have surrendered the rain and the rule of the lives to him those who have worshiped him. Those are about to him what experience nothing short of heaven with him. It is been the prayer of my heart that not what a single person who is heard the word of God and the voice of God speaking to you but you would stop running stop rationalizing stop explaining away and in simple, innocent surrender, the lawgiver is a master you. The pure holiness in the son of God, who died for me, a sinner who is running my own life and I'm tired of it. Every time I seek for peace, I got nothing but war inside of me today is the day spa heads in prayer.

If there's one person here today can say Lord Jesus. I've been running up and rationalizing up and walking today I went to give my life to you.

The Lord Jesus, I come to you this day not to do something about with the promise of Jesus as he signaled nobody that comes to me and asked me to come into his or her life that I will no way reject. I thank you father God that you in the power of your Holy Spirit have spoken to them.

Father God, I pray that the surrender be real and that Holy Spirit you would fill them at this very moment that you are the God of all truth and teach them the truth of God. We pray this in Jesus name, amen. Thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael.

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