Giving Your Faith Away

Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham a little later in the program will tell you how you can get a copy of Dr. Graham's evangelism bundle. The first hears the message given your faith, your Bibles to the book of acts where a series of messages called the power of spiritual engagement and really what we're talking about is life in the spirit and if we are living a life in the spirit.

The outliving of his indwelling and then certainly it is the plan.

The purpose of God spirit in us to use each one of us to share the faith to invite others to know Christ introduce our family our friends and people that we may never meet the various ways in me to the good news of Jesus Christ. We got to meet a man who went to a desert place at a distant place to share his faith. He was on a mission to share the gospel and to get out of his own comfort zone and to get into the caring zone of personal faith. Look in verse 26 of acts chapter 8. His name is Philip. Philip was one of the deacons of the church, a layman unleash sharing faith in Christ. And remember this wasn't just the apostle sharing their faith, but all the believers were at this mission of inviting others to know Christ and so Philip like Stephen before him. One of the deacons of the church is out there doing what God has called them to do first and Samaria. He crossed some racial barriers in some religious barriers to go to Samaria and there and Samaria.

God sent a great revival among the people they are in God greatly use this man Philip is a catalyst for that revival, but then something very unusual happened to Philip verse 26 is now an angel of the Lord said to Philip rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.

This is a desert place, and he rose and went in there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of 10 days the Queen of the Ethiopian was in charge of all of her treasure. In other words, this was a very important figure in the government of the Ethiopians and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, being a God bearer someone who had converted to the Jewish faith he had sought God in Jerusalem had had made this track from Ethiopia across the desert to Jerusalem. And yet this man filled with religion was going home empty. Knowing that he needed something else, something more in his life. Verse 28 says and was returning, seated in his chariot and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. In the spirit said to Philip in some way intuitively, and yet intently, the spirit of God spoke to Philip and prompted him to go talk to this man so Philip ran to him. I love that know you. He ran to the chariot and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, do you understand what you are reading. He met him at the point of this me.

He found this man fully prepared to receive what God was about to give and the gentleman said in verse 31. How can I unless someone guides me and he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Now the passage of the Scripture that was he was reading was this this comes right out of Isaiah 53 verses seven and eight. Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb before his shearer is silent, so he opened not his mouth. He's talking about the Lord. He's reading about the Messiah, who would come and sacrifice and in his humiliation. Justice was denied him due can describe this generation for his life is taken away from the earth, so this very religious man.

This leader in his own country.

He is wondering what does all of this me.

What did the prince of prophets Isaiah mean when he spoke of this one. He would die like a lamb sent to a slaughter. And the eunuch said to Philip, about whom I ask you, does the prophet say this about himself or about someone else that I love verse 35 then Philip opened his mouth. He didn't simply influence them with his life. That's good, that's a great start, but it takes more than that to bring others to Christ as it he opened his mouth. He spoke and beginning with the Scripture that Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus that in simple form is the way every one of us can witness. If we are externally engaged externally focused. It was an extreme thing for God to say to Philip I want you to leave this comfortable place and go to an unknown place just follow my prompt go after my lead and I will show you and prepare for you. Something that I have specifically called you to do the spirit of God often moves us to take risks, to get off of easy Street and walk the narrow road to take off our shoes and get our feet dirty for the cause of Christ.

Even in the desert place, even in the dirty place and that's what Philip reminds us of today how we can be used of God if we will simply not listen.

Be open and obedient to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Now you're looking for. The gist of this message you just heard how God can use us if we will be open and obedient and let me add one word other a word opportunistic to the voice and the vision of the Holy Spirit in our lives, how we do that, but start by being open to the work of the Holy Spirit, God spoke Philip listen. He was attentive and responsive to the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Our line is they will what is that pastor. The Bible says as many as are led by the spirit of God, these are the children of God and therefore we are to be filled with the spirit which means controlled by the spirit in order that we could be used by the spirit is impossible be used of the spirit of God is not filling my life and of course when we speak of our witness were talking about were talking about the collaborative and the cooperative ministry of the Spirit through us. When we work in our human energy we get what we can, but when we work in the power of God.

We get what God can do and when we share Christ. It is our availability but it is his ability is our personalities, but his power is our witness, but it is his work through that witness in the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when we are filled enables us to do things that we couldn't do ordinarily and that includes our witness to be filled with the spirit, is to ask God to take control and take command of your life.

Ephesians 518 says do not be drunk with wine, where is in excess but be filled with the spirit. In other words, be intoxicated with the spirit of God. And when you are filled with the Holy Spirit.

You will therefore live listening to the spirit, then God will give you the openness to see all around you opportunities that you would've missed a thousand times that you not been walking in the spirit. I want to tell you if you're filled with the spirit you will see more witness opportunities than you can possibly fall is when we're walking in self promotion or self centeredness that we miss all the opportunities that are around us.

But listen to the spirit. These are the promptings of the spirit he guides us. He places us in strategic places. He he leaves us to people that need to hear our witness and everyone can witness to someone every day. Maybe this would be a good time for question. When was the last time you witness to anyone that I'm not here to put you on a guilt trip, but I'm here to encourage you to get on the greatest adventure of life and that is being open to the work of the Holy Spirit sensitized by God in you to people all around you. Because remember, this is the passion of Christ, the spirit of God is Christ in us. And if Christ went about doing good. Each day, and that's what the Scripture tells us Jesus came to seek and to save that which is lost if Jesus that is the father sent me in the world. So do I see in you.

If this is the mission of Christ that it is the mission of his church and is the mission of every Christian a man so what I need to do is to get out my personal zone and again in to the God zone in my life. That's the filling of the spirit listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham in today's message giving your faith away from God-given calling to take the gospel to the world. That's why we put together a special bundle of resources to help you grow in your letter of the gospel and share it with others. This evangelism bundle includes three pastor Jack Graham's books help in Easter life but in God's promises for doubt filled days. This evangelism bundle is our thanks for your gift today and thanks to a generous matching grant your gift today will be doubled. So call now to request your evangelism bundle when you give call 1-800-795-4627 that's 1-800-795-4627.

He can also text the word PowerPoint defined 979 and don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our E store. Give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional our website again is Jack Graham.Margie now it's back. Today's message giving your faith away. The first thing that needs to happen if our going to give away our faith is that we need to be open to the leadership to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Secondly, we need not only to be open, but we need to be obedient. Remember being comes before doing so.

The open one and then be obedient. Remember the great commission is not a suggestion, is a command and so if I'm going to be an obedient Christian. Then I need to live every day with this. This unquestioning obedience. The moment I stop obeying God is the moment that I give spiritual power. The moment I say no to a prompting of the Holy Spirit is when I'm cut off from that divine sense of power and total obedience is what God expects and what God required. We don't always know why God tells us to do something to Abraham didn't understand why God told him to leave the Chaldees and to go out, not knowing where he was headed into the unknown. So Philip could've questioned God leading them to the desert Lord, here we are in Samaria, God using the other great way but now Lord, you want me to go somewhere south in the desert on this road.

This this forsaken road to the desert you will be to go out there but there's no sense that Philip even argued with God on this. He just immediately responded and God led Philip to just one man. Interestingly enough, we are told in Christian tradition and history that God will later use.

This man, this Ethiopian who came to faith in Christ because of Philip witness that God use this Ethiopian eunuch to take the gospel of Christ to all of North Africa.

You see, you never know what could happen if you just simply obeying God and talk to the person right in front of you about Jesus were told of the Scriptures that we must never quench the spirit, the spirit of God was spreading through the church not remember Jesus said, tell them to go into Jerusalem first and then to Judea, Samaria.

The uttermost parts of the year and interestingly enough, when the opposition rolled in in Jerusalem and persecution began. Remember Stephen, who died as him the first Christian martyr. The persecution was hot and heavy, so as a result, the fire now was spreading God. In one sense force the church through their discomfort to their paying for the struggles and persecution force them out Jerusalem and to Judea and Samaria us were Philip was and then ultimately out into the desert and onto the world.

It may be that the spirit of God is using some crisis in your life to move you out of your comfortable zone and to get you out Sherry Christ did you know that if you are going through a hard time right now. If you as a follower of Christ our are struggling is somewhere maybe you got a physical issue. Maybe. Maybe there's a problem in your life that you can't explain.

God wants to use that situation in your life. Even the darkness for you to shine the light of Christ because what people want to know. Does your faith and work in the tough times what people want to know the people you go to school with the people you work with the people in your neighborhood. They want to know when you're struggling and when you're hurting and when you got a problem does your faith make a difference in your life. Does Jesus really change things far away, just like everybody else falling apart at the first crisis know these Christians were moved by the spirit of God because they were obedient to his work.

Scripture says that Philip verse 35 opened his mouth again at the Scripture, and he preached Jesus to him being obedient includes knowing the Scripture that's another message another time, but it's important for Philip and for all of us when we are given these moments that we are able to some degree to art to kill late what we believe and so it is vital that you know the basics of your faith. I mean if if someone walked up to you right now. I said tell me how I can go to heaven.

Could you tell, you ought to be able to tell them the basic facts of the gospel of Christ, he began an this with the Scripture and preached Jesus ultimately that's what it's all about isn't it is talking about Jesus telling people about Jesus. And there are many ways that we do that we can all do it the same way but I tell you this, if we are led by the spirit we all will find our way of doing it.

It may be through ministries of mercy and helping hurting people that you are given an open door to share your faith, it may be through a ministry of the church. This is why we ask people urge people to get involved in the ministry of the church because every ministry of the church. If you're working with children.

If you're working with students or if you're working in a class or if you're working as an ossuary working in the parking lot what what ever you're doing. These are opportunities to share to show your witness for Christ and these will open doors for you to articulate your faith is the business of the Holy Spirit to introduce people to faith in Christ. Christians today either neglect the spirit or abuse the spirit of God by grieving the spirit are quenching the spirit rather than allowing the spirit of God to use us. Philip open the word any pre-stunned a.m. Jesus. That's what I wanted it.

This is when I am loving life is when I'm opening the word and preaching Jesus when I'm opening the Scriptures and sharing Jesus for me.

Life doesn't get any better than that.

It's all about sharing Jesus and the Holy Spirit will soften and prepare the person that you're talking to. You see, every person has me to basic needs, they need to be forgiven and they need to be fulfilled in Christ forgives us of all of our sins and fulfills and fills our lives.

I'm not talking about just the down and out too many of us think that the gospel is for the down and out with the gospel is for the down and out with this man, this Ethiopian. He was an up and out and even Jesus. He had the same name.

All this religious experience, but he was empty, and unforgiven.

I needed to know the love of Christ as so just as the spirit of God is working on me to prepare me to go and to be open to work in the spirit of my life and obedient to the will of the spirit in my life then he is working on somebody who is in my life that day that I can simply share witness with them. That's what I want to challenge you to do when you talk to people each day. We talked a little about when we talk about the family talk about the news we talk politics. We talked about the weather. All surface we talk about our favorite sports team.

We get pumped about that talk about our business. We talk about the next deal. I love the story of Pete Maravich. The great basketball player came to Christ. He said if I have the opportunity to introduce the subject of the conversation with the people I meet the subject is always Jesus.

Last night I was with a group of people call the roaring lambs great banquet Gary Kindersley leader of this group a wonderful Christian Lehman and the purpose of roaring lambs came from the book written by a gentleman named Bob Reiner now in heaven. Some of you remember Bob, he wrote a book called the roaring lambs say that's an unusual title roaring lambs was that of a set of what Jesus was the lamb that roared the Lamb of God in text takes away the sin of the world.

Jesus Lord when he died in we came back from the grave and he's the roaring Lamb.

The bull Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Those who follow the roaring lambs should also be roaring lambs and that's the theme of Briner's book. That's the purpose of this particular organization in the genuine purpose many women is to get people like you in the laity to go to the marketplace with Jesus.

The greatest mission field in the world is the marketplace and God has placed you in that place God is giving you a job in an assignment in that job and you ought to be a faithful worker and a good worker, you ought to do everything you can to be successful in your business for the purpose, beginning right there in talking about Jesus that Ethiopian came to Christ. He was baptized, he went on his way and Philip was translated just like that to another assignment for the Lord. That's the way to live. That's the way God calls Lehman and people like me get to preach to live every day sharing Jesus listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham in today's message giving your faith away.

3.2. People in our world still have no access to the good news of Jesus, and we must do what ever it takes to reach the lost, but the hope of Christ. That's why were excited to tell you about a matching grant that will double when ever you get today to help reach more people to PowerPoint your support will help broadcast the gospel into some of the most spiritually dark corners of the earth will say thanks for your gift by sending you three of Pastor Graham's books Tempe share the gospel right where you are.

This evangelism bundle includes the help of Eastern life, but in God's promises for doubtful days. So call now to have your gift doubled by the max and requester evangelism bundle, call 1-800-795-4627 that's 1-800-795-4627. You can also text the word PowerPoint to 59789 that's PowerPoint to 59789 and don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our E store. Give the gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional our website again is Jack Graham.March*what is your PowerPoint for today.

The first key to giving your faith away every day is to be open to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. God is at work in the lives of men and women and children all around you. He's drawing people to himself, he is preparing people to hear the story of Jesus and he wants to use you to tell that story. So if you are open to the Holy Spirit and sensitive to his gentle promptings in your life you will walk into the buying opportunities every day and you will be able to share your faith effectively. The second key to giving your faith away is to be obedient once you felt the Lord's prompting, to make that phone call or to write that note or to visit that person – the time to act. Don't be slow to respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in your life. Be sure to obey the Lord right away off of the Lord will prompt you at a specific moment at a specific time to deliver a timely word to a person who desperately needs to hear from God. And guess what, you get to be the delivery boy you get to be the person to carry the message and you don't need to delay because you might miss the moment that God is designed so it is vital that you learn to obey immediately when you feel that the Lord is speaking to you about speaking to others. The third important key in giving away your faith is to be observant. Sometimes it is possible to see that God is at work in someone's life and that they are becoming more and more open to talking about Christ. So what we need to do is to pay attention to what is happening in the lives of people around us and then to take every opportunity to speak into life situations where you know that people are ready responsive and are open to hearing about Jesus the Lord is constantly giving us opportunities to share our faith.

He really is.

The challenge is before us every day. The call comes every day to be more open to the Holy Spirit more obedient to his promptings and more observant to the opportunities that are all around us. God bless you as you share your faith, and that is today's PowerPoint. Remember when you give a gift to PowerPoint your gift will be doubled by a matching grant call 1800-7954 62 761-800-7954 627.

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Join Dr. Graham when he brings a message about how the Holy Spirit can lead you exactly where you need to go.

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