If you're just joining us, where've you been?? We are just finishing up Pastor Dan's series called Fight! We've been talking about fighting with the wrong weapons or the wrong war, and what are the right weapons. You can check out previous messages in the series here:
Part 5
The theme verse for this series is found in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5:
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
We fight for freedom and life against the enemy – slavery and death. Anger depression, insignificance are just a few other facets of the enemy we fight. In this fight, we don't use human arguments and wisdom and our enemy is not people. Our fight is against principalities and powers. We use weapons like love, the Cross, forgiveness and the Word of God. These weapons are what Jesus used to establish a beachhead on this earth. For more on all of that, check out previous messages from this series.
Tonight we are taking a look at the weapon of the Spirit's power.
When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.
A few of the ways the Spirit's power can be seen in our lives are:
1. Healing
When Pastor Dan was traveling with Clint Rogers Ministries he saw first hand a whole lot of amazing demonstrations of the Spirit's power. People who were blind or deaf healed, a baby's leg several inches shorter than the other one grew instantly!
2. Prophecy
It doesn't have to be some grand proclamation in King James English. We're talking about just following the leading of the Spirit and speaking into someone's life.
3. Deliverance
People are in trouble out there. Addicted, depressed, angry. They need to be set free!
Maybe you're thinking, But... what if it doesn't work?!? What if it's embarrassing?!? That's why the Cross is so important. Because when you go to the Cross, you lay down your own life. It's no longer about you. You're just the jumper cables. One end is hooked up to the power of God, the other to a person in need. You are the conduit, bringing the power of God to them.
We have a relationship with God, we can connect to Him. There are people out there that don't have a relationship with Him, that are oppressed and in need. We can help them get Him!
In Acts 10:38, we see what Jesus did by the Spirit's power:
...how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
And in Acts 1:8 that same power was given to Jesus' disciples:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Notice it doesn't say, “You will go to Bible School for 5 years and THEN be my witnesses.” Nope, it's through the power of the Holy Spirit, available now!
Here's how Jesus put it to his disciples in Matthew 10:7-8:
As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
And it's not just for the 12 disciples. It's for all of us! Check out Matthew 28:18-20:
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Jesus is saying, “OK, you disciples have it. Now go tell everyone else and tell them to do the same!” And so they did – and generations later, here we are.
The pressure is not on us, it's on God.
Mark 16:17-19 has a pretty cool promise:
And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.
We're just following the promise of God, the pressure is on Him to come through. The power comes from Him, not from the jumper cables. We are all called to walk in the power of God, not just pastors or parents or leaders or those "with all the answers." Even Paul said he didn't know what to say; he stumbled over his words. But God's power worked through him.
Once you've been healed, set free and delivered, you KNOW God is real. There is no argument about it, you just know! Eloquence won't change the world, arguing won't change the world. But God's power will.
If you feel weak, ignorant, unable to speak well, etc, you are just right to be used by God! The power of the Spirit is in you. Learn to know His voice when He prompts you to go speak to someone or pray for someone. Be sensitive to His leading, and He will tell you what to do.
Walk in the power of the Spirit!
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