Unshakeables Power When John the Baptist the greatest of all prophets born of a woman preached the wilderness of Judea he made a profound statement: PP #1 I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and Fire. Matt 3:11 NIV The word at the end of this verse for our Latins is fuego or fire really should be more accurately translated fuerza or force. Think not as just a fire but rather a firestorm. A firestorm is a horizon-swallowing, all-incompassing driven rage of unstoppable heat that creates its own weather system. That s what descends on you and I when we receive the Holy Spirit the power of God. The Apostle Paul says it this way when beginning his letter to the Corinthians: I did not come to you with the persuasive and enticing words of man s wisdom but in a demonstration of the Holy Spirit and power. I Cor. 1:24 NLT Contrary to the many modern day theological critics on the power available today through the Holy Spirit - the abuses of
what Paul found among the churches were not issues of defining the extent of God s available power but by the seduction and manipulation of words leading to false doctrine and apostasy. Foolish Galatians who has bewitched you. To young Timothy at Ephesus; if anyone preaches a different gospel than we have preached to you find him accursed. The snare of man toward deception has always been is in words not in the manifestation in power! You will not find this in the bible: PP #2 Beloved Philippians; I am fearful of your open display of God s unlimited power and find you in error and excess, cease this foolishness and repent of the great deception which is of Satan Actually the Bible says the opposite in one of the oldest NT manuscripts ever found Mark 16 PP #3 Then after He ascended, the disciples (120) went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word with signs, wonders and miracles that accompanied it, YLT Notice it did not say them but it. Signs follow the Word!
50 days after Jesus s crucifixion and resurrection Peter is preaching before thousands listening to the full gospel for the first time. The Bible said they were pierced to the heart and cried out what must we do Peter. PP #4 Repent, and be baptized, ever one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For this PROMISE is unto you, your children, and all who are far off (you and me) as many as the Lord our God will call to himself. Acts 2:38-39, BLB PP #5 Big Idea for Today: Your Promise is His Power. I am grateful today this is God s promise to US and not man s promise. I am grateful today it came from the one whom it says: That God is not a man that he should lie or the son of man that he should repent. I am grateful today that it came from the God who is the same yesterday, today and forever! Failure of man s promise example.
PP #6 (Show Zimbabwe 10 trillion dollar Bill) Powepoint Slide How did God choose to leave his power through the activation of the Holy Spirit as our promise? Jesus said in John 16:7 I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I don t, the Comforter (Counselor, Advocate), will not come unto you, and if I go, I will send him unto you. - YLT Later in John 20:22 after his resurrection, as they showed his disciples his hands and side it says; As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you. And with that he breathed on them and said receive the Holy Spirit. John 20-22, BLB Remember above in John, when speaking of the Holy Spirit as Comforter and Counselor John 14:26, even further clarifies this: PP #7 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit who the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you (lead you into all truth). John 14:26, NIV
The Holy Spirits power touches us in two ways: As a Christian, the Holy Spirit indwells in us after we repent, He does what John writes about. He s our comforter, counselor. He s our instructor in truth, he s a friend that sticks closer than a brother. He s our peace and assurance. In fact in Romans chapter 8, the Holy Spirit searches our hearts even knows the infirmities within us and manifests healing when we pray in the Holy Spirit or our heavenly prayer language or the individual gift of tongues. The Bible declares in Jude vs. 20 that our spiritcentered prayer language even builds up our most holy faith when we pray in the Holy Spirit. (Why would God not want you to have this as a believer especially since it s your promise?) But the baptism of fire that John talks about is what Paul talks about as it relates to the manifestation of Power in Corinthians. PP #8 No concerning spiritual gifts brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. To one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirt, to another the word of knowledge, through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of Spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one in the same Spirit works all these things distributing to each one as He wills 1 Cor 12 7:1,1 NKJV
Paul later writes these are for the both the benefit of the Church. adequately supplying to all the spiritual needs of the Church, and towards the demonstration that we serve as Christians the one true and living God and not to dead idols as others serve. Jesus great commission to His disciples again in Mark Chapter 16 states: PP #9 Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.and these signs will follow those who believe: In my name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues, they will take up serpents, and if they will drink anything deadly it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. Mark 16:15-18, NKJV These signs will follow all who believe. Why PS Jim don t I see them follow all believers? He said to all who believe in my name and in MY promise. It s really rather simple. How is our coefficient of belief this morning? (Baby Evangeline s testimony) - Show Powerpoint PDF) Mark chp 9 Story of the deaf and mute son and the unbelieving father. I do believe but I m struggling, drowning in my circumstances, Lord, help my unbelief pray for congregation.