Touching God to touch the World. Take hold of God and His promises.. 1. All throughout the New Testament The bible describes how the people wanted to touch the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. They believed if they touched him that something dramatic would happen in their life or the life of the person they might have brought. 3, Matt 9:21A woman who had an issue of blood for 12 years said within herself. If only I may touch His garment I shall be made well. 4. Mark 3:10 For He healed so many that as many as had afflictions pressed upon Him to touch Him. Unclean spirits whenever they saw Him fell down before Him and cried out saying" you are the son of God", 5. Mark 6:S6Whenever he entered into villages Cities or the country they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment and as many as touched Him were made well. 6. Luke 6:19 and the whole multitude sought to touch Him for power went out from Him and healed them all. Note: Well how do things like that happen today... Why do you and I not see the kingdom of God operating in this kind of power as it did in the first century? 1. Could it be that maybe.. sometimes we give up a little bit to early when we might have broken through in prayer or we maybe we just didn't wait long enough for God to have an opportunity to move and touch us so you and I can touch others? 2. Matthew 11:12 says this... from the time of John the Baptist until now the kingdom suffers violence and the violent take it by force.. 3. 'I was having breakfast with Don Steward a while back and I asked Him about this passage... He said it would take him fifteen minutes to build up to it.. a. Violence was allowed to come into the Kingdom of God especially with the beheading of John the Baptist and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
b. But it says the violent take it by force. Nelson's Study Bible and John McCarther seemed to say the same thing. 4. There are times that you and I give up too early. Maybe we feel dry or unworthy... Satan's greatest neutralizer for the Christian is condemnation even after you've repented.. promised God you would never do it again. He just seems to be able to block the peace and presence of God from penetrating his love to us. 5. I believe that you and I need to remind ourselves of the promises of God and literally and spiritually begin to press into the Kingdom in a spiritual dimension and to take hold of the Lord Jesus Christ.. 6. Look at these people who pressed in.. they got something yet you and I can easily give up so quickly.. I believe we need to press in.. and take hold of God, touch Him and you will discover he is touching you. 7. It is almost like a wave of every kind of wave of unbelief upon. don't look at the crowd the Storms or the circumstances. 8. Get a little violent... Grab hold of God and don't let go until you know something kind broke in the spiritual deminsion. The second thing when wanting to touch the world for God is Obedience.. We need to obey Him.. 1. If you are like me that just seems to disqualify us right away.. especially if you are somewhat new in the faith.. 2. I did not say be perfect.. but move in the same direction He's going.. be where you are supposed to be.. 3. Fulfill your ministry when he brings one. 4. Deut 13: 4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him and keep His commandments and obey His voice You shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.. 5. Peter told the leaders that told them not to speak.. Acts 5 we ought to obey God rather than man..
6. Galatains..5:7 You did run well who hindered you that you would not obey the truth.. 7. God places his word before us.. we blow it.. but for the most part.. you got to really resist the leading of the Holy Spirit and that is disobedience.. He warns you doesn't He.. 8. When you start moving in a wrong direction.. most of the time the Lord.. gives you some kind of indication. Uneasy... lack of peace.. start to sweat.. you sometimes have to resist the Spirit. To the point of grieving Him.. Don't we. 9. You and I know we have a lot of lee way... God many times gives you a pretty long rope.. but sometimes we stretch it to the limit.. We need to get reeled back.. in.. remember... what is required of the Gentiles.. 10. Acts.. 15.. Refrain from things offered to idols..things strangled, blood.jike drinking it.. and sexual immorality.. the rest of the time do what you want.. 11.0bedience... to the Spirit...is revealed in Luke 2:25 and behold there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon and this man was just and devout waiting for the Consolation of Israel.. Read.. a. This is a person who is led by the spirit.. b. Are you... can you? How about when you pray for someone.. how do you pray?. what do you pray? c. Wouldn't it be better to wait on the Lord and ask the Lord to show you how to pray? d. What if the person is going through a total huge trial..oh God may you deliver my friend out of this situation maybe the Lord would say.. I am using this to purify them. e. Holy Spirit please show me how to pray for this f. At the Hospital where I am a Chaplain a nurse. wanted prayer for neck.. going on missions trip Hiati.. The Lord showed me this gift this lady had. g. Chuck Smith said in his sermon.. this past Sunday.. take my advise.. if God tells you to do something just do it... you'll be a whole lot better off..
If we are touching God and obey him. God can use us to do His will How do I know God's will for me.. The word God wants to use.. Ephesians 5:15-21 1. See then that you walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is.. 2. And do not be drunk with wine in excess... but be filled with the Spirit speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.. Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.. Submitting to one another in the fear of God.. 3. We also know Romans 12 tells us to present ourselves to God as a living sacrifice. Holy and expectable to God which is your reasonable service. 1. Being used by God one needs to be filled with the Spirit 4. Jesus said in John 7:37 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink He that believeth on me as the scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.. this he spoke of the spirit... for it was not yet given to the church. 5. John 14:17 The Father is going to send you a helper that He may abide with you forever. the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him but you know Him for He dwells with you and will be in you... 6. With is para.. along side of or with and En.. which comes and dwells inside.. 7. We also know we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise.. that means ownership.. That we are God's people destined for Heaven. 8. But The baptism of the Holy Spirit is different because this is done by Jesus Christ,.." Luke 3:16 John answered saying to alii indeed baptize you with water but one mightier than I is coming whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
9. This is the promise of the Father Luke 24:49 and being assembled together with them commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father... This is a gift.. you cannot earn it.. 10.The Duffield and Van Cleave says. About the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.. the Third person of the God head comes upon the believer to anoint and energize him for special service. This experience is designated in the New Testament as the Spirit falling upon coming upon or being poured out upon the yielded believer in sudden and supernatural manner. 11. Acts 1:18 But you shall receive power.. dynamite power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.. 12... and we know that Peter..right after he received this new power... saw 3000 thousand people saved at his first sermon.. Our next point is.. We need to come often... John 7. Let him come to me and drink and out of you will flow... rivers plural. Of living water 1. Jesus told the disciples in John 15 abide in me.. for without me you can do nothing... any spiritual lasting thing for God.. or fruit bearing results must be done by the power of God... 2. Paul told the church at Thessalonica to pray with out ceasing.. 3. Also he said in everything give thanks for this is the will of God 4. Jesus sometimes spent the evening in prayer 5. Read the word daily man shall not live by bread alone but every word that comes from the mouth of God.. 6. Worship Him. By thankful.. pray.. 7. How about fasting.. There's power in it.. 8. As we come to him as our father and our shepherd. the Bible tells us he is the good shepherd. he will fix us.. 9. He anoints my head with oil. my cup runs over..