Preparing for Revival:

Pursuing Power with a Purpose

Acts 1:8

Acts 1:8 – But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Introduction:

Often there is confusion when it comes to Bible teaching regarding the filling of the Holy Spirit.  When we study the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, it is important to understand the difference between the indwelling and the filling ministry of the Holy Spirit.  We discovered last week that the Holy Spirit began to permanently reside inside the bodies of believers on Resurrection Sunday according to John 20:22.

Tonight we are going to study the filling ministry of the Holy Spirit.  We will look at His ministry in the Old Testament, and we will see that His power always came to enable His servants to accomplish a specific task.  We will see that the prophet Joel foretold about a time when that specific purpose would be narrowed.  We will see that Jesus narrowly defined the purpose of Holy Spirit power this side of Calvary.  Finally, we will see the examples of New Testament Holy Spirit filling for a very specific purpose.

I. Holy Spirit Indwelling is something for all believers this side of Calvary.

A. It started on Resurrection Sunday.

“And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:” (John 20:22)

B. Every Believer is the Temple of the Holy Spirit

1 Corinthians 3:16 – Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1 Corinthians 6:19 – What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

2 Corinthians 6:16 – And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said,  I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

2 Timothy 1:14 – That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

C. If the Spirit does not indwell you, you are not nor were ever saved.

Romans 8:9 – But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

1 John 4:13 – Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

D. Holy Spirit Filling then, is a special outpouring of power from time to time… power with a purpose that is a different ministry than the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit.

II. Holy Spirit Filling:  Power with a Purpose Before Calvary

A.  Special power to craft beauty for worship

Exodus 28:2-3 – 2 And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. 3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

Exodus 31:1-5 – And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: 3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, 5 And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.

B. Special power to wage war

Judges 3:9-10 – 9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.  10 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.

Judges 6:33-34 – 33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. 34 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.

Judges 11:29,32 – 29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon. 32 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.

C. Special power for leadership

Deuteronomy 34:9 – And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.

D. Special power for preaching

Isaiah 61:1 – The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

Ezekiel 11:5 – And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the LORD; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.

Micah 3:8 – But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.

Luke 1:15,41 – 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. 41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

III. Holy Spirit Filling:  Change in Purpose Prophecied

A.  Joel’s prophecy

Joel 2:28-32 – 28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

B. Peter’s interpretation

Acts 2:14-21 – 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

C. Jesus’ explanation

Acts 1:8 – But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

IV. Holy Spirit Filling: Power With A Purpose Today

A.  Great fruit

Acts 2:4,41-42 – 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

B. Great boldness

Acts 4:31 – And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

C. Great power against resistance

Acts 13:6-12 – 6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: 7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. 9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost,  set his eyes on him, 10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

Pleading the Promises – Prayer that Gets God’s Attention

Nehemiah 1:1-11

Preached Wednesday September 16, 2015

Introduction:

As we finish our study on the subject of prayer, it is fitting that we look at the kind of prayer that God prefers and responds to.  Many religious tradition use liturgical prayers that are memorized and repeated over and over. If you are a Born Again Christian, God is your adopted Father.  The veil that separated you from Him has been torn apart.  Jesus Christ makes it possible for us to come boldly before the Father with our prayers.

This evening we are going to study two examples of prayer where people used God’s Word and through their passionate pleading, touched the heart of God.  Nehemiah was the king’s cup bearer during the times of Jewish captivity.  In chapter one of his book, we read how he saw the state of Jerusalem and how he prayed about the sorry condition of God’s people.  In Acts chapter 4 we will see that the church at Jerusalem was under persecution, their pastors had just been jailed and beaten.  We will see how they prayed and touched the heart of God.

I. We Need to be Intellectually Affected

Psalm 37:4-5

4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

A. ASK about the state of God’s work!

Nehemiah 1:1-2

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

1. Be alert as to how we are perceived in the community

2. Understand that our impact depends upon our perceived health

B. Note AFFLICTION– distress/misery because of the enemy’s victory

Nehemiah 1:3

3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in        the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem       also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.

Acts 4:18-23

18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. 21 So when they had further threatened them, they    let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done. 22 For the man          was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.

23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

C. Note REPROACH

1. Disgrace

2. Because of lack of victory

3. God gets glory when we produce fruit, not when we are barren.

John 15:8

8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye                     be my disciples.

D. Note the condition of the ministries of God now –  Jerusalem’s walls were burned

II. We Need To Be Emotionally Affected

Nehemiah 1:4

4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

James 4:7-10

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

A. Sit down – in amazement

B. Weep – let it affect you!

C. Mourn – as you would lose a loved one

D. Fast – to distressed to eat!

E. Pray – driven to action

III. We Need To Be Personally Affected – Driven to prayer

A. Acknowledge God’s greatness

Nehemiah 1:5

5 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible               God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe         his commandments:

1. The God of Heaven

2. Creator

Acts 4:24

24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with         one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven,         and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:

3. Great… in scope and dimension

4. Terrible – One to be feared

5. Covenant Keeper – you are going to hold Him to it!

B. Acknowledge our total dependence upon God

Nehemiah 1:6

6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest   hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and     night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the           children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my     father’s house have sinned.

1. Listen to me!

2. Look at this!

3. Pray day and night

Luke 11:6-8 – For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

C. Pray with a penitent heart

Nehemiah 1:7

7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the          commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou    commandedst thy servant Moses.

1. Repentance follows when you get a clear vision of who God is.

Isaiah 6:5

5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

2. Effective prayer comes from the righteous.

James 5:16

16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

D. Remind God of His promises – Pray Biblically

Nehemiah 1:8-9

8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: 9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.

Acts 4:25-28

25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

2 Chronicles 7:14 – If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

E. Make it personal

Nehemiah 1:10-11

10 Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. 11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.

1. Your church

2. Your soul winning

3. Specific requests that line up with God’s will and work.

Acts 4:29-31

29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. 31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.