'For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power... For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes,' (1 Corinthians 4.20; Romans 1.16, NIV). I have seen the power of God in an incredible way. From childhood, I wanted every day and every part of my life to be under the direction and control of the Holy Spirit. Now when I look back over 75 years of ministry I know with absolute certainty that there has been both purpose and direction in my life. God has been in control of all my days and all my experiences. Everything that has happened in my life was foreknown in His plan.
What happened at Pentecost?
I want you to understand the power of the Holy Spirit to change and empower lives. After the death and resurrection of Jesus, Peter, according to John 21, went back to his old life of fishing. He is disillusioned and disappointed. Yet, when the Holy Spirit came upon him on the Day of Pentecost, Peter preached with such power and conviction that 3000 repented!
How much Holy Spirit do you want?
The Spirit of Christ and the Holy Spirit
God so loved us
1 John 4 Bible Study: 'Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.' (1 John 4)
The Sacrifice, the Temple, and the Kingdom
1 John 2 Bible Study: Chapter Two of John’s letter begins with a sense of danger, John is troubled: “My little children, I WRITE TO YOU THAT YOU SIN NOT.” He’s possibly writing even as much as 100 years after the birth of Christ, so he’s an old man – which entitles him to address his readers as ‘little children’… But maybe here he’s also addressing some who are still ‘spiritually children’. What he says relates to anyone of us today, but in this case I am sensing John is writing particularly to Jewish people who had become followers of Christ; Jews, who when they believed, had accepted something that had been ‘hidden’ from them in their Jewish Law/Scriptures, something so completely new to them, they are now finding it hard to fully accept, and that is: JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD, HIS SACRIFICIAL DEATH HAS PAID THE FULL PRICE OF SIN!
Get on Fire for God!
With God, nothing is impossible! Daniel 11.32 says, ‘Those who know their God will be strong and do exploits’ – the most amazing incredible things ever seen on the earth – ‘exploits’! Bigger than anything you can imagine! You should be doing more than anybody else! Church, we’ve got to get on FIRE! If you’ve got no fire, get the Holy Ghost!
God will pour out His Spirit
Acts Bible Study: The Church began in the Acts of the Apostles with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It’s the story of the birth of the Church, how it was formed, how it developed – and I believe it’s how the Church should be today. I believe we should live as they lived in the Acts of the Apostles, in the same Power of the Holy Spirit – it’s the Power behind my ministry of evangelism. In Joel 2 the prophet speaks of the first rain and the last rain. I believe, and many would agree, this refers to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost when the church began, and now in these last days before Christ returns.
Did you receive the Holy Spirit?
Acts Bible Study Chapter 19: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” “No”, they replied, “we have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” “Well then, how were you baptised?” asked Paul. “We were baptised with John’s baptism,” they replied.
“John’s baptism was a baptism to show a change of heart,” Paul explained, “but he always told the people that they must believe in the one who should come after him, that is, in Jesus.”
When these men heard this they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus, and then, when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they began to speak with tongues and the inspiration of prophets. (There were about twelve of them in all.) (Acts 19.1-7, PHILLIPS)
The Apostle Paul's first missionary journey
Acts Bible Study Chapter 13: 'While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.' (Acts 13.2-3, NIV.) Acts 13 details the start of Paul's first missionary journey.