Never the Same: Wk#3: Experiencing More

Today we continue our 4 week series called "Never the Same”

Four guiding principles that if embraced will guarantee, your life will never be the same!

W‌e are continuing to unpack as a church what we call Our Compass Culture. Why a Compass?

Because we are called to: Guide people on an adventure to more in life through Jesus

Our Compass Culture:

Nothing is Impossible with God (Baptism: New Creature)

Standing Firm in Truth (Baptism: Obedience)

Experiencing More

More of God, More From God, & More For God.

Fall of 1991 I was just shy of my 19th Birthday. Running from God. Bedroom HG Story

Experiencing More: Adventures with God and Purpose

More of God, More From God, & More For God.

I told you God gave me a three part mandate for 2023 for our Church:

Aware of God’s Presence : More of God

In tune with God’s Purpose : More For God

Enabled by God’s Power : More From God

The Theology of More

Ephesians 3:14-21 (ESV) 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

More, Full, Filled (Glass container and pitcher of water)

Filled: to put into as much as can be held or contained.

a full supply, a quantity that satisfies.

Ps 72:19 Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen!

Ps 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Ps 107:9 For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

Psalm 81:10,16 10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

“But my people did not listen to my voice; Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!”

16  But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Tell Story of early believers and persecution (Things you might be facing)

1. Aware of God’s Presence : More of God

Acts 4:23–31 (ESV)

23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them

To make room for the kind of abundance He created us for, He must first cut away parts of our lives that drain precious time and energy from what’s truly important. -Bruce Wilkinson

There are no atheist only those who know or don’t know the God they serve.

Technically we don’t get “more” of God, we Experience “more” of God. Awareness

Awareness: knowledge or perception of a person, situation or fact.

2. In tune with God’s Purpose: More For God

Acts 4:29–30 (ESV) 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

Danger in the Church: Practical atheists, people who have a belief in God, but approach a problem the same way an atheist would—without a miracle-working God at the center of their answer.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV) 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Pitcher and Container (Far More: Overflow)

To walk in this overflow we have to understand God’s power at work in us.

Two Words for Power. Exousia & Dunamis

Matthew 28:17–20 (ESV): 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Authority: exousia (ex-oo-see’-ah); privilege, delegated influence or authority, jurisdiction, power, right.

Police officer with a badge

John 20:21–22 (ESV): 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

Luke 9:1–3 (ESV): And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.

Power: dunamis (doo’-nam-is); miraculous power (usually by implication, a miracle itself)

Police officer with a badge

Breathed on/Be filled

Acts 1:4-5 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Go wait in the city.....Acts 1:8 you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you....

Acts 2:1–4 (ESV): When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit

God commands us to be filled with the Spirit, and if we are not filled it is because we are living beneath our privileges.-Dwight L. Moody

Being filled is our privilege and moving in his power is promised to those who are filled.

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses.

Witness: 1. a person who sees an event take place. 2. one who shows evidence or proof

N/S/E: I’m going to invite you on an Adventure in Faith,Word & Presence/Purpose!

T-shirt Campaign: How Can I Pray for You?

When the disciples did not get a supernatural breakthrough as they were accustomed to, they asked Jesus why. He explained that sometimes we need to add fasting and prayer to our pursuit.

In other words, some realms in God will not be brought to us—they must be pursued.

Yes being filled and experiencing more of/from/for God is our privilege. But It’s a privilege we can expect when we obey Jesus’s command to tarry (tarry often)

3. Enabled by God’s Power : More From God

Acts 4:29–31 (ESV) 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Plēroō (filled) means to be completely filled, or totally controlled.

When we are filled with anger, we are controlled by anger. To be “filled with the Spirit” means to be “controlled by the Spirit.”

The disciples were given the exousia (authority), as we saw in Luke 9, but what about the dunamis (power)?

The disciples were also given authority in the Great Commission, but Jesus now required that they not leave Jerusalem until they had received the dunamis—power from on high:

Fresh filling

31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Again, before you can be filled with the Spirit you must desire to be filled. -A. W. Tozer

Capacity Issue

You will never deal with your capacity issue if you are spiritually complacent.

We must come with an expectation to be filled with more of His Presence/Power.......for Purpose.

Go for More!