Power and Fire of God

Introduction

Summary: We must have the Power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It's a promise from God and available to everyone!

Luke 3:15–16 NKJV

Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, John answered, saying to all, “I 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.

ILLUST: Testimony: Hearing about the Holy Ghost for the first time.

• “You’ll know when you get it!”

• “Hey, don’t tell people about speaking in tongues or they’ll put you away.”

• Deep inside I wanted it and knew that I just had to have it!

The OLD TESTAMENT Talked about it.

The Prophets of the Old Testament foretold of the coming of the Spirit of God.

Ezekiel 36:26–27 NKJV

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

Isaiah 44:3 NKJV

For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring;

Joel 2:28 NKJV

“And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.

Matthew 3:11 NKJV

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

The Jews had longed for the day when the Spirit would come.

• The prophets had foretold His coming time and again;

• The people knew exactly what John was talking about!

POWER

I would like to address some questions that people ask…

1. “Do we need the Holy Ghost?”

2. “Can ANYONE have it?”

3. “How do I get it?”

Let’s start with the first question, “Do we need the Holy Ghost?”

Acts 1:8 NKJV

But you shall receive 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.”

Like all of us, the Disciples lacked power without the POWER of the Holy Ghost and Fire!

• They failed repeatedly when trying to heal or cast out demons

• They lacked the courage to stand for Jesus and forsook Him

Peter denied that he even knew Jesus

BUT THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED!

Acts 2:1–4 NKJV

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The promise that the Prophets had foretold was finally fulfilled.

• God’s Spirit was being poured out and into the lives of people

• They were no longer without power

• The Holy Ghost Fire changed them.

That same Peter…

• Powerless

• Cowardly and Afraid

• Denied that he knew Jesus now stood up in front of a multitude of people and preached a message of salvation and thousands of souls were saved that same day!!!

Acts 2:14–16 NKJV

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

That same Peter that powerless to heal or cast out demons before, now with the power of the Holy Ghost Fire sees a lame man in front of the temple…

Acts 3:6–8 NKJV

Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.

WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE?

THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST FIRE!

The Holy Ghost Fire changes us!

How many times do people make commitments to live for God, but then continue to keep going back to their old life?

• They want to serve the Lord.

• They desire a relationship with Him.

• They make promises to live for Him and serve Him, but something is missing!

• They have the desire, but not the power!

We need the Power of His Spirit and FIRE in our lives

The Baptism of the Holy Ghost and Fire

Baptism: the word "baptism" means to dip, to immerse, to submerge, to place into. John's baptism was with water, but Jesus' baptism was "in the Spirit and fire."

1. John's baptism was both a preparation and a symbol of the spiritual baptism that Jesus was going to bring.

John's water baptism meant two things.

• First, it symbolized cleansing from all sin. A person was being prepared for the cleansing that Christ would provide.

• Second, it symbolized separation or dedication. A person was setting their life apart to God in a renewed spirit of dedication. They were committing themselves to the Christ that John was preaching about.

2. Jesus' spiritual baptism is a double baptism.

First, Jesus baptizes the person in the Spirit. He dips, immerses, and places the person in the Spirit, and the Spirit in the person.

John 7:38–39 NKJV

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

A person may be carnal and materialistic, but once they have been baptized into the Spirit by Christ, they become spiritually minded.

Romans 8:5–7 NKJV

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

Second, Jesus baptizes the person in fire.

Fire has several functions that graphically symbolize the work of Christ.

• It illuminates

Our spiritual eyes are open

• It warms

It’s the warmth of the Love of God in our hearts

• It melts

Those areas of our heart that have become cold and frozen

• It burns

The impurities, chaff, sin and the desire for sin

Jesus Christ separates a person from his former life and purifies them within by filling them with the Power and the Fire of His Spirit.

CONCLUSION

So, can anyone have it? How do I get it?

Acts 2:38–39 NKJV

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

I CLOSE WITH ONE LAST QUESTION!

Do you WANT IT?!?!

It’s a PROMISE of the FATHER

It’s for EVERYONE and Jesus paid the price, so that you can have it today?