From Pentecost to Zion

Our Generation is crying out for a move of God! It is seeking something real. We live in a generation that has lost its identity and is filled with confusion.

Gender confusion and the whole “Trans” movement is a foundational attackagainst God, Christianity, and thousands of years of history. It believes that somehow God made a mistake by putting you into the wrong body. This thinking is propagated by both corporate and cultural parts of our society. Many movies today promote the multiverse to explain away biblical foundations of creation. The cosmos is fluid therefore your gender can also be fluid. This is a foundational attack against Christianity.

· Back in March, Tucker Carlsonsaid that the Trans movement and Christianity are natural enemies:

“The trans movement is the mirror image of Christianity and therefore its natural enemy,”

He said that Christian theology was rooted in a belief that humans are not God — and the trans movement claims human dominion over nature.

“People who believe they’re God can’t stand to be reminded that they are not. So, Christianity and transgender orthodoxy are wholly incompatible theologies. They can never be reconciled. They are on a collision course with each other. One side is likely to draw blood before the other side,”[1]

· A few weeks ago, the Daily Wire posted an article with the headline:

Widow Barred from Adopting Foster Kids Over Christian Beliefs. Now She’s Fighting Back.

In the article her lawyer states: "They even have to take children to receive cross-sex hormone shots as part of a gender transition."

I. Now is the time to Fight back! We must make a stand and declare righteousness!

A. To be successful, we must combat the true cause of this evil, the true enemy of our soul, our nation, and our world

Ephesians 6:10–13 (ESV)

The Whole Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

In these last days, we must fight against the powers of this present darkness and against spiritual forces of evil.

2 Corinthians 10:3–6 (ESV)

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

If you want to fight in the Spirit, you must be filled with the Spirit

Since today is Pentecost Sunday, Let’s see what it takes to move from intellectual power to spiritual power, from the letter of the Law to the power of His Presence, and from Pentecost to Zion.

B. To be successful in Spiritual Warfare you must move beyond the Law to the Power of His Presence

The Feast of Weeks, which takes place seven weeks after Passoverin Sivan (June), is also known as the Feast of Pentecost. It expressed joy and thankfulness to God for the harvest.

Leviticus 23:15–17 (ESV)

The Feast of Weeks

15 “You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. 16 You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the Lord. 17 You shall bring from your dwelling places two loaves of bread to be waved, made of two tenths of an ncephah. They shall be of fine flour, and they shall be baked with leaven, as firstfruits to the Lord.

According to the Lexham Bible Dictionary:

Fire and Sinai. At some point during the intertestamental period, the Jewish people had begun to observe Pentecost as a commemoration of the giving of the law at Mount Sinai—an event that involved a fiery theophany (Exod 19:18)[2]

Theophany (θεοφάνια, theophania). A visible appearance of God to humans.[3]

· Waving the loaves of bread is a picture of worshiping His bodily presence.

Exodus 19:16–20 (ESV)

16 On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. 19 And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. 20 The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

II. The Law was given when God came down to Mount Sinai

A. The Law is our school master

All the people were commanded to gather around the Mount, but not to touch it. It was set apart and holy. When God came down to the mountain, we see these manifestations:

· Thunders and Lightnings

· A Thick Cloud

· Loud Trumpet Blast

· The People Trembled at God’s Presence

· The Mountain was wrapped in Smoke like the smoke of a Kiln

· God descended on the Mountain in Fire

· The whole Mountain Trembled and shook

· God Answers in Thunder

Exodus 19:4–6 (ESV)

4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

The Lord brought the people of Israel to Mount Sinai because He wanted to establish them as His treasured possession among all peoples.

B. By the Law no one is justified

Romans 3:19–20 (ESV)

19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Galatians 2:15–16 (ESV)

Justified by Faith

15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ,so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christand not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Galatians 2:20 (ESV)

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

C. To make them a kingdom of priest, a Holy Nation!

1 Peter 2:9–10 (ESV)

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

III. We have been called beyond the Law to His Glory

Hebrews 12:18–20 (ESV)

A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken

18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fireand darkness and gloomand a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.”

Hebrews 12:22–24 (ESV)

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediatorof a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

The First Born are heirs. When you come into the Kingdom of God, you become an heir, you inherit the Father’s blessings.

Romans 8:14–17 (ESV)

14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Ephesians 3:6 (ESV)

6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

A. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:1–4 (ESV)

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

2 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 and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

· His Spirit is poured out on all flesh –just receive Him

· All were filled and all Spoke in other tongues

· The Spirit gives the utterance

· The Baptism of the Holy Spirit empowers us as His witnesses

B. To be a Witness you must be in His Presence

Acts 1:4–5 (ESV)

4 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.”

Acts 1:8 (ESV)

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The Greek word for witness is martys:

μάρτυς (martys). n. masc. witness, martyr. A person who witnesses and, perhaps, has been killed as a result.

This noun usually refers to a person who provides testimony[4]

Are you ready to proclaim His Presence to this Generation? Are you going to rely upon your intellect or His Power?

John Scott said:

“Without Christ crucified in its pulpits, a church is little better than a cumberer of the ground, a dead carcass, a well without water, a barren fig tree, a sleeping watchman, a silent trumpet, a dumb witness, an ambassador without terms of peace, a messenger without tidings, a lighthouse without fire, a stumbling-block to weak believers, a comfort to infidels, a hotbed for formalism, a joy to the devil, and an offence to God”[5]

L. Moody gives a story on losing your Witness by not being in His Presence:

Bad Company

A friend of mine said he had a beautiful canary bird; he thought it was the sweetest singer they had ever had. Spring came on, and he felt it was a pity to keep the poor bird in the house, so he put it under a tree right in front of his house. He said before he knew it a lot of these little English sparrows got under that tree (and you know they cannot sing any more than I can, and I don’t know one note from another), and went, “Chirp, chirp, chirp.” Before he knew it, that little canary had lost all its sweet notes. It had got into bad company.

After he found out that he had made a mistake, he took the bird into the house, but it kept up that “Chirp, chirp, chirp.” He bought another bird, but the canary nearly ruined it. He said that bird never got back its sweet notes.

Now, don’t you know lots of Christian people who had a fine testimony several years ago, but they have lost their witness, and all they do now is talk, talk, talk, talk? Why? Because they are out of communion with God, and have lost their witness.[6]

[1]By Virginia Kruta Mar 29, 2023 DailyWire.com [2]Ronald D. Roberts, “Pentecost,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016). [3]Matthew D. Montonini, “Theophany,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016). [4]G. D. Taylor, “Testimony,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014). [5]John Stott, The Preacher’s Notebook: The Collected Quotes, Illustrations, and Prayers of John Stott, ed. Mark Meynell (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2018). [6]D. L. Moody, Moody’s Stories: Being a Second Volume of Anecdotes, Incidents and Illustrations(New York; Chicago; Toronto; London; Edinburg: Fleming H. Revell, 1899), 103–104.