KW - Holy Spirit - Unlimited

Holy Spirit - Unlimited

"Asif - Pakistan - 2001

"Asif" was carefree as he sped his motorcycle down the street of his Pakistani town. He enjoyed being noticed by the young women as

he sped by. In the traditional Muslim culture of Pakistan, overt glances would have been very inappropriate, but still Asif could tell when he had been seen. He was young, and he felt powerful as he drove past, relishing the murmur of the motorcycle's engine in his ears and the feel of the tires gripping the road. He smiled to himself and twisted the accelerator to give the bike a quick burst of speed.

Suddenly where the beautiful sky had been he saw only dirt, and where his motorcycle had raced along beneath him, it now felt like it was flying over his head. For the next few seconds all was clouds of dust and spinning. The next thing he knew he was lying on his back with his motorcycle next to him on the ground, its engine coughing and then dying. He heard the echo of the squealing tires as the car that hit him sped away. He had never even seen it.

Then he noticed the splitting pain shooting up his leg. When he looked at it, he could tell from the way his foot lay off to the wrong side that it was broken. He tried to stay calm, but panic was gripping his heart and he wanted to scream.

Before he lost his composure, though, he felt a reassuring hand upon him. A woman had come out of the crowd of passers-by and knelt beside him, laying her hand on his leg. He was calmed for the moment and surprised as she began to pray.

Through the pain, Asifheard the name of Jesus in her prayer.

Despite his immediate thankfulness that someone had stopped to

help, a wave of anger came over him at the mention of that name.

How can this woman pray to Jesus, a mere prophet? Doesn't she

know that I am a Muslim, a follower of Mohammed, the greatest prophet? Why isn't she praying to Allah?

Yet Asif was suddenly distracted from his anger by an energy he felt running through his body as she prayed. It was different from

anything,he had ever felt before. His anger began to fade as his leg straightened itself and the bone came back into place.

Eventually he sat up and carefully examined his leg. It was completely whole.

As he stood, he noticed that there was no more pain either.

He picked up his bike and walked it home.

Some time later, the same woman brought him a Bible. He never

saw her again after that.

Hungry to know more about this prophet who had healed his leg, he

began to read the Bible, especially the New Testament and the miracles of Jesus. Asif's question weighed heavier: If Jesus was

truly only one of many prophets, how could he perform such amazing works? As Asif lay on his bed, he wondered, Who is Jesus? Iknow many prophets have come to earth, but none has had the power of Jesus.

Asif was so perplexed by how a minor prophet such as Jesus could

heal him two thousand years after His death that he took his

questions to the mulvi (religious leader) at his mosque.

"Why are you talking about Jesus?" the mulvi sneered. "Do you have a n interest in him?"

"How could I not have an interest?" Asif responded incredu-lously. "He healed me."

The mulvi and others at the mosque took Asif and locked him in a room. They forced poison down his throat thinking that fi he died before fully accepting Christ, he would still make it to Paradise.

They left him there overnight for the poison to do its work. Asif felt sick and thought he was dying. He vomited repeatedly and threw up blood.

However, around midnight Asif found himself still barely alive and lying in the dust, caked with his own blood and vomit.

The room was dark and he didn't have the strength to get up. Hedidn't know what else to do, so he prayed. He called out to Jesus and told Him he wanted to see Him before he died.

Before he knew what had happened, a bright light had filled the dusty room. Asif suddenly felt a little better and forced himself up to

see what was causing the light. Before him stood Jesus. It was at that moment that Asif surrendered therest of his life to the Lord,

saying, "God, this life is for you; as long as Iam on earth, Iwill work for you."

Sometime before dawn, Asif managed to escape and made his way home.

Lets Pray.

Today as we continue with our theme of Holy Spirit Power I really want to encourage you to consider the limitless nature of the Holy Spirit's power.

Unfortunately due to the very limited capacity of people we often unintentionally put limitations on Holy Spirit.

We start to imagine that Holy Spirit works in certain, predictable and carefully structured ways that rely on us praying in specific ways and doing special religious things.

The reality is that Holy Spirit can do whatever He wants to do whenever He wants.

Holy Spirit was an accomplice with the Father and the Son in the creation of the universe.

Just like the Father, Holy Spirit is omnipresent (He's everywhere), omniscient (He knows everything) and he is omnipotent (He has all

power).

Holy Spirit is not restricted by time, space, location, distance or in fact by any of the laws of science.

Holy Spirit is God just as the Father is God and just as Jesus is God.

Holy Spirit was active in the Old Testament and worked in different situations for the purposes of God.

So because we as people tend to be the limitation on Holy Spirit I felt it would be good to look at some scriptures in both the Old and New Testaments where Holy Spirit worked in unusual ways and did unusual things.

Holy Spirit Power in the bones of Elisha.

"Then Elisha died and was buried. Groups of Moabite raiders used to invade the land each spring. Once when some Israelites were burying a man, they spied a band of these raiders.

So they hastily threw the corpse into the tomb of Elisha and fled. But as soon as

the body touched Elisha's bones, the dead man revived and jumped to his feet!"

2 Kings 13:20-21 NLT

There was a non-Israelite, pagan prophet named Balaam.

Holy Spirit enables a Donkey to speak.

"Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. "What have I

done to you that deserves your beating me three times?" it asked Balaam. "You have made me look like a fool!" Balaam shouted. "If I had a sword with me, Iwould kill you!" "But Iam the same donkey you have ridden all your life," the donkey answered. "Have Iever done anything like this before?" "No," Balaam admitted. Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him."

Numbers 22:28-31 NLT

Shadow Healing power.

"The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders

among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at

the Temple in the area known as Solomon's Colonnade. But no one

else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. Yet more and more people believed and were brought to

the Lord-crowds of both men and women. As a result of the apostles' work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter's shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed"

Acts of the Apostles 5:12-16 NLT

Power to raise the dead.

"There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is

Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. About this time she became il and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room. But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, "Please come as soon as possible!" So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs

room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them. But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and

prayed. Turning to the body he said, "Get up, Tabitha." And she opened her eves! When she saw Peter, she sat up! He gave her his

hand and helped her up. Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he presented her to them alive."

Acts of the Apostles 9:36-41 NLT

Paul's unusual miracles.

"God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were

placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled."

Acts of the Apostles 19:11-12 NLT

Bloke falls out a window, dies and is raised from the dead.

"On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord's Supper. Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight. The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps. As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below. Paul went down, bent over him, and took him into his arms. "Don't worry," he said, "he's alive!" Then they all went back upstairs, shared in the Lord's Supper, and ate together. Paul continued talking to them until dawn, and then he left."

Acts of the Apostles 20:7-11 NLT

I'm really hoping that l've given you something to think about today. I really hope that I've challenged you.

I really hope that your view of God has been enlarged.

I hope that your faith has been encouraged.

Our God is without comparison.

Whatever you need you'll find it in Him if you dare.