By My Spirit

Intro

Beginning a new series.

By my Spirit.

We are going to look at our need for the Holy Spirit to be actively at work in our lives.

We went to the beach a few week ago and it amazing that when your in the water without paying attention you drift so far from where you started. We tell the kids, make sure to stay in front of where we are and don’t drift too far off.

Sometimes the current is going so strong that you have to keep constantly walking, And even with walk it’s hard to keep up.

Kenzie would get far and I’d say come over here, I’M TRYING!

It’s tiring.

Life can feel like this. Like a boat in the ocean. Trying to row and row and row but I still just see water and don’t know if I’m making progress and it can so tiring.

in the old testament there is a time when the Israelites had been conquered and captured. After many decades they were able to return to their home in Israel and start rebuilding their city, the temple and everything that had been destroyed.

It seems too big.

The governor or the region at the time was names Zerubbabel and the prophet was a man names Zechariah.

Zechariah had a dream from God.

Zechariah 4:1-6

Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke me up, like someone awakened from sleep. He asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” He answered, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I replied. So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

Here is the image (show pic)

It’s a picture of this lampstand, requires oil to keep burning.

But it has a bowl on top and overshadowing the lamp with the bowl are olive trees.

The trees are supplying the lamp with a never ending supply of oil to keep it burning.

Zecharaiah its not about what you can do. How strong and able you are.

My spirit is what will supply you with everything you need for what I’ve called you to do!

The word spirit is a little hard to interpret.

in the old testament its the word Ruach.

In the new testament its the word Pneuma, same word as the root of Pneumonia.

because it essentially means breath or win.

You can see it, but you know when its there , you can sense and feel the wind.

Same with the Holy Spirit.

You aren’t meant to be a row boat just trying to make it through.

We are sailboats enabled and propelled by the (breath) Holy Spirit.

It’s not by our might or power, but by His SPIRIT.

in me there is only so much energy and ability I have, but the Holy Spirits power never runs out.

While Jesus was on this earth his main primary message was to seek and save the lost.

It was a message of repentance and salvation.

After Jesus died and rose again we walked on this earth appearing to his disciples in different places for about 40 days, after 50 days he ascended to heaven in a place called Mount of Olives.

During his time after he rose his mission was to equip and prepare his people to receive and live with this oil and this breathe of God within them.

So that it was never be living my life under my own power.

Luke 24:49

I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Acts 1:4-8

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

it’s not meant for us to live keep rowing but empowered, enabled and infilled with the Holy Spirit.

WE need to know this.

You were never intended to live your life under your own power.

You will need to be filled the spirit as you go to your job.

You need to be filled with the spirit in your marriage, as you parent...

In ourselves we are quickly a lamp that burns out, but he is a never-ending source of strength.

We need the power of God in our lives!

1 Corinthians 4:20

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

The life of a believer isn’t just adopting a belief system we live by, yes there are things we know.

But it is living by God’s power.

Acts 8:5

Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. Acts 8:12

But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Acts 8:14-17

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit

The Holy Spirit wants to fill and empower you but we have to invite him to let him do so.

Salvation is simply turning from our sin, trusting Jesus as our Lord. it’s a free gift through death and resurrection of Jesus he wants each one of us to take. Nothing we can do to earn it, just receive it!

THEN, he calls us into deeper incredible places in Him.

He has more for you!

Thank you God for salvation. I’m so glad I’m set free and going to heaven.

But that’s not the end of your faith journey, that just the beginning!!

He wants to change yoru life, empower you, put giftings in your life, he has a work he wants to do in you and it comes through the person of the Holy Spirit.

The vision of this church to lead people to full lives in Christ.

We can never live out the fullness of God he has for us without the filling of God in us through the Holy Spirit.

Want all that God has for you!

So then how can we live this out??

1. REMOVE ANY BARRIERS THAT WOULD KEEP YOU FROM ALL OF GOD

What does this mean?

Sometimes there are things in our lives that will limit what can do in and through your life.

Mindsets toward the Holy Spirit can be a hinderance.

Because of past understanding, examples or teaching of the Holy Spirit we can be turned off to the Holy Spirit.

But I’d say you aren’t turned off to the Holy Spirit at all, just the packing some people presented him in.

I’ve been there.

I’ve seen weird and cooky things blamed on the Holy Spirit.

Let me just say, He is God and in that also mysterious.

Our brains can’t comprehend all of the of God or he’d be as small as our brains.

But in that he isn’t weird and trying to get you to do weird things.

I’ve been on 2 sides of this.

One side that believed that anything to do with the Holy Spirit was almost wrong and stay away.

he was simplified to something almost small just an inner-voice.

But I’ve also been where their expression and understanding of the Holy Spirit would freak you out!

I love God but I don’t to do that!!

We tend to avoid what we’re afraid of and don’t understand

Please don’t let faulty thinking keep you from all God has for you!

There is nothing that God has for you that is not good.

maybe it’s not bad thinking as we approach the Holy Spirit,

It could be sin in our live.

Sin will always limit what God can do in and through you.

Maybe we need to repent of our sin, but also our past thinking, our fears, our doctrinal positions, our resistance, apathy toward him

Acts 2:38-39

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Let’s take a step toward God instead of away from him.

2. WE NEED TO ASK GOD TO GIVE ME ALL HE HAS FOR ME.

Just be open and receptive to receiving anything that is of God in your life.

God, if you have it i want it!

All that we have, is not all that God has.

This prayer feels dangerous when you’ve gotten to comfortable in your walk with God.

Don’t you want all that god has?

Don’t be satisfied just where you are.

Being filled with his spirit means being filled with less of me.

John 3:30

He must become greater; I must become less.

It means surrendering myself to Him. Allowing him to lead and guide.

Prayer the dangerous prayer, God I want all of you, fill me.

What it look like if you just went all in with God?

3. DEVELOP A FRIENDSHIP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Wait? can you really do that?

YES!

he becomes your intimate friend.

You can have this.

Why was Jesus so desperate to tell his disciples to not do anything and wait on the Holy Spirit?

They had walked with Jesus and trained by him for 3 years.

He knew they needed the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish all he had for them

Peter denied Jesus at his trial, was too scared to even admit he was a disciple.

50 days later he preaches unashamedly to thousands of people, what was the only difference?

Acts 2, he was filled with Holy Spirit.

It wasn’t his own power now.

After salvation, nothing will change your life more than a friendship with the holy spirit.

2 Corinthians 13:14 (M:BCL)

The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.

Jesus used the world Parakalatos to describe the Holy Spirit.

It’s literally one who helps. Picks up the other end.

Wouldn’t you love to walk daily with one who is guiding, directing, empowering, enabling, speaking, helping, showing, speaking to you.

I’m inviting you to allow the Holy Spirit to fill your life.

RESPONSE.

Prayer for the courage to step into all God has.

Prayer for salvation.