Those Pesky Pentecostals!

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Acts 2:37 KJV 1900

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Acts 4:16 KJV 1900

16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

TITLE: “THOSE PESKY PENTECOSTALS!”

Something to be Said for Persistence

Ray Croc - McDonald’s

Most people have never heard of Ray Croc. No, he’s not the creator of Crocs, those abominations of the footwear industry.

The golden arches are also synonymous with one of the oldest, biggest, and most successful businesses in the world. But without Ray Croc, Mcdonalds would have been a one location burger chain in San Bernardino.

Ray was a 50 plus-year-old struggling milkshake machine salesman who lived a comfortable life but craved more. He met the brothers behind McDonald’s and eventually convinced them of a franchise model to grow the brand. This led him to massive expansion, buying the land where all locations operate and grown into the Mcdonald’s we know today.

A quick synopsis of McDonald’s history (via Biz Insider):

Started in 19 as a one location burger chainBurgers were originally 15 cents.

They hire around 1 million workers in the US every year.

Mcdonald’s $27 billion in revenue makes it the 90th-largest economy in the world

Thomas Edison - The Light Bulb

Thomas Edison is the definition of perseverance. Considered unteachable at a young age the inventor went on to eventually create the electric light bulb.

While most thought he “failed” he simply said he found over 1,000 ways to not build a light bulb.

Colonel Sanders - KFC

The last of these perseverance stories is the founder of KFC, Colonel Sanders. He didn’t start KFC until he was 60 years old, after receiving his first social security check.

That’s when most people are taught to hang it up, cross off the bucket list and fall asleep watching TV every day.

He worked from age 60 – 73 to master his technique and grow his business. His biography tells that this often came at the expense of sleeping in his car! It was hard work but he loved doing it — and people loved the food.

When he sold the company he earned $2 million and lived out the rest of life in comfort, not needing to depend on his social security check.

Something to be Said for Spiritual Persistence

Main Point

per-sis-tence:

firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.

There is certainly something to be said for persistence in life - most successes and victories don’t happen because somebody hit the lottery or had some family leave them enough money to swim in!

They happen because somebody gets in their mind that I’m gonna keep going until I see what I need to see!

And there’s also something to be said for SPIRITUAL PERSISTENCE!

Dig Into Text

Now in Acts 2, Peter had just finished preaching a masterful sermon. I know we often skip to the action at verse 38, but you ought to look at what he preached sometime!

But what a sermon! He pulled from the Old Testament, he preached truth, he even got real direct with them:

Acts 2:36 KJV 1900

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

And even with that directness, the power and anointing on Peter produced that moment that is one of the peaks of Scripture:

Acts 2:37 KJV 1900

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

“WHAT SHALL WE DO?”

But then… I find it interesting that just TWO CHAPTERS LATER, Peter preached yet another sermon. And that sermon was powerful enough… but look at what the response was:

Acts 4:13–16 KJV 1900

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. 14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

“WHAT SHALL WE DO TO THESE MEN?”

One day, they get a “WHAT SHALL WE DO?” The next day, they get a “WHAT SHALL WE DO TO THESE MEN?”

Why does that happen??? Is it that they didn’t have a right spirit? Is it that they were doing it wrong? Where they unprepared and inadequate? Why is it that the outcome was not what they were looking for?!

You know, there’s sometimes when it seems like everything in the service went juuuuust right! The preacher preached a strong sermon that was just the right length to suit our fancy… every song went over great… every person was here… and the outcome was great!

I’ll be a preacher today with the guts to tell you this: IT DON’T ALWAYS GO THAT WAY!

Sometimes… Bro. Ryan drops a drumstick!

Sometimes… something distracting takes place!

Sometimes… you’ve had a bad week and the praise don’t come as easy!

Sometimes… everything doesn’t click together!

Can I tell you something? That doesn’t mean that something’s wrong with us! That doesn’t mean we’re not Apostolic!

Peter could have said, “Well, we’re 50/50 in our results here… I believe I’ll just settle in and take it easy, not take any risks.” Certainly, he didn’t have a legacy of Apostolic pioneers to see that living for God doesn’t always go as planned…

But thank God they didn’t quit or put it in low gear after that day! Because not too long after that, after they had kept on going, somebody looked at those Apostles and said, “These are those that have turned the world upside down!”

And I just believe that God loves a PESKY PENTECOSTAL! The devil can do more than enough to have made you quit… he’s thrown everything and the kitchen sink at you (like he did Job)… and then when the dust settles… and he looks over at you, hoping to see you in shambles - THERE YOU ARE SHOUTING, SAYING, “NAKED CAME I INTO THIS WORLD, NAKED SHALL I RETURN… BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD!!!”

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Passive vs. Pesky

You know, there’s pesky, and then there’s passive. Passive is the opposite of active. It’s just letting whatever happens happen. No action taken.

The Apostles… they were not passive. They were active. Therefore, it was called the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. If they had been passive, that book would’ve been called the Passing of the Apostles. They would have died out not seeing any great work of the Holy Ghost!

“Passive” simply was not in them!

Passive… is measuring your worship to match what everyone else is doing. Active… is taking the lead and raising up your praise!

Passive… is leaving the altar without any change. Active… is when you don’t wait on the preacher to call you to the altar - you’re ready to be touched NOW!

Ohhh, there’s a certain quality I find in our Bible… among the Apostles and the powerful Old Testament figures: people found them to be pesky!!!

Jacob Becomes Israel

Paul and Silas

Look at how Paul talked about the kind of challenges in life he was presented with:

Acts 20:22–23 NLT

22 “And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, 23 except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead.

Acts 20:24 KJV 1900

24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

OH - YOU NEED TO GET A LITTLE PAUL SPIRIT ON YOU TODAY!

LET ME ASK YOU TODAY: WHAT MOVES YOU? Are you fragile in your Holy Ghost, or are you PESKY - UNMOVABLE???

1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV 1900

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

And I think we ought not lose that pesky quality today! As a matter of fact, I’m making a call to that quality today!

The world finds the Pentecostals to be pesky! Why shouldn’t it! We’re the fastest growing church on the planet! We empty out denominal churches because we don’t just believe in grace, we believe in the Holy Ghost, and the Holy Ghost produces deliverance!

And so we become pesky! Sometimes there shows up a little resistance! Sometimes IN YOUR OWN LIFE, there shows up some resistance because you’ve chosen to live like God wants you to live! But I’m telling you - be strong and live for God anyhow - you’re going to see the glory of the Lord!!!

Satan Is After Your Drive Today!

Things happen sometimes that present an opportunity for us to get passive and weak spiritually.

We are met with struggle.

We lose friends.

We are in the waiting room, waiting on an answer to prayer.

We

The Devil says, “I really thought that discouraging thought would get them to doubting and quit seeking… but now they’re praying for people to be healed!!!”

When you know he’s throwing stuff at you… when you know it’s a fight… IT’S TIME TO DOUBLE DOWN ON WHAT YOU BELIEVE! TO DOUBLE DOWN ON YOUR WORSHIP!!!

Recently there’s been a feeling that has crept in among us… I know I’ve sensed it. It is a feeling of heaviness. Pastor mentioned it in prayer one night.

You know, they make an outfit tailored for your trials…

Isaiah 61:3 KJV 1900

3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, To give unto them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they might be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

You know, there’s a discouragement that come on us, when we see people come in, but after some time, we’re not seeing them be changed in the Spirit. And a discouragement will hit. People who aren’t changed, people who refuse to be changed.

Let me release you from some discouragement right now: It’s not all on you… it’s ultimately up to them whether they’re going to live for God and be transformed by the renewing of their mind. Whether you respond to what I’m preaching today - that’s not on me. It’s on you.

So let me help you: don’t carry that weight of the thought that you’re to blame. It’s always going to come to their own decision. And some refuse to decide. And others decide to be a disturbance. Their not interested in change.

Mark 6:11 KJV 1900

11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Let me assure you today, God will take care of what needs taken care of… I just got to do my part!

Some will say, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Others are gonna look at us and say, “What shall we do to these men?”

But I have determined in myself: I’m gonna see people changed! But, if those I reach for won’t be changed, GOD’S GOING TO PUT ME IN CONTACT WITH PEOPLE WHO WILL BE!!!”

Conclusion

The Tambourine

The tambourine gets a bad rap. And I’m one of the first to contribute to that. This thing is the central figure of drummers worst nightmares!

But it gets a bad rap. I got to thinking about how a tambourine came about the other night. And what a pure-hearted desire. Sure, it may be aggravating to some. But at some point, somebody said, “You know, I can go on with a few cymbals. And that’s good. But what if I took a bunch of cymbals, put them against one another, and shook really fast? Ooooh… that would make the devil mad!”

Maybe we need to make it a point today: Whatever makes the devil made, we need to do that more often!!!”

Somebody, it’s time to rediscover your drive in the Holy Ghost tonight! Get some grit and boldness about yourself!

You’re going to make it, and ain’t nobody gonna be depressed but the devil!!!