The Spirit-Empowered Church

SCRIPTURE

Ephesians 3:14–19 NKJV

14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

MAIN IDEA

Jesus intends for His church to be a Spirit-Empowered Church. One that is operating in the power of the Holy Spirit and with the authority that Jesus has given. In this message, we are going to look at three characteristics of the Spirit-Empowered Church: (1) The Profile of the Spirit-Empowered Church, (2) The Purpose of the Spirit-Empowered Church, and (3) The Power of the Spirit-Empowered Church.

INTRODUCTION

The Day I Got Electrocuted

What is the Spirit-Empowered Church? What does the Spirit-Empowered Church do? How can the Spirit-Empowered Church fulfill the purpose and mission given to it by Christ?

The Spirit-Empowered Church is made up of Spirit-empowered believers. The Greek word used for church in the New Testament is ekklēsia. It means a “called-out assembly or congregation.” So the church is a group of believers who have been called out by God and empowered by the Holy Spirit to advance the Kingdom of God on earth. Any gathering together of people for a common purpose can be an ekklēsia. But only a gathering together of Spirit-empowered believers can be considered a Spirit-Empowered Ekklēsia or Church.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus described a church that would be empowered by the Holy Spirit. In Matthew 16, Jesus describes a church that would have both power and authority. It would be powerful enough so that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. And it would have the authority of the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus said, “whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

So Jesus said, “My church is going to be a powerful church. And I’m going to give the authority to use My name. They are going to be My ekklēsia, My church, My called-out assembly or congregation of Spirit-empowered believers that are going to turn the world upside down!” In Mark 16 Jesus said that there would be miraculous signs and wonders that would be evident in the lives of His followers. Jesus said they would, (1) cast out devils, (2) speak with new tongues, (3) take up serpents, (4) not be harmed if they drink poison, and (5) lay hands on the sick and they would be healed.

Now these are some pretty remarkable signs. Casting out devils, speaking in tongues, and the sick being healed are all the result of the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers and the church. But some people get a little nervous when you start talking about taking up serpents and drinking poison. And some small groups of Pentecostal believers have taken these literally. They handle snakes and drink strychnine. Several of them have died as a result. I don’t think Jesus meant for us to go out and do these things to try to prove it won’t harm us. That is tempting God. But we do have the promise from Jesus that if the enemy tries to take us out, just like the poisonous snake that came out of the fire and latched onto Paul’s hand, we can shake it off into the fire and no harm will come to us. In other words, God can protect us from harm. No weapon that is formed against us shall prosper.

I believe that Jesus intends for His church to be a Spirit-Empowered Church. One that is operating in the fullness of the power of the Holy Spirit and with the authority that Jesus has given.

This morning I want us to look at three characteristics of the Spirit-Empowered Church. I want us to look at (1) The Profile of the Spirit-Empowered Church, (2) The Purpose of the Spirit-Empowered Church, and (3) The Power of the Spirit-Empowered Church.

MESSAGE POINTS

The Profile of the Spirit-Empowered Church

What are the marks of a Spirit-Empowered Church?

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a Priority.

We Preach Christ Crucified.

Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power.

The Truth of God’s Word is Preached.

False doctrine is exposed and rejected.

We don’t shy away from the hard truths.

The Ordinances of the Church are Practiced.

The Ordinances and Practices of the Church:

A. Water Baptism: We believe that water baptism by immersion after repenting of one’s sins and accepting God’s gift of salvation is an outward sign of the inward, spiritual change that has already taken place.

B. The Lord’s Supper: We believe that the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, consisting of the elements of bread and the fruit of the vine, is a symbol of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, a memorial of His suffering and death, and is to be performed by believers “till He come.”

The Purpose of the Spirit-Empowered Church

What is the purpose or mission of the Spirit-Empowered Church?

The Mission of the Church: We believe that the Church is the Body of Christ and is made up of all believers who have been saved by faith in Jesus Christ and that every believer is an integral part of the mission of the Church which is to (1) worship God, (2) evangelize the lost by spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, (3) build and edify the body of Christ, and (4) meet human needs with Godly love and compassion.

Worship

Evangelism

Discipleship

Outreach

The Power of the Spirit-Empowered Church

How can the Spirit-Empowered Church fulfill the purpose and mission given to it by Christ?

Dead Church

Revelation 3:1–6 NKJV

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

By Being Filled with the Spirit

Ephesians 5:18 NKJV

18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit: We believe that all who have received salvation are entitled to and should earnestly seek the Baptism in the Holy Spirit according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ; the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is an experience distinct from and received subsequent to salvation; and is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Holy Spirit gives the utterance.

By Operating in the Gifts of the Spirit

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy Spirit still operates in spiritual gifts within the body of Christ today; that they are for the building up and equipping of the body of Christ and as a sign to unbelievers; that they are to be desired; and that they will follow those who believe.

By Engaging in Spiritual Warfare

Put on the whole armor of God.

Resist the devil.

Pray in the Spirit.

CLOSING