NJ - Power Handle with Care

Last week we learnt about The Power Within us, in the city Ps john shared around the life of Sampson and the power of an individual. I encourage you to take the time and watch Ps John’s message on USTREAM.

We live in a power-hungry culture. Whether it is religious, political, business, sports or entertainment people are hungry for power at whatever cost.

The definition of power…

A: general

(1): ability to act or produce an effect

(2): ability to get extra-base hits (like a power hitter)(

3): capacity for being acted upon or undergoing an effect

B: legal or official authority, capacity or right

John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton (1834–1902). The historian and moralist, who was otherwise known simply as Lord Acton, expressed this opinion in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887: Power has the ability to corrupt if you let. "Power Corrupts Absolutely.”

Why is it that power tends to corrupt people?

There are many answers to this question.

The greatest example of absolute power corrupting absolutely would be in our Adversary, the devil. In the first chapters of Luke, we see the clashing of these two powers. Lucifer usurped his authority as recorded in

Isaiah 14:12–14 NKJV

12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’

Power in the hands of the wrong person brings devastation as we can see with Satan. We also see this corruption in government. The more power a Senator has the more corrupt he or she may become. Consequently, the people who perceive they are without power are the ones who suffer for this. Religion has its share of corruption. We want to see that the ministry of Jesus was with power, but the power and authority had in no way corrupted him.

Christ only did what He saw His Father do.

Lets Prayer

Lord thank you for our three congregations

1 corinthians 10:6

In Matthew chapter 4 the scriptures tell us that: satan tempted Jesus, offering him power over all the kingdoms. Jesus responded by saying in :

Matthew 4:10 NKJV

10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

Jesus used the word to defeat all satan’s attempts at corrupting Him. God’s Word is not dormant but alive and powerful to the pulling down of strongholds. Jesus brought this power of God to earth and made it attainable to all who receive him. Gods word is for us today. When we look at the authority and of Jesus, especially in the Gospels, three aspects need to be considered. These aspects form the dimensions of Christ’s Power. Once we understand Christ’s power in the context of our Scripture today, we will begin to understand the power that we have as believers.

NKJV10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

God’s Word is not dormant but alive and powerful to the pulling down of strongholds. Jesus brought this authority of God to earth and made it attainable to all who receive him. Gods word is for us today.When we look at the authority of Jesus, especially in the Gospels, three aspects need to be considered. These aspects form the dimensions of Christ’s Power. Once we understand Christ’s power in the context of our Scripture today, we will begin to understand the power that we have as believers.

Lord thank you for our three congregations

1 Corinthians 10:6 NKJV

Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.

Never abuse the power given to you

"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, 19 TO PROCLAIM THE FAVOURABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."

The Spirit of The Lord is upon us church, it is the same Spirit that was upon Christ, but satan has come to rob and deceive the church to the point where people don’t walk in the full potential of the power of the Holy Spirit.

The empowering of the Holy Spirit is primarily to serve others. Jesus being our number one example being filled with the Holy Spirit was empowered to serve others. (As read in ).

When we become fully devoted followers of Christ and are filled with the Holy Spirit, our number one mission is to follow Christ’s example, seeing people saved, healed and delivered.

Examples: Parable of the man who went to his neighbours house to ask for food.

Luke 11:5–13 NKJV

And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

1. The man was asking for food, not for himself but for someone else. – We are not to seek the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others. We are to seek the power of the Holy Spirit not just to get an experience for ourselves, but to be a blessing to others.

2. He kept asking until he received what he needed. Persistent prayer – to receive the power to serve others, which you cannot do in your own ability.

Peter and John going to the temple to pray at the hour of prayer

Acts 3:1–8 NKJV

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.

1. Peter and John did not have what the lame man was asking for, but they did have what he needed. They had the miracle power of God flowing in them by the Holy Spirit.

Peter and John going to the temple to pray at the hour of prayer

1. Peter and John did not have what the lame man was asking for, but they did have what he needed. They had the miracle power of God flowing in them by the Holy Spirit.

2. Peter and John had personally experienced the miracle power of God when they received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Not only had they received the baptism but they had been out working under the miracle power of God and had seen people being saved and set free.

The parable of the Talents

1. We see in this parable the importance that God places on us using what He has given to us. The power that we have received is to be invested into the lives of others. When we invest into the lives of others God continues to equip and empower us to do the work of the ministry.

2. Keeping what God has given to us ourselves, or not walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, results in us being ineffective for the kingdom of God. Satan will try and get you to focus on yourself and what you can get out of it. It would be a sad thing for us to have an experience of the power of God and just leave it there. We need to take the love and power of God to our neighbours, work mates, friends etc.

WE NEED POWER!!!

Jude 24 NKJV

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

P-Pray

Psalm 145:18 NKJV

18 The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.

O-Obey

Galatians 5:11–25 NKJV

11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. 12 I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off! 13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

W-Worship

Psalm 111:1 NKJV

1 Praise the Lord! I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.

Hebrews 10:24 NKJV

24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,

E-Evangelize

Matthew 28:19–20 NKJV

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

R-Read

Psalm 119:105 NKJV

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

Conclusion:

We are about to head into two weeks of revival meetings with Ps Deon Hockey, it is easy to go and just receive for ourselves, let us not be like this. Our focus is on serving and seeing salvation coming to those that are lost. Let us take the miracle power of God to serve and use it to see the kingdom of God advance forward.

Alter Call:

Jude 24 NKJV

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

JUDE

P-Pray

Psalm 145:18 NKJV

18 The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.

O-Obey

Galatians 5:11–25 NKJV

11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. 12 I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off! 13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

W-Worship

Psalm 111:1 NKJV

1 Praise the Lord! I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.

Hebrews 10:24 NKJV

24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,

E-Evangelize

Matthew 28:19–20 NKJV

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

R-Read

Psalm 119:105 NKJV

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

NJ - Power Handle with Care

Power Handle with Care

God's word is not dormant but alive and powerful to the pulling down of strongholds in our life.