What Would You Do With All That Power Anyway?

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

He didn’t just unscare them, He promised them POWER, when the Holy Spirit comes upon them. Maybe that scared them. The threat of being hauled into court and flogged or worse scared them.

My question to you today is this: What is the power for? What would the Apostles do with all that power? What would you do with all that power if it was given to you?

If i put this question to the American people, “if you had the power to do anything, what would you do with it? How do you think they would respond?

Heal all diseases, cure world hunger, put the world at peace? Some would want fortune and fame, but most would have a grand ideal.

Solving world hunger, in some cases, solving poverty in some cases, isn’t about getting food to people as much as it is getting around a egotistical ruler who wants his people in the dark so he can stay in power.

What would you a Christian, do with all that Power?

**Martin Luther said this: Our scientific power has out run our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.

Jesus told the Apostles not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father,

Acts 1:4–5 NKJV

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Acts 1:

If he gives it to them what will they do with all that Power? If He gives it to you, what will you do?

What will you do with all that Power?

I don’t believe the Apostles knew what they would do. I don’t think we know what we would do with a fresh falling an outpouring of the Spirit into our lives.

The reason i don’t think we know is we have lost touch with what God would have us be.

Have we become those in the story of the Good Samaritan? Do we walk around the hurting, do we say it’s not my job, do we share Christ with the hurting, boldly say I can help?”

If we don’t what do we need the power fro anyway?

Peter received power that day when the Spirit fell upon them. Peter stood and preached and many were saved that day. Peter was given the power to witness just as Jesus said.

He witnesses just as Jesus said he would when he received power.

But the Spirit took Peter even deeper:

In our story today, Peter has been summoned. He was summoned by the Holy Spirit who also sent an angel to Cornelius. Cornelius, a God fearing man, who gave alms and offered prayers regularly, about the ninth hour ...

Acts 10:3–7 NKJV

About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.” And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually.

Acts 10:3-

Cornelius was given a message. He followed God’s messenger.

Peter also received a message. He received a vision, training, discipleship, correction, reproof, and opportunity to go to the Gentiles and preach Christ crucified.

If the power was to fall, would you accept God’s training, discipleship, reproof, correction, or how about His call to something deeper?

Peter met Cornelius, Peter asked Cornelius a question:

Acts 10:29 NKJV

Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”

Acts 10:

I wonder if the Holy Spirit would ask us that question? For what reason have you sent for me?

I want power! Why? Why? Why do you want power? Power for what? I don’t know!

Cornelius tells the story and says in 33

Acts 10:33 NKJV

So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”

What did Cornelius say?

My heart is ready to hear, to receive, we are all present! Speak freely and we will respond:

Oh the yielded heart, what God can do, when a soul will say, I give it all to you!

Peter spoke, Cornelius humbled himself and

Acts 10:44 NKJV

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.

Acts 10:44

They magnified God!

What would you do will all that Power anyway?

Here is what I know:

HE knows what HE would do with you, with all that power!

He knows what would happen if the Spirit fell on men as at Pentecost. He knows what he wants from men when the Spirit comes!!

When the Spirit falls on men:

All sin in their hearts is destroyed

All self is consumed/The inner man destroyed/ego, personal desire, are set aside for the sake of serving the risen Christ.

All hearts are mended - forgiveness is available

Love is defined - a definition that goes so far as to say not my will but thy will be done

The will is redirected

All guilt is erased

All human plans are covered with the question, what would you have me do Lord

All praise is returned to Jesus, we would magnify His name

All thoughts for the future are run through Him

The fruit of the Spirit becomes the way of man

Romans 8:1-

Romans 8:13 NKJV

For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Romans 8:1–15 NKJV

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

Cornelius’s heart was yielded. God gave power on high, adopted him into the family, cleansed him of all guilt and unrighteousness and made him a new creature in Christ.

What would you do if God offered the same to you today? Would you be baptized with the Holy Spirit? Would you magnify God? Would you be baptized? Would you do as Peter and preach the gospel, witness about Jesus, be clean, adopted into the family of God?

If your just going to do what you do and leave Christ at the church for Sunday, what do you need the power for?

Home Bible Study for your neighbors? Work Bible study?

Small group in your home with you would have the goal to lead someone to Christ?

Home Bible Study for your neighbors?

Small group here at the church?

Visit a shut in and pray? Begin a prayer group that is all about prayer?

What would you do with that power?

Start a Bible study on the park? Feed the homeless under the bridge in Tulsa?

Warm blankets, socks, gloves and hats?

Teach single moms how to be self sufficient?

Find the hungry lids in Owasso and feed them?

What would you do with all that power?

Set up a mission trip and make a difference for a small church with few resources?

What would you do?

What would He do with you?

Worship team.

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