Empowered By the Holy Spirit
The purpose of this message is to bring
1. Refreshing
2. Rest
Isaiah 28:11- For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to his people. 12- To whom he said. “This is the rest wherewith ye shall cause the weary to rest.
That’s the language of the Holy Spirit. So if you’re not filled with the Holy Spirit, and if you are. Begin to make it a practice to pray – so that you may enter His rest.
The character of the Holy Spirit
It is important to know the character of the Holy Spirit if we are to walk in confidence concerning God’s will for our lives.
I am going to share with you what God has given to me after much prayer and fasting.
1. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to Lead
John 16:13- Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth, for He shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he heareth that shall he speak, and he will shew you things to come.
He will show you things to come
Exciting: Isn’t that exciting The life of a Christian doesn’t have to be boring.
God said, “MY plans for you are for good and not for evil to give you an expected end.
II. Comfort
John 16:7- Nevertheless it is expedient for you, that I go away: for if I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you.
The disciples must have been experiencing great turmoil, they had been following Jesus for some time. But he said, “the comforter will come.”
III. Teacher
John 14:26- But the comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father shall send in my name, He shall teach you, and bring all things unto thy remembrance.
How would you like to have a teacher following you around continually. Telling you
“This is the way”
“Pray This way”
“Speak this particular Thing”
The scripture says he will bring things to our remembrance
A. Counselor- In order to save time please write down Is. 9:6 Look it up later.
B. Illumination – Psalms 18:28, Ps. 119:30
God will give us a Rhema word-The word of God made alive to us for the situation that we are going through.
IV. Intercessor – Turn to Romans 8:26- Howbeit the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what to pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
For we know not what to pray for as we ought.
When God called me to go to Rhema back in 1982 – I was minding my own business. Just seeking the Lords will concerning my actual going to Rhema. When he spoke to my heart it a still small voice and said. “Pray for your husband concerning complications. I didn’t know what he meant, so I just prayed in the Spirit. It wasn’t until after we were married for a year that I learned, he had to submit letters to Rhema a couple of different times , because he had just newly given His life back to the Lord.
Romans 8:16- The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.
Beareth witness with our spirit
How?
It can come one of two ways
1. Authoritative
Like when he spoke to Moses concerning delivering Israel.
2. Still small voice – the inward knowing. The Holy Spirit bearing witness with your spirit.
Authoritative Voice –The Lord may speak to you in your Spirit in an authoritative voice, if He has a new direction for you to walk in. I received that type of authoritative voice in my spirit, when He called me to go to Rhema (when I was seeking Him in prayer) Gen 12:2 Arise and go. It was so strong in my spirit.
Concerning a new direction- That was the only time in my Christian life that God led me in an authoritative voice. Of course I obeyed His leading and went to Rhema, then was married.
But I believe the majority of the time the Lord will lead us by the “still small voice of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 8:27- And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
He searches out – He knows what is the mind of the Spirit. There is great comfort in that alone.
He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
He is our Intercessor-
Many dreams and visions will be brought forth by God through intercession.
God will bring you into situation supernaturally – You will just be minding your own business (actually His business)
Airport testimony – Back several years ago God had led me to go to Intercessors 500, their were many supernatural things that occurred but I would like to share with you one of them.
I had just come from the meetings where the glory of God was so manifest, I was in the airport ready to fly out. When there was complications with the plane and a delay was at hand. I was standing there and I could feel God’s peace. All of the sudden I felt a power start from my feet and go right up to my head. I said to the Lord. What was that? He answered “that is the same power that raised Christ from the dead.” Right after that he lead a woman acrossed my path who was barren, and I had the opportunity to pray for her.
How can we walk in this power and authority? By learning the voice of the Holy Spirit and obeying it.
1. Tarry in Jerusalem – stay there till you get the power.
Understand We are a Spirit, we have a soul and we live in a Body.
Since we have discussed the spirit already let’s move into the area of soul.
What is the soul- mind will and emotions.
2. Keep your mind renewed to the will of God. Keep your thoughts captive.
Don’t allow yourself to think of the what if’s.
Will- Be willing to be used of God. He is faithful, and he rewards the faithful. It’s important to always stay willing. As a young child I would always say I don’t ever want to live in the North. Guess what he changed my heart – and I moved up North.
God is faithful – He will bring about promotions. God is in the promotion business. As you are faithful with the Little He will give you more.
Some of my greatest revelations and blessings from the Lord occur when I’m doing housework.
Emotions- Give your emotions over to the Lord.
1. Identify with the sufferings of Christ
Turn to Hebrews 4:15- For we have not an High Priest which cannot ne touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Keys to entering In -
Body – You will enter in the promise land by walking it out.
In the natural there are certain practical steps that will cause you to enter in. As women we set the atmosphere in our homes.
Let us be women of prayer. No prayer is to small, no care to unnoticed by God.
1. Fill your home with music. If you have children buy them some walkmans or Christian CD’s. The music will bring about a calmness.
Ephesians it says:5:18- be filled with the Spirit. 19- Speaking to yourselves in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.
Saul also called for music to drive away the evil spirits.
2. Keep yourself in the love of God. Faith works by love.
3. Jude 20 – But ye beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. 21 – Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal life.
Develop Good Habits-
Keep a prayer journal. Look for the answers to your prayers
Timing – In the fullness of time Mary brought forth the child Jesus. Jesus also walked in the timing of the Lord. He had to walk out God’s plan for His life. He didn’t fulfill it as a baby.
Share story of Karen Ong – after 5 years.
I prayed for her as many believers. The Lord would bring her to my mind periodically and I would do intercession for her. In September of last year I spoke out and said If I were able I would be a surrogate. But pregnancy is hard on me because I have large babies. Anyway I found out that during the time I was praying for her. She would find out by a Christian doctor exactly what was wrong. All the doctors offered her no hope. But she knew that she had the word of God and the promise of God. She released her faith and spoke to her body and was healed. She is now pregnant, due to have the baby in early June.
Put aside the weights and the sin that beset you
Hebrews 12:1: Wherefore seeing that we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.
I like the word compassed, it means surrounded. In the chapter preceding this verse, Abel, Noah Enoch, Abraham, Sarah and other men of faith are mentioned.
Patience will bring about the final results of what we are praying for. But we must press in. The final delivery will be worth it all.
Rev. 12:11 – And they overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony of, and they loved not their lives unto death.
Rev. 22: 12- And, behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
17- And the Spirit, and the bride say, Come, And let him that heareth come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.
20 Jesus says “Surely I come quickly. 21- The grace (ability, power and strength) of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen