Clothed with Power

Today, we’re continuing our series on Blueprints and picking up right where we left off last week. As mentioned, we’ve received a promise from the Father, fulfilled as Jesus ascended to Heaven. His name is Holy Spirit and we’ve been sealed by Him. He’s the guide and guard over our lives as we submit to His will and way. Isn’t that so encouraging, I hope it helps to illustrate how you and I are the temple of the Living God. His presence (part of the Trinity) lives in us!!

Declaration:

(when we agree with this, He is the one who completes it!)

My eyes are on Jesus

My heart is tuned to His Spirit

My ears are listening to His voice

My mind will believe what He says

My voice will declare the truth of His word

Sermon in a Sentence:

If you seek Him above all else, everything falls into place. You are transformed, the lost get saved, & His will is done on earth as it is in Heaven.

Psalms 37:3-7 TPT

Matthew 6:33 NIV

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

**I can’’t stress enough, all of these things that we will talk about are gifts, tools to accomplish His will. Desire Him more than the gifts and I believe you experience true blessing on your life and ministry for Him.

So, let’s take a moment to revisit the promise.

Acts 1:4–5 NIV

4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Luke 3:16 NIV

16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Last week, we even read in Ezekiel 11:19-20 ESV “And I will give them one heart, and a new Spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”

Notice the use of the word baptize in the first two portions?

What baptism?

Paul, Apollos, someone else? No, baptized into Jesus Christ!

Acts 18:24–26 NIV

24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

Acts 19:1–7 NIV

1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. 4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

It wasn’t John’s baptism. John’s was a baptism of repentance, which is critical, we’re not minimizing that. His baptism was looking forward to Christ, a baptism of preparation.

They were shown THE better WAY!

Christ has come and is dwelling in you, we’ve received Holy Spirit baptism. One that begins to walk in new life and do the works that Jesus did, do you see that? Do you want that? It’s a free gift!!

Key Verse:

Luke 24:49 NIV

49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

As mentioned, we are talking about power today. The title of this message is Clothed with Power and as we see in this verse, this is part of the promise from the Father. Since we are sealed by the person of the Holy Spirit, we receive His power to do His work and will on the earth.

What Power?

Mark 16:15–18 NIV

15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

We see the promise fulfilled on the day of Pentecost (50 days after passover)

Acts 2:1–4 NIV

1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Throughout the next few weeks, we will be exploring the gifts, but today I want to focus on the gift of Tongues.

The Gift of Tongues: supernaturally speaking by the power of the Holy Spirit in languages never learned by the speaker, not understood by the mind of the speaker, nor necessarily always understood by the hearer.

What purpose?

Supernatural Sign

In Acts 2:4, 10:44-46 & 19:6 - we see that tongues is a sign when believers accept the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Something I want to note, they believed in Jesus already. They just hadn’t received the Holy Spirit baptism. If you look at the great commission in Mark, along with the one in Matthew, you see that we are to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So, using these scriptures as an example - you can love Jesus and not have the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but I believe that this is the more excellent way. Jesus told the disciples to wait and receive power, why should we do anything different?

Ministry Gift

1 Corinthians 12:7–11 NIV

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

It’s here that we see that this is a ministry gift. This is given in the context of building up the body and maintaining unity. So, there is a ministry of speaking or praying in tongues over the body or over a person/ situation where we yield to the Holy Spirit’s prayers. Then, often we see the partnership of interpretation of tongues/languages or prophecy explain and take the next steps within a service or prayer gathering. This is the one where people often mention order and confuse it with the personal prayer language. As I mentioned, there is an order or flow here. After the word is given to the body or person, it needs to be interpreted so that our minds can understand what has been spoken in the Spirit over us.

Devotional Gift

1 Corinthians 14:2 NIV

2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:4 NIV

4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.

1 Corinthians 14 deals with the order of things and explains further that there is a personal prayer language of tongues and a ministry use of tongues. We’ve all been in the church service where someone begins to speak in tongues, but it doesn’t seem like its for the whole body. Unfortunately, we often get our religious connoisseur underwear in a bunch and say, “disorder!!”

I encourage you to instead say, “bless them, Lord and me too!” and allow things to move on as the Lord leads. Disorder came from the religious spirit that wanted us to rest there and get offended...

Now, something I will note. We speak as the Holy Spirit gives us utterance. We have to choose to partner with Him and speak. So, it’s within our realm of control. So, often when we are in His presence we can be overcome with joy and forget everything around us. So let’s offer love and grace First and as I said, “bless them, Lord”. That’s how I believe the Father wants us to walk in unity as a body.

When we fail, He’s faithful! - He prays for us!

Romans 8:27 TPT

27 God, the searcher of the heart, knows fully our longings, yet he also understands the desires of the Spirit, because the Holy Spirit passionately pleads before God for us, his holy ones, in perfect harmony with God’s plan and our destiny.

Closing

What’s next?

I believe this is just the start. When you say yes to Him in one area and earnestly desire the gifts, He begins a process a teaching and equipping you for more.

1 Corinthians 12:31 NKJV

31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

Do you want all that the Father has for you? I’d like to lead you in a prayer.

Father God, I thank you for the promise of a new heart and new Spirit. I accept the gift of your Son Jesus Christ and the new heart that He has given me. I accept the helper, Holy Spirit, and desire to walk in a closer, more intimate relationship with You each and every day. Show me your ways and teach me how to use Your gifts for Your glory and Your will to be done on earth, just as in Heaven. Help me to walk in boldness and unwavering trust as I take the first step with the gift of tongues. Whether public or private, help me trust the way that You lead.

In Jesus name, Amen!

Song - I’ve got a home in glory land that outshines the sun!