Hope for Power
Acts 1:8 (NKJV)
8But 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.”
Intro A woman sat staring at a tangled mess in front of her. A few minutes before, the giant loom did something wrong and created an imperfection in the fabric it was weaving. Desperately, the woman who was new to the job, tried to fix it. Her attempt created an even larger problem which she thought was now beyond repair. When her boss came over to see what happened, she sobbed, “I did my best, I did my best.” No you didn’t her boss said strongly, “You didn’t ask for my help first.” This is the picture of many who have seen their lives become a hopeless tangle, but there is hope because the Master of life through the Holy Spirit is there at all times to help if we let Him!
I. The Holy Spirit has come to be your powerful friend!
A. When Jesus left the disciples they were shaken and fearful.
He had been with them 3.5 years, and he was like a Father to them they went to Him for everything! Now that He was gone they were scared.
B. But Jesus gave them hope,
John 16:7 through John 16:8 (NLT)
7But it is actually best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Counselor won’t come. If I do go away, he will come because I will send him to you. 8And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.
1. A person was sent to us not a thing, not just a feeling.
2. A person-yet much more. The 3rd person in the Trinity, God the Holy Spirit.
C. The Holy Spirit was not a temporary gift to the New Testament Church, but to every believer. He is called the Comforter.
1. He is the Comforter because He is a personal God He is there to help even you in everyday living NOT JUST YOUR CHURCH LIFE!!
John 16:14 (NLT)
14He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me.
2. He is the Comforter because He is more than just there, He is powerful! When you receive the Spirit you receive Divine power!!
Power to become a perfected Christian
Galatians 5:22 through Galatians 5:23 (NIV)
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Power through the special gifts of the Spirit!
(a) The Gift of tongues- a wonderful prayer language
(b)Gifts of supernatural power to and through the Church
1 Corinthians 12:4 through 1 Corinthians 12:10 (KJV)
4Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
(c) Hopeless people feel hopeless. No believer ever needs to live in dispair. The promise of the Comforter allows us to say the words in 1 John 4:4
1 John 4:4 (KJV)
4Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
To take advantage of the gift of the Holy Spirit it is every Christians right to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
1. Do you want to have God to have complete control in your life?
2. God will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask.
3. The first experience opens the door to a glorius Spirit filled life!
4. The initial evidence is speaking in Tongues the biblical pattern confirms it - Acts 2:4, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 19:1-6.
5. When you don’t know what to ask He takes over -
Romans 8:26 (NIV)
26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.