December First Wednesday

Introduction

Tonight I want to take a few moments and focus back on our passage from Sunday.

If you weren’t with us we looked at the church in Sardis in Revelation 3. A church that Jesus said had the appearance of being alive, but was dead.

And what we learned is that while there were a few people in the church who were true believers, most of the Christians in Sardis were either attenders or pretenders.

And what I mean by that, is that because of the pressure of the culture and the desire to fit in, many of the believers in Sardis had compromised their faith. And as a result, weren’t living lives fully committed to Jesus. So, on the surface, while they had the appearance of being spiritually alive, they were actually spiritually dead.

Because as we learned on Sunday, there’s no in between with Jesus. He’s either Lord of all or lord of none of your life. You’re either following Jesus, or you’re not.

Now, does that mean we’re going to live perfect lives? Of course not. What it means though is to be a follower of Jesus it requires a daily commitment to avoid compromise and hold fast to our faith.

The question then is, “How do you do that?” Because let’s just be honest, that’s hard to do.

Thankfully Jesus gives us a way, and it’s found in the opening statement to the church of Sardis as Jesus introduces Himself to this church. Because here’s what He says:

Revelation 3:1 (ESV)

1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

In this opening statement Jesus identifies Himself as the one who has the Seven Spirit and the Seven Stars. And as we learned on Sunday, what that means is that Jesus is the one who has the unlimited supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.

The same Spirit that worked in and through Jesus in His earthly ministry.

The same Spirit that according to Romans 8:11 raised Jesus from the dead.

The same Spirit that has the power to raise us from death to life.

The same Spirit that empowered the believers in Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost.

That Spirit.

And that’s good news for the church in Sardis, because it’s a dying church that needs some Holy Spirit infused power. And that’s what Jesus is offering to them if their willing to accept it. That’s what is going to get them back on the right track to becoming a church that Jesus is pleased with.

But it’s not just good news for Sardis, it’s good news for us as well. Because just like then, Jesus is still offering the same Holy Spirit power.

In fact, He wants us to have it. Because the fact is, if we don’t have the Holy Spirt, not only can we not be saved, but we won’t be able to accomplish the mission that Jesus has given us to reach the lost.

And so tonight, I want to focus in on our need for the Holy Spirit. Because if we truly want to be the church Jesus has called us to be. If we truly want to reach our community and county for Jesus, then we need the Holy Spirit.

So, here’s what I want to do. In a few moments we are going to spend some time in personal prayer, and based on where you are at with Jesus tonight, I want you to focus in on a specific aspect of the Holy Spirit that you need tonight.

You might ask, “What aspect do I need?”

Well, it depends where you are at with Jesus. Whether you’re an attender, pretender, or true believer.

Let me start with the attender, which is the person who hasn’t yet made Jesus Lord of your life. And the fact is, there are probably a few of you here tonight. And what you need tonight more than anything is to experience the work of salvation. A work of the Holy Spirit that comes when a person puts their faith in Jesus.

But in order to experience that work, you have to be willing to make a decision. The decision to make Jesus Lord of your life.

A decision that requires you to recognize your sin and your need for a savior.

A decision that will not only change the course of your life, but your eternal destiny.

Because for those who make that decision, Jesus promises eternal life.

And here’s what’s so amazing. When you make that decision, a supernatural event called Salvation takes place in your life as the Holy Spirit literally enters your body and turns you into a different person. The Apostle Paul puts it like this:

2 Corinthians 5:17–19 ESV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

What Paul is saying there is that when we put our faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit, spiritual speaking, brings us back to life, which then allows us to have a relationship with God. A relationship that will transform your life.

But again, in order experience that supernatural transformation, it begins with making Jesus Lord of your life as you recognize your a sinner and that Jesus paid the price for your sin.

And so when we pray in a few minutes, my challenge you to you is to consider putting your faith in Jesus. And in doing that something like this:

Lord Jesus, for too long I’ve kept you out of my life. I know that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself. No longer will I close the door when I hear you knocking. By faith I gratefully receive your gift of salvation. I am ready to trust you as my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming to earth. I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day. Thank you for bearing my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life. I believe your words are true. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and be my Savior. Amen.

That’s a prayer of salvation. That’s a prayer that allows the Holy Spirit to enter your life and begin a new work in you. And if you’re ready, you can experience that work tonight. And my challenge is for you to pray a payer like that. But then don’t stop there.

After you pray that, I want you to do two things:

First, spend a few moments praising and thanking God for saving you. Let Him know how much you love and appreciate the gift of salvation He provides.

Second, I want you to ask the Holy Spirit to show you what’x next. To say, “Ok Holy Spirit, what needs to change? What’s tomorrow look like? Where do I go from here? Holy Spirit, do your best in me!”

And I can promise you this, if you do that, the Holy Spirit is going to begin to lead and guide you into a deeper walk with God as He begins a to literally change you from the inside out. As tonight He begins to show you a new way to live.

So, if you’re an attender tonight, that’s what I want your focus to be.

But maybe you’re here tonight, and you’re a pretender. You’re somebody who at one point made a commitment to follow Jesus, but the truth is, that commitment has faded.

And as a result, your focus is off.

As a result, there are things in your life that shouldn’t be there.

As a result, there are compromises you’ve made.

As a result, while you the appearance of being alive, you are in fact dead in your faith.

And if that’s you, what you need to tonight is a spiritual reboot. You need some spiritual paddles to shock you back to life. Like the believers at Sardis, you need to wake up, repent, and come back to Jesus.

And your prayer of repentance needs to be similar to what King David prayed in Psalm 51 when he strayed from his faith. A prayer that goes like this:

Psalm 51 (ESV)

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy

blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin!

3 For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you may be justified in your words

and blameless in your judgment.

9 Hide your face from my sins,

and blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from your presence,

and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and uphold me with a willing spirit.

16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;

you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

David prayed this prayer after he slept with a woman who wasn’t his wife, got her pregnant, and had her husband killed. Folks, it doesn’t get much worse than that. But the good news is David recognized his fall from grace, he repented, and God restored Him. And the good news is God can do that for you as well. But it starts with admitting your sin and repenting.

So, if that’s you, then that’s where you need to start tonight. By joining David in that prayer.

And then after you pray, I want you to do two things:

First, I want you to spend a few moments praising and thanking the Lord for His mercy and His grace. That regardless of your faithlessness, that He is always faithful.

Second, I want you to ask the Holy Spirit to begin to identify in your life what needs to change. In other words, what have you allowed in that needs to go.

Maybe you’ve been sleeping with your girlfriend or your boyfriend, and tonight that needs to stop.

Maybe you’ve been drinking to much, and tonight, that needs to stop.

Maybe you’ve been hanging around with the wrong crowd, and tonight that needs to stop.

I’m not sure what it’s going to be, but I can promise you this, if you ask the Holy Spirit to show you, He will show you. And if you’ll listen, He will give you the strength you need to overcome and start fresh again.

Now, for those who would say, “Pastor, I’m by no means perfect, but I’m living a commited walk with Jesus”, here’s what I want your focus to be.

The fact is, in order to do what Jesus has called you to do, you not only need the Holy Spirit’s work of regeneration, you need Him to empower you.

And this is exactly what Jesus promised to do for those who are commited to following Him and reaching the lost. It’s called the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. And it’s a second work of the Holy Spirit that allows the believer to minister in a supernatural power.

But in order to have it, you have to seek it. You have to ask Jesus to empower you with His Spirit. Because He wants to.

And so for you, it’s time to take your spiritual life up a notch. So, my challenge to you is to pray something like the believers prayed in Acts 4 when they were faced with the threat of sharing their faith. Here’s what they prayed:

Acts 4:29–31 ESV

29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

You see what you need to accomplish big plans for God is the empowering work of the Holy Spirit in your life.

A baptism that will unlock the spiritual gifts that God has given you.

A baptism that will enable you share the gospel with boldness and with a power that is not your own.

A baptism that Jesus wants to give you tonight.

And so, if you want to be empowered tonight, here’s what I’m going to challenge you to pray:

First, start by acknowledging your need for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Confess your need to the Lord. Humble yourself before Him. Acknowledge that it’s only by His power and Spirit can you do what He’s called you to do.

Second, ask Jesus to fill you with His Spirit. Ask Him to do what He said He would do in Luke 24:49

Luke 24:49 ESV

49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Jesus wants to empower you with power from on high. A Holy Spirit empowerment that will equip you and enable you to do more than you can do on your own.

Now, some might ask, “But Pastor, if that happens will I speak in tongues or will something weird happen?”

How about we not worry about that. How about instead we just focus on the need for empowerment. Because without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, we can’t do what Jesus has called us to do. So whatever comes after that, we’ll deal with it and I can promise you, if it’s from the Holy Spirit, it won’t be weird. Because it’s not the Holy Spirit that is weird, but people who make it weird. So, don’t be a weirdo.

But for now, let’s focus on the need for empowerment. Because I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be a church that has the appearance of being alive, but is dead.

I want to be a church that is truly alive. Alive with the unlimited supernatural power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus wants to give us.

Amen

With that said, the Worship team is going to come up and lead us in some worship, and then after that we’re going to dismiss for a time of prayer.