Photo by Deb. Maciorowski

This week I have been posting the transcript of last Sunday’s sermon at Cornerstone piece by piece here at Lillie-Put. If you have missed any of this series you can catch up HERE.

Here is today’s portion:

Part five of this series is about moving in power. Once you have been cleansed from your sinful behavior God calls you to undo the works of the devil not just in your own life but in the world. You see, Christianity isn’t just about fixing your personal life. It is not a self help program. It is a world help program. Allowing your own life to be healed and made holy is only step two after being born again. Step  three is about getting into the world and focusing the power of God on others.

Listen young men and young women, God has a ministry for you in the church and a mission for you in the world and it is time for you to start doing it!

You say, ” I am too busy to be in a church ministry.”

You say,  “I have my own family to take care of I can’t help anyone else.”

Then you are saying “no” to being part of the conspiracy.

You say, ” But that is not fair! I barely have the strength to take care of myself. How can I help someone else?”

Now you know why Jesus said to His disciples, “ ‘Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5John baptized with^b water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

6So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, ‘Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?’

7 He replied, ‘The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’.” Acts 1: 4-8

The reason you feel you don’t have the strength to obey God’s commands is because you have not been filled with the Holy Spirit or because you are not walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is true, by ourselves we can do nothing (see John 15).  It is only when we are abiding in Christ, walking in the fullness of the baptism of the Holy Spirit that we can accomplish the things of God.What I am sharing with you is not just the teaching of the Assemblies of God; That is the teaching of Scripture and the command of Jesus. We may disagree on how the baptism functions but we cannot deny that Jesus said we needed it; Nor can we deny that there is no direct command anywhere in the writings of the New Testament writers where that order of Jesus was rescinded.

If you have not received the baptism of the Holy Spirit let me encourage you to go to God in prayer to ask for it. Wait for it, that is to keep praying for it ever time you pray until you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have been clothed with that “Power from on high”.

I look forward to your comments and questions. See you tomorrow!