Last Sunday we met, we talked about being Baptized with the Holy Spirit of Jesus. This morning we talked about the Seven Sons who tried to drive out demons in the name of Jesus who Paul preaches. We learned that these demons came back and attacked the Seven Sons saying "Jesus and Paul we know, but who are you?" Right here I am reminded of the powerful scripture in Matthew 7 when Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" I believe these Seven Sons who tried to drive out demons were unsuccessful because they didn't know Jesus; they didn't have His Holy Spirit.
Wednesday we talked about the power of prayer. There is also incredible power in truly having God's Holy Spirit living in you. One thing that bothered me about what we talked about this morning is that we don't see supernatural things anymore. And I truly believe if the same power that helped Jesus rise from the dead lives in us, we should be more powerful than we are. We should look different! Eric said this morning in prayer, "do not be conformed to the patterns of this world". The latter part is this: "be transformed by the renewing of your mind". Renew your mind in what? In the Holy Spirit.
Right off the bat in Acts 1 after Jesus' death and resurrection, He tells His disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit. He says not to go out into the world and tell others about Him until they receive it. So the disciples were waiting and praying in Jeruselum for the Holy Spirit to come. They had no idea what was going to happen; they were just waiting in anticipation. In Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit finally does come, its like a rushing wind. It would be like us sitting in this quiet room, all the while there is a wind storm happening outside, and someone removes the windows! If that isn't enough, fire would come down from the ceiling to rest on each of our heads. And what is more? We all start speaking other languages! It just so happens this occurs when people who worship God from all over the world are visiting Wheatland. They feel the wind, see the fire, and hear us all speaking in their native tongues. Imaginable? Well the Bible tells us this same promise of the Holy Spirit is for the disciples, their children, and for those who are far off...that's us!
Jesus tells His disciples in John 14 through 16 that it is good for Him to go away because once He goes, then the Holy Spirit will come and live in our hearts. He will convict the world of sin and righteousness, we don't have to. And once we receive the Holy Spirit we will not only receive the fruit of the spirit: patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, but we will receive a spiritual gift (no not a talent), AND we will be transformed by His power! Our life will be different.
Now I struggle with this concept A LOT. Not so much with myself, because I didn't grow up in church and I wasn't hearing the word of God all the time. As I've shared in much of my testimony I did live a very sinful life before I finally repented and turned to Jesus. Most of the people in this youth group grew up in church and have heard the word of God preached. Although morals might be more engrained in your minds because of what you've been taught and who you're surrounded by at church. As sad as it is, not only do most of us spend more time in the world (with school, sports, and work), but remember, none of us is righteous. Even if you were the Pope's son, you are not righteous until you repent and receive Jesus' Holy Spirit. We can't save each other, we can only save ourselves by choosing to believe in Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, repenting from our life of sin (we're all sinners!), and receiving Jesus' Holy Spirit to give us power against sin and death.
To boot, Jesus tells His disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit because once they receive it, they will have power to preach His word because Jesus' Holy Spirit will speak through them and they will be His witnesses until the ends of the earth. How can we better witness to others than by having changed lives and sharing about our changed lives. No you guys didn't know me before I became a Christian but I was a very different person. And as much as people want to imitate having Jesus' Holy Spirit living in them giving them fruit, gifts, and power, the Holy Spirit cannot be imitated, mimicked, or replicated! The Holy Spirit is inexplainable, it's supernatural, it is a gift from God that must come and live in you when you decide to follow Jesus, leaving a life of sin and turning toward a righteous life with Jesus' Holy Spirit as our guide.
Paul tells us in Romans 8:9-17 " You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life[a] because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of[b] his Spirit who lives in you.
12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[c] And by him we cry, “Abba,[d] Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."
There are two kinds of people: one who is killed by his sin and one who is killing his sin. The latter of which are Sons of God and are being led by the Spirit of God. They are the children of God and He is their Father. Which one are you?
Tonight I wanted to talk about the Holy Spirit to encourage those who don't yet have it to receive it and to challenge those who do have it to renew your mind in the incredible Power living inside you. Don't conform to look like the world, be transformed to look like Jesus!
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