Our Mission – Being Witnesses

Our Mission – Being Witnesses

Subject: How We Become Effective Witnesses as a Church

by Rick Welborne

Acts 1:8 (NKJV)
⁸  But 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." 

1. Our Mission should be clear.

--Our mission should impact all that we do as believers. Our mission should be what we are trying to accomplish, our target, what we hope with God’s help to be our goal…our mission given to us by God.

--As Christians our mission should not be that difficult because our Commander in Chief Jesus has already laid out for us what we should be doing.

Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
¹⁸  Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
¹⁹  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
²⁰  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Mark 16:15-20 (NIV)
¹⁵  He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news 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."
¹⁹  After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.
²⁰  Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. 

--Our mission, according to Jesus, is to go! To go everywhere telling people about the good news of salvation and then, teaching them to be His disciples. It is not that complicated. How is that possible?

--Our mission can be accomplished by having an organized missions program where we faithfully support those who are being sent to the ends of the earth. We can’t go but we can send people. 

Romans 10:13-18 (NKJV)
¹³  For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
¹⁴  How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
¹⁵  And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"
¹⁶  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?"
¹⁷  So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
¹⁸  But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: "Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world." 

--How shall they call? How shall they believe? How shall they hear without a preacher (a missionary)? How shall they preach unless they are sent? As Christians these questions have to be answered.

--With God’s help we are doing everything we can to make sure that happens. We need you to come along side of us to be successful. 100% participation would be awesome. We can do more than we are doing.

--God gave me a mandate almost 40 years ago on the backside of a mountain in Mexico as I prayed for Holy Spirit to anoint me for that service. I begged Him to let me stay there and be a missionary to those people.

--I had my own private Pentecost with a strong powerful wind blowing and God giving me specific instructions about what I would be doing with my life. 

--He told me I would be going back to the United States and I was to be faithful to Him. I would eventually become a lead pastor and my job would be to make that church into a great mission’s church.

--Our mission can be accomplished by organized mission’s trips from Life Church…we have done this for years and have won the hearts of many toward missions…when you see the need you respond. Jamaica!

--Our mission can be accomplished by having strategic church ministries that have outreach written all over them…House of Hope, Street evangelism, going into the schools, Honor-bound motorcycle ministry. 

--Reaching the lost and hurting should always be on the forefront of everything we do…every dept. head should prayerfully consider how their ministry can accomplish the mission. How to be inclusive.

--Our special classes for women, our men’s breakfast, our children’s ministry and youth should be opportunities for the lost to find Jesus and the found to be transformed into disciples.

--Sunday school teachers should take advantage of situations when new people come who do not know Christ.

We should never feel we have to wait on the main worship service to be their time. SS in Texas!

--The other day I had lunch with a new person in our church who started coming because some Life Church golfers invited him to play with them…He was a Christian but was looking for a church home.

--Dr. Lee, who was the main professor I had when I did my Master’s program said that one of the ways we reach those in our community was by meeting felt needs that they have presently.

--Growing to 1000 plus will not be difficult when we all are filled with God’s power and we figure out ways to help those in our community…who are you helping right now? They become your mission.

--Just imagine with me if every family in Life Church won just one family a year to the Lord. Growing to 1000 would be so easily obtainable. Prayerfully find a family and go after them. 

--Your pastor has reached out to a family whose daughter just got out of jail and a man who was devastated when his wife had him served with divorce papers. These people are hurting and they need Jesus.

--We never want to just become another organization that is chasing the latest humanitarian cause but as we help people thru their mess we can lead them to the Master.

2. Our local mission can be realized by lifestyle evangelism.

--Wherever we are and whatever we are doing should always be a prospect for leading someone to Christ.

--Obviously we have not all been called to be on a mission’s trip or are we able to easily get people into church.

We must pray and look for and expect opportunities to present themselves every day.

--We are not a church who is always on a mission’s trip but we should always be a church that is on mission. Holy Spirit will guide us to wonderful opportunities. 

Henry Blackaby – God is always on mission and He is just looking for those who will join Him to accomplish His will.

--God had in His heart to free the children of Israel from their bondage, so what did He do? He invited Moses to join Him in His endeavor. He always has deliverance on His heart. 

--Who is God inviting you along with Him to reach? Think about that and pray God will direct you to the ones who need Jesus and who need you. Think about Zacchaeus.

Luke 19:9-10 (NKJV)
⁹  And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham;
¹⁰  for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

--If your lifestyle is such that you only feel you can lead someone to Christ on a mission’s trip, at church, or a church related event…you need to raise your expectations and faith.

--Lifestyle evangelism is only effective when we are displaying the fruit of Holy Spirit on a regular basis…

That favorite restaurant you go to, you can lose your chance of leading them to Christ with one bad day.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)
²²  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
²³  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

--How we present this gospel, the attitude and prayer behind our presentation, and even the verbiage we use is so important…listen to this man telling about when he was four and going to church.

3. My mission cannot just be what I do but it must be who I am. Who I am in Christ.

--Yes, I am a minister and yes my church is a great responsibility to me…but the church is not the whole world Jesus told me to reach in Matthew.

--Tennis or golf or shopping are no longer just activities we are doing but opportunities for our light to so shine before those we are coming into contact with…God wants to be glorified.

1 Corinthians 10:31 (NKJV)
³¹  Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

--Your job, your recreation, your vacation, your doctor visit, your classroom, your whatever is not just you grinding out your day but you are on your mission field.

--When I realize that my purpose and mission are assigned to me by God and that He has plans for everyone to be saved…He sets me up with divine encounters…my perspective begins to change.

Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NIV)
¹¹  For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
¹²  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
¹³  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
¹⁴  I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

--I know we always want to use these verses for ourselves but do we really believe God has plans for the lost to bring them out of their captivity.

--Life Church is here, not just so we can have our needs met…we invite Holy Spirit not just so we can get those goose bumps and go home feeling good.

--We should come to get empowered and so we can realize our mission to be witnesses. The lost need us.

Acts 1:8-11 (NKJV)
⁸  But 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."
⁹  Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
¹⁰  And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
¹¹  who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." 

--Stop stand around gazing up into heaven for your prayers to be answered or for Jesus to come back…get busy and start fulfilling your mission.

--Support the General Missions of your church, start displaying lifestyle evangelism, and let missions not just be something you do but something you are! You are a missionary!

Let Us Pray - 4

Let Us Pray - 4

Subject – The Supernatural Aspect of Being Equipped for Ministry

by Rick Welborne

Matthew 7:24-27 (NKJV)
²⁴  "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
²⁵  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
²⁶  But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:
²⁷  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." 

--Today, as we look at the Parade of Ministry, we must ask ourselves how can we be the most effective as we do the ministries God has placed us in. It is more than just showing up.

--Volunteering in God’s army takes commitment and it takes a willingness to give of yourselves to make a difference in other people’s lives. But it takes even more than that. 

--The church is only as strong as the core group who are serving God and serving people from a sincere heart. 

--Last week we looked at those who were filled with Holy Spirit power on the Day of Pentecost. The immediate result of this experience is that they began to do something they could not normally do.

--God, by Holy Spirit, enabled ordinary men and women to do and say things beyond their natural abilities. They became supernaturally empowered. No human explanation for their transformation.

--I hope you can see the connection of being involved in Life Church Ministries and being equipped to do those ministries in a more powerful way through Holy Spirit baptism and fire. 

Acts 1:8 (NKJV)
⁸  But 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." 

--We Spirit-filled people have heard this verse quoted so much that we have come to the conclusion that the only reason God gave us Holy Spirit power was so we could witness for Christ.

--Let me be the first to tell you I believe that is the main reason but definitely not the only reason. Yes, the Spirit was given to help fulfill the Great Commission but we were also told to go and make disciples of all…

--Almost any story you hear of someone being used by God in some great way began by the fire of God consuming them and then they went and changed their world.

--Holy Spirit has the power to lift us above ourselves. In the disciples the same tongues who were arguing about who was the greatest and tongues denying Christ were baptized and, then, declaring the wonders of God. 

--Holy Spirit is greater than all of our “I can’ts) and our failures. He can make up the difference of our lack of intelligence, talent, and upbringing. When we are available and willing…Holy Spirit comes.

--God in His wisdom has purposely chosen people who could not accomplish what He was asking them to do without His power and blessings. Why? So He would receive the glory. Spirit not flesh.

--D.L. Moody never had formal credentials to be ordained. That was why he was called Mr. Moody. He was short, stocky, and not so good looking. He mispronounced words and his grammar was horrible.

--Yet he addressed more people and brought them to Christ more than anyone else in the 19^th Century. How did that happen? Moody said that the turning point was something that happened to him just across the East River.

--He was in Brooklyn on Wall Street and in 1871, just a few weeks after the great Chicago fire, 34 year-old Moody had come east to raise money to rebuild the buildings he had lost.

Moody – My heart was not in the work of begging. I could not appeal. I was crying all the time that God would fill me with His Spirit. Well, one day, in the city of New York—oh, what a day! I cannot describe it. I seldom refer to it; it is almost too sacred an experience to name. I can only say that God revealed Himself to me, and I had such an experience of His love that I had to ask Him to stay His hand. I went to preaching again. The sermons were not different. I did not present any new truths, and yet hundreds were converted. I would not now be placed back where I was before that blessed experience if you should give me all the world. 

--Oh, that all of us might receive, like Mr. Moody, something fresh from the Holy Spirit that revolutionizes our spiritual lives. Notice he was saved but needed more. 

--Today is the day we celebrate and recognize the ministries of Life Church and it is the day we honestly try to get recruits to help in these areas.

--Start the rotation of the ministries that are working well. See all these ministries that are doing well.

--Take the list out of your bulletin and start now praying over it…fill it out. Do not mark a ministry you are already involved in…Just new ones you may be interested in. 

--In a little while you will be able to sign up with these ministries…please just sign up and the department heads will call you and follow up. We are encouraging the Department Heads to make sure you are called

--What I want you to recognize about Mr. Moody was, he understood to do what needed to be done in and for his ministry he needed supernatural power. He was crying to be filled with Holy Spirit.

--A qualification we have for pastors and board members is, according to the scriptures, they must be men filled with Holy Spirit power and wisdom. Verse please:

Acts 6:3-5 (NKJV)
³  Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
⁴  but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
⁵  And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit...

--Some have tried to make this into something that it is too much to require but I believe (according to the Word) I believe it is absolutely necessary. 

--Since we claim to be a Spirit-filled church, I believe everyone who serves, teaches, leads, or whatever your capacity is, you should be filled with Holy Spirit.

--If you are not filled with Holy Spirit you should be asking God every day, several times a day to fill you, and if you are filled with Holy Spirit power you should be asking for more…for Him to refill you again.

--Back to Mr. Moody, he needed God to help him with his ministry and he did not have it in him to beg or to accomplish what he wanted to without supernatural help. So what did he do?

--First of all, he was crying all the time to God but for what? He was crying for God to fill him with what or really with whom? Remember Holy Spirit is not an it but He is God. To be filled with the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:14-18 (NKJV)
¹⁴  Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light."
¹⁵  See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
¹⁶  redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
¹⁷  Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
¹⁸  And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 

--Mr. Moody understood that it was the will of God for him to be filled with Holy Spirit power even though I don’t think he fully understood what he was asking God to do. 

--I want to share a part of my testimony that I have not shared that much. My main encounter and conversion before God was when I was 19 but when I was 16 or 17 I had an amazing meeting with God.

--My cousins were good Baptist so when I would stay with them, they took me to church. One of my cousins was a Baptist evangelist. He was trying to help me out by sharing Christ with me. I prayed.

--My cousin asked me to go with him to a youth camp and help him with setting up his equipment and any other duty that he needed help with. I told him I could help counsel with the young people. He said Right!

--I asked him how should I pray to get ready for the youth camp. I am sure he did not even know (like Moody) what he was telling me to pray for…He said, “Just ask God to fill you with power!” That’s it! Yep!

--Every day several times a day I would just pray a very simple but sincere prayer…God fill me with power! God fill me with power! Remember Acts 1:8 You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.

--I was asking for Holy Spirit baptism without knowing it. About two weeks into this praying I walked into my house and went to my bedroom praying…God fill me with power! Like Mr. Moody, something happened.

--I began to pray in a language I did not know…My mother knocks on the door…Ricky, are you alright! Yes, Mom, I have been praying so long that I can’t pray in English anymore. I shut the door.

--She knocks again…Ricky, have you lost your mind? Mom, you know I never had one. Sadly, I had no one who could explain what happened to me so there was no follow through. Went downhill from there. 

--I love Mr. Moody’s description of what happened to him that day and what a beautiful description of being baptized in the Spirit… 

--“I can only say that God revealed Himself to me, and I had such an experience of His love that I had to ask Him to stay His hand.” How could it not be awesome when you are filled with God Himself?

Ephesians 3:16-19 (NKJV)
¹⁶  that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
¹⁷  that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
¹⁸  may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--
¹⁹  to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

--Mr. Moody said that his sermons were not different and he was not presenting new truths but something happened supernatural…Hundreds were converted. He had received power to be a witness.

--Pastor, are you saying if I am baptized in the Spirit that all of a sudden I will be leading hundreds to the Lord? That could be possible, if you are witnessing to hundreds.

--What I am saying is that you will be more effective and more powerful to do whatever it is God has called you or assigned for you to do. Holy Spirit comes with His gifts and His fruit.

--You will have access to power, to healing, to discernment, to wisdom, to miracles, to faith, to supernatural manifestations of Holy Spirit power.

Mark 16:15-18 (NKJV)
¹⁵  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
¹⁶  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
¹⁷  And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
¹⁸  they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

--If we will be in a ministry in the church especially anything dealing with people we definitely need Holy Spirit to allow the Fruit of the Spirit to flow through us.

Galatians 5:22-25 (NKJV)
²²  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
²³  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
²⁴  And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
²⁵  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

--I don’t care how loud you speak in tongues or how you claim to be filled with the Spirit if this fruit (not fruits) is not evident in your life when you deal with people. 

--Those who will be the most effective in the church are not those who log the most hours but did it with a bad attitude but those who walked in the Spirit letting people see their love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

--One of the most beautiful words used when it comes to Holy Spirit baptism is the word all. Some try to tell us praying in the Spirit or the baptism in the Spirit should be a quiet or private thing. 

Acts 2:4 (NKJV)
⁴  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 

Acts 4:31 (NKJV)
³¹  And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. 

Acts 10:44 (NKJV)
⁴⁴  While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.

Acts 19:6-7 (NIV)
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.

--Altar call.

Put up the slides for three ministries needing help. These three ministries could really use your help. You can sign up wherever you like but these three areas need people now. 

Let Us Pray - 3

Let Us Pray - 3

Subject – The Supernatural Aspect of Our Praying

by Rick Welborne

Matthew 7:24-27 (NKJV)
²⁴  "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
²⁵  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
²⁶  But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:
²⁷  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." 

--It is tremendously obvious to me that we must have a solid foundation as we move forward with the Lord knowing that storms are coming. The place of no storms is called heaven.

--John tells us that infancy is for intimacy but adolescence is for accruing power. You need that power because we have an enemy. You know you have an enemy who does not want your house to stand?

Finally, John says I am writing to you fathers (to mothers) …notice he does not say adults. We are in a time where we are not just in need of adults but we are in need of some spiritual fathers and mothers.

--God needs some fathers and mothers who have some longevity and who have withstood some storms to come alongside those in the church who need to build their foundation. Your life and testimony can help.

--This is why churches need to be multigenerational. We can’t have churches that are just made up of millennials or seniors. We need spiritual fathers and mothers who will take them by the hand and guide them. 

--Today, with God’s help, I want to share with you that there is more and in this world we definitely need more.

--Imagine with me if we had a time machine and we could go back in time 2000 years to the upper room in Jerusalem, just a week after Jesus’ ascension. 

--You are sitting in the corner and you are scanning the crowd and you are looking into the faces of the 119. What do you see? Think about who they are and where they have come from.

--First, you look at the apostles and you ask yourself what was the Lord thinking when He chose these guys? Why didn’t He choose rabbis and scholars of the Law? He could have chosen gifted orators who could sway…

--Instead you see a fisherman. You see a tax collector. You see a former member of the Zealots, a radical political group. You see ordinary men. No executive search would have ever chosen this bunch.

--These are the last people you would pick to launch a church plant much less to start a new religious movement. But, of course, Jesus did this on purpose. 

--He knew it would almost be impossible for these guys to depend on their human ability. Instead, they would have to depend on Jesus’ promise of power from on high.

--Jesus recognized the more educated and the brighter people become, and the better their connections to human influence, money and power, the more they tend to look away from the power of God. Trust in God’s grace less.

--Even more troubling in the upper room were people who just had recent spiritual failures. Just a few weeks before, in a moment of crisis they deserted their leader. Disqualified.

--Three years of intense discipleship training by Jesus just went out the window and all the lessons they learned (taught by the greatest teacher ever) seemed to count for nothing. 

--They had watched His example in every kind of circumstance and watched Him stand up against the Pharisees. They held their breath when He courageously cast out demons.

--Yet when their hour to stand came they couldn’t…they didn’t. They ran instead. All the modelling by Jesus and all of His great teaching seemed to evaporate into the night there at Gethsemane. 

--Not only did they show they were cowards, one of them went into a full blown denial about knowing Who Jesus was. He denied Him three times, the last of which he used profanity.

--About three days later, Thomas was told Christ had come back from the dead. He was so steeped in doubt and self-pity that he replied in essence, “No way…not possible. He dead!” Build your church with these guys? Nope

1. Simply Waiting

--120 people simply sit in the room doing what? Praying I am sure. What do church people do when they don’t feel they can pray anymore? They sing a song. Just waiting but for what?

--Can you imagine how alone they felt at this time? Memories of Jesus fills their minds…Him walking on the water, calming the storm, feeding thousands, and healing sick people.

--All of that seems like a distant past with Jesus gone and by the way, where did He go? They feel, I am sure, guilt from their failures when He needed them the most.

--Maybe we should just go outside and disperse. That could be dangerous, couldn’t it? They are in the middle of Jerusalem where people were just recently crying…crucify Jesus. They had no love for His followers.

--This is key: Jesus told them to wait there in the upper room until they were filled with some kind of power when Holy Spirit came on them (whatever that meant). Then they would be witnesses to the ends of the earth.

--Let’s be honest, how could this happen? Who was this Helper or Counselor Who would be with them forever and would turn them into mighty men of God?

--There was no doubt that they needed some powerful someone to come along and to change them into great spiritual champions. After 10 days something happened:

Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV)
¹  When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
²  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
³  Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
⁴  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 

--Don’t miss it…what is important here is that something supernatural came from heaven and invaded men and women on earth, changing them forever. 

Jim Cymbala – I think we have lost the wonder of that because we are so familiar with the passage. Since Holy Spirit is God, what is the depth of the meaning in those words “all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit?” They were filled with God Himself!

--Please forget how familiar you are with this passage of Scripture and what you have been taught by others about it and open up yourself to what God did there. 

--Frail, hurting men and women were not just given a temporary emotional high or Holy Ghost goosebumps, they were filled with God the Holy Spirit. 

2. Power for right now.

--Who can deny that this is what the church needs today. This is the desperate need for pastors definitely starting with me first. We need something supernatural from heaven.

--Too much of what we have today is made up of programs, projects, human ideas, talents, and strategies. All these things have value but they fail to meet what the church is really in need of. 

--What is missing is something from heaven itself, something from God the Holy Spirit that comes and floods our lives and changes us forever.

--This is what God has always designed for His church. Take this statement for example from the Bible:

1 Peter 4:11 (NIV)
¹¹  If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God…

--How long has it been since you have heard preaching that is authoritative and heart searching? Preaching that is anointed by Holy Spirit power and that gets people to repent before God?

--The indictment by skeptics against the church is that many of our services are barren of life and are spiritually dead. Who wants a God when His church is dead and lifeless?

Sir Walter Moberly addressing Christians involved in an academic environment:  You, Christians, if one tenth of what you believe is true you ought to be ten times more excited than you are. But evidently it is not true. I take one look at your face and rest my case.  

Oliver Wendell Holmes - I may have entered the ministry if certain clergy I knew had not looked and acted like undertakers.  

Robert Lewis Stephenson in his diary said with great amazement - I have been to church today and I am not depressed.  

--You can have church where everything is doctrinally right and where you are teaching and preaching the Tenets of Faith but if there is nothing from heaven to grip the hearts with conviction. Where’s the power?

--What marked those in the New Testament church was that they were having powerful encounters with the living God. Sinners were converted. It was anything but dull and ordinary. Come, Holy Spirit!

--Have you ever been listening to a beautiful song of worship or were listening to sermon where something, actually, Someone from Heaven showed up and God touched you so deeply.

--I love when someone comes to me after a service and wants to know who had I been talking to about them. And why did you keep staring at me during the service. Heaven showed up!

3. Wind, Fire, and Supernatural Languages – I dare you!

--Holy Spirit is often referred to as wind or as the breath of God. But on the day of Pentecost this was no ordinary wind…this was powerful…watch this.

Acts 2:2 (NLT2) ²  Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting.

 Acts 2:2 (NIV) ²  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

--What do violent wind storms, like hurricanes and tornadoes, do when they come? They destroy everything material and they show us that what is left is the most important. Life!

--The church needs such a violet wind from Holy Spirit that all the rubbish is blown out of our lives and such that the material world doesn’t mean that much anymore.

--We need a typhoon-like visitation from Holy Spirit that doesn’t just rearrange the furniture but totally rearranges our lives just like He did for the 120 on the Day of Pentecost.

--I dare you to wait on God with all your heart for Him to send the promised Holy Spirit into your lives. I dare you to ask God for something from heaven not something with the smell of man on it.

--Who here today will beg God for Him to do it again? Another Pentecost! Another violet wind that shakes everything that can be shaken! Come Spirit of the Living God!

--Just like in Ezekiel breathe on these dry bones and let them live again.

Ezekiel 37:7-10 (NKJV)
⁷  So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone.
⁸  Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
⁹  Also He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live." ' "
¹⁰  So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.

--Holy Spirit is referred to as fire and Acts 2 says that there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. One sat upon each of them!

--Holy Spirit is not just for the fanatic; He is for everyone. All 120 men and women had the fire of God or what appeared to be fire on their heads. Why our heads? We’ve got messed up thinking about Holy Spirit.

--I dare you to invite the fire of God to rest upon you this morning. He’ll burn out the junk and He will refine you so that your life will be pure before God. 

--Holy Spirit took control of their tongues! Why tongues? James tells us that the tongue is the most unruly part of the body and that it can cause a fire of destruction wherever it goes. 

--I dare you to invite Holy Spirit and allow Him to take control of that tongue that needs some sanctifying. When the Spirit took control of the 120 what did the people hear in Jerusalem from them?

Acts 2:11 (NKJV)
¹¹  --we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.

--The world needs to see Spirit filled believers not talking smack with them but talking about the wonderful things God has done!

--I dare you to stand and to beg God for His wind to blow, His fire to fall, and to change our tongues by taking a coal from the altar like Isaiah begged for…Come Holy Spirit!

Prayer – Rescued

Prayer – Rescued

Subject – How God Rescues Those Who Pray

by Rick Welborne

Acts 12:1-17 (NKJV)
¹  Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.
²  Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
³  And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
⁴  So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.
⁵  Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.
⁶  And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.
⁷  Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands.
⁸  Then the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and tie on your sandals"; and so he did. And he said to him, "Put on your garment and follow me."
⁹  So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
¹⁰  When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
¹¹  And when Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people."
¹²  So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.
¹³  And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer.
¹⁴  When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate.
¹⁵  But they said to her, "You are beside yourself!" Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, "It is his angel."
¹⁶  Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.
¹⁷  But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, "Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren." And he departed and went to another place. 

--I think all of us have a tendency to love old cowboy and Indian movies or adventure movies where someone is captured and a hero comes along and rescues them. The Calvary would show up!

--We have heard the story about Abraham’s nephew Lot who got caught up in a battle with five tribes, two against three and he is captured. Abraham had to go and rescue.

--The New Testament has one of these amazing stories where a rescue took place and it was with the Apostle Peter who was locked up in prison. He was in a mess.

--This story brings out or highlights in our lives an area that is truly lacking. It brings out a weapon of spiritual warfare that is hardly ever used by the church.

--Commentators tells us that this story happens in Jerusalem about 15 years after Jesus had died and had risen from the dead. The church is growing and Peter and the others have stayed there.

--Paul and some of the other apostle have gone out from Jerusalem to spread the gospel. Things are starting to heat up. The second martyrdom happened. The first was a deacon Stephen.

--Herod has James (the brother of Jesus) killed and because it pleased the Jews, he went after Peter and has him locked up in prison. He was happy his approval ratings were going up. Politicians!

--The Bible tells us that constant prayer…earnest prayer was going up for him and there are multiple interpretations to what this earnest praying that was going up for him meant. 

--One translation said that the church shut down all the other business going on and a steady stream of prayer was going up for Peter…it was fervent, it was intense, it was focused.

--It was not a prayer meeting where they were praying for twenty different things. The people understood their leader, their senior pastor was locked up and he was in much trouble. The apostle looks like he may die. 

--And please notice that it appeared to be a very hopeless situation, no governmental official to go to or no bail that could be paid. No court or no plea bargain…there was nothing that they could do.

--They had no money to pay off a judge or a guard. They had nothing like that. A truly hopeless situation. How many of you know that when God allows us to go into these situations, He is getting ready to do great work.

--There are times that life and even God will make sure that you do not have crutches or anything else to lean on except for Him. Prayer and God. God and prayer. 

--Anything God can do; prayer can do because prayer is our link to God. The prayer of faith is the link to God’s power. Nothing is impossible with God…nothing is impossible when we pray.

--That night Peter was in jail waiting to be brought to a trial, a phony trial, sleeping between two guards. They actually had 16 guards watching him…four at a time. Six hour shifts. They wanted to keep this boy in jail. --They had two chains on him in a filthy cell with no light.

Acts 12:7-11 (NKJV)                                                                                                                                               ⁷  Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands.
⁸  Then the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and tie on your sandals"; and so he did. And he said to him, "Put on your garment and follow me."
⁹  So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
¹⁰  When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
¹¹  And when Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people."

--What a rescue…what a deliverance. Am I right? Wow! I want us to notice a couple of things about this rescue. I want us to see the awesomeness, the glory, and the power of what prayer can do.

E. M. Bounds – There are only two kinds of people on the earth, people who pray and people who don’t. 

--I think that is how God looks at it too. We can say there are those who are born again and those who are not. Those who are saved and those who are unsaved.

--When Ananias was sent to Saul who was persecuting the church he wanted a sign that He was okay…what did he tell him? Behold he is praying. A sign he was seeking God.

--The Bible tells us that prayer is kept in bowls in heaven? How important must our prayers be?

Revelation 5:8 (NKJV)
⁸  Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

--Imagine how important to God your prayers must be. Every prayer ever uttered by Christians have been kept in bowls. Even after we die, our prayers will still chase down the prodigals.

--How many of you remember Cornelius in the book of Acts? An angel came to him and said that God has seen your kindness to the poor and He has heard your prayers.

--He did not pray in Jesus Name because he was not a believer. He sent for Peter to come and to tell them the good news about Jesus. He prayed so much that it moved God to do something on his behalf.

--God’s Word has so many promises in regard to prayer:

Psalm 50:15 (NKJV)                                                                                                                                                ¹⁵  Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me." 

--So many times in the day of trouble, we do everything but call upon the Lord. We worry and call friends. We have a pity party, we get grouchy, and we get irritable. But we do not call on Him Who can save us.

Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV)                                                                                                                                            ³  'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' 

--Didn’t Jesus say My House shall be a house of prayer? Not singing, not preaching, not anything else. When Jesus saw the money changers using His House as a place to make money…He made a whip. He was angry.

--When we pray God says that He will open the windows of Heaven and pour out blessings. When you call I will answer. God understands prayer that does not even use words. A sigh, a tear, a groan.

Romans 8:26 (NIV)
²⁶  In 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.

--Don’t strive to be a good public pray-er but strive to pray from your heart…be honest…be sincere. Most American churches struggle to get people to come out for prayer though people admit it would help them.

--It is so hard to get people to pray yet God has promised to rescue us when we pray. Have you ever had your back up against a wall and had no place to turn but to God in prayer? No hope! Like this story with Peter.

--Peter is in a prison where if he gets help, it will be from the church. If he gets food or clothes, it will be from them. About the only option he is looking at with Herod is death. So hopeless except that the church is praying.

Matthew 7:7-8 (NKJV)
⁷  "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
⁸  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

--The disciples are in a situation where everything seems hopeless but they remember what Jesus said…Ask and it will be given, seek and you shall find, knock and it will be opened.

--Paul said that first of all men and women should pray, lifting up holy hands without wrath or doubting. Prayer should be the first thing. The church is full of knowledge but little prayer is going on.

--Imagine the prayer going up for Peter…Rescue our pastor, please don’t let them kill him, Oh, God, set him free. Can you imagine the tears? They didn’t pray just for a couple of minutes…they continued in prayer.

1. When people pray in sincerity something from heaven shows up.

--There was an angel…a light showed up in the prison. When we pray here, God responds from heaven. We have not because we ask not. We need something supernatural from God. 

--Too much of what we have today has the smell of human instead of the touch of heaven. Quiet churches can be so predictable but so can the ones with everyone running around. We need heaven’s touch.

--If we control the services we leave no room for Holy Spirit to come. He has to work in our schedule not the other way around. Maybe you are here needing something from heaven…pray until heaven shows up!

2. When people pray in sincerity God wakes people up.

--When the angel came to Peter, what did he do? He smote him in the side and woke him up. When God’s people pray…God wakes up those who are sleeping. Do you know anyone like that?

--Listen, we can go through all the motions of church, church life, going on vacations, living life and still be sleeping spiritually. We are so unaware of the battle spiritually going on around us. Wake up!

Ephesians 5:14-18 (NIV)
¹⁴  for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
¹⁵  Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise,
¹⁶  making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
¹⁷  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
¹⁸  Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 

--People are sleeping…we must pray until they wake up. Our son was sleeping. We had to pray until he woke up. We had to call until God answered…until Josh responded.

--Finney before he would go to the next town to preach he would have people praying. Brother Nash traveled with him but was seldom in the meetings. He was praying and people were converted. Dynamic duo.

3. When people pray in sincerity chains fall off.

--Chains are restrictive. If you have chains on your legs, you can’t run. When we pray personally we find a freedom we did not have before. A new ability or freedom to witness…no longer restricted.

--When we pray God sets people free. Listen, your prodigal can’t be worse off than Peter. I know with the opioid crisis we wonder if they can be free. They can! Pray! I was there before it was popular.

4. When people pray doors are opened. 

--Pastor, the door is not opening…pray! There’s a battle! Pray!

1 Corinthians 16:9 (NKJV)
⁹  For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

--When God’s people pray…doors are opened just like for Peter. God opened the door and set him free. We don’t need a battering ram…we do not need to force it…God will open the door. Pray!