Power to GO (Near & Far) “Harvest”
Text: Acts 1:6-8
6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. —Acts 1:6-8 (KJV)
Today we are celebrating “Pentecost Sunday” because it is the
Jesus intends for us to
49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. —Luke 24:49 (KJV)
1. WE NEED THE
OF THE HOLY GHOST
If we didn’t need the power, Jesus wouldn’t have told them to go and wait for it.
We shouldn’t do anything else till we have God’s power inside of us – the Holy Ghost!
I’m so glad that Jesus didn’t just tell them that they needed it…but He also provided it shortly thereafter as we read it at the beginning of Acts chapter 2.
Look at what Jesus said it would do in Acts 1:6-8…
6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. —Acts 1:6-8 (KJV)
2. The Holy Ghost is For
!
People will read books, take classes, they will exercise, and put their minds and bodies through all sorts of things – in order to achieve what they feel like is the best version of themselves.
Do you know what can change your life though? – The
Without the power and direction of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we are powerless!
It is the Holy Spirit that gives us the power and ability to do the will of God every day.
3. How To Receive the Holy Ghost
Steps that must be taken in order to enter the Kingdom of God.
Instruction steps for seekers..
According to the Word of God, the first step is FAITH;
1. Believe: trust God, open your heart.
The second step is REPENTANCE;
2. Repent: confess sin, express sorrow, surrender all to God, ask for His forgiveness.
3. Repentance and faith are the only two requirements for receiving the Holy Ghost.
The third step is WATER BAPTISM in the name of Jesus Christ
4. Once you have fully repented, praise God with your mouth and with joy and expectancy.
The fourth step is receiving the Holy Ghost.
5. As the Spirit begins to move on your tongue, yield and let the new language come out.
• After we receive the Holy Ghost we must continue in the Apostles doctrine living a holy and godly life.
• Speaking with other tongues is the initial sign God gives us when we receive the Holy Ghost.
4. WHY YOU NEED THE HOLY GHOST IN YOUR LIFE
YOU NEED THE HOLY GHOST IN YOUR LIFE TO…
1. To GO do the works that Jesus did.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” —John 14:12
2. To GO keep Christ’s commands
“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” —John 14:15-17 NKJV
3. To GO stand in the face of rejection
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause. But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.” —John 15:18-16:4
4. To GO preach the gospel
“And when He [the Holy Spirit] has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. —John 16:8-15
5. EVERY DAY POWER
G.H.O.S.T.
How You Can Live Every Day in the Holy Ghost?
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Jesus “MARCHING” Orders
It is said that when the Duke of Wellington was asked if it was worthwhile sending missionaries to a certain people, he said: “What are your standing orders?” Well, here they are from scripture:
1. GO INTO ALL THE WORLD (Mark 16:15). The great Redeemer had His eye and heart on every part of the field when He gave His life a ransom for all.
2. BE WITNESSES UNTO ME (Acts 1:8). This implies more than mere testimony. We cannot be true witnesses of Christ’s transforming, cleansing, keeping power, unless we have in heart been renewed, possessed, and transformed.
3. TEACH ALL NATIONS (Matt 28:19). All nations need the knowledge of Christ. Christ is sufficient for the needs of all nations.
4. PREACH THE GOSPEL (2Co 10:16). The tidings of the Father’s love; of the Saviour’s sufferings and triumph; of His Spirit’s presence and power; of the coming of the King.
5. DECLARE HIS GLORY (1Ch 16:24). Declare the glory of His character; the glory of His resurrection; the glory of His kingdom.
6. BID TO THE MARRIAGE (Matt 22:9). Don’t forget to give each and all a hearty invitation. God is no respecter of persons. Whosoever will may come.
7. PRAY THE LORD OF THE HARVEST (Matt 9:28). Pray Him to thrust out labourers into His harvest.