Spirit & Fire Pt. 3 | Chris Gross | Radiant Life Church

Well, so thankful this morning and uh

just excited about what God is doing.

And if you've been here the last couple

of weeks, you know we've been talking

out of John chapter 16 and really

John 16 · chapter mention

talking about Jesus as he tells his

disciples that it's time for him to go

and that they're going to stay, but that

a great thing is happening in him

leaving that the Holy Spirit is going to

be sent. And so generally I might tell

funny stories or I might make up a

story. You don't know. Sometimes you

know you can decide. uh today there's

none of that if it's all right. This is

probably not what they tell you to do. I

don't know in seminary or wherever it

is. But we're just going to teach the

word of God and we're going to look

literally all the way back from Genesis

through the prophets through Kings

through the Old Testament. We're going

to look at the New Testament, what Jesus

said. We're going to look at what the

disciples experienced in Acts. And we're

going to talk about as we close it out

today, what our response should be to

the word of God. And my goal is not a

ton of commentary, not a ton of this is

what the word says, but we're going to

look at the word and let it so much just

speak for itself. And my prayer as the

word says is that faith would arise

within us. And my prayer, if this is a

new topic entirely, let the word speak

clearly. If you're like, woo, this is my

favorite topic, let the word and his

spirit speak clearly. Or maybe you're

like, I'm not sure. I I've heard things.

Let the word speak clearly. Not me, but

let the word speak. And I believe as his

word speaks, we're all going to be able

to take a step. We're going to be able

to grow. We're going to say, "Lord, what

do you have?" And we're going to

experience his life, his power, his

goodness in our life in a powerful,

powerful way. So, let's jump right in.

Let's tune in as we're going to fly

through what God has this morning from

his word so we can spend time at the

altar as we close today seeking Holy

Spirit in our lives. So, first today,

the promise of the spirit from Genesis

to the prophets. Important. This didn't

start in Acts. It didn't start in Acts

Acts 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2 or Acts chapter 2:4, but it

started in creation and through the Old

Testament. Genesis 1:2 says, "The earth

Genesis 1:2

was without form and void, and the

spirit of God was hovering over the

waters." Because God spoke light, the

spirit was present. Before form came to

creation, the spirit was moving. the

Holy Spirit, not a force, not some

thing, but an eternal, personal, and

divine. Our God, part of the Godhead of

God the Father, God the Son, and God the

Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament,

however, we see this work followed a

pattern that is different from the New

Testament. We see the spirit came upon

people. We see for a specific purpose

and for a specific limited season. You

say, "What are you talking about? What

you think of Joseph? He had supernatural

wisdom, dreams that were given to him."

We see judges throughout the Old

Testament that could bring deliverance

and could have strength. We see prophets

that revelation and utterance were given

to them. But we see David, king, in

Psalm 51:11 who says, "Cast me not away

Psalms 51:11

from your presence and take not your

holy spirit from me." And there were

seasons and times when these prophets,

priests, and kings were filled with an

extra dose of what God had of his

spirit. God was with his people in the

old covenant in the Old Testament, but

not within his people. But the promise,

the prophets, they promised a new day.

In Joel 2:28, it says, "And it shall

Joel 2:28

come to pass afterward that I will pour

my spirit out on all flesh. your sons

and your daughters will prophesy. And it

goes on talking about what will happen

when the spirit is poured out here in

Joel. The promise is for all flesh. It's

for every person, not just kings or

prophets or priests, not for the select

individual or few. Ezekiel 36:27 goes on

Ezekiel 36:27

and says, "I will put my spirit within

you and cause you to walk in my

statutes. The Holy Spirit will be in us.

Something different is to come that

these prophets would speak of. It's not

just an external power, but now an

internal presence that goes before us.

What the the prophets were speaking of,

a new covenant, a new heart, a new

relationship with the spirit of God.

This was something that Israel waited on

for generations for this promise to

come. And when Jesus stepped onto the

earth, all of a sudden there began to be

a shift that took place. In Matthew

Matthew 3:16

3:16, it says, "The spirit of God

descending like a dove came and came

resting on him." Jesus ministers in the

power of the spirit. But yet John tells

us in John 7:39, "For as yet the spirit

John 7:39

had not been given because Jesus was not

yet glorified." The spirit was active

but not yet given in fullness. Jesus was

walking but his disciples were lacking.

After the resurrection, Jesus commands

in Acts 1 4 and 5, wait for the promise

of the father. Says you will be baptized

with the holy spirit. And we see here

this isn't salvation. Not talking about

salvation language and coming to know

Jesus, but it's empowerment language.

The promise will arrive. said, "Wait on

the promise." And that's exactly what

happens in Acts chapter 2. The promise

Acts 2 · chapter mention

of the spirit was foretold all the way

up through Jesus, all the way up through

the last words that Jesus would speak to

his disciples and to his people. But

then the spirit was given. The promise

of the spirit leads us to the presence

of the spirit. And when we think about

the spirit of God, there's there's

elements and parts of what the spirit

comes upon us when we come and we give

our lives to Jesus. Verse when we're

filled with the Holy Spirit as in Acts

Acts 2:4

chapter 2 verse 4 and we look throughout

scripture, we see these distinctions

that every believer has the spirit. But

the story doesn't stop there. In John

John 16:8

16:8 says he will convict the world

concerning concerning sin and

righteousness and judgment. That's the

spirit. In Titus 3:5, he saved us by the

Titus 3:5

washing of regeneration and renewal of

the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:9, anyone who

Romans 8:9

does not have the spirit of Christ does

not belong to him. Ephesians 1:13, you

Ephesians 1:13

were sealed with the promised Holy

Spirit. Your w your relationship with

him, your walk with him, your your

salvation comes with the Holy Spirit,

but it is not complete. And why would we

say that? Or why would we know? Not

because anything is missing. We've got

salvation. We we have the spirit. But

because the disciples were told to wait.

The disciples were told even though they

had believed in Jesus and walked with

Jesus, had given themselves to Jesus.

Even though everything about their life

had been given to him, they saw him, the

risen Christ. Yet he told them to wait.

Belief is good, but there's more.

There's life, and there's power in his

spirit. Acts 1:8 says, "You will receive

Acts 1:8

power when the Holy Spirit has come upon

you, and you will be my witnesses." So,

they had Jesus, they had relationship

with Jesus, they had what we need to get

to heaven. Praise God. But Jesus says,

"But now you need to wait and you need

to receive this power so you can be my

witnesses." We see that it's Acts 2:4 is

Acts 2:4

a distinct empowering experience that

takes place after we come to know Jesus.

Acts 2:4 says they were all filled with

Acts 2:4

the Holy Spirit and begin to speak in

other tongues as the spirit gave them

utterance.

This word wasn't conversion. This wasn't

saying, "I believe in you and forgive

me, Jesus." This was a spirit baptism of

saying, "Lord, we've come. We've done

what you've asked us to. We've waited on

this spirit on on the power of God.

We're here put together in one place.

And now, would you move?" We see

throughout the New Testament in

different places that this is the

pattern that happens in different

groups, and different places, and

different churches. In Acts chapter

10:46, it says they heard them speaking

in tongues and extolling God. In Acts

Acts 19:6

19:6, they began speaking in tongues and

prophesying.

Different people in different settings,

but same experience and the same

evidence of the power of the spirit

being poured out on believers, on the

church, on those who love Jesus. Tongues

are the consistent biblical sign Luke

chooses and records when the Holy Spirit

comes upon you. the promise of the

spirit, the presence of the spirit, this

gift, this gift that he gives us. And

they showed up in Acts chapter 2 as the

Acts 2 · chapter mention

disciples had been waiting for 10 days,

waiting on the the power presence of

God.

You know, when I think about maybe the

the why, and this is important so often,

I think about coming and saying, "Holy

Spirit, would you move? Would you speak?

I want to I want to walk in you." And I

need I need this in my life. One more

time, I want to just talk about the

power of the spirit. Why would God want

to fill us?

Over the last two or three months, we've

been talking through John 14 and 15 and

16 and jumped up to the the crucifixion

and resurrection. And we see the

disciples who are consistently in a

place of we love you, Jesus. I'll never

deny you in word. I I'll give you

everything. But then in practice, they

deny him. They run away. They hide. Even

Peter the rock, the one that was going

to basically run the church, he denied

Jesus to a servant girl. How? Why?

Because there was a knowledge and a love

of Jesus. But they needed the power that

Jesus spoke about in John 14 and 15

specifically in 16 that they needed his

power to be able to accomplish what they

could not accomplish on their own. And

what they showed clearly they could not

accomplish because each one of them

failed in some way in that process of

standing true for Jesus.

God does not fill us for spectacle.

And I want this to be really clear. I

love some of my favorite moments of my

entire life are moments at an altar. A

moment where maybe there's been

spectacle. There's been cool things that

happened. There's been moments where

like, "WOW, THIS IS AWESOME." I'LL NEVER

FORGET THAT MOMENT or never I want to

stay in this moment. In fact, I think

heaven is going to be pretty great. Uh

really great. And what is it? It's going

to be a big long altar time with Jesus.

We're going to worship him. We're going

to praise him. Wherever we go in heaven,

we're going to be able to see him. Never

separated from Jesus. I can't wait. And

those moments seem in my life that at

the altar are some of the best moments

of connecting with Jesus with our

family, with our church family. what

Pastor Matt talked about when we're not

only family in nursery or in Royal

Rangers or girls ministries, but when

we're family seeking the power of God,

the goodness of God, the grace of God,

that's special.

But the Holy Spirit is not poured out

only for a moment at an altar or for a

spectacular moment, which may happen or

maybe it won't be. Acts chapter 2, there

Acts 2 · chapter mention

were tongues of fire that went on their

head. They began to speak in other

tongues. that pattern that we see

throughout the word of God. It's not

about the language, but it's about their

lives being transformed and changed and

their witness being totally

revolutionized.

Acts 1:8 says, "You will be my witnesses

Acts 1:8

once you receive." In Acts 4:31, after

Acts 4:31

the spirit was poured out, says they

were all filled with the Holy Spirit and

continued to speak the word of God with

boldness. In Romans 8:26 it says the

Romans 8:26

spirit him itself intercedes for us with

groanings too deep for words. And when

we think about the power of the spirit

we are filled and even then have the

spirit of God interceding for us. I

don't know about anybody else but I need

his power. I need his strength. I need

his goodness. I'm so thankful that our

God is in heaven even now interceding

for his people, his church. And if you

say I can't do it. I'm not good enough.

I don't have the power or the strength.

I could tell you you are 100% correct.

But the God of the universe, Jesus, he

had to go to heaven and he sent the

spirit of God. So therefore, you don't

have to have the strength. You don't

have to have the power. You don't have

to have the ability. You need his

presence and his power in your life. Cuz

when he steps into your life, church,

you've got all you need and so much

more. And the deficit of our life turns

into a surplus, an overflowing of the

power and of the spirit of God who still

intercedes

for you and for me. And when I think

about it, I'm just blown away. Lord, how

why? Why do you even care? I don't

understand. But I'm thankful. I don't

have to care why he does. I know he does

because he speaks it and his truth is

real. And Lord, I need you in parenting.

I need you in my marriage. I need you in

my job. I need you with everything I do

and everywhere I go. I don't know, maybe

you're like me. I need you when I drive

my car. I need you wherever it is.

There's just people and I need your

presence in my life. And he is here. And

God wants us filled because Jesus told

him, "When I go, I send another. When I

go, there's going to be filling. When I

go, you're going to actually have more

strength, more power than I'm with you."

What? No way. You could leave and we

could walk in more strength. That is

what he said.

Christianity without the spirit, this

empowering. Acts chapter 2, it becomes

Acts 2 · chapter mention

effort. It becomes how much can I do and

how many rules can I put in place to

keep myself where I need to be? Cuz if

you're like me, if I'm doing it on my

own strength, I better have all the

guard rails and all of the things and

I'm going to fail anyways, but I can get

better. It's effort. But when we walk in

power, it goes from effort and it turns

into supernatural power to help us walk

and to go and to do what God has called

us to do. And we may still put some

guard rails in place, but it's not

because of my strength or my wisdom. It

becomes all him. Lord, what are you

saying? What are you speaking? Where do

you want me to step? What do you want me

to say? How do you want me to deal with

this situation? As we know him more, we

realize we can walk in him and grow in

him in a new and a powerful way that's

so much bigger and better and stronger

than what we could even imagine of doing

on our own.

Luke 11:13 says, "How much more will the

Luke 11:13

heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to

those who ask?" And if you say, "I don't

know. Why would God want me to have it?"

He wants you to have power. And all he

wants you to do is simply ask him. And

when we ask how much more he'll give it

to you

rest receiving today it's not ye it's

not striving it's yielding

bringing ourselves to him he gives the

utterance we give the voice we respond

to what he does just like the disciples

you know in Acts chapter 2 verse4 and

Acts 2 · chapter mention

Acts chapter 1 verse 8 they didn't know

Acts 1:8

exactly what they were waiting on they

knew there was the promise they knew

some old testament they they had an

understanding, but they didn't know what

the moment was going to be. And they

waited until the spirit of God was

poured out and they said, "Whoa, we we

see tongues of fire, tongues that came

from them." They began to speak in

languages of people they didn't know.

Woo! Church, there's something that

happens. There's something that happens.

And God wants us to take that step. So,

it's not about us, but every area and

part of who we are is yielding. It's all

about you. It's all about the spirit of

God.

promise of the spirit, the presence of

the spirit, the power of the spirit. And

you know, the last thing this morning is

the participation

of the spirit. And worship team, if you

want to make your way back up here this

morning,

and the participation of the spirit,

like what the spirit does, but also

what's the participation of what we do?

What's our job? What's our

responsibility in this? This promise is

given. The power is available. It's

already been. It's already been offered,

but now we get to choose to participate.

Acts shows us multiple receiving

moments. Not one template, but one cons

or but consistent principles that we see

in Acts chapter 2. We see waiting and

Acts 2 · chapter mention

unity and prayer. Then we see overflow

that happens. In fact, let's look at it.

Acts 1:14, it says, "All these with one

Acts 1:14

accord were devoting themselves to

prayer. They were united. They were

together. or the rad fam the the

disciples were together praying and

seeking God. Then in Acts 2 verse 1 and

Acts 2:1

4 it says when the day of Pentecost

arrived they were all together in one

place and they were all filled with the

Holy Spirit and began to speak in other

tongues. Something happened in their

life in their ministry in who there

were. Their whole lives changed when

they were together they were in prayer

they were united and all of a sudden the

Holy Spirit was poured out. And what do

we see just from these verses before we

look at some more? We see obedience.

They submitted themselves to Jesus and

to his word. They said, "Okay, we're

going to go wait." I don't know about

anybody else, but to wait 10 days in

prayer and believing and not know

exactly what you're waiting on. That

would be a big step of obedience.

Anybody else in the room? Like 10 days.

I think of vacation where we're doing

things and I know what's happening.

Sometimes at the end of 10 days, you're

like, I got to go home. I need my bed

and my job. Like I just need my normal

life. These guys were praying, Lord, you

said. You said to come. You said to

pray. And that's exactly what they did.

They submitted themselves to what Jesus

commanded. They were united in one

accord. They had a prayer or worship

posture of Lord, we're going to pray.

We're going to seek you.

And you know what happens when there's a

submission, obedience, a unity, a

prayer, worship. Lord, you've got it.

All in an instant. God initiates the

move. We don't like get something or

stir something up. No amount of music or

whatever things. That's not what the

spirit of God moves on. It's his power.

And when we come together in unity, and

maybe we're singing together, praying

together, but we we're united together,

and all of a sudden, he shows up, he's

the one that initiates.

And here in Acts chapter 2, the other

Acts 2 · chapter mention

places we looked at, we see then they

respond. They began to speak. God

initiates and we speak.

It's not about technique in receiving

but is received by surrendered people.

He'll position yourselves for obedience.

When we come together and we're hungry

and we come together and say, "I need

you, Holy Spirit, in my life." Just like

the disciples needed you, we need you to

guide us and to direct us, to give us

truth, to show us the right way to go,

to be sure we don't get off track. And

Lord, we need you for power. We need you

for boldness. We need you for

evangelism.

Acts 8:12 says they believed and were

Acts 8:12

baptized both men and women. Believers

baptized. Then they had hands laid on

them as in they and verse 15-1 17 it

says they prayed for them that they

might receive the Holy Spirit. Then they

laid their hands on them and they

received the Holy Spirit. There's

something about that unity and together,

men and women being together, united,

and something about the laying on of

hands. And if you're like, I I don't

like people touching me or I don't

understand that. You know what? We don't

have to understand his word. We just

have to obey his word. And there's

something in the word of God that when

we pray and we believe and we lay hands

on one another, God does something.

Builds faith within us where two or

three are gathered. And so often when

people receive the Holy Spirit, hands

were laid on them.

There's an initiation. There's a into

Christ in his empowerment in in his

goodness, in the spirit of God being

moved. Acts chapter 10:44 says, "While

Peter was still saying these things, the

Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the

word." And I love this. I don't know if

this me meant that Peter, Pastor Dave,

is it possible talked a few two minutes

long? I don't know. But the word was

there. The faith rose. And even while he

was still preaching, the Holy Spirit

fell. And I want you to know that when

the gospel is being spoke, when you're

reading it, when a pastor is preaching

it, when you're at a small group, when

you or two or others are are gathered

together, we never know when God's going

to show up and do something or speak

something that goes so far beyond what

we thought might happen.

Just like here, Peter's preaching and

the Holy Spirit is poured out. Then in

verse 46, for they were hearing them

speaking in tongues and extolling God.

This pattern, the gospel is preached,

the word is spoken, they're united,

they're praying, and all of a sudden a

faith arises to even do something they

might not even known what was coming,

but we do because we have the word of

God. In Acts chapter 19 says, did you

Acts 19 · chapter mention

receive the Holy Spirit when you

believed? This was big because they were

followers of Jesus. They loved Jesus,

but they didn't even know about the Holy

Spirit. They said, "We don't even know

what that is, who that is." And so they

were taught. There was clear teaching as

Paul taught them. And in verse six, it

goes on, "When Paul had laid his hands

on them, the Holy Spirit came on them

and they began speaking in tongues and

prophesying.

Instruction matters." They said, "We

don't even know who the Holy Spirit is.

We don't even know what this is about.

And there's something that happens when

the word is spoken and faith arises that

all of a sudden we say, "We're here. We

didn't even know, but now I want what

you're talking about." Not because Paul

was the greatest communicator, but

because the word of God is powerful and

life-changing and builds faith within

us.

And church, today, you might be in a

place where you say, "Hey, this is all

new to me." Well, praise God. The spirit

of God is here today. Or you might say,

"Hey, I didn't even know anything." Or

maybe I did, but I I've not really

thought about it in a long time, or I

was filled at one time, but I'm not

sure. Well, today you can be refilled

with the power of the spirit. Or maybe

you come in and you're like, "Woo, this

is the best spiritual moment. I've been

living on fire for Jesus. I'm filled

with his spirit." Guess what? He wants

to fill you more with his goodness. He

wants to come and meet you. He wants you

to respond to him and say, "Yes." And

who knows, maybe you just walk out and

you're like, I am more fired up, ready

to share Jesus. Or maybe today he guides

you and leads you and gives you

direction in a problem. Maybe some you

didn't even know was coming. But as we

walk in the power of the spirit, church,

we say, "I need more of you." Every

person in this room, wherever you are,

and maybe you say, "I'm not even a

follower of Jesus yet." Well, I want to

encourage you today. You can say yes to

Jesus. And from the moment that you give

your heart to him, he says yes to you

and he can fill you. You'll have his

spirit as we looked at at the beginning.

But he then will fill you even with his

spirit like in Acts chapter 2:4, tongues

and prophesying can happen from you

today as we just say yes to Jesus

wherever we are in this room. When I put

these patterns that we just looked at

together, maybe some rails to how do we

receive? What's this look like? We see

the promises proclaimed. The word of God

proclaims faith. Like in Acts chapter

Acts 10 · chapter mention

10, we see the people are positioned.

Their heart is opened. Obedience,

hunger, Lord, we want you. We need you.

Like in Acts 1:14, they're devoted to

Acts 1:14

prayer. We see that prayer is off

offered. They begin to ask. They begin

to intercede. Like in Acts 8 and

throughout, they pray that they might

receive.

Many times there's a point of contact

that takes place and there's a laying on

of hands to say, "Lord Jesus, would you

fill this person?" Same thing we do when

we pray for healing, for anointing, for

whatever it may be. We pray and the Holy

Spirit is poured out, when hands are

laid, and last an outward overflow is

given. something happens and we believe

that when we're filled with the Holy

Spirit like in Acts chapter 2:4 and

these other places, we speak in tongues,

we worship, we praise, we prophesy, all

of a sudden new things begin to flow out

of us as his church.

Church, these positions of you know be

the promise being proclaimed of people

that are position ready of our prayer

being offered of of contact offering of

laying on of hands and then an overflow.

That's what we see over and over and

over in the word of God.

So, as we head towards a moment at the

altar, what is this look like? How do we

respond? How do we come before the Lord?

There's two main things, those elements.

We come submitted, we come ready, and

then God supplies an utterance. He says,

"Hey, it's moment you've crying out.

You're asking, Lord, fill me with your

spirit." And an utterance begins to

arise within you. you and you're like, I

don't understand. I don't know what this

is. And you give the voice and you speak

it out. That's what we see over and over

again. In fact, for some that say, well,

I don't understand that. For our

Corinthians says for in 14:14 says, if I

pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but

my mind is unfruitful. And you say, what

what's that mean? I want someone to hear

today that when an utterance arises, you

don't understand what is being said.

That's the whole point of this other

language. You don't understand. And you

have to have faith to step out and say,

"Lord, I'm going to speak out what

you're giving me and believe that I'm

touching heaven. I'm reaching you

through this." A few verses before in 1

1 Corinthians 14:2

Corinthians 14:2, it says, "One who

speaks in a tongue speaks not to men,

but to God."

And on Saturday morning and from 9 to

11, I encourage you to come to prayer

time. And let me tell you, we're going

to pray. And I bet an hour of the two

hours I'm going to be praying in the

spirit because you pray and you're like,

"Lord, this is to you anyways." And God

gives you a word and then I pray in

English and then I pray in the spirit.

Why? Because I don't have the words. I

don't have the wisdom. I don't have the

guidance. But when we come to him, he

fills us. He anoints us. And we get to

pray directly to God. What a blessing. I

don't have to understand it. I don't

have to get it. back to a few years ago,

a a gentleman, he we had been talking

and he came from a different uh kind of

background in church and their

fellowship or denomination and this Holy

Spirit thing. They were like, he's like,

I just don't understand. And so, we had

been talking, had some time together,

and it's actually Pastor Dave that

preached and this guy, he came like when

it was time, he came running to the

front. He put his feet or his toes right

at the front because that's what he was

asked to do. And instantly, he was

filled with the Holy Spirit. He began

speaking in tongues as the spirit gave

him utterance. It was wild. Just the

week before we had been talking. He's

like, "I don't understand. I don't

know." And so then he was in our life

group and got to ask him like, "Hey, is

there anything you need to know or that

we could answer for you?" He said, "No,

I had tons of questions coming in before

last Sunday." But when I came and when I

was filled with the Holy Spirit, all my

questions went away. I got it. I

connected with the spirit of God. And

church, there's times in our walk with

the Lord, just like at salvation, I pray

a prayer. and like I don't understand

how I just pray and he welcomes me. I'm

his child and I want you to hear today.

Yeah, that's it. Because it's the power

of God. And when we then say, Lord, I

want to be filled with your spirit like

in Acts chapter 2, you're saying, I just

Acts 2 · chapter mention

come and I ask, would you fill me? And

an utterance arises and I speak it out

and I don't understand what's happening,

but that's what I'm supposed to do. Yep.

That's it. Why? Because the power of

God, the spirit of God spoke and in his

word, that's what we see happens. That's

the principle. Well, that's the pattern.

And so today, I don't have to get it. I

don't have to understand, but like so

much when it comes to God, when I

receive his salvation, all of a sudden

it makes sense. When I receive his

healing, it makes sense. I don't know

how God does it, but I understood. He

healed. He touched. He gave me

direction. He showed up in my life. And

I don't understand how he did that. And

the same here. I might not have all the

mechanics of it, but I know that I come

and God gives utterance and I give

voice. Which means we're going to come

and we're going to praise him. We're

going to worship. We're going to ask him

to move to be glorified. And then we're

just going to come and we're going to

say, "God, would you fill me with your

spirit?" And there comes a moment when I

have to turn off English. I have to turn

off singing worship. And I begin to say

what he would give me. The utterance

when it rises. You don't have to think

about it. You just say it. He's the one

that fills you. You can't actually mess

it up. He's the one that fills. He's the

one that empowers what you are saying.

You might say, "Was this for me? I'm not

sure." Sure. Well, Luke 11:13,

Luke 11:13

how much more will the heavenly father

give the Holy Spirit to those who ask?

He in Old Testament for your sons and

daughters, for all flesh, right? And now

for today, how much more will he give

his spirit? If you're not filled with

the spirit, with what we would see the

principle, the evidence of speaking in

tongues, I encourage you, seek the Lord.

Seek him. And we believe you're going to

be filled. And we believe we are going

to be more empowered when we say yes and

we step out of this room with the power

of the spirit of God. We don't have to

get it all. We don't have to understand

it all. But I guarantee you when you

come and you connect with him all of a

sudden it be like I learn so much more

from a few moments with God than all of

the understanding I could possibly do.

Cuz it's not you, it's not your

strength. It's not me or my strength.

It's the power of God.

So church, this morning as we turn

towards the next while at the altar, an

extended moment here at the altar, I

want to just invite us. Maybe for you

it's it's something that's a little

different. Maybe it's like, I don't

know, but I I heard what you're saying.

This happened in the scripture over and

over and over again in the New Testament

church, and we're still living it today.

So maybe the question is, are you

willing to say yes? Are you willing to

say, "I need more." Are you willing to

say, "Lord, fill me one more time." Or

maybe fill me for the first time.

Cuz if you are, all you have to be, all

you have to do is have given your life

to Jesus. And if Jesus is the Lord of

your life and you want to receive today,

we believe that gift is for you because

that's what his word would say.

In fact, before we move on, if you're

here and you say, you know what, I don't

think I'm ready because I don't have a

relationship with Jesus

right now. Now, if the Lord would be

speaking to you and we believe his

spirit be knocking at your heart

and if you say, "Wow, I need this

Jesus." Maybe that wasn't your thought

when you came in today, but he's turned

something in your maybe you've been

seeking and you say, "This is my moment.

I need to give my life to Jesus."

If that's you, then all of a sudden

you'll be eligible. You can receive his

spirit as well. You'll receive him at

salvation. But then this other part in

Acts chapter 2, if you say, "That's me.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

I need Jesus. I'm going to just pray

that your faith would arise right now.

And in a moment, I'm just going to ask

you to raise your hand up real high.

It's the reason we are here as a church

that one more would come to know Jesus.

And Lord, I pray that even now you would

give faith. If it's one in this room or

one at home, Lord, that they wouldn't

leave this room without saying yes to

you. The ultimate, the perfector of our

faith, you, Jesus. Would you do that

right now in each one of our hearts? We

love you right now. Now, if you need

Jesus for the first time or rededicate

your life, you've not been living for

him and you say, "I need him cuz I want

his spirit as well." Would you just

raise your hand in this room? I just

like to see your hand if that's you.

It's the most important. I don't want to

miss anybody. It's the number one reason

that we're in the house. Anybody in the

house, you say, "That's me." This is the

number one thing. Maybe you're at home

today and you say, "That's me." If so,

all you have to do is ask him, "Lord,

forgive me." In fact, if you say, "I

need more information." Pastor Nate,

he's standing right over here. And I

would encourage you when we come to the

altar, come talk to him. Maybe you need

to give your life to him. Or maybe you

just need more information. Or maybe you

don't even like something and you're

like, I don't know, but I I just feel I

need to talk about it. He would love to

talk with you. Coming to know Jesus is

the number one thing that we are all

about here. And then for everybody else,

maybe that means everyone in the room,

you're eligible to say yes, Holy Spirit.

Fill me for the first time. Refill me.

give me a new infilling that daily I can

spend time praying in the spirit

believing speaking directly to God and

if all over this room right now could we

just stand on our feet if you're able

this morning can we position our hearts

in a posture of Lord we receive from you

we receive from you and if you say you

know what I need to be filled with his

spirit I'm going to ask a couple of

things first if you say first time I

need to receive or maybe you need to be

refilled or you want someone to pray

with you here in a moment I'm going

going to ask you just to come to the

altars, put your toes right at the front

of the altar. That way, we know we're

praying for the Holy Spirit. Our prayer

team will then join you and pray with

you. Or maybe today you say, "I just

need to be refilled. I need more of

him." Or you say, "I I'm I'm filled, but

I need extra dose of his spirit today."

I'm going to ask that we would just join

and we would come to these altars. Could

we fill the altars and say, "Lord, we

need more of you." That this room would

be a place of asking, "Holy Spirit, do

something fresh in me. Holy Spirit, give

me more boldness and power and strength.

Holy Spirit, maybe like those disciples

before Acts chapter 2:4. That's how I

feel. But I want to be after Acts

chapter 2:4. I want to be like Peter and

the New Testament Christians with

boldness and faith and power. Let's let

the spirit of God well up within us.

Move us to overflowing. In fact, right

now, could we just, if you're able,

could we lift our hands to the Lord? Can

we begin to ask him, Lord, would you

fill us with your spirit? Holy Spirit,

would you make us whole? Holy Spirit,

would you do something new in us?

Empower your church. Lord, as the New

Testament would speak, as your word

would speak today, we position ourselves

just to receive what you want to give

us. Whether for the first time to be

refilled or just to have more a dose of

your spirit, Lord, like Acts 10:46,

Acts 10:46

speaking in tongues and extolling God,

we do that. If we're filled with your

spirit right now, we begin to just pray

in our spiritual uh prayer language. We

pray to you. We lift our voices to you,

Lord. We ask you that you, the promised

one, Holy Spirit, that you would come,

that you would baptize us with your

spirit. Fill your church with power.

Fill your church to be witnesses. Fill

your church to receive and to walk by

faith in the name of Jesus.

Lord we thank you.