Altar of Revival | Chris Gross | Radiant Life Church

But awesome. Well, this morning I am

excited as always because I love to

bring the word. I love to just see what

the word of God would speak to us. And

this morning as I have been praying and

believing even this morning altar of

revival just felt God wanted to do

something really really special. That's

why we're going to come and just give

him some extra time. But have you ever

been in one of those moments where

you're like Lord now what do I do? So as

a pastor if you didn't know sometimes

you're like Lord what do I preach on?

I'm sure Pastor Dave never had that

problem in his 40 years, but of lead

like every week or maybe sometimes,

right? But it's like, Lord, WHAT DO YOU

PREACH? What's this look like? And I

think the Lord has given me a message, a

word for us today. And in some ways,

actually, that that word, Susan, on fear

fits in so well. And so, thank you for

being open to what the Lord would speak

through you. Now, before we get to the

word, uh this week, I'm not sure what

happened, but uh we, my wife and I, we

have people over to our house all the

time. We love it. Uh this week, by the

way, my brother and his family, David,

Andrea, and family are here, and so

thank you for uh being with us. But we

had people in our home, and it was

Wednesday night. They had been over for

the day and about 7 o'clock we decided

because it seemed like the right moment.

Wednesday night, 7 o'clock, right before

Thanksgiving, we should go to Lowe's and

we should buy paint and we should buy

boards to make like a I don't even know

what the wall's called, but it's got

wood on it now. It looks really neat.

It's It's black instead of gray. It

looks super cool. And we thought we

should do that from Wednesday night at 7

till Thursday at noon Thanksgiving when

they came back over. So, we wanted to be

done. So, just a little project. And so

bought 12 boards and bought all this

stuff and all the paint and we're like,

"Lord, I don't know what I'm doing, but

we're just going to hope it's going to

go on the wall and then it's going to

stay." So it did. And when they came

back, IT WAS LIKE, "WHAT? YOU DID THAT

LAST NIGHT?" LIKE, "That's pretty cool."

And sleep was low, but it was awesome.

So it was worth it. And so then we

decided, not Thursday, cuz the stores

are closed thankfully, but Friday,

we have this ceiling. Maybe some of you

have been to our house. We remodeled our

house about four years ago and our

kitchen, we took a wall out and moved

some stuff. So, we didn't have the

thought and the money at the time that

we were going to refinish the ceiling.

So, we just kind of put some new stuff

on the ceiling and it looked horrible. I

don't even know how to say, but it

looked really, really bad. But, I just

kept my head down when I walked through

there every time and it was fine. Just,

you know, is he sclling? No. Just

doesn't want to look at the ceiling sort

of a situation. And so, I'm like, "Hey,

this is the moment. So, we're going to

do something. What are we going to do?

So, what would be the easiest thing to

fix this ceiling? Probably not scrape it

off and try to refinish it because if

you ever want to see bad drywall ceiling

finishing, go to my basement and look at

any mine. Not where dad did it. It

looked good if dad did it cuz I bought

the house from him 20 years ago. But

anywhere that it's horrible, I did it.

I'm like, I can't do that ceiling. So, I

think we're just going to put tongue and

groove wood, basically flooring except

you know that goes on your roof on the

roof, which seemed like a great idea. It

was awesome. In fact, Avery, she's

sitting right here. She's like, "I think

we can do it today." I'm like, "I think

it will take at least 24 hours of work."

Like, not Yeah. Like, not I said three

days of work, like eight hour days.

That's what I think it'll take. She Oh,

I think we can do it today. I'm like, I

hope you're right, but I do not believe

you are. In fact, I know you're not. But

so we started putting this these boards

on the ceiling and I thought of course

it makes more sense, more coverage.

Let's get the 12ft long boards so we can

use less of them, less seams and it's

going to be easy. We're just going to

haul them up there and then we're just

going to hit them in and they're going

to be tight and it's going to look good

and it's going to be wonderful.

That's not how exactly it went. Uh,

number one, if you ever try to put 400

or so square feet, 450 square feet of

wood on your ceiling, that is a lot of

wood. You've got a pile. And when I got

it inside my house, I'm like, I think

I've made a mistake. This is not This is

not good in any way, shape, or form.

But, so I I got it there. We started.

The first row was easy. Second row was

easy. And about the third row, I don't

cry. And I didn't cry. But if I was

crying, like if I was a crier, I would

have been crying. I was like making loud

sigh and my wife was like, "Are you

okay?" I think she thought I was having

a heart attack. I was breathing heavy.

I'm like, "We have not even really

started this project and this is

horrible. I don't know any other way." I

mean, trying to get a 12-oot board on

the ceiling tight.

It is hard. Like really, really, really

hard.

So, I decided, you know what I'm going

to do? It makes all the sense. I'm going

to cut all the 12oot boards in half.

Make them sixoot boards. So, I had some

eight-footers and some six-footers. It

got a little bit easier. But let me tell

you, the project was difficult. In fact,

it's not over yet. I'm about a third of

the way through. I still regret my life

choices. But now, it's possible. I think

we can make it. I think we can get

there. And in fact, if I look at the

stand at the right place, my fireplace

is in the corner. I can stand close

enough that all I see is done ceiling.

And it looks so wonderful. I can't wait

to paint it. It's going to be amazing.

But that one night, Friday evening, I

literally went to bed and Rachel was

concerned like, is he gonna survive?

Like, I don't know. And I I'm not

normally like that, but I realized this

was a project,

not like the one that I did on Wednesday

night. This was going to be a deal. And

I don't know about anybody else in the

room, but I'm assuming you're like me

and you've been at places in your life

where things were simply difficult. And

maybe a project on your house, but maybe

more important like a life event, a you

personal physical event or a family

member or a situation or a job or what

you thought was going to go one way all

of a sudden went exactly the opposite

and not in a good way and life just

seemed rough and all of a sudden you're

standing there and maybe you are a crier

so you were just crying or maybe you're

like me and you were just breathing

heavy and your your wife thought you

were having a heart attack because like

what is wrong with you? Like we've been

in those sorts of environments and sorts

of places. And today in the word, we're

going to look at a few different

situations of people that it started out

rough, but it ended great. And if it's

all right, today we're actually going to

go in reverse and we're going to look at

the ends of some of the stories and then

we're going to get to the beginning. And

the ends are maybe exciting. I feel

closer to the end than I did on Friday

night to my ceiling debacle. That's

going to end up great, I think. Real

fast. I just have to say um that Matt

Hanikford, he was over and he was like,

"Well, to fill the holes, why don't you

just every row just put a little uh

drywall compound in each little hole

while they're not smashed together and

you can't get in there, it'll be easy."

I'm like, "That is a great idea." So,

thank you, pastor. Not pastor, maybe.

Maybe future. Who knows? Melissa, she's

like, "I don't know." But thank you,

Matt. Um just amazing all of the things

of life. But we're going to look today

at the stories and see what we might be

able to learn. In fact, maybe we could

think of the first part of this as a

call to step into victory. Now, what are

the stories we're talking about? Acts

Acts 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2. Maybe you have heard of this

amazing story. The Holy Spirit falls,

descends, amazing thing happened. But

we're going to jump to later in Acts

Acts 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2 to Peter and he has gotten up

and he has began to preach the gospel.

He shared the good news of God. God. And

in verse 37, uh it says, "And now when

they heard this, they were cut to the

heart and said to Peter and the rest of

the apostles, brothers, what shall we

do?" And Peter said to them, "Repent and

be baptized, every one of you, in the

name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness

of your sins, and you will receive the

gift of the Holy Spirit for the promises

for you and for your children and for

all who are far off. Everyone whom the

Lord our God calls to himself." Now, I

just want to hear this is pretty

victorious. So those who received his

word were baptized. And there were added

that day about 3,000

souls. Peter, the great man of faith and

power, gets up and preaches the gospel.

He steps into victory and 3,000 people

come to give their lives to Jesus.

Anybody else? Does that sound like a

good day? That sounds like a pretty

great day. 3,000 people. Well, let's

jump to the next one in Acts chapter 10.

Acts 10 · chapter mention

We see a story of Cornelius's household

and the the gospel has been brought here

and all of a sudden in verse 47 and 48

of Acts 10 it says can anyone withhold

water for baptizing these people who

have received the Holy Spirit just as we

have and he commanded them to be

baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Then they asked him to remain for some

days. These people were uh were not

where they were with God. They didn't

understand. And all of a sudden, the

gospel was brought and Cornelius and his

household received the goodness of God,

received the the spirit in their life.

Something amazing, something powerful

happened in this story in Acts chapter

Acts 10 · chapter mention

10. Well, let's continue our last one

today. In Acts chapter 19 as the gospel

Acts 19 · chapter mention

is being brought to Ephesus and in Acts

Acts 19:18–20

19:18-20

it says also many of those who were now

believers came confessing and divulging

their practices and a number of those

who had practiced magic art brought

their books together and burned them in

the sight of all and they counted the

value of them and found it came to

50,000 pieces of silver.

Come on. So, the word of the Lord

continued to increase and prevail

mightily.

Now, you see, each one of these stories

is amazing. 3,000 people came to know

the Lord. This household that just

needed and didn't understand but wanted

to know more about God came to know God.

The people of Ephesus where 50,000

people, pieces of silver worth of magic

books and of of demonic things were

brought. And can you just imagine real

fast the image of that bonfire what it

must have been like as my family we were

talking we used to do bonfires that were

let's say pretty large and we would have

I'm I don't know if sure if I should say

this but we'd burn couches couches burnt

really great like really really great

they would burn 40 50 feet maybe not

quite as tall as this ceiling but they

would get high they would get high so 30

25 ft of flame just flying into the air

can you imagine that but of evil demonic

books that the people brought and said,

"No, I don't need this anymore." The

power of God, there's victory in the

power of God. There's victory when he

shows up. There's victory when we say,

"I don't care what I thought or what my

fear or what my anxieties or my worries

are, but I'm going to step into the

fullness of God."

I think about that roof that I'm to I'm

working on right now here in hopefully

by the end of this week. By the end of

this week, it's going to be done. It's

going to be amazing. And I'm going to

look back and feel like this. I have

done it. I've I've done it. I bought it.

I conquered. I installed it all. They're

straight so far through about seven

rows. That's pretty exciting. They're

going to look good. But you know what?

In the process, it might not always feel

exactly the same. But when we get to the

end here, the end of the story is

exciting. It's revolutionary. It's

life-changing for a family. It's

life-changing for a people, for God's

people. and the spirit of God being

poured out. It's exciting in Ephesus as

they turned and gave their lives to the

Lord in a greater way. The power of God,

the power of God, we you can step into

victory. You can experience him. You can

have fear and worry and anxiety and all

that stuff gone. You can see his power

move in your life. No matter where you

feel you have come from, no matter what

you think today is or what you think

you've messed up on or what you think

someone has done to you that has put you

back, no, God, he can bring victory to

your life. No matter what it is and

where you feel you are, he can bring

victory. But you know what? Each one of

these stories that I just read didn't

start with the victory. They started a

little bit before, and we're going to

rewind just a tad. And each one of these

groups of people stepped into power

before they stepped into victory. They

needed something different in their life

before they could experience the

fullness of what God had for them. As we

just rewind just a little bit in each

one and it here is thinking of stepping

into power in Acts chapter 2:es 1-4. It

says, "When the day of Pentecost

arrived, they were all together in one

place, and suddenly there came from

heaven a sound like a mighty rushing

wind, and it filled the entire house

where they were sitting. And divided

tongues as of fire appeared to them and

rested on each one of them. And they

were all filled with the Holy Spirit and

began to speak in other tongues as the

Spirit gave them utterance." This church

was a big moment of power where they had

been called to go. They'd been called to

wait and they did and they waited. And

on the 10th day, the spirit of God was

poured out on the 120 people who were

there in the upper room who were filled

that it poured out into the streets. And

as it poured out into the streets, it

poured out into the victory of getting

up in front of thousands of people where

3,000 could come to know the Lord, where

they could repent and be baptized.

Few years ago, Rachel and I got to go to

Israel and we're there and outside the

south steps of the Temple Mount where

most uh historians and theologians would

think this took place. There were

somewhere between 30 and 50 uh places

where people could be baptized that were

set up because you couldn't go into the

Temple Mount area without being washed

clean. And it was possible that right

there in the middle in the heart of the

city, right outside of the temple, was

where 3,000 people said, "I need this

Jesus. I want to give my life to this

Jesus."

What a moment when wind and when tongues

as of fire descended and fell upon their

heads and all of a sudden power and

boldness came in a way that they had

never experienced.

church. There's something about the

power that leads to the victory. There's

something about the the knowledge, the

understanding, not only knowing but then

experiencing God. And here the spirit is

poured out. When we jump forward to Acts

chap 10 and we think of Cornelius's

house once again, a similar story comes

this time. That same Peter, it says

while Peter was still saying these

things. Now, real fast. I think this

would be uh important. This is like

right in the middle of the sermon. He's

preaching it. He's given the word and

something crazy happens. And the God

shows up, right? Because it says while

Peter was still saying these things, the

Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the

word. And the believers from among the

circumcised who had come with Peter were

amazed because the gift of the Holy

Spirit was poured out even on the

Gentiles.

for they were hearing them speaking in

tongues and extolling God. I don't know

anybody else in the room and we're going

to get even more into why that matters

so much, but this was an amazing moment

where the gentile believers all of a

sudden were filled with the power of the

Holy Spirit. The power of the Holy

Spirit came. And the thing I want to

highlight here is that it says the

believers from among the circumcised,

the people that Peter had brought with

him who probably weren't a big fan of

being even with the Gentiles said if the

spirit can be poured out here, the

spirit is for all of us.

>> This was a big big moment. When they

stepped into power, greater things

happened. When they stepped into power,

it led to Acts 10:47-48

Acts 10:47–48

where they said, "What do we have to do?

We give our lives, we're going to be

filled. We're going to offer everything

to him. Church, the power of the Holy

Spirit simply changes

everything. The people being filled,

being just overflowed with the goodness

of God and his spirit in their lives.

Come on, church. Our God is so, so good.

And there's still that one more in

Ephesus, Acts chapter 19. As we rewind

Acts 19 · chapter mention

that story in verse 5 and 7 on hearing

this,

the word had been spoken. They were

baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

And when Paul had laid his hands on

them, the Holy Spirit came on them and

they began speaking in tongues and

prophesying.

There were about 12 of them here in

Ephesus who experienced the power of

God, the filling of God, the Holy

Spirit. They spoke in tongues. The power

happened that led to 50,000 pieces of

silver worth of demonic witchcraft books

being burnt

because the people turned their lives to

the Lord because the power of God.

Because the Holy Spirit showed up in

power.

Each one of these stories, each one of

these places shows people being filled

with the spirit and then stepping into

victory. shows being filled with the

spirit and then what was no longer

being.

And in fact, before we take some moments

and draw this all together, I want to go

back even one more step because they

only didn't start here. But where did

they come from? What did it look like?

And I want some people here to really

engage. This is, I believe, a word for

some folks in the room today that with

these three stories, most of us, maybe

all of us, could fit ourselves in one or

the other or the other of these stories

because it's amazing. God does not only

pour his self out on people who have got

it all together, who haven't messed up,

who are perfect. Oh, wait. We'd be in

big, big trouble. But sometimes we put

that pressure on oursel. Lord, I messed

up. Lord, I I'm not sure. I don't know

if I can do it. I don't know if I I I

messed up. And people have done things

and I I just can't. But let's look at

what kind of people

open their hearts to the Lord to step

into power and step into victory. Maybe

all that we really need is to be willing

to step into availability that leads us

to power, that leads us to victory.

And here as we look at that first story

of Peter, Acts chapter 2, and we're

Acts 2 · chapter mention

actually going to back it up to Luke

Luke 22:61–62

22:61-62

says, "And the Lord turned, Jesus turned

and looked at Peter. And Peter

remembered the saying of the Lord, how

he said to him, before the rooster crows

today, you will deny me three times."

And he went out and wept bitterly. Why?

Because he had just denied the Lord

three times. And Jesus walks in in the

middle of, in the process of, and sees

Peter do exactly what Jesus told Peter

that he was going to do.

I don't know about anybody else, but if

you're the right-hand man, if you're the

one that that guy trusts, if you're the

one that that is the rock, the one

that's going to be uh building and and

putting that church uh moving it in the

right direction, when you in the

greatest need of your Lord, and you come

and you do exactly what you told him you

would not do, and you deny him, say, "I

don't even know the man. I don't even

know him."

You denounce even knowing him.

That's the kind of guy that just a few

weeks later the Lord will give power to

and the Lord will use to bring victory.

The Lord will use to see 3,000 people

come to know him. Is that guy Peter that

I don't even know him. in Cornelius's

house. In Acts chapter 10

Acts 10:25

verse 25, it says, "When Peter entered,

Cornelius met him and fell down at his

feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted

him up saying, "Stand up. I too am a man

and just going to stop here for a

moment. Nobody else, but that's a that's

a rough start." Like that's not the best

start. It's like I'm trying to do things

right. Peter comes in and you like, "Oh,

AND HE'S LIKE GET UP. WHAT'S WRONG WITH

YOU?" SO, I JUST I JUST THOUGHT it

should throw that out there. Anybody

you're trying to do things right and

sometimes even when you're trying, you

mess up. Anybody else ever been in a

spot where like, uh, thank you. A few

honest people. A few everybody. Thank

you. I see some more hands out there.

Right. Cornelius, he's trying, but he

kind of blows that one just a little

bit. But Peter says, "Stand up. I too am

a man." And as he talked with him, he

went in and found many persons gathered.

And he said to them, 'You yourselves

know how unlawful it is for a Jew to

associate with or to visit anyone of

another nation, but God has shown me

that I should not call any person common

or unclean. So I just want us to put our

mind in this moment. Peter just a few

moments ago had denied Jesus in in Luke

Luke 22 · chapter mention

chapter 22 when Jesus was walking the

earth. He denied him. Now, Peter is

bringing the message of the gospel to

Cornelius's house where he is not even

allowed to associate with them. And put

yourself not in Peter's spot, but in

Cornelius's spot, who the Lord has

revealed himself to him, but he doesn't

even know what to do. He doesn't know

who to reach out to. And because of God

leading him and showing him, Peter is is

sent for and brought to Cornelius's

house.

and someone that's not even allowed,

it's unlawful for him to share with,

stands up,

preaches the truth to him,

offers the goodness of God, says, "Even

though I'm not allowed in our law, I'm

allowed because the God of the universe

showed up and told me to come." And all

of a sudden, we see that the Holy Spirit

falls. In verse 44 through 46, all of we

sudden we see that the family comes to

know the goodness of God because of who

he is. And not only that, but Peter's

companions that he brought realized, "Oh

man, this word is for more than just for

us, but it's for the whole world." This

was a massive moment where Cornelius

didn't know what to do and and just

wanted and needed more info, but where

Peter from a vision from God said, "I

will go." And he took the gospel where

Cornelius's house could be filled with

power, where their whole house, and who

knows how much beyond that could come to

know Jesus. Because the spirit church

changes everything. The spirit church

makes what wasn't possible possible. The

spirit church makes Peter who denied

Jesus stand up before 3,000 people that

where they could give their lives to

him. The spirit church is who would take

that same Peter in a place I guarantee

you in his own self did not want to be.

But he got up and said, "Okay, I'll do

what you said, Lord. I will go and I

will speak the gospel to Cornelius, to

these Gentiles.

Enough that he even said, you know, this

is not lawful.

Church, God moves. And when we're

available, both Cornelius and Peter had

to be available so that Cornelius's

house could be filled with the spirit

and everything could change.

And let's not forget that third one,

Ephesus in Acts chapter 19, verse 1 and

Acts 19:1

two. And it says, "And it happened that

while Apollos was in at Corinth, Paul

passed through the inland country and

came to Ephesus. There he found some

disciples and he said to them, did you

receive the Holy Spirit when you

believed?" And they said, "No, we have

not even heard that there is a Holy

Spirit."

Now, I just want to throw something out

today.

Have you ever been in a spot in your

life where you just didn't have the

information that you needed? You just

didn't know. You like them say, "Holy

Spirit, Holy Spirit who? I'm not sure

what what that is. I don't know what

you're talking about." Have you ever

been in a spot with the Lord where

you're like, "Oh, I probably shouldn't

have been living like that. I probably

shouldn't have been doing that. I

probably should have looked a little

different and acted a little different

and done things a little different, but

I didn't even know.

I feel like when we fully make ourselves

available to the Lord, all of a sudden

it's not some big deal like, "Oh, I

didn't know that yet, but I'm going to

know cuz you're about to tell me. I'm

going to experience. I'm going to have

life change. I just didn't know yet."

And one of these areas of our lives, we

could say, "Wow, I just didn't know."

Maybe we could say, "I didn't even know

there was access.

I didn't even know that the Holy Spirit

was there. I didn't even know." Or maybe

you feel like your life, like Cornelius,

you're just on the outside. You're a

gentile. You're not on the inside. I

want you to know today, no matter what

you feel like, no matter how people have

treated you, no matter what anything has

happened, that there's a God of the

universe that will come chase after you,

that will find you. And no, you're not a

gentile. No, you're not just a sinner.

No, you're not someone who can't and he

won't. No, the opposite. He loves you so

much and he'll bring you in. He'll bring

us all in.

Or like Peter, maybe today you've messed

up. You knew. You knew way too much. I

don't know. Peter, what a crazy guy. The

one that was the closest to the Lord.

The one that should have known. The one

that should have done right. The one

that How in the world did he POSSIBLY

DENY JESUS? THAT GUY,

that's the one that denied that Jesus

came back to and showed his hands to and

said, "Come on. Come on. Let's do this

thing. Let's go after the things of

God." He's the one that was filled with

the Holy Spirit. He was the one that

preached the gospel that the early

church had to kickstart. Let's go in the

power of God.

church. There's something about the

goodness of God, the love of God, and it

takes us being available. It takes us

being available as a people. It takes us

like in Ephesus saying, "Hey, we didn't

even know there was a Holy Spirit that

led to on hearing this, they were

baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus."

And when Paul laid his hands on them,

that Holy Spirit came on them and they

began speaking in tongues

and prophesying. That's how it happens,

church.

We hear, we experience, we open our eyes

to the things of God, our ears to the

things of God, and the power of God

falls.

Today, my question before we come to the

altar, my question before we ask the

spirit, Lord, would you move? I don't

want to walk in my own strength or my

own power. I want no part of that. But

Lord, I need you and I need your spirit.

Maybe there's people in the room that

just like the people in Ephesus would

say, "I didn't even know there was a

Holy Spirit." And I want you to know

Acts chapter 2 and Acts chapter 1 points

Acts 2 · chapter mention Acts 1 · chapter mention

to it. And throughout the Old Testament,

points to what God's going to do in the

New Testament points to the spirit of

God being poured out. These three

stories as well as others throughout the

New Testament, we see that the people

were filled with the Holy Spirit and

they spoke in tongues. Almost every time

those two things go together. And we

believe that when we ask the Lord, Lord,

would you move? Lord, would you fill me,

we should see the same thing happen,

that we'd speak in other tongues, things

that we don't know, we don't we didn't

train for, we didn't practice, but they

would speak out in boldness. But I want

you to know that today, these stories

are not about the people speaking in

tongues. That's just something that

showed what was happening on the inside.

What happened is 3,000 people came to

know Jesus. What happened was Cornelius

and his household. And I guarantee you

more from there experienced the power of

Jesus. The people were filled with the

Holy Spirit in Ephesus and all of a

sudden they burnt their books of

witchcraft. They gave those things over

because the power of God was moving in

such a powerful way. The the gift of the

Holy Spirit is not about an encounter or

about a moment or about speaking in

tongues. Although those things happen

and I am so thankful that they do, but

they're about us living as changed

people with lives that are fully devoted

to him that we give it all to him. We

offer him everything. That is why we are

filled with the Holy Spirit. That's why

the Holy Spirit came. In fact, he did

not come for a special service.

Although I love special service. I think

he even does. Pastor, I think I think

the Lord loves meeting with us. He loves

those moments. We love I love them. But

church, it doesn't stop at a special

service or a special moment.

It takes us out into the streets. Pastor

Katherine mentioned taking those cards,

having them with you. Why? So when the

spirit kind of pricks you on the

shoulder, YOU COULD SAY, "OH YES, THIS

IS MY MOMENT. I can go invite. I can go

bring. I can go pray. I can ask an easy

way. Hey, want to come to a Christmas

service?" I think you'll be encouraged.

The spirit leads us and guides us.

And so what is it that we need if we're

going to experience the power of God?

Who what kind of person do you need to

be? Well, you can be a person who is

doubting, who has denied, who has messed

up, and who has absolutely gone the

wrong way. In fact, right in front of

Jesus, like Peter, if that's you today,

you are a perfect example of someone

that can experience the power and the

presence of God. Anybody thankful that

that's the kind of people that God

invites that he would bring? Maybe

you're like Cornelius and you feel way

on the outside. He was he was a gentile,

but maybe you just feel that way. You've

always felt like, "Yeah, somebody else

can, but I can't. That everyone else has

the opportunity, but I don't." And I

want you to know today that if that's

you today, you can know that the power

and the presence and the spirit of God

is not here for the person next to you.

He might be here for them, too, but he's

here for you. The power and the presence

of God is here for you. That you and

your life will be transformed. That your

life will be changed. That you'll be

filled.

That you'll speak in tongues. And then

you'll go in power. That's the kind of

person that is welcome. And maybe some

are here and you say you're like the

people of Ephesus and you simply didn't

know. In fact, I love it. If you're here

and every week that the word is preached

and every time you get in it, it's like,

wow, something new is revealed to you.

Something new is open to you. It's what

the word does. And I want to encourage

you if that is you today, today is the

day to say, "Whoa, I didn't even know

there was a Holy Spirit." But if there's

a Holy Spirit, and there is because it

comes from and he is shown in the word,

then Lord, I want your spirit to be

poured out in my life so my life can

make a difference. I want to step into

power. I I'm available and I want to

step into power. And Lord, I want to see

victory in every area of my life. I want

to experience the power and the goodness

of God.

He is so, so good.

This morning, if the worship team, if

you want to make your way back up here,

we've talked about that today is our

altar of revival service, and we have

about an hour until noon. And our prayer

is that over the next hour that the

spirit of God will simply be poured out

in this room. In fact, about a month

ago, I was just I was just sitting and

thinking and praying and I I just felt

very strongly like the Lord would say,

"Hey, I want to move. I want to pour the

spirit out. I want to fill people with

the spirit and I need opportunity. I

need space. I need time." And I believe

that today is the day where many in this

house that you'd say, "I've never been

been filled for whatever reason. I

didn't know. I didn't understand. Maybe

I'm like, "Nope, I'm not doing that."

But today, you would say, "I see from

the word and I want to walk in the power

of God. I want victory. So therefore, I

need power."

And you'd say, "Lord, today, maybe the

first time, I make myself available to

you for this. I make myself available.

Holy Spirit, whatever you want to do,

whatever you want to speak today from

your word, I want to receive."

There's no reason. And there's nothing

that holds you back from receiving his

spirit except for one thing. And we can

take care of that. And that's we need to

have a relationship with Jesus.

The God of the universe. The one that

loves you more than any other. The God

who sent his son Jesus to this earth.

Who loves you more than any other. That

was willing to go to a cross. Willing to

die. What we celebrated a few minutes

ago. He didn't stay dead, but he rose

again. By his stripes, we are healed. We

are saved. We're forgiven. We're set

free. We church have the opportunity to

come and to call on the name of Jesus

today. Say, "Lord, we give you

everything. We offer for you our life."

And when we as a church family, when we

say yes, we as individuals say yes, then

the whole word is open. The power of

God, the spirit of God is infilling in

our lives.

This gift of the spirit that we see in

these three stories is open for you and

open for me. So before we come to the

altars and pray before we pray for the

spirit, I want to give the opportunity

just to say yes to Jesus. It's the most

important thing that you can possibly

do. It's the best yes. It's the thing we

have to be willing. Lord, we give you

all of us. So right now all over this

room, if we can just bow our heads,

close our eyes, and just put yourself in

a a p a posture, a position of reverence

to the Lord of just Lord, what do you

want to speak? And maybe right now

you're here in this room, and you'd say,

"Wow, I've never given my life to Jesus,

but this morning, I I feel the the knock

on my heart." The Bible would say, "I

feel the Lord speaking to me, and I

don't want to leave this place without

making him the Lord of my life.

I want to give him everything.

If you'd say today, that's me. I want to

make Jesus Lord, the top rung in my life

above everything. Then we're going to

pray together. And before we do, I just

would love to catch your eye. And if

you, in fact, if you're in the left

section, the right section as I look out

to my left, you'd say, "That's me."

Would you just raise your hand so I can

see you? I just want to be able to pray

and believe with you. Anybody in this

section that you say, "That's me. I need

Jesus. I need his power. I need his love

in my life.

Anybody? Or you want to rededicate your

life? We're just going to take a second.

It's the most important thing we can

possibly do.

What about in the left section as you

came in? My right section. Anybody over

here, you'd say, "That's me. I need to

make Jesus the Lord of my life. I need

to offer him everything."

Perfect. Maybe you're at home today. If

you need Jesus, all you have to do is

say yes. And if we could as a church

family, could we pray? Could we offer

ourselves to him? And in fact, would you

repeat after me? And as a church family

that we're going to be unified, Lord, we

give you everything. And if this is your

first time, you mean it in your heart.

He welcomes you and you're a son or a

daughter of the most high. Don't wait.

Don't delay. Today is the day of your

salvation. So, if you would repeat after

me, church. Dear Jesus,

I love you and I make you the Lord of my

life.

Forgive me of my sins.

I repent and offer you everything.

And today, Jesus,

would you fill us? Would you fill me

with your spirit?

Maybe for the first time

or fill me again.

and help us all to walk out of here

empowered

to see victory in our situations and in

our community. Lord, we love you. We

praise you and we worship you. In Jesus'

name we pray.

Amen and amen. Come on, church. Our God

is good. He's good. He's good. and the

power of God.