Filled To Boldness

With the church, I felt we need to go down this route of fill to boldness, so I'll continue

part two of what we taught last week another time. Fill to boldness. Okay, so guys, the

character of the first century church, one of the distinctives of the first century church

was unparalleled boldness. They were ridiculously bold. So many things that we have today they

had but the one thing we don't have is the ridiculous boldness that they seemed to have

gotten hold of. And yet, just about three months before they began to behave the way

they behaved, both in Gethsemane and at Golgotha you see a different scene. In Gethsemane,

almost all of them fled and at Golgotha there was John and Mary. Those were the only guys who

remained. The rest of them fled. And so if anything describes the difference between us

and the first century church, it is, I don't want to use this word on us but it can't be avoided,

it is our cowardliness or lack of boldness.

It's a trait of the present day church. It's our cowardliness or the lack of boldness. Strangely

enough guys, if you look at Revelations 21 verse 8, it's a list of people that are

Revelation 21:8

put in the lake of fire and murderers, adulterers and so on. This is at the end of time where people

are being, I mean, literally assigned to the lake of fire. But the list begins with this one group

of people called cowards. The cowardly or the feckless or the faithless, those are three different

words used, the cowardly, the feckless, the faithless are in that group. In fact the list starts with

cowards and I want to say that it's not just a trait that's present all across the earth when it

comes to churches but it's something that we struggle with too. And so I want to see how we can

change that. And with the life of the disciples, the two pivotal events that swung them around or

that two pivotal events that transformed them, two pivotal events that transformed them was resurrection

and Pentecost.

Resurrection and Pentecost. And I would say to you that was effective then and it's also effective now

because we have the same advantages. You may not have seen the risen Christ in person but it's just

false to assume that had you seen Christ in person that you would have believed.

Because in the scriptures it says that they saw the risen Christ and yet some of them doubted.

That's what it says. Thomas had to put his fingers in the nail scarred hands of Jesus before he would

believe. So we just assume that had we been there it would have been different and it's not true.

There were many who were there who still didn't believe though they saw him and Jesus actually

rebuked them saying, hey why is it that you still don't believe? How blessed are those that do not

see and yet believe? And so the two pivotal events that transformed the disciples from Gethsemane

and Golgotha to the upper room was resurrection where they saw the risen Christ and Pentecost.

And obviously he'd be limited to a small community but he makes himself real. It's impossible for a

people to worship and praise the way we just did 20 minutes ago if you weren't aware of the fact

that your God is alive. And anyone who doesn't know God who would come into this place would also

think that be a raving lunatics or that they actually know an invisible alive God. When we

began to sing that song wandering into the night of vagabond he turned my life around like God man

you should have seen yourself. One of the reasons I walk up and down is to just see

I have fascinating how you believe that Christ this invisible king has changed your life.

It's amazing. So these are the two events that change things around for them but before we go

any further let's define boldness. Boldness is not the same as the invisible king.

Boldness is not boldness is not brashness. It's not being obnoxious. It's not being loud.

It's not being offensive. This is not how it works.

So what is it? It is being done with cowardliness. It's being done. It's being done as in an end to

cowardliness. It is living not just speaking but living the proclamation of the gospel.

The announcement of the proclamation of the gospel. It is living the proclamation of the gospel

with a boldness. Hey guys it's one of the hardest things to do on earth and it's only going to get

harder. The proclamation of the gospel is the hardest thing to do. As Christians we can take

up many other causes and worthwhile causes noble causes take up causes of justice and they're

important because it really helps people. Isaiah 58 is true but here's the thing the one thing that

will face fierce resistance from every system that you can imagine that exists on earth will be the

proclamation of the gospel. There'll be nothing that will be as strongly resisted opposed persecuted

silenced as the proclamation of the gospel through different means. Two of the things that we suffer

most as Christians is one the fear of rejection. Two we crave slavishly for the favor and the

approval of men and the more sophisticated you and I get that more difficult it gets

where we crave the favor and the approval of men. Billy Graham was once called on tv on the late

night show. This was before Letterman and all those guys. It was a guy called Billy Parra something

like that and not Billy something else anyways he gets called on the late night show and so the

first question the show host starts with is so Billy you're here to try and convert me right

you're going to tell me that you want me to repent you want to tell me you're going to tell me that

I need to be saved otherwise I won't go to heaven right and so he started off that way with with

with a frontal kind of sarcastic attack which usually puts people off because then you don't

know what to say and Billy Graham with a smile on his face sat there and said actually you're right

I've been thinking quite seriously about whether you are actually saved and what would happen to

you if you aren't how it'd be a good idea for you to think about it have you been considering it

and if you haven't maybe you and I can have a talk after this and we can figure out how this works

and now the guy doesn't know what to do because he thought that frontal assault will disarm Billy

Graham no chance man why because it doesn't matter the sophisticated situations you would put him in

he was still an ordinary farm boy

and so when it comes to the proclamation of the gospel know that it's the most fiercely resisted

force forces that will come against today so you are signing up for someone or for something that

um the world loves to hate and Jesus said this so this is not sensationalizing the gospel

Jesus said it if you actually obey my word you will be hated by the world just as I your master

was hated John 17 sometimes the lack of hatred towards us is not because we are doing it well

but because we are not doing it

go to John 17 just in case you thought I was pulling a fast one John 17

John 17

anyone who finds that verse gets to leave first at 6 30

it's in John 17

I guess nobody wants to leave at 6 30 okay when you find me find it let me know

come on guys you should have it by now come on pastor you should know it by now

14 okay I'm coming to you now but I say these things while I'm still in the world so that they

may have the full measure of my joy within them where's 14 I have given you I have given them your

and the world has hated them for they are not off the world crazy if Jesus gives us the word the

world will hate us if we actually live it because we are not off the world so what does boldness

look like it's living the proclamation of the gospel so that you can so that you show that you

so that you show others that you are fully persuaded

you are persuaded of the kingdom

of the king of the risen king

of the fact that he is kinging

and we've talked about this before and that he defeated death for all

to be done with cowardliness is to be able to live

the proclamation of the gospel not just announce it but live it and live it in a way that shows

others that hey I belong to a different kingdom I march to a different beat I have a king who I

absolutely adore oh by the way he's the only king that really exists and by the way he's kinging

he he's kinging when he gives you peace he's kinging when he heals you he's kinging when he

comforts you he's kinging when he satisfies your hunger he is kinging when he gives you peace

he is kinging when he's your friend he's kinging when he's your father he's kinging when the word

comes alive he's kinging in our midst and that he defeated death for all for all that he defeated

death for all here's the truth any man or woman who has not received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior

will not enter the kingdom of heaven

so any questions on that before we go on

it can be loud but nowadays we think if we have a megaphone that's boldness it's not sometimes

Christians can be very obnoxious and offensive with a megaphone yeah yeah it can be loud yeah

boldness in the New Testament I love this one and because it's really hard but we'll get our way

around it bold get get to it boldness in the New Testament is very simple guys fearing God

above man

and being able to speak

openly

false rightly

honestly

gently

not fearing

not fearing

the consequences of men this is the definition of boldness in the New Testament for us as believers

you see that in Acts chapter 4 verse 18 to 20 we'll read that shortly boldness in the

Acts 4:18–20

New Testament is fearing God above man fearing God above man another word for fear is reverence

another word for reverences

honoring him before you honor anyone else fearing God above man and what does that look like most

of the time it looks like speaking openly, false rightly, honestly, gently, not fearing the

consequences of men when you look at Acts chapter 4 verse 18 to 20 you see that Peter and John had

Acts 4:18–20

healed the lame man at the temple gate and now they've been pulled up in front of the Sanhedrin

first time they're being treated like this eh so they must have been totally inexperienced in how

to deal with it so go to Acts chapter 4 verse 18 to 20 and it says that

Acts 4:18–20

they were not able to speak to him and they called him they called him again

and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus but Peter and John replied

judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God for we cannot

help speaking about what we have seen and heard and the strange thing is where did he get the guts

to talk like this it came from the Holy Spirit if you go to Acts chapter 4 verse 8

Acts 4:8

then Peter filled with the Holy Spirit said to them rulers and elders of the people and then

he begins to speak this thing that we are talking about is not natural born confidence

boldness is not

natural born confidence or strength

it's not natural born confidence or strength it's not ignorance

of your circumstances it's a confidence and courage

that comes from

and because of the Holy Spirit it's a confidence and courage that

is because of the work

of the work of the Holy Spirit

in us

and we need this man because I'm it's one of the greatest obstacles to what God wants to do through

us I need the power of the Holy Spirit why do I need this power because like I said there are two

things we are always facing fear of rejection and the second one is the unhealthy desire

for favor or approval before men

this

is our condition and only the Holy Spirit can work this out of my life it's almost like

self-preservation is never conducive to a living sacrifice self-preservation is never conducive

to giving your life as a living sacrifice it'll oppose the living sacrifice self-preservation

will oppose the living sacrifice self-preservation is when the animal that you put on the altar

decides getting too hot and jumps off the altar and runs away because in our case we are not

sacrifices that have our hands and legs tied our hands and legs are free so once the altar gets to

a certain level we just jump off the altar so the fear of rejection and the unhealthy desire for

or faith for favor or approval and like I said before this is important because we live most of

us live in a place where the more sophisticated we get the harder it gets because you don't want

to look like a Christian in front of sophisticated people so we dilute the gospel we change it's

costumate

who are sophisticated people you

I we're not talking about some rich and famous guy I'm talking about us

it's very difficult and it is so difficult that the only one who can snap us out of this

is the Holy Spirit thank God thank God for the Holy Spirit who gives me and you the boldness

to break the fear of rejection and the favor and the approval of men the unhealthy desire for it

he breaks it so that I'm free any questions before we go on

and we'll see how he does it again and again and again

once this happens guys then you can proclaim then you can demonstrate

then you can invite people into the kingdom

if you notice I'm not saying invite people to get saved I'm saying invite people into the kingdom

that's the good news we've talked about this before this is not personal salvation this is

Jesus Christ has brought into the world a kingdom unless you be born again you cannot enter the

kingdom

once I get rid of these two things God now begins to use me just like he would use the Holy Spirit

through anybody to proclaim demonstrate and invite people into the kingdom and we'll touch on that

but to get here we have to send Ishmael away well who is Ishmael Ishmael is the Ishmael is the one

who wants the Ishmael is slavish approval of men and the fear of rejection send it into the desert

let it die I pray every time I preach I pray oh God would you give me an opportunity this week

to try it out give me an opportunity in the next seven days to try out what I'm teaching

give me an opportunity where I'll be able to send the fear of rejection and my craving for the

approval of men that I'll have to I'll be able to send them out and then begin to easily gently

forthrightly honestly speak about a risen king a kingdom how he's kinging and the fact that he

has defeated death for all a common problem any questions hey guess what Jeremy said yesterday

when he had his speech for his brother he said that he stays awake through church services but

his brother falls asleep that watch out hey if Jeremy if Jeremy sleeps today just let me know

everybody's watching you now

oh he had some good lines in yesterday's thing he said first I want to go through my brother's

accomplishments he paused for two seconds and said that's it and he moved on your turn is coming

oh and then the other one I have to touch on this too

they had this standoff where both brothers came to their bathroom door at the same time with

towel with clothes with everything and they stand there and neither is backing off so both of them

jump into the bathtub and neither is backing up now they take that six gun stance and neither is

backing up at the end of the day neither took a bath so that's how it ended there are a few more

but I'll tell them later

self-preservation resists being a living sacrifice already said that let's go to

Acts chapter two verse two how do we change this Acts two verse two

the apostles the disciples the ones in the upper room did not venture out did not venture out

with boldness

till after the Holy Spirit filled them till after the Spirit filled them

and so when you read Acts chapter two verse four to 14 you'll find

that in Acts chapter two once they were filled with the Holy Spirit people gathered

once they were filled with the Holy Spirit those that gathered were amazed

to six to seven once they were filled with the Holy Spirit Peter began to speak boldly

to 14 once they were filled with the Holy Spirit Peter demanded that they repent and baptize

Peter demanded that they repent and baptize

238 crazy eh even in a church setting like right now here we are so careful about asking people

to repent and being baptized it's like would you like to the blooming lives are at stake

and yet there's this hesitation to come on strong because you don't want to offend

that's why I love what Billy Graham did in the in front of a huge audience when he was challenged

his response was so different gentle but different

different any questions

you have a question go ahead

I get your question so he Zia's asking if you if you're gentle then how how can you still say

isn't isn't asking people if you would like to would you like to repent and be baptized

isn't that gentleness that is counterproductive yes so gentleness still has gentleness still needs

to speak the truth honestly and forthrightly gentleness is a kindness that comes from one's

heart and a question about repentance and baptism should still come from a heart that is kind but at

the same time does not change the fact that without repentance and then baptism there is

no salvation for any man or woman under the earth regardless of whether you go to church or not

if you haven't received Christ the Lord there's no question of it that part shouldn't be left out

by being kind in your heart and firm in your words

Don will show you Zia Don can you just sit with him and show how you can be gentle and yet Zia yeah

yeah I the reason I'm not able to answer is you answer you is because in every context it changes

but the intent is can I be kind and not condemning can I be kind and not condemning and yet can I

care enough to not dilute the fact that if someone does not enter the kingdom through the

receiving of Christ who died for us and rose again that someone will live for 70 years 80 years 90

years and die and never see the face of God who created them that's crazy we know all this okay I

know I'm repeating myself but the fact is we don't have the boldness to take it out because of the

fear of rejection and the approval of men I'm praying God that today after we teach that we get

that boldness and try it out this week not once not twice not as a token but forever our dilemma

though is if we want the Holy Spirit to fill us if we want the Holy Spirit to fill us

our dilemma based on the denomination you come from is doesn't is there something called the

filling of the Holy Spirit is there something called the baptism of the Holy Spirit

is it a one-off when we get saved

or converted or is it a second experience after you get saved what is it because this matters a lot

I would say to you that it is a mistake

to limit baptism to limit baptism

by the Holy Spirit and what do you mean by baptism simply

immersion other words used in the scriptures filling pouring out

I would say it's a mistake to limit baptism by the Holy Spirit

to

a only being filled

at conversion

at conversion

be a single second event

after conversion regardless of your experience regardless of your denomination some of us are

Pentecostal some of us are not regardless of your belief or your denomination or your experience

experience it is it is a mistake to limit the Holy Spirit filling you pouring out himself on you

baptizing you immersing you it's a mistake to limit it to these two things one there's a huge group of

churches that believe that Ephesians 1 13 holds good you are filled with the Holy Spirit when you

receive Christ and that's it and then you've got another huge group of people who lean towards the

Pentecostal and charismatic side which believe who believe that you receive Christ but then there's

a second separate event where you get filled with the Holy Spirit I would say both are limiting

when you look at scriptures from Acts 2 Acts 4 Acts 8 Acts 9 Acts 10 Acts 11 Acts 19 you'll find

that God is continuously filling his people as long as they thirst they are yielded and they are

ready for work continuously filling I'll give you scriptural references that it's not a one-off thing

Pentecostals believe that it's a second one-off event non-Pentecostals believe it happens at

conversion I'm saying that neither of them are true because it limits what God can do

and so let's look at the scriptures

I'm not trying to find a middle road here

filled with the Holy Spirit yes at conversion yes how do we know that Ephesians 1 13

that the day you gave your life to Christ he sealed you with his Holy Spirit who is not a quantity

but a person at conversion yes you are filled with the Holy Spirit but thereafter there are subsequent

experiences of being empowered

in the Holy Spirit

and how this happens when this happens man it can be unpredictable

it can be through various ways at various times because he is a person he is God and he does what

he wants and he knows my heart and our condition better than anybody else

and why does the Holy Spirit want to baptize the poor or fill us very simple we receive

extraordinary

spiritual power

for Christ exalting ministry let's just pause I know it's hot and it's hard sometimes to keep track

but think of this is there anybody here who does not need extraordinary spiritual power for Christ

need extraordinary spiritual power for Christ exalting ministry anybody here who think

they're sufficient or have the ability to is there anybody here who's not interested

that's another way to opt out yeah only two ways to opt out of this I'm not interested leave me alone

great or I've got it I don't need any more those are the two options

there's nobody here who says I'm not interested because we deeply desire it I can see it in your

worship I can see it in your prayer I can see it in your sitting here for three hours

there's nobody who doesn't desire it well then it's extraordinary power extraordinary power isn't

that what we've been hungering after every time tuning things every time you pray every time we

thank God what are we thanking God for Jesus is the one who is the one who is the one who is

Jesus you are sending your spirit in ways that we've not known before not just for the city but

from the city it creates a ripple we know oh god that this is your promise for the 20s and the 30s

in particular and you will not run egg on it extraordinary power by the spirit this is our

desire how can we ever come near this desire if we don't understand that it is subsequent fillings

again and again and again and again and what are the two things required first faith first faith

first faith first faith always filled guaranteed these are god guarantees I'll give you scriptures

yes

Acts chapter two verse four on the day of Pentecost you know how many were baptized in the Holy Spirit

on the day of Pentecost anybody our usual answer is 120 it was 120 plus another 3 000 at least

just on the same day the first day we always think it stopped with the 120 there were 3 000

plus the same afternoon Acts chapter two verse four next Acts 4 8 next Acts 4 31 we read that

earlier next Acts 6 verse 5 8 and 10 with Philip next Acts 9 17 and 22 with Saul next Acts 11

Acts 6:5

24 later on when Paul is now confronting Elimath the sorcerer it says again Paul was filled with

the Holy Spirit and he looked at Elimath and he said and he begins to the filling of the Holy

Spirit was a constant thing nobody stays full of the Spirit all the time why how come we are not

like Jesus nobody stays full of the Spirit all the time why because nobody stays thirsty yielded

to the Spirit all the time

one thing that made Jesus so distinct was that he was always yielded to the Holy Spirit therefore

he was continuously full of the Spirit the same fullness of the Spirit has been given to me

nothing less nothing less the same Spirit who filled Jesus Christ in his fullness is the same

Spirit that dwells in me in his fullness

so we need to understand that the reason I sometimes need to be filled again is because

I'm not always thirsty and I'm not always yielded

your electric cars your gas cars need filling man

any questions before we go on

so yeah so how do we balance that we don't balance that what we do is realize that as a people we

are seeking for that breakthrough in this city in our lives and that it will come we are waiting

for that and what that will do is it doesn't matter whether you're at work whether you're on the

streets whether you're washing your dishes or whether you're with friends whether you're

watching England lose or whether you're watching France win it doesn't matter

sorry

he wants to know how do we balance going out boldly and waiting for the Spirit of God so it's not a

balance it's this idea of once I have this boldness then it does not matter where I am we're not

talking about all of us going on streets standing on soap boxes and preaching I'm not saying don't

do it but I'm not saying that's what we're going after this is the ability to live the proclamation

of the gospel a little time from now I'll tell you the difference between witnessing and proclaiming

there's a difference between witnessing the Spirit of God was given for two reasons one go preach

the gospel Luke chapter 24 verse 49 wait for the Holy Spirit to come upon you so that you can be

Luke 24:49

sent out to preach the gospel from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria to the ends of the earth

the same Luke in Acts chapter 1 8 says wait for the Holy Spirit to come upon you so that you can

Acts 1 · chapter mention

be witnesses there is a difference between being a witness and there's a difference between being

someone who proclaims proclamation is a subset of this amazing thing called witness

a witness happens even when I don't have a soap box witness happens even when I'm not allowed to

talk in a library they still don't allow you to talk right okay anyways yeah you guys don't

look like library kind but the point is that it is impossible without the Holy Spirit and listen

guys the the greatest threat facing the church is silence it's silence to be able to silence you

you can wear colors he can wear Brazil even when they've lost he can wear

Republic of South Africa when we beat them you can wear those colors

but it's so hard to wear this other color man I'm not talking about you I'm talking about me

I'm praying today that the Spirit of God will break me out of it today

today has something changes in my heart because that's the only way guys who ran it get some

ne'anid Golgotha were transformed something changed and it's the only changes but through

a person called the Spirit of God I don't want to go away from today having prepared a good

message it's it's just pointless if it's a good message if I don't have the Spirit of God changing

you know pastors are some of the people that witness the least why because they get to preach

every Sunday they think most pastors do not preach outside of churches

and there's only one in this room tuning

if Paul asked you the question have you been baptized by one spirit to form one body given

one spirit to drink like he says in first Corinthians 12 12 your answer should be yes

I have been baptized by one spirit to form one body and we all drink of the same spirit

and we all drink of the same spirit and we all drink of the same spirit and we all drink of the

same spirit and we all drink of the same spirit first Corinthians 12 12 if Paul asked you that

your answer is yes if Luke asked you based on Acts chapter 1 8 hey guys hey Derek hey Don hey

Acts 1 · chapter mention

Mike have you been clothed with the power from the Spirit to be my witnesses in Jerusalem to

the ends of the earth your answer should be yes if Peter and John ask you and this is a question

I want to ask you if Peter and John ask you have you have you ever once been so filled

with power

from the Spirit

have you ever once been so filled by the Holy Spirit that you overflowed

with joy

overcame fear and threat

overcame fear and threat

were overwhelmed

because that's what happened to them in Acts chapter 4 were overwhelmed with love

Acts 4 · chapter mention

and boldness

what would your answer be

if Peter and John asked you the question hey Josh hey Deborah hey Nellie hey hip have you ever been

so filled with power from the Holy Spirit that you just overflowed with joy you overcame fear and

threat and you were overwhelmed with love and with boldness what would your answer be

it should be yes

but that's a question you have to answer or how long has it been

or how long has it been

this is what some of the ones that

that were before us that tasted the Spirit of God before us this was a normal experience

I'm not talking about 200 years ago I'm talking about 30 40 years ago this was normal

this was normal but it's not normal for us

why

please answer it's a it's a friendly question why

because this is something the Spirit of God does I'll show you scriptures where joy

is just such a clear sign of the Spirit of God the Kingdom of God is righteousness peace and

joy in the Holy Ghost

I'll give you at least four scriptures where the coming of the Spirit always brings joy

why is it not our experience and it cannot be only due with worship songs

why anybody

okay thirst and fate okay so thirst and fate could be one what else

okay

apathy and ignorance okay

say louder we are too comfortable and distracted really good reasons coming up with another good

reason lack lack of confidence in God depending on our own strength what else

not connected to the source I'd like to throw in one more

fear of expression

scared what people will think what people will say scared we've gotten as far as now we can do

it to the song to the music to the beat we've gotten that far which is a great thing but still

scared scared of looking terribly foolish if joy actually takes route do you see the kids jumping

here this kingdom cannot be fully experienced without becoming like a child

in a way when the Spirit of God fills you it restores us to childlikeness not childishness

but childlikeness it's not a child's life it's not a child's life it's not a child's life

it's the greatest gift that God gives us childlikeness

recapture it hey it's critical for us childlikeness yes they come with a whole lot of warts and pimples

but when it's the Holy Spirit you sometimes even don't have the warts and pimples

you know what prevents childlikeness

one word starts with a p pride

what prevents me from being childlike is simply pride

now do you understand why in James it says God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble

humble

crazy that at this stage in our life as mature believers we are being invited back to the one

thing that we think is not all that big a deal childlikeness he works well with a

church that is childlike he works well with a church that is childlike

so

remember this question hey so here's why the Holy Spirit here's how the Holy Spirit helps us

in terms of bone as the first one like I said is Luke 24 49 and 47 what does it say there

behold I send the promise of my father upon you but stay in the city until you are clothed

with power from on high and why was he sending this power

verse 47 so that you may go preach the gospel to all nations

that's the first place we need boldness so the Holy Spirit being filled with the Holy Spirit

empowers you to preach the gospel

to the nations

in Richmond and outside the Holy Spirit empowers you to preach the gospel we need this it's

impossible without this you will get scared

what is what is this preaching the gospel it's announcing the message announcing the message

it's announcing the message that proclaims the arrival

of God's kingdom

or his reign

and that the means of citizenship

you can put this in your own simple words the means of citizenship

in it

put this in your own simple words the means of citizenship in it is by faith

in the life death resurrection of Christ this is preaching the gospel when you share your testimony

and you leave this out it is not preaching the gospel that's another thing we've now embraced we

like sharing our testimony of how Jesus saved me nothing wrong with that it's a wonderful story

but the core the crux of the gospel is this after you share your testimony if you do not touch this

you still have not preached the gospel

so that's a new sophisticated way of presenting Jesus tell your story I was doing drugs and then

the Lord saved me escaped it without going through cold turkey have been clean for 38 years

wow that's great it encourages people but it still doesn't preach the gospel

what's the gospel what's preaching the gospel and why and the only way you can do this boldly is by

the power of the spirit of God working in you otherwise this becomes impossible because the

first time you do it you'll be met with such hostility that you will decide this is a really bad idea

announcing the message and what's the message that God's kingdom or Christ's rule is already

here on earth and that the means of citizenship in this reign in this presidency in this kingdom

if you want citizenship then it's by faith in the life the death and the resurrection of Christ

that is the gospel and without that there is no entry into the kingdom your testimony will not

save somebody let's be clear on that once for all so that we know what we are doing when we do it

any questions any disagreements

no okay

the next one is act chapter 1 8

it says you shall receive power you shall receive power when the holy spirit you shall receive

power when the holy spirit has come upon you and you shall be my witnesses

the task of bearing witness is simply making visible what is invisible

when there's an accident or when there's an incident they say can you did you did you did

you see what happened and if you've seen what happened please get in touch why because what

happened is no longer visible but a witness or a testimony makes it visible through having observed

it and putting it into words so the idea of of witnessing is this idea of making visible that

which is otherwise invisible so what does it look like in our lives is the reality it's showing the

reality of Christ's reign in my life telling your story

loving celebrating

forgiving

being healed being provided for

the way you parent the way you handle trouble the way you share generosity it is an endless list

but what does it show it makes visible that i belong to someone who is so different from the

rest of the world that it's showing in my life and it's so blooming evidence that it's showing

it's so blooming evidence that you will think what's wrong with you or what's right with you

i know a person who is being critiqued on not critic violently criticized on social media and

his responses show that he belongs to a different kingdom

he is

they use four letter words and tell him how he's trashed and he responds saying i know that what

i did may be wrong but i want to tell you that and the way he speaks makes it very clear where

people that are criticizing him on social media now text him saying you know i was wrong forgive me

or apologizing how does that even happen i'm reminded of when prashant got kidnapped

when prashant got kidnapped all his reactions were not of someone who got kidnapped there was

rest there was peace there was trust there was hope there was expectation how do you get kidnapped

and have those five things

how does seday go through 14 months of unemployment

man

it's crazy man if you just realized how prominent and prevalent the reign of the king is in your

life you would begin to show it with a little more pizzazz

and the holy spirit can enable us

see

or we can sit on the fence and say not now maybe later maybe another time need to learn a little more

witnessing is a broader category of which preaching and evangelism

is a mandatory subset in a hostile world

and then the last one in terms of the holy spirit filling us is from acts 239

acts 239 where peter says the pouring of the spirit upon you

is a fulfillment

is a fulfillment of joel 228 what should happen because of the pouring of the holy spirit upon us

two things one deliverance in every area of our lives and two

new vision

and the knowing of the will of god

joel 2 verse 32 and on mount zion there shall be delivered there shall be rescue why because the

Joel 2:32

holy spirit is being poured on you joel 228 and i will pour my spirit upon all flesh meaning every

kind of people it doesn't matter where you come from i'll pour my spirit on you and your young

men shall see visions your old men shall see dreams your sons and daughters shall prophesy

what are we talking about about the about the mysterious will of god being made known so that

we can walk in it exodus 33 moses is standing before god and he says if you show me your will

i will walk in it so that you can continue showing me your favor show me your will o god i'll walk in

it i'll take these people and i'll walk in it but i need your favor how do you continue in favor

you continue in favor by doing his will how do you do his will by knowing his will how do you know

his will by the spirit first corinthians 2 10 it is such a simple equation how do you walk in his

favor by knowing his will how do you know in his how do you know his will by finding it out by the

spirit how do you find it out by the spirit he searches the mind of god and you search his mind

and he conveys to you joel 228 is supposed to help us walk in the will of god

i'll miss church next sunday meaning i'll miss you guys i don't like going away this is more fun

i'm sweating out in the heat talking to a very receptive audience that just keeps shouting amen

praise the lord hallelujah he just eggs the preacher on thank you guys i will miss you next week

being filled with the spirit

this brings

great

great

joy this is why before tunis starts the worship service what does he say when he wants to check

the mic there's joy in the house of the lord there's joy in the house of the lord there is

but it's not in the house of the lord it's in the holy spirit who is in the house of the lord

let me give you some scriptures to prove to you that the spirit of god and joy really go together

luke chapter 10 verse 21 luke 10 21

Luke 10:21

luke 10 21 look at who it's happening to guys come on we're being given this it was given to christ

luke chapter 10 verse 21 even he needed it at that time jesus full of joy through the holy spirit

Luke 10:21

said i praise you father lord of heaven and earth because you have hidden these things from the wise

and the learned and reveal them to who to little children

it's crazy how this works man even he needed this next one

um acts 1352 acts 1352 acts 1352

um i'll just read the one line because we got to stop and the disciples were filled with joy

and with the holy spirit the holy spirit cannot come to you without joy

it's a package sorry i just want you spirit of god i'd still like to be sour won't work

both come together

next one romans 1417 the kingdom of god is not about eating or drinking

but is about righteousness and peace and joy in the holy ghost

romans 1417 first sessilonians 1 6 first sessilonians 1 6 first sessilonians 1 6

where is sessilonians

first sessilonians 1 6

you became imitators of us and of the lord in spite of severe suffering you welcomed the

message with the joy given by the holy spirit come on man it doesn't even my circumstances

also don't matter in suffering you responded with the joy that the holy spirit gave

us what kind of joy is this i just want to tell you what kind of joy it is it is the same joy

that the father son and the holy spirit have between them that joy it's not some secondary

quality when you meet god one of the things that will surprise you about god is how um how full of

life and joy he is it'll be the it'll be something that flows a lot of christians really jesus you

are this joyful really father really spirit of god you're irrepressibly happy

it'll be a shock to our system

where do you think jeremy got his sense of humor from

don't answer the question

why is he crying so cold

okay so can we afford not to cry out for this

can you afford not to cry out for this

can you afford not to cry out for this we are commanded to be full

is the Spirit. We are commanded to be full and the filler is the Spirit. The only way

into this is through thirst and faith. Thirst as the deer pants for the water, so my soul

longs after you. Thirst. John 7 37, out of you shall flow rivers of living water. Is

anyone thirsty? Come to me. Faith. Joel 2 28, Luke 11 13, Ephesians 5 18. Ephesians 5 18 is

a command. Do not be drunk with wine but be filled with the Spirit. Galatians 3 verse 2. What's the

Galatians 3:2

method? The method is hearing with faith. Hearing with faith. Ezekiel 37 verse 10. Doesn't matter

Ezekiel 37:10

how dead an area in your life is. The Spirit of God can breathe life into it. So let's be like

Stephen. I don't even know how to do this. I can't do it. You know why? Because I'm not the Holy

Spirit in case you didn't know. The Holy Spirit is the filler. We have two things for us. Thirst,

faith. If you don't have that, just jump in and try to get a bit of it. But if you have thirst and

faith then let the Spirit of God fill again and again and again and again and again so that every

week is a week of boldness and then we shall see what happens man. So let's not call Tooney or any

other guys up first. Yeah. Let's try expressing our thirst to God and exerting faith to be filled

because it's his desire to fill us. Try that without any props, without any music. Try that.

See if it works and then we might call Tooney up. I give you my word I will not help you for the

first three minutes.

Present your thirst to him first. Father, I want the signs and the miracles and the healings and

the wonders but somehow I don't have the boldness for proclamation and witness. One doesn't come

without the other words and deeds. I think it's the same plight with most of us here. So first we

want to come to you with an admission that this is a problem and then we want to come to you with

an expression of our thirst. So can you just check our thirst and you'll find that boy this is dry

and parched land even though you watered it yesterday.

Hi, Joey. How are you? Guys, please don't hold back crying out to him. You will do all of us a

favor when you don't because we learn from your cry. We echo your cry. So please don't hold back

your cry because it helps the rest of us not just you.