The Great Commission: Taking God's Good News to a Hurting World

Welcome to the Lone Star Church podcast.

Pastors CF and Nicole Rady are here to share the Word of God with you each week, helping you grasp the fullness of God's plan for your life.

We hope you'll be blessed by this week's message.

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Let's go to Mark, chapter 16.

Mark 16 · chapter mention

We're going to start here.

Pastor Steve Munns shared about the Great Commission on Thursday night and I just felt led to talk about it.

So, the Great Commission, that's what it's titled in my Bible and it's in at least three of the Gospels at the end.

And so this is what Jesus spoke to believers before he left this earth.

And in verse 15 of Mark 16, here in the New King James versions we'll all be reading out of, jesus said to them go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

So here's what's amazing.

So we hear that word gospel and a lot of people are like well, what does gospel really mean?

It's a biblical word and all it means is good news, preach the good news.

Well, what is the good news of the Bible?

Well, let's start by telling you some bad news.

You ever had anyone tell you I got some good news and I got some bad news?

Right, you're hoping it's not at the doctor's office, right?

You're hoping it's just good news.

You go to the doctor.

But good news and bad news.

So here's the bad news.

The Bible says for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

That means everyone in this room and shore of the glory of God.

That means everyone in this room, every human on earth except one has sinned, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

So you're like boy, I'm already at a disadvantage.

I'm a sinner, I was a sinner, and then the Bible tells us the wages of sin is death.

Well, some people are like well, everyone dies.

Well, they're not just talking about your heart stops beating, they're talking about eternal separation from God.

I know everyone in this room, everyone on earth, presently and past.

Your life doesn't stop when you cease to live on this earth.

There's an eternity.

I'll never forget Brother Richard Wonsettler, ronnie Elliott's father-in-law, spoke one night on a Sunday evening here and he shared, and he was talking about heaven and hell.

And the one thing and it sticks in my mind he shared about hell he goes.

You know what the worst thing is about hell?

It's forever, it's eternal.

Even if it was a million years, you would at least have some hope that there's an end to it.

But hell is eternal separation from God forever.

The good thing is we have a chance on this earth to make a decision so we don't go to hell, that we go to heaven by receiving Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

So the bad news is everyone who has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, the wages of sin is death.

So you're like, if those are the only two scriptures in the Bible, good luck, see you later, right?

So you're like if those are the only two scriptures in the Bible, good luck, see you later, right, hope things go well.

But those aren't the only two.

We know Jesus was sent right, for God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

And then Paul tells us, and we see in the New Testament, that if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, that you shall be saved.

Right, so people are like well, what's that mean to get saved?

It means you believe that Jesus is who the Bible says.

He is the only begotten son of God, born of a virgin, lived a perfect, sinless life on this earth, never sinned, then died a sacrificial death on the cross.

He climbed on that cross for us, took our sin, my sin, your sin, everyone's sin, upon him, paid the price, the debt that we owed, went to hell, took the keys from the devil, right Rose victoriously on the third day.

He's now seated at the right hand of the Father where he's awaiting God to tell him to come back and gather up his church, right?

So that's the good news, right?

How would you like someone to walk in?

Hey, bad news you're going to jail forever.

What?

I don't know why my voice always gets high when I get accused of what I'm gonna jail for what I do you sin, so for that sin you're going to jail forever.

Like, oh my gosh, that's bad news, wouldn't that be bad news?

Someone said you're going to jail forever, but then, all of a sudden, you're walking to jail and they're like wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Someone said he'd go to jail for you.

You don't have to go.

Good news Well, that's exactly what happened here.

You had a life sentence in the worst place that has ever been created that exists.

You had a life sentence there.

Then Jesus said I'll pay that life sentence.

He gave his life for us so that we could have life eternal with God in heaven.

That's the good news.

So we're supposed to tell people about that good news.

I know, when you get good news, don't you feel like you want to share good news.

Right, social media People share good news.

Right?

They have a baby.

They share good news.

They get a new job.

They share good news.

Right, they get new hairdo.

They share good news.

Whatever it is, I want to share good news.

We're supposed to be sharing this good news with people.

Why?

Because there are people in your life, people you come in contact with every day, people that come in through those doors every Sunday, that are lost and going to hell.

So we should tell them the good news.

You don't have to go to hell.

You don't have to go to prison.

You don't have to go to jail.

There's good news.

Now look verse 16, mark 16, 16.

He who believes and is baptized will be saved.

I always like to pause there a minute just because we're going to have baptisms coming up, and so baptism is an outward sign of something that's already inwardly happened.

Even though this states it in this way, we see through other scriptures.

The Bible has to be interpreted with the Bible.

We put it all together and we see.

So you don't have to be baptized to be saved.

Baptism is something that comes after salvation.

I love that Virgil's here because I go back and I look at that picture sometimes when I baptize Virgil and seeing him come up out of that water.

What was that?

He was already saved, god had already did a work in his life, but all of a sudden, that outward sign, that sign before everyone here at this church and publicly, he said I trust Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

And again, I've done it numerous times.

I remember I don't think there's a person that I've baptized that if you mentioned their name, I couldn't almost close my eyes and picture their baptism, whether it be in a pool in the baptistry at a lake or wherever.

We've done it.

So baptism comes out, meaning you could get saved in between your salvation and your baptism.

If you were to leave this earth, you're still going to heaven.

That's what I want to get at.

I've led people literally one in particular, I'm thinking I was in the hospital in Albany led someone to the Lord.

They died four hours later.

We didn't have time to baptize them.

But you know what?

I'm going to see them in heaven, amen.

And so talking about salvation and then baptism.

But then it says he who does not believe will be condemned or cursed.

So who chooses whether you get heaven or hell you do.

God's not just up in heaven.

Being like this guy goes to hell, this guy goes to heaven, this guy goes to hell.

No, you choose.

You either.

Choose Jesus.

In fact, the Bible says God has put before us this day life and death.

Choose life.

Isn't it crazy that God has to tell us to choose life, that there are people that choose death.

So Jesus just paid the price and I can just accept him and I can get what he right, I get his reward instead of my punishment.

Yeah, that's it.

Don't want to do it, I choose death.

People every day choose death.

They reject Jesus and choose death.

So verse 17 says these signs will follow those who believe.

Do we have any believers in here this morning?

Right, then, guess what Signs are supposed to be following you as a believer.

What are some of the signs?

These aren't all of them, but these are some of the signs Jesus mentioned In my name.

They'll cast out demons.

I know there is no demon on this earth that can withstand a believer who, by faith, uses the name of Jesus to cast him out.

Demons have to go in the name of Jesus.

Right, then he says what They'll speak with new tongues.

In reference to Pentecost, take up servants.

If they drink any deadly thing or poison, it will by no means hurt them.

I mean, sometimes those, those verses, right there, are confusing.

That's why we have people handling snakes at church.

We are not a snake handling church.

What Jesus is saying is when things try to come against you, to kill you Because you're a believer blood of jesus right, and we have all these you have divine protection as a believer, right?

We know paul.

Paul got shipwrecked and when he's picking up six for a fire, he got bit by a poisonous snake and he didn't die, he just shook it off and just kept going.

Then it says another sign is they, who's the?

They, pastors, evangelists, yeah, they're included.

But the they is everybody, believers, they will what?

Lay hands on the sick, and then they, who's the they?

Now, the sick will recover, amen.

So lay hands on the sick, sick will recover.

So one of the things that God calls us to do, jesus tells us to do tell people about him, tell people good news, cast out demons.

But he also says we should be praying for the sick.

I was talking to Nathan you all know Nathan, right from here at church and Nathan was telling me.

He said he got to church and we were just about to start and he said I want to tell you something.

I said we'll get it between services, nathan.

And so he said see, if I went over to see my aunt and he goes, she's not doing well and he goes.

I laid my hand on her head and I prayed for her.

I said, praise God, nathan, he goes, she's doing better.

I go.

Praise the Lord, nathan, amen.

I know what's he doing.

He's doing the amazing thing.

If you know Nathan, you know Nathan has some physical things going on in his own body but he still stretched out his hand by faith and prayed for someone else.

I believe God honors that Notice.

Also, jesus says they will recover.

He didn't say immediately every single person you lay hands on will be healed.

Some will, and I've seen it.

I've seen people instantly heal.

I've also seen people prayed for and over a period of time they received their healing.

I know that's as much a miracle as someone getting instantly healed, meaning if you had cancer and we prayed for you this morning and you instantly right, you went to the doctor tomorrow morning.

They're like it's gone.

That's a miracle, amen.

But guess what If in a month.

They're like that tumor has shrunk.

That's a miracle.

Amen.

No radiation, no medicine, no anything else.

They're like we don't know what's going on in your body, but your tumor is smaller.

We measure it.

It's smaller today than it used to be.

I remember praying with Truman.

He was going through his health issue Immediately.

He didn't just jump out and walk out of that hospital in North Kansas City, but you know what he's healed.

How'd that come?

Well, it came through the power of God.

When you lay hands on the sick by faith when I lay hands on the sick, I have to any of you if you lay hands on the sick, you have to believe some things.

Number one you have to believe God is a healer.

He is a healer, not that he was a healer.

I know there are some people who believe God was something, but he still is.

God is a healer.

You say well, how do you know that a healer?

Well, you say well, how do you know that?

Well, number one we know he healed in the Bible.

Number two we know this.

God said I'm the same yesterday, today and forever.

Aren't you glad God doesn't change, he's the same.

So if God was a healer, then what's that tell us he is a healer.

Jesus said I am the great I am.

He didn't say I'm the great I was, I'm the great I'm going to be, I'm the great I am.

So we know he is a healer because he was a healer.

So when I lay hands on sick, when you lay hands sick, first thing you have to believe God is a healer.

Then you have to believe by faith.

When I lay my hand on this person, the power of God is going to move from me to them, because we're just conduits.

Right, I'm not a healer.

I know this person.

He's a faith healer.

Well, he may be a person of faith and he may minister healing, but God is the healer.

Right, I don't want any credit for someone's healing.

God's the healer, he gets all the credit, he gets all the glory, all the honor, all the praise, and so I use this phrase illustration.

So when I was a kid isn't it amazing what you can remember in life, some of the stuff when I was a kid, in elementary school I think fifth or sixth grade we took a trip to the science center in Des Moines, iowa, and at the science center they had a Vanegraph machine.

So what that is is the machine that produces static electricity, and so they're small ones, but they had a giant one, and so this has like a base where it has a motor that's running and it's got a belt there, and then it usually has like a glass tube that comes up and then a large metal ball on top, and so they fire that up and then they know what's going on.

They're like, hey, who wants to come up here and touch it?

And sometimes they'll have like little fake electricity running through the glass.

So you say, oh, look at that.

And so you go up and they're like, hey, just put your hand on this machine.

Well, you're a little concerned because you know it's generating something, and anyone's ever grabbed an electric fence knows that you don't want to do that.

Or touch the hot wire with a screwdriver when you're trying to replace an outlet or something, and so you touch it, and usually they choose girls with long hair to do it and the girl will touch it.

You know what happens their hair goes straight up in the air.

And then they say, hey, you come up here.

And then they grab hands with that person and their hair goes straight up in the air.

And if you have a big enough one.

You can have like 10 people or more, all their hair's straight up in the air.

Well, is the first girl that's touching?

Is she generating any power?

No, what is she?

She's a conduit for the power to flow through.

Then the next girl's a conduit, the next girl's a conduit.

So when we pray for people, I don't have to think that I'm the healer, I just have to believe that God's the healer and he's going to flow through me by faith.

Then the next thing is you need to make sure the person you're ministering to, you're laying hands on, has an understanding that they, by faith, have to receive that power into their body.

I prayed for people and numerous times by the Spirit of God I've felt the power leave my hand and go into their body.

Not every time.

Sometimes I don't feel anything, but you know what I still believe the power left my hand and went into their body, because God isn't a feeling.

You ever be in a service and God's moving and you almost get like goosebumps.

Man, I feel God's moving, praise God for that.

But you know what?

Can I tell you something?

Right now, we're teaching the word of God.

He's moving right now in this place.

So many people miss the supernatural because they're looking for the spectacular.

They miss the supernatural because they're looking for the spectacular.

They're looking for the great, big move.

And some people don't get their healing because they're looking for the spectacular Like well, I didn't fall down or I didn't feel anything.

I've had people, I prayed for people and they said see if it felt like warm honey went over my head to the soles of my feet.

Praise God, that's awesome.

I prayed for some people.

I didn't feel anything.

I could have been praying for a log right, no feeling.

But I still believe by faith, power went from me to them.

So you have to believe the power goes into you and then you have to believe that it's going to work, meaning if you walk out and you still have the same symptoms, your testimony is still by faith.

I received healing July 20th 2025, at that second service at Lone Star.

I received it at that moment that power is working in my body.

I mean, god's power can work on a molecular level.

It can start working down on the inside and all of a sudden, things just start changing.

I remember Pastor Keith Moore, one of our instructors at Rhema.

He pastors a church in Branson, out there on the Strip.

If you're ever in Branson on a Sunday I think they have Wednesday night services too Faith Life Church.

I'd encourage you to go and visit them there on the Strip, just kind of out as you're going out towards Silverdorf City.

And I remember him teaching one time and he went to pray for a guy that was in the hospital.

He said man, I want to pray for your healing.

And the man said you know, pastor Keith, I don't think I can believe God that I could be healed completely.

I know a lot of people just give up.

But Pastor Keith said well, what could you believe?

I don't know.

That's a good question to ask people.

Okay, you can't believe for a miracle today.

What can you believe?

And so the gentleman said well, you know what I can believe.

I believe you can pray with me and I believe that in a few days I'll be just a little bit better.

He said let's pray.

So they prayed the prayer of agreement.

He laid hands on and prayed for him, went back to visit him three days later.

He goes.

How are you doing?

He goes.

You know what you may not believe this, pastor Keith, he goes, I'm just a little bit better.

They did that over a series of time and over a series of weeks and months he completely healed.

How did he get healed?

Just a little bit better every time, just a little bit better every time.

Next time I go to the doctor, the report's just a little bit better than it was this time.

You know a lot of people look at that and say, oh boy, he just didn't have enough faith.

No, he had enough faith.

How many of us?

Sometimes you just need to be honest with where your faith is, and there's nothing wrong with starting small, there's nothing wrong with believing that.

So there's got to be some things going on when we lay hands on the sick that they'll recover.

Then, you see, in verse 19, it says after Jesus spoke to them, he went up to heaven, sat down at the right hand of God.

And then what did they do?

Verse 20, they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, confirming the word through the accompanying signs Amen, praise the Lord.

So we understand they went and did what Jesus told them to do.

Well, how did they do it?

Well, they did it not just through their power, but through the power of the Holy Spirit.

So let's go over to Acts, chapter 1.

Acts 1 · chapter mention

And so Acts 1, verses 4 through 10, or no 4 through 11, really coincide, remember?

Acts 1:4–10

So we just read out of Mark Luke was also there.

Luke wrote the book of Acts, and so not everything in the Bible happens exactly chronologically, meaning, just because we see Mark saying Jesus went up, jesus didn't come back down and do Acts chapter 1.

Acts 1 · chapter mention

It was all part of this same thing.

Does that make sense to everybody?

Jesus wasn't on an elevator just going back and forth, being like oh wait, I forgot to say a couple things.

So all this kind of goes together.

So this is the same time he gave the great commission.

He gives them this command right being assembled together with them.

He commanded them.

Right, we've said this numerous times when we read the scripture, there is a difference between a command and a suggestion.

Would everyone agree with that?

Right, there are certain things you may suggest to an employee, you may suggest to your child.

There are certain things.

You command them.

Jesus commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the promise Notice the word promise is capitalized Of the Father, which he said.

You've heard from me, for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.

So they ask him are you coming back right now?

And he says this isn't the time.

So then you get to verse eight here in Acts one.

But you shall receive power.

Everybody say power, right, so they're born again.

All these people were born again right At the end of Luke.

Jesus breathed on them, said receive the Holy Spirit, so they're born again.

Right, because you couldn't be born again before Jesus' death, burial and resurrection.

That had to take place before salvation could come.

So they get born again.

He breathed on them, they received the Holy Spirit.

But now he says the Holy Spirit will come upon you in power.

Anyone that got born again and then spent any time on this earth not filled with the Holy Spirit and then got filled with the Holy Ghost and the Holy Spirit came upon them later, will realize.

You know what was missing.

I always knew there was a little something missing.

It was the power I was missing.

The power Shall come upon you in power.

You should be witness and be Jerusalem, judea, samaria, the ends of the earth.

So he says look, you're going to go, not just here in Jerusalem, judea, samaria, the ends of the earth.

I said at first service.

I love the fact that Jesus included Lone Star in this verse because when people come to Lone Star they often think they're at the end of the earth.

Right, we had that group from Minnesota.

They came out here.

They're like we have the directions.

We kept driving.

We did not think, we thought we were lost.

I said no, no, we're out here.

You just got to keep driving right to get to Lone Star.

So that means everywhere you'll be witness to me.

So Jesus told them to go do something.

And then we saw at the end of Mark, they went and did something.

But he said don't go until you get the power to go and accomplish it.

Why?

Because if you don't have the power, you'll never do what I've called you to do.

And we know they went right Because it said signs, wonders, and people healed and delivered.

And so that happens.

And Jesus spoke those words to 500 people and then, 40 days later, on the day of Pentecost, there are only 120 still meeting for prayer.

What's that?

Tell you?

It tells you that's about right.

There's this uh theory that, uh, basically in any organization and you could include a church in that that 20 of the people do 80 of the work and 80 of the people do about 20.

So we see this right comes true here.

Jesus told 500, but only 120 had the gumption to keep showing up and praying on a regular basis.

So we go over to Acts 2, verse 1.

Acts 2:1

When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

It's important you come together in unity.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind.

It filled the whole house for their sake.

So imagine being in a prayer meeting.

We have some prayer meetings here sometimes.

Imagine being in a prayer meeting and all of a sudden you're just praying.

How many of you know you're praying when heaven moves?

A lot of people never get to the point where they pray long enough or hard enough or right enough with faith that God's like something needs to happen in that place.

There needs to be something.

Go on in that meeting.

And all of a sudden you imagine praying man, you're praying hard.

How many of you know you're praying heavy?

And all of a sudden you just hear and every window pops open and it filled the whole house and they, they're like something's about to go.

Jesus said to wait.

I think what he told us to wait for has arrived.

Amen.

Verse three.

Now what arrived?

Look at this.

There appeared unto them divided or cloven tongues as a fire.

So you're praying, windows fly open and fire flows in.

This is where you start to lose some church people.

How do you know?

Acts chapter 2 is just as real as John, chapter 3, verse 16.

Acts 2 · chapter mention John 3:16

It's just as true.

Some people are like I had you up until the point of the fire, and it wasn't just fire, it was fiery tongues.

And it didn't just come in and swirl around and go out the window.

It came and swirled around and landed on each one of them.

So imagine being in a place and you're praying and we're praying, and all of a sudden you look up.

You're like man, I feel like something happened.

You look up and you're like your head's on fire.

They're like your head's on fire, everyone's head's on fire, everyone's head's on fire.

They're like this isn't what we were expecting.

Jesus said there was a promise from the Father and we get power.

We didn't think it'd be fiery tongues on our heads.

Then what happened?

Verse 4.

Look at this, look at this.

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues.

As the Spirit gave them utterance, y'all got to fill the Holy Ghost, start praying in other tongues Again.

This is such a dividing point among the church, which is sad because it's biblical right.

Can I tell you something?

I would not believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

I would not believe in speaking in other tongues if I couldn't find it numerous times in the scriptures.

I wouldn't believe in it.

People ask me they say what do you believe?

I said I believe in the Bible.

Well, what do you believe?

Every word in it, from Genesis to Revelation.

I just believe it.

So I grew up in this church and at that time they never talked about this.

They didn't talk against it.

Maybe they did.

I never heard it.

We just didn't talk about it.

And so when I went to Rhema, to Bible college, one of the questions was are you filled with the Holy Spirit, with the initial evidence, speaking in other tongues, yes or no?

No, explain, I don't know anything about it.

Period that was me.

I didn't know anything about it.

Period that was me.

I didn't know anything about it.

I didn't know it was bad, I didn't know if it was good, I just didn't know.

But when I heard it, I'm like, hmm, well, that seems interesting, right?

I think if many people were honest the first time they heard about the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in other tongues, they're like, nope, not me.

But then you start reading the Bible, you're like, well, if Jesus told them not to leave and they needed that, maybe that's important.

Jesus said I have all these things for you to do.

It's very important because we need to get people born again.

But you can't do it unless you get this, don't you think maybe that's important for people.

So I started thinking, maybe.

And then people will tell you well, that's not for everybody.

I'm like so God has something really good, but he doesn't want it for everybody.

Well, that doesn't sound like God.

So he has something really good.

And then some people say this and this has kind of been in the news recently because of certain people have brought it up they're like, yeah, god needed to do that back then because he needed the church to grow, but all that ended when the last disciple died.

I'm like, oh, I thought it was the Holy Spirit doing it, not the disciples.

So the Holy Spirit quit working when the last disciple died.

I'm like that doesn't sound right.

Oh, and he only needed to do it because he needed to grow the church early.

I'm like I think we still need to grow the church.

So maybe these people, maybe they're not right and maybe this thing that I think is weird, maybe it could be beneficial to my life.

Here's the thing I lived a number of years, born again, not filled with the Holy Spirit, with that initial evidence speaking out of time, and then I've lived a number of years with it.

Can I tell you something?

With is better, with is better, with is better.

It's changed my life.

What did I receive that I didn't have for it the power.

So we see, it spills out, right, it spills out of the upper room and they hit the ground.

They're all speaking in other tongues out into the streets and people are like, oh, they're just drunk, they're full of new wine.

How many know they were full of new wine?

Right, the new wine of the Holy Spirit.

And Peter stood up and we're not going to read it all, but starting in verse 16, peter stood up and he says this is that that was spoken by the prophet Joel.

He said a prophet, god gave a prophecy years ago and this prophecy just got fulfilled right here.

Hang on, when Joel spoke that prophet, and he said that God would pour out his spirit on all flesh.

Right, your sons and daughters will prophesy.

Right, your young men will have visions, your old men will dream dreams, and on men and women, men's servants and maidservants God will pour out his flesh.

If you read all that Peter's message quoting Joel when Joel quoted that, most people probably didn't think fiery tongues and people speaking in other tongues they thought that'll be awesome, god will pour out his spirit.

And then it happened and some people were like, mm-mm, nope, we're going to choose not to receive that part.

And can I say something?

It doesn't—we've made this a dividing line and we've said, oh, these people are Pentecostal, which is what most people will say.

These people are not Pentecostal, these people are weird and these people are this.

And then people on the other side are like, well, these people don't have everything I have in this.

Can I tell you something, man, if we're born again, we're brothers and sisters in Christ, and if you choose not to believe in this, that's okay.

I sisters in Christ, and if you choose not to believe in this, that's okay.

I'm never going to say anything negative about someone that doesn't believe in this.

I'm not going to tell people, hey, that pastor doesn't believe in this.

He's horrible, he's evil.

I'm never going to say that, man, if you're getting people saved, you're telling people about Jesus.

Praise God, amen.

But what tends to happen is people that believe in this a lot of people are like they're not right, they're blaspheming, they're heretics.

I just choose that, if Jesus said it, I want what he said to get.

Peter gives this message, talks about all these moves of the Holy Spirit.

Things are going to happen.

So how many people do we say were in that upper room?

120.

He finishes.

That first message gives an invitation 3,000 people get born again.

Can I tell you why 3,000 people got born again?

It wasn't because Peter was such a great preacher.

You know what it was.

It was a move of the Holy Spirit.

People saw something and they're like I don't know what that is, but that looks awesome.

That looks like something I need, because sometimes we walk out of church and we're just downtrodden.

We're just oh, it was good, but I still got all my problems at home and I still got the kids and I still got the money and I still got the deal and I still got the health and I still got the sickness.

All of a sudden, these people spill down to church and they're so happy.

People thought they were drunk, right Drunk.

People look entirely too happy, giggle, laugh, happy.

People are like man my life kind of sinks.

I need whatever they got.

Joy of the Lord is your strength, amen.

And so it happened.

And then we see it spread throughout.

You go to Acts, chapter 3, peter and John.

Acts 3 · chapter mention

All of a sudden right, we don't have time to read it, but they're walking into the temple at the time of prayer through the gate called Beautiful and you can just mark it down, acts, chapter 3, and there's a crippled beggar that's been crippled since birth and he's sitting at the gate called Beautiful and he's begging for money and he goes hey, can you give me some money?

Acts 3 · chapter mention

And Peter looks, peter looks, he goes, you look at me, look at us.

And then Peter says these words silver and gold have I not, but such as I have, I give unto thee.

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.

He grabbed him by the hand and the man jumped up, landed on his feet for the first time in his whole life and ran into the church praising God.

Well, what did Peter have?

What did Jesus say?

He would have Power.

So many people are like boy, I'd like to pray for people, I'd like to see God move like that, but it just doesn't work that way.

No, it doesn't work because sometimes you have to hook up to the power man.

I'd like to just put my hand on this and touch people and their hair stands up.

Well, it doesn't work like this.

You got to be connected to the power.

Well, how do I connect to the power?

Through the Holy Spirit?

I've got to get baptized with the Holy Spirit.

We're going close here.

I had a bunch of scriptures and neither service did I get through almost any of them.

But we're going to get a little further than we did first.

Service Acts, chapter 19.

Acts 19 · chapter mention

Praise the Lord, yes, lord.

Acts, chapter 19, verse 1.

Acts 19:1

And it says and it happened while Apollos was at Corinth that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus and finding some disciples, some believers, he said to them Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?

And they said to him we have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.

That was me.

I read these verses in was me.

I read this.

I read this, these verses in Acts 19.

I identified with those men because I was a believer.

I was saved.

But someone if when I got asked that question on that application for Ramah, I'm like I have not so much heard as there is a Holy Spirit.

Now I knew that he was part of the Godhead, but I didn't know you could be filled with him, baptized with him.

That power would come upon you.

So look at this.

So they said to them.

So they said to him right, we've not so much as heard whether there is the Holy Spirit.

He said to them into what baptism are you baptized?

They said John.

Then Paul said John baptized the baptism of repentance, saying to people they should believe on him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

Then they heard that got baptized in the name of Jesus.

So now they're saved, right, they're believers in God, now they're saved.

Then Paul laid hands on them and the Holy Spirit came upon them.

What did Jesus say?

The Holy Spirit would what Come upon you, not just in you, but upon you.

And then what happened?

Same thing happened on the day of Pentecost.

They started speaking in other tongues and prophesying Power.

Everybody say power, power.

What do we need today on this earth?

Power, what's going to attract people to the gospel, what's going to attract certain people to the gospel?

Power, it's a demonstration.

In fact, paul said I think it's in Corinthians, this is in my notes but Paul said I didn't come to you.

Basically paraphrasing I didn't's in Corinthians, this is in my notes but Paul said I didn't come to you.

Basically paraphrasing I didn't come to you with fancy words, but I came to you in the power of the Holy Spirit.

In fact, he says I came to you in the demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit.

There are certain people that will hear the gospel and they still won't accept it.

But they'll see demonstrations of power and that will draw them in.

And they still won't accept it, but they'll see demonstrations of power and that will draw them in.

My dad I'm a lot like my dad in certain ways.

We have both bought stuff because we saw some demonstrations.

One day, nicole and I I'll close with this then we may have a little time of altar Nicole and I were at Sam's Club in Kansas City.

We were walking around and she was looking at stuff and I didn't want to look at what she wanted to look at.

She needed to buy certain things.

I'm like I don't.

And so I'm just walking around wondering, you know, looking for the free samples, and I come up and there's this guy standing behind this raised counter and he's doing this whole presentation like he's speaking to 100 people.

There was one old lady, and then me, walking by and all of a sudden I'm like, eh and boy, he's pouring it on.

I mean, he's literally talking like he's talking to 100 people and there's two of us right there and he had this cleaner and he goes ma'am, come right up here.

He goes, no, you, ma'am right there.

I'm like there's only two of us.

He goes I want you to take this Sharpie marker and I want you to write.

And he had a piece of like laminate flooring.

He goes I want you to mark on that right there.

And she marked on it.

And then he took out some other cleaning products and he wiped and he goes nothing.

And then he took this and he goes now, ma'am, and she just took it right off.

I'm like I'm engaged at this point.

Right, I was gonna walk on by because the lady was giving away some food down here, but I'm like I kind of want to see this.

Then he gets some white carpet out and he pours some grape juice on it, puts other cleaning products on it, scrubs it real hard.

Nothing takes his out gone all of a sudden.

I walk back, find nicole at the cart.

I got three bottles that stuff.

Takes his out, gone All of a sudden.

I walk back, find Nicole at the cart.

I got three bottles of that stuff.

She goes what did you get?

I said this is the most magical stuff you'll ever see.

You're never going to have an issue anytime, anywhere, in the house, on the floor, on the carpet, on clothes, car, house, rv, boat.

He told me it worked anywhere.

Why did I buy that stuff?

Demonstration he could have told me it was the best cleaner that man's ever created.

Okay, I believe you.

There are a lot of people you'll tell that Jesus is the greatest thing that's ever happened on this earth.

They'll be like, okay, whatever.

But all of a sudden they see a demonstration.

They see someone get healed, they see someone get delivered.

That's how you go from a church of 120 to a church of 3,000.

It's the Holy Spirit.

It's the Holy.

Spirit, Amen.

Thank you for tuning in to the Lone Star Church podcast.

We hope this week's message strengthened your faith in God's Word.

Remember, if you live in Northwest Missouri or Southern Iowa, we invite you to join us in person on a Sunday morning.

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