HOLY SPIRIT

Holy Spirit

In one generation, spanning the lifetimes of Christ's 12 apostles, the
entire world was touched. The light of the gospel dawned upon countless
hearts. There
was no empire untouched. From China to Africa, from Britain to India, across
the trade routes to the furthest outpost like a forest fire marching across
a sin droughtened woods, the dry and barren lives of the world flamed to
supernatural life. The fire of Pentecost burned into the lives of the world
of
that day the image and life and sacrifice of Jesus.

And that fire has never stopped. This week the Fire of Pentecost has ignited
the souls of even more formerly dry, lifeless and doomed sinners unto
everlasting
life. What am I describing? The birth and growth of the church, the
supernaturally regenerated body of Jesus on earth. And who is accomplishing
this incredible
event? The Spirit of God, the Fire of Pentecost.

Today
God's Spirit is still washing clean sin stained hearts,
God's Spirit is still breathing life into sin darkened souls,
God's Spirit is still filling empty hopeless lives.
God's Spirit is still transforming barren lives into spiritual gardens.

We need to understand this incredible Third Person of God. We need to look
at His work as a part of the Triune God we worship and adore. To start would
you turn with me to Genesis?
The Spirit of God is the Agent of Creation Genesis 1:2 The earth was
without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the
Spirit
of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
The Spirit of God is the Agent of Conviction Genesis 6:3 And the Lord
said, My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh;
yet
his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.

The Spirit of God is the Equipper of the saints Numbers 11:16-17 So the
Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you
know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to
the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you.17 Then I
will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.
The Spirit of God is the Author of the Scriptures II Samuel 23:2 The
Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue.

The Spirit of God is the one who secures saints for heaven 2 Corinthians
1:22 Who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a
guarantee.
The Spirit of God is the one who scrubs/bleaches our minds Hebrews 9:14
how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit
offered
Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to
serve the living God?
The Spirit of God is the one who is calling us homeward Revelation 22:17
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let him who hears say, Come!
And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of
life freely.

But more than anything else, the Spirit of God can totally alter the way you
live. God's Spirit can change us into brand new people!

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The Holy Spirit in the Bible

When you and I sit and read the New Testament we are often overwhelmed at
what amazing things those saints lived and did for God. In fact as I read
over
some of the more vivid parts of the New Testament some of the words that
came to my mind were unbelievable, incredible and unattainable. Isn’t that
where
most of us get to after a while? Unbelievable, incredible, but alas,
unattainable for me!

What do I mean? Think over just a few lives in the New Testament.

ü The Apostle Peterwas a stumbling, bumbling man who always was sticking
both feet up to the knees into his mouth. In fact after the 1st Lord’s
Supper
one servant girl in the dark scarred some hellish curses and denials of
Jesus. Yet only days later he is standing up in front of 3,000 families, the
murderous
religious establishment of Jerusalem and the Roman army - totally fearless.
He never wavers again and from that day onward he faces the inevitability of
personal pain and martyrdom with serenity. Unbelievable, incredible, but
alas, unattainable for me? Or is it possible?

ü The Apostle Paulwas beaten within an inch of death. He was neglected to
the point of abuse, thrown into a dark, damp, bug infested dungeon, fastened
down with iron and wood stocks and left to grow infection, burn with fever
and perhaps die. What was the result? He started to quote and sing aloud
from
the Psalms. He was so convincing almost everyone who heard it wanted to
become a Christian also! Unbelievable, incredible, but alas, unattainable
for me?
Or is it possible?

ü The Apostle Johnwas alone, imprisoned, troubled and for all he knew
forgotten by God and man. He was on a baked rock in the middle of no where,
kind
of like an ancient version of an Alcatraz or San Quentin Penitentiary. He
survived beatings, mobs, and jails and even lived with the scars that marked
his body from the boiling oil torture the Romans had subjected him to. So
what comes out of a wasted and scarred body? He is in the Spirit, worshiping
God on a Sunday in nowhere. And, all alone on that island prison he gets the
best look at Heaven’s beauty even seen. Unbelievable, incredible, but alas,
unattainable for me? Or is it possible?

ü The galaxy of unbelievable lives goes way beyond the Apostles. There are
countless 1st century saints who found their pathway colliding with the
godless
and belligerent Roman Society, whose lives ended in the sands of the arena,
at the stake or in ghastly martyrdom. Yet history records they went to their
end singing, radiant with joy and serenely. Unbelievable, incredible, but
alas, unattainable for me? Or is it possible?

Then for the past many centuries the heroes have continued.

ü Martin Luther in the 16th century stood alone at the Diet of Worms and in
the face of excommunication and death by fire said, “Here I stand upon God's
Word, I can take no other stand!” Unbelievable, incredible, but alas,
unattainable for me? Or is it possible?

ü In the 18th century two men stand out. Adonirum Judson worked 7 years in
Burma without seeing even one soul converted. He was starved for weeks and
left
for dead in prison. Yet he never quit. William Carey of India faced the
mental insanity of his beloved wife, the hostility of the Hindus and yet
never
quit until God's Word was translated. Unbelievable, incredible, but alas,
unattainable for me? Or is it possible?

ü In the 19th century CT Studd faced sickness, weakness and mortal danger
among cannibal pygmies of Africa’s darkest jungles. Yet 30,000 were saved,
baptized,
clothed and lived as saints in the devil’s own dark jungles. Unbelievable,
incredible, but alas, unattainable for me? Or is it possible?

Yes, the answer to the question of how to live an unbelievable, incredible
life is found in our text. In fact, one word sums up Peter’s life, Paul’s
life
and John’s life. This same word summarizes how the galaxy of 1st through
20th century saints has stood alone triumphantly for Christ. In fact, one
word
tells all there is about walking in the Spirit this morning.

It can be found in Ephesians 5:18-19, may we find the secret they knew and
followed and like them, do the same!

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