Friday, August 27, 2010

851 - Understanding the Anointing

August 29, 2010

Sermon #851

Understanding the Anointing

Introduction:
Last Sunday, I ministered on the "Every Member a Minister," and the anointing of the Holy Spirit fell on me to minister healing.

Acts 10:34 - 39 (NKJV) ³⁴Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.
³⁵But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.
³⁶The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—
³⁷that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:
³⁸how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
³⁹And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree.

The Anointing is the tangible presence of God

Mark 5:25 - 34 (NKJV) ²⁵Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years,
²⁶and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.
²⁷When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.
²⁸For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."
²⁹Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.
³⁰And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"

³¹But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"
³²And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.
³³But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.
³⁴And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."

Jesus felt the power go out from Him
The anointing will pull physical strength with it
2 Chronicles 5:13 - 14 (NKJV) ¹³indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying: "For He is good, For His mercy endures forever,"
that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud,
¹⁴so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.
ILL: Last Sunday I could not "continue ministering."

Exodus 17:8 - 13 (NKJV) ⁸Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. ⁹And Moses said to Joshua, "Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand."
¹⁰So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
¹¹And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
¹²But Moses' hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
¹³So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

1 Kings 18:45 - 46 (NKJV) ⁴⁵Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.
⁴⁶Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

1 Kings 19:4 - 8 (NKJV) ⁴But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!"
⁵Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, "Arise and eat."
⁶Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again.
⁷And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, "Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you."
⁸So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.

ILL: Last Sunday after the anointing lifted, I went home and slept till 7:00PM, then went back to bed and slept till 7:00 AM. – I really needed some of that "angel food."
The woman tapped into - placed a demand upon - the anointing

Matthew 9:20 - 22 (NKJV) ²⁰And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.
²¹For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well."
²²But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour.

Matthew 9:27 - 31 (NKJV) ²⁷When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" ²⁸And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?"
They said to Him, "Yes, Lord."
²⁹Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you."
³⁰And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, "See that no one knows it."
³¹But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.

Mark 10:46 - 52 (NKJV) ⁴⁶Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.
⁴⁷And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
⁴⁸Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
⁴⁹So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.
Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you."
⁵⁰And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.

⁵¹So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?"
The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight."
⁵²Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

ILL: They warned him, "be quiet," but he "called out more." What was he doing? – Putting a demand on the anointing!

She felt the anointing come out of Him – it was a real, tangible substance.

Mark 5:29 - 30 (NKJV) ²⁹Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.
³⁰And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"

Heat
Ezekiel 3:10 - 15 (NKJV) ¹⁰Moreover He said to me: "Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears.
¹¹And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD,' whether they hear, or whether they refuse."
¹²Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a great thunderous voice: "Blessed is the glory of the Lord from His place!"
¹³I also heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, and a great thunderous noise.
¹⁴So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me. ¹⁵Then I came to the captives at Tel Abib, who dwelt by the River Chebar; and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.

Psalm 39:3 (NKJV) ³My heart was hot within me; While I was musing, the fire burned.
Then I spoke with my tongue:

Matthew 3:11 (NKJV) ¹¹I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Acts 2:3 - 4 (NKJV) ³Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
⁴And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Falling or being weak under the power
1 Kings 8:10 - 11 (NKJV) ¹⁰And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord,
¹¹so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.

Genesis 15:7 - 18 (NKJV) ⁷Then He said to him, "I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it."
⁸And he said, "Lord GOD, how shall I know that I will inherit it?"
⁹So He said to him, "Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon."
¹⁰Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two.
¹¹And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
¹²Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him.

¹³Then He said to Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.
¹⁴And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.
¹⁵Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age.
¹⁶But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."
¹⁷And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.
¹⁸On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying:
"To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates—

Daniel 10:10 - 11 (NKJV) ¹⁰Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands.
¹¹And he said to me, "O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you." While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.

John 18:5 - 6 (NKJV) ⁵They answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am He." And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them.
⁶Now when He said to them, "I am He," they drew back and fell to the ground.

Acts 9:1 - 5 (NKJV) ¹Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ²and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
³As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.
⁴Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"
⁵And he said, "Who are You, Lord?"
Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads."
ILL: There may be many reasons for these reactions – but it may be the anointing!
The anointing can be transmitted

1 Kings 19:19 - 20 (NKJV) ¹⁹So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him.
²⁰And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, "Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you."
And he said to him, "Go back again, for what have I done to you?"

2 Kings 2:6 - 14 (NKJV) ⁶Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to the Jordan."
But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So the two of them went on.
⁷And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood facing them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan.
⁸Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
⁹And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?"
Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me."
¹⁰So he said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so."

¹¹Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
¹²And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!" So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.
¹³He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
¹⁴Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, "Where is the Lord God of Elijah?" And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.

2 Kings 13:20 - 21 (NKJV) ²⁰Then Elisha died, and they buried him. And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year.
²¹So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.

What is that? The Anointing!

Acts 5:12 - 16 (NKJV) ¹²And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch. ¹³Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.
¹⁴And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
¹⁵so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.
¹⁶Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Acts 19:11 - 12 (NKJV) ¹¹Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, ¹²so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.

The anointing breaks bondages

Isaiah 10:27 (NKJV) ²⁷It shall come to pass in that day, That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, And his yoke from your neck,
And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.

Conclusion: The Church can hinder the anointing

Mark 6:4 - 6 (NKJV) ⁴But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house."
⁵Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.
⁶And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

850 - Every Believer Is a Minister

August 22, 2010

Sermon #850

Every Believer Is a Minister

Ephesians 4:11 - 16 (NKJV) ¹¹And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹²for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
¹⁶from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Introduction:
The full-time, professional, staff of Jesus Christ is:

Apostles
Prophets
Evangelists
Pastor/Teachers

What is their job description?

To equip the church
To edify the body of Christ
To bring the Church into maturity

John 14:12 - 14 (NKJV) ¹²"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
¹³And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
¹⁴If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Question: Are you a believer?

Believers are to have supernatural ministry

Luke 4:16 - 19 (NKJV) ¹⁶So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.
¹⁷And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
¹⁸"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
¹⁹To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

Jesus walked in supernatural power
Luke 5:17 - 28 (NKJV) ¹⁷Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. ¹⁸Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. ¹⁹And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.
²⁰When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."

²¹And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
²²But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?
²³Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?
²⁴But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"—He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."
²⁵Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. ²⁶And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!"
²⁷After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me."
²⁸So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.
All the disciples were commissioned to minister in supernatural power
Luke 10:1 - 24 (NKJV) ¹After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.
²Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.
³Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.
⁴Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.
⁵But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.'
⁶And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.
⁷And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.

⁸Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.
⁹And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'
¹⁰But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,
¹¹'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.'
¹²But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.
¹³"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
¹⁴But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.
¹⁵And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.
¹⁶He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."

¹⁷Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."
¹⁸And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
¹⁹Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
²⁰Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."
²¹In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.
²²All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."
²³Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see;
²⁴for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it."

They placed their hands on the sick and healed them!
They cast out demons in His name!

The early Church was supernaturally equipped
Acts 8:4 - 8 (NKJV) ⁴Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.
⁵Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. ⁶And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. ⁷For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. ⁸And there was great joy in that city.
ILL: Philip was one of the seven deacons who became an evangelist.

Acts 14:1 - 3 (NKJV) ¹Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.
²But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. ³Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
Supernatural ministry is part of the commission
Mark 16:14 - 18 (NKJV) ¹⁴Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
¹⁵And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
¹⁶He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
¹⁷And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
¹⁸they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
ILL: Some "Bible Scholars" say that Mark 16:14-18 was added – it was not part of the original Bible. They of course have never seen the "Original Bible". Why don't they just tear it out?
Cast out demon spirits
Infirmity – all infirmity is not caused by a demon but it might be!
Luke 13:10 - 13 (NKJV) ¹⁰Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.
¹¹And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. ¹²But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."
¹³And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
ILL: If the doctors cannot get it healed ask yourself why…
Unclean spirit
Mark 1:23 - 28 (NKJV) ²³Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,
²⁴saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!"
²⁵But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!"
²⁶And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. ²⁷Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." ²⁸And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.
Deaf & Dumb spirit
Mark 9:19 - 29 (NKJV) ¹⁹He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me."
²⁰Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.
²¹So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?"
And he said, "From childhood. ²²And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
²³Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."
²⁴Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"
²⁵When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"
²⁶Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead." ²⁷But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
²⁸And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"
²⁹So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."
ILL: My Mother-in-law, when she was a child had epilepsy. A spirit filled woman, Maria Wodworth-Etter, said, "In the name of Jesus come out of her!" She was instantly delivered and never had another convulsion.
Spirit of divination (familiar spirit)
Acts 16:16 - 19 (NKJV) ¹⁶Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. ¹⁷This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation." ¹⁸And this she did for many days.
But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And he came out that very hour. ¹⁹But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.
Spirit of fear
2 Timothy 1:3 - 7 (NKJV) ³I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, ⁴greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, ⁵when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. ⁶Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
ILL: Warning! I do not want you to get overly concerned about demons. They are real but without the gift of discernment, it is difficult to tell physical or mental illness from demonic. You do not have to get into a "deliverance ministry," but when you run into it – command it out!

ILL: The woman crawling on the floor of my study and hissing like a snake was definitely demon possessed!
Healing

Acts 9:17 - 19 (NKJV) ¹⁷And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." ¹⁸Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
¹⁹So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

Acts 19:11 - 20 (NKJV) ¹¹Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul,
¹²so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. ¹³Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches." ¹⁴Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.
¹⁵And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?"
¹⁶Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

¹⁷This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. ¹⁸And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. ¹⁹Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. ²⁰So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.

Acts 28:7 - 10 (NKJV) ⁷In that region there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. ⁸And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. ⁹So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. ¹⁰They also honored us in many ways; and when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary.

ILL: Be careful who you lay hands on!

Always get permission
Know them
Understand that your hands are transmitters of the Holy Spirit
1 Timothy 5:22 (NKJV) ²²Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure.

IV. Speaking in Tongues

Puts God's power into our spirit
1 Corinthians 14:1 - 5 (NKJV) ¹Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. ²For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. ³But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. ⁴He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. ⁵I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
Allows the believer to worship God with unlimited capacity
John 4:21 - 24 (NKJV) ²¹Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.
²²You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.
²³But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
²⁴God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
Tongues release the gifts of the Spirit
Acts 19:1 - 7 (NKJV) ¹And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples ²he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"
So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit."
³And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?"
So they said, "Into John's baptism."
⁴Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus."
⁵When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. ⁷Now the men were about twelve in all.
ILL: Tongues first, then prophecy!

Conclusion

Why the Church? Because when you show up the Holy Spirit is supposed to show up and He brings people to Christ, He heals, He delivers, and He ministers through you!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

849 - Why the Church Part 4

August 15, 2010

Sermon #849

Part 4 Why the Church

Introduction: We have been ministering on the subject "Why the Church" for the past several weeks. I know that the teachings will not apply to all congregations in the Body of Christ. However, I believe that they should! This is the last of the series of messages and the most controversial. Why the Church? - because it is in the local church that the charismatic gifts of the Spirit should operate!

1 Corinthians 12:1 - 31 (NKJV) ¹Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: ²You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. ³Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
⁴There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. ⁶And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

⁷But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
⁸for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, ¹⁰to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
¹²For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.

¹³For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. ¹⁴For in fact the body is not one member but many.
¹⁵If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁶And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? ¹⁸But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. ¹⁹And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

²⁰But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. ²¹And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." ²²No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. ²³And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, ²⁴but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, ²⁵that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.

²⁶And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
²⁷Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. ²⁸And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. ²⁹Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? ³⁰Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

I. Each gift of the Spirit is given for the whole

1 Corinthians 12:7 (NKJV) ⁷But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

The Holy Spirit chooses and releases specific gifts to operate through you to meet specific needs at a specific time
1 Peter 4:10 - 11 (NKJV) ¹⁰As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
¹¹If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
There are nine gifts of the Spirit
- Revelation Gifts
  - A Word of Wisdom – a fraction of the mind of God concerning people, places, or things pertaining to the future. He lets the Church know how to deal will a specific situation as it arises.
  - A Word of Knowledge – a revelation by the Holy Spirit giving a piece of God's knowledge concerning people and situations.
  - A Discerning of Spirits – the ability to identify angels, demons, or personality driving a person.
- Power Gifts
  - Special faith
  - Gifts of healings
  - Working of miracles
- Revelation Gifts
  - Gift of Prophecy
  - Gift of Tongues
  - Gift of Interpretation of Tongues

II. The Gifts operate by faith and are open to Church Judgment

A. Faith

Romans 12:3 - 8 (NKJV) ³For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. ⁴For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, ⁵so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. ⁶Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; ⁷or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; ⁸he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

B. Open to Judgment

1 Corinthians 14:1 - 27 (NKJV) ¹Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. ²For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. ³But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. ⁴He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. ⁵I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.

⁶But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? ⁷Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? ⁸For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? ⁹So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. ¹⁰There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance.

¹¹Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. ¹²Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.
¹³Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. ¹⁵What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. ¹⁶Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say?

¹⁷For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
¹⁸I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; ¹⁹yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
²⁰Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.
²¹In the law it is written:
"With men of other tongues and other lips
I will speak to this people;
And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,"
says the Lord.
²²Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.

²³Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? ²⁴But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. ²⁵And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.
²⁶How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. ²⁷If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. ²⁸But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. ²⁹Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge.