THE PROMISED GHOST
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Good morning NCF! I am Steven White, the lead pastor here and I would like to welcome all of you.
Hey, if this is your first time with us, we would love to connect with you. If you would, please fill out that connection card attached to your bulletin some time during the service today. And at the end of the service if you will take it back to our connection table, we will have someone back there to give you a really cool gift.
Again, we just want to connect with you and this is the easiest way for us to get the info to make that connection.
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Hey, if you all would turn with me to . This will be our key scripture for our series.
Acts 2:
These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:
‘In the last days,’ God says,
‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on my servants—men and women alike—
and they will prophesy.
And I will cause wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below—
blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
The sun will become dark,
and the moon will turn blood red
before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved.’
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The Holy Spirit gets a bad rap sometimes. He is often forgotten by Christians, treated as third wheel. Other times, people are scared of the Holy Spirit and freaked out by what they have seen or heard. As Francis Chan put it, He is the forgotten God. Still, other times he seems to be the excuse some people use to just act goofy.
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Allow me to be real clear. Without the Holy Spirit, there is no salvation, there is no Bible without the Holy Spirit, there is no preaching without the Holy Spirit - life changing preaching that is. There is no comfort, no conviction, no power, and no love without the Holy Spirit.
Yes, Jesus paid for all of that and much more, but without the Holy Spirit none of it would be available to you and I.
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Today we begin a new series called:
“THE GHOST”
“THE GHOST”
This will be a five-week series that will take us through the month of October.
Week 5 – We will discuss and discover the spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit may desire to use in us individually.
Week 4 -Empowered to Live Love. (Holiness)
Week 3- Empowered to multiply, and build one another up.
Week 2 - The Promise of the Out Pouring on All
Week 2 - The Promise of the Out Pouring on All
And today – The Promise of the Indwelling.
And today – The Promise of the Indwelling.
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HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HAD A PROMISE MADE TO YOU AND KEPT?
HOW ABOUT A PROMISE MADE TO YOU AND NOT KEPT?
One of the most important promises ever made to me was the one my wife made when we were married. (how her promise stood the test of time and trials and what it means to me.)
I have also had a lot of promises broken in my life.
I am sure all of you have.
Broken marriage, broken promises by friends, or family.
Maybe you have even broken a few yourself.
Almost nothing hurts worse than a broken promise.
Callie and I made a promise to our kids when we first moved to Iowa. We would never move again until they all graduated.
We have also broken a promise to our kids. When they were young we promised to take them to Disney World.....They have never let us forget that unfulfilled promise.
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WHEN GOD MAKES A PROMISE HE NEVER FAILS!
WHEN GOD MAKES A PROMISE HE NEVER FAILS!
I bow before your holy Temple as I worship.
I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness;
for your promises are backed
by all the honor of your name.
Psa 18
God’s promises are backed by His name.
In other words if he failed to fulfill His promises he would cease to be God.
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ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PROMISES OF GOD IS THE PROMISES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PROMISES OF GOD IS THE PROMISES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Imagine a life where you feel voiceless, have no idea what to pray or say and then God himself prays, or speaks through you.
Imagine a life where you are empowered with an extra-ordinary gift that is used to build up others, and to strengthen your church.
Imagine a life where you become the residence of God. Where you become a temple for the creator of all. Where you and others become the most sacred and holy place on earth. Imagine a life where God chooses to dwell in you.
This is the reality of the Holy Spirit and this is the promise of the prophets of old that is now fulfilled in the life of every believer, thanks to Jesus.
You have suddenly moved from life as you have known it, to the last days of an old way of doing life, that will soon be replaced by Life, Joy and Beauty for eternity!
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PROMISES OF GOD IS THE PROMISES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PROMISES OF GOD IS THE PROMISES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
This is the reality of the Holy Spirit and this is the promise of the prophets of old that is now fulfilled in the life of every believer, thanks to Jesus.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PROMISES OF GOD IS THE PROMISES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PROMISES OF GOD IS THE PROMISES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
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WHAT IS THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?
Before we get to that we first need to understand what the Holy Spirit is.
If you do not mind I am going to give you the Cliff notes version.
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WHAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?
WHAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God –
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God –
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!”
As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified.
In Matt The Holy Spirit is seen as being on the same level as the Father and Jesus.
In Acts He is mentioned as God.
The Holy Spirit is the co-creator with the Father and the Son.
The Holy Spirit is the co-creator with the Father and the Son.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
In creation you have the Father, the Word (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is not an it but a who. -
The Holy Spirit is not an it but a who. -
He has feelings-
Can be grieved
And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit.
“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements:
He has a mind -
And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
He speaks
The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”
Acts 10:
The Holy Spirit is the personal presence and power of God on earth –
The Holy Spirit is the personal presence and power of God on earth –
He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The Holy Spirit is the personal presence and power of God on earth – Dynomous
dunamis
The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus
Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region.
The Holy Spirit resurrected the dead body of Jesus
The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
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This is what we know from Scripture.
This is what we know from Scripture.
The Holy Spirit is God
The Holy Spirit is the co-creater with the Father and Son.
The Holy Spirit is described in terms of a person (Not a physical person but rather.
A Spirit that:
Thinks, has emotions, can be lied to, loves, can be grieved, has a mind, and speaks.
We also know that the power of God on earth is through the Holy Spirit.
It was the Holy Spirit that empowered Jesus.
It was the Holy Spirit that gave life back to the dead body of Jesus.
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So, WHAT IS THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?
So, WHAT IS THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?
GET READY TO HAVE YOUR SOCKS BLOWN OFF. THIS IS REALLY COOL STUFF.
THE PROMISE HAS 2 PART. We will only deal with 1 today.
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THE PROMISE OF THE INDWELLING OF THE SPIRIT!
THE PROMISE OF THE INDWELLING OF THE SPIRIT!
THE PROMISE-
And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart,
And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.
“But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”
Here the problem, at the time of this promise the people had a law written on stone tablets.
But they did not have the ability to follow the law, not did they have the desire to follow the law.
Sounds familiar right?
Yet the promise God made was that, he would put His own Spirit in them.
Remove the heart of stone that had no desire to live the law.
And empower them to love God and love others with His indwelling Spirit.
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The Fulfillment -
Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.
When Jesus ascended to the side of the Father, Jesus poured out the promised Holy Spirit on all of His Church.
Paul says if you are a believer in Jesus you are now the new Temple of God.
Paul says if you are a believer in Jesus you are now the new Temple of God.
Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,
Think about that.
You are the sacred space of God.
You are more sacred than any temple or church building.
You are the new Temple of God.
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Paul also tells us
And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God.
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Jesus calls this indwelling of the Holy Spirit - Being Born Again.
There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
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Oh, wait the promise is not done yet -
Oh, wait the promise is not done yet -
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
The Spirit of God delivers us from slavery to sin.
And the Spirit of God makes us children of God.
God’s Spirit joins with our Spirit, making us children of the star breathing God.
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Oh, wait let me give you one more promise of the indwelling of the Spirit.
Oh, wait let me give you one more promise of the indwelling of the Spirit.
The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.
1 Cor 12
Baptized - Pickle
The Spirit of God unites us all - No color barriers, no language barriers, no culture barriers, no economic barriers.
All walls have been removed and we are now all family!
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The Promise of the indwelling Spirit is -
The Promise of the indwelling Spirit is -
God’s Spirit resides in all who call Jesus Lord.
His Spirit joins with our Spirit and makes us children of God
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit gives us the desire and the power to do the will of God.
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit breaks our chains of slavery to sin.
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit brings our spirit to life, as if we had been born again.
And the indwelling of the Holy Spirit connects all of God’s people together as family.
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Imagine a life full of power, the same power that brought life to chaos, the same power that brought life and resurrection to the dead body of Jesus. Now imagine a life where you are comforted by God, led into Holiness not by a law but by God himself. Imagine a life where God sits by you and teaches you His Word.
Imagine a life where your words were empowered to lead people to Jesus. Imagine a life that instead of being ran by fear was rather animated by power, love and a sound mind.
Imagine a life where you feel voiceless, have no idea what to pray or say and then God himself prays, or speaks through you.
Imagine a life where you are empowered with an extra-ordinary gift that is used to build up others, and to strengthen your church.
Imagine a life where you become the residence of God. Where you become a temple for the creator of all. Where you and others become the most sacred and holy place on earth. Imagine a life where God chooses to dwell in you.
This is the reality of the Holy Spirit and this is the promise of the prophets of old that is now fulfilled in the life of every believer, thanks to Jesus.
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GOD HAS PROMISED HIS SPIRIT TO ALL WHO CALL JESUS LORD!
GOD HAS PROMISED HIS SPIRIT TO ALL WHO CALL JESUS LORD!
Next week we will look at the Promise of the empowerment of all of God’s people.
Next week we will look at the Promise of the empowerment of all of God’s people.