Series on Supernatural
Series on Supernatural:
This morning I want to begin a series of messages looking at how to walk in the Supernatural.
If you want to be a Spirit led Christian, one who is fully walking in the Holy Spirit.
One who has the full anointing and baptism of the Holy Spirit?
If you want to walk in the power and authority and victory of the Holy Spirit as I have been preaching about…you have to walk in the supernatural.
I know when you mention the word supernatural many emotions and thoughts come to mind. You have some who do not believe in it. Some who are afraid of it.
Some who do not believe it is for them or today.
Some who want it but don’t know how.
This morning I want to look at what Supernatural means and things we must believe in order to walk in it.
I want to look at things that hinder walking in the Supernatural…just like there are stumbling blocks in the church, in your walk, there are stumbling blocks in the supernatural as well.
Prayer
What is supernatural?
I. It is beyond the visible…departing from the normal.
As Christians we must understand there are two realms. The physical realm where bills are due, sickness, death and a Spiritual realm deliverance, healing and provision
One of the keys to Christianity is to focus on the Spiritual/unseen more than the physical/seen.
Satan would like nothing more than for you to not only deny the unseen, but also deny the power of the Holy Spirit to supernaturally intervene in your life.
It is essential for us to understand there is a powerful, invisible, supernatural realm that can be reached only through the power of the Spirit living and working within you!
Basically, it is coming into a lifestyle where you believe and expect god to manifest Himself supernaturally as He did all throughout the Bible.
It is time for the church to step up and start living in the fullness of the power that comes from walking in the supernatural.
Again our goal is not to focus on the miracles, but to fix our eyes on a supernatural God that still works miracles for those who chose to trust and obey Him!
It is only when we have learned to keep our eyes off the circumstances and focus your Spiritual vision on our miracle working God that His power will be released into these situations and healing, deliverance, and provisions will be manifested.
Unfortunately, so many Christians are living below what God has provided for them.
They fail to recognize God as their source for supernatural provision.
So how can we do it? How can we begin to walk in the supernatural?
I. God is a supernatural God
He is supernatural in character and uses Supernatural means
From the beginning He always was. God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit always was!
That is not natural, that is supernatural.
He uses Supernatural means.
Speaking into existence, making man from dust, women from a rib, tower of Babel, Red Sea, manna, Water from a rock, Prophets that had pin point accuracy…this is just the Old Testament.
In the New Testament, The Virgin Birth, miracles of Christ, the Resurrection, the Apostles, The Deacons, the Early Church…
All of this was done by the Holy Spirit.
His Book is a supernatural Book:
II Peter 1:21, II Tim. 3:16, Hebrews 4:12,
II. The world is a supernatural world
This world began as nothing and God spoke it into existence, Folks that supernatural.
The Bible says it is hung on nothing in the universe….that is supernatural.
III. Christians are supernatural beings
A new birth of power
I Peter 1:23, Romans 6:1-7,
Supernatural tools: faith and prayer:
John 14:11-13
IV. The church is a supernatural organism
Acts 1:4-5,8
Acts 2:1-4, 14-21
V. walking in the supernatural is a choice
If you don’t believe you will not receive
Things that hinder walking in the Supernatural
I. A religious attitude: Pharisees-ism
There are a lot of Pharisees today….
Before we can understand the Pharisees of today, we have to look at the ones back then.
They were a sect of people.
1. There was no Scriptural mandate, they were not priest, had no authority or official title, they were bullies who came on the scene during the 400 yrs. of silence.
They took it upon themselves to be the overseer of the people. Everyone was accountable to them, even the priest….
It was their job To make sure everyone else was holy.
They constantly hit people over the head with it.
When you were wrong, they would pull you to the side, take out their law and start quoting Scripture.
They were above everyone and everyone was wrong.
Even if they were the only ones who held this view
In my mind if I was always going against the people, going against the leaders going against the direction everyone else was willing going, red flags would go up…
Not them, it just re-affirmed they were right and made them all the more the watchdog.
2. They were very religious people. They went to ‘church’ they sang song, etc.
Not to worship so to speak but to make sure everyone is being holy and proper.
3. They knew their law or Bible it was a perverted view but a view none the less.
They challenged everyone and everything.
They even challenged Jesus.
Jesus knew they could not go unchecked. He knew the damage of this mentality.
Some of the strongest words Christ spoke against people were the Pharisees. People think Christ was this push over who said well you believe your way as long as we all get alone that’s what counts. No! read Matthew 23
He called them blind guides, sons of hell, blind fools, hypocrites, whitewashed tombs, snakes, brood of vipers,
These are the ones who saw miracles but did not believe.
They did not believe Mark 3:1-6, John 9:1-16 and my favorite Matthew 28:11-15
Now we have modern day Pharisees as well.
You usually know who they are in fact many of you now have a name or two in mind.
They are holier than you, they know more than you, they are your spiritual watchdog, they will let you know when you are wrong.
In fact the whole church can be wrong but them….
They usually do not know God at all.
They usually have a lot of perverted Bible knowledge but they are self centered, self indulgent, liars who love to see churches spilt and hurting.
They say they don’t but they do…. They are known by their fruit.
If they consistently oppose the leaders and are trying to get others to do the same, that is church splitting…
They are the ones who do not believe…and they don’t want others to believe either!
Reminds me of a story of a little boy sitting on a park bench with one hand resting on an open Bible
He was loudly exclaiming his praise to God: "Hallelujah! God is great!" Along came a young man who had recently completed his first year of seminary study. Feeling himself very enlightened in the ways of truth, he asked the boy about the source of his joy.
The boy replied, "Don’t you have any idea what God is able to do? I just read that God opened up the waves of the Red Sea and led the whole nation of Israel right through the middle."
The enlightened man laughed lightly, sat down next to the boy, and began to try to open his eyes to the "realities" behind the miracles of the Bible. "That can all be very easily explained. Modern scholarship has shown that the Red Sea in that area was only 10-inches deep at that time. It was no problem for the Israelites to wade across."
The man, content that he had enlightened the boy to the finer points of theological truth, turned to go. Scarcely had he taken two steps when the boy began to rejoice and praise louder than before. The man turned to ask the reason for this resumed jubilation.
The boy exclaimed, "God is greater than I thought! Not only did He lead the whole nation of Israel through the Red Sea, He topped it off by drowning the whole Egyptian army in 10 inches of water!"
They look at the miracles of the Bible and try to explain it away.
William Barclay writes, We will never know exactly what happened on that grassy plain near Bethsaida. We may look at in one of three ways.
(a) We may regard it simply as a miracle in which Jesus multiplied loaves and fishes. Some may find that hard to conceive of; and some may find it hard to reconcile with the fact that that is just what Jesus refused to do at his temptations (Matthew 4:3, 4). If we can believe in the sheer miraculous character of this miracle, then let us continue to do so. But if we are puzzled, there are two other explanations.
(b) It may be that this was really a sacramental meal. In the rest of the chapter the language of Jesus is exactly that of the Last Supper, when he speaks about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. It could be that at this meal it was but a morsel, like the sacrament, that each person received; and that the thrill and wonder of the presence of Jesus and the reality of God turned the sacramental crumb into something which richly nourished their hearts and souls—as happens at every Communion Table to this day.
(c) There may be another and very lovely explanation. It is scarcely to be thought that the crowd left on a nine-mile expedition without making any preparations at all. If there were pilgrims with them, they would certainly possess supplies for the way. But it may be that none would produce what he had, for he selfishly—and very humanly—wished to keep it all for himself. It may then be that Jesus, with that rare smile of his, produced the little store that he and his disciples had; with sunny faith he thanked God for it and shared it out. Moved by his example, everyone who had anything did the same; and in the end there was enough, and more than enough, for all.
It may be that this is a miracle in which the presence of Jesus turned a crowd of selfish men and women into a fellowship of sharers. It may be that this story represents the biggest miracle of all—one which changed not loaves and fishes, but men and women.
This is the one he chooses to believe!
II. Pre conceived notions
Look at chart on back of bulletin/ fill it out at home and see if you have any pre-conceived notions.
Many believe that miracles of today ended when the New Testament was completed or when the Apostles died out. I use to believe this…not any more!
See, the Bible never teaches this in fact it teaches the opposite.
Even though it is not in the Bible and in fact the Bible teaches differently.
John 14:11-14
There does not seem to be any indication that this is first century only.
C.F. I Cor. 12:1-11, Paul does not want us to be ignorant. If it was first century only why bother?
I Cor. 14:1, 12 Paul wants us to have gifts that lift up the church.
III. fear of what others will think This is a big on….what if others think I am a fanatic….so! What if others think I am crazy…so!
IV. laziness/complacency
It takes work and effort to constantly walk in the supernatural.
HOW DO WE GET FILLED TO OVERFLOWING WITH THE FULLNESS OF GOD?
1. GET HUNGRY AND THIRSTY FOR MORE OF GOD!
Are you hungry and thirsty for God?
Are you tired of being a spectator rather than a participant?
Are you tired of listening to sermons, singing songs, even coming to activities, but never venturing out of your comfort zone by sharing your faith, praying for the sick, and leading others to Christ?
Are you tired of churches that play religious power-struggle games?
Are you tired of worship services that does not bring you into the presence of God?
Are you bothered by the compromise that is in the church?
Are you dissatisfied with your current relationship with God?
“Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled.” (Luke 6:21).
“For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring.” (Isaiah 44:3).
ILLUSTRATION:
A great dinner my wife makes is lasagna."
Once you’ve tasted it, you’ll want more and more!
Once you taste God’s goodness, you’ll be hungry for MORE!
2. FEAST ON THE WORD OF GOD!
“How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth.” (Ps. 119:103).
“The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63).
“’Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4).
God’s Word is FOOD and nourishment for our spirits! It’s good eating!
3. DRINK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me… out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit.” (John 7:37-39a).
The Holy Spirit is REFRESHING WATER to our spirits!
4. MEDITATE ON GOD’S LOVE:
Eph. 3:17b-21
The more we meditate on and become confident of GOD’S LOVE towards us, the more we will be filled with His fullness!
5. LET YOUR LIFE GOAL BE TO KNOW HIM MORE:
Phil 3:7-11
There is nothing more important and precious than KNOWING JESUS!
Are you ready to seek more?
Are you ready to let go of the old and allow God to transform you into the new?
Are you ready to begin praying God will give you the His gifts to lift up the church?