Sermon Tone Analysis

*Stop Longing Start Doing*                 27th April

*1 Co 12:1-11* Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.

Therefore 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.

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.

And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to 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.

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

* *

*1 Jn 2:27 *But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

\\ What a wonderful, a truly marvellous thing it is to have the Spirit of God abiding in us!

God Himself by His Spirit.

The Spirit of Jesus dwelling inside of us! Oh Christian there is no other resource we could possibly need in our lives than this!

The Almighty Creator, the only Uncreated One – Maker of heaven and earth, all powerful, all seeing all knowing, everywhere present, glorious God – *abiding in us* – making His home in us!

You know this is true and is no lie – in fact God is not a man that He should lie, it is impossible for Him to lie for He is Holy and “The Truth” is His character and Nature – if He were to lie He would not be God.

So knowing this to be true, and knowing from His Word that what we have read is what He has brought about, – simply applying human logic – there is nothing in all this life that we should lack or need for!

If the Spirit of God is in us then what more could we possibly need?

If we were to live a life *by* this indwelling Spirit – that is, totally surrendered to Him – living in such a manner that Jesus was glorified, that God was magnified in us and through us – then we would have whatever we asked for!! Nothing would be withheld from us – not one thing!! */That is of course/* if we are asking for things that will glorify Him – that will honour and revere God the Father – but then the things that will most honour and glorify God will always be the very best things for us too.

*Jn 14:13-14   *And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

*Jn 15:7   *If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

\\ So knowing these things to be undeniably true – knowing that we have received the Holy Spirit from Christ and He abides in us –and that it is His express and holy will to manifest through us various gifts and abilities severally as He wishes for the profit of all!

For the building up of the B.O.C. in love and encouragement for the glory of Jesus.

*As we sit here this morning there is in every single one of us a latent power, an untapped and unrealized potential to perform the impossible*.

For nothing is impossible to God - He could turn the sky green and the grass blue if He so desired – Remember when Jesus had taken the 3 closest disciples up onto the mountain and He was transfigured before them – can you imagine that – Jesus and Abraham with Moses appeared in all heavenly glory to Peter, James and John  – maybe it was that their eyes were opened and they could see into the spirit realm – like Elisha’s servant and Stephen –

Seeing what no one else could see – yet this realm is always there – always around us, almost like a parallel existence – but they could not see, had never even dreamed of such a thing – and now on that mountain Jesus opened their eyes and they saw the glory of God – */then they heard God’s audible glorious voice!/* “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

*Hear Him*!”

*/You know “Hear Him” is written with an exclamation mark!/* Can you imagine what God’s voice sounds like when He emphasizes something like that?

The disciples fell on their faces and tried to press themselves into the ground – they were greatly afraid.

/The bible is not given to any exaggeration so we know they fell down and trembled at the voice of God and the heavenly vision/.

Then after Jesus touched them and told them not to be afraid – and keep this a secret –

They came down the mountain – now I don’t know about you but I long for something like this and in my heart I think if I could only just see this!

If I could just hear God’s audible voice, if I could see the face of Jesus I would be released into all power and I would never doubt again!

I think if I could see something like this nothing else would matter!! Oh if I could only see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ I would KNOW all power and ministry!!

But as those disciples came down that mountain they would have talked among themselves – and more, as they walked silently they would have been reliving over and over in their minds – /there had been a transaction between them and God/ – you cannot be in the Presence of God and not be impacted and changed!! – */But the human heart – fallen and broken and so self consumed only remembers what it desires for its own sake!

Even in the Presence of Jesus we are self absorbed/*!

They came down the mountain and walked right into a turmoil – the other disciples had been trying to cast out a devil – a spirit of epilepsy but they could not - Jesus’ response to them was very intriguing :--

*Mt 17:17-18  *Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you?

How long shall I bear with you?

Bring him here to Me.”

And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.

\\ Faithless and perverse generation!

Jesus didn’t even suggest that they could not cast out devils, He didn’t growl at them for their attempt – He rebuked them for having No FAITH!

– then we read : --

*Mt 17:19-20  *Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”

So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

\\ Jesus told them the only thing that prevented them from doing any impossible thing was their own unbelief!

Their own lack of faith!

Even the smallest amount of sincere faith – as tiny as a seed of mustard is enough to do the impossible!

~*~*~* Now since that time *we* have the Holy Spirit, we have all the power and resource if you like, to do those impossible things – we have the Holy Spirit indwelling and we know it is His will to glorify Jesus through us and build up the church.

*We know from reading the gospels that this encounter with God on the mountain of transfiguration was not enough for the disciples to walk in faith and power from that moment on* – we know that every one of them deserted Jesus and fled, we know that until the Holy Spirit fell upon them at Pentecost they remained powerless and afraid – we know they only did mighty works under the direct instruction of Jesus -- even after that audible voice of God had spoken to them!

But we also know this, that when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them and the tongues of fire illuminated their hearts and minds they didn’t exalt in the experience of the signs and wonders the tongues and power – they began to quote scripture – “/this is that which was spoken of by Joel/” – it was upon *this* – upon the revelation of the W.O.G. – it was as the Holy Spirit brought to their remembrance all the words of Jesus -- *FAITH began to arise in their hearts*!!

You know we have fallen into a little trap of our own making – a little bit of deception exaggerated by the devil in our Pentecostalism – the faith we need now is no different to the disciples then –

They could not put their faith and hope into that encounter on the mountain!

They could not put their faith into the fire of Pentecost, the gifts, the tongues they all spoke, they could not build faith on the things they had once done themselves!  – For faith to be birthed and remain it cannot be based upon an experience or a feeling or an outward manifestation of power – it cannot be based upon unction or anointing as a feeling - all of these things are legitimate and wonderful

they are evidences and experiences – *but they are not faith* – there is only one means of obtaining and developing faith –  we know the Holy Spirit was bringing to their remembrance all the words Jesus had spoken – listen if there are keys to the K.O.H. then this is surely one of them – if not the master key!

*Jn 14:26  *But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

*Mt 24:35  *Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

\\ As I have said before it is these very words the apostles were remembering – all the Words that Jesus spoke, the very Words that will last forever and ever into all eternity – Jesus said I AM the word – He is the Word that became flesh – Oh Church the Words of Jesus are the very power of the Holy Spirit He does nothing of His own initiative what He hears He speaks – and He only listens to Jesus – to God! WE spend so much time looking for evidences and power and ministries –

We search for experiences and excellence and all manner of feelings and unction’s and anointing, we long for encounters, and in fact have built whole doctrines around experiences and signs – and you all know I believe in all of these things – they are wonderful in their place and for the glory of God – but we cannot build faith upon these things – they will pass away!!

In fact it is only a short time later that we find it hard to remember experiences – fleeting things of Grace!!

But the Word of God endures forever and  God gives to each man a measure of faith –

*Eph 2:8-9  *For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

*Ro 12:3* For 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.

\\ But this faith is developed, strengthened and blossoms when we apply it to believing the W.O.G.

True faith and sincere faith is based entirely upon believing what the Bible teaches us of God and Christ and of the Holy Spirit – it is beyond feelings and even anointing it is the absolute trust and application of what the W.O.G. tells us – and this is very challenging if we apply this truth to our practice and behaviours – our daily walk with God!

*Ro 10:17  *So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

\\ So let me just summarize this for a moment – we have been given – each of us have already the Holy Spirit who is God – each of us have received, have had deposited within us a measure of faith - and it may not be a great huge log of faith – but a mustard seed is enough and everyone of us must have that much!

– So we have the Spirit if we have been born again and we have the faith and we KNOW it is God’s will that the Holy Spirit distributes gifts among us – for His Glory!!

Then over and above this – gloriously higher than the Holy Spirit and the faith even is the W.O.G. the great creative power of the Highest of all – God spoke and it was so!

We have the W.O.G. you know the disciples never fell down at Jesus’ feet when He cast out devils – they never feel down when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead – not even when Jesus came to them in the storm walking on the water – though they were afraid – they still spoke to Him – is that you Lord?

And even on that mountain as Jesus was transfigured before them and Moses and Abraham stood in all glory – the disciples didn’t fall down in awe or reverence – */But when God spoke they were flung to the ground and hid their faces from Him/* – when they came to get Jesus and take Him to Calvary – when He spoke plainly and declared I am the I AM – they could not stand at His Word --

*Jn 18:4-6 *Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?”

They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

Jesus said to them, “I am He.”

And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them.

Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

\\ How we underestimate and even negate the W.O.G. – we long for something to happen!

Anything!

Oh we cry out for power and unction and revival – and so we must – because it shows our desire, it shows our hunger – /you know we know how hungry for God we really are by our prayers/ – by our quest for Him – so we must press into prayer and hope for a divine intervention even yet – the power of God in reverential awe and fear –

bringing a cutting to the heart that we might cry out “*/what must we do to be saved/*!”

But not at the expense – even more, not at the cost of the W.O.G. being accepted now and lived now and believed now!

It is really like we have got to stop longing and start doing the W.O.G.!!!

As we sit here this morning every possible thing necessary to see the impossible is, as it were, latent within us!

If you believe nothing shall be impossible to you!!

If you have seen Me you have seen the Father – I and MY Father are One – I do nothing except what I hear the Father say!! Oh church true faith and the practice of that faith is not about feeling or gifting or power or ministry – you may see all of those things demonstrated through men and women – as the Holy Spirit wills

But only because they have believed the Words of Jesus – now this word says as we began : --

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.

And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to 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.

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

\\ This is the W.O.G. – if it were dependent upon a feeling it would say when you feel this! \\ If it were dependent upon an anointing – it would say when the anointing is upon you -- \\ If it were dependent upon your previous experience – how would we ever begin \\ If it only applied to a few chosen ones – it would say to such and such -- \\ If it was only for travelling ministries – it would say when so and so arrives in town!!

If it were only for pastors and apostles – then I don’t think this W.O.G. would have been made available to the whole world –

If you believe, if you believe all things are possible to those who believe the W.O.G.

We must stop longing and start doing the Word!

*/Not for our glory, not for ministry – not for acceptance – but for the Glory of God that is In Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit dwelling in us/*!!