A Power of God that will Change Your Life

18 Then he said, “Now pick up the other arrows and strike them against the ground.” So the king picked them up and struck the ground three times. 19 But the man of God was angry with him. “You should have struck the ground five or six times!” he exclaimed. “Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times.”

1 Timothy 4:15 NKJV

15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.

Testimony - Andre

Testimony -

Pastor John Lindell shared with us that incredible things were happening at James River Church… unlike anything he had experienced in his previous 30 years there.

People being healed… Not just in the service, but when greeters pray for people on the way in our out. One person had their knee healed of a miniscus tear and when they went back to the surgeon he said… you must be part of James River.

People being filled with the Holy Spirit and going out and leading others to faith in Christ.

As I listened to his testimony about what God was doing, I thought, why not at River Church? Why not.

God wants to pour out His Spirit like never before.

Acts 2:17 NLT

17 ‘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.

When God moves look at what happens.

Acts 4:29–30 NLT

29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

They preached with boldness and asked God to give them greater boldness. Then they asked for miracles to happen to sho people God is really God. How was all this happening? How is it happening at James River and churches all around the world?

They key is that they were ALL filled with the Holy Spirit

Acts 4:31 NLT

31 After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

Then because they were all filled with the Holy Spirit...

Many miracles took place.

Acts 5 has miracles taking place… look at this.

Acts 5:12–16 NLT

12 The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. 14 Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. 15 As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. 16 Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.

Signs and wonders - meant to show people about God. People were being healed and delivered and being saved. The Holy Spirit was performing miracles to show people Jesus.

The key to these miracles was the Baptism with the Holy Spirit

Jesus said this would happen. Look at

Acts 1:3–4 NLT

3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. 4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before.

Jesus said to wait for the Holy Spirit. He didn’t say to go out and evangelize… to preach… to teach… to witness, but to wait on the Gift. That gift is the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. Look at verse 5…

Acts 1:5 NLT

5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

He said that when you are baptized with the Holy Spirit you will receive power

Acts 1:8 NLT

8 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.”

Power - dunamis

Power to be a witness… to live for the Lord and to tell others about him.

Prayer language might be an initial evidence of being filled but the ultimate evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit is power. God used miracles to show who Jesus was and he will use them to show people who he is through us now.

BG - prayed all day for the filling of the Spirit, he was filled and his ministry changed forever.

Acts 2:22 NLT

22 “People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know.

Peter said that God endorsed Jesus by doing powerful miracles through him. The miracles showed people Jesus was who he said he was.

Miracles provided and still provide witnessing opportunities

After Peter healed the lame beggar, it was so dynamic that if gave him a witnessing opportunity.

Acts 3:12 NLT

12 Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness?

Then he goes on to tell them about Jesus…

Acts 4:7 NLT

7 They brought in the two disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?”

Look what Peter did and said...

Acts 4:8–10 NLT

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, 9 are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? 10 Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.

The miracles gave them witnessing opportunities. Do you think that miracles could do the same today?

Acts 4:33 NLT

33 The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all.

You hear testimony from some of our men… We have seen people healed here… Stephanie…

Acts 6:8 NLT

8 Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people.

Stephen was one of the early martyrs… he was not an Apostle, he was a deacon… a regular guy that God did great things through.

Check Philip out. People listened to him because of the miracles he performed.

Acts 8:6–7 NLT

6 Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. 7 Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.

Simon was a sorcerer who believed in Jesus because of Philip and began following Jesus and Philip.

Acts 8:13 NLT

13 Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.

Jesus had to have the Holy Spirit’s power while he walked this earth.

Acts 10:38 NLT

38 And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

Do you think that if Jesus needed the Holy Spirit in his life… that just maybe we do too?

What about Paul?

Acts 19:11–12 NLT

11 God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. 12 When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.

Do you think that if Paul needed the Holy Spirit in him… that just maybe we do too?

They key was that they were Baptized with the Holy Spirit

Jesus followers should all be Baptized with the Holy Spirit

Acts 1:4–5 NLT

4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

All the Believers at Pentecost were filled with the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:1–4 NLT

1 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

We are living in the last days… the last of the last days. Look what God said he would do in the last days.

Acts 2:17 NLT

17 ‘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.

Paul commanded believers to be filled with the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 5:18 NLT

18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,

We need to allow the Holy Spirit to move in us and move us to be more like Jesus. He will not dominate us, but will lead us. We have a part in this… we have to allow him in.

The Holy Spirit not only came upon believers on Pentecost but …

The Holy Spirit filled the Gentiles

Peter is preaching about Jesus and while he was preaching, people got saved and had their sins forgiven. Then they received the Holy Spirit.

Acts 10:44–46 NLT

44 Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. 45 The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. 46 For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked,

Acts 10:47 NLT

47 “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?”

We must receive the Holy Spirit too.

Acts 8:17 NLT

17 Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Listen, if you are going to drink from the fountain, you have to swallow.

You may have never accepted Jesus of you may have strayed off like the prodigal son.... but we have a God who is always looking for us to turn to him.

Luke 15:20 NLT

20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

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