Participants: André C. Waller
Series Code: 15WAC
Program Code: 15WAC000003
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00:15 Good afternoon, everyone.
00:18 Before we begin because I'm not smart enough 00:20 or intelligent enough to communicate 00:23 the realities of the gospel to you, 00:25 I say let's go to our knees. 00:26 Is that all right? 00:27 And let's ask God for special help. 00:39 Father in Heaven, we just want to thank You 00:42 and praise You for Your grace 00:43 that You've extended to us once again. 00:46 To be able to come into this place of worship, 00:49 to be in Your presence. 00:52 And Father, as we open the Word, 00:53 we dare not open it without the gift of Your Holy Spirit 00:56 which is the only effectual teacher of truth. 01:00 So we pray for this gift right now, 01:02 we pray for thoughts and feelings 01:04 that reflect Your own. 01:06 And we pray all these things in the name of Jesus 01:08 and we claim the merits of His holy 01:09 and most precious blood. 01:11 Amen, amen. 01:18 So a few years back I was at home 01:21 visiting my mom and my dad. 01:24 And I heard a little ruckus in the room 01:26 where my mom was and my sisters 01:30 were in the room causing my mom some distress. 01:35 So as a good momma's boy as I am, 01:37 I went to the room to handle it. 01:40 And I went told my sisters to stop talking to my mom 01:43 the way they were talking to her. 01:44 Of course, my sister didn't pay me any mind 01:47 and she continued to talk. 01:48 So I said to her, look, 01:50 if you don't stop talking to her right now, 01:51 I want to knock you out, little sis. 01:55 She continued to persist 01:56 and talk the way she was talking 01:58 and so I did what I had to do. 02:00 I grabbed my little sister up, put her on my shoulder, 02:03 walked her out the room and threw her into the closet. 02:07 Now you have to understand, 02:08 this is after I already know Jesus, 02:11 this is after I already claimed that I'm a Christian 02:13 and I took my sister put in the closet, 02:15 close the door and I went down into the basement. 02:19 Now I went to the basement not because I was mad at my sister, 02:21 I think more so I was in the basement 02:23 because I was mad at myself. 02:26 I figured that if I knew Christ 02:28 my behavior should be somewhat different 02:30 and I was completely frustrated with trying to be a Christian. 02:35 So, as I was sitting in the basement 02:37 musing in my own frustrations, 02:40 I began to curse God. 02:43 And I heard a little voice say to me, 02:44 "Andre, go talk to your father." 02:47 And I didn't want to go talk to my father, 02:49 I was upset, I would go upstairs 02:51 and beat my sister up but no, 02:53 I didn't want to go talk to my father. 02:56 I kept sitting there and a voice said to me again, 02:58 "Go talk to your father." 02:59 And I said I don't want to talk to my dad. 03:02 And one more time it said, 03:03 "Andre, go talk to your father." 03:04 So I got up, went upstairs, second floor, third floor, 03:07 I went to the third floor 03:08 and I was going to turn left to go talk to my dad 03:11 and I thought, you know what, 03:12 let me just go let my sister know 03:13 what's up one more time. 03:15 But I don't know I-- I turned left, 03:17 I went talk to my dad. 03:18 He's sitting in the room 03:20 typing on the computer, typing away. 03:22 He doesn't even look at me when I walk into the room. 03:24 And he's typing and typing, 03:25 I said, dad, I need to talk to you. 03:28 He said, oh, yes, son, go ahead. 03:29 What do you need to talk about? 03:30 And he's typing still not even looking at me. 03:32 I said no, dad, really, I need to talk to you, man. 03:36 So he stops what he's doing, turns his chair around, 03:38 he looks at me, he says, what's up, son? 03:40 You know, I just wanted to have a simple conversation, 03:42 like a regular, dad, you know 03:44 I'm just pretty much done with Christianity, 03:46 its too hard for me to try to be a good guy. 03:49 And that's what I wanted to say. 03:50 I wanted just to say dad, I'm done with Christianity. 03:52 But you know what came out instead? 03:54 Instead of me just saying I'm done with Christianity, 03:56 I'm done with God, what came out was, 03:58 I hate God! I hate Him! 04:05 That was strange. 04:09 Why would I say that? 04:10 But it came out. And my dad didn't say anything. 04:14 Now if you know my dad, 04:15 you know, you'd know he don't play that. 04:17 It's not his normality to sit there 04:19 while his son is behaving the way he is, 04:22 but he sat there, he got up and he gave me a hug. 04:27 That's all he did. 04:29 He just gave me a hug, didn't say a word, 04:31 didn't say anything, he just gave me a hug. 04:35 I thought about it, 04:36 that hug saved my life, you know. 04:39 In that moment and time as I'm cursing God, 04:42 as I'm frustrated with my Christianity, 04:45 my father, my human father 04:47 expressed my divine Father's great love for me 04:51 in my great frustration. 04:54 But what happened was after that 04:55 my mind began to try to figure out 04:57 what must I do to live a life 05:00 that reflects the reality of heaven's power? 05:03 With that in mind I want you to open your Bibles. 05:05 We're going to do a Bible study. 05:06 Is that all right? Can we do that? 05:08 We'll open our Bibles to Deuteronomy 05:10 the 11th chapter. 05:11 Deuteronomy the 11th chapter 05:13 and its going to appear like this has nothing to do 05:15 what I've just said but pay close attention. 05:19 Deuteronomy the 11th chapter 05:21 and we're going to begin reading at verse number 11 05:24 and when you have it, just say amen. 05:27 Deuteronomy 11:11, the Bible says, 05:29 "But the land, whither you go to possess it, 05:32 is a land of hills and valleys, 05:35 and drinks water of the rain of heaven. 05:38 A land which the Lord thy God careth for, 05:40 the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, 05:44 from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year." 05:49 Verse 13 "And it shall come to pass, 05:51 if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments 05:56 which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, 06:00 and to serve Him with all your heart 06:03 and with all your soul, 06:05 that I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, 06:12 the first rain and the latter rain, 06:14 that thou mayest gather in thy corn, 06:18 and thy wine, and thine oil." 06:20 Verse 15 "And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, 06:24 that thou mayest eat and be full." 06:27 Very simple idea, very simple idea here. 06:29 The Bible is very simply saying 06:31 that I'm gonna let it rain on the land. 06:32 I'm gonna let the crops grow when the rain falls 06:36 but there is a condition to the rain falling. 06:41 Listen to me, 06:42 there is a condition to the rain falling. 06:45 You see it right there in verse number 13, 06:49 it says, "And it shall come to pass, 06:52 if ye shall hearken" how, what's the word there? 06:56 "Diligently." 06:57 If you are hearken diligently then I will send the rain. 07:02 So I remember one day I was washing dishes 07:04 and my dad came into the kitchen, 07:06 I love my dad. 07:07 Dad came into the kitchen 07:10 and he picked up a fork and looked at the fork 07:13 and it was completely not clean. 07:15 So my dad said Andre, come back in the kitchen. 07:17 So I came back in the kitchen 07:18 and my dad began to lecture me about my life. 07:20 How my life is going to be a messed up life 07:22 because of this fork. 07:25 And if that wasn't enough 07:27 after he lectured me on how messed up my life 07:28 was gonna be based on this fork, 07:30 he said Andre, I want you to do something. 07:32 I want you to take every dish out the cupboard. 07:36 I want you to take every fork, 07:37 every spoon, every single one 07:39 and I want you to wash everything again. 07:42 Oh, man, I was completely not happy with that idea. 07:46 But you know what I did when I wash those dishes? 07:48 I washed up those glasses and I put 'em up to the light. 07:51 I made sure there was no water spots in there. 07:53 I took those forks and I hearken diligently. 07:56 You hear what I'm saying? 07:58 I hearken diligently to the commandment of my father 08:00 for I had no desire to repeat this activity ever again. 08:07 Hearken diligently, pay attention to the details. 08:12 You see my friends, we're here on this planet, 08:14 we as a people are suffering spiritually 08:16 because we have not paid attention to the details. 08:21 Details are important, especially in the eyes of God. 08:24 He promises to send us rain and no, 08:26 I'm not talking about physical rain right now, 08:29 I'm talking about some special rain. 08:31 Is that right? 08:32 I'm talking about rain 08:33 that will empower God's people to live lives 08:36 that reflect the reality of the power of the cross. 08:38 But let's go a little further. 08:40 I want you to see something else 08:41 in the same passage, verse 16. 08:45 Verse 16 says, "Take heed to yourselves, 08:47 that your heart be not deceived, 08:50 and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, 08:52 and worship them, 08:53 and then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, 08:55 and he shut up heaven, that there be no rain, 09:01 and that the land yield not her fruit, 09:03 and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land 09:06 which the Lord thy God giveth you." 09:07 So if you want to take one point 09:09 from what I'm saying right now, rain comes based on condition. 09:14 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 09:16 Rain comes based on condition. 09:21 Hosea Chapter 6 now, 09:22 the Book of Hosea, Hosea 6:3. 09:28 Hosea 6:3, please notice carefully 09:32 what the Bible has to say. 09:35 In Hosea 6:3, the Bible says 09:38 "Then shall you know, 09:39 if you follow on to know the Lord, 09:41 His going forth is prepared as the morning, 09:45 and He the Lord shall come unto us as the" 09:49 what's the word right there? 09:51 "Rain, as the latter 09:54 and former rain unto the earth." 09:57 So here the Bible describes God's coming to us, 10:00 God's presence is equated to rain. 10:03 And based on what we've already studied, 10:05 when or how do we know rain comes? 10:07 Rain comes based on a what? 10:10 Condition. 10:12 So now go to Hosea 10:12. 10:15 Hosea 10:12. 10:20 The Bible says in Hosea 10:12, 10:21 "Sow to yourselves in righteousness, 10:24 reap in mercy, break up your fallow ground, 10:29 for it is time to seek the Lord, 10:34 until He come and rain" what upon you, my friends? 10:40 "Righteousness." 10:41 So, it's time to seek the Lord until. 10:43 In other words, don't stop seeking until it rains. 10:50 Don't give up, don't act like well, I pray for it. 10:53 It must be coming at some junction. 10:54 No, the Bible says very clearly, 10:56 pray until it rains. 10:58 Don't stop praying until you receive 11:01 what God has promised. 11:04 Let me ask you a question. 11:05 When you decided to come to this conference, 11:07 did you think that you could just come, 11:08 have a great time, feel good and go home? 11:10 Is that what your plans? Is that what you planned to do? 11:14 Did you come just to hang out, 11:15 fellowship with everybody, be cool with everybody 11:18 and then go home, and then continue as life goes on? 11:22 Let me tell you something, first and foremost, 11:23 I didn't fly 21 hours and more to come here 11:27 to be a regular dude. 11:30 I didn't come here to hangout with you. 11:33 I didn't come to be partners and we're gonna hangout 11:36 and be friends for life, that's not my game plan here. 11:40 My game plan is very simple. 11:41 I come to receive the blessing God promised 11:44 He would give to gatherings like this. 11:47 Let me say it again, I came here 11:49 to receive the blessing God intended to give to people 11:52 that come to gatherings like this. 11:54 You and I do not need to leave this place without power. 12:00 You and I don't need to leave this place 12:02 the same way we came. 12:03 We do not need to leave here as powerless Christians. 12:06 We can leave this place knowing 12:08 that we have a vital connection with God. 12:13 That's what I want. 12:14 I want to pray until He gives me what He's promised. 12:18 I want you to go to Book of Joel now, 12:19 the Book of Joel 12:23 or Joel as some people call it. 12:28 Joel 2:23, please notice again 12:33 what the Bible says in Joel 2:23. 12:37 The Bible says, "Be glad then, ye children of Zion, 12:39 and rejoice in the Lord your God, 12:41 for He have given you the former rain moderately, 12:47 and He will cause to come down for you 12:50 the rain, the former rain, 12:52 and the latter rain in the first month." 12:55 Now as a casual student of the Bible, 12:57 you would, may have missed something that 12:59 if you had just taken a little bit more time 13:01 in your private study, you would have seen. 13:03 But and you're studying, you study margin. 13:06 If you have a King James Bible 13:07 or a New King James Bible and you study margin, 13:10 they have a word there for former rain 13:12 and that word there for former rain 13:14 is teacher of righteousness. 13:19 Pay attention now, in your study Bible 13:21 in that margin it says the former rain 13:23 and it says teacher of righteousness 13:24 and there's a word there that says moderately 13:27 and your margin in your study Bible, 13:29 it's to say according to righteousness. 13:32 So let's read it again with that idea in mind. 13:34 "Be glad then, you children of Zion, 13:36 and rejoice in the Lord your God, 13:37 for He have given you the teacher of righteousness, 13:41 according to righteousness." 13:44 What does that mean? 13:45 Who is it that God is giving that 13:47 is a teacher of righteousness and according to righteousness? 13:50 Who is it that's going to come to the people of God 13:53 and show them what righteousness is 13:55 and demonstrate that reality in their lives? 13:59 Keep it, keep it, keep it there, keep it in your mind. 14:01 I want you now to go with me to the Book of Zechariah. 14:04 And again I'm simply laying 14:05 Old Testament principles so we can apply it 14:08 in the New Testament here very shortly. 14:10 In Zechariah 10:1. 14:16 Zechariah 10:1, 14:20 please notice here what the Bible says. 14:21 The Bible says, "Ask ye of the Lord rain in the" what? 14:27 What does it say in the what? 14:29 "In the time of the latter rain, 14:33 so the Lord shall make bright clouds 14:35 or thunder clouds and give them showers of rain, 14:39 to every one grass in the field." 14:41 So let me ask you a question. 14:43 If the Bible says pray for the rain 14:46 in the time of the rain, 14:49 should you know when the time is for the rain? 14:53 Should you expect it to rain without you praying for it? 14:57 Should you expect it to rain without you praying for it? 14:59 Yes or no? 15:00 No. 15:01 In other words, it could be the time for the rain 15:05 but it may not be raining. 15:08 It could be the exact time 15:10 that you are supposed to receive this blessing 15:12 but you may not be receiving it 15:13 because you have not asked for it. 15:18 Are you hearing what I'm saying, my friends? 15:20 Keep that in mind and I want you now 15:21 to go to the Book of John. 15:23 John, John Chapter 14 15:25 and we're going to begin reading at verse 15 15:28 and you know this very, very well, I know. 15:31 John 14:15 please notice here what the Bible has to say. 15:35 In John 14:15, the Bible says, 15:39 "If ye love Me, " what does it say to do? 15:46 Now keep that principle in mind 15:47 and I want you to connect it in your mind 15:49 to Deuteronomy Chapter 11 verse-- 15:51 I believe, verse 13 we're reading 15:52 where it says hearken diligently unto the what? 15:57 Commandments. 15:58 Hearken diligently to the commandments 16:00 and if you hearken diligently what is supposed to happen? 16:03 It's supposed to what? 16:05 Rain. Now pay attention. 16:07 "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." 16:11 The next thing we should read 16:12 we should be reading about rain. 16:15 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 16:17 Verse 16 says "And I will pray the Father, 16:21 and he shall give you another Comforter, 16:26 that he may abide with you" How long? 16:30 If you love Me, keep My commandments 16:31 and I'm gonna go talk to my Father 16:33 to make sure you receive this special gift 16:35 called the Comforter, the Spirit of God 16:37 so that you and I can live spiritual, powerful life. 16:40 But wait, there's more. 16:41 Verse 16, verse 17 says "Even the Spirit of truth, 16:45 whom the world cannot receive, 16:49 because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him, 16:53 but ye know him, because he dwelleth with you," 16:57 and notice this, "and shall be in you." 17:02 Question, what is shall be? 17:03 Is that past, present, or future? 17:07 Future. Shall be is future. 17:08 So in that present moment in time, 17:12 the disciples did not have 17:14 the Spirit of God dwelling inside. 17:20 The Holy Spirit was with them, 17:22 the Holy Spirit had been guiding them 17:24 but the Holy Spirit was not in them? 17:28 Let me ask you a question, 17:29 you don't have to answer out loud. 17:31 Did the Holy Spirit dwell within you? 17:36 Does the Spirit of God from heaven 17:38 dwell within your heart? 17:42 I know He's with you. 17:43 I mean, He's been with you since you were born, 17:44 guiding you, protecting you, giving you knowledge, wisdom, 17:47 got you to this place today, no question about it. 17:50 My question is not whether or not the Spirit 17:52 is with you for He's always. 17:54 My question is, is He inside of you? 17:58 That's a whole another level of relationship, 17:59 don't you think? 18:01 That's a whole another level 18:02 of nearness and closeness to God, 18:04 where God desires to have the inwards parts of men. 18:08 Not simply as I were comforting 18:09 to the realities of what is truth, 18:11 but its life demonstrating the power of the gospel. 18:16 Keep it in mind now, we're just studying, 18:18 but notice again at some point in the future, 18:21 Jesus tells His disciples the Holy Spirit will be in you. 18:24 Remember, I laid out the principle already 18:26 that there is a time for the rain. 18:31 You should be asking yourself the question, 18:32 what is the time? 18:33 What is transpiring that would allow the disciples 18:36 to pray in the right time to receive this spirit? 18:39 Notice what else the Bible says, 18:41 continue reading in John 14:18. 18:44 It says, "I will not leave you comfortless, 18:46 I will come to you." 18:49 Doesn't that sound like Hosea 6:3 18:51 when He said I will come to you as the rain? 18:55 It says "I will come to you. 18:56 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more, 18:59 but ye see me, because I live, 19:02 ye shall live also." 19:03 Verse 20 "At that day" what day? 19:06 The day that He comes to them, 19:09 "At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, 19:16 and ye in me, and I in you." 19:22 At that day you're going to know something, 19:24 you're going to know that I'm in my father, 19:26 you are inside of Me and I'm inside of you. 19:29 You are going to know that there is a oneness 19:31 between broken humanity and infinite power. 19:37 You're not hearing me right now. 19:39 Remember, my frustration was how is it that God is asking me 19:43 to live a spiritually, powerful life 19:45 but my life does not reflect the reality 19:47 of what His word says. 19:50 And here God is making a promise 19:51 to His disciples to say, look, if you want power 19:55 I'm going to show you how you are going to get it. 19:57 I want you to wait here, 19:59 I'm going to go get something special for you. 20:04 You're not hearing what I'm saying, 20:05 are you hearing what I'm saying? 20:07 I'm going to go get something special for My children 20:10 so they can live a life that reflects what I died for. 20:16 Well, wait, let's go a little bit further. 20:18 I want you go to John Chapter 16, 20:21 we're going to begin reading at verse number 7. 20:22 And there's so much, 20:23 I'm skipping so much in theses passages, 20:25 but I think I just want to highlight these key points. 20:28 In John 16: 7, the Bible says, 20:31 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth, 20:33 it is expedient for you that I go away, 20:36 for if I go not away, 20:38 the Comforter will not come unto you, 20:42 but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 20:48 And when he is come" pay attention. 20:50 "And when He is come, 20:51 He will reprove the world of sin, 20:55 and of righteousness, and of judgment." 21:01 I think about it, I say, okay. 21:03 When the spirit comes, 21:04 he's gonna reprove the world of sin. 21:06 How many of you like to be told that you are wrong? 21:09 Please raise your hand. 21:12 I mean that's the job, the first thing 21:14 that I realized as I read the text 21:16 is that the spirit is gonna come 21:18 and he's gonna say guess what? 21:20 You are all wrong. 21:23 Guess what, your life is not what it's supposed to be. 21:26 Guess what, you are not supposed to lose 21:28 your temper with your wife. 21:29 Guess what, you are not supposed 21:30 to raise your hand to your child. 21:32 Guess what, you're supposed to love your enemies, 21:35 do good to them that misuse you. 21:37 There's no way that you are right in yourself. 21:41 Somebody says, I'm praying for the Holy Spirit. 21:43 Sometimes people want to pray for Holy Spirit 21:45 so they can feel good but that's not 21:47 what the spirit is coming to do. 21:52 The Holy Spirit is coming to let you know you need help. 21:56 Holy Spirit is coming to let you know 21:57 that there is no excuse for living a life 22:00 of flawed "Christianity." 22:05 It's gonna reprove the word of sin, a righteousness. 22:09 Now what of righteousness? 22:10 I just-- I just need you to imagine now 22:12 what it would have been like to walk with Jesus 22:15 every single solitary day. 22:18 That had to be the best ever. 22:21 You wake up in the morning, you wanted it 12 now, 22:24 you sleeping in the fields with Jesus, 22:27 waking up with doing your forehead. 22:30 You are walking along the way, Jesus is teaching you. 22:33 He sits down. 22:34 You see how He's dealing with the children. 22:36 You see how He interacts with false leadership. 22:39 You see how He teaches and how He loves 22:41 and you are just there soaking it all in. 22:44 Can you imagine what that's like? 22:46 He's demonstrating the reality of what righteousness is. 22:49 He is the word made flesh. 22:55 I want to read something to you, 22:56 if I can find it within some reason here. 22:58 I want to read something to you that 23:00 I found to be quite, quite fascinating. 23:04 And you'll find it here-- 23:05 let me see if I could find it here. 23:07 Yes, yes, Steps to Christ, page 74, paragraph 1. 23:11 Now watch this, this is quite fascinating 23:13 as I was reading this, 23:15 talking about the outpouring of spirit of God. 23:17 Now watch this. 23:18 Remember I told you imagine Jesus, 23:19 you're waking up everyday, He's your teacher, 23:21 you are watching Him, 23:22 you're interacting with Him, watch this. 23:24 "Henceforth through the Spirit, 23:27 Christ was to abide continually in the hearts of His children. 23:34 Their union with Him" listen to this 23:36 "Their union with Him was closer than 23:39 when He was personally with them." 23:45 Did you just hear what I just read? 23:48 I just told you if I woke up everyday 23:50 and Jesus is right there and I'm walking 23:52 and talking with Him, He's teaching me, 23:53 I would be so happy about it 23:55 but I just read to you right now 23:57 that when Jesus sent the spirit, 23:59 it was as if He was closer 24:01 than if He was standing here in the flesh. 24:07 "Henceforth through the Spirit, 24:08 Christ was to abide continually in the hearts of His children. 24:12 Their union with Him was closer 24:15 than when He was personally with them. 24:18 The light, and love, and power 24:21 of the indwelling Christ shown out through them, 24:24 so that men, beholding, 'marveled, 24:27 that they took knowledge of them, 24:28 that they had been with Jesus.'" 24:33 Oh, what a wonderful privilege we have. 24:36 So again I ask the simple question, 24:38 I'm not asking if the spirit of God is around you, 24:40 that is not the intent of my thought process right now. 24:43 My question is does the Spirit of God 24:45 dwell within you, for this is the only way 24:48 that you can truly be a Christian. 24:52 This is the only way that 24:53 you can truly live a life in a world 24:56 and I look and I-- it's hard, man. 24:57 I travel all over the place. 24:59 I go everywhere 25:00 and even, even in my own private time of God, 25:03 it's as if darkness is pressing around everywhere. 25:08 It's almost like there's nowhere 25:09 you can go without seeing darkness. 25:12 Some temptations, some poor, 25:13 something that's just causing righteousness to look 25:16 as if it doesn't even exist on the planet. 25:20 And how can a Christian live in a world 25:23 where this-- this great miasma of darkness. 25:27 Without being involved, without being taken in, 25:29 without being put to sleep with all the things 25:31 that are taking place in this world, 25:33 how can a Christian live in a world like that? 25:37 I tell you what, the only way to live 25:38 is if you have indwelling Christ. 25:41 That's the only way to live, my friends. 25:44 Please, listen to me very carefully 25:45 and I'm stopping to plead with you, 25:47 so you can lock this into your mind. 25:49 Everyday when you wake up you need to make sure 25:54 Father, take my heart for I cannot give it, 25:58 it is Your property. 26:02 Why? 26:03 Because you can't live 26:04 the Christian life without strength. 26:08 You can't. 26:10 And you're gonna bang your head against the wall, 26:12 and bang your head against the wall 26:13 trying to live righteously without the righteous one. 26:19 Oh, I eat right. Yeah, okay. 26:21 You dress good, praise God. 26:23 How long is that gonna last without Jesus? 26:28 You need Him. 26:30 Oh, you need Him, my friends, 26:31 just as much as you breathe right now 26:32 you need Christ more than you possibly can understand, 26:37 more than I understand, even as I say it to you. 26:41 But I want to go back to the text for a moment 26:43 because I want you to see something in verse number 8. 26:46 In John 16:8 it says, "And when He has come, 26:49 He will reprove the world of sin, 26:51 and of righteousness, and of judgment." 26:53 I'm not gonna touch judgment right now, 26:54 I'll deal with that later. 26:55 "Of sin, because they believe not on Me, 26:58 of righteousness, because I go to My Father 27:00 and you see Me no more, of judgment, 27:03 because the prince of this world is judged. 27:07 I have yet many things to say unto you, 27:09 but you cannot bear them now. 27:10 Howbeit" pay attention, 27:12 "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, 27:17 he will guide you into" how much truth, my friends? 27:21 "All truth for he shall not speak of himself 27:24 but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak 27:29 and he will show you things to come. 27:35 Pause. 27:36 I want to step over into part of the seminar from last night. 27:39 I want you to go to Luke Chapter 24, 27:40 pay close attention now, Luke Chapter 24. 27:45 As again this promise has been repeated 27:47 to the disciples and Luke Chapter 24, 27:50 I love this passage, 27:51 I love how Brother Taj broke it down last night 27:54 and I just want you to think with me 27:55 as I'm meditating with you openly on this passage. 27:59 Luke 24:44, notice what the Bible says, 28:01 it says "And he said unto them, 28:04 these are the words which I spake unto you, 28:06 while I was yet with you, 28:08 that all things must be fulfilled, 28:11 which were written in the law of Moses, 28:13 and in the prophets, 28:14 and in the psalms, concerning me." 28:17 I think about this and I say, 28:19 I wonder what kind of Bible study 28:20 Jesus had with these guys. 28:23 Can you imagine that? 28:25 Jesus doesn't say-- 28:27 you know what, just believe in Me 28:28 because I have wounds in My hands 28:30 and I rose from the dead. 28:31 He says that's not how you validate truth. 28:34 The truth is validated by the text itself, 28:36 by the verses and Jesus begins in Genesis 28:39 goes to Malachi and shows that He is the Messiah. 28:42 I wonder how many in this room can do that? 28:46 Old Testament only, not New Testament, 28:48 Old Testament only Jesus walks in, 28:49 boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. 28:53 I wonder how many have taken the time 28:54 to know Jesus simply from the Old Testament. 28:57 But notice what verse 46 says 28:58 "And said unto them, thus it is written, 29:00 and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, 29:02 and to rise from the dead the third day 29:05 and that repentance and remission of sins 29:07 should be preached in His name among all nations, 29:10 beginning at Jerusalem. 29:11 And ye are witnesses of these things. 29:13 And, behold," pay attention now verse 49 29:16 "And, behold, I send the promise 29:19 of my Father upon you 29:21 but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, 29:25 until ye be endued with power" from where, my friends? 29:31 "Until it rains on you." 29:34 Pay attention, don't go anywhere 29:38 until you know you received the power. 29:41 Hey, guess what? 29:43 If was an attendee at this conference, and I am, 29:46 and I'm a preacher at this conference and I am. 29:48 I'm not leaving this place 29:49 untill I get what God says I'm supposed to have. 29:54 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 29:55 That means in four days or less now, 29:58 I intent to receive a measure of the spirit 30:01 that I have not had as yet. 30:07 I will not let you go, as Jacob said 30:09 until you bless me, Father. 30:14 Why would I leave here unless I receive what He promised? 30:19 "Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, 30:20 until ye be endued with power from on high." 30:24 Go with me now to the Book of Acts. 30:27 The Book of Acts, beginning at Acts Chapter 1, 30:30 Acts Chapter 1 30:31 and we're getting to the day of Pentecost now. 30:33 We're getting to the point here we understand the conditions. 30:36 The condition is if you hearken diligently, 30:39 is that right, everybody? 30:40 Hearken diligently, you can't just run around 30:42 and you pray in the time of the rain 30:44 when it's supposed to transpire. 30:46 So now we are coming close to that time, watch carefully. 30:49 In Acts Chapter 1:4, notice what the Bible says. 30:53 It says, "And, being assembled together with them, 30:55 commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, 30:58 but wait for the promise of the Father, 31:02 which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 31:05 For John truly baptized with water, 31:08 but ye shall be baptized 31:10 with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." 31:16 I want to ask you a question not because you don't know 31:17 but because I want to make sure you're still engaged with me. 31:19 What is the promise of the Father? 31:21 What is it? 31:22 The Holy Spirit. Only one person? 31:24 What is the promise of the Holy Ghost? 31:27 I gave you the answer. 31:30 The promise of the Father is the Holy Spirit, 31:33 tarry until you receive it. 31:35 Look at verse 7, "And he said unto them, 31:38 is it not for you to know the times or the seasons, 31:41 which the Father "put in my own power" 31:43 in his own power. 31:45 But ye shall receive power, 31:47 after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you 31:51 and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, 31:56 and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, 32:00 and unto the uttermost parts of the earth." 32:03 Based on verse 8, who are the witnesses unto, 32:07 based on the verse? 32:10 Are witnesses of, who are they witnesses of? 32:13 Jesus. 32:14 Wait, are you telling me that 32:17 when I received the power of the Spirit, 32:19 the Spirit comes to me so that I can testify of Jesus? 32:25 That's what it's for. 32:26 I'll tell you one quick story, I was on the plane flying, 32:29 I don't remember where I was flying to, 32:30 it was one of these trips I was taken. 32:31 I was on the plane and I sat next to a guy, 32:35 he said to me sit down. 32:36 And I'm always asking the Lord, 32:37 is this the one I should be talking to, you know. 32:40 And sometimes I just want to sleep, 32:41 but this time I said, 32:42 is this the one I'm supposed to talk to? 32:44 So as I'm asking the question the guy sits down, 32:46 I said, hey, brother, how are you doing? 32:47 He's like-- I'm like, okay. 32:51 He don't speak English supposedly, all right. 32:54 So the next guy come sits next to me on the other side, 32:56 he's from Berkeley University, 32:58 we started talking and then I let him talk 33:00 for about 20 minutes just about himself. 33:02 He's talking and after about 20 minutes 33:04 or so, he asked me, what are you doing? 33:06 I said, oh, brother, 33:07 I'm so glad you asked, you know. 33:09 So we start-- I said, you know 33:10 I teach Daniel and Revelation. 33:12 He's like, really? Yeah, I was like. 33:13 Have you ever read the Book of Revelation? 33:14 He's like no, I never read Book of Revelation. 33:16 I was like okay. 33:17 So we started going, going to the Book of Revelation. 33:20 As I'm talking about the Book of Revelation 33:22 and highlighting Christ in the Book of Revelation, 33:25 the guy who did not speak English, 33:28 he was listening very carefully. 33:32 The person in the front row or the row right ahead of us 33:35 put his seat back just so he can hear exactly 33:37 what we were saying. 33:39 The person across the aisle was leaned into our conversation 33:42 and the person behind me was over our seat looking. 33:45 Looking, when Christ just lift it up, 33:51 He will draw how many at to him? 33:53 So the Spirit of God comes to us 33:55 not so that we can uplift ourselves 33:57 and brag about how righteous we are, no, 33:59 we are lifting up the man Jesus 34:01 for He is the only means of salvation. 34:03 He is the only reason where I can even stand 34:05 before you and have a conversation 34:07 in some clearness of mind about the gospel. 34:09 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 34:12 You pray for the gospel, you wait for it, 34:13 you don't leave until you know you have it 34:15 because you can't live and witness without Him. 34:19 Now we're in Acts Chapter 2, watch carefully now. 34:21 Acts Chapter 2:1, 34:24 the Bible says in Acts 2:1, it says, 34:27 "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, 34:30 they were all with one accord in one place." 34:37 Question, do you think God is a respective person? 34:41 Meaning, does He favor the disciples 34:43 over you and me right now? 34:45 I don't think so. 34:46 Okay, so let's think about this for a second. 34:48 There are these disciples in the upper room, 34:49 there's 120 in the upper room. 34:51 I don't know how many people are at this conference. 34:54 I wonder 'cause I'm gonna share with you what they did, 34:57 I wonder if we followed the same recipe that they did 35:00 if in this place at this time 35:03 we could receive the same benefits. 35:08 Would that be exciting to you? 35:11 I would be flabbergast, I will be overjoyed, 35:14 if every single solitary person in this room said, 35:16 we're gonna come on one accord. 35:19 We're gonna be one mine, 35:21 we're gonna put all differences aside, 35:23 we're going to unite in such way 35:25 that heaven can pour out his spirit 35:27 so Christ can be lifted up. 35:29 I wonder, would you be interested 35:30 in having that type of power? 35:31 Would you be interested in that? 35:33 Let me read it to you, 35:36 they are all in one place and one accord. 35:38 I want to read to you, what they were doing 35:40 or what they did in order for this to happen to them. 35:44 They were-- I think I have 15 things here 35:46 but watch carefully, you can get this 35:47 from Acts of the Apostles page 35 35:50 just read that section there, 35:51 but I'm just gonna highlight, what I pulled out. 35:53 Number one, they were praising and blessing God. 35:57 They were in the temple daily praising and blessing God. 36:00 Number two, they came together to present 36:03 their request to the father in the name of Christ. 36:07 Number three, they humbled themselves 36:09 and confessed their unbelief. 36:13 Number four, they recall Christ words 36:16 and understood their meaning. 36:19 So they thought of they were meditating on Christ were, 36:20 what did He mean when He said that? 36:22 I don't know, John. What did you think, James? 36:23 And they are going back and forth, 36:24 they recall Christ words, 36:26 then they says, they regretted those, 36:29 they repeated those truth to each other. 36:31 They approached themselves 36:33 for misapprehension of their Savior. 36:35 They recalled Christ life scene after scene. 36:40 They just thought, they were just thinking, 36:42 what are you doing He was there? 36:43 How did he deal with the Pharisees? 36:45 They resided, they repeated over and over 36:47 all their mind was thinking about was Jesus. 36:51 That was their conversation, they were not worried about 36:52 the new technology that came out. 36:54 They were not talking about their favorite TV show. 36:56 They had no interest in anything else but Christ. 37:01 They were consumed of one passion, 37:03 one focus the man Jesus. 37:08 It says, they regret it 37:12 not paying anymore attention to them. 37:15 They were confident in their fact 37:17 that they were forgiving. 37:18 They prayed for fitness to met men 37:22 to lead others to Christ. 37:24 That's what they prayed for. 37:26 They put away all pride and supremacy. 37:31 They came close for fellowship. 37:33 They had deep heart searching. 37:41 They prayed not for themselves 37:42 but for the-- the burden of souls 37:45 and lastly they prayed for the promise. 37:51 And they claimed the promise 37:52 that Christ had promised to them. 37:57 I wonder if this were our recipe, 37:59 if in this room, we said, 38:01 we're gonna put away pride and arrogance and supremacy. 38:04 We're gonna humble ourselves before God, 38:06 I'm gonna search my heart to see 38:07 if there is anything in my heart 38:09 that God does not want there. 38:11 I wonder if in this place, this was done, 38:13 I wonder of heaven would be 38:15 so pleased to grant us more of His presence. 38:22 I wonder is He a respective persons, I think not. 38:28 Acts 2:1 again it says 38:29 "When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, 38:31 they were all with one accord in one place. 38:35 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven 38:38 as of a rushing mighty wind, 38:40 and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 38:43 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, 38:46 and it sat upon each of them. 38:49 And they were all filled" they were all what my friends? 38:52 "They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, 38:54 and began to speak with other tongues, 38:57 as the Spirit gave them utterance." 39:01 Now I'm gonna share a secret with you. 39:03 It says that they are all filled, 39:04 I want to share a secret with you, 39:06 what was transpiring in heaven 39:07 that allow for them to be filled on earth below. 39:11 I want you to go to the Psalms, 39:12 hold your hand in the Book of Acts, 39:13 go to Psalms the 33rd division, Psalms 133, 133, Psalms 133 39:20 and we're going to be reading that verse number one, 39:23 Psalms 133:1, 39:26 pay close attention to what the Bible has to say. 39:30 Psalms 133:1, the Bible says, 39:36 " Behold, how good and how pleasant it is 39:40 for brethren to dwell together" how my friends? 39:44 "In unity." 39:45 It is like. 39:47 "It is like the precious ointment upon the head, 39:52 that ran down upon the beard, 39:54 even Aaron's beard that went down 39:56 to the skirts of his garments." 39:58 Interesting. Unity is like oil. 40:03 Tell me in the Bible, you've been Bible students 40:05 before you came to this place, what is oil a symbol off? 40:09 Holy Spirit. 40:10 So unity is like oil that comes down on, Aaron. 40:14 Tell me, what position did Aaron hold 40:17 in regards to the sanctuary? 40:18 What position did he have? 40:20 He had the position of high priest. 40:23 Watched again, 40:24 unity is like oil that came down 40:27 the head of the high priest, wait a second, 40:30 how much oil did it have to be for to come off 40:32 this head of this beard and of the skirts of garments? 40:35 How much oil is that? 40:37 That's copious amounts. 40:38 That's quite a bit. It is a lot of oil. 40:41 So again unity is like oil that ran down Aaron's beard, 40:44 the high priest beard off this clothes, 40:46 off the skirts of his garments, 40:49 verse 3, look at verse 3, "And as the dew of Hermon, 40:54 and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion" 40:58 wait a second, in science class 41:00 I didn't learn that dew descended. 41:05 I always thought dew came up from the ground. 41:07 Is that right, my friends? 41:09 So this is not talking about dew, 41:11 this is talking about rain. 41:15 Pay attention look again. 41:17 "As the dew of Hermon, 41:18 and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion 41:22 for there the Lord commanded the blessing, 41:24 even life for evermore." 41:25 So here in this imagery watch what he's doing? 41:27 It saying that unity is like the high priest being anointed, 41:31 he's anointed in so much 41:32 that it goes of the skirts of his garment 41:35 changes into water and falls upon Zion. 41:41 What is Zion, my friends? 41:43 Jeremiah 6:2, Zion is the church. 41:47 Psalms 48, Zion is the church. 41:50 So the church receives an anointing 41:53 as their high priest is anointed. 41:56 Are you listening to what I'm saying? 41:59 As a high priest, as a disciple are focus 42:01 on what their high priest is doing, 42:03 as they are praying in the time of the rain 42:06 they have pushed position themselves 42:09 to receive the benefits of their intercessor in heaven. 42:16 Pray for the rain in the time of the latter rain. 42:21 Pray for the rain in the time. So think about it for a moment. 42:23 Imagine if you will, you were one of those disciples 42:26 and you decided not to search your heart, 42:28 not to humble yourself, not to go inline 42:30 and pray in regards 42:31 to what Christ was doing in the heavenly sanctuary 42:34 and you decided that you are going 42:35 to do something all together different, 42:37 would you have receive the rain, my friends? 42:39 No. 42:42 I say something to you in code 42:44 if you will that there is something similar 42:47 happening right now in heavenly sanctuary above. 42:50 That there's another anointing 42:51 that is supposed to be taking place 42:53 and if God's people are not in the right position 42:56 as He is anointed in heaven the church below 42:59 would never receive the power it needs to have. 43:03 There is a work, there is a final work 43:05 that heaven is in the process of completing 43:08 and His church needs to be in cooperation 43:11 with His movements above. 43:17 I'm gonna show you something else. 43:19 Go back to the book of-- go back with me, 43:20 go back go to the New Testament with me 43:22 to the Book of Hebrews 43:24 and I want you to see if Hebrews 5:1 43:27 we are coming down to the close Hebrews 5:1 43:31 please notice here what the Bible says. 43:33 Actually before you go to Hebrews 5:1 43:35 go to Hebrews 4:14 it says 43:38 "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, 43:42 that is passed into the heavens 43:44 and Jesus Christ the Son of God, 43:46 let us hold fast our profession. 43:47 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched 43:50 with the feeling of our infirmities, 43:51 but was in all points tempted like 43:54 as we are, yet without sin. 43:57 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, 44:00 that we may obtain mercy, 44:02 and find grace to help in time of need." 44:05 Question, have you saw that help today? 44:09 Go back to Hebrews 2:17 44:12 notice what it says, our high priests. 44:15 Verse 17 says "Wherefore in all things 44:18 it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, 44:21 that he might be a merciful 44:23 and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, 44:26 to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 44:30 For in that he himself 44:32 hath suffered being tempted, he is able" 44:36 What's the word there, my friends? 44:38 "He is able to succour" 44:39 or He is able to help them "that are tempted." 44:42 How many of you in this room have been temped? 44:44 Let me see your hand. Been tempted? 44:46 Okay, how many of you have fallen? 44:47 Don't raise your hand on this please, 44:49 don't raise your hand, I don't want to know. 44:51 Think how many of you have fallen into your temptation? 44:54 Don't raise your hand. 44:58 Testimonies volume 7, page 17 says 45:01 "Nothing is apparently more helpless, 45:04 yet really more invincible, 45:07 than the soul that feels its nothingness 45:09 and relies wholly upon on the merits of the Savior." 45:12 Watch this. 45:13 "God would send every angel 45:16 in heaven to the aid of such a one, 45:18 rather than allow him or her to be overcome." 45:22 Did you hear what I said? 45:23 Testimonies volume 7, page 17, you look that up yourself. 45:25 So here's my question again, you raise your hand, 45:28 you've been tempted? Yes. 45:29 How many of you fallen to the temptation? 45:31 You raised your hand. 45:32 I say why? You have no excuse. 45:37 If every angel is available to you and me, 45:40 if I go to my master and say Father, 45:42 I need your help! 45:46 He will send every angel? 45:48 Yeah, if you need it. 45:52 If you put your weight on His pharmacies, 45:54 if you recognize your great need, 45:56 He will send every angel in heaven, 45:58 so there's no excuse. 46:01 So the thing is we didn't know we had access like that. 46:03 You know what I mean? 46:05 Didn't know that at Pentecost, 46:07 this is what was made available to God's people, 46:10 strength was made available to each one of us 46:13 so we don't have to fall into sin. 46:15 Yes, we'll be tempted. 46:16 Yes, we're pulled 46:17 but we don't have to go with it. 46:21 Romans 6:16 says, "Know ye not, 46:22 that to whom ye yield yourselves 46:24 servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, 46:27 whether of sin unto death, 46:29 or of obedience unto righteousness?" 46:30 My question is, hasn't God won your heart? 46:35 Hasn't He won your loyalty? 46:37 Hasn't He not demonstrated His great love to us 46:39 by dying on Calvary? 46:40 Hasn't He done that for you? 46:42 So why will you die in your sins? 46:48 Calvary is there. 46:51 Expressive of His great love, 46:52 expressive of what He is willing to give 46:55 for broken humanity, why will you die in your sins 46:58 when grace is so full and free? 47:05 Zechariah. 47:07 Zechariah Chapter 12, you want to know 47:11 what happened on the day of Pentecost, 47:12 I'm gonna tell you. 47:14 Zechariah 12:10. 47:24 Zechariah 12:10, the Bible says, 47:31 "And I will pour upon the house of David, 47:36 and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem," 47:39 that's Mount Zion, my friends, 47:41 "the Spirit of" what does this say? 47:43 "The spirit of grace and of supplications 47:47 and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, 47:52 and they shall mourn for him, 47:54 as one that mourneth for his only son, 47:57 and shall be in bitterness for him, 48:00 as one that is in bitterness for his first born." 48:06 Pentecost was poured out, 48:08 the disciples as they received the spirit, 48:12 didn't start jumping around and doing flips. 48:14 That's not what they did. 48:16 What became more visible and clear to them 48:21 was that their sins crucified Jesus. 48:25 What became more visible to them 48:27 was that someone that was innocent died 48:31 when they deserved death themselves. 48:35 I always ask this question, ask myself this question. 48:38 Father, what is it about Calvary 48:40 that I don't understand? 48:44 Why is it that I can look at it and not be moved? 48:48 Why is it when they talk about Jesus, 48:50 it's just another theory, 48:51 another philosophical approach to life? 48:54 Why doesn't it move our hearts? 48:59 Because the spirit of grace hasn't been poured out upon us. 49:04 We refuse to be ashamed of our sin. 49:09 We say, Jesus, You're good, 49:11 but I got my life-- I got my life. 49:13 I'm gonna run my thing the way I want to run it. 49:17 Then Jesus says, why will you die? 49:20 Oh, house of Israel, I have paid everything for you. 49:25 I have taken everything for you. 49:29 You don't have to die in your sin. 49:32 How many want the Spirit of God to be rested upon them? 49:34 Let me see your hand. 49:36 How many want the Spirit of God to be within? 49:40 And in, that's right, brothers and sisters, 49:41 I want it in. 49:43 Let's go to our knees. 49:44 Let's ask Jesus to come in right now. 49:48 Is that all right? 49:57 Into my heart 50:02 Into my heart 50:07 Come into my heart 50:12 Lord Jesus 50:18 Come in today 50:24 Come in to stay 50:31 Come into my heart 50:36 Lord Jesus 50:42 Father, You've heard our prayer, 50:47 our great desires for You not to be just around us, 50:51 but for Your presence to dwell within. 50:55 With Your spirit, Father, 50:57 we can live in this wicked world, 51:00 above temptation and above sin. 51:03 But without You Father, we are nothing. 51:07 So we come now in one, 51:10 in one voice and in one heart 51:13 saying Father, take our hearts, 51:14 we cannot give them, they're your property. 51:17 Keep them Father, 51:18 for we cannot keep them ourselves. 51:22 Raise us into a pure and holy atmosphere 51:24 where the rich colors of Your love 51:25 may flow through our souls. 51:26 Father, please, for I know in this room 51:29 there is a sincere soul or two who want you, Lord. 51:34 I know in this room Father, 51:37 every person that is on their knees, 51:38 Father, is in great need of You. 51:42 Please make Your son more clear to us 51:47 that we will learn to hate sin and to love righteousness. 51:52 Please, Lord. 51:54 We pray all these things knowing that 51:55 You could do abundantly above whatever we ask or think. 51:59 We pray this in Jesus name, amen. |
Revised 2015-03-26