Participants: Pr John Lomacang
Series Code: ASHF
Program Code: ASHF000138A
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00:18 Hello, friends, and welcome
00:19 to our Wednesday night Bible study here 00:21 at the 3ABN Worship Center. 00:23 Thank you for tuning into A Sharper Focus. 00:26 As you know, my name is John Lomacang. 00:27 I'm your presenter 00:29 and also the pastor here at the worship center, 00:30 but thank you for taking the time 00:32 to tune in with us as we begin this walk 00:34 through the Bible in a new topic 00:37 on how to know the truth about the truth 00:41 is the overall theme, 00:42 but the topic tonight is the truth 00:44 about the Holy Spirit. 00:46 In just a moment, 00:47 I'll tell you how to get a copy of the lesson, 00:49 and invite your friends and family members to tune in, 00:51 if you got the church joining us, 00:53 this is a good time to hit record 00:55 just in case you want to share with someone else. 00:57 If you're home, 00:58 it's a good time to record it too, 00:59 but if you have your Bibles, and your pens, and your family, 01:01 and your friends, 01:02 you are ready for a dynamic study 01:04 in God's Word. 01:05 Now before I tell you how to get a copy 01:07 and where to download, 01:08 and how to get the other lessons 01:10 and the videos that go along with this program, 01:13 we always begin with the word of prayer. 01:14 Let's bow our heads together. 01:16 Loving Father in heaven, 01:17 thank You for the opportunity presented to us tonight. 01:20 We know that Your Word is sure and we want to pray tonight 01:23 that as we study about the Holy Spirit 01:26 that You will send the Holy Spirit. 01:29 Lord, our teacher and our guide, 01:31 the one who strengthens us 01:33 and the one that You have left 01:34 as our Comforter and our Helper. 01:37 We are so Lord in need tonight of examining ourselves. 01:40 We pray that You will connect the audience 01:43 as well as those who are here at this live venue 01:46 that Your Word may go forth with power 01:49 and Jesus might be uplifted, 01:51 in Your precious and holy name we pray, amen. 01:55 Now, the weather may be nice in the Virgin Islands. 01:58 We have... 02:00 Weather changes around the world, 02:01 whether it's snow where you are, or rain, 02:03 or whether it's sun, 02:05 as long as we trust in the Lord, 02:06 tonight we're going to be blessed. 02:08 Can we all say amen to that? 02:09 And we have some pastors visiting us tonight 02:11 from various places, 02:12 my conference as well as the Michigan Conference, 02:15 and I don't want to mention names 02:17 just in case their conference presidents 02:19 will know where they are. 02:20 Just kidding. 02:22 No, they do know where they are, 02:24 but they're here for Dare to Dream. 02:25 Just little tongue-in-cheek joke. 02:28 But we're so glad that I'm under the watchful eye and ears 02:31 of pastors tonight, 02:32 so I have to be on top of the work of the Lord. 02:36 If you want to get a copy of the lesson, 02:38 the lesson is entitled, 02:39 The Truth about the Holy Spirit. 02:40 Go to this website ASF.3ABN.org 02:45 and download lesson number 34. 02:48 What lesson did I say? Thirty four. 02:51 Download lesson number 34, 02:52 The Truth about the Holy Spirit. 02:54 And, I could also say, tonight, 02:57 we're going to play 20 questions 02:58 because we only have 20 questions. 03:00 If we get through them all, that's going to be a miracle. 03:03 You know we never get through all of our questions, 03:06 but the good thing about this program, 03:07 whatever we don't do tonight, we do when? 03:10 Our next program. 03:11 So we also have a theme song which we sing together. 03:16 And our theme song is what? 03:17 Victory in Jesus. 03:19 Let's sing our theme song 03:20 before we go into our lesson tonight. 03:30 I heard an old, old story 03:34 How the Savior came from glory 03:38 How He gave His life on Calvary 03:41 To save a wretch like me 03:45 I heard about His groaning 03:49 Of His precious blood's atoning 03:53 Then I repented of my sin 03:56 And won the victory 04:00 O victory in Jesus 04:04 My Savior, forever 04:08 He sought me and bought me 04:11 With His redeeming blood 04:15 He loved me ere I knew Him 04:19 And all my love is due Him 04:23 He plunged me to victory 04:27 Beneath the cleansing flood 04:30 I heard about a mansion 04:34 He has built for me in glory 04:38 And I heard about the streets of gold 04:42 Beyond the crystal sea 04:46 About the angels singing 04:49 And the old redemption story 04:53 And some sweet day 04:55 I'll sing up there 04:57 The song of victory 04:59 Key change. 05:01 O victory in Jesus 05:04 My Savior, forever 05:08 He sought me and bought me 05:12 With His redeeming blood 05:16 He loved me ere I knew Him 05:20 And all my love is due Him 05:23 He plunged me to victory 05:27 Beneath the cleansing flood 05:31 He plunged me to victory 05:35 Beneath the cleansing flood 05:41 Amen? Amen. 05:43 Praise the Lord. 05:44 Now the topic tonight, repeat that with me 05:46 as we see it on the screen, 05:47 it is The Truth about the Holy Spirit. 05:51 The Truth about the Holy Spirit. 05:55 Now, the reason I chose this topic 05:57 'cause there's so much being said 05:59 about the Holy Spirit 06:00 that is not according to the Bible. 06:02 There's so much contributed to the work of the Holy Spirit 06:05 as one writer once said, 06:07 "If the Holy Spirit were withdrawn, 06:10 much of the activity that take places 06:12 in lot of the churches will continue." 06:14 And so we have to know according to God's Word 06:16 what the Bible teaches about the Holy Spirit. 06:20 What are the fruit of the Spirit? 06:22 What are the gifts of the Spirit? 06:24 What does the Spirit do 06:25 before the fruits are manifested 06:27 and before the gifts are chosen to be given? 06:30 And so tonight we're going to go 06:31 through those questions as we lay the foundation. 06:34 Now, I've never gone through 20 questions 06:37 in a single meeting, 06:38 so don't expect me to cover 20 questions tonight. 06:41 Amen. 06:42 But you all have your lessons, you have your Bibles. 06:44 If you've just joined us, 06:46 the topic is The Truth about the Holy Spirit. 06:48 Get your Bible quickly, and the website 06:50 I gave just a moment ago, ASF.3ABN.org. 06:54 There you can download the other lessons 06:57 that you may have missed. 06:59 If you've missed any of the broadcast, 07:01 there are videos there too that will bring you up-to-date. 07:04 I think to date we have about 110 videos, 07:07 and so you can have some dynamic Bible studies 07:09 by just going to the lesson, 07:11 and at the beginning of the actual video 07:13 it will tell you what lesson it correlates with, 07:16 so you can follow along. 07:18 Now to make good use of our time tonight, 07:20 let's go ahead and go to question number one. 07:23 Question number one. 07:25 And the questions and the answers will appear 07:27 on your screen, 07:28 but we want to use our Bibles 07:29 and so, let's not allow the screen 07:31 to do all the talking. 07:32 Question number one tonight. 07:34 What terminology did Jesus use to describe the Holy Spirit? 07:41 Go to John 16:7. 07:43 What terminology did Jesus use to describe the Holy Spirit? 07:48 As you're looking that up. 07:50 One of the reasons 07:51 why this topic is vitally important is, 07:54 many people don't have an issue with God the Father, 07:57 and many people don't have an issue with Jesus the Son, 08:02 but some people have taken the Holy Spirit 08:03 and made Him a force, 08:05 they've made Him just the wind, 08:07 they've made Him a feeling, they've made Him only a power. 08:11 And some people have said, "I want the Holy Spirit." 08:14 But the fact is, the Holy Spirit wants us. 08:17 The Holy Spirit's power is not something we use, 08:20 but we are used by the Holy Spirit. 08:23 Some people speak of the Holy Spirit 08:24 as a manifestation of God. 08:29 Somebody I spoke to a number of years ago, matter of fact, 08:31 I had a friendly discussion with a pastor. 08:34 Some call it a debate. 08:36 I was in Northern California Conference at the time, 08:39 and there was a television program 08:40 I was invited to be a part of. 08:42 And the pastor from a different denomination said 08:44 that the Holy Spirit is simply 08:46 a third manifestation of God, meaning, 08:48 and I wondered what he meant, and he said, 08:52 "Well, first there is God the Father, 08:54 and then God the Father manifested Himself, 08:57 almost like a transformer into Jesus, 09:02 and then when Jesus was done, 09:04 manifested Himself like a transformer 09:06 into the Holy Spirit. 09:07 So I said, "Well, is there the Father, Son, 09:10 and the Holy Spirit. 09:11 He said, "No." 09:12 There's only one at a time, one in the beginning, 09:15 then Jesus in the personage, and then when Jesus was done, 09:18 He manifested Himself in the Holy Spirit. 09:21 And I took him to a couple of Bible texts 09:23 which we're gonna look at tonight, 09:25 to show him that, 09:27 that is not what the Bible teaches. 09:29 So tonight what we want to do in our lesson particularly 09:32 is not just to establish 09:34 the things about the Holy Spirit 09:35 but who is the Holy Spirit. 09:37 Is he just a manifestation of God? 09:40 And if so, how? Is he a part of the Godhead? 09:45 Is he verily God? What does the Bible say? 09:48 So let's look at the answer here, John 16:7. 09:51 Since it is our first text for the night 09:53 and it is on the screen, 09:54 I'd like us to read it together. 09:55 Are you ready? Here we go. 09:57 Jesus says together, 09:58 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. 10:02 It is to your advantage that I" do what? 10:05 "Go away, for if I do not go away, 10:08 the Helper will not come to you, 10:11 but if I depart, I will send Him to you." 10:16 Now get that, the word Him is in the setting 10:21 or in the tense of a person, is not in the tense of a force. 10:26 You don't send the wind 10:27 in the personage of a gender, him, 10:31 male nor female. 10:32 So the Greek word there speaking of literally a person. 10:35 If I do not go away, the Helper will not come. 10:38 Some of the translation say the Comforter will not come, 10:41 the King James version. 10:42 So the answer you gonna write down tonight, 10:44 what terminology did Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit? 10:47 What do you see highlighted? 10:49 Him. Him. 10:51 The Helper is fine, the Comforter is fine, 10:54 but Jesus, the terminology He used was Him, 10:58 I will send Him to you. 11:02 But get this, if Jesus is the Holy Spirit 11:06 then He wouldn't have to leave because He is already there. 11:09 So it's not a manifestation. 11:11 Jesus is not going into a phone booth 11:12 and coming out different. 11:14 I don't want to be sacrilegious at all. 11:16 But Jesus said, 11:17 "I need to go away in order for Him to come." 11:21 And we'll find out more about that in just a moment. 11:23 So the answer is, 11:24 Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit, 11:27 I will send, together, Him. 11:30 That's exactly what Jesus said, so He's a personage. 11:33 Let's go to the next one. 11:35 The indication that he is in fact a personage 11:37 is found in this very next question. 11:40 Question number two. 11:41 And by the way, if you have any questions or comments, 11:43 at that same website, 11:44 you can upload questions and upload comments, 11:46 and you can send those also to our website ASF.3ABN.org. 11:52 If you send a question, 11:54 try not to send a doctoral dissertation. 11:56 We had a guy that sent us a question, 11:58 and the question was five pages later. 12:01 And he really wanted to tell me what he believed 12:03 and so we didn't get to the question. 12:06 But let's look at the second question. 12:07 Here it is. 12:09 What characteristic does the Bible connect 12:13 to the Holy Spirit? 12:15 Let's go to Ephesians 4:30. Ephesians 4:30. 12:21 As you're turning there... 12:23 There are churches around the world 12:26 and there is some text that I did not put here 12:28 which I'll add to and refer to later. 12:30 But I'm thinking right now of John 4:23 and 24 12:33 where Jesus speaking to the woman, 12:36 the woman of Samaria. 12:38 We say the woman at the well. 12:40 He made it clear when he talked about worship. 12:42 He said, "The Lord is looking, 12:44 the Father is looking for those to worship Him 12:47 in blank and truth," what did he say? 12:49 "In spirit and in truth." 12:52 Now there are those that manifest truth. 12:55 There are those that emphasize spirit. 12:58 I should say emphasize truth, emphasize spirit, 13:01 but the Bible didn't separate either. 13:03 The Bible says spirit and what? Truth. 13:06 So in order to have the truth, 13:08 you have to be led by the Spirit. 13:10 And to have the Spirit, you cannot divorce the truth, 13:14 Spirit and truth. 13:15 And the Bible says that we must worship 13:19 the Father in Spirit and in what else? 13:22 So you can't divorce the two. 13:23 We'll look at that verse in just a moment. 13:24 But look at this characteristic 13:26 that the Bible contributes or connects to the Holy Spirit. 13:28 Here is Ephesians 4:30. 13:32 And the Bible says, 13:33 "And do not," what's the next word? 13:35 "Grieve the Holy Spirit of God, 13:40 by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." 13:44 Now have you ever experienced grief before? 13:48 Now, this is different from grieve 13:50 because it's so close, grief and grieve. 13:52 The word here grieve in a realistic sense, 13:56 it's not in the sense of just getting somebody upset, 13:59 but it is in the sense of a repetitive behavior 14:02 to in essence say no, I don't want to hear that. 14:06 No, I'm turning my ear off. 14:08 That's why Revelation, seven times, 14:11 when it talks about the work of the Spirit of God 14:13 in Revelation, it says, he who has ears, let him what? 14:18 Hear what the Spirit says to the churches, 14:20 because when you chose, when you choose to... 14:23 Well, let me use an illustration. 14:26 That was the perfect formula for a whipping, 14:28 if my mother was talking to me when I was young 14:29 and I put my fingers in my ears. 14:33 She had a phrase, 14:35 "If you don't hear, you will feel." 14:37 That's a good old West Indian terminology. 14:39 Those that don't hear will what? 14:40 Feel, and so in the very same way 14:43 if we choose not to hear, 14:45 the way that this is referred to is 14:47 if we stop our ears or if we resist, 14:51 repeatedly resist the promptings of the Spirit. 14:54 And you know, you think about that. 14:57 There are points in our walk with God 14:58 and even when we're not walking with God. 15:01 And let me tell you what I mean by that 15:03 because there are certain ways the Spirit of God works. 15:06 Here it is. 15:07 One, he works to bring you to conviction. 15:11 He continually as the Bible says 15:12 and we'll get to that, 15:14 as it was in Noah's day, as it is in our day, 15:16 as will be beyond our day, 15:18 as it was during the Dark Ages, 15:20 in all the times of the work of the Holy Spirit. 15:22 The Holy Spirit first works to bring us 15:24 to a conscious awareness of our need of God. 15:28 And then when we respond, 15:31 then we are inviting 15:32 the Spirit of God into our lives, so now first. 15:36 Bring us to a knowledge of our need, 15:38 then we give our lives to the Lord and are justified, 15:40 then we are filled by the fruit of the Spirit. 15:43 Then, we are then qualified to work for the Lord 15:46 by being filled by the gift of the Spirit. 15:49 And here is the way to, the best way to understand it. 15:52 He first works on us before He works in us 15:56 and before He can work through us. 15:59 He has to work on us before He can work in us 16:04 to finally work through us. 16:05 Let me make the point. 16:07 There are some people that say, 16:08 the Spirit of God is working through them 16:10 when the evidence says 16:12 that he is not even working in them. 16:15 And you'll find in the Bible many examples of that, 16:17 or some examples in particular 16:19 and one I'll talk about in the moment 16:20 when the apostles were manifesting 16:22 the power of the Spirit of God. 16:24 There was one who saw what the Spirit of God 16:27 was able to do and he says, where can I get it? 16:30 I need that. 16:32 He saw the Spirit as something 16:33 He wanted to use and I said a moment ago, 16:36 the Spirit is not what we use but we are used by the Spirit. 16:41 So look at the word there, what's the word that's missing? 16:44 What characteristic does the Bible connect? 16:45 He can be what? 16:47 He can be grieved and the grieving process 16:50 is something that you'll see in just a moment 16:52 how dangerous it really is to grieve the Holy Spirit. 16:57 What happened in the days of Noah, 16:59 and we'll get to that in the moment, 17:01 I would have put that back-to-back, 17:02 but I want to kind of milk that and get to that eventually. 17:06 Can a person... 17:08 Can a force be grieved? Yes or no? 17:12 No, you can't grieve a force. 17:16 What would you have to have in order to be grieved? 17:21 Say it again, emotions. 17:23 You have to have emotions for somebody to be grieved, 17:25 for someone to be upset. 17:27 And I could use the word here, this is... 17:31 I want to use correctly, 17:33 this is when divinity becomes upset with humanity 17:36 and then draws a line 17:39 over which humanity can no longer pass. 17:42 Some of the examples in the Bible 17:43 is when Nebuchadnezzar, 17:46 and the Bible doesn't say he grieved the Spirit of God, 17:48 but he got to the point where the voice of God 17:51 who had repeatedly been spoken to him, 17:53 he ignored that, 17:54 it went beyond the bound that God established, 17:56 and then he spent seven years as a beast. 17:59 But the Lord allowed him to be brought low, 18:01 so that one day he can be brought up high. 18:03 So therefore, he did not permanently grieve 18:05 the Holy Spirit, 18:07 but he passed the boundary that God had established. 18:09 The grieving here is such an infraction 18:13 because only through the Spirit can we be sealed. 18:18 Some translation says, 18:19 sealed to the day of redemption or for the day of redemption. 18:23 The sealing process is done by the Holy Spirit. 18:26 So now, let's think about tape 18:29 for a moment and we use an example. 18:31 If I'm packing packages that are to be shipped 18:35 and someone throws away all the tape, 18:37 can I seal the box? 18:41 I can fold it over 18:43 but will what's inside be secure, yes or no? 18:48 When trucks are on the highway, these long 18 wheelers, 18:52 and they pick up their cargo at the ship docks, 18:54 and they transport it to their destinations. 18:56 There's something on the back 18:57 that's always there to let you know 18:59 that what you signed for is still in that container. 19:02 What is it called? 19:03 A seal. 19:05 If the seal is broken, 19:06 then you can question the content. 19:08 In the very same way, the work of the Holy Spirit 19:12 is to seal in us the work of redemption 19:15 that God has been doing on us. 19:16 So once again, He works on us, then He works in us, 19:21 so that He can work how? 19:23 Through us. 19:24 And if we grieve Him, 19:25 that process could never be accomplished. 19:27 All right, question number three. 19:29 Question number three. 19:31 In what three areas does 19:34 the Holy Spirit bring conviction? 19:37 Let's go to John 16. 19:39 I want you to turn that with me 19:40 because I'm not going to just finish 19:42 with what's on the screen, 19:43 I'm going to give you more than what's on the screen. 19:44 Go to John 16:8, right? 19:49 Right, because we read verse 7 a moment ago, 19:52 but we're going to break down, after we answer the question 19:55 we're going to go to the areas particularly 19:58 and see what these three things are all about. 20:03 One of the reasons why 20:05 and I'm bordering on giving you the answer 20:06 but I'm not doing it yet. 20:08 One of the reasons why 20:11 the antediluvian world was lost is 20:15 because through the preaching of Noah, 20:18 there was a constant appeal to the people of Noah's day. 20:22 And the only reason they ended up 20:23 on the outside of the ark is because they grieved. 20:27 They got to the point where they crossed the border, 20:29 and the voice of God that would have been strong 20:31 at the very beginning got to the point 20:33 where they no longer even heard the voice of God. 20:36 They grieved God's voice. 20:37 Now look at the answer here in John 16 20:40 and after we read the verse, 20:41 we're going to go to some other answers. 20:42 Here it is. 20:44 The Bible reads as follows, "And when he has come," 20:46 notice once again, He, "He will do" what? 20:49 "Convict the world of sin." Write that down under A. 20:53 Convict the world of sin is the first answer 20:56 and then what else? 20:57 "Righteousness" and the third one 20:59 and of what else? 21:01 "Judgment." Write those three down. 21:03 In what three areas does 21:05 the Holy Spirit bring conviction? 21:08 Now, the first one sin is the working on us, 21:13 is the working on us, 21:15 of righteousness is the working in us. 21:20 You notice that. 21:22 The conviction of sin is the working on us, 21:26 the righteousness is the working in us, 21:29 and in the judgment, 21:32 depending on what category you fall into, 21:33 it could be working through us or working for us. 21:37 So these are not exactly falling 21:39 in the line of the comparison I made earlier, 21:41 but these are the three categories. 21:43 He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. 21:46 Write that down A, B and C. 21:48 And then let's go and look at the verses in the Bible. 21:50 Let's look at verse 9, 21:52 and we're going to go down to verse 11. 21:56 Notice what? 21:57 Verse 9 says, "Of sin" because they do not what? 22:01 "Believe in me." Let's pause on that. 22:06 Let's go to verse 10 a moment again. 22:08 Of righteousness because I go to My Father 22:10 and you will see Me no more, of judgment 22:14 because the ruler of this world is who? 22:18 Judge? Who's the ruler of this world? 22:19 Satan is. 22:21 In this very context Jesus is giving His last message 22:24 before He is ascending, before He leaves the world. 22:27 He's given the disciples the work 22:28 that they have to do, 22:30 what they're going to go forth to do to the world, 22:31 and He's letting them know 22:33 that through you the world will be convicted of sin, 22:36 if the Spirit of God is working through your ministry, 22:39 the world will be convicted of sin. 22:41 Secondly, they need to know the way of righteousness. 22:44 And thirdly, He's saying to them, 22:46 the power that will be manifested in you 22:49 can be manifested because I placed a limit 22:52 on the work of the prince of this world. 22:55 Now, the devil if he wanted to, he can destroy us tonight, 22:57 but he cannot, praise the Lord for that. 22:59 He cannot take our lives 23:00 because God has placed a limit on him. 23:03 There's a boundary beyond which he cannot go, 23:05 but look at this again. 23:09 Of sin because they do not believe in Me. 23:12 What great evidence today do we have in the world 23:14 and I don't often ask for answers, 23:16 but let me just kind of set the stage 23:18 because the answer is so open-ended. 23:20 Which one is easier to believe 23:22 that we were created accidentally, 23:24 that we were the result of an explosion, 23:27 or that what we were created by an intelligent being, 23:30 which one is easier to believe? 23:34 Why? Because we all express what? 23:39 Okay, let me ask another question. 23:41 Say it again. We all express intelligent. 23:43 Let me just take it another way. 23:46 Which one would you better identify with, 23:48 you are the result of an explosive accident, 23:51 or you are the product of a grand divine design, 23:54 which one would you prefer? 23:56 We're grand design. 23:57 If you look at the way 23:58 that God has created any one of us. 24:00 The reason the Lord has said here that, 24:03 of sin because they do not believe in Me. 24:07 What does that have to do with anything? 24:09 Let's go to John 3:16. 24:12 What does that have to do with anything? 24:14 Okay. 24:16 Do you know that text? Does anybody know it? 24:19 Okay. 24:21 Remember that because they do not believe in Me. 24:25 What happens 24:26 when they do not believe in Him? 24:28 What's the result? Okay, they perish. 24:31 So Jesus is saying, the sin exist 24:33 because they don't believe in Me, 24:35 and the end result will occur, judgment. 24:40 When they don't believe in Me, 24:41 the end result is inevitable, judgment. 24:44 But we're going to see more as we go on. 24:46 They don't believe in Me, therefore those 24:48 who do not believe in Me will perish. 24:51 And of judgment 24:53 because the ruler of this world is judged, 24:57 not will be judged but is judged. 25:00 There was something that Jesus was about to do 25:03 that will bring about judgment. 25:04 Go with me to Revelation 12 25:07 that will bring about judgment of the prince of this world. 25:12 And one of the reasons why the devil tried to stop Him 25:15 in His earthly ministry is because he knew 25:17 that if Jesus accomplished this that his judgment would come. 25:21 Look at Revelation 12. All right. 25:26 And we are going to go to verse 10. 25:29 And by the way, you'll see the context of this. 25:34 Revelation 12:10, 25:37 this is the judgment that Satan was hoping to avoid. 25:42 Revelation 12:10, and the Bible says, 25:44 then I heard a loud voice saying where? 25:48 In heaven, now salvation and strength, 25:52 and the kingdom of our God and the power of His Christ 25:56 has come for the," together 25:59 "accuser of our brethren 26:01 who accuses them before our God day 26:05 and night has been cast" what? 26:07 "Cast down." 26:08 Now, get this, pause for moment. 26:10 He was cast out in the beginning 26:12 but now he's cast down. 26:14 What brought him down, look at the very next verse. 26:17 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, 26:20 and by the word of their testimony, 26:22 and they did not love their lives to the death 26:25 until the blood of Jesus was shed." 26:28 Satan was only cast out. 26:31 When the blood of Jesus was shed, he was cast down. 26:35 Look at the very next verse. 26:37 This is the chronology, look at this. 26:40 Verse 12, "Therefore rejoice," why? 26:42 Because he's been cast out, 26:44 because by the blood of Jesus they overcame the wicked one. 26:48 And look at what the Bible says, 26:49 "Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! 26:52 But woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! 26:55 For the devil has come down unto you," having what? 26:58 "Great wrath, 26:59 because he knows he has a" what? 27:01 "Short time." That's the judgment. 27:04 He knows his time is short, 27:06 because of the blood of Jesus he knows his time is short. 27:10 So the work of the Holy Spirit here, 27:12 the conviction of sin, and of righteousness, 27:14 and of judgment is not only effective 27:18 in the world today, but has been effected, 27:21 has been effective from the day that sin entered the world. 27:24 Let's look at the next question to see the evidence of that. 27:27 Question number four. Question number four. 27:33 All right. Here it is. 27:37 How did the Holy Spirit work on the hearts 27:40 of mankind in Noah's day? 27:42 Let's go to Genesis 6:3. 27:47 Genesis 6 and we're going 27:48 to look together at verse 3. 27:54 Right, look at verse 3. 28:01 I'm there. 28:03 Although I have the text on the screen, 28:05 I'm going to look at that together. 28:07 Right, here it is. 28:13 And the Lord said, "My" what? 28:17 "Spirit shall not strive with man forever, 28:22 for he is indeed flesh, yet his days shall be" what? 28:27 "One hundred and twenty years." 28:30 Now, you find here clearly, 28:32 let's put the answer together first. 28:34 How did the Spirit work 28:36 on the hearts of mankind in Noah's day? 28:38 What did he do? Strove. 28:43 S-T-R-O-V-E, 28:45 I won't always strive but he strove with men, 28:47 that means he combated with man's heart. 28:49 In other words, he was working on mankind, 28:52 but mankind was not receptive to the work of the Holy Spirit. 28:55 So therefore they ended up on the outside of the ark. 28:58 In other words, he says, 29:00 I'm not going to do this forever, 29:01 there is a time limit. 29:03 There's a time limit to the work 29:05 that God is going to do. 29:06 And what time limit did the Bible indicate 29:09 from the time that this is proclaimed, 29:10 what time limit did the Bible give? 29:12 How long that it give? Noah preached for how long? 29:16 A hundred and twenty years, and that's a long time. 29:21 His sons were born, they helped him build the ark. 29:24 And the Lord says, 29:25 "There's a time limit to the work 29:26 of the Spirit of God on this generation." 29:29 Now, considering that people live 29:31 for hundreds of years, 29:32 there are some people that probably live 29:34 from the time Noah began to built 29:36 until the flood came, 29:38 and they did not respond to the message, 29:40 that's the sad reality 29:41 and they ended up on the outside of the ark. 29:44 But the key that we wanted to bring out here 29:46 is the Spirit of God strives with man, strives with man. 29:51 Now, how does he do that? 29:54 There are some individuals 29:56 that after giving their hearts to God, 29:59 they said, you know, I was battling with, 30:02 I was struggling with, last week I was convicted of, 30:07 you know, I finally, I'm finally giving in. 30:10 Those things don't happen except the Spirit of God is 30:14 at work to bring conviction to someone's life. 30:16 Go to John. Go with me to John 3. 30:22 John 3. 30:28 Okay. 30:31 John 3. 30:33 And we're going to look together, 30:34 add an example of how this works. 30:38 John 3. 30:39 This is the conversation 30:40 that Jesus is having with Nicodemus, with who? 30:43 Nicodemus. 30:44 And he's going to talk about this. 30:45 Now, the reason why I'm bringing this here is 30:47 because a lot of times people say, 30:49 I was born again on March 4, 1996. 30:54 And we say that may be 30:56 when you decided to give your life 30:57 for the Lord, 30:58 but that's not when the work began. 31:02 Somebody may say, I was married on May 22, 1983, 31:05 but that was not the day you fell in love. 31:08 The work began already before that. 31:11 Somebody would say, my house was... 31:13 We stepped into our new home 31:16 on January 1, 2015, 31:20 but that's not when the building started. 31:23 There's always a process 31:24 leading up to a point of acknowledgement. 31:26 Here's the point. 31:27 The striving of the Spirit of God. 31:29 Notice, how the Bible describes this. 31:31 John 3:5, let's start there. 31:35 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you," 31:39 speaking to Nicodemus, "Unless one is born of" what? 31:43 "Water and the Spirit, 31:45 he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 31:47 That which is born of the flesh is" what? 31:50 "Flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is" what? 31:52 "Spirit. 31:54 Do not marvel that I say to you 'You must be" what? 31:57 "Born again." 31:58 Now notice, he's going to talk about the process. 32:01 This is why when we select dates 32:03 of our new birth, 32:04 that may be the day we were baptized, 32:05 but that's not when the work began. 32:08 Look at this. Look at this. 32:10 "The wind blows where it wishes, 32:13 and you hear the sound of it, 32:16 but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. 32:21 So is everyone who is born of the" what? 32:24 "Spirit." You can't tell. 32:26 You don't know when it started, 32:27 like for example in the Midwest here 32:29 we get wind warnings. 32:32 We look at the Doppler, 32:33 and we have weather radios and they say, 32:36 there's a chance of severe weather, 32:37 but we look at the way it's moving, 32:39 the direction it's going and we say, 32:40 "It might hit us, it might miss us." 32:43 And then many of us say, 32:44 "Well, they always say it's going to be a bad storm," 32:46 and sometimes it is. 32:48 But we don't know, and when we look at that, 32:50 if you looked at that four days earlier, 32:52 you'll see it crossing the plains of, 32:55 leaving Nevada or Utah, 32:57 then crossing over into Colorado, 33:01 then you'll see and sometimes it say, 33:02 "Well, it's a jet stream that came down from Canada, 33:05 or a jet stream that came up from Mexico, 33:08 or from the Caribbean." 33:09 It starts somewhere, we don't know where it began 33:13 but we know when it gets to us, 33:15 and the point I'm making is this. 33:16 We don't know when the Spirit of God 33:18 began to work on us, 33:20 but a person that comes to giving his 33:22 or her life to the Lord after 25 years of prayer. 33:26 It didn't begin at the 25th year. 33:28 The Spirit has been striving 33:30 with that person and praise God, 33:31 God has been giving them time. 33:33 Look at number five. 33:35 The striving process is a lengthy one, 33:38 and when that person responds, it's all in God's timing. 33:42 Question number five. 33:44 What work does 33:46 the Holy Spirit perform in our behalf? 33:49 Let's look at Romans 8:26. 33:52 This one is interesting, 33:54 in that it reveals something that we often miss. 33:57 It's one of those scriptures that are... 34:02 That include, we often read Romans 8:28, 34:04 "And we know that all things work together for good 34:06 to those who" what? 34:07 "Love God." 34:09 We know that scripture almost by heart. 34:10 But Romans 8:26 reveal 34:12 something about the work of the Spirit 34:14 and it also corrects something that's incorrect and exercise 34:18 that many Christians are involved in. 34:21 Let's look at the question and the answer. 34:22 What work does the Holy Spirit perform 34:24 in our behalf Romans 8:26. 34:28 The Bible says, "Likewise..." 34:31 Let's look at the screen together 34:32 'cause I want you to emphasize the one that's yellow. 34:34 "Likewise the Spirit" what? "Helps our" what? 34:38 "In our weakness. 34:39 For we do not know 34:41 what we should pray for as we ought, 34:45 but the Spirit Himself" together 34:47 "makes intercession for us" 34:50 together "with groanings which cannot be uttered." 34:56 So let me ask you the question. 34:58 Can we utter 35:01 what the Spirit Himself is able to utter? 35:04 Yes or no? So let's put it this way. 35:08 You can bring the scripture down now. 35:10 Let's put it this way. 35:12 There is a work 35:14 that the Spirit does that we cannot do, 35:16 and there is work that we are called to do 35:18 that the Spirit is not called to accomplish. 35:20 This utterance, 35:22 and I want to use this to kind of lay 35:23 the foundation for the further study 35:25 about the work of the Holy Spirit. 35:28 There's a phrase and let's put these down together. 35:30 Let's answer the question first. 35:31 What work does 35:33 the Spirit perform in our behalf? 35:35 He makes what? He makes intercession. 35:39 And when it says, "He helps our weakness, 35:40 for we do not know 35:42 what we should pray for as we ought." 35:43 Reminds me of the children that run to their parents 35:46 and they ask some of the most ridiculous things. 35:49 And the parent says to them, 35:52 "That's not really what you need, 35:54 that's not really what you want." 35:55 When I was growing up, 35:57 I asked my dad for a Honda Accord 35:59 when they first came out in 1976, 36:01 I'll never forget that story. 36:02 I was so excited about the Honda Accord 36:04 when they first came out with four doors. 36:06 I said, "Papa, I need a Honda Accord." 36:09 And what I didn't know 36:11 is he didn't like foreign cars at all, 36:12 particularly Japanese cars, 36:14 because he was raised in an era 36:16 when America was at war with Japan. 36:18 So he said, "I'm not buying any Japanese junk." 36:20 So I had to change my story. 36:21 Now today, it's not Japanese junk. 36:24 But he said, "That's not what you need. 36:28 What do you want?" I said, "I need a Honda." 36:30 He said, "No, what you mean is a car." 36:32 So I changed my tune, I said, "Okay, I want a Buick." 36:34 I found out he liked Buicks, he liked American cars, 36:37 and I didn't get that either. 36:42 But what he did was gave me a $1, 000 36:43 and I went out and put it down on a Japanese Toyota 36:47 which lasted for us many years until we replaced 36:50 where we finally get a new vehicle. 36:52 The point I'm making is, what we ask for 36:54 and what we get is what this text is all about. 36:58 Sometimes we pray and say, "Lord, I need a job." 37:01 And we get upset 37:03 when God doesn't give us the job that we go 37:05 to get interviewed for. 37:07 But what the Holy Spirit knows is that we need a job, 37:10 but what the Spirit of God is able to do is to see 37:14 beyond the present need we have to what may happen 37:19 if we get that particular job. 37:22 So we will go for a job interview 37:23 and somebody will say, 37:25 "You know, I've been on nine job interviews 37:27 in two months and I did not get a single job." 37:29 You know why? 37:31 Because the Spirit knows that we do not know 37:34 what we should pray for, or how we should pray. 37:37 So sometimes we are saying, "I need that job." 37:38 But the Lord says, "No, you need a job 37:41 that won't cause you to work on the Sabbath." 37:45 So far all the jobs you've interviewed 37:46 for will require you to work on the Sabbath. 37:48 So the Spirit now takes that prayer and says, 37:51 "Lord, so and so needs a job, 37:55 but one that's in harmony with Your will." 37:58 So while they're praying just for a job, 38:00 and here's the point, 38:01 the Lord will never give you a job 38:03 that will lead you to violate His commandments. 38:06 So that's why it says, "For we do not know 38:08 what we should pray for as we ought." 38:10 So what happens is the Spirit now takes that 38:13 and he communicates with the Father in a way 38:15 that we cannot communicate, in a way that we cannot, 38:18 with groanings which cannot be uttered. 38:20 And by the way, 38:21 there is no secret prayer language. 38:23 Can you say amen to that? 38:25 Some people think, "Well, there's a prayer language. 38:27 If I could just speak in tongues, 38:29 then the devil won't be able to hear what I'm saying." 38:31 There is no prayer language 38:34 that camouflage communication between you and God. 38:37 If man could do it, the devil could understand it. 38:40 We'll talk about that in just a moment. 38:42 But this is something that is done 38:43 by the Spirit of God and get the point, 38:46 which cannot be uttered, which means, we cannot do it. 38:50 All right. 38:52 Let's go to the very next question. 38:53 Question number six. 38:55 We're moving right along, 38:56 but as I said, don't expect to get to 20 tonight. 38:59 All right. 39:00 Don't expect to get to 20 tonight. 39:03 All right. 39:05 What does the Spirit have 39:08 that enables His ministry? 39:12 What does the Spirit have 39:15 that enables His ministry? 39:20 Wow! 39:21 This is the very next verse, 39:22 but we have to turn there to understand this. 39:28 What does the Spirit, 39:30 the Holy Spirit have that enables His ministry? 39:33 More specifically, I could term it another way. 39:35 What does He have 39:36 that we don't that enables Him to minister 39:40 in our behalf? 39:41 Now, that was a long question, that's why I narrowed it down 39:43 because I couldn't get all that on the screen. 39:45 But what does He possess that enables Him to minister 39:49 in our behalf? 39:50 Let's go to the answer in Romans 8:27. 39:53 Here it is. 39:54 Now, I'll break down some of the genders 39:56 that are mentioned here. 39:57 Now here it is. 39:59 "Now he who searches the hearts know 40:02 what the mind of the Spirit is, 40:06 because he makes intercession for the saints 40:10 according to the will of God." 40:11 Now, this is a powerful context here. 40:13 Now, he who searches the hearts. 40:16 Who searches the hearts? 40:22 Now, you've got to get this. 40:23 He who searches the heart knows 40:25 what the mind of the Spirit is. 40:27 God searches our hearts. 40:29 The Father is searching our hearts. 40:32 But He and the Spirit are on the same plane. 40:36 He knows the mind of the Spirit. 40:40 So therefore, the mind of the Spirit 40:42 and God the Father are on the same plane, 40:47 which enables Him to minister for us 40:49 in the fact that our mind and God's mind 40:52 is not on the same plane, 40:53 that's why later on the Apostle Paul said, 40:55 "Let this mind be in you which is also in Christ Jesus." 40:59 He has a connection with God that we don't have, 41:01 therefore He's able to make intercession 41:05 according to the will of God. 41:06 Now, let's go to 1 John, 41:08 let me show you a particular prayer. 41:12 The reason why prayers get answered. 41:13 Let me show you this, 1 John 3. 41:18 Okay. Okay, 1 John 5. 41:24 Have you ever prayed 41:26 and your prayer didn't get answered? 41:28 Come on, talk to me, yes or no? 41:29 Yes. Okay. 41:31 Well, there is no such thing. All prayers get answered. 41:35 There is no such thing as an unanswered prayer. 41:37 God just doesn't answer it the way that 41:40 we wanted to be answered, but there is no such thing 41:43 as an unanswered prayer. 41:44 Now, there's a prayer that, you know, the Bible says, 41:46 "He who turns his ear from hearing the law, 41:48 even his prayer is an abomination." 41:50 But there is no such thing as an unanswered prayer. 41:52 Here's the key. 41:53 Now, I'm going to use it in the context of this 41:56 because the Holy Spirit makes intercession 41:59 according to the what? 42:01 Talk to me, according to the what? 42:03 According to the will of God. 42:06 So the intercession, the communication between Him 42:08 and God for us is according to God's will. 42:12 Now, look at this text. 42:13 Maybe it will come into clearer picture here. 42:16 1 John 5:14. 42:19 Now this is the... 42:20 What's the next word? 42:22 Confidence that we have in Him, 42:25 that if we ask anything according to what? 42:31 His will, He what? Hears us. 42:34 Now, what does the Holy Spirit do here? 42:37 He makes intercession 42:38 for the saints according to what? 42:40 The will of God. 42:42 And the Bible says, 42:43 "If we ask anything according to God's will, He what? 42:47 Hears us. 42:49 But let's look at the next part. 42:52 And if we know that He hears us whatever we ask, 42:57 we know that we have 43:01 the petition that we ask of Him. 43:04 Now get this. 43:05 If we ask according to what? According to what? 43:08 Say, talk to me, according to what? 43:10 His Word. Let's say together, what? 43:12 His will. 43:13 Now, if every prayer we prayed was according to God's will, 43:19 there will be no such thing as an unanswered prayer. 43:22 It will always be responded to because He says, 43:25 if we know, it's in harmony with God's will, 43:29 He hears us and then 43:30 we have the petition that we ask. 43:38 You know what the scripture says. 43:40 So if you pray according to God's will, 43:41 will He say no? 43:44 What are two other possibilities now? 43:47 He didn't say no. Okay, say it again. 43:49 Wait and yes. 43:51 Yes doesn't mean now, 43:53 it means, yes, sometimes now 43:56 and, or sometimes yes and wait, but the key is, 43:59 if we pray according to God's will. 44:00 Now, here's where the Spirit comes in, 44:02 and I want to make this very clear. 44:04 Sometimes we pray 44:05 but it's not in harmony with God's will, 44:07 so the Spirit says, 44:09 "Father, this is really what Yannick needs." 44:14 So I'm packaging this in harmony 44:19 with Your will for Yannick. 44:22 So that his heart can be softened to receive 44:25 it according to Your will. 44:27 Somebody once said to me, 44:29 "I was praying for a job and I got the job." 44:33 We didn't see them again. 44:35 And we said, "What happened?" 44:37 They said, "We have to work on Saturdays." 44:40 Did God give them that job? Come on. 44:42 No, God never answers a prayer to violate His commandments. 44:48 But it was a test, 44:51 and they did not endure the test. 44:52 So the key is, the Spirit works in harmony 44:54 with the will of God, so sometimes when we pray, 44:57 the reason why this text is here is it saying to us, 44:59 "Don't lose heart 45:00 because even when you don't know 45:02 what you should pray for, 45:04 the Spirit of God 45:05 is still working in our behalf." 45:06 Amen, somebody? He still works in our behalf. 45:10 Go to question number seven. Question number seven. 45:17 Even when we don't know what we should pray for, 45:20 He's still working in our behalf. 45:23 All right. 45:26 How important is it to respond to the promptings 45:31 of the Holy Spirit? 45:33 How important is it to respond 45:36 to the promptings of the Holy Spirit? 45:39 Question number seven. How important is it? 45:43 We'll all answer with what phrase? 45:46 Very important. 45:49 Let's even go further than that. 45:52 Imperative, let's go even further than that, 45:54 of eternal importance. 45:57 All right. 45:59 Matthew 12:31. Matthew 12:31. 46:05 Wow. 46:09 This text was used to preach so many sermons. 46:13 Some call the unpardonable sin. 46:17 Other terminologies were given, 46:18 but look what the Bible says here. 46:20 And by the way turn to Matthew, 46:22 because there's a verse leading up to this. 46:26 I know you are. I'm getting there. 46:28 That's kind of like a, let me catch up 46:29 with you kind of terminology. 46:32 I saw you all turning, but I'm there now, all right. 46:36 Matthew 12:31. 46:40 Let's go ahead and I'm going to read... 46:46 Yeah, let's start with verse 31 46:47 and that will come on the screen. 46:49 Here it is. 46:50 "Therefore I say to you..." 46:53 Let's say next word together. 46:55 "Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, 47:01 but the blasphemy against the Spirit 47:05 will not be forgiven men." 47:09 Now you find one word that's... 47:13 In the beginning of a statement 47:15 that's also included in reference 47:16 to the Spirit of God, the word is blasphemy. 47:21 Now blasphemy, if you look at the Bible, 47:23 it's used in terms, 47:25 and matter of fact the Jews 47:27 accused Jesus of being blasphemous. 47:29 They said to Him, 47:31 "You being man say that you are God." 47:34 And then on the other terminology, 47:35 they said that 47:36 "How can You, no man can forgive sin but God." 47:40 So on those two terminologies, they try to indict Jesus 47:43 as being blasphemous, 47:45 but what is being referred to here is not men 47:49 taking the place of God, or men trying to forgive sins, 47:52 but what is being talked about here is when you... 47:56 Oh, this is a powerful text. 47:57 It's not just when you ignore the Spirit of God, 48:01 but when you fight against the convicting power 48:06 of the Spirit of God, 48:08 when you almost strive to resist as... 48:13 Such a powerful force here in the context of the verse, 48:16 this is put together almost in the battlements sense 48:19 that I don't want to hear, I don't want to believe that, 48:21 I'm not going to receive it, I don't care what you say. 48:24 It's a constant, 48:26 it's a persistent refusal, resistance. 48:28 I don't really care what you have to say. 48:31 I saw a commercial that really brought... 48:34 I saw a commercial that really emphasizes this to the hilt. 48:40 And I won't mention his name. 48:43 Well, it's on television, okay, I'll mention his name, 48:45 Ron Reagan, the son of former Ronald Reagan. 48:49 I'm Ron Reagan and avowed atheist. 48:51 And I'd like you to join me in my movement 48:55 of freedom from religion. 48:58 He wants to start a movement freedom from religion. 49:02 He wants to stop 49:03 the intrusion of Christianity in the government. 49:06 Now we believe in church and state being separate, 49:08 but he said freedom from religion. 49:10 And then he ends the commercial by saying, 49:13 "I am unashamed, avowed atheist, 49:16 who is not afraid to burn in hell." 49:22 That's this text. 49:23 "I am unashamed, avowed atheist, 49:26 and I'm not ashamed, 49:27 and I'm not afraid to burn in hell." 49:30 That's what this is. 49:32 When you verbally say that, I'm not afraid to burn in hell, 49:36 you know the judge, 49:37 you are expressing the judgment to come, 49:40 but in his pea brain, 49:43 he doesn't have a clue of what he's talking about, 49:47 because he's not going to be, 49:48 "Hey, guys, that's kind of hot, ooh, look out, be careful." 49:52 Don't want to even be light on that topic. 49:53 He's speaking about his eternal... 49:55 He's speaking about his eternal destiny, he says, 49:58 "I'm unashamed, avowed atheist, 49:59 and I'm not afraid to burn in hell." 50:01 I have it on my phone, 50:02 I taped it and I thought to myself, 50:04 "How could somebody actually promulgate 50:06 and proliferate that throughout the world." 50:09 But that is what I'm talking about. 50:10 They are so recalcitrant 50:13 against the work of the Spirit of God 50:15 that they know their destiny and they said, 50:17 "I've accepted my fate, I'm gonna burn in hell, 50:20 bring it on." 50:22 That's blasphemy against the Spirit of God. 50:24 So, can God's Spirit do anything for him? 50:28 Yes or no? 50:30 Because he said, "I know where I'm going, 50:33 I'm ready to go there. 50:35 When the hellfires come, I'm not afraid of it, 50:37 just bring it on." 50:40 He shuts the door. Now, closed the door. 50:44 Now, whether or not he has crossed the boundary, 50:49 he actually has advertised that, 50:50 but whether or not 50:52 God can break through his foolish mind 50:54 is still to be seen. 50:55 I'm not saying he's going to end up in hell, 50:57 but to say that is somewhat of an indication 51:00 that I don't really want to hear anything 51:02 that God has to say, 51:03 I've chosen my direction. 51:08 Thank you, honey, and the Lord is not willing 51:10 that any should perish, 51:11 but that all should come to repentance. 51:13 Now, somewhere along the way maybe, 51:16 maybe if circumstances change, there might be a chance. 51:19 But I tell you, that's as close 51:21 as I've ever heard somebody say, 51:23 I really don't care and I want you to join me 51:28 in my campaign against religion in America or in politics. 51:33 Wow! 51:34 The point of the matter is, don't, 51:36 when you hear the voice of God as one person once said, 51:38 when a child hears a voice and parents know this 51:41 or they might say... 51:44 Timothy. 51:47 Oh, Timothy. Timothy. 51:51 Are you there, Timothy? Yes, mom. 51:57 Timothy, I've called you four times already, 51:59 you haven't responded. 52:00 Are you there, Timothy? 52:02 Timothy, are you here today? 52:04 Timothy, if you're here, 52:06 come here for a moment please? 52:08 Timothy. 52:10 Oh, Timothy, I'm serious. Come on down here. 52:15 Come here, Timothy, 52:17 you know how long he's heard me. 52:21 Come over here, Timothy. Oh, no, not with the glasses. 52:25 Timothy, he finally responded to my call after six times. 52:30 Did you hear me call you the first time? 52:33 Yeah. And what happened? 52:35 I heard you. You heard me, right? 52:37 But you didn't think I was serious, right? 52:39 You thought I was kidding, 52:41 when did you decide I was serious. 52:43 About the fifth or sixth time. 52:45 Okay. Okay. 52:47 That's what I meant, that's what I'm talking about. 52:49 People, they say, 52:50 "I heard God's voice, but did He really mean me." 52:54 You know, the Bible says, 52:55 "You'll hear a voice behind you say 52:57 this is the way, walk in it." 53:00 Samuel heard the voice of the Lord say, 53:02 speak Lord for your what? 53:03 Servant heareth. 53:05 When you hear the voice, don't ignore it 53:08 because it's a still small voice. 53:10 God doesn't often speak in the thunder 53:13 and in the lightning, 53:14 sometimes He speaks in a still small voice 53:17 and the prompting will come to your heart sometimes 53:19 and you'll say, "Ah. 53:22 I know God's talking to me," 53:23 but then we turn that voice off. 53:26 And that's where we move in the direction 53:29 where we can possibly grieve the Spirit of God, 53:31 and then what happens is that very voice 53:34 that we have chosen not to listen to 53:36 is the voice one day we wish we would hear. 53:39 Wow! 53:40 Let's go to question number eight. 53:43 How important is it to respond? 53:45 You can grieve the Spirit of God. 53:47 That can be a blasphemous decision 53:49 to turn away from the voice of God's Holy Spirit. 53:53 Number eight. Number eight. Wow! 53:59 In what position does the Bible categorize 54:03 the Holy Spirit to be? 54:07 In what position... 54:08 Let's go to Acts 5. 54:10 In what position does the Bible categorize 54:14 the Holy Spirit to be? 54:17 Let's go to Acts 5. 54:20 The story is the beginning of the birth 54:22 of the New Testament church. 54:26 They were pulling their administration together, 54:29 they were pulling their resources together, 54:32 people were poor, some people were without possessions, 54:35 and one Sabbath 54:38 or whether during the week 54:40 or whenever the campaign was made, 54:42 the call was, 54:43 how many of you want to donate 54:44 what you have and the call was made, 54:46 and people started raising their hands, 54:48 "I got some property, I'll sell it." 54:50 And a man by the name of Ananias 54:52 and his wife Sapphira said, 54:54 "I've got some land, 54:55 seem like nothing's happening with it, 54:57 so we'll go ahead and sell it and whatever comes in, 54:59 we'll give it to the church." 55:04 Whenever you make that dedication to give 55:06 what you have to God, 55:08 God blesses it and multiplies it. 55:10 So God blessed and multiplied 55:11 what Ananias and Sapphira had 55:14 and they came when everyone was bringing in their gifts, 55:17 and their alms, and their offerings, 55:19 and they lined up and one day time came 55:22 to give in the offering. 55:24 Look at the story, Acts 5, I'm going to go over, 55:26 but don't bring the text up on the screen yet. 55:29 Verse 2, it says, 55:30 "But he kept back part of the proceeds, 55:32 his wife also being aware of it, 55:35 and brought a certain part 55:36 and laid it at the apostles' feet." 55:38 Now, bring the text up. 55:39 But Peter said, "Ananias, 55:42 why has Satan 55:47 filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit 55:51 and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?" 55:56 And look at verse 4, 55:58 "While it remained, was it not your own? 56:01 And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? 56:06 Why have you conceived this thing in your heart?" 56:10 Together, "You have not lied to men but to God." 56:14 In what category did 56:17 the Bible put the Holy Spirit, God. 56:22 You lied to the Holy Spirit, you lied to God. 56:24 When we lie, we lie to God. 56:28 When the Holy Spirit appeals to us 56:29 and we refuse to respond, we are lying to God. 56:33 So now, if you lie to God, are there going to be results? 56:37 Well, we know what happened. 56:39 We know what happened. I'll just go and wind up. 56:41 I won't go to the next question for tonight, 56:43 but I'll go and wind up the story 56:44 since we have just about a minute or so left. 56:47 It says in verse 5, 56:50 "Then Ananias, hearing these words, 56:52 fell down and breathed his last." 56:55 He died. 56:56 I had a sermon called heart attacks in holy places. 56:59 This is it. 57:00 "So great fear came upon all those 57:02 who heard these things. 57:04 And the young men arose, the deacons arose, 57:07 and wrapped him up, carried him out, 57:09 and buried him. 57:10 Now it was about three hours later" in verse 7, 57:14 "when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened." 57:17 She told the same lie. 57:19 In verse 8, "And Peter answered her, 57:21 "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?" 57:24 And she said, "Yes, for so much." 57:27 And she died. 57:28 And verse 10, I'm going to go and read it 57:29 because our time is running. 57:31 "She fell down and breathed her last breath. 57:34 And they came and carried her out 57:36 and buried her by her husband." 57:38 So what happened here is a sad story, 57:41 as the church was beginning to be formed. 57:43 Now the reason why this happened was God 57:44 didn't want the church to think 57:46 that they could lie to the Holy Spirit 57:48 and still have a successful walk with God. 57:50 So, friends, as you think about this topic in the way 57:52 that God is working on your life 57:53 and working in your heart, 57:55 you may say, is God speaking to my heart the way 57:58 that He spoke to Ananias and Sapphira. 57:59 And I tell you what? 58:01 If it doesn't make sense, keep studying, 58:02 one day it will come into a sharper focus. 58:04 God bless you. |
Revised 2018-05-17