Participants: Carlton P. Byrd
Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000118
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00:05 ♪ (Theme Song) ♪ ♪ Jesus is worthy ♪
00:11 ♪ oh yes, he's worthy ♪ ♪ worthy of all... ♪ 00:18 ♪ all the praise ♪ (Theme) 00:21 Pastor Byrd: Acts 2:1 says, "And when the day of Pentecost 00:23 was fully come, they [the disciples] 00:25 were all with one accord in one place." 00:32 Now, I like that. 00:35 Because you know what the text is really suggesting here? 00:37 It suggests that they had the right environment. 00:40 They had the right culture. 00:44 On the day of Pentecost, the Bible says they were 00:46 in one accord. 00:47 There was a spirit of agreement. 00:50 They were all together. 00:52 They were all unified. 00:54 Unity existed amongst the disciples. 00:57 Can I tell you something right quick? 00:59 The reason why we don't see many manifestations in the house 01:04 of God anymore is because there's too much discord. 01:07 But the Bible declares that the power of the Holy Ghost 01:12 is present when the people of God come together 01:15 in one accord. 01:17 Which means personal agendas have to get out of the way. 01:21 Ego has to get out of the way. 01:24 Self has to get out of the way. 01:25 How can two walk together lest they agree? 01:29 But somebody knows that whenever there are two or three 01:33 gathered in the name of Jesus, God is in the midst. 01:37 Somebody knows that whenever we come together in agreement, 01:40 there is power. 01:42 There is strength in unity. 01:43 Understand that regardless of your intellectual training, 01:48 regardless of your analytical mind, you have to move beyond 01:52 skepticism into a realm of corporate faith that says, 01:56 "I believe that God is about to do something." 02:03 I don't know what it is, but I believe that God 02:07 is about to do something. 02:09 And when the people of God come together like this, 02:12 when the people of God believe together like this, 02:16 the people will come in sick and they'll leave healed. 02:21 People that come in blind will leave seeing. 02:24 The lame that come in crippled will leave walking, when you 02:29 create the right atmosphere. 02:31 When you create the right culture, power will be released 02:35 over this church. 02:37 How can people be in the church for so long and their lives 02:42 are in the same place? 02:45 Because there's no environment, no atmosphere for miracles 02:49 to take place. 02:50 You see, friends of mine, when we come on Sabbath morning 02:52 and we call people down to the altar, I don't know 02:54 about you, I'm not just calling people to come 02:56 down to come down. 02:57 We're calling people down because we believe that sooner 03:00 than right now, faster than immediately, the Lord is going 03:04 to answer prayer. 03:05 When folk come down to the altar, I don't know 03:07 about you, but I'm looking for a miracle. 03:10 I'm expecting the impossible. 03:13 I'm believing the invisible, because the sky is the limit 03:17 to what I can have. 03:19 When the environment is right, the people of God are of one 03:22 accord, the presence of his power will be evident, 03:24 the world will be turned upside down, the gospel 03:26 will be preached, individuals will be baptized, 03:28 and souls will be saved. 03:30 I was studying this week, and the "Bible Commentary" 03:32 says on this subject that whatever interferes 03:34 with such unity must be removed. 03:38 It must be removed or it will obstruct God's spirit. 03:41 The Bible says they were in one accord, in one place. 03:49 Now what we're seeing in Acts 2 are the embryonic 03:52 or developmental beginning stages of the ecclesia, 03:55 the church, defined as God's called-out. 03:58 The church. 03:59 The text continues in verse 2, "And suddenly there came 04:05 a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, 04:11 and it filled all the house where they were sitting." 04:14 The Bible says "suddenly," which means without warning. 04:19 Suddenly, which means unexpected, immediately. 04:23 The disciples had no idea in the way in which the Holy 04:29 Spirit would come; the Holy Spirit just came. 04:33 And so now I hear today, I hear God saying to his 04:37 commandment-keeping, remnant people, I hear him saying 04:40 that when you come to a place of agreement that there are some 04:44 manifestations that are going to happen in the light 04:46 of the church. 04:47 Not next week. 04:49 Not next year. 04:50 Not 10 years from now. 04:53 But suddenly. 04:55 God's going to bring about healing for somebody, suddenly. 05:00 God's going to bring about deliverance for somebody else, 05:03 suddenly. 05:04 God's going to bring about Rescue for somebody else, 05:07 suddenly. 05:08 God's going to bring about Salvation, suddenly. 05:11 God is trying to tell us today, I'm tired of things taking 05:14 so long in your life. 05:17 There are some things I'm trying to do suddenly. 05:20 Verse 3 he continues, "And there appeared unto them 05:21 cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 05:26 verse 4 And they were all filled 05:27 they were all what everybody? 05:29 filled the Holy Ghost, and began 05:32 to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them 05:39 utterance." Now, let's paint this picture. 05:43 This is not just a mere moving of the Spirit. 05:47 This was not merely the breath of the Spirit. 05:52 This was the complete possession of the disciples 05:56 by the Holy Ghost. 05:57 There was something within the disciples that 06:00 they could not explain. 06:03 Let me pause here. 06:04 Anybody ever have something in you, and you just couldn't 06:08 get it out? 06:09 You tried, but it was in you. 06:13 For somebody maybe it was a song. 06:17 You tried to get it out, but you just couldn't 06:19 get it out. 06:20 Maybe it was a saying, maybe it was a feeling, but it just 06:24 wouldn't leave you. 06:25 You couldn't get it out of you. 06:27 Let me tell somebody something. 06:29 When you get Jesus in you, hallelujah, somebody, nobody 06:34 can take him from you. 06:36 When you get the Holy Ghost in you, nobody can take him 06:40 from you. 06:41 A thief can come in your house and try to take everything, 06:45 but they can't take the Holy Ghost. 06:48 Verse 4, the Word of God says, "And they were all filled 06:51 with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with 06:54 other tongues." Now, you know I'm a teacher preacher, 06:57 so let me teach this for a minute. 06:59 Let me stop there because we need to know and be reminded 07:02 what the Word of God says, not what somebody told you, 07:04 not what you heard, but you need to know biblically 07:06 what the Word of God says regarding the speaking 07:09 of tongues. 07:10 Because if it's not in the Word, it doesn't deserve to be heard. 07:14 And I'm finding we'll say to folk, 07:16 "Well, we just don't do that." 07:17 Well, why don't we do that? 07:19 You need to know what you believe, why you believe it, 07:21 and where it's found from the Word of God. 07:24 Now, the Greek word for tongues is glossa. 07:28 everybody say glossa That's where we get the word 07:30 glossary from. Glossa It is a fact that the disciples 07:36 began to speak in languages that were known 07:40 by other people. 07:41 Unknown to them, but known to other people. 07:45 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 07:47 The ability to speak a foreign languages was a gift given to 07:51 the disciples for the special purpose of carrying the gospel 07:55 message into all the world. 07:56 Because at Pentecost everybody came from everywhere. 08:01 People came from the four corners of the earth: 08:04 the north, the south, the east, the west. 08:06 People were assembled in Jerusalem for the Feast 08:09 of Pentecost. 08:10 For the disciples' sake and for those who would receive 08:13 the message through them, the Holy Spirit enabled 08:16 the disciples to proclaim the gospel in the native 08:19 languages of the different people. 08:21 The Holy Spirit gave the disciples not only 08:24 the gift of speaking other languages, but he also 08:27 gave them their message. 08:28 They spoke under direct influence of the Holy Spirit's 08:32 guidance. 08:34 Now, this is important, because a lot of this stuff out there 08:38 that we hear today--I'm talking about speaking in tongues-- 08:42 is not tongues. 08:44 You see, this is what has messed people up. 08:49 And we have folk in the church who are confused. 08:55 I don't know about you, but I'm looking for an authentic 08:58 experience from God. 09:00 I'm not looking to learn how to speak in tongues. 09:07 So don't carry me up to a room and make me stay in there until 09:13 I learn how to speak in tongues. 09:16 The intent of tongues was to show those who had not 09:21 experienced the power of the Holy Ghost 09:23 that the power had shown up, because when they began to speak 09:27 in other tongues, other languages, men sat 09:29 from afar off and said, "These men don't naturally 09:32 speak our language, so how could they know this unless 09:35 the Holy Ghost be upon their life?" 09:40 And as a result of the tongues, the people were evangelized 09:43 because the power of God moved in that way. 09:45 When you read 1 Corinthians 12, go home and read it, 09:48 you discover that tongues are a gift. 09:51 But the gift of tongues is not exclusive evidence 09:55 of the Holy Ghost. 09:59 What am I saying? 10:01 Don't let anybody tell you that you don't have the Holy Ghost 10:05 just because you don't speak in tongues. 10:08 Because I don't have to speak in tongues to have the power 10:14 of the Holy Ghost. 10:17 Tongues are a gift that is given. 10:20 But the Bible declares, when you read on in 10:22 1 Corinthians, chapter 14, it talks about how the tongues 10:25 ought to be used in order. 10:26 Because if there are tongues in an assembly, there must be an 10:29 interpreter, because all gifts are for the edification 10:32 of the body of Christ. 10:33 And if a spiritual gift is not manifested to edify the body 10:37 of Christ, then it's not an authentic gift from God. 10:40 Do I have a witness in this place? 10:42 I Corinthians 14:4 says, "He that speaketh in an unknown 10:45 tongue edifieth himself." 10:50 If somebody spoke in tongues in church without 10:54 interpretation, those others present wouldn't know what they 10:58 were talking about. 10:59 How could they take part in worship? 11:01 How could they be edified? 11:03 You don't have to speak in tongues to prove you've 11:06 got the Holy Ghost. 11:10 And we don't have to stay in church all night to prove 11:12 and wait on the Holy Ghost. 11:15 We're living with the power of the Holy Ghost. 11:20 The presence of the power. 11:23 Number two, not only do we have the presence of the power, 11:27 but we have the promise of his power. 11:32 Acts 2:17, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, 11:36 saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: 11:48 and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, 11:51 and your young men shall see visions, and your old men 11:53 shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens 11:56 I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall 12:00 prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, 12:02 and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor 12:05 of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, 12:07 and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day 12:10 of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, 12:13 that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall 12:19 (hallelujah) be saved." 12:22 All I've got to do is call on the name of the Lord. 12:26 Not only has God given us the presence of his power, 12:30 but God has also given us the promise of his power. 12:33 Ellen White says that whatever God promises, he's able 12:37 to perform. 12:38 That's a word for somebody right there, that whatever God 12:42 promises, he's able to perform. 12:45 When God says something, you better believe it's going 12:53 to happen. 12:54 If the Lord said it, you can count on it; he will do 12:58 just what he says. 13:00 God has promised his people power. 13:03 Which means we don't have to be scared. 13:07 We don't have to be afraid. 13:09 We don't have to be fearful. 13:10 God has promised to pour out his spirit on all flesh. 13:14 Not some flesh, but all flesh. 13:18 Which means red flesh, yellow flesh, white flesh, 13:23 black flesh, all flesh, old flesh, young flesh, 13:29 male flesh, female flesh, all flesh. 13:34 And whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord 13:37 shall be saved. 13:38 That's the promise of his power. 13:42 So we have the presence of his power. 13:45 We have the promise of his power. 13:48 And then finally, number three, we have the pouring 13:54 of his power. 13:55 Here's the pouring. 13:58 Acts 2:41, when the Word of God was preached, the Bible says 14:03 in verse 41, "Then they that gladly received his word 14:08 were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them 14:16 about three thousand souls." 14:19 Hallelujah, somebody. 14:20 Verse 42, "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' 14:24 doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, 14:26 and in prayers... 14:27 Praising God, and having favor with all the people. 14:31 And the Lord added to the church daily." 14:33 Ellen White says in "Acts of the Apostles," it was 14:37 as if for ages this outpouring, this influence, had been held 14:40 back in restraint and now heaven rejoiced in being able to pour 14:45 out upon the church the riches of the Holy Ghost. 14:48 And the good news today is that this same pouring 14:53 is available for us today. 15:01 I just need some witnesses that believe and know 15:04 that this same pouring of the Holy Ghost, 15:07 I wish the Holy Ghost would come upon Oakwood, 15:09 that this same pouring is available for us today. 15:17 It's power time. 15:20 We have the presence of the power. 15:22 We have the promise of the power. 15:25 And now we need to get ready for the pouring of the power. 15:29 When we preach God's Word in God's strength, 15:35 thousands will be saved. 15:36 Thousands will be baptized. 15:39 But the Bible says we have to continue 15:42 in the apostles' doctrine. 15:44 Which means teaching. 15:47 People must be taught the Word of God. 15:52 Preaching is good, but we need teaching too, 15:55 do I have a witness in this place? 15:57 But not only that. 15:58 The Word of God says apostles' doctrine, it says teaching, 16:01 but the Word of God also says fellowship. 16:03 Which means you have to speak. 16:09 You gotta smile. 16:10 It can't be, "Welcome to Oakwood University." "Welcome, 16:15 we're glad you're here at the Oakwood church." 16:17 You gotta speak. 16:18 You gotta smile. 16:20 You gotta fellowship, you gotta be nice, you gotta shake hands, 16:24 you have to have fellowship. 16:25 Fellowship is koinonia. 16:28 And true koinonia, true fellowship, is when 16:31 I'm up and fellowship when I'm down. 16:35 Let me tell you something. 16:36 I don't just need friends when I got money in my pocket. 16:39 I need some friends when the bottom is falling out. 16:41 Do I have a witness in this place? 16:43 I need friends when I don't know where my 16:45 next dime is coming from. 16:46 That's when I need you to call and check on me. 16:49 Not when you need a dollar, but when I need a dollar. 16:51 Preach, Pastor Byrd, I'm doing the best I can. 16:54 You see, in prosperity your friends know who you are. 17:00 But in adversity, you know who your friends are. 17:04 Paul says in Philippians 3 that we have to fellowship 17:07 with Jesus and his sufferings. 17:09 So then if I have to fellowship with Jesus and his sufferings, 17:13 and I must love the Lord God with all my heart, mind, body, 17:17 soul and spirit, and then love my neighbor as myself, then I 17:20 must fellowship with my neighbor in his sufferings too. 17:25 Let me tell you something. 17:26 Talking about fellowship, you'll never know what true 17:28 fellowship is, what true friendship is, until you've had 17:31 a Judas betray you. 17:35 Until you've had a Peter deny you. 17:38 You'll never know Jesus until you've had people you've helped 17:42 turn on you. 17:45 Until you've had church folk crucify you. 17:50 But the good news is that after every crucifixion 17:56 there is a resurrection. 17:59 Which means you may crucify me, devil, you may nail me 18:04 to a tree, but I'm coming back. 18:06 Do I have a witness in this place? 18:08 I'll bleed a while, but I'm coming back. 18:12 You've got to continue in teaching, continue 18:14 in fellowship, continue in the breaking 18:16 of bread. 18:17 That means we got to eat together. 18:19 It's all right if the people of God eat together 18:22 as long as they're eating the right stuff. 18:25 Do I have a witness in this place? 18:29 But not only that, we've got to continue in prayer. 18:32 The church that prays together stays together. 18:36 I found the answer. 18:38 I've learned how to pray. 18:39 Prayer is the key that opens heaven's storehouse. 18:46 Somebody knows that prayer time is high time. 18:51 Verse 43 says, "And fear came upon every soul: and many 18:56 wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 18:58 And all that believed were together, and had 19:01 all things common; And sold their possessions 19:03 and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need." 19:06 Verse 46: "And they, continuing daily with one accord 19:09 in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, 19:11 did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 19:14 Praising God, and having favor with all the people. 19:20 And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." 19:32 So, Pastor, how many baptisms are we going to have? 19:34 I would have a baptism every Sabbath if I could. 19:36 The Lord is going to add to the church daily 19:43 in this last and evil day. 19:46 The body of Christ cannot major in minors, 19:50 cannot sweat the small stuff. 19:52 Worrying about stuff that has nothing to do with 19:55 our soul's salvation. 19:57 Let the church be in one accord on progression. 20:01 Let the church be in one accord on evangelism. 20:04 Let the church be in one accord on kindness. 20:08 Let the church be in one accord in fulfilling the mission 20:13 of the church. 20:14 Let there be a centrality of focus and purpose 20:17 that is seen, felt and heard. 20:19 Because when the people of God come together, and when they 20:24 come together in one accord, there will be a mighty pouring. 20:28 There will come a sound from heaven as of a mighty 20:32 rushing wind. 20:33 And all will be filled with the Holy Ghost. 20:36 The sick will be healed, the lame will be made to walk, 20:41 the dumb made to talk, the blind to see, 20:45 marriages mended, our children are going to 20:48 come back to Jesus. 20:51 Habits broken, addictions alleviated, 20:55 strongholds torn down. 20:57 Individuals baptized, ways made out of no way. 21:01 If God be for us, who can be against us? 21:07 People need the Word of God. 21:14 Folk are tired or seeing an outside show 21:17 for an unfriendly world. 21:18 Folk are tired of form and fashion without 21:20 no power and deliverance. 21:22 Folk are tired of rules and regulations without 21:25 relationship. 21:27 folk want to experience the power of the Holy Ghost, 21:31 the presence of his power, the promise of his power, 21:34 the pouring of his power, it's power time. 21:40 It's power time. 21:48 Let me close this way: I was reading a story 21:51 from a preacher, and he says that one day 21:53 he was in the hospital, visiting church members, and he 21:58 saw these people in the hospital who were hooked up 22:03 to life support. 22:05 And so he saw a nurse and he asked the nurse, can you 22:11 explain to me what happens around here in a storm? 22:17 What happens? 22:18 Because I know in my neighborhood 22:21 that sometimes when lightning strikes all the lights go out. 22:27 All the electricity goes out. 22:31 What do you do with all these people who are on life support, 22:35 hooked up to all these sustaining machines, 22:38 when the storms come? 22:40 What do you do with all these people when the lights go out, 22:42 when the power goes out? 22:43 They need power to life support. 22:46 She said, Preacher, you don't understand. 22:52 Although these are our primary lights, she said, 22:59 we're equipped for the storm. 23:03 She said, you see, you don't see it, but there's a room down 23:07 the hallway. 23:08 And it has a big generator in it. 23:12 It doesn't have any external power, but the power 23:17 is on the inside. 23:18 And you'll never know how much power is in that generator 23:24 until the lights go off. 23:27 You'll never know the generator exists until the lights go off. 23:33 But the moment the lights go off, the power kicks on in. 23:39 I'm trying to help somebody understand that that's what 23:45 the Holy Ghost is. 23:47 When you don't have anything left, that's when the Holy Ghost 23:50 kicks in. 23:51 When you're down to your last dime, that's when the Holy Ghost 23:55 kicks in. 23:56 When your body is wracking with pain, that's when 23:59 the Holy Ghost kicks in. 24:01 When something or somebody is driving you crazy, 24:05 that's when the Holy Ghost kicks in. 24:11 Greater is he that is in me than he that's in the world. 24:17 I've got power today. 24:19 I said I've got power today. 24:22 Does anybody else have power today? 24:24 We're living in the power of the Holy Ghost, the power 24:29 to walk right, the power to talk right, the power 24:33 to act right, to live right, to keep your mind, 24:38 power over your future, over sickness, over demons, 24:41 over divorce, over debt, over depression, over the enemy. 24:46 Why are you walking around pitiful? 24:48 Child, you've got power! 24:57 It's like getting in the car, driving the car, 25:01 and not knowing all the stuff you got with your car. 25:04 You haven't read the manual. 25:07 Don't you realize you've got power? 25:09 Have you read the manual? 25:11 Open up the Word and realize you've got power. 25:16 Let me tell you something. 25:18 Getting upset because somebody won't pray for you. 25:21 Pray for yourself. 25:24 You've got power. 25:27 Sometimes I've got to pray for myself. 25:29 Sometimes you got to encourage yourself in the Lord. 25:33 Getting upset because somebody won't lay hands on you. 25:35 Lay hands on yourself. 25:38 Cast demons out of your house yourself. 25:40 Go room to room and begin to pray in your house. 25:42 You've got power. 25:45 God says whatever you bind on earth, I'll bind in heaven. 25:51 Whatever you loose on earth, I'll loose in heaven. 25:56 You've got power, in the name of Jesus. 25:59 I bind envy in this place. 26:01 In the name of Jesus I bind jealousy in this place. 26:07 I bind sickness in this place I bind poverty in this place, 26:11 I bind depression, in this place, 26:14 I bind back-biting in this place. 26:17 Get thee behind me, Satan! 26:21 I got power. 26:22 It's power time. 26:25 I must confess, I'm tired of Christians coming around me 26:31 with batteries not included. 26:33 Quit waiting for batteries. 26:36 When you accepted the Lord Jesus in your life, you got 26:42 everything inside of you that you need. 26:46 All you gotta do is reach down and tap into that power. 26:53 Do I have a witness in this place? 26:57 Tap into the source. 27:00 Tap into the light. 27:02 Tap into the power. 27:04 Walk in the light. 27:07 Beautiful light. 27:08 Come where the dew drops of mercy shine bright 27:12 Jesus is the light of the world. 27:14 CJ: The Breath of Life gift offer this week is 27:17 "Help in Daily Living," a practical guide to everyday 27:20 blessings by renowned Christian author Ellen G. 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Box 340, 28:04 Newbury Park, California 91319. 28:07 Break out of the ordinary life and into the extraordinary life 28:10 God intended for you to live. 28:12 Get your copy of "Help in Daily Living" today. 28:15 PB: The gospel will go forth. 28:18 Souls will be saved, people will be baptized, 28:23 with or without you. 28:26 The power of the Holy Ghost is present when the people |
Revised 2015-02-06