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Jean Ross: Good morning,
friends, welcome to "Sabbath
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School Study Hour" coming to
you here from the Amazing Facts
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offices in
Granite Bay, California.
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I'd like to
welcome those joining us.
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I know we have friends across
the country and even in other
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countries that are tuning
in for our lesson study time.
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Some of the churches are still
unable to gather together and
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study the lesson as they
normally would, and we are glad
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that you're able to join us
and at least share this very
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important lesson, very
important subject today.
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We've been going through
our lesson quarterly entitled
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"Making Friends For God."
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Today, we're going to be looking
at lesson number five, which is
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entitled
"Spirit-Empowered Witnessing."
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But before we get to our lesson,
we'd like to tell you about our
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free offer that we have.
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It's a book dealing with
the Holy Spirit, it's entitled,
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"Holy Spirit: The Need."
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And we'll be happy to send
this out to anyone who calls
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and asks.
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The number is 866-788-3966.
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And all you have to do
is ask for offer number 723.
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Again, that
number is 866-788-3966.
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Ask for offer number 723 and
we'll be happy to get this in
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the mail.
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You can also request a digital
copy of the book, "The Holy
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Spirit: The Need."
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Just text the code
SH099 to the number 40544.
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Again, the code is SH099
and you want to text that to the
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number 40544.
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You'll be able to receive a
digital download of the book and
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you'll be able to read it
wherever you are, even if you're
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outside of North America.
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So, we want to encourage
you to take advantage of that.
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Well, before we get to our
lesson, we always want to start
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with a word of prayer And so,
wherever you are, just ask if
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you'll bow your
heads as we pray.
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Dear Father, we thank You that
we have this opportunity to meet
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and study together a
very important subject.
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We know that the great
commission has been given to
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each of us individually, as well
as the church, in taking the
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gospel to the world.
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That would include those living
close to us, our neighbors, our
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friends, even family members.
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And so, we pray that
You'd bless our study today.
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We're going to look at the
importance of the Holy Spirit in
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witnessing and how we
ought to seek the Holy Spirit to
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guide us.
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And also bless those who
hear the Word that we share.
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So, bless our time today, for we
ask this in Jesus' name, amen.
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Our lesson today is going to
be brought to us by Pastor Doug.
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Doug Batchelor: Thank
you, Pastor Ross, and good
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morning, friends.
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It's morning here.
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We're doing different Zoom Bible
studies and meetings for people
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around the world, and so
sometimes I have to think about
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where I am because I'm actually
teaching in another time zone.
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Last night, I was doing the
worship service for a church in
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Beijing, China, and it was
8, 9 o'clock for me, and it was
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morning for them.
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And the day before, I was
studying with a group in Norway,
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and again it was the
opposite side of the globe.
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But we're coming to
you live right now from
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Northern California.
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And you know, for a little
longer, you're probably going to
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see us in this background.
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We've actually set up a mini
studio in what is normally our
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AFGO staff worship room.
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We are not having group worships
as we normally did because of
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the pandemic.
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People are sort of having
it a more spread out in their
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departments, but we're finishing
off a nice studio downstairs.
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And I think soon, you're going
to see a different background
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here for the
"Sabbath School Study Hour."
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But we're glad that we can get
together and study the Word of
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God, especially during these
extraordinary times right now,
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where the whole world seems
has been turned topsy turvy in a
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number of different ways.
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But the Word of God never
changes, and we're so thankful
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for its dependability.
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As Pastor Ross mentioned, we're
continuing in our lesson "Making
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Friends For God," talking
about how Christians can share
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their witness.
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And today again, we're dealing
with lesson number five, which
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is
"Spirit-Empowered Witnessing."
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This is probably one of the most
important things that we could
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be talking about, how to be
witnessing in the power of the
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Spirit, and this is the
purpose that God gives us the
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Holy Spirit.
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And we have a memory verse,
and the memory verse comes to us
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from Acts chapter 4, verse 31,
I'll say this, some of you have
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it in your lesson.
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It may also appear
here on the screen.
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And it says, "And when they
had prayed, the place where they
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were assembled together was
shaken, and they were all filled
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with the Holy Spirit, and
they spoke the Word of God
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with boldness."
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When they were filled with the
Spirit, they spoke the Word of
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God, which is the principle
reason that God gives us the
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Holy Spirit.
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So, in our study, I want to just
tell you in advance what some of
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the categories are that we're
going to be talking about in
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connection with
Spirit powered witnessing.
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We've got Jesus and the promise
of the Holy Spirit in one
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section, an empowered church,
the Holy Spirit in witnessing,
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the Holy Spirit the Word in
witnessing, and then in the last
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section is the life transforming
power of the Holy Spirit.
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So, first thing we're going
to talk about is Jesus and the
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promise of the Holy Spirit.
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Now, I probably should explain
that the Spirit coming did not
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happen only in the time
of the apostles in Acts of
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the apostles.
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The Holy Spirit has been
available to God's people all
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through Bible history, but never
quite in the proportions that
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you see happening in the
book of Acts at Pentecost.
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You can look where you read the
story of Samson and the Spirit
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of the Lord came upon him.
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Tells us that when David was
anointed, the Spirit of the Lord
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came upon him.
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David prays, "Take not
thy Holy Spirit from me."
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You can read where in the
experience in the wilderness,
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God told Moses to bring the
70 elders before the tabernacle.
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And God said, "I will take
of the Spirit that is on you and
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put it upon them."
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And they were
filled with the Spirit.
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And you can read where that king
Saul ran into the prophets and
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the Spirit of the
Lord came upon him.
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So many, many, many times in the
Old Testament, you can see that
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God's Spirit was working.
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But the special baptizing of
the Spirit on the church never
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really happened in the degree
and the proportion, the power
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with the signs and the wonders
that you see until you have the
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New Testament age and
what happened at Pentecost.
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And so, Jesus
promised that this would come.
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And you can read
for--got a few verses here.
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You can read in John chapter 14,
verse 15 and 16, Jesus said, "If
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you love Me,
keep My commandments.
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And I will pray the Father and
He will give you another helper,
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that He may abide with
you forever, even the Spirit
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of truth."
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And He said, "And
He will be in you."
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And so, He'll not only be
with you, He will be in you.
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Notice Jesus says, "Keep My
commandments and I will pray the
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Father, that He will
give you another comforter."
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He said, "If you love Me,
keep my commandments and He will
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abide with you forever."
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Now, that's a wonderful promise
that He will abide with you, but
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I'm going to read this verse
a little later in our lesson as
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well in another context.
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I want you to kind of get
another perspective or facet of
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that important promise.
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You can also read in
Matthew chapter 28 in the great
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commission, Jesus said, "Go
therefore and teach all nations,
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baptizing them in the name of
the Father and the Son and the
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Holy Spirit."
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Now, even during the ministry of
Christ, before Pentecost, when
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Jesus sent the disciples out
preaching, you know, they went
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out teaching, preaching,
casting out devils, healing.
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Do you think they did
that without the power of the
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Holy Spirit?
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No, they had the Spirit.
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And even in the upper
room, Jesus did something a
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little unusual.
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It says He breathed on them and
said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."
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Now, this is
before He's even died.
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So, He gave them His
Holy Spirit many times.
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You'll notice the Spirit of
God kind of comes in waves in
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the Bible.
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And so, but again, there's a
special filling, a baptism, a
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saturation of the Holy Spirit
that God was promising would
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come upon His
people in a special way.
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Did Jesus have the Holy
Spirit before His baptism?
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Now, yeah, I know you can't
nod the camera, but I see Karen
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nodding out there.
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Obviously, Jesus had the
Holy Spirit, but did a special
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filling of the Holy
Spirit come upon Christ when He
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was baptized?
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Yes, that's when the Spirit came
down like a dove and the very
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name Christ is the Greek way
of saying Christos, it means the
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anointed, and the Messiah is
the Hebrew equivalent for that,
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the anointed.
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Anointed with what?
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It's talking about that God's
Messiah, the Savior, would be
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anointed with the Holy Spirit.
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When Jesus was filled with the
Holy Spirit at His baptism, then
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He started doing miracles He had
never done before in His life.
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He began a life of
teaching and ministry.
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So, right here you understand
something about the purpose for
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the Holy Spirit.
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It's to empower us to live
the Christian life and to do the
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Christian work.
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It's in the
example of Christ Himself.
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And He said, "You are to go and
teach and baptize in the name of
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the Father, Son,
and the Holy Spirit."
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Obviously, the Holy Spirit
was going to be part of the new
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baptized life.
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John 3, verse 5,
what is the priority?
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How important is it to be
baptized in the Holy Spirit?
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It says here Jesus answered, and
He's talking here to Nicodemus,
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"I say unless one is born of the
water and the Spirit, he cannot
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enter the kingdom of God."
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Now, in a lot of Protestant
churches, I know in our church,
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the Seventh-day
Church, we put a big emphasis
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on baptism.
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Baptism is very important.
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It's as important to a Christian
as a wedding is to a marriage.
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It's the ceremony by which we
publicly commit ourselves to the
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Lord and say that
we want His Spirit.
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And there are new rights
and privileges that come after
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marriage and that
come after baptism.
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And God promises these
special blessings and a
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deeper relationship.
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But He says it's essential.
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Now, not only is it important
that we're baptized in water.
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Unless you're born of the water
and the Spirit, you cannot enter
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the kingdom of heaven.
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I think sometimes churches make
a mistake of thinking, "Well, as
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long as we get them baptized
in the water, we don't have to
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worry and pray and be concerned
about whether they're baptized
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in the Spirit."
00:11:36.26\00:11:38.66
But both are equally important.
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In fact, if you were to say
one is more important than the
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other, I think that Spirit
baptism is more important than
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water baptism.
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I know that may shock some
people, but you know, there
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might be people like the thief
on the cross who could not come
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down and get water baptism.
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But to live in heaven with God,
God is a Spirit, we need the
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Spirit baptism.
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Now, I don't know that that
means necessarily that you're
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going to go out and heal the
sick and raise the dead and cast
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out devils, but being
Spirit filled is a privilege of
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every believer.
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We're going to talk more
about that in some other verses.
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So, when the children of Israel
came out of Egypt, God brought
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them then through the Red
Sea, this is water baptism.
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And you remember when the
Egyptians came after them, it
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says God then
appeared in a pillar of fire.
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And the whole time they went
through the wilderness, God was
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daily giving them water, and
He was guiding them with this
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pillar, pillar of cloud during
the day, pillar of fire that
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illuminated the camp at night.
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One represents water baptism.
00:12:44.43\00:12:46.86
And you can look in 1
Corinthians chapter 10, and
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there Paul tells us that going
through the Red Sea is a symbol
00:12:49.90\00:12:53.67
of water baptism, and
then they were also baptized in
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the Spirit.
00:12:56.84\00:12:58.84
And that pillar of fire
represents Spirit baptism.
00:12:58.87\00:13:01.54
We must be born of the
water and born of the Spirit.
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You know, when you are going
into the sanctuary, the children
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of Israel, when you went into
the temple, tabernacle or even
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Solomon's temple, before you
ever got to the holy place, you
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had to go by the
altar of sacrifice.
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There you've got
the fire baptism.
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You had to go by the laver
of water, there you've got the
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water baptism.
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Then you went
into the holy place.
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And you needed both baptisms.
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Our world in the days of
Noah was washed with water.
00:13:29.27\00:13:31.97
Peter tells us, 2 Peter chapter
3, when Jesus comes that the
00:13:32.01\00:13:35.24
elements will melt with fervent
heat, the earth and the things
00:13:35.28\00:13:38.75
in it will be burned up.
00:13:38.78\00:13:40.75
There's going
to be fire baptism.
00:13:40.78\00:13:43.05
And then God's going to make
a new heaven and a new earth.
00:13:43.08\00:13:45.39
So, after the water baptism
and after the fire baptism, the
00:13:45.42\00:13:47.76
planet even gets made new.
00:13:47.79\00:13:50.59
We, like the planet, like the
children of Israel, we need to
00:13:50.63\00:13:53.03
be washed in the water, purged
by the fire, and then we become
00:13:53.06\00:13:57.47
fit vessels for God to use.
00:13:57.50\00:14:00.27
Both are important.
00:14:00.30\00:14:02.74
John 16, verse 7,
Jesus again is speaking.
00:14:02.77\00:14:05.44
It says, "Nevertheless, I tell
you the truth, it's expedient
00:14:05.47\00:14:08.94
for you that I go away.
00:14:08.98\00:14:11.35
For I, if I go not away,
the Comforter will not come
00:14:11.38\00:14:14.35
unto you.
00:14:14.38\00:14:16.35
But if I depart, I
will send Him unto you."
00:14:16.38\00:14:19.09
Now, why was it important for
Jesus to go away in order for
00:14:19.12\00:14:21.66
the Holy Spirit to
come in special power?
00:14:21.69\00:14:24.99
Well, I think that is somewhat
of a mysterious statement, but I
00:14:25.03\00:14:30.33
believe that the Lord is telling
us that when He died on the
00:14:30.37\00:14:33.60
cross and He ascended to heaven,
He told Mary, "Do not cling to
00:14:33.64\00:14:36.37
me, but I go to My Father."
00:14:36.40\00:14:38.64
I think there Jesus went into
this heavenly temple, He spread
00:14:38.67\00:14:43.08
out His hands, all of heaven
had been watching His life, His
00:14:43.11\00:14:47.02
perfect life and His sacrifice.
00:14:47.05\00:14:49.98
And He was declared victorious.
00:14:50.02\00:14:52.09
So He really, by ascending to
the Father, purchased the right
00:14:52.12\00:14:54.69
then to send the Spirit in
special power upon His church
00:14:54.72\00:14:58.36
unlike any other time in history
because of His sacrifice.
00:14:58.39\00:15:03.26
And so, it was
important for that to happen.
00:15:03.30\00:15:05.57
Something else to think about,
God is the person of the Father,
00:15:05.60\00:15:10.07
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
00:15:10.11\00:15:12.17
God the Son was here on
earth for 33 and a half years.
00:15:12.21\00:15:15.21
I don't know that God
wanted to vacate heaven.
00:15:15.24\00:15:18.41
And the Spirit is--you know,
all of God is omnipresent, but
00:15:18.45\00:15:22.28
Jesus, when He became a man, He
sacrificed it seems a dimension
00:15:22.32\00:15:26.42
of His divinity in that He
really lived in time and space
00:15:26.45\00:15:31.49
in a body.
00:15:31.53\00:15:33.56
And He said,
"Look, I'm going away.
00:15:33.60\00:15:35.46
I'm going to send the Spirit
because I can only be with you
00:15:35.50\00:15:37.37
physically in
one place at a time."
00:15:37.40\00:15:40.00
You realize after the
incarnation, Jesus never appears
00:15:40.04\00:15:43.20
at more than
one place at a time.
00:15:43.24\00:15:46.24
Which means like us, He--you
know, unless you've got a split
00:15:46.27\00:15:51.38
personality, you know, we're
always at one place at a time.
00:15:51.41\00:15:54.78
But the Holy Spirit,
He said He can be in you.
00:15:54.82\00:15:58.65
And so, He said, "It's
expedient that I go 'cause He's
00:15:58.69\00:16:01.22
omnipresent, He will
be with you everywhere."
00:16:01.26\00:16:04.39
All right, under our next
section, we're going to talk a
00:16:04.43\00:16:06.96
little bit about
an empowered church.
00:16:07.00\00:16:10.83
You know, friends, this
is probably one of the most
00:16:10.87\00:16:14.60
important things I can talk
about, and it's also at the same
00:16:14.64\00:16:17.81
time a little frustrating.
00:16:17.84\00:16:20.98
Because we, myself included,
sometimes try to substitute
00:16:21.01\00:16:23.98
methods and machines and
programs and products in place
00:16:24.01\00:16:32.65
for the Holy
Spirit to grow the church.
00:16:32.69\00:16:38.59
And we think if we could just
send people to one more seminar,
00:16:38.63\00:16:41.66
that so often it happens that
people go to a seminar, they're
00:16:41.70\00:16:44.37
inspired, they come back from
a seminar, they've read a new
00:16:44.40\00:16:46.94
workbook, and they'll spend
a day or two trying to put it
00:16:46.97\00:16:50.04
into practice.
00:16:50.07\00:16:52.27
But it often evaporates, and
you then need to try to inspire
00:16:52.31\00:16:54.48
people with another seminar, and
another new program, and another
00:16:54.51\00:16:57.88
new book, and new
machinery, and equipment.
00:16:57.91\00:17:01.62
And you know, the single most
important thing the church needs
00:17:01.65\00:17:04.19
for the revival of the members
and to do successful public
00:17:04.22\00:17:09.06
evangelism is the Holy Spirit.
00:17:09.09\00:17:12.23
I marvel when I look in the book
of Acts that Paul says in more
00:17:12.26\00:17:17.37
than one place that the gospel
had been preached to every
00:17:17.40\00:17:20.84
creature, the gospel had
gone into all the earth, all the
00:17:20.87\00:17:24.54
known corners of inhabited
civilization, the apostles and
00:17:24.57\00:17:29.54
the converts and the
disciples had taken the message.
00:17:29.58\00:17:33.58
They did not have the Internet.
00:17:33.62\00:17:36.99
They did not
have a printing press.
00:17:37.02\00:17:39.79
They did not have
satellites and televisions.
00:17:39.82\00:17:42.69
They did not have so many of the
modern methods of communication,
00:17:42.72\00:17:46.83
telephone, that we have today.
00:17:46.86\00:17:49.36
How is it they were able to take
the message so far, so fast,
00:17:49.40\00:17:52.93
with so little of the
technological advantages that we
00:17:52.97\00:17:59.34
have today?
00:17:59.37\00:18:01.54
It's a simple answer, they had
the power of the Holy Spirit.
00:18:01.58\00:18:04.15
They were driven,
they were inspired.
00:18:04.18\00:18:07.75
They believed that
Jesus was coming soon.
00:18:07.78\00:18:10.45
They believed
that He was with them.
00:18:10.49\00:18:12.79
They believed that He
had risen from the dead.
00:18:12.82\00:18:15.09
And they were so inspired, and
I guess the word is passionate
00:18:15.12\00:18:19.63
about it, that you
couldn't stop them.
00:18:19.66\00:18:22.76
You could torture them, and
threaten them, and take away
00:18:22.80\00:18:25.20
their possessions, and divide
their families, and put them in
00:18:25.23\00:18:29.00
prison, and you
could not shut them up.
00:18:29.04\00:18:32.01
They were so
excited about the gospel.
00:18:32.04\00:18:34.88
You know, if we had that today,
we'd see the same results.
00:18:34.91\00:18:39.18
But I think sometimes we depend
too much on the artificial, and
00:18:39.21\00:18:43.69
we depend too much on--I'm
thankful for this technology
00:18:43.72\00:18:46.96
right now.
00:18:46.99\00:18:50.06
But you know, without the
Spirit, it doesn't matter.
00:18:50.09\00:18:52.96
It's really got to be the
Holy Spirit that's going to take
00:18:52.99\00:18:55.40
charge of people's hearts.
00:18:55.43\00:18:57.60
People are going to have to
really believe and have faith in
00:18:57.63\00:18:59.93
the truth of the
gospel and be mobilized by it.
00:19:00.04\00:19:03.77
So, we need an empowered church.
00:19:03.81\00:19:06.37
Amazing Facts has a program
where we send some of our
00:19:06.41\00:19:09.58
evangelists, and Pastor Ross
might go from church to church,
00:19:09.61\00:19:12.98
and it's called the
Empowered Church Program.
00:19:13.01\00:19:15.88
And it talks about how churches
can get involved in a cycle of
00:19:15.92\00:19:19.82
evangelism, and it's really
a very good program, it's got a
00:19:19.85\00:19:22.56
workbook, and it's proven to be
successful if it's combined with
00:19:22.59\00:19:26.03
prayer, and those prayers
are especially dependent on the
00:19:26.06\00:19:31.03
Holy Spirit.
00:19:31.07\00:19:33.97
So, programs are okay.
00:19:34.00\00:19:36.27
Machinery, technology, you know,
cameras and radio, all of that
00:19:36.30\00:19:39.37
is great, but you can't do
it without the Holy Spirit.
00:19:39.41\00:19:43.24
And that's the
single most important thing.
00:19:43.28\00:19:46.15
All the lights and the glitter
and the technology is not going
00:19:46.18\00:19:49.95
to help if you don't have
the unction of the Spirit in it.
00:19:49.98\00:19:54.36
Notice it says in Matthew 3,
verse 11, "Jesus declared, 'I
00:19:54.39\00:19:58.76
baptize you with water unto
repentance, but He who is coming
00:19:58.79\00:20:02.86
after me is mightier than I,
whose sandals I'm not worthy to
00:20:02.90\00:20:06.97
carry,'" this is actually
not Jesus, it's John the
00:20:07.00\00:20:09.27
Baptist speaking.
00:20:09.30\00:20:11.87
"'Whose sandals I'm
not worthy to carry.
00:20:11.91\00:20:14.08
He will baptize you with
the Holy Spirit and fire.'"
00:20:14.11\00:20:17.08
Now, those things
both happened at Pentecost.
00:20:17.11\00:20:19.68
They got tongues of fire.
00:20:19.71\00:20:22.05
And talking about that fire of
the Spirit, it's also just that
00:20:22.08\00:20:24.39
passionate cleansing,
that purging of the Spirit.
00:20:24.42\00:20:27.79
You know what makes a car go?
00:20:27.82\00:20:29.96
Fire.
00:20:29.99\00:20:32.76
That's right, your car going
down the road is a series of
00:20:32.79\00:20:35.13
very rapid explosions, and
you got a sparkplug that is
00:20:35.16\00:20:37.47
sparking, it's creating fire.
00:20:37.50\00:20:40.07
If your plug's not firing,
your car don't go nowhere.
00:20:40.10\00:20:43.07
And it is a fire
that is making that go.
00:20:43.10\00:20:46.01
And church needs the
fire of God's Spirit.
00:20:46.04\00:20:48.94
John the Baptist knew this would
be a special work of the Messiah
00:20:48.98\00:20:51.65
not only to be anointed, but
to anoint his people with the
00:20:51.68\00:20:56.25
Holy Spirit.
00:20:56.28\00:20:59.22
I remember the story when God
told Moses, "I'm going to take
00:20:59.25\00:21:03.19
your spirit and I'm going
to put it on the 70 elders."
00:21:03.22\00:21:06.63
And He summoned all
the 70 elders to come to
00:21:06.66\00:21:10.07
the tabernacle.
00:21:10.10\00:21:12.57
Two of them, I can remember
their names 'cause they sound
00:21:12.60\00:21:14.94
familiar, Eldad and Medad.
00:21:14.97\00:21:17.61
Eldad and Medad, they were
2 of the 70 elders, they did
00:21:17.64\00:21:21.08
not come.
00:21:21.11\00:21:23.14
And I believe they did not
come because maybe they did not
00:21:23.18\00:21:24.95
feel worthy.
00:21:24.98\00:21:27.05
And the Bible doesn't really
say, but when God took His
00:21:27.08\00:21:29.62
Spirit and He put it on the 68
elders that showed up, as they
00:21:29.65\00:21:33.96
were filled with the Holy
Spirit and they did prophesy.
00:21:33.99\00:21:36.66
They began to preach, and
Joshua saw them preaching and
00:21:36.69\00:21:41.00
prophesying and doing some of
the things that Moses had done,
00:21:41.03\00:21:44.63
and he said, "Master,
look, they're prophesying.
00:21:44.67\00:21:47.40
You're the--you're the
national prophet, but they're
00:21:47.44\00:21:50.01
prophesying," and Eldad and
Medad, they didn't even come,
00:21:50.04\00:21:53.38
they got the Spirit
and they're prophesying.
00:21:53.41\00:21:56.18
Moses says, "Joshua,
are you jealous for me?"
00:21:56.21\00:21:59.88
And he said, "Would God that all
of His people were prophets."
00:21:59.91\00:22:05.79
You know, that was part of God's
plan, that it said, "I want you
00:22:05.82\00:22:09.59
to be a nation of
kings and priests."
00:22:09.62\00:22:12.56
It's not just the pastors and
the evangelists and the elders
00:22:12.59\00:22:15.86
that should be
Spirit filled, every member.
00:22:15.90\00:22:19.07
"I will pour out my
Spirit on all flesh.
00:22:19.10\00:22:21.60
Your sons and your daughters
will prophesy, your old men will
00:22:21.64\00:22:25.84
dream dreams, your
young men will see visions."
00:22:25.87\00:22:28.88
He wants His whole
church to be Spirit filled.
00:22:28.91\00:22:31.48
He'd like for His whole church
to have the gift of prophecy.
00:22:31.51\00:22:34.78
And it's God's desire
that He can empower with the
00:22:34.82\00:22:38.05
Spirit everybody.
00:22:38.09\00:22:40.36
And everybody, with whatever
their gifts are, to be using
00:22:40.39\00:22:42.86
their gifts of the
Spirit in the church.
00:22:42.89\00:22:45.63
Zechariah 4:6, "So he answered
and he said to me," you know
00:22:45.66\00:22:49.86
this verse, "'This is the Word
of the Lord to Zerubbabel, not
00:22:49.90\00:22:53.60
by might nor by power, but
by My Spirit,' says the Lord
00:22:53.64\00:22:58.47
of hosts."
00:22:58.51\00:23:00.74
It is not by the Internet, it is
not by the satellite, it is not
00:23:00.78\00:23:04.78
by fiber optics, it's
not by digital CDs or by
00:23:04.81\00:23:09.98
telephone lines.
00:23:10.02\00:23:12.89
It's the thing that's going to
change hearts, it's going to be
00:23:12.92\00:23:15.39
the Spirit of God.
00:23:15.42\00:23:17.39
Now, the Holy Spirit might
use technology, the Holy Spirit
00:23:17.43\00:23:19.56
might use a printing press,
it might use a laptop computer.
00:23:19.59\00:23:22.83
The Holy Spirit can work through
these things, but it's still--it
00:23:22.86\00:23:26.03
all boils down to
the Spirit of God.
00:23:26.07\00:23:28.94
And then you look in
Luke 24, Jesus said that this
00:23:28.97\00:23:31.84
would happen.
00:23:31.87\00:23:34.18
"Behold, I send the
promise of My Father upon you.
00:23:34.21\00:23:36.81
But tarry in the city of
Jerusalem until you are endowed
00:23:36.85\00:23:41.05
with the power from on high."
00:23:41.08\00:23:43.59
He said, "Don't go out preaching
a message until you have the
00:23:43.62\00:23:45.99
power to live the life."
00:23:46.02\00:23:48.79
The Holy Spirit that gives
us that power will empower us to
00:23:48.82\00:23:52.06
preach the message.
00:23:52.09\00:23:54.20
Now, don't misunderstand this.
00:23:54.23\00:23:57.17
I think the Holy Spirit is
reminding me to say something
00:23:57.20\00:24:00.04
while I was up here.
00:24:00.07\00:24:02.47
And you know, sometimes things
come to me while I'm teaching.
00:24:02.50\00:24:05.37
I sometimes meet people
that they say, "You know, I just
00:24:05.41\00:24:07.98
don't feel like I have enough of
the Holy Spirit to go out there
00:24:08.01\00:24:10.45
and to do the work."
00:24:10.48\00:24:12.65
If you've committed your life to
the Lord, if you've prayed for
00:24:12.68\00:24:14.62
the Holy Spirit, you may find
that sometimes in the process of
00:24:14.65\00:24:18.45
your sharing with others, the
Holy Spirit will come upon you.
00:24:18.49\00:24:22.82
I've seen that
happen many times.
00:24:22.86\00:24:25.56
Even in the Bible, while Peter
was preaching to Cornelius, the
00:24:25.59\00:24:29.26
Holy Spirit fell upon them.
00:24:29.30\00:24:31.63
While Paul was preaching to
these 12 Ephesian believers in
00:24:31.67\00:24:35.14
Acts chapter 19, the
Holy Spirit fell upon them.
00:24:35.17\00:24:38.44
In the process of prayer,
the Holy Spirit fell upon them.
00:24:38.47\00:24:43.28
And so, sometimes as you step
out to do what God has called
00:24:43.31\00:24:46.82
you to do, He will
then empower you to do it.
00:24:46.85\00:24:49.82
You'll notice that after Jesus
baptized, He was then empowered
00:24:49.85\00:24:53.59
with the Spirit to
preach, and to teach, and to do
00:24:53.62\00:24:56.86
the miracles.
00:24:56.89\00:24:59.23
And so, God gives the
Spirit when you need it.
00:24:59.26\00:25:01.86
Don't wait for the moving of
the Spirit before you need it.
00:25:01.90\00:25:04.83
Pentecost did not happen to the
apostles until there was a crowd
00:25:04.87\00:25:07.40
outside their
window and they needed it.
00:25:07.44\00:25:10.77
So, when you're ready to be
used of God, you take a step of
00:25:10.81\00:25:14.58
faith, he will give
you the Holy Spirit.
00:25:14.61\00:25:17.61
You know, in the--the Spirit
is compared to fire by John the
00:25:17.65\00:25:21.62
Baptist in the
verse we just read.
00:25:21.65\00:25:24.22
In the temple, they had
a light that was burning.
00:25:24.25\00:25:29.69
And that light was kept burning
not by the lamp, but by the oil
00:25:29.72\00:25:33.29
in the lamp.
00:25:33.33\00:25:35.36
And what does
that oil represent?
00:25:35.40\00:25:37.53
It's the Holy Spirit.
00:25:37.57\00:25:39.57
And the thing that's going to
keep the fire of God's grace and
00:25:39.60\00:25:42.04
His truth alive in the
church, it's going to be the
00:25:42.07\00:25:45.41
Holy Spirit.
00:25:45.44\00:25:46.94
When we read the Bible, there's
bread in the sanctuary, but you
00:25:46.98\00:25:48.38
couldn't find the
bread without the lamp.
00:25:48.41\00:25:51.28
When you read the Bible, we
need the light of the Spirit to
00:25:51.31\00:25:54.42
illuminate the Word.
00:25:54.45\00:25:57.02
And it's that
Spirit that gives us power.
00:25:57.05\00:25:59.25
You know, Corrie ten Boom
used to use an illustration.
00:25:59.29\00:26:02.59
Corrie ten Boom, of course, was
that--the author or at least the
00:26:02.62\00:26:06.83
co-author of the book
called "The Hiding Place."
00:26:06.86\00:26:09.73
And she was instrumental in
rescuing Jews during the Nazi
00:26:09.76\00:26:13.47
occupation of Amsterdam.
00:26:13.50\00:26:16.44
Spent time in the Robins
Brook prisoner of war camp.
00:26:16.47\00:26:21.08
And it wasn't really a POW camp,
it was an extermination camp.
00:26:21.11\00:26:24.61
And she survived the war.
00:26:24.65\00:26:28.22
She was a great Christian,
went around lecturing on faith
00:26:28.25\00:26:31.49
and Christianity.
00:26:31.52\00:26:34.06
And she said,
"I've got a glove."
00:26:34.09\00:26:36.22
She puts her hand in the glove
and she says, "The glove doesn't
00:26:36.26\00:26:39.19
do anything
unless my hand is in it.
00:26:39.23\00:26:41.56
The glove is
just an instrument."
00:26:41.60\00:26:43.60
He said--she said,
"We are just instruments.
00:26:43.63\00:26:45.87
It's as the Holy Spirit then
fills us, then we do what the
00:26:45.90\00:26:48.54
mind of the body says, but
we're just like the glove."
00:26:48.57\00:26:53.14
So, we must have the power of
God filling us and then guiding
00:26:53.17\00:26:56.38
us in what to do.
00:26:56.41\00:26:59.58
Without the Holy Spirit,
the church--you know, I like
00:26:59.61\00:27:05.29
flying kites.
00:27:05.32\00:27:08.02
And I've had several in my life.
00:27:08.06\00:27:10.79
Growing up in New York City,
we were fortunate enough just to
00:27:10.83\00:27:12.99
live right across the
street from Central Park.
00:27:13.03\00:27:16.36
And there was some big meadows
in Central Park, where a lot of
00:27:16.40\00:27:18.83
people would gather on weekends
and they would fly kites.
00:27:18.87\00:27:22.34
And there was some
master kite flyers out there.
00:27:22.37\00:27:24.97
I got several kites and
I crashed several kites and
00:27:25.01\00:27:28.48
wrecked several kites, but
I would want to go fly my kite
00:27:28.51\00:27:32.35
even on the days when there was
no wind, but it was never much
00:27:32.38\00:27:34.95
fun because to get the kite
in the air, I'd have to run.
00:27:34.98\00:27:37.82
Because there's no wind, running
I'd create artificial wind.
00:27:37.85\00:27:41.89
And I'd run and I'd run.
00:27:41.92\00:27:43.76
I'd get it up in the air, but
as soon as I stop running, it
00:27:43.79\00:27:45.59
would drop.
00:27:45.63\00:27:47.83
And then I'd run
some more and I'd run.
00:27:47.86\00:27:49.43
And you know, after about ten
minutes of trying to fly my kite
00:27:49.46\00:27:51.17
by constantly running, as soon
as I turned around to look at
00:27:51.20\00:27:52.97
it, it would
plummet out of the sky.
00:27:53.00\00:27:55.40
I had to just keep on running.
00:27:55.44\00:27:57.61
How much better when
you have a windy day?
00:27:57.64\00:28:00.08
And that's the difference
between what the church is doing
00:28:00.11\00:28:02.68
and what we sometimes do.
00:28:02.71\00:28:05.05
We're trying to keep the
kite in the air by running, by
00:28:05.08\00:28:07.42
human effort.
00:28:07.45\00:28:09.08
And what we need to
do is pray for a wind.
00:28:09.12\00:28:11.29
It's like do you want the
sailboat to go 'cause you're
00:28:11.32\00:28:13.09
rowing or because
the wind is blowing?
00:28:13.12\00:28:15.22
It's a whole lot easier if God
fills the sails with His wind.
00:28:15.26\00:28:18.99
And that's what we need.
00:28:19.03\00:28:20.80
So, just I read a couple of
quotes to you that deal with the
00:28:20.83\00:28:24.83
importance of the power of
the Spirit in the last days.
00:28:24.87\00:28:27.57
And this is from Acts--well,
it's actually a reference from
00:28:27.60\00:28:33.04
the book "Great
Controversy" page 612.
00:28:33.07\00:28:36.58
And it says, "The great work of
the gospel is not to close with
00:28:36.61\00:28:40.78
less manifestation of the power
of God than marked its opening.
00:28:40.82\00:28:45.85
The prophecies which were
fulfilled in the outpouring of
00:28:45.89\00:28:48.62
the former rain and at the
opening of the gospel are again
00:28:48.66\00:28:51.66
to be fulfilled in the
latter rain at its close.
00:28:51.69\00:28:55.43
Here are the times of
refreshing, to which the apostle
00:28:55.46\00:28:59.33
Peter looked forward to when he
said, 'Repent therefore and be
00:28:59.37\00:29:03.14
converted, that your sins might
be blotted out, when the times
00:29:03.17\00:29:06.47
of refreshing shall come from
the presence of the Lord and He
00:29:06.51\00:29:09.74
will send Jesus.'"
00:29:09.78\00:29:12.65
Notice, just before He
sends Jesus, he said a time
00:29:12.68\00:29:14.85
of refreshing.
00:29:14.88\00:29:17.05
What is that refreshing?
00:29:17.09\00:29:19.05
It's the baptism of the
Holy Spirit that would come upon
00:29:19.09\00:29:21.02
God's people.
00:29:21.06\00:29:23.09
And then I'm reading on still in
"Great Controversy," page 612,
00:29:23.12\00:29:25.06
"Servants of God with their
faces lighted up and shining
00:29:25.09\00:29:29.06
with holy consecration will
hasten from place to place to
00:29:29.10\00:29:33.97
proclaim the message of heaven
by thousands of voices all over
00:29:34.00\00:29:38.47
the earth.
00:29:38.51\00:29:40.84
The warning will be given,
miracles will be wrought, the
00:29:40.88\00:29:44.05
sick will be healed, and signs
and wonders will follow the
00:29:44.08\00:29:47.38
believers," maybe
even resurrections again.
00:29:47.42\00:29:50.25
"Satan also works with lying
wonders, even bringing fire down
00:29:50.29\00:29:54.02
from heaven that
in the sight of men.
00:29:54.06\00:29:56.46
Thus the inhabitants of the
earth will be brought to take
00:29:56.49\00:29:58.86
their stand."
00:29:58.89\00:30:00.96
We're going to have to know how
to tell the difference between
00:30:01.00\00:30:02.96
the true signs and
wonders and the counterfeit.
00:30:03.00\00:30:05.87
But God's church is going to
be given power in the last days
00:30:05.90\00:30:08.74
when the latter rain falls, when
these times of refreshing come
00:30:08.77\00:30:12.41
from the presence of the Lord.
00:30:12.44\00:30:14.88
How is it going to come?
00:30:14.91\00:30:17.35
You receive not
because you ask not.
00:30:17.38\00:30:20.28
If you then being evil know
how to give good gifts to your
00:30:20.32\00:30:23.45
children, how much more will
your Father in heaven give the
00:30:23.49\00:30:26.49
Holy Spirit to
those that ask Him?
00:30:26.52\00:30:30.29
We should be asking, praying,
pleading that God will give us
00:30:30.33\00:30:34.00
His Holy Spirit.
00:30:34.00\00:30:37.37
So, we need the Spirit of God
for witnessing and to be using
00:30:37.40\00:30:41.24
it to its full purpose.
00:30:41.27\00:30:44.01
There is so much power that
is available to the church today
00:30:44.04\00:30:47.01
that is never used.
00:30:47.04\00:30:52.08
You know, not too long ago,
Karen and I have had four wheel
00:30:52.11\00:30:55.55
drive vehicles for 40 years
because we have a home that is
00:30:55.58\00:31:00.09
really off-road.
00:31:00.12\00:31:03.79
You have to go at least 12
miles of dirt road one way.
00:31:03.83\00:31:07.96
A lot of that road is not
maintained by anybody but us,
00:31:07.96\00:31:10.47
and it gets pretty
rough in the winter.
00:31:10.50\00:31:12.43
And if there's
snow, it gets ruts.
00:31:12.47\00:31:14.64
And there's some
very steep hills.
00:31:14.67\00:31:17.04
And with the mud and the ice and
the snow and the steep hills,
00:31:17.07\00:31:19.07
you just can't get up sometimes
even with four wheel drive.
00:31:19.11\00:31:22.41
And I remember when I first
moved to the hills and I didn't
00:31:22.44\00:31:25.01
know how important four wheel
drive was, I got stuck a lot.
00:31:25.05\00:31:30.02
In fact, there were places
in the road, I actually had a
00:31:30.05\00:31:32.29
Volkswagen Bug at one
point, and I kept a come along.
00:31:32.32\00:31:35.99
You know what a come
along is, a little hand winch.
00:31:36.02\00:31:38.83
I kept a come along in my car.
00:31:38.86\00:31:41.16
And there was one place in the
road that whenever I got to it,
00:31:41.20\00:31:43.77
I would go as fast as I could,
and so I could get into these
00:31:43.80\00:31:47.00
ruts and slide
as far as I could.
00:31:47.04\00:31:49.74
And I'd rev the engine and
it would go shaking as far as it
00:31:49.77\00:31:52.94
could, and pretty soon the
wheels would be spinning, I'd
00:31:52.97\00:31:54.84
say, "Okay, time to get out."
00:31:54.88\00:31:56.95
I get out and I winch it
the rest of the way out of that
00:31:56.98\00:31:58.95
wet spot.
00:31:58.98\00:32:00.78
I got home, every time I went
home, I had to take a run at it
00:32:00.82\00:32:02.42
with my two-wheel drive.
00:32:02.45\00:32:04.19
Finally, I got enough
money to get a four wheel drive.
00:32:04.22\00:32:06.45
And boy, it
makes a big difference.
00:32:06.49\00:32:09.09
Well, not too long ago, our four
wheel drive pickup truck was hit
00:32:09.12\00:32:13.56
in an accident.
00:32:13.60\00:32:16.03
It was just parked at a red
light and someone ran into us.
00:32:16.06\00:32:18.57
So, because it wasn't our fault,
nobody was hurt, the insurance
00:32:18.60\00:32:22.57
company said, "Here's the money,
go buy yourself another truck."
00:32:22.60\00:32:25.61
Well, I'll tell you, friends, I
had some fun because I got to go
00:32:25.64\00:32:28.21
out four wheel
drive truck shopping.
00:32:28.24\00:32:30.98
And I ended up getting, this
is not an advertisement, but I
00:32:31.01\00:32:35.02
ended up getting a four wheel
drive truck, a Toyota truck that
00:32:35.05\00:32:37.95
not only had four wheel
drive, but it had positraction .
00:32:37.99\00:32:41.16
Not only had positraction, it
had the special crawl mode, it
00:32:41.19\00:32:43.36
is like the ultimate
four wheel drive pickup truck.
00:32:43.39\00:32:47.60
And I saw they had rows
of them in the dealership.
00:32:47.60\00:32:50.33
And in my neighborhood, I
could look and see several of my
00:32:50.37\00:32:55.24
neighbors had these trucks that
have these really sophisticated
00:32:55.27\00:32:58.67
off-road abilities, but
they never take them off-road.
00:32:58.71\00:33:06.08
You can ask Karen,
she's sitting out there.
00:33:06.11\00:33:07.95
This week, we probably drove 40
miles off road, dirt roads up in
00:33:07.98\00:33:11.75
the hills.
00:33:11.79\00:33:14.06
We really use
the four wheel drive.
00:33:14.09\00:33:16.22
And I think sometimes the
church, they're like these
00:33:16.26\00:33:18.39
people who say,
"Yep, I've got a Hummer.
00:33:18.43\00:33:20.60
You know, it'll cross
rivers six feet deep."
00:33:20.63\00:33:23.73
And they never
get off the pavement.
00:33:23.77\00:33:26.17
I think it was Peter Marshall, a
famous pastor for Congress years
00:33:26.20\00:33:32.84
ago, and he said, "The church
today is like a deep sea scuba
00:33:32.87\00:33:38.28
diver that puts on all the
equipment that you would need to
00:33:38.31\00:33:42.88
dive at 300 fathoms, and
then they step into a bathtub."
00:33:42.92\00:33:47.26
This is what's happening today,
is the church has no idea how
00:33:47.29\00:33:50.49
much power is available
that we're just not using.
00:33:50.53\00:33:53.60
And God wants us to trust in
him, pray big prayers, expect
00:33:53.63\00:33:57.40
big miracles, and
you'll get big answers.
00:33:57.43\00:34:00.97
Now, when do we receive
the Holy Spirit and why?
00:34:01.00\00:34:04.87
You read in Acts chapter 2,
verse 38, Peter said, "Repent
00:34:04.91\00:34:09.64
and let every one of you be
baptized in the name of Jesus
00:34:09.68\00:34:14.02
Christ for the remission of sin,
and you shall receive the gift
00:34:14.05\00:34:18.45
of the Holy Spirit for
the promises unto you and your
00:34:18.49\00:34:21.29
children, and as many as
the Lord God shall call."
00:34:21.32\00:34:24.09
Said, "Be baptized and
you'll receive the gift of the
00:34:24.13\00:34:26.66
Holy Spirit."
00:34:26.70\00:34:29.00
Notice that water baptism, born
of the water, that he connects
00:34:29.03\00:34:31.47
it with Spirit baptism.
00:34:31.50\00:34:34.34
After a person is baptized
in the water, you know, we hand
00:34:34.37\00:34:36.57
them a certificate.
00:34:36.60\00:34:38.47
It'd be nice if we gave them
a second certificate that said,
00:34:38.51\00:34:40.21
"And this is for
your Spirit baptism."
00:34:40.24\00:34:42.28
That doesn't happen because I
think we put a little too much
00:34:42.31\00:34:44.45
emphasis on the water baptism
and we forget how important the
00:34:44.48\00:34:48.18
Spirit baptism is.
00:34:48.22\00:34:50.49
We have to be fasting
and praying more for that.
00:34:50.52\00:34:52.89
So he said, "The purpose
for this is that they could
00:34:52.92\00:34:55.29
be witnesses."
00:34:55.32\00:34:57.06
Look again, now I read this
earlier, but I'm going to read
00:34:57.09\00:34:58.99
it again.
00:34:59.03\00:35:00.83
Luke chapter 24, verse 48, Jesus
said, "You are witnesses of
00:35:00.86\00:35:03.93
these things.
00:35:03.97\00:35:05.97
And behold, I am sending you
forth the promise of My Father
00:35:06.00\00:35:08.47
upon you.
00:35:08.50\00:35:10.77
But you're to stay in the city
until you're clothed with power
00:35:10.81\00:35:13.01
on high."
00:35:13.04\00:35:14.98
Why were they going
to be clothed with power?
00:35:15.01\00:35:17.08
He said, "You are witnesses.
00:35:17.11\00:35:19.18
I'm going to give you power.
00:35:19.21\00:35:21.08
You've seen the miracles,
you saw the resurrection.
00:35:21.12\00:35:23.18
I'm going to give you power to
witness of the things you saw."
00:35:23.22\00:35:26.35
And you know, even in
Revelation, John makes a point
00:35:26.39\00:35:29.39
of saying, "Now we
have seen these things."
00:35:29.42\00:35:33.06
In his gospel, he says, "We've
seen with our eyes, our hands
00:35:33.09\00:35:35.93
have handled.
00:35:35.96\00:35:37.97
We are firsthand witnesses.
00:35:38.00\00:35:39.57
It was not a phantom, a spirit.
00:35:39.60\00:35:41.04
We touched Him.
00:35:41.07\00:35:42.47
We walked with Him.
00:35:42.50\00:35:44.21
We ate with Him."
00:35:44.24\00:35:46.04
And he says, "He's real.
00:35:46.07\00:35:47.74
We are witnesses
of these things."
00:35:47.78\00:35:49.54
Do you have a real experience
that you can witness to?
00:35:49.58\00:35:51.65
Hebrews chapter 2, verse 3 and
4, "How shall we escape if we
00:35:51.68\00:35:55.18
neglect so great a salvation,
which at the first began to be
00:35:55.22\00:35:59.92
spoken of by the Lord and
was confirmed to us by those who
00:35:59.95\00:36:04.19
heard Him."
00:36:04.23\00:36:05.96
Notice the rest, the Word of God
was spoken, "God also bearing
00:36:05.99\00:36:09.53
witness with signs and wonders
and with various miracles and
00:36:09.56\00:36:15.17
gifts of the Holy Spirit."
00:36:15.20\00:36:18.01
Holy Spirit witnessing.
00:36:18.04\00:36:20.84
Through the power of the
Spirit, we are to witness.
00:36:20.88\00:36:23.28
He gives us the Spirit to bear
witness for the truth and based
00:36:23.31\00:36:27.25
on his own will.
00:36:27.28\00:36:29.55
And then, of
course, that famous verse.
00:36:29.58\00:36:31.15
Acts chapter 1, verse 8, "But
you will receive power when the
00:36:31.19\00:36:34.56
Holy Spirit has come upon you,
and you shall be witnesses to Me
00:36:34.59\00:36:38.26
in Jerusalem, in Judea, in
Samaria, and unto the ends of
00:36:38.29\00:36:42.36
the earth."
00:36:42.40\00:36:43.97
Now, does God say, "Look, I'm
going to give you the power of
00:36:44.00\00:36:46.00
the Spirit so you
can speak in tongues"?
00:36:46.03\00:36:48.27
Is speaking in tongues the fruit
of the Spirit, or is it one of
00:36:48.30\00:36:52.24
the gifts of the Spirit?
00:36:52.27\00:36:54.58
Jesus said, "You'll
know them by their fruits."
00:36:54.61\00:36:57.45
And so, He doesn't give us the
Holy Spirit just so we can speak
00:36:57.48\00:37:00.15
in tongues.
00:37:00.18\00:37:02.62
And I believe in the gifts
of the Spirit, I believe in the
00:37:02.65\00:37:04.65
biblical technique or methods
of the gifts of the Spirit.
00:37:04.69\00:37:07.49
But some people say, "Oh, we're
going to prove you have the Holy
00:37:07.52\00:37:09.66
Spirit because you
can speak in tongues."
00:37:09.69\00:37:11.96
That's not the
evidence of the Holy Spirit.
00:37:11.99\00:37:14.03
The evidence of the Holy Spirit
is the fruit of the Spirit,
00:37:14.10\00:37:16.46
love, joy, peace, goodness,
faith, meekness, temperance, and
00:37:16.50\00:37:19.83
I probably left something out.
00:37:19.87\00:37:22.67
But that's the evidence for
the Holy Spirit in the life.
00:37:22.70\00:37:26.01
He said, "You'll be receiving
power of the Spirit so you can
00:37:26.04\00:37:29.64
be a witness."
00:37:29.68\00:37:31.55
If you're willing to be a
witness, God's more likely to
00:37:31.58\00:37:33.65
give you the Holy Spirit.
00:37:33.68\00:37:36.38
Acts chapter 4, verse 31, "And
when they prayed," this is our
00:37:36.42\00:37:40.06
memory verse we started with,
"when they prayed, the place
00:37:40.09\00:37:43.09
where they were
assembled together was shaken."
00:37:43.12\00:37:45.63
Now, why were they praying?
00:37:45.66\00:37:47.76
They prayed that they might
receive boldness, so they would
00:37:47.76\00:37:50.00
not be intimidated.
00:37:50.03\00:37:52.03
The priests had said, "Don't
preach in Jesus' name anymore."
00:37:52.07\00:37:54.07
And they prayed that they
might have boldness so that they
00:37:54.10\00:37:56.87
could preach.
00:37:56.91\00:37:59.17
And when they prayed, the Bible
says the place where they were
00:37:59.21\00:38:01.64
assembled was shaken, they were
filled with the Holy Spirit, and
00:38:01.68\00:38:04.85
they spoke the Word
of God with boldness.
00:38:04.88\00:38:07.95
Well, there's a
great formula, friends.
00:38:07.98\00:38:10.35
Pray for the Spirit, He gives
you the Spirit to speak the
00:38:10.39\00:38:13.36
Word, that
people might be saved.
00:38:13.39\00:38:16.56
We want to pray for the Spirit
that we might live the life,
00:38:16.59\00:38:20.00
that we can be an example
of Christ, that people might
00:38:20.03\00:38:23.47
be saved.
00:38:23.50\00:38:25.43
And so, the whole purpose
for the baptism of the Spirit is
00:38:25.47\00:38:28.07
that we might make friends
for Jesus and be His witnesses.
00:38:28.10\00:38:31.97
Psalm 51, verse 11,
talking about the Holy Spirit
00:38:32.01\00:38:35.28
and witnessing.
00:38:35.31\00:38:37.58
"Do not cast me away from your
presence, and do not take your
00:38:37.61\00:38:41.02
Holy Spirit from me.
00:38:41.05\00:38:43.55
Restore to me the joy of your
salvation and uphold me by your
00:38:43.59\00:38:47.66
generous or your free spirit.
00:38:47.69\00:38:50.29
Then I will teach transgressors
your ways and sinners will
00:38:50.33\00:38:54.03
be converted."
00:38:54.10\00:38:56.06
When are sinners converted?
00:38:56.10\00:38:57.93
Not just when they receive the
generous spirit, but notice the
00:38:57.97\00:38:59.93
joy of your salvation.
00:39:00.04\00:39:02.07
You know, if we're saved and
we're joyful, if we believe the
00:39:02.10\00:39:04.57
gospel is good news and if we
have--I'm not talking about the
00:39:04.61\00:39:08.18
kind of happy slappy behavior
some people have in church,
00:39:08.21\00:39:12.95
where they carry on.
00:39:12.98\00:39:14.95
I'm talking about that
peace that passes understanding.
00:39:14.98\00:39:17.19
If Christians have a real joy
and a confidence, especially in
00:39:17.22\00:39:20.16
a world right now that's so
afraid with everything going on,
00:39:20.19\00:39:23.99
if we can show that we've got
confidence and peace and that
00:39:24.03\00:39:28.03
we're able to sleep like a baby,
we don't worry, people are going
00:39:28.06\00:39:31.57
to want that.
00:39:31.60\00:39:33.64
Says, "Then I'll teach
transgressors your ways.
00:39:33.67\00:39:35.44
Give me the Spirit and I
will teach and sinners will
00:39:35.47\00:39:38.04
be converted."
00:39:38.07\00:39:40.08
And that's, of course, one of
the most important purposes for
00:39:40.11\00:39:41.98
the Holy Spirit.
00:39:42.01\00:39:44.61
Now into the next section,
the Holy Spirit, the Word,
00:39:44.65\00:39:47.08
and witnessing.
00:39:47.12\00:39:49.62
Look at John
chapter 14, verse 26.
00:39:49.65\00:39:52.29
"But the helper, the Holy
Spirit, whom the Father will
00:39:52.32\00:39:55.99
send in My name, He will teach
you all things and bring to your
00:39:56.02\00:40:00.30
remembrance what
I have said to you."
00:40:00.33\00:40:03.47
Every week, we have
a Bible answer program.
00:40:03.50\00:40:06.87
And we never know in advance
from week to week what questions
00:40:06.90\00:40:10.34
are going to get called in,
it's always very interesting.
00:40:10.37\00:40:13.04
Sometimes, we get
the same questions.
00:40:13.07\00:40:15.04
Sometimes almost every week,
we get a question we've never
00:40:15.08\00:40:17.48
heard before.
00:40:17.51\00:40:19.81
And we usually average about
15, 16 questions per program.
00:40:19.85\00:40:23.59
We can only take three or four
minutes to answer a question.
00:40:23.62\00:40:26.96
But sometimes, people put us
on the spot, they've got really
00:40:26.99\00:40:30.16
good questions.
00:40:30.19\00:40:32.09
Sometimes, they'll
ask a difficult question.
00:40:32.13\00:40:34.20
I know at one point, I knew the
answer to that, but I haven't
00:40:34.23\00:40:36.73
looked at it in years.
00:40:36.77\00:40:38.97
We pray before the program, we
say, "Lord, give us your Spirit
00:40:39.00\00:40:42.47
to bring back to our remembrance
the things that we have studied
00:40:42.50\00:40:47.81
in the past."
00:40:47.84\00:40:50.15
And millions of times, maybe not
millions, thousands of times,
00:40:50.18\00:40:53.58
I've had that experience where
I didn't really know the answer,
00:40:53.62\00:40:57.29
but right when a person asks the
question, I pray and boom, it
00:40:57.32\00:41:00.49
pops into my mind.
00:41:00.52\00:41:02.69
Now you know, as I'm going
through the day, I'm trying to
00:41:02.72\00:41:04.59
remember people's names
and I have trouble remembering
00:41:04.63\00:41:07.00
their names.
00:41:07.03\00:41:08.73
But it's amazing, God can
help you remember the Scriptures
00:41:08.76\00:41:10.73
through the gift of the Spirit.
00:41:10.77\00:41:12.93
Let me just share you a quick
story, and you ought to check
00:41:12.97\00:41:15.14
this out on your own.
00:41:15.17\00:41:17.81
There was a pastor evangelist in
the Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:41:17.84\00:41:21.48
and his name was Byron Spears.
00:41:21.51\00:41:25.38
And they called him--he
was converted, I think he was
00:41:25.41\00:41:28.55
Episcopalian, pretty sure.
00:41:28.58\00:41:31.95
Came from the Anglican Church.
00:41:31.99\00:41:34.89
He went through a dramatic
conversion, struggled with
00:41:34.92\00:41:39.96
polio, so he always
had problems walking.
00:41:40.00\00:41:42.53
And so, he walked with
canes for the most of his life.
00:41:42.56\00:41:45.07
But he was a powerful
evangelist, and he spent years
00:41:45.10\00:41:48.14
reading the Bible.
00:41:48.17\00:41:50.24
And they called him the walking
Bible because he would preach,
00:41:50.27\00:41:53.64
and Karen and I went and saw him
many, many times, and he was in
00:41:53.68\00:41:56.18
his 70s when we went to see him.
00:41:56.21\00:41:58.95
I was blessed to be invited
by him to do his funeral, died
00:41:58.98\00:42:02.38
at 100.
00:42:02.42\00:42:04.89
And we'd go listen to him
preach, he'd go 90 minutes, was
00:42:04.92\00:42:08.59
not uncommon.
00:42:08.62\00:42:10.26
He'd preach 90 minutes,
walk back and forth with a cane,
00:42:10.29\00:42:12.79
never pick up a Bible, did not
have his words on an overhead
00:42:12.83\00:42:15.60
projector, did not use
a screen or multimedia.
00:42:15.63\00:42:18.13
He just preached from
memory using between 50 and 100
00:42:18.17\00:42:22.87
different verses
that he would quote.
00:42:22.90\00:42:25.67
He quote them all out verbatim,
King James version, and he'd
00:42:25.71\00:42:28.94
tell people, "Check on me."
00:42:28.98\00:42:31.01
And he would read them, and
people came back night after
00:42:31.05\00:42:33.55
night because we thought, "Has
this guy memorized the Bible?"
00:42:33.58\00:42:36.05
And he told me, he said,
"No, I haven't memorized the
00:42:36.08\00:42:37.95
Bible, but--"
00:42:37.99\00:42:39.95
And he said, "I
can't remember names."
00:42:39.99\00:42:41.99
He said, "You know, sometimes
I can't find my way home."
00:42:42.02\00:42:43.83
He says, "I have all kinds
of problems with my memory."
00:42:43.86\00:42:45.83
But he said, "I claimed the
promise of the Holy Spirit that
00:42:45.86\00:42:47.96
when I'm up there and I'm
preaching, that God will help me
00:42:48.00\00:42:50.40
remember the verses."
00:42:50.43\00:42:52.00
He not only remembered
the verses, he remembered the
00:42:52.03\00:42:53.57
chapter, the verse, every thee,
thou, the, will, shalt, unto.
00:42:53.60\00:42:56.24
He remembered every word.
00:42:56.27\00:42:58.61
Now, if you doubt me, you can go
to the Amazing Facts website or
00:42:58.64\00:43:02.21
just type in.
00:43:02.24\00:43:04.35
It's free, so I'm not selling
anything, you can type in
00:43:04.38\00:43:07.58
"Trumpet of the
Lord, Byron Spears."
00:43:07.62\00:43:10.55
All of his sermons are online.
00:43:10.59\00:43:13.09
They're audio, so you
don't get to see him preach.
00:43:13.12\00:43:15.56
I think there's a
couple of YouTubes.
00:43:15.59\00:43:17.36
Yeah, there's a couple of
YouTubes of him preaching at the
00:43:17.39\00:43:19.76
Sacramento Central Church in
his 90s, still preaching from
00:43:19.79\00:43:25.23
memory, 45-minute sermon, never
pick up a Bible because the Holy
00:43:25.27\00:43:30.74
Spirit brought the
words back to his mind.
00:43:30.77\00:43:33.74
He would always pray that
prayer before he preached.
00:43:33.78\00:43:35.98
It's an amazing thing to behold.
00:43:36.01\00:43:38.35
Anyway, so God's promises, he
said, "I'll bring these things
00:43:38.38\00:43:42.78
to your mind."
00:43:42.82\00:43:44.89
Now, talking again about
witnessing and the Word, look at
00:43:44.92\00:43:47.99
Acts chapter 8,
I like this story.
00:43:48.02\00:43:51.03
And start with verse 26, "Now an
angel of the Lord," notice it's
00:43:51.06\00:43:55.06
an angel, "spoke to Phillip,
saying, 'Arise and go towards
00:43:55.10\00:43:58.57
the south along the road
that goes down from Jerusalem to
00:43:58.60\00:44:01.54
Gaza,'" this is desert, it's
a desert area back down towards
00:44:01.57\00:44:04.97
the sea.
00:44:05.01\00:44:07.24
"So he arose and he went.
00:44:07.28\00:44:09.18
And behold, a man from Ethiopia,
a eunuch of great authority
00:44:09.21\00:44:12.58
under Candace, the queen of
Ethiopians, who had charge of
00:44:12.61\00:44:15.78
all her treasury."
00:44:15.82\00:44:17.82
It's the principle CFO
for Ethiopia, wealthy man.
00:44:17.85\00:44:22.19
"He'd come to
Jerusalem to worship."
00:44:22.22\00:44:25.03
You know, they say that ever
since the days of Solomon, when
00:44:25.06\00:44:27.30
the queen of Sheba went to
the south, that the truth about
00:44:27.30\00:44:30.03
Jehovah went down and there were
many worshippers of Jehovah in
00:44:30.07\00:44:33.07
that part of the world.
00:44:33.10\00:44:35.44
So, he had come, he
knew the Scriptures.
00:44:35.47\00:44:38.01
And he's riding along in his
chariot, and he's reading from
00:44:38.04\00:44:40.28
the book of Isaiah, but he
doesn't completely understand
00:44:40.31\00:44:42.28
what he's reading.
00:44:42.31\00:44:44.78
And Phillip sees him sitting
in his chariot, reading from
00:44:44.81\00:44:47.95
Isaiah, and says, "Then the
Spirit said to Phillip, 'Go near
00:44:47.98\00:44:51.75
and overtake his chariot.'
00:44:51.79\00:44:54.96
So Phillip ran near and he
said, 'Do you understand what
00:44:54.99\00:44:57.43
you're reading?'"
00:44:57.46\00:44:59.59
He was reading from the book
of Isaiah, reading the prophecy
00:44:59.63\00:45:01.93
about Jesus.
00:45:01.96\00:45:03.80
So, notice first it says the
angel of the Lord, then it says
00:45:03.83\00:45:05.53
the Spirit of the Lord.
00:45:05.57\00:45:07.74
Is it possible the Spirit
of the Lord sometimes speaks
00:45:07.77\00:45:09.64
through angels?
00:45:09.67\00:45:11.44
I think so.
00:45:11.47\00:45:13.01
I think a lot of times when we
say, "The Spirit told me," God's
00:45:13.04\00:45:14.78
really nudging
us through an angel.
00:45:14.81\00:45:16.95
And sometimes when it says the
Lord did this, or the Lord did
00:45:16.98\00:45:19.01
that, he's often
working through angels.
00:45:19.05\00:45:21.38
And Phillip then catches
him reading the Bible, he
00:45:21.42\00:45:25.19
doesn't understand.
00:45:25.22\00:45:26.99
He says, "How can I understand
unless some man guide me?"
00:45:27.02\00:45:29.02
He invites Phillip up into
the chariot, this is the first
00:45:29.06\00:45:31.16
hitchhiker in the
Bible that we find.
00:45:31.19\00:45:33.83
And he gives him a Bible study.
00:45:33.86\00:45:36.13
The Holy Spirit guides Phillip
to a place where someone is
00:45:36.16\00:45:39.57
reading the Word.
00:45:39.60\00:45:41.57
How often I've seen that happen,
is I'll meet somebody and
00:45:41.60\00:45:44.47
spiritual things will come up,
and the very thing we talk about
00:45:44.51\00:45:47.64
is what they read
in the Bible that day.
00:45:47.68\00:45:50.35
Or maybe that's happened to you.
00:45:50.38\00:45:52.68
John 6:63, it says, "It's the
Spirit that quickens, the flesh
00:45:52.71\00:45:57.29
profits nothing.
00:45:57.32\00:45:59.42
The words that I speak to
you, they are Spirit and they
00:45:59.45\00:46:02.29
are life."
00:46:02.32\00:46:04.19
You know, whenever we read the
Word, it's a good idea to pray
00:46:04.23\00:46:05.99
first that the Holy
Spirit will give us guidance and
00:46:06.03\00:46:08.76
understanding so we
can know what we read.
00:46:08.80\00:46:12.37
And if we really are getting
the Holy Spirit, you can get two
00:46:12.40\00:46:16.14
different people in different
parts of the world reading the
00:46:16.17\00:46:19.21
same difficult passage.
00:46:19.24\00:46:21.14
And if they're praying for
the Holy Spirit, they can end up
00:46:21.18\00:46:22.74
coming to the same conclusion.
00:46:22.78\00:46:26.01
In John 16, verse 13, again
Jesus speaking here, "However,
00:46:26.05\00:46:31.69
when He, the Spirit of truth
has come, He will guide you into
00:46:31.72\00:46:35.19
all truth."
00:46:35.22\00:46:37.26
That doesn't mean you
become all knowing like God.
00:46:37.29\00:46:40.30
He means He'll guide you into
all the truth you need to know
00:46:40.33\00:46:43.26
to do the work you need to do.
00:46:43.30\00:46:45.83
"He'll guide you into all truth,
for He'll not speak on His
00:46:45.87\00:46:48.97
own authority.
00:46:49.00\00:46:51.17
But whatever He hears, He will
speak and He will tell you of
00:46:51.21\00:46:53.27
things to come."
00:46:53.31\00:46:55.28
Now, this is another very
important truth that just got
00:46:55.31\00:46:57.08
established here.
00:46:57.11\00:46:59.21
I've been in churches before
where sometimes the pastor will
00:46:59.25\00:47:01.05
say, "Well, I know the Bible
says this, but I've got fresh
00:47:01.08\00:47:03.15
information 'cause I'm not going
by the letter of the law, I'm
00:47:03.18\00:47:06.35
going by the Spirit.
00:47:06.39\00:47:08.79
The letter kills,
the Spirit gives life."
00:47:08.82\00:47:10.96
And they build this whole false
doctrine that somehow the Spirit
00:47:10.99\00:47:14.20
of God is going to
conflict with the Word of God.
00:47:14.20\00:47:17.03
That's heresy.
00:47:17.07\00:47:18.97
That's not at all true.
00:47:19.00\00:47:21.07
The Holy Spirit is never going
to teach you something different
00:47:21.10\00:47:23.24
than the Word of God.
00:47:23.27\00:47:25.27
The Holy Spirit is going to
bring to your remembrance what
00:47:25.31\00:47:27.21
the Word has said.
00:47:27.24\00:47:29.08
The Holy Spirit is going to help
you understand what the Word
00:47:29.11\00:47:31.01
has said.
00:47:31.05\00:47:32.61
The Holy Spirit is never going
to conflict or contradict what
00:47:32.65\00:47:34.42
the Word has said.
00:47:34.45\00:47:36.48
Revelation 2:7, "He that has
an ear, let him hear what the
00:47:36.52\00:47:39.39
Spirit says to the church."
00:47:39.42\00:47:42.16
How does the Spirit
speak to the church?
00:47:42.19\00:47:44.63
Through the Word of God.
00:47:44.66\00:47:47.23
So, next section, this is
really the last section, the
00:47:47.30\00:47:50.27
life-transforming
power of the Holy Spirit.
00:47:50.30\00:47:53.07
Someone put it this way once.
00:47:53.10\00:47:55.44
Well, let me
read this verse first.
00:47:55.47\00:47:58.84
Ezekiel chapter 36, verse 27,
"I'll put My Spirit within you
00:47:58.87\00:48:02.58
and cause you to walk in My
statutes, and you will keep My
00:48:02.61\00:48:06.75
judgements and do them."
00:48:06.78\00:48:09.15
Someone once said that the Holy
Spirit helps us to understand
00:48:09.18\00:48:12.99
the truth with our heads,
believe it in our hearts, live
00:48:13.02\00:48:16.89
it with our hands,
follow it with our feet.
00:48:16.93\00:48:20.63
Or you might say it gives
you wisdom, worship, works,
00:48:20.66\00:48:24.73
and walk.
00:48:24.77\00:48:26.94
The Holy Spirit will
affect all these areas of life.
00:48:26.97\00:48:30.04
It's not just for discussion,
the Holy Spirit is for
00:48:30.07\00:48:32.84
transformation, you
become a new creation.
00:48:32.87\00:48:35.21
Old things have passed away.
00:48:35.24\00:48:37.38
Here's one of my favorite quotes
from the spirit of prophecy.
00:48:37.41\00:48:40.65
This is the "Desire of Ages"
page 250, "There is no limit to
00:48:40.68\00:48:45.55
the usefulness of one who,
putting self aside, makes room
00:48:45.59\00:48:50.03
for the working of the Holy
Spirit upon his heart and lives
00:48:50.06\00:48:53.29
a life wholly
consecrated to God."
00:48:53.33\00:48:56.73
Someone once told Dwight Moody,
"The world has yet to see what
00:48:56.77\00:49:01.07
God can do with a person that
is wholly consecrated to him."
00:49:01.10\00:49:04.37
Moody said, "I
want to be that person."
00:49:04.41\00:49:06.74
And so, there's no limit to what
God can do with each one of us.
00:49:06.78\00:49:09.94
John 3, verse 5, "Most assuredly
I say to you, unless you are
00:49:09.98\00:49:14.02
born of the water," I already
read this, "born of the water
00:49:14.05\00:49:16.79
and the Spirit, you
cannot enter the kingdom."
00:49:16.82\00:49:19.09
We need both births.
00:49:19.12\00:49:20.96
Friends, I wanted to mention to
you in closing, don't forget we
00:49:20.99\00:49:23.16
have our free offer.
00:49:23.19\00:49:25.23
I think Pastor Ross walked off
with it, but it's talking about
00:49:25.26\00:49:27.86
life in the Spirit.
00:49:27.93\00:49:30.53
And you can receive that book
simply by asking and call the
00:49:30.57\00:49:32.93
number that you see on
your screen, it's going to say,
00:49:32.97\00:49:36.60
800--866 rather, 788-3966.
00:49:36.64\00:49:43.68
One more time the
number, 866-788-3966.
00:49:43.71\00:49:48.85
Ask for offer number 723 and
we'll send that to you for free.
00:49:48.88\00:49:53.89
You can also text the code
SH099 to 40544 and receive your
00:49:53.92\00:50:01.06
free copy.
00:50:01.10\00:50:02.93
I hope you'll take
advantage of that, friends.
00:50:02.96\00:50:06.03
And it's been a
blessing studying with you.
00:50:06.07\00:50:08.04
We'll study His Word
together again next week.
00:50:08.07\00:50:10.87
male announcer: Don't forget
to request today's life-changing
00:50:10.91\00:50:12.94
free resource.
00:50:12.97\00:50:14.98
Not only can you receive this
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00:50:15.01\00:50:17.01
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00:50:17.05\00:50:18.95
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To get your digital copy of
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00:50:21.02\00:50:23.79
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00:50:23.82\00:50:28.06
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00:50:28.09\00:50:30.26
And be sure to select the
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00:50:30.29\00:50:32.76
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00:50:32.79\00:50:34.76
It's now easier than ever
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00:50:34.83\00:50:37.07
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00:50:37.10\00:50:40.40
important to
share it with others.
00:50:40.44\00:50:43.37
¤¤¤
00:50:43.41\00:50:52.41
Doug: We're here in Ponce,
Puerto Rico, in an iguana park
00:50:52.45\00:50:54.82
surrounded by big lizards or
small dinosaurs, depends on how
00:50:54.85\00:50:59.45
you look at it.
00:50:59.49\00:51:01.16
These magnificent creatures are
found mostly in Mexico, Central
00:51:01.19\00:51:03.96
America, South America,
and the Caribbean Islands.
00:51:03.99\00:51:07.03
Here's a few
amazing facts about iguanas.
00:51:07.03\00:51:09.33
Iguanas come in a
great spectrum of colors.
00:51:09.36\00:51:12.43
They can be brown, green, blue,
and their skin will often work
00:51:12.47\00:51:17.07
as camouflage, allowing
them to hide in the jungle.
00:51:17.11\00:51:20.58
They're social creatures
who like to eat together.
00:51:20.61\00:51:23.65
And what's really interesting,
even though they look fierce,
00:51:23.68\00:51:27.15
iguanas are vegan vegetarians.
00:51:27.18\00:51:29.82
They're regarded as popular
pets, though if they're not
00:51:29.85\00:51:31.95
cared for, they can actually
just stop eating and will
00:51:31.99\00:51:34.29
themselves to die.
00:51:34.32\00:51:36.56
Typically, iguanas just
lay eggs and they abandon their
00:51:36.59\00:51:38.66
offspring, so those
little iguanas have to fend for
00:51:38.69\00:51:40.96
themselves from
the time they're born.
00:51:40.96\00:51:44.03
If they're attacked, they'll
fight with their tail, either
00:51:44.07\00:51:47.00
punching or
whipping their opponent.
00:51:47.04\00:51:49.40
It's interesting to see a dog
running for mercy after being
00:51:49.44\00:51:52.01
whipped by an iguana.
00:51:52.04\00:51:54.61
Also, to ensure a fast escape,
they can detach their tail and
00:51:54.64\00:51:59.05
later grow another one.
00:51:59.08\00:52:01.82
Iguanas generally
like to live around water.
00:52:01.85\00:52:04.22
And they can swim away,
escaping from predators.
00:52:04.25\00:52:06.89
Green iguanas in particular
are excellent swimmers.
00:52:06.92\00:52:09.99
They have the ability to
inflate themselves and swim
00:52:10.03\00:52:12.89
incredible distances.
00:52:12.93\00:52:15.33
This is one way they've been
able to populate the different
00:52:15.36\00:52:17.47
islands of the Caribbean.
00:52:17.50\00:52:19.77
What's incredible is
these creatures have lungs where
00:52:19.80\00:52:22.20
they're able to hold their
breath for up to 28 minutes,
00:52:22.24\00:52:26.01
putting even a
crocodile to shame.
00:52:26.04\00:52:28.28
They also know how to compensate
for when things get hot or cold.
00:52:28.31\00:52:32.28
They can regulate their
body temperature using the loose
00:52:32.31\00:52:35.38
flaps of skin they have
under their throats and under
00:52:35.42\00:52:38.25
their legs.
00:52:38.29\00:52:40.69
You might even say an iguana has
ESP because God made them with
00:52:40.72\00:52:43.02
sort of a third eye
on top of their head.
00:52:43.06\00:52:46.66
They can't really see with it,
but it's a photoreceptor that
00:52:46.70\00:52:49.73
helps them to regulate
their body's circadian rhythms.
00:52:49.76\00:52:53.64
You know, in the same way that
God made iguanas where they're
00:52:53.67\00:52:56.14
some of the toughest creatures
in God's natural kingdom,
00:52:56.17\00:52:59.27
Christians need to
learn to be resilient in the
00:52:59.31\00:53:01.41
spiritual realm.
00:53:01.44\00:53:03.45
Through God's grace, we can
learn to be great survivors.
00:53:03.48\00:53:05.78
Paul says in 2 Corinthians
4, verse 8 and 9, "We are hard
00:53:05.81\00:53:09.95
pressed on every side, yet not
crushed; we are perplexed, but
00:53:09.98\00:53:13.62
not in despair; persecuted, but
not forsaken; struck down, but
00:53:13.66\00:53:17.49
not destroyed."
00:53:17.53\00:53:20.63
I think, friends, we all know
sometimes life can be tough.
00:53:20.66\00:53:23.83
We feel like we're being
beaten, pressed on every side.
00:53:23.87\00:53:26.03
Sometimes, it's health
problems, relationship problems,
00:53:26.07\00:53:30.01
financial reverses.
00:53:30.04\00:53:32.21
But in the same way God made the
iguana resilient, God can help
00:53:32.24\00:53:34.94
you to bounce back.
00:53:34.98\00:53:37.48
Jesus said that through His
help, we can be overcomers and
00:53:37.51\00:53:40.35
we are able to endure.
00:53:40.38\00:53:42.82
If you turn to Him and ask Him
for His help and His Spirit, He
00:53:42.85\00:53:45.05
will recreate you and make
you even tougher than an iguana.
00:53:45.09\00:53:48.36
Wouldn't you
like to ask Him now?
00:53:48.39\00:53:52.76
¤¤¤
00:53:52.79\00:53:58.43
male announcer:
Amazing Facts, Changed Lives.
00:53:58.47\00:54:07.18
male: I met my ex-wife, and her
family were real big into drugs.
00:54:07.21\00:54:10.65
And it started out with them
wanting me to go to the doctor
00:54:10.68\00:54:14.05
to help get them drugs.
00:54:14.08\00:54:16.08
And you know, I'm noticing
they're going to the doctor,
00:54:16.12\00:54:18.69
they're coming back with like 60
pills, and they're selling these
00:54:18.72\00:54:21.16
pills for like $1,000.
00:54:21.19\00:54:23.26
And I'm thinking, "Wow, this is
a lot of money I'm giving these
00:54:23.29\00:54:26.49
people, so I'm just going
to start selling it myself."
00:54:26.53\00:54:29.33
My problem with that was that we
had all this money, but we was
00:54:29.36\00:54:33.03
absolutely miserable.
00:54:33.07\00:54:35.17
She would go out and sleep with
other guys to get drugs, and
00:54:35.20\00:54:38.97
that ended my marriage.
00:54:39.01\00:54:41.18
But during this time, I have
to get a job to build back up to
00:54:41.21\00:54:44.08
where I was at to
open my shop again.
00:54:44.11\00:54:46.88
So, I get a job at Food City.
00:54:46.92\00:54:49.55
And when I get this job at
Food City, there's my wife now,
00:54:49.58\00:54:52.15
Rebecca, she's a cashier there.
00:54:52.19\00:54:54.86
And when I walk in, she's the
most beautiful girl I've ever
00:54:54.89\00:54:57.89
seen in my life.
00:54:57.93\00:54:59.89
I was like, "Man, I could
never have a girl like that.
00:54:59.93\00:55:02.73
Wow, she's so beautiful."
00:55:02.76\00:55:04.80
But as I'm working with her,
she's actually kind of mean to
00:55:04.83\00:55:07.47
me, and she's saying, "I don't
want anything to do with you.
00:55:07.50\00:55:10.94
Get away from
me," stuff like that.
00:55:10.97\00:55:13.14
But you know, I just keep being
nice to her and keep trying to
00:55:13.17\00:55:16.04
give her my phone number.
00:55:16.08\00:55:18.25
And it's around Christmas
Eve, we'd just been dating for a
00:55:18.28\00:55:21.62
little while and
moved in together.
00:55:21.65\00:55:23.89
My ex-wife shows up with
my three children that I had
00:55:23.92\00:55:26.55
by her.
00:55:26.59\00:55:28.66
And she's like,
"Here's your kids.
00:55:28.69\00:55:30.39
Here's their birth certificates.
00:55:30.43\00:55:31.99
Here's their
Social Security cards.
00:55:32.03\00:55:34.00
I'm done."
00:55:34.03\00:55:35.93
And we're starting a family,
we already have three kids.
00:55:35.96\00:55:38.37
During this time, we spent the
next year watching nothing but
00:55:38.40\00:55:40.60
"Amazing Facts" on YouTube.
00:55:40.64\00:55:43.07
I didn't even know they even had
a website at this time, I just
00:55:43.10\00:55:45.37
knew that this little guy
on YouTube was super smart, was
00:55:45.41\00:55:48.81
teaching Bible, and I wanted
to follow him, I wanted to be
00:55:48.84\00:55:52.41
a Christian.
00:55:52.45\00:55:54.28
I gave my life to God now
because of these truths that I'm
00:55:54.32\00:55:56.45
learning from Doug Batchelor.
00:55:56.48\00:55:58.75
Just because Doug taught it
didn't make me real sure about
00:55:58.79\00:56:01.06
going to this church.
00:56:01.09\00:56:03.19
I really didn't want anything to
do with it, but I called the guy
00:56:03.22\00:56:05.49
up and I'm telling him, and I'm
not very nice about it actually.
00:56:05.53\00:56:08.96
I'm telling him, "Look, we
was thinking about coming to
00:56:09.00\00:56:11.60
your church."
00:56:11.63\00:56:13.54
And he's really nice and he's
like, "Well, you're more than
00:56:13.57\00:56:15.80
welcome to.
00:56:15.84\00:56:17.54
We'd like to have you come."
00:56:17.57\00:56:19.67
And I'm like, "Well, hold
on, I'm going to lay down some
00:56:19.71\00:56:21.84
ground rules."
00:56:21.88\00:56:23.78
I'm telling him, I said, "Look
here, I'm covered in tattoos and
00:56:23.81\00:56:25.65
I'm a tattoo artist."
00:56:25.68\00:56:27.48
And he don't say, "Well,
you know, wow, I didn't know
00:56:27.52\00:56:29.42
all that.
00:56:29.45\00:56:31.22
Don't come to my church."
00:56:31.25\00:56:33.02
He says, "You're
more than welcome.
00:56:33.05\00:56:34.99
We would love to have you.
00:56:35.02\00:56:36.89
Please come."
00:56:36.93\00:56:38.99
He asked me what I want to
do and I said, "Well, I want
00:56:39.03\00:56:40.90
to preach."
00:56:40.93\00:56:42.56
I said, "I have
all these truths.
00:56:42.60\00:56:44.37
I have all this knowledge, stuff
I've never known before, stuff
00:56:44.40\00:56:46.20
if I'd have had when I was
younger that would've been life
00:56:46.23\00:56:48.80
changing to me."
00:56:48.84\00:56:50.84
I said, "I got to
share this with the world."
00:56:50.87\00:56:52.74
I said, "I want to
preach, I want to teach."
00:56:52.77\00:56:54.81
He gives me the
book, says, "Study that."
00:56:54.84\00:56:56.81
Well, now that I'm a Bible
worker, I'm able to go reach
00:56:56.85\00:56:58.55
people that most of the normal
churches wouldn't even bother to
00:56:58.58\00:57:02.02
even speak to.
00:57:02.05\00:57:04.09
I'm able to go out and reach the
people who have lived the life
00:57:04.12\00:57:07.06
that I've lived.
00:57:07.09\00:57:08.89
I'm able to let them
know that I am like you.
00:57:08.92\00:57:11.16
I've been there, I've done that.
00:57:11.19\00:57:14.00
I want to show you
what my life is like now.
00:57:14.00\00:57:16.53
I want to teach you this Bible.
00:57:16.56\00:57:18.77
I want to show you
what Jesus can do for you.
00:57:18.80\00:57:21.17
It's not too late.
00:57:21.20\00:57:23.44
¤¤¤
00:57:23.47\00:57:29.61
female announcer: Have
you ever skipped a meal?
00:57:29.64\00:57:31.41
Not a bad idea if you
need to watch your waistline.
00:57:31.45\00:57:33.68
But there's a heavenly food you
should never skip, God's Word.
00:57:33.72\00:57:36.42
Yet how can you dive in
daily when you're so busy?
00:57:36.45\00:57:39.55
Amazing Facts has you covered,
and it's as easy as signing up
00:57:39.59\00:57:43.02
for our daily devotional
and verse of the day, both sent
00:57:43.06\00:57:46.09
directly to your inbox, ready to
bless, inspire, and inform you.
00:57:46.13\00:57:50.47
To start receiving the Amazing
Facts daily devotional and verse
00:57:50.50\00:57:53.34
of the day, visit
amazingfacts.org and click on
00:57:53.37\00:57:56.84
Bible study in the main menu.
00:57:56.87\00:57:59.21
You'll be glad you did.
00:57:59.24\00:58:02.54
¤¤¤
00:58:02.58\00:58:11.72