Don't Lose The Power Of Pentecost

In this age of change, change, change, we must be on guard that we do not change for the sake of change. Especially when we ponder the Scriptures like: "God is unchanging; He is everlasting; He is the same today as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow" (Hebrews 13:8).

Styles and flavours change in Christendom, but we must be so careful that in it all we do not lose sight of God and the power of God the Holy Spirit.

I wish to pose a question to you:

 Do we honestly and genuinely believe that the Holy Spirit is for today’s Church and today’s society?

Please think on this question as I share why I have asked such a provocative question. I have seen so many believers not living or functioning in the power given to them by the Holy Spirit, but living out of their own strengths and power.

SCEPTICAL CHRISTIANS:

Many people in today’s Pentecostal Churches are sceptical of speaking in tongues, prophecy, healing, miracles and the power of prayer.

They faithfully come to church, worship God, some even regularly tithe and make offerings, but when it comes to letting the Spirit of God move there is a strong resistance.

I have sadly but commonly heard people making comments like:

•  "That was for then, not for today."

•  "We have moved on from there."

•  "I feel strange when people speak in tongues."

•  "Does it not say that we should prophesy instead of speaking in tongues anyway?"

•  "Why should I make a fool of myself?"

•  "I‘m not going to ‘babble away’ all ‘weird’ like."

•  "Get real! It’s a bit ‘over the top’; miracles don’t happen now!"

•  "Don’t scare the unbeliever!"

These comments are common in the Church of New Zealand and through out the world today, including many churches that carry the title of being a Pentecostal Church.

I believe we are being tricked out of the power of God in our lives, and in the life of the Church, by these statements.

I am personally concerned that many Christians, and therefore CHURCHES, are in danger of living an unempowered life, and an unfulfilled life in Christ.

We could very well become like 2 Timothy 3:5 -

"Having a form of Godliness but denying its power."

DON’T LET THE DEVIL ROB US!

The devil is stealing away the power of God from us right under our noses! Every time we make the statements: "The signs and wonders in the Bible were for then, and not for now," or, "I as a believer could never move in the Spirit like that," we forfeit that anointed power and authority given to us by God through the Holy Spirit.

God does things by the POWER of the Holy Spirit!

•  God created heaven and earth and it was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep and the spirit of God was hovering over it (Genesis 1:1 –2, NIV).

• The Virgin Mary conceived Jesus through the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:26-39, NIV).

• Jesus was raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:19-20, NIV).

SIGNS AND WONDERS:

Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit and moved in signs and wonders.

The Apostles and early believers did so too.

As we look over the history of Christianity we see that when ordinary people like you and me believe in God, the Biblical truths of signs and wonders and the associated ministry gifts begin to manifest themselves, and people are miraculously touched by the healing power of God. Others are set free from spiritual forces that have manipulated and controlled their lives. The inner spirit of man is touched by the awesomeness of God Himself and thousands are swept into the Kingdom of God.

This simply comes about by the believer believing and being prepared to be and do what is written in Scripture.

LET’S BELIEVE GOD’S PROMISES:

God has promised to give us the Holy Spirit to counsel and empower us for His glory.

Jesus Himself has stated that the Holy Spirit is for every believer, and that we should seek the infilling of the Holy Spirit for ourselves.

John 14: 2 -

"I tell you the truth, ANYONE that has faith in Me will DO the things that I have done. He will do even greater."

Mark 16:17-18:

"These signs will follow those that believe . . . "

If you could take some time to read Acts 1:4-8, you would see an intriguing commandment: "WAIT!"

What for?

"Wait and get filled with the Holy Spirit!"

Even in the urgency of the moment, Jesus said: "WAIT!"

What Jesus is trying to impress upon us is: "You can not do what I have asked you to do without being empowered by the Holy Spirit."

The reason why many good ideas and things don’t work out, is because we have not got our enlightenment and mandate from God the Holy Spirit Who is to direct our steps, or waited for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to do what God is instructing. It was really just a good idea. Jesus Himself did not move out in power or ministry until He Himself was baptized in water and with the Holy Spirit. (Read Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-12; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:29-34).

IT’S TIME TO REDISCOVER THE HOLY GHOST!

The challenge that we need to face is to rediscover the most common factor in the growth of the early Church and the Church throughout the ages:

The moving of God’s Spirit . . . the Holy Ghost!

Too often we have our ears tickled and our flesh pampered, and the Holy Spirit is denied.

We have a part to play in turning the Church back to God’s plan. By simply believing that the Word of God is truth; that God is the same today as He was yesterday; that the Holy Spirit is very real and is for today!

I believe that people will always come to church, and will always ask the question: "Is this God?" if the signs and wonders that the Bible speaks of are active and alive in the believer and therefore the Church.

Let us not forget what the Day of Pentecost is all about, or let our so-called educated and enlightened minds argue it away.

For, on the Day of Pentecost, there was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit of such great proportions that people stood in shock and, yes, horror at what was going on. It was not a "seeker friendly" service, but a radical move by God! And 3000 people got saved on that very first day! Now that’s a good crusade!

Friends, we are - and can be - diverse in style and in function as God has created us to be, but let us not allow ourselves to digress in essence from the Day of Pentecost.

Don’t lose Pentecost, but choose to be part of it!