Sermons

Summary: The Holy Spirit is "The Miracle Within" each Believer. Are we open to the leading of the Holy Spirit? Updated March 2021. .

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One night... a wife found her husband .... standing over .... their infant's crib.

As she watched him ...looking down at their very first child, ...... she saw on his face a mixture of emotions: .... disbelief, ... delight, ... amazement, skepticism, ... enchantment

Touched by this unusual display... and the deep emotions it aroused, .... with eyes glistening ......she slipped her arm ... around her husband.

"A penny for your thoughts," ... she said.

"It's amazing!" he replied.... Honey It's just amazing.

"I just don't see how anybody ...... could make a crib like that ...for only $57.95." (Long Pause)

Now Ladies... does that sound like something... a man would say?

I am sure that my wife Lee... is saying ...... Amen!

Here lay ...one of the greatest miracles in God's creation... and all this father saw .... was a crib.

He did not see .... The miracle ... that lays within.

But he ... is not unique.

Many times, ... people look upon God's handiwork ....... and only see the outside manifestations... yet never... the miracle ... that lays within.

Whether it is ... the miracle of the birth of a new baby ... or the miracle ... of the birth ... of a new Christian. (Pause)

There are many ... who see only ... the outside framework ... and miss ... the miracle .... that lays within.

God's word tells us ... that something very exceptional ... is within ... each Christian.

When we obey Jesus ...... by repenting of our sins and being buried in Christian Baptism .... we have the promise ... that you will receive... the "Gift of the Holy Spirit."

Hear God's Word in Acts...... BIBLE "Repent ... and be baptized, ... every one of you, .... And you will receive ... the gift of the Holy Spirit." END (Acts 2:38)

The Holy Spirit ... The Gift ... The Miracle ...... that abides where? ... within .... our very being.

In fact, ... in Paul's letter to the Ephesians ... we are told ... that God's Holy Spirit ... is a mark ... of God's ownership .... of us.

Hear God's Word to Us: BIBLE "Having believed, ... you were marked in him ... with a seal, ... the promised ...Holy Spirit" END (Ephesians 1:13)

Now, ... There are those who believe ... that the Holy Spirit ... is some kind of inanimate object ...... much like the crib ... that held that newborn baby.

They see only the crib ...... not the miracle ... that lays within.

These people accept the idea ... that God's Holy Spirit can live within us, ...... but they do not think .... that the Spirit .... does very much.

Thus ... they miss out ... on the miracle ... of what the Holy Spirit can mean and give ... to each one of us.

Christ clearly states the importance of the Holy Spirit ... to each believer:

Hear our Lord's word: BIBLE "It is for your good ... that I am going away. ... Unless I go away, ... the Counselor ... (the Holy Spirit) ... will not come to you; ... but if I go, ... I will send him ... to you.... When he comes, ... he will convict the world of guilt ... in regard to sin." END John 16:7-8

Jesus is saying .... that when He left, .... He would send His Spirit ... in ... His place.

The Holy Spirit, ... The Miracle that lays Within, ... does many things:

The Spirit ... helps us to understand the deep things of God's Word.

He helps us in our prayers ...... guides us ... teaches us and empowers us ... for ministry ... with spiritual, ... supernatural gifts.

But perhaps the most intriguing thing the Holy Spirit was sent to do ... is implied in Acts 1:8.

BIBLE "But you will receive power ... when the Holy Spirit comes on you; ... and you will be my witnesses ... in Jerusalem, ... and in all Judea ... and Samaria, ... and to the ends ... of the earth." END Acts 1:8

Notice the text says .... First that they would receive the Holy Spirit ...... and then ... and then ... they would be ... his witnesses.

The Holy Spirit came First ....... then witnessing.

Many of these people had been with Jesus ... throughout His entire ministry.

They had been disciples of our Lord, .... sat at His feet ...... absorbed His teachings.

Gone out into the surrounding cities ... to proclaim the Good news .... that the Kingdom of God ... was at hand.

Yet ... Acts 1:8 implies ... that they would become witnesses when? .... after they received ... the Holy Spirit.

Why should they have to wait?

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Anthony Jones

commented on Jan 15, 2013

I did enjoy the reading on the Holy Spirit, such a clean, brisk, and refreshing message. I is important that we not forget who is responsible for doing the work. I am reminded of how many times I have allowed the working of the Holy Spirit to operate in my own life. One time in particular, I was running revival, I know we don''t have those now, only in the south, where I''m from. But once when I was running a revival, I forgot my notes. When I got to the church, I told my wife, I had left home and left all of my notes, many of which I got from sermon central, lol!!. But when I got to the church, making a long story short, the place was nearly full. I had to borrow a Bible from the host pastor, and I began to pray and ask God, Lord, I really need your help tonight. I sat there in my seat, I looked at my wife, and she began to pray, not really understanding the situation I was in. But she began to pray, and I was praying, palms were sweating, I was a nervous wreck. I told God, Lord, if there ever was a time that I really needed you, that time is now. Friend, let me tell you, that was one of the greatest revival I had ever witnessed. And I say witnessed, because it seemed like I was on the sideline, and someone else was doing the work. That night, I witnessed for the first time in my years of ministry blinded eyes coming open, just like in the Bible, many were healed, and delivered that night. So in closing it will do us well to cherish the gift in the crib.

Randy Bataanon

commented on Jan 16, 2013

I''m bless! Touching sermon...Thankyou very much...May the Lord continue to use you as a channel to bless people''s lives...Keep on preaching Brother!

J Jeffrey Smead

commented on Jan 19, 2013

Thank you for your kind words. Blessings in Christ Jeff

J Jeffrey Smead

commented on Jan 19, 2013

Thank you for your kind words. Blessings in Christ Jeff

Ephrem Hagos

commented on Jan 22, 2013

I would focus more on "Holy Spirit --the Miracle Outside", to emphasize the outsourcing from Christ''s timeless defining moment in his death on the cross.

Charles Gentry

commented on Jan 26, 2013

As a Pentecostal I must say you prepared a mighty good sermon on the Holy Spirit. I concur.

Digna Irafay

commented on Dec 25, 2013

What a simple powerful sermon, thank you for sharing this, I feel peaceful after calmly reading this and slowly understanding the power of the Holy Spirit whom i have been searching so dearly and so much to vividly feel his power with faith. Thank you.

J Jeffrey Smead

commented on Dec 25, 2013

Thank-you all for your kind words. May God Richly Bless You and your Families. Jeff

Ruth Rugg

commented on May 2, 2014

Hi Jeff, I have been touched by your sermon "The Miracle Within". I have chosen to write a sermon on the Holy Spirit and I will be using some of your references. I have a tendency to use examples as well as I read that you are, so I would like to use some of your examples. Hope you don't mind. God Bless you

J Jeffrey Smead

commented on May 2, 2014

Thank you for your kind words you may use all or part of any of the sermons I have posted on this site or at www.eafligonier.org

Nelly Taffur

commented on Mar 1, 2015

Excelente sermon! Enriquecio mucho el mio hoy! Blessings!

J Jeffrey Smead

commented on Mar 1, 2015

Nelly Thank-you for your kind words. May our Lord enrich you each and every day of your life. Blessings Always Jeff

Richard White

commented on Jun 2, 2016

Many of us do not realize this great gift we were given. Too many of us are looking for the outward manifestations and not seeing the gift within. Thank you for this inspiring message.

J Jeffrey Smead

commented on Jun 3, 2016

Thank-you for taking the time to leave a comment. Thank-you also for your kind words it means a lot to me that the message touched your heart. The Holy Spirit is a true gift to each believer. Blessings in Christ. Jeff

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