THE SUPERNATURAL CHURCH #1: EMPOWERED TO GO!
OPENING TEXTS:
“The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former.” (Haggai 2:9).
Discuss why this Scripture has been troubling me lately.
“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but wait…until you are endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49).
The church today is a powerless church, but its time to change that. We need the power!
ACTS CHAPTER ONE:
“The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:1-3).
1. WHAT JESUS DID AND TAUGHT:
“The former account I made of all that Jesus began both to do and teach…”
A. JESUS PREACHED THE GOSPEL AND HEALED THE SICK:
Luke tells us about “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38).
B. JESUS SENT THE 12 TO PREACH THE GOSPEL AND HEAL THE SICK:
“Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” (Luke 9:1-2).
C. JESUS SENT THE 70 TO PREACH THE GOSPEL AND HEAL THE SICK:
“After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest…And heal the sick there, and say to them, ’The kingdom of God has come near to you.” (Luke 10:1-2,9).
D. JESUS COMMISSIONS ALL CHRISTIANS TO PREACH AND HEAL:
“And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues…they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:15-18).
GOD WANTS US TO BE EMPOWERED TO GO:
“And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5).
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me…
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” (Acts 1:8, 12-14).
One of the keys to be empowered to go = PRAYER! Read the red, and pray for the power!
AFTER THEY PRAYED:
“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4).
“So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "Whatever could this mean?" Others mocking said, "They are full of new wine." But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ’And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.” (Acts 2:12-17).
CLOSING CHALLENGE:
Wait upon the Lord to be EMPOWERED TO GO!
God wants us to be baptised - filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit - to be able to go and impact our world with the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
PART TWO: FRIENDSHIP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
