The Release of the Spirit – Pentecost 23/05/10

The release of the spirit

1Thes. 5:12-24

Intro: What happened on the Day of Pentecost

A continuation of Pentecost happens whenever anyone is filled with the Holy Spirit like the testimony we heard today from Janet.

1. St Paul’s understanding of how the Holy Spirit works with us is shown in 1 Cor. 14: 14 -15 He says that we have a spiritual part of us which is our spirit. That function is subject to our will like our mind is. Paul says, “I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind”

But what is the human spirit and how does it work in relation to the other parts of our being?

1 Thes 5:23 gives us a Biblical insight into the way we function in 3 parts: spirit, soul and body. The order is important because for a Christian the spirit is primary.

These 3 functions can be depicted as 3 concentric circles with

-the outside the body functioning through the 5 senses: sight, sound, taste, smell and touch

- the soul as the natural personality of a person functioning as mind, emotions and will

-the innermost part is the spirit that functions in the areas of conscience, intuition and communion or worship.

We’ll consider these functions in more depth and how they work together as we go through this talk.

SPIRIT, SOUL, BODY

Spirit - conscience, intuition, communion

Soul - mind, emotions, will

Body - seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching

The unregenerate person: Ephesians 2:1-3 says is spiritually dead, dominated by soul and body. The spirit is darkened by sin and only awakened by Jesus cleansing blood and the coming in of his Spirit.

Example: me trying to find truth and God through my soul, religious, interlectual, cultural, proud and depressed.

When we are born again our spirit is awakened and we can experience God and His Word. The Holy Spirit comes into our spirit. John 3:, 5-6. We are born again of the Spirit. Spirit gives birth to spirit ( Romans 8.15)

When the Holy Spirit comes upon us and we are filled with the Holy Spirit then is fulfilled what Jesus promised in John 7:38. ”out of your innermost being shall flow rivers of living water”

1. THE BODY OF THE BELIEVER: is a temple of the Holy Spirit; a place for God to dwell in like the Temple in Jerusalem.

The temple had 3 parts: the outer court; the inner court and the Holy of Holies where God’s presence dwelt. So we believers have an outer body, an inner soul and an innermost spirit where God’s presence is experienced.

Romans 12: 1-3 tells us to present our bodies to God as a living sacrifice and be transformed by the renewal of our minds so we may discern the good and acceptable and perfect will if God. This implies that if we submit our body and mind to God we will discern the will of God i.e. what the Spirit is saying and doing. Discerning is a function of the spirit because through our spirit we receive revelation from God.(see 1 Cor. 12: 8-11) Also remember the revelation from God to Peter in Math. 16:16-17 about Jesus as the Christ.

The Bible says bodily exercise profitteth a little but spiritual exercise profitteth much. The idolization of sport and the human body is clearly not God’s priority. What are your priorities? Physical or spiritual?

1. THE SOUL OF THE BELIEVER: consists of the mind, emotions and will. In the world outside of the Spirit these functions are idolized like the body. Before I came to Christ I thought that if I could just build up my brain and my cultural education and discernment of the fine things of life that I was drawing near to God. But there are many very educated and cultural atheists who reject God and face a Christless eternity.

For the believer we are to train our minds in the things of God in His Word and His Spirit so we know Him and can serve Him effectively.

Jesus emotions were subject to his spirit. He was moved with compassion for the lost; he rejoiced in his spirit when the 70 returned with success from their mission.

Dr Bob Pierce an evangelist in China prayed a very dangerous prayer:”Lord, let my heart by broken over the things that break your heart.” Soon he was handed an orphan child to look after and he knew this was from God. So he started World Vision and now millions of children have been sponsored to help them and their impoverished communities around the world.

Nicky Gumbel was overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit so powerfully when John Wimber prayed for him that he was so drunk in the Spirit that he had to be assisted home. As he left the meeting John Wimber prophecied “That man has a gift to communicate the gospel” Now over 14 mil. People around the world have listened to Nicky on Alpha.

When people let The Holy Spirit move their emotions wonderful things can happen to advance the Kingdom of God.

The believer is to submit his mind and emotions and will to be subject to the Holy Spirit working through his or her spirit.

1. HOW CAN WE GROW STRONG IN THE SPIRIT? By sensitising our spirit within to the Holy Spirit who comes to dwell in us.

Train ourselves to intuitively sense what God would have us say and do.

Example: Bill Subritzky being mentored by another man in his housemeeting how to pray for people. Eventually he took a leap of faith and spoke out what he thought God was showing him and so now he has been used widely to help many people connect with God for salvation and healing. The healing gifts of the Spirit are available to us if we will seek them.

CONSCIENCE: Likewise by taking the Bible seriously and sensitising our consciences to how God judges things particularly in the eternal things of sin, righteousness and judgement our spiritual inner person can grow. Romans 14:15 says ’The Kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.’

COMMUNION with God in the Spirit is another function of the human spirit.

Jesus said ‘the Father seeks those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth’. We are to pray in the spirit; sing in the spirit and enjoy the presence of God in the Spirit. The New Testament uses the same word for the Spirit of God as for the human spirit and in fact when a believer is moving in the Holy Spirit his own spirit becomes one with the Holy Spirit.

St Paul urged Timothy to ‘stir up the Spirit that is within you by the laying on of hands because have not received a spirit of fear to fall back but theSpirit of power, love and a sound mind’(2 Tim 1:7) By the Spirit we have the mind of Christ(1 Cor. 2:14-16)

2 ways we are warned not to block the Spirit:

‘Do not greive the Spirit’ by not forgiving and hardening our hearts to others and to God. Ephesians 4:30-32

‘Do not quench the Spirit’ by despising those who seek to bring you the word of God.

Finally 2 Cor. 3: 16-18 says ’when we turn to the Lord who is the Spirit the veil over our spiritual eyes is removed. All of us can see the glory of the Lord and be transformed to be like Jesus who is the glory of God’ So let’s do that.

Love is………. 09.05.10

Love is……….

09.05.10

Wayne Austin

1 John 4:7-16

Today the men of our church have in our own way, tried to honour the women of our church by giving them a complete break from duties - and trying to treat you. The DVD "Men and Church" showed how men sometimes struggle in a church setting. The fact women and men seem to be so different would make it seem quite remarkable that we can exist together. Sometimes our differences seem such that it can only be of God for it to actually work. And of course it is of God. We read in Genesis 2:18……The Lord God said, "It is not right for man to be alone. I will make a helper as his partner." (NRSV) - A partner for him. God made us to partner each other. Women and men are not meant to compete with each other - but are meant to complement each other's attributes and abilities - in partnership.

We hear so much of where this is not the case - the lack of respect of men for women - the abuse - and so on. And I have become so aware of this from visiting Arohata Women's Prison where there is case after case of women either abused from very early on by family members or partners, or where males just dominate their lives. They have often never been able to be their own person. So much so that it is normal life for them, they don't know anything different. And so it is often unfortunately so inevitable they are going to end up doing what they have done, and end up where they have ended up.

But I don't want to pass it off as just being those worst case scenarios. We all have our self interest that gets in the way if we are honest - don't we? We all like to have things our way at times. But that isn't God's way. God's way is love, and as Phillip read from I John, such selfish thinking is not how John describes love. The way he describes it is that it can only be selfless.

Jesus said everything hangs on love. Read Matt. 22:35-40. Quite simply, Jesus said - if we love God and love our neighbour then everything else falls into place. Rather than worrying about what we shouldn't do, we need to focus on what we should do - on helping with the needs of others, and that means to LOVE them!

Mothers are a wonderful example to us all of love. A number of those quotations in the Wine Press comment are so true aren't they? I love the one about mothers still worrying about their middle aged children hoping for signs of improvement! But how true that is isn't it? When our daughters got married I quite easily handed over responsibility of them to their husbands - and our son to the care of his wife. No problem. It doesn't mean I don't love them or care about them. But Bronwyn's love for them is somehow different - whether it is deeper or what it is, I am not sure. But somehow it is different. In my mere male status I struggle to describe that mother's love. But I am sure you know what I am trying to say. A mother's love…………

Again from Arohata Prison experiences, it is very interesting for me to see how much the mothers there love their children. One might expect that to be surprising perhaps, because of the fact they have ended up in prison. But, as I said some of the women come from pretty rubbish backgrounds, but for vast majority of the mothers there - their love for their children is just as real and deep as any mother's. Generally their deepest concern about being in prison is for their children and the effect their imprisonment will have on them. There was even a really sad case recently where the 18 year old daughter of one of the inmates ended up in Arohata too - incredibly sad. They were in separate wings of the prison, but they were both allowed to come to the monthly service we took. They were so excited to see each other. There was genuine love of mother for daughter, and daughter for mother. Another case involved the mother of an inmate who was about to be released. The mother gave up everything to move to another town so her daughter could live with her there and start a new life away from the influences that had dragged her down. And the daughter couldn't believe that her mother would do that just for her. The love of a mother………

So no matter what their children have done, or will do, mothers love with that unconditional love - love that isn’t seeking anything in return, but is outward focused for the benefit of the other and not for self. It is the kind of love that Jesus talks about.

At this point, as the DVD told us, the men need a little attention span break. We are going to take a short break. I want you to think about what it is that stands out for you of your mother's affect on you - something that you will always remember her positively for. And you may like to share it with the person next to you.

I won't get you to share your memories with all of us, but I will share a couple of mine of my mother. 2 or 3 years ago I came across a passage in 2 Tim.1:3-5. That really resonated with me - the reference to Timothy's mother and grandmother. Because the way Paul described them sounded exactly like my mother and her mother. It's quite surprising really because I never actually met my grandmother. She died the year before I was born. But she was always spoken of with such respect and warmth as a wonderful Christian woman and mother. She sounded so similar to my mother that I almost felt I did know her. My mother was the gentlest of people - very quiet - she never liked the limelight. She often said how guilty she felt at not speaking out more about her faith. But her life was a living testimony to that faith. And she certainly made clear the Christian principles she believed in and lived by. If she was alive today and able to do the gifting course we are running in a couple of weeks, I believe her gifts would show up clearly as faith and intercession, or prayer for others. And those are two things that really stand out for me about her. There have been times in my life when, if it wasn't for the clear picture in my mind of my mother's, and my father's, faith in God I may have slipped completely away from the church. That I didn't was not out of fear of what my parents might say. Rather it was because their faith was so strong I figured there must really be something to it. And the prayer aspect - I know that every day my mother prayed for my sister and brother and me, and later for Bronwyn too in our marriage, and later again for our children. The knowledge that someone loves you enough to do that and really wants the best for you is very humbling and very special. So I have always felt privileged to have such a wonderful Godly heritage as Timothy did - with my mother and grandmother.

Such people leave with a real challenge though - for us to give those nearest and dearest to us something of real worth - because it is not just the mothers who are capable of such love. All of us should be too, such that we will have a positive effect on others. I wonder………what is it that you would like to be known and respected for by those close to you? Another short break for the men! Again take time to think about that. What is it that is really important for you to be known by - that will be very special for someone?

Whatever the positive things we remember others for, or the things we would like to be remembered for as contributing positively to the lives of others, there is a common denominator about them. That common denominator is that of being others centred in order to make a life changing impact on people. If the person giving out does it for self gain, then the positive impact would not be made because it was being sent in the wrong direction - inward and not outward. And that is the only direction of true love - outwards. It is what defines love - God's way.

In the bible, love has three different Greek words of origin, with 3 different meanings:

Phileo - the love of friendship

Eros - is a self gain type of love

Agape - is sacrificial love - it longs to give

Eros - is egocentric love

Agape - is unselfish love - and seeks nothing for itself

Eros - seeks to gain its life

Agape - seeks to give life

Eros - is the will to get and possess

Agape - is the will to distribute and dispense

The love referred to in the reading from 1 John 4 is clearly agape - love that is outwardly directional - always giving - sacrificial - refer to verses 9-10.

And that is the character of God - agape love. Verse 8 is not only telling us that God is loving, or that he has love. It says much, much more. It says that God IS love! Love is the reason for God's existence. He designed and created the universe to operate in unity and harmony, and the only possible way that can happen is when love rules - not power - not selfishness - but love. Remember what Jesus said about the greatest commandment - if we love God and love our neighbour then everything else falls into place, and none of the other laws are needed.

Selwyn Hughes uses this illustration to explain the text "God is love". He says:

If you take the love out of an angel, what do you have left? A devil.

If you take the love out of a human being, what do you have left? A sinner.

If you take the love out of God, what do you have left? Nothing - because God IS love.

How does this work out for us? Our experience and appreciation of God's love for us must be such that love must be the controlling force of our mind flowing from the love of God in our heart. When we fully appreciate that in love God SENT his son to die (he didn't just let him die - he sent him to die) so that we might have eternal life because he loved us so much When we fully appreciate that - then we can begin to understand what agape love is. That is the God type love - totally unselfish. When we get to that understanding and appreciation, then our love will be aligned with the love of God and then we will see the fruit of our sacrificial love. It doesn't come about by seeking the fruit. It comes about by giving.

What are the essential elements of love? How will it be evidenced? 1 Corinthians 13 is known as the love chapter. It was written not for people "in love", but to instruct members of the church how to treat each other. But it still is applicable to all aspects of life. It is a lovely way of describing love isn't? But if you think about the necessary qualities of love as described it should be also immensely challenging. How many of them can we honestly own up to living out I wonder???

Let us look at some of the verses on the screen. This time with the word 'love' replaced with 'I'.

I am patient, I am kind.

I do not envy, I do not boast, I am not proud.

I am not rude, I am not self-seeking, I am not easily angered, I keep no record of wrongs.

I do not delight in evil but rejoice with the truth.

I always protect, always trust, always hope, always persevere.

That is what love is. And it can only possibly happen when it flows out from the love of God in our hearts, as we read in 1 John 4:11-12.

The challenge I leave is………can your life be, can my life be………love is……...?

A Story to tell…. 2 May 2010

A Story to tell………….

1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Over the past couple of weeks we have heard testimonies from people of the grace and power and love of God in their lives. Each has been quite different. But each has been a very powerful story - because they have shared what is in their heart - what God has placed there by his revelation - however that may be.

Over the past few weeks we have, as a church family, shared in the experiences of Nicky's surgery and after effects and all that she has gone through in that time. A couple of weeks ago Nicky told me she would like to write out her testimony of God's grace and healing power, and when I invited her to share it personally with us today and have her mum, Theresa, interpret it for us she willingly agreed. So I invite Nicky and Theresa to come forward and share with us now.

Nicky's story…………

“On the 12^th March 2010 I had a hysterectomy. After the operation, I woke up with pain in my left side. I knew something was not right and I asked the nurse about it. She said it was normal and gave me a hot water bottle and strong pills, but the pain didn’t go away.

I went home on the 15^th March and my mother and I both felt that something wasn’t right. I didn’t improve and still had a lot of pain. I also had a fever, the pain got worse and the colour went out of my face. I went back to the doctor three times, but they couldn’t help me, and they didn’t send me back to hospital. The hospital said I must see the GP doctor.

On the 29^th March I slept the whole day and when my husband, Riaan, came that evening to my parent’s house to pick up me and our children, I could barely walk from the pain. So my mother took me to the doctor. When the nurse and doctors saw me they said I must go to hospital immediately and called an ambulance. The paramedics gave me morphine in the ambulance, and my mother went with me to hospital. My sister Jacky went to my house to look after the children, so Riaan could come to the hospital. Riaan and my mother stayed with me for almost the whole night in ED, to wait for the doctor to come but she only came to see me in the morning. She said I didn’t look good and I went for X-rays of my chest, to find out what was wrong.

The pain continued to get worse. I was very thirsty but they wouldn’t let me drink water; only suck on ice cubes for the CT scan. At 3pm I went for the CT scan. A scan doctor said I need to drink contrast (which is colour) for 4 times, have a drip so that could get a clear picture of my whole tummy. I felt worse and had a higher fever, and then started to cough and throw up. I began having difficulty breathing, and a nurse rushed to put me on oxygen. I began to hallucinate. I had gone into septic shock and it was affecting all my organs. It was very to breathe. One of my lungs had collapsed; they said I had pneumonia and a clot in my lung. Seven doctors came in and looked after me at the same time. The cardiologist he said that my heart was beating too fast. They x-rayed my chest. My mother phoned all my family to tell them to pray, and Riaan came to the hospital. Riaan said that he did not think I would die. I prayed to the Lord “please help me to breathe and that I am not ready to go home to (heaven) and please don’t let me die”. Riaan was standing worried in the corner, he was very quiet. I told my family I would be ok. My mother continued to text everyone –family, friends and church, etc to pray for me. I was so crazy and shouted at my mother to stop texting everyone but she didn’t give up. My mother said when I spoke it was a very strange voice, like a hearing person, but she ignored it and carried on texting people to pray. I was praying a lot for my own life.

When Pastor John came I knew God was with me. I told the Lord, “I am not ready to go home. I saw the picture of my children and my husband, and I want to be able to teach my children about God’s way and keep my husband’s faith strong. I almost died because I almost gave up my breathing it was so hard. But I didn’t give up. I fought for my breathing to save my life by God’s Grace. John prayed and said that, “there is a big spiritual battle for my life. John felt I would not die but live and I agreed with him. John felt that God had plans for my life. John, my parents, Riaan and I prayed together for my life, and God looked after me. I felt calmer and was saved by God’s Grace.

I then went to Intensive Care and I was blessed because two of the nurses in ICU were good Christians and the doctors told me that I had to have another CT scan. I didn’t want to go back because I had almost died before, but they convinced me I had to, and they could put a drain to my kidney. When I was in the CT scan I was awake and saw two evil things moving on the ceiling, but I prayed and knew that God was with me, and the two evil faces went away. I was so happy to be saved by God’s Grace. The doctor said that my kidney was surrounded by poisonous fluid, because they had accidentally cut the tube between my bladder and kidney when they operated. They put in a tube to drain it. At 2pm on Thursday the 1^st of April I had a 3 hour operations to fix up my bladder, kidney, etc. When I woke up I felt so much better and well. I am healed by God’s love and kindness. Thanks to many people, my family, friends, and church family who prayed for me to survive and for my health. Thanks to Pastor John who prayed for me. Thanks for my mother who didn’t gave me up easily and fought for my life. Thank you to the Lord who saved my life.

One time more I had to go back to hospital, as the pain came back a little bit, and my leg was numb. The doctor said there was some infection again, and gave me IV antibiotics.

But everybody continued to pray for me. The specialist decided to take out the stent (plastic tube) as it was probably causing more infection. I had some more x-ray and tests in hospital. After few days there, I was discharged and they felt happy that I was now well.

I am much better now and getting better every day, by the grace of God. I am praying and believing to soon be 100% fully healed. Thank you Lord Jesus so much for being with me all the time, and for saving my life. Thank you to everybody for all your prayers, also thank you Oupa and Ouma and your friends for sitting and praying for me and for letting Wayne, Daphne and all the overseas family, and church family know now I was doing and to ask for more prayers.

The impact on my life is that I am so grateful that the Lord has saved my life. I am so happy to be here. I feel so much closer to God. I know for sure that God loves me and is with me. Thank you Wayne for emailing the church family for prayer and updates. I am very blessed.”

Nicky's prayer, and belief, is that others will come to faith in God through her testimony. We pray too that that will be true.

We each have a story to tell. Stories of power that will impact the lives of others for Christ and the way Nicky's has. Our story will be quite different. None are quite the same, but each story of God's grace and love is designed by God for particular people and situations that we will meet - because it will have power, God's power, to touch the life of that particular person at that particular God ordained time.

What is it that gives our story that power? I believe it is the revelation of God's love to you personally - however that may occur. Over the past couple of Sundays people have testified to God's healing power - physically - emotionally - spiritually. That will have a great impact on your life, but what are you going to do with it? Are you just going to keep it to yourself? Or is it something that you just have to share with someone else - because it has that much effect on you?

Read 1 Pet.3:15.

What is the hope within you? Before we can authentically share our faith we must know clearly in our hearts what our hope is in Christ, and that we have something special to share with others. What gives your story in Christ - LIFE? It can't just be an intellectual knowledge. Some people can debate and speak eloquently about religion or Christianity, and with seemingly great wisdom as read heard in the passage from 1 Corinthians 2 that Kas read. Some of us are not that way at all. So how can we tell the story of God's grace in our own life that will have meaning for someone else? Paul in that passage said that the power of the message comes in another way - the power of God.

The stories that impact the lives of others are those that impacted the story teller powerfully because they did so personally - especially when it is God who touches your life. Then you have a story to tell! Because when that happens in such a powerful way for it to make an impact, it is only because of the power of God - the Holy Spirit.

So what is your story? As you think about your walk with God and the hope that you have in Christ, what is it that makes it so special and unique for you? When someone asks you about your relationship with Jesus what do you say? Is it something general and safe? Is God just someone vague - away up there somewhere? Or is it personal? What is the hope you have in Jesus? Why go to the trouble of being a Christian? There has to be something special about being a Christian to make it worthwhile. Right here and now, as we are, we are living examples of God's grace and power. Psalm 139 tells us how wonderfully made we are - by GOD! He is our creator - without him we would not even be here. It is by his grace and creative power.

We are going to take a couple of minutes to think about that now. If possible write it down - this really helps to focus your thoughts. What is the hope that Jesus Christ gives you?

Sharing it out loud also confirms it in your mind and heart because it is one thing to keep it to yourself, but it really gives it life and reality when you speak it out aloud.

Please take a moment to share the hope within you with person next to you.

I wonder how many of you included the hope expressed in verses like John 3:16; Colossians 1:27; Titus 3:7?

I want to encourage you to write a 3 minute testimony. It is really hard to condense this into 3 minutes. But it does really help you to focus on the important bits - what is the real message of your testimony of God's grace and love in your life. Your testimony should include what your life was like before coming to Christ; the actual conversion experience; and the difference the Lord has made in your life since. You need to have that firmly fixed in their mind and heart as a BASIS for knowing what to share. But it is not just an exercise to learn it by rote. It is to be used as a base. Preparation is always important in whatever we do. It is no less so when sharing the gospel. Sure Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would help us to know what to say. (Matthew 10:19-20). But having the basic firmly set in our heart and mind gives the Holy Spirit something to work with - and he will prompt us to adapt it for particular people or circumstances.

You know each one of us is special to God. We are unique. And we are designed by God for a particular purpose with unique opportunities and ways of sharing the gospel. You have a powerful story to tell - your own personal experience of the Lord in your life. You need to be sure of what your faith and hope is in Christ so you can be authentic in the sharing of your story – so it has LIFE and POWER - the power of God to change lives.

I encourage you to experience the power of God in you personally. Break down that need to be in control. In our western society we have a terrible need to be in control. But we need to let that go. We need to let God have a fair go - and allow him to minister to you in special ways that are personal to you. Sometimes that may take a crisis - as for Nicky. More often than not it is just a normal everyday experience of life. Whatever it is, it becomes a story of God's grace, and power, and love. And when it does, I can assure you - you will have a story to tell that will bless others - and it will bless you too.