Pentecostal Power
Speaker: Pastor Darin Browne
It’s Pentecost, the birthday of the Church. The birthday of the time when the power of the Holy Spirit was poured out on all who are willing to receive.
In the Old Testament, Pentecost was a harvest festival. Of course, we remember it for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, which is what we will look at this Pentecost morning. Right across our nation, the church is seen as a lifeless, joyless institution, so now more than ever, we need an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Pentecost is about power, the power of the Holy Spirit, but this is not so you can do a few miracles for your friends, or so you can have a comfortable, prosperous and healthy life. Pentecost was originally a harvest festival, and the Pentecost of Acts 2, the power of that Pentecost, is for the exact same reason…reaping the harvest of souls!
WHY DO WE NEED THIS PENTECOST POWER?
Do you know why? So, we can be empowered to be His witnesses. Jesus said…
Acts 1:5
for John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
The Greek word BAPTIZO means to dip repeatedly. This is the method used for dying cloth. It is not dipped once, but repeatedly, over and over again, completely submerged until it changes colour. That’s what we should be like as believers…baptised, filled to overflow, dipped again and again in the Holy Spirit. It’s not just a once off event, it’s a reoccurring event. We should be dipped daily in His power.
Ephesians 5:18
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
Greek for filled is PLEROO, which again means being repeatedly filled to overflow. See the trend here…Pentecost might be a one-off event in history, but it needs to be a repeated and ongoing experience for the believer. A continuous, ongoing filling, dipping, immersing in the Holy Spirit. Yesterday’s experience is not sufficient. If you were baptised in the Holy Spirit yesterday, open your heart for another baptism today!
WHAT DOES PENTECOST POWER LOOK LIKE?
In Acts 2 we see what the baptism of the Holy Spirit looks like.
Acts 2:2-4
And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
So, when this event happened there were manifestations. There was a rushing wind sound. There were tongues of fire above each person’s head, and everyone there spoke in other tongues. On the day of Pentecost, the room was shaken. Lord, do the same today!
I’LL TAKE THE LOT
As a younger Christian, I was always a bit fearful of the speaking in tongues thing. I did not want to look weird or foolish, so I said, God, I give all my life, except that bit. Regardless of your stance on this issue, I want to urge you today to say, I give all my life, without any exceptions, and just let God be God. Be open, yield to Him, and let Him fill you with His Spirit and let Him sort it all out.
Today I can testify that I have the gift of tongues. It is clear evidence that I have been filled with the Holy Spirit, and it is extremely powerful in my life, especially my prayer life. I don’t know about you, but I want as many gifts as God would choose for me to have. Prophesy, tongues, wisdom, teaching, miracles, faith, healing, serving, I’ll take the lot. I’d encourage you to say that today…Lord baptise me in your Spirit, and I’d like to order it with the lot, to go! Now God will choose what gifts He gives me, but I want to be open to everything, not restricting what God does in any way.
So, if Pentecost is about Holy Spirit power, what do we need power for?
1: POWER FOR MIRACLES
I believe in a God of miracles. I’ve seen them happen time and time again. I have a friend who is a cessationist, who believes that miracle, tongues, healing, prophecy, all ceased with the writing of the New Testament. But teaching and pastoring did not, strangely. I told him kindly that he has a lifeless, dead and boring religion. I want to keep believing for miracles. Peter quoted the prophet Joel just after Pentecost…
Acts 2:17
“‘And in the last days I days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;
Acts 2:19
And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke;
Acts 2:21
And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
MANY MIRACLES
We have seen so many miracles here at Ignite, amazing financial miracles, healings, incredible favour. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, miracles happen! Jesus said…
Mark 16:15-18
And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Powerful miracles should be commonplace for us. If you struggle to believe for miracles, hang out around here, because this church us full of people who have faith for miracles. The greatest miracle of all is salvation, and life transformed by the Lord, but don’t discount other miracles too. God is still in the miracle business, but miracles are not for our amusement, they must point people to God!
2: POWER FOR MINISTRY
The purpose of Pentecost power is not for us, to give us gifts, so we can have a fun life. The power of Pentecost is for the harvest. We are standing on the brink of the greatest harvest this nation has ever seen. We need Holy Spirit power!
Zechariah 4:6
Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.
Jesus Himself modelled the life we should be leading…
Acts 10:38
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
Pentecost power is an anointing that God gives us, empowering us to do good works. It is a mark of God’s presence with us and through us towards others. We need His anointing so that we can advance the kingdom of God here in Nambour. We need the power of Pentecost because this world needs to see God’s power manifest in us!
Matthew 5:16 (NKJV)
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
We are saved by Grace, but we are meant to do good works.
Ephesians 2:8-10
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
GOOD WORKS
These good works are not simply natural occurrences, they are supernaturally planned and powered. They include supernatural grace to do what we cannot do in our own ability. Only by the infilling of the Holy Spirit can we truly, deeply and selflessly love people into the Kingdom. When the Holy Spirit was poured out on Pentecost, power for ministry was released to God’s people. Three thousand people were saved in an afternoon.
In the power of the Spirit, we are enabled to bring the kingdom to earth, just as it is in heaven. Pentecost is still a harvest festival, not for wheat, but for souls! Jesus said…
John 14:12-14
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
God anoints us for ministry so that we can do good like Jesus did, even greater than He did. The power of Pentecost is the power for ministry.
You were meant to be supernaturally empowered to do good, to impact lives, to bring the harvest of souls into the Kingdom. It’s time to receive His power to go forth and make a difference in the world!
3: POWER FOR MY LIFE
Pentecost is power for miracles and ministry, but it is also power for my life and your life. Salvation happens in a moment, but sanctification, the process of transforming our lives to become more like Jesus and become holy, takes a lifetime.
1 Peter 1:15-16
but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
I cannot live a Holy life in my own strength, but I can if I yield my life to the Holy Spirit. The power of Pentecost is not for us to get cool spiritual gifts or see miracle blessings, it’s the power to live a Holy life!
SANCTIFICATION
Sanctification is the working of holiness in the life of a person. Only the power of the Holy Spirit, Pentecost power, can transform our lives to be more Christ like. Holiness is the character of God, and it is supposed to be our character. Paul wrote…
Romans 12:1-2
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
The Holy Spirit is the one who sanctifies us. He is the one who develops us and causes us to become like Christ. His power enables us to do right and live right and overcome our flesh.
The power of Pentecost for you is produces the fruit of the Spirit and changes our appetites and desires. We need the power of Pentecost so that we can become all that God has called us to be. That power sets us free and that power makes us new. That power transforms us and makes us holy. We need that power now.
WE NEED THE POWER OF PENTECOST EVERY DAY
Some of you here are struggling to live a godly life. The best thing you could do right now is to yield your life to God. No holds barred and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
You cannot have Pentecost without plenty cost. If will cost you this…yielding your life and saying Lord, have Your way. It will cost you trusting Him for His leading, His decisions, His empowerment. It cost you your life, but it brings His true life!
On Pentecost Sunday, and I’m going to ask you to yield your entire life to the Holy Spirit. Put your theology aside, put your previous experience aside, lay your prejudice and opinion aside, and just say “Yes, Lord!”
Acts 1:8
receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
We need God’s power to fulfil our purpose and to be His witnesses. God gives us power to display to the world that He is real. He gives us power to do the good works – ministry service – that He prepared for us. God gives us power to change and become like Him and walk in the divine nature. We need to stir up our faith and believe God for Pentecost power every day to walk in love and do great things.
If you truly want more of God and if you truly are willing to yield your life fully to Him. If you want to experience the Power of Pentecost, join me and let’s cry out to God together.