On the other hand I am filled with power— with the Spirit of the Lord— and with justice and courage to make known to Jacob his rebellious act, even to Israel his sin. - Micah 3:8
Today’s message is titled, “The Empowering Work of the Holy Spirit”. Some of you might be thinking, “Well, it's about time pastor! We’ve listened to your preaching for the past 3 months just waiting to hear about the amazing power available to believers through the Holy Spirit.” Well, beloved, I intentionally placed this message near the end of this series because I wanted to lay some groundwork and provide some perspective. This sermon may not be what you're expecting. It is certainly different from what is taught by many of the popular preachers on TV.
I. EMPOWERED TO SERVE
Most of the works of the Holy Spirit that we’ve already covered in this series are, in fact, acts of empowerment. The Holy Spirit empowers sinners to become convicted of their sin and realize their desperate need for forgiveness. He empowers convicted sinners to recognize Jesus as the Savior. He miraculously raises repentant sinners who were dead in their transgressions and sins to new life in Christ through the miracle of regeneration.
After baptizing them into the Church, the Holy Spirit empowers believers to serve by giving them particular spiritual gifts. He empowers them to understand God’s Word through illumination and leads them in their Christian walk as they apply His truth. He empowers them to persevere by giving them the assurance of His sealing and comforting them when they are distressed and downtrodden. The Holy Spirit empowers believers to more closely portray the image of Christ by cultivating the fruit of the Spirit in their lives.
In all of these ways, and in many others, the Holy Spirit empowers Christians to live for and serve the LORD. He empowers them to obey God and to overcome the damaging effects of sin. The Bible says that if a person walks by the Spirit, they will not carry out the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). The victorious Christian life is only possible because of the empowering work of the Holy Spirit.
II. EMPOWERED TO EVANGELIZE
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to share the gospel effectively. Prior to His ascension, Jesus instructed His apostles to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit arrived and empowered them to be His witnesses (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:8). Jesus knew that apart from the Spirit’s influence, their preaching would be largely unproductive. Sure enough, when the Holy Spirit fell upon them on the day of Pentecost, Peter began boldly proclaiming the gospel and some 3,000 people were saved (Acts 2:14, 41).
After he and John had been arrested a few days later for healing and preaching at the temple, Peter was again filled with the Holy Spirit and boldly proclaimed Christ to the elders, rulers, and scribes who were questioning them (Acts 4:8). During His earthly ministry, Jesus had told the apostles that the Holy Spirit would teach them what to say in such situations (Luke 12:11-12). Following Peter and John’s release, they went and prayed with the other disciples, and all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began proclaiming the gospel with great confidence (Acts 4:31).
Again and again throughout the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit empowered the apostles, missionaries, and disciples to boldly preach and teach the message of Christ. As a result, the New Testament church grew far beyond the boundaries of Jerusalem and was firmly established throughout the world. While the book is traditionally called “The Acts of the Apostles”, some have suggested a better name would be “The Acts of the Holy Spirit”. It was, and still is today, the empowering work of the Holy Spirit that made/makes evangelism successful.
Even the Apostle Paul, often regarded as the greatest missionary of all-time, described his own preaching as average at best. In a letter to the church at Corinth, he wrote that it lacked eloquence and persuasion. Still, because of the empowering of the Holy Spirit, his simple proclamation of the gospel led many people to Christ (1 Corinthians 2:1–5).
III. EMPOWERED TO PERFORM MIRACLES?
But what about miracles? The apostles performed miracles. So did some of their closest colleagues, including Stepen, Philip, and Barnabas. Does the Holy Spirit empower believers today to perform overt, physical miracles such as healings, exorcisms, and prophecy?
First, let’s recall what we discussed earlier in this series regarding spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit bestows 1 or more gifts to each believer as He wills. These gifts are to be used for the edification of the church. The historic view of the Southern Baptist denomination is that certain spiritual gifts - namely the supernatural gifts which include healings, miracles, prophecy, and tongues - that were distributed to a select few (mainly the apostles) during the first century for the express purpose of establishing the church have since ceased.
Spiritual giftedness aside, there are some charismatic churches that teach that every Christian should be performing healings, miracles, and exorcisms. They claim that all believers are capable of speaking prophetic utterances and communicating in angelic tongues. Some even go so far to say that if a person isn’t doing these things, they aren’t truly saved.
These false teachers love to quote Matthew 10:8 in which Jesus tells His followers, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.” They suggest that these are directives for all Christians to follow. However, when read in context, Jesus was clearly addressing the 12 apostles and preparing them for a specific, limited ministry task. This was not a general command to all believers in all generations and circumstances. If it were, too bad for the Gentiles and Samaritans… only Jews were to be healed.
So, does the Holy Spirit have the power to perform physical miracles today? Absolutely yes, and He does so from time to time in accordance with God’s will! Sometimes He even uses a person as the agent through whom He performs the miracle. But this is not a routine, common occurrence, nor should it be the center of our worship. Paul prayed that believers would be strengthened by the Holy Spirit in their “inner man” (Ephesians 3:16). The greatest and most desirable power of the Holy Spirit occurs internally, within the life of a Christian.
CONCLUSION
People have always sought power as a means of fulfilling their psychological needs for security, self-esteem, and validation. Power can provide a sense of control over one's environment and circumstances, reducing feelings of vulnerability. Unfortunately, the accumulation of power often leads to sinful behaviors. Furthermore, people who perceive themselves to be in control of their own life are less willing to acknowledge their need for a Savior.
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to serve God and proclaim the gospel with confidence. He does not empower them to perform miraculous works or healings that would undermine their dependence on and/or faith in God. He doesn’t empower us so that we may rid ourselves of suffering or hardship, but rather so that we may endure it and live victoriously in the midst of it!
Today’s message is titled, “The Empowering Work of the Holy Spirit”. Some of you might be thinking, “Well, it's about time pastor! We’ve listened to your preaching for the past 3 months just waiting to hear about the amazing power available to believers through the Holy Spirit.” Well, beloved, I intentionally placed this message near the end of this series because I wanted to lay some groundwork and provide some perspective. This sermon may not be what you're expecting. It is certainly different from what is taught by many of the popular preachers on TV.
I. EMPOWERED TO SERVE
Most of the works of the Holy Spirit that we’ve already covered in this series are, in fact, acts of empowerment. The Holy Spirit empowers sinners to become convicted of their sin and realize their desperate need for forgiveness. He empowers convicted sinners to recognize Jesus as the Savior. He miraculously raises repentant sinners who were dead in their transgressions and sins to new life in Christ through the miracle of regeneration.
After baptizing them into the Church, the Holy Spirit empowers believers to serve by giving them particular spiritual gifts. He empowers them to understand God’s Word through illumination and leads them in their Christian walk as they apply His truth. He empowers them to persevere by giving them the assurance of His sealing and comforting them when they are distressed and downtrodden. The Holy Spirit empowers believers to more closely portray the image of Christ by cultivating the fruit of the Spirit in their lives.
In all of these ways, and in many others, the Holy Spirit empowers Christians to live for and serve the LORD. He empowers them to obey God and to overcome the damaging effects of sin. The Bible says that if a person walks by the Spirit, they will not carry out the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). The victorious Christian life is only possible because of the empowering work of the Holy Spirit.
II. EMPOWERED TO EVANGELIZE
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to share the gospel effectively. Prior to His ascension, Jesus instructed His apostles to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit arrived and empowered them to be His witnesses (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:8). Jesus knew that apart from the Spirit’s influence, their preaching would be largely unproductive. Sure enough, when the Holy Spirit fell upon them on the day of Pentecost, Peter began boldly proclaiming the gospel and some 3,000 people were saved (Acts 2:14, 41).
After he and John had been arrested a few days later for healing and preaching at the temple, Peter was again filled with the Holy Spirit and boldly proclaimed Christ to the elders, rulers, and scribes who were questioning them (Acts 4:8). During His earthly ministry, Jesus had told the apostles that the Holy Spirit would teach them what to say in such situations (Luke 12:11-12). Following Peter and John’s release, they went and prayed with the other disciples, and all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began proclaiming the gospel with great confidence (Acts 4:31).
Again and again throughout the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit empowered the apostles, missionaries, and disciples to boldly preach and teach the message of Christ. As a result, the New Testament church grew far beyond the boundaries of Jerusalem and was firmly established throughout the world. While the book is traditionally called “The Acts of the Apostles”, some have suggested a better name would be “The Acts of the Holy Spirit”. It was, and still is today, the empowering work of the Holy Spirit that made/makes evangelism successful.
Even the Apostle Paul, often regarded as the greatest missionary of all-time, described his own preaching as average at best. In a letter to the church at Corinth, he wrote that it lacked eloquence and persuasion. Still, because of the empowering of the Holy Spirit, his simple proclamation of the gospel led many people to Christ (1 Corinthians 2:1–5).
III. EMPOWERED TO PERFORM MIRACLES?
But what about miracles? The apostles performed miracles. So did some of their closest colleagues, including Stepen, Philip, and Barnabas. Does the Holy Spirit empower believers today to perform overt, physical miracles such as healings, exorcisms, and prophecy?
First, let’s recall what we discussed earlier in this series regarding spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit bestows 1 or more gifts to each believer as He wills. These gifts are to be used for the edification of the church. The historic view of the Southern Baptist denomination is that certain spiritual gifts - namely the supernatural gifts which include healings, miracles, prophecy, and tongues - that were distributed to a select few (mainly the apostles) during the first century for the express purpose of establishing the church have since ceased.
Spiritual giftedness aside, there are some charismatic churches that teach that every Christian should be performing healings, miracles, and exorcisms. They claim that all believers are capable of speaking prophetic utterances and communicating in angelic tongues. Some even go so far to say that if a person isn’t doing these things, they aren’t truly saved.
These false teachers love to quote Matthew 10:8 in which Jesus tells His followers, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.” They suggest that these are directives for all Christians to follow. However, when read in context, Jesus was clearly addressing the 12 apostles and preparing them for a specific, limited ministry task. This was not a general command to all believers in all generations and circumstances. If it were, too bad for the Gentiles and Samaritans… only Jews were to be healed.
So, does the Holy Spirit have the power to perform physical miracles today? Absolutely yes, and He does so from time to time in accordance with God’s will! Sometimes He even uses a person as the agent through whom He performs the miracle. But this is not a routine, common occurrence, nor should it be the center of our worship. Paul prayed that believers would be strengthened by the Holy Spirit in their “inner man” (Ephesians 3:16). The greatest and most desirable power of the Holy Spirit occurs internally, within the life of a Christian.
CONCLUSION
People have always sought power as a means of fulfilling their psychological needs for security, self-esteem, and validation. Power can provide a sense of control over one's environment and circumstances, reducing feelings of vulnerability. Unfortunately, the accumulation of power often leads to sinful behaviors. Furthermore, people who perceive themselves to be in control of their own life are less willing to acknowledge their need for a Savior.
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to serve God and proclaim the gospel with confidence. He does not empower them to perform miraculous works or healings that would undermine their dependence on and/or faith in God. He doesn’t empower us so that we may rid ourselves of suffering or hardship, but rather so that we may endure it and live victoriously in the midst of it!