Participants: Pr. Mark Finley
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR000927
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01:01 When I look at the challenge
01:04 of the vast world's populations, 01:08 it's clear to me 01:10 that unless the Holy Spirit works 01:13 powerfully and dramatically, 01:17 God's work on earth will not be finished anytime soon. 01:22 Technology is not going to finish God's work. 01:26 Television is not going to finish God's work. 01:30 Radio is not going to finish God's work. 01:34 All of the technological genius 01:36 or the brightest minds of the church 01:38 will not finish God's work. 01:41 God will reveal that He alone 01:45 through the outpouring of His Holy Spirit 01:48 will finish His work. 01:50 I long for meetings when the Holy Spirit 01:54 is poured out in abundance. 01:56 I long for the sameness 01:58 and the routine of the church to be broken up 02:02 and that the power of the living God 02:04 be poured out upon His people, 02:06 because it is spirit filled people 02:09 that will finish God's work on earth. 02:12 And that's what I want to talk to you about this morning, 02:15 when Pentecost is repeated. 02:17 Let's pray: Father in heaven, we thank You, 02:21 that man's extremity is God's opportunity. 02:25 We thank You that in the final closing work, 02:30 all of our human glory and human pride, 02:34 and human egotism will be laid in the dust, 02:37 so that Jesus alone will be exalted. 02:40 And I pray this morning that our hearts would be 02:43 open to the manifestation of your spirit 02:47 that we would give glory to Jesus 02:49 for what He will do in the last days 02:52 through a mighty outpouring of the Spirit 02:54 when Pentecost is repeated. 02:55 In Jesus' name, amen. 02:59 My wife and I lived five happy years in England, 03:03 from 1985 to 1990. 03:06 And we thoroughly enjoyed those Sundays 03:09 that we took tours of London. 03:12 We often went down to visit the city of London, 03:17 one of the most fascinating cities 03:18 in the world, 03:20 a great commercial center, a center of art, 03:22 center of commerce and industry, 03:24 and a center of culture and fashion. 03:28 I loved going to the parliament and looking at those 03:32 magnificent parliament buildings 03:33 and going to Westminster Abbey, seeing the graves of the kings 03:39 and enjoyed looking at the grave of David Livingston, 03:43 and noted that great missionary to Africa. 03:47 And of course, Big Ben was always a major attraction, 03:51 the London Bridge. 03:52 The story is told of a man one day 03:56 who sat on the street corner there in London, 04:00 sat on a corner of the London Bridge. 04:02 He was a poverty-stricken beggar. 04:05 And he sat there scratching out 04:07 some old tune on a violin. 04:11 People just passed him by 04:12 and he had his violin case opened, 04:15 hoping that some people would drop in a few pence. 04:19 People didn't pay much attention 04:21 to the old man. 04:22 They got to held their hands over their ears 04:25 for his scratchy music. 04:28 But then an elderly gentleman walked by 04:30 and passed the old beggar with the tattered clothes 04:34 and the shaky hands and the music, 04:37 if you could call it music. 04:40 And as the fellow passed him by, 04:41 he went back and he said to the man, 04:44 "Sir, I don't have anything to drop into your case, 04:48 but I'm wondering if I could play a tune 04:52 on your violin." 04:54 The old beggar handed 04:55 the stately gentleman his violin. 04:59 And soon music began to waft 05:00 through the air of that London street corner. 05:05 And the music got louder and loudere 05:07 and built to a greater crescendo. 05:09 And soon there was a symphony in a concert 05:12 that was being played by this alone violinist 05:15 on the street corner. 05:17 Cars had stopped, there were traffic jams, 05:20 the music was magnificent, it was breathtaking. 05:24 And soon the crowd began to whisper. 05:28 The violin is in the hand of the master. 05:31 It was Paganini, that was playing a free concert, 05:35 and people began to walk up 05:37 and drop a pound and two pounds 05:39 and they began to drop money into that old violinist case 05:44 because the violin in the hand of the master, 05:47 accomplished what nothing could 05:50 accomplish in the hand of that old beggar. 05:54 I long to be an instrument in the hands of the master. 05:59 The Spirit will do more through our lives 06:02 than we can possibly imagine if we're instruments 06:07 in the hands of the master. 06:09 The Bible predicts that in the last days 06:11 of earth's history, 06:13 the Holy Spirit will be poured out 06:15 in dramatic Pentecostal power. 06:19 "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit," 06:23 says The Lord. 06:25 I long for the day that God turns on His power. 06:30 I long for the day 06:32 that the feeble efforts of the church 06:34 will be animated by the power of the Holy Spirit, 06:37 and God will do abundantly more than 06:40 we can ask or think. 06:42 Revelation 18:1, let's read it together, 06:45 "After these things I saw another angel 06:50 coming down from heaven, having great authority, 06:54 and the earth was illuminated with His glory." 06:58 One day the earth will be illuminated 07:00 with the glory of God. 07:02 One day from north to south, and east to west, 07:05 the glory of God will be revealed to every man, 07:08 woman and child on planet earth. 07:10 One day Saudi Arabia will be touched with the glory of God. 07:15 One day Yemen will be touched with the glory of God. 07:19 One day the light of truth will shine 07:21 through inter and South America, 07:23 it will shine through Africa. 07:25 We believe based on the promises of God's Word 07:28 that God Church will not flicker like some candle 07:32 and be blown out by the winds of secularism. 07:35 Secularism will not stand 07:37 against the might of the Spirit of God. 07:40 None of the "isms" will stand 07:41 whether it is Islam or Hinduism or Buddhism, 07:44 whether it is post modernism, 07:47 whether it is cultures that have resisted 07:52 the gospel for centuries. 07:54 God is going to do something through His Holy Spirit. 07:58 The Holy Spirit will be poured out in full power. 08:01 The gospel will spread around the world rapidly. 08:05 Multitudes will respond to the preaching of God's word. 08:09 Thousands will share the words of life 08:11 with their neighbors 08:13 and find responsive hearts waiting for truth. 08:16 I long for the Holy Spirit to be poured out. 08:21 Matthew 24:14, read that familiar text with me. 08:25 "And this gospel of the kingdom might be preached perhaps." 08:30 This gospel of the Kingdom," what? 08:32 "Will be preached." I love the certainty of that. 08:34 This is a promise of God. 08:37 "This gospel of the kingdom will be preached 08:39 in part of the world that is receptive." 08:42 "This gospel of the kingdom will," what? 08:44 Will be preached where? 08:45 "In all the world as a witness to all nations, 08:49 then the end will come." 08:52 What we have been stumbling around 08:54 feebly attempting to accomplish, 08:57 God will do. 08:58 He will take the reins in His own hands. 09:02 Because in Romans 9:28 it says, "For He will finish the work." 09:09 He will finish the work. 09:11 God will create a set of circumstances in the world 09:17 where there is unusual receptivity and openness, 09:21 whether that is through economic disaster, 09:24 political turmoil, natural disasters and upheaval. 09:29 God is going to allow this world 09:32 to get to the end of its rope, 09:35 then He is going to move with His spirit 09:38 through consecrated people who aren't concerned 09:41 what ministry gets the glory. 09:45 He is going to be moving through His Spirit, 09:48 through humble spirits, who have their hearts open 09:51 to see Him manifest His hand. 09:55 Water is one of the Bible's great symbols 09:58 of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 10:01 And God uses two symbols to describe 10:05 what He's going to do in the last days. 10:07 The symbol of the early and the latter rain. 10:12 The terms early and latter rain were 10:14 part of the agricultural cycle of Israel. 10:16 In the spring, the early rain fell 10:20 to germinate the soil, germinate the seed. 10:24 In the fall in Israel, the latter rain fell to bring 10:30 the harvest to fruition from the seed that had been 10:34 germinated and growing through the fall in the summer. 10:38 God uses that expression of early and latter rain, 10:43 and the expression of water to describe 10:47 the ministry of His Holy Spirit. 10:50 The earlier rain that watered the seed had been planted 10:54 and help to germinate. 10:56 The latter rain fell at the end of the agricultural cycle 11:00 to ripen the grain and bring it to full harvest. 11:03 In James 5:7-8, God takes that symbol, 11:08 that allusion and describes the church and He says, 11:12 "Therefore be patient, brethren, 11:14 until the coming of the Lord. 11:16 See how the farmer waits 11:17 for the precious fruit of the earth, 11:19 waiting patiently for it 11:21 until it receives the early and latter rain. 11:25 You also be patient. 11:26 Establish your hearts, 11:28 for the coming of the Lord draws near." 11:31 So what James is saying 11:34 is that the church patiently waits 11:38 until God moves 11:41 with the outpouring of His Holy Spirit 11:44 in latter rain power to accomplish 11:47 what could not have been accomplished 11:49 with all human efforts down through the centuries. 11:53 The early rain was poured out on Pentecost 11:56 when the disciples received the Holy Spirit 11:59 and 3,000 were baptized in one day, in one place. 12:04 Now the Book of Joel calls 12:06 that outpouring of the Holy Spirit 12:08 moderate in comparison to what's to come. 12:12 If you saw 3,000 people baptized in one place, 12:17 in one day, would you consider that to be 12:20 a moderate outpouring of the Holy Spirit? 12:25 I think not. 12:27 But it's only moderate in comparison 12:30 to what's to come. 12:32 Joel 2 says he's poured out the early rain moderately, 12:36 but he will give you the latter rain 12:39 in abundance. 12:40 We little realize what God is going to do to show 12:45 His power and sovereignty, His might and grace 12:50 in the last days of earth's history. 12:53 Pentecost will be repeated on a larger, 12:56 grander scale than anything that we can imagine. 13:01 Ellen White describes this scene 13:03 in Great Controversy, page 611, 13:05 "The work will be similar 13:07 to that of the Day of Pentecost. 13:10 As the 'former rain' was given, 13:12 in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit 13:14 at the opening of the gospel 13:15 to cause the upspringing of the precious seed, 13:19 so the 'latter rain' will be given at its close 13:22 for the ripening of the harvest." 13:24 So when does the latter rain come? 13:26 When does that come? At the close. 13:29 She continues, "The great work of the gospel 13:32 is not to close with less manifestation of the power 13:35 of God that marked its opening." 13:37 Was the power of God poured out on the day of Pentecost? 13:40 Was it? 13:42 Will God's work end with less power than it began? 13:46 What do you think? 13:47 God's work is going to end with greater power. 13:50 I continue, "The prophecies which were fulfilled 13:52 in the outpouring of the former rain 13:54 at the opening of the gospel are again to be 13:57 fulfilled in the latter rain at its close." 14:01 Notice, Great Controversy, page 612, "Servants of God, 14:06 with their faces lighted up 14:08 and shining with holy consecration, 14:10 will hasten from place to place 14:12 to proclaim the message from heaven." 14:14 Did Ellen White see a vision with people, 14:17 going from home to home with Bibles in their hands? 14:20 They were filled with the Holy Spirit. 14:22 They were knocking on the doors of their neighbors. 14:25 They were sharing the gospel of Jesus 14:28 in this mighty outpouring. 14:29 Did she see that in vision? Did she see that? 14:32 Let me ask you another question. 14:34 Was this a fictitious vision or did she see real people? 14:39 You think she saw real people in vision. 14:41 My next question. 14:43 Was this a vision of the last days of earth's history? 14:47 Did she see you in vision? 14:52 Did the prophet of God 14:54 in prophetic vision see your life 14:58 anointed and filled with the Holy Spirit? 15:02 Did she see you going 15:04 with a new renewed spiritual experience, 15:08 a new revitalized spiritual experience 15:12 with a shining face to use the gifts 15:14 that God has given you to finish His work on earth? 15:18 Notice, Great Controversy, page 612, 15:21 "By thousands of voices, all over the world..." 15:24 How many voices? 15:25 Thousands of them, all over the world. 15:27 "The warning will be given. 15:28 Miracles will be wrought, 15:31 although Satan will work miracles 15:33 in the last days of earth's history." 15:36 We can expect God to turn on His power 15:41 and see miracles again. 15:43 The sick will be healed. 15:45 Signs and wonders will follow the believers. 15:49 Pentecost will be repeated. 15:53 I am told that the banks of Scotland 15:57 have 40 million pounds in unclaimed deposits. 16:03 Now I didn't check the exchange rate today, 16:08 but those of you who are more astute 16:10 than I in exchange rates could tell me 16:13 the exact figure. 16:14 But this is probably some place around 16:17 $70 to $80 million in unclaimed deposits. 16:23 I mean, I just wish that I knew about those unclaimed deposits 16:27 because I think I might go claim them, 16:29 I know a few places we could put it into God's work. 16:33 I wonder though, if the Bank of Scotland 16:36 has $70 to $80 million of unclaimed deposits, 16:41 I wonder if the bank of heaven has any unclaimed deposits. 16:45 God has promised the outpouring of His Spirit. 16:50 Is that an unclaimed deposit for the church today? 16:55 Are the unlimited resources of the Holy Spirit 17:00 often unclaimed by us? 17:04 The question is this. 17:07 How can I personally receive the abundance 17:09 of the Spirit that God has promised at end time? 17:14 What are heaven's prerequisites for receiving 17:18 this latter rain power? 17:21 Why hasn't God poured out His Spirit 17:25 on the church in fullness yet? 17:28 I have been coming to ASI for 20 years, 17:34 and some of you are not getting any younger, 17:39 some of us are not getting any younger. 17:43 I had a few less bags under my eyes 20 years ago, 17:47 a few less wrinkles on my face, 17:51 and the 3ABN makeup artist 17:53 would touch me up in 30 seconds then, 17:56 takes about half an hour now. 18:00 Some of us have aged. And here is my question. 18:03 You know, my wife and I 18:05 had a traumatic experience this last week. 18:09 My wife's mother died of brain cancer. 18:13 And I remember sitting at her bed, 18:16 holding my wife's mother's hand, 18:18 looking in her eyes. 18:21 My wife spent day after day after day 18:24 in that room holding mom's hand. 18:28 And this thought passed through my mind, 18:31 how many more generations of Adventist will be raised up 18:36 before the Holy Spirit is poured out 18:39 and we can see the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ 18:44 and the dead resurrected? 18:46 How many more funerals will be held? 18:49 How many more ASI members 18:53 will pass into their graves? 18:56 How many more ASI conventions will we have? 19:00 As I study the life of Christ and study the Book of Acts, 19:05 it seems to me that there are 19:07 five basic characteristics in the life 19:11 of the individual believer 19:12 for the reception of the Holy Spirit. 19:15 I want to review them to you, with you. 19:17 And I pray that in this meeting today, 19:19 the Spirit of God is going to come down. 19:21 I pray that this is not going to be 19:23 a common meeting, 19:24 not going to be an ordinary meeting. 19:27 I pray that God is going to touch your life, 19:31 that the Spirit of God will touch you, 19:33 bring you to deep conviction 19:35 that as I speak that God will bring me 19:37 to deeper conviction, 19:39 for the need in my own personal life 19:41 of the Holy Spirit. 19:43 I pray that God will do something here this morning 19:47 that's unusual, that's unique, that's special in our hearts, 19:53 that this would not simply be a message 19:55 that touches our head 19:56 and that we walk out these doors saying, 19:58 'Didn't Mark Finley preached a nice message?' 20:00 But I pray that the Spirit of God 20:02 will come down, that our hearts will be broken, 20:05 that we will be led 20:07 to an understanding of our dire need, 20:09 our spiritual poverty, 20:11 our nothingness without the Spirit, 20:14 and that God will do something in our lives that are, 20:16 that is incredibly unusual. 20:18 As I study the New Testament, 20:20 there are some things that are so basic, 20:22 they are so obvious, but God needs to remind them, 20:26 me of them again, and again, and again. 20:28 The first prerequisite 20:30 for the reception of the Holy Spirit 20:32 is earnest prayer and asking God for the spirit. 20:35 Zachariah 10:1, let's read it together. 20:38 "Ask the Lord for rain in the time of the latter rain." 20:43 It is so basic, so obvious. But may I ask you a question? 20:48 When is the last time that you were on your knees, 20:51 saying, God, 20:53 fill me with your latter rain power 20:55 to be a positive influence to my family, 20:58 to my neighbors, to my son, to my daughter 21:00 that doesn't know Christ, to my church. 21:03 Is your church gathering in prayer bands 21:07 on Sabbath morning before the worship service, 21:10 on Sabbath after the fellowship dinner? 21:13 Are you part of some prayer group 21:15 that is seeking God 21:17 and following the counsel of Jesus? 21:19 All the talking about praying doesn't make up 21:21 for groups of people that are praying, 21:23 that are seeking God 21:25 for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 21:26 Review and Herald, August 25, 1896, 21:30 read it together, 21:31 "We should pray as earnestly for the descent 21:35 of the Holy Spirit as the disciples 21:37 prayed on the day of Pentecost." 21:39 Is this a picture of your church? 21:42 Is this a picture of your family? 21:44 Can we expect the Holy Spirit to be poured out 21:47 when we're carelessly indifferent, 21:49 when we think that if we just 21:51 get on a number of other TV programs, 21:53 if we just have 21:54 some new internet idea or program, 21:58 if we just print another billion pieces of literature? 22:01 Oh, we can do it, we can finish the work. 22:04 Oh, God, please. Oh, God, please. 22:08 Sweep away all these self-inflated importance. 22:11 Sweep away all these self-egotism. 22:14 Oh, God, will Your church on its knees, 22:18 pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, 22:20 so that Jesus will be honored and glorified. 22:25 You see, I've been preaching 40 years, 22:27 on the great stadiums of the world. 22:29 I know what it's like to have 22:30 a hundred thousand people come to my meetings. 22:32 I know what it's like to have 65,000, 25,000. 22:35 But I also know, it's not a drop 22:37 in the bucket in reaching the whole world, 22:40 unless God does something that He gets the glory. 22:45 Another generation will arise. 22:48 Testimonies for the Church, Volume 8, page 23, 22:50 "My brethren and sisters, plead for the Holy Spirit, 22:53 God stands back of every promise He has made. 22:56 With your Bibles in your hands, 22:57 say: 'I have done as thou hast said, 23:00 I present Thy promise." 23:02 On our knees we're saying God, 23:05 I'm pleading for Your Holy Spirit, 23:07 God, you stand behind every promise, 23:09 God, You promised the outpouring 23:11 of the Holy Spirit in the latter days. 23:12 Lord, You stand behind that. 23:14 This can no longer be business as usual. 23:17 This can no longer be pleasures as usual. 23:20 We are living on the verge of the kingdom of God, 23:23 "Ask, and it shall be given, seek and you shall find, 23:26 knock and it will be open to you." 23:28 God wants to do more, 23:30 far more with our local congregations, 23:33 far more with our lives, 23:34 far more with our churches than we can imagine. 23:37 You are looking 23:39 at the largest Seventh-day Adventist Church 23:43 in the world. 23:44 It is in Shenyang, China. 23:47 And notice, it has the Adventist logo on it. 23:51 Not long ago my wife and I represented 23:53 the Seventh-day Adventist church 23:54 and I've been to China on a number of occasions. 23:57 This is Shenyang, not Shanghai. 24:00 Shenyang is north of North Korea. 24:03 It was 28 degrees below zero Fahrenheit 24:07 when we got there. 24:10 This church started as a small house group. 24:14 It was started by a woman 24:18 who was given hydrotherapy treatments 24:21 when she was sick, by her neighbor. 24:26 This woman was nursed back to health 24:28 through the Adventist health message. 24:31 Her daughter was a teenager, 24:34 but extremely bright, and she as a communist, 24:38 became a Christian and a Seventh-day Adventist. 24:41 They started the church in their home. 24:43 They began to share God's word. And they were prayer warriors. 24:48 The day that I was at that church, 24:50 this was the choir, over 350 strong, 24:54 3,000 people meet on Sabbath morning, 24:57 the other 3,000 meet 24:58 in smaller satellite church groups. 25:02 My wife and I met with the leader of this church 25:06 and we said to her, she made an appeal 25:10 that Sabbath morning and 400 people 25:13 who had been attending her church 25:15 for the past year in that local congregation 25:18 came forward to be baptized. 25:22 It was obvious that the Holy Spirit 25:24 was in that meeting. 25:26 And I said to her, my wife actually asked her. 25:29 Teenie said to her, tell us why it is that there is 25:33 something different about this service? 25:36 And she said, every morning 25:40 at 4:30 in the morning, AM, 25:44 my church doors are open 25:46 and I have 80 to 100 prayer warriors 25:49 seeking God in prayer. 25:52 And my wife said, do you do that 25:53 every day of the week? 25:56 And she said, oh, no, we don't do it on Sabbath, 25:57 we do it at 6 o'clock on Sabbath 25:59 because we are here all day on Sabbath. 26:03 Teenie said, well, why is it that you meet at 4:30 26:07 in the morning to pray? 26:09 She said, oh, all of our people have to go to work, 26:11 so they want to be sure they're at the church praying 26:12 for the outpouring of Holy Spirit before they go. 26:16 The church in China 26:18 understands intercessory prayer. 26:22 Are you part of a prayer group? 26:24 Are you seeking God for the outpouring 26:25 of the Holy Spirit in your own life? 26:27 Spiritual power comes when we are connected 26:32 to the source of power, 26:34 when we are on our knees seeking God. 26:36 There are churches in North America 26:40 that are leading out in prayer ministries, 26:44 and God is doing some amazing things 26:47 as men and women are seeking Him in prayer. 26:51 Now the second prerequisite for receiving the fullness 26:55 of the Holy Spirit is an undivided heart. 26:58 When you study the life of Jesus 26:59 and you study the life of the apostles. 27:03 The apostles sought God in prayer. 27:06 And the apostles came to Jesus and they said, 27:09 'Lord, give me an undivided heart. 27:11 Give me a heart that's pure toward You. 27:14 Give me a heart that's nothing between 27:15 my soul and my savior.' 27:17 You know the old song, 27:18 'Nothing between my soul and my savior, 27:20 not of this world's delusive dream.' 27:25 The disciples longed for an undivided heart. 27:28 Jesus said in John 8:29, reading it together, 27:31 "And he who sent me..." is where? 27:33 "With me. 27:35 The Father has not left Me alone, 27:37 for I always do those things that please Him." 27:42 What is the passion of your life? 27:45 Have you said, Lord, give me an undivided heart? 27:48 You see, God cannot turn on the power in our lives 27:52 if there is selfishness, greed, lust, materialism, 27:57 criticism, and gossip that fills our life. 28:01 God is not looking for some ultra perfectionism. 28:05 He is looking for hearts that are undivided. 28:08 He is looking for hearts that want only what He wants, 28:12 for minds that are totally connected to His mind. 28:17 There are times that on my knees I say, God, 28:21 all I want to do is please You. 28:23 God show me what's inside of me. 28:25 Show me where there is criticism. 28:27 Show me where in my heart there is an undefiled nature. 28:31 Show me where I'm still selfish. 28:33 Show me where materialism still fills my life. 28:36 And there are times 28:37 that the Spirit comes upon my life 28:39 so strongly that I say, Lord, 28:40 I never knew that, that was inside of me. 28:43 Somebody said to me the other day, 28:45 you know, Mark, so and so was criticizing you. 28:48 I said, that's nothing, you should see 28:49 what the Holy Spirit did to me the other night in prayer. 28:54 I don't worry about what the brethren say about me 28:56 because I know my heart more than they know it. 29:00 And I know what the Holy Spirit says to me 29:02 in the private places of prayer. 29:05 My only hope for salvation 29:07 is a sinner saved by God's grace. 29:10 And I love it when the whole-- I love it. 29:12 I don't love it. But I love the results of it. 29:15 When the Holy Spirit comes on me so strongly 29:18 that he says, 29:19 you need to change in that area, 29:22 you're not as kind as you ought to be. 29:24 You're not as sensitive to other people's 29:26 needs as you ought to be. 29:28 The Holy Spirit is not going to be poured out 29:30 on some lackadaisical Christianity 29:32 that is some kind of formal religion 29:34 that does not have hearts that are on the floor 29:37 weeping before God in repentance. 29:39 Asking God for an undivided heart, 29:42 saying, Lord, you show me what's inside of me, 29:45 reveal that to me. 29:47 When God has a group of people 29:49 with the main desire of their life to please Him, 29:52 seeking for the outpouring of His Holy Spirit, 29:55 then He will pour out His Spirit in abundance. 29:59 Jesus said, Matthew 26:39, 30:02 "Not as I will but as Thou will." 30:07 A young couple came to a seminar 30:09 like this one on the Holy Spirit, 30:11 and they came looking for the deeper spiritual life. 30:15 They came feeling that they really 30:19 were no longer satisfied 30:22 with living a superficial spiritual life. 30:26 This couple was coming to church each week. 30:29 They were nominal Christians, 30:30 but they've got themselves into some real problems. 30:33 They were $12,000 to $14,000 or more in credit card debt. 30:39 They seem to be 30:40 unable to control their Visa Card 30:43 and they purchased on a whim rather than 30:45 having any financial plan. 30:48 In the seminar on the Holy Spirit 30:50 when the discussion was on Matthew 26:39, 30:55 "Not as I will but Thou will." 30:58 They left the meeting and they said, look, 31:00 let's make this our goal: We will never put anything 31:04 on our credit card over $100 31:08 unless we first ask if it's God's will. 31:11 Now I'm not ask, I'm not arguing against credit cards, 31:14 I am arguing against debt. 31:16 Because debt shackles you and debt often 31:21 becomes a major roadblock in the ministry of the Spirit, 31:26 particularly if you're obsessed with spending on credit cards. 31:31 So this couple said, we're not going to do 31:34 anything unless we first consult God. 31:40 One day they were in the mall 31:43 and as they were in the mall they, this couple love skiing. 31:48 Oh, they love skiing. 31:50 And they just had some old set of skis, 31:53 and wouldn't you know it, 31:54 as they were walking down the mall, 31:56 they saw a large sign and it said, 32:00 "Going out of business, ski sales, 32:05 50 percent reduction." 32:07 He looked at her and she looked at him, 32:09 and they said, this must be the providence of God. 32:14 We came across a sale for skis. 32:17 They went in, they got outfitted 32:19 for new ski outfits, the jackets, 32:20 the pants, the boots, snowboard wax, you know. 32:23 The skis, it wasn't that much. 32:25 I mean, I think it was 5,000 to 6,000, 32:27 but you can put that on your credit card, you know. 32:28 I don't know they got expensive stuff, 32:29 I don't know about all that stuff. 32:31 And so they were going through line 32:33 and they're getting all this stuff to check out, 32:35 they had been in the store couple hours. 32:36 And you know those machines, 32:38 you know they go zit, zit, 32:39 you have this little plastic card, 32:41 you put 'em in there and it goes zit, zit, 32:42 it gives you something and it has got to, 32:43 you know, some carbon paper on it. 32:45 You know those things, 32:46 you probably saw one occasionally. 32:48 Anyway, they're going through 32:49 and the lady is just about ready to go zit, zit. 32:53 And the man looked at his wife, 32:55 and she looked at him, 32:56 and they caught one another eyeball to eyeball. 33:00 And as they caught one another, he caught her eye, 33:05 she caught his eyes and they knew 33:08 what each other was thinking. 33:10 They said, let's not sign that credit card thing, 33:12 let's not sign it. 33:14 They left it, they walked out. 33:17 He said to the clerk, I need a little time. 33:19 He walked out 33:21 and held his wife's hand in the mall. 33:24 They found a quiet bench and they said, 33:26 we did not ask if this was God's will, 33:29 this purchase. 33:31 We want an undivided heart. 33:33 We don't want to live life making our own choices. 33:37 We don't want to live life fulfilling our own desires. 33:43 We want an undivided heart. 33:45 And as they prayed, the Spirit of God 33:48 came upon them and they went back 33:50 in to the clerk and said, you know what, 33:53 this is going to sound strange to you, 33:56 but we've made a decision in our life, 33:58 because of our debt 34:00 that we would not make any purchase 34:03 unless we sought God's will. 34:06 They ripped up the credit card voucher, 34:09 never signed it, and walked out. 34:12 And the man said this later, I'll call him John. 34:14 That was not his real name. 34:15 But this what John said, 34:16 he said the happiest day of my life 34:19 was the day that I decided not to live my life 34:23 in harmony with my will but God's will. 34:27 What is it going to take for the Holy Spirit 34:29 to be poured out 34:31 upon the Seventh-day Adventist Church 34:33 in the last days of earth's history? 34:35 It's going to take groups of people that are seeking 34:37 God in prayer. 34:39 It's going to take small groups and individual prayer 34:43 where there is open heart and receptive mind. 34:47 Secondly, it's going to take men and women 34:52 who have undivided hearts, 34:54 who want Jesus to come more than they want 34:58 the materialistic values of this world. 35:01 Our Lord's intent is that we live abundant, 35:05 full Christian lives. 35:07 God does not desire us to live frustrated, defeated, 35:12 guilt ridden Christian lives. 35:15 And the Holy Spirit is the answer. 35:17 Testimonies Volume 8, page19 says, 35:19 "There is no limit to the usefulness 35:21 of the one who, putting self aside, 35:23 makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit 35:25 upon his heart and lives a life wholly consecrated to God." 35:29 There is no limit to your usefulness. 35:33 God wants to do with your life 35:35 more than you can possibly imagine. 35:38 God wants to do in your soul 35:41 more than you possibly can ever understand. 35:44 The Holy Spirit and God have limitless plans for your life. 35:50 Now the third prerequisite 35:51 for the reception of the Holy Spirit 35:53 is saturating our minds with the word of God. 35:55 If you look through the Book of Acts, 35:56 the Bible says that their minds 35:58 were filled with the Word of God 35:59 and they went everywhere preaching God's word. 36:02 Matthew 4:4 says, "Man shall not live by..." what? 36:05 "Bread alone, but by every word 36:07 that proceeds out of the mouth of God." 36:10 John 6:63 says, "The words that I speak to you, 36:13 they are spirit and they are life." 36:14 My wife and I right now have said to ourselves, 36:17 to one another, 36:18 we want in these ages of our life 36:20 to saturate our minds with God's word. 36:22 So we're memorizing, memorizing the word of God. 36:25 Someone, "Blessed is the man that walketh 36:27 not in the counsel of the ungodly, 36:28 nor stands in the way of sinners, 36:31 nor sits in the seat of scornful. 36:32 But his delight is in the law of the Lord." 36:34 Psalm 23, "The Lord is my shepherd, 36:35 I shall not want. 36:37 He maketh me lie down beside green pastures." 36:38 Psalm 46, "God is our refuge and strength, 36:41 A very present help in trouble. 36:43 Therefore we will not fear, that the earth be removed, 36:44 and the mountains carried into the midst of the sea. 36:46 The mountain shake with the swelling thereof." 36:48 Psalm 91. And on and on and on. 36:51 Recently we were driving 36:53 from Chattanooga, Tennessee to the Virginias, 36:57 and you know, my son was moving 36:59 from Chattanooga to Virginia, and I'm no truck driver, 37:01 and I'm no mover. 37:03 But I move my kids long enough 37:04 that I could be a mover if I retired from ministry, 37:06 because I move my kids all the time. 37:08 They didn't move, they call dad. 37:09 Dad, we got to move, let's load the truck 37:10 and you drive the thing, and we'll drive the cars." 37:12 So I had this 26 foot Penske truck and you know, 37:16 I know, I'm on television 37:17 so I don't want to give that ad, 37:18 it could have been U-Haul, it could be Ride, 37:20 it could have anything else, so I've covered myself now, 37:21 okay, anyway. 37:23 So I have this truck, and my wife and I 37:24 are driving, it's a long drive you know, 10 hours. 37:26 And so, we say, let's go over the Book of John, 37:29 and we'll go from John 1 to John 22, 37:31 we'll say the whole book together, 37:33 we'll describe what's in every chapter 37:35 of the Book of John. 37:36 We could be listening to the radio 37:37 or something else. 37:39 We have committed our lives that we want to be 37:41 saturated with God's word, 37:43 because how you filled with the Holy Spirit? 37:45 The Holy Spirit is not some mystical force 37:47 that tickles your tonsils, if you have them still, 37:51 or tickles the ends of your ear or your fingertips. 37:54 The way you're filled with the Holy Spirit, 37:56 the words that I speak unto you, they are what? 37:59 Spirit in life. 38:00 If you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit, 38:02 fill your mind with the word of God 38:04 and the word of God changes your mind currents. 38:07 But if you are spending more time 38:08 in front of the TV then you are in the Bible, 38:10 even if it is religious television. 38:14 Are you listening to me, church? 38:17 Even if it is Hope Channel, 38:19 even if it is Three Angels Broadcasting, 38:21 even if it is SafeTV, even if it's Loma Linda. 38:26 If you are listening to Mark Finley more than 38:31 you are reading God's word, something is wrong with you. 38:37 Or any of those 38:38 other Adventist so-called preachers. 38:42 Religious television is good 38:44 if it leads you to the word of God personally. 38:48 But if it becomes a substitute for that 38:51 and you get your nourishment secondhand, 38:54 there is nothing like opening the word of God 38:57 and letting the Spirit of God fall upon your life. 39:02 When will Holy Spirit be poured out 39:03 in the church in Pentecostal power? 39:05 One, we are on our knees, seeking God in prayer. 39:07 We're asking God daily, do something in my life too. 39:11 When we have undivided hearts? 39:13 When we say, God, take away anything in me 39:16 that will block Your spirit. 39:17 Lord, I want an undivided heart. 39:19 Three, when we are serious about 39:21 filling our mind with the word of the Living God. 39:24 Spirit filled lives are guided by the word, 39:26 instructed by the word, empowered by the word, 39:29 sanctified by the word, transformed by the word. 39:32 Now, fourth prerequisite in receiving the Holy Spirit 39:34 in the fullness of power is to put away 39:37 all dissension between you and anybody else. 39:42 There are times you got to spend political capital. 39:48 Forty years I've been preaching, 39:49 I'm willing to spend some political capital. 39:51 There is too much competition 39:53 between ministries in the Adventist church today. 39:56 And you know what the competition 39:57 basically is over? 39:59 It's the dollar. 40:02 It's the dollar. 40:06 This church has the resources to rock the world. 40:13 If ever there were a coming together, 40:18 not concerned who is the greatest, 40:21 do you remember that James and John 40:25 were on the verge of the kingdom of, 40:28 they were on the verge of the crucifixion. 40:31 They were to enter in 40:32 to the greatest trials of their lives. 40:38 Christ was going to be crucified. 40:41 But they were not concerned about Christ being crucified, 40:45 they were concerned about who is the greatest. 40:51 It took the crucifixion of Christ 40:54 and the trauma of the cross to bring them together. 40:59 And these disciples that are so much like 41:01 we are were crushed at the crucifixion, 41:06 and disaster and calamity brought them together 41:10 in prayer bands, 41:11 and God poured out His Holy Spirit. 41:14 Oath that every ASI ministry would be united. 41:19 Oath that lay people and the church, 41:22 organization would drop their suspicion and criticism 41:26 and be united. 41:28 Oath that every pastor in his congregation 41:31 would be united. 41:32 Oath that Jesus would bring us together 41:35 in a loving unity. 41:37 Acts 2:1 says, 41:38 "They were all with one accord in one place." 41:41 Are you with one accord with your brethren? 41:45 If there is any competition or bitterness in your heart 41:48 and you are not in one accord with your brethren. 41:52 If you're in competition with others, 41:54 the Holy Spirit will be limited through your ministry. 41:57 Oh, you can do wonderful things, 41:59 you can write wonderful reports 42:00 and you can talk about how great you are, 42:02 but it is limited in comparison to what could come. 42:07 You are waiting in a kiddies wading pool, 42:09 when you can dive in the depths and get the pearls. 42:12 You're getting a few drops of rain on your nose 42:15 when you can get the Holy Spirit 42:16 poured out in abundance. 42:18 Oath that God would take away all of our pride, 42:22 bring us together in unity with the passion 42:25 to finish His work. 42:26 They were all with one accord together. 42:28 I love that word 'together'. They were together. 42:32 God's people together in prayer, 42:33 together in the word, together in praying. 42:37 They were one... 42:39 They were one in their desire 42:40 to bring the gospel to the world. 42:41 We may have our differences, 42:43 we may approach things differently, 42:45 but one in the desire to bring the gospel to the world. 42:47 Testimonies for the Church, Volume 8, page 21, 42:50 "Let Christians put away all dissension, 42:53 and give themselves to God for the saving of the lost." 42:55 Don't you like it? Put away all dissension. 42:58 "Let them ask in faith 42:59 for the promised blessing and it will come. 43:01 The outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the Apostles 43:04 was the 'former rain' and glorious was the result. 43:06 But the latter rain will be more abundant." 43:08 When we put away, the word for 'put away' 43:11 in the Bible is the word 'divorce.' 43:13 God believes in divorce. 43:15 In divorcing ourselves from all dissension, 43:18 divorcing ourselves from all competition, 43:20 divorcing ourselves 43:22 from everything that separates us, 43:24 so that we can be united 43:25 in bringing the gospel to the world. 43:27 Corrie ten Boom was in a German prison camp, 43:33 and she saw in that prison camp, 43:35 her sister Betsy tormented by a Gestapo guard. 43:39 This guard ripped off Betsy's blouse, 43:42 hit her in the face, knocked her to the ground. 43:44 And just to hear 43:45 the agonizing crunch of broken ribs, 43:48 stamped on Betsy's ribs. 43:50 Broke them of course, 43:52 Betsy developed serious lung infection 43:54 and eventually died. 43:57 Corrie left the prison camp, shattered. 44:01 But she worked her way through forgiveness. 44:04 She worked her way through the bitterness 44:07 because she knew that bitterness 44:09 would poison her spirit. 44:12 One night she was preaching in Munich, Germany. 44:15 And when she was preaching on forgiveness and God's love, 44:18 a band walked up the aisle. 44:20 She said, I wish I would have, 44:23 I wish I could get that face out of my mind. 44:25 He was one of the German Gestapo guards, 44:27 he was the guard the treaty Betsy so cruelly. 44:30 He was the guard that spit in Betsy's face 44:32 and stamped their ribs. 44:34 And this man reached up to Corrie 44:35 and she said, Corrie, will you forgive me? 44:40 And Corrie said, I could not. 44:43 He had treated us so cruelly and badly, 44:46 I could not. 44:48 And he said, would you forgive me? 44:49 And she said, in spite of all these 44:51 feelings of anger and bitterness, 44:53 I acted not on how I felt but on how God's love had been 44:56 poured into my life and how He had forgiven me. 44:58 And she reached out and said, I forgive you. 45:01 Is there somebody that you need to forgive, 45:05 they have really wronged you, they've really hurt you. 45:08 They've hurt you so bitterly and deeply. 45:11 Unless you find it in your heart 45:14 to forgive them, 45:15 the spirit's ministry will be limited in your life. 45:19 Is there somebody you have hurt? 45:22 You have treated unjustly and unfairly, 45:25 and you need to go to them and say, 45:27 please, forgive me. 45:29 Unless you find the moral courage to do that, 45:34 God will be limited in what He can do for you. 45:38 When God has a church that's on its knees praying. 45:43 When God has a church of men and women weeping, 45:47 saying, give me an undivided heart. 45:49 When God has a church that wants nothing 45:53 but His will. 45:55 When God has a church that says, Lord, 45:59 I really desire to be filled with Your word, 46:03 Lord, I hunger after Your word. 46:06 When God has a church that says, 46:09 Jesus, I don't want any dissension 46:12 between me and anybody else, I don't want any dissension. 46:17 Lord, I only want a focused unity 46:21 and I don't care who gets the glory. 46:24 When we don't care who gets the glory 46:27 and give it to Jesus, He will pour out His Spirit. 46:30 Yes, Corrie said, I forgive you. 46:33 And they embraced together. 46:34 And Corrie said, that was a turning point in my life. 46:37 Now the last prerequisite for receiving the latter rain 46:40 is active labor for others. 46:41 The Holy Spirit is poured out to finish God's work on earth. 46:47 Why would God give you His Holy Spirit 46:49 to finish the work 46:51 if you're not participating in the work? 46:53 Now, now is the time to share Jesus' 46:57 love and grace with others. 46:59 The more we share His love with others, 47:01 more the Holy Spirit fills us up with God's grace to share. 47:05 If I don't care about witnessing, 47:06 if I don't care about soul-winning, 47:08 if I don't care about winning the lost today, 47:10 why is God going to pour out His Spirit 47:14 to accomplish the finishing of the work 47:15 if I am too complacent to be involved in witnessing today? 47:18 Do you want the Holy Spirit? 47:20 Share what Christ has put in your heart today 47:22 with somebody else. 47:24 Find somebody to share God's love with. 47:25 Find somebody to pray for, 47:27 Find somebody to give a piece of literature out to. 47:29 Find somebody to study the Bible with. 47:31 Find somebody to develop a Christian friendship with. 47:34 Bring soup to somebody. Bring bread to somebody. 47:37 Get involved in loving ministry for Jesus. 47:39 And the more we give, the more we receive 47:41 because the Bible said, it's more blessed to do what? 47:43 Give than it is to receive. 47:45 Get involve in some soul winning ministry 47:48 for Jesus Christ. 47:49 Why would God empower us to share our faith 47:51 if we are not interested in sharing it? 47:54 It is now time with consecrated hearts to seek 47:57 the mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 48:00 Many years ago in the Country of Wales, 48:06 the churches were large and formal. 48:11 Six or seven old women met for prayer meeting, 48:15 and they mumbled the same old stale prayers 48:19 week after week. 48:21 One day, one evening, 12 or 13 year old girl 48:25 happened to come into the prayer meeting. 48:26 She heard these old women praying. 48:30 She knelt in their prayer circle. 48:32 And after they had prayed their formal prayers 48:36 she said, Oh, oh Jesus, 48:40 oh, Jesus, I love you. 48:43 Oh, do I love Jesus. 48:45 But she said it not simply with her lips, 48:49 she said it with her heart. 48:51 She said it from the depths of her being. 48:54 And one of the old women said, I love Jesus too. 48:56 Another one said, I love Jesus. 48:57 And they began to pray, 48:59 and that one sentence changed that whole prayer meeting. 49:02 And the ladies prayed 49:05 and they met the next night and prayed, 49:07 and soon the eight became 15, and the 15 became 20, 49:10 and the 20 became 30. 49:12 And soon from village to village throughout Wales, 49:14 there was a mighty spiritual revival. 49:16 And churches were open for prayer 49:18 at 6 o'clock in the morning. 49:22 Saloons shut and they became the centers of Bible study. 49:28 And children at school form prayer bands 49:29 at their lunch hour. 49:31 And there was a mighty spiritual revival, 49:34 the effects of which the world still experiences in Wales. 49:41 A policeman was directing traffic one day in Cardiff, 49:45 the capital city of Wales. 49:46 And some reporters had come down from London, 49:50 and they wanted to find out where the revival was. 49:54 So they came to the policeman 49:56 and they said to this Welsh policeman, 49:58 "Sir, can you tell us where is the revival? 50:04 Direct us to the revival." 50:07 The policeman stood up and took a deep breath 50:11 and he said, 50:13 the revival is in this uniform. 50:20 Revival always begins with one man, 50:25 one woman, one boy, one girl. 50:30 If your church is going to be revived, 50:31 you must be revived. 50:34 If you are the leader of a ministry, 50:36 you set the tone. 50:38 There is nothing more important that you do 50:40 than being a spiritual man or woman for God. 50:43 I love this old song by Julian Owens Borton, 50:46 "The Savior is longing His Spirit to show." 50:49 I pray it often. 50:51 As mighty in power as days long ago, 50:57 but hearts must be open and emptied of sin. 51:01 Revival is needed within. 51:08 The Savior will take away hardness of heart. 51:10 Do it for me, God. 51:12 Take away the hardness of my heart. 51:16 Fulfill every need, boundless strength 51:18 He will impart, Lord, I feel weak so many times. 51:22 So many times I stand before audiences 51:25 and I feel so spiritually weak. 51:27 Fulfill every need, boundless strength feel impart 51:31 and make up our lack. 51:33 Lord, I lack so much. 51:36 With His merit divine, remove every barrier 51:40 that hinders today. 51:42 Oh, cleanse me from sin. Make me pure, Lord, I pray. 51:47 Lord, someway, 51:48 somehow purify these motives in this heart. 51:52 Shine forth in thy beauty and help me to be 51:58 a power-filled witness for thee. 52:02 Do you sense God speaking to you today? 52:04 Do you sense God leading you to a deeper prayer life? 52:08 Has your prayer life been superficial or shallow? 52:13 Is there anything in your heart that is divided? 52:17 Do you sense God calling you 52:19 to a deeper spiritual experience 52:22 to remove the hindrances and barriers in your heart 52:25 to give you an undivided heart? 52:30 Have you neglected the word for other good things? 52:35 And do you hear the gentle voice of the Spirit 52:38 calling you to be renewed, refreshed, 52:41 reinvigorated, revitalized in the word? 52:46 Is there something in your heart 52:49 that is limiting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit through you? 52:54 Did you look in the ASI program 52:58 and see other ministries that got finances 53:01 and go back to your room and say, 53:02 I didn't get that, and I should, 53:04 why didn't the committee give it to me? 53:07 Do you see other ministry seeming to take off 53:09 and you're stagnant and have you 53:11 become envious of them? 53:16 Do you feel that 53:17 you're in somewhat of a competition? 53:21 Maybe today, this will be the day 53:25 that the Spirit of God comes down 53:28 and takes all that away and cleanses our heart 53:31 so we can be filled with the spirit. 53:34 Have you done more talking about 53:36 reaching the lost than actually 53:38 participating in soul winning ministry 53:40 and you sense today that 53:41 if you're going to receive the Spirit, 53:43 you need to step out into the water now. 53:46 Just now. 53:49 Would you like to say, Lord, 53:51 I am going to take this one thing 53:53 away from this meeting. 53:56 The Spirit of God has touched me. 53:59 The Spirit of God has spoken to my heart. 54:01 I want to go from here and make this decision. 54:03 This what I like you to do. 54:05 I like you to turn to somebody around you 54:08 and in one or two sentences 54:13 say to the person next to you, here is one thing 54:17 that the Holy Spirit impressed me 54:20 with in this meeting today. 54:22 Here is one thing that for me is going to be life changing. 54:25 Here is one thing that God touched me with today. 54:29 I'm going to take this and cherish it in my heart. 54:31 After you share that with a friend, 54:33 would you then kneel down with that person? 54:36 It could be in a group of two or three, 54:37 and pray together about that thing 54:41 that the Spirit of God will come. 54:44 And then I'll close the meeting with prayer. 54:45 Just now, turn to somebody next to you. 54:47 Tell them what God impressed you with. 54:49 Tell them what you're going to take home from this meeting. 54:51 Then together, if you can kneel in prayer, 54:53 if you can't kneel, 54:55 gather around in a little group, 54:56 open your heart to the spirit. 54:58 Well, let's pray for the anointing 54:59 of the spirit here today and then I'll pray. |
Revised 2016-01-11