Changes Due to Sanctification

“Changes Due to Sanctification”

Prov. 28:13-14; Psa. 139:23-24; Duet. 19:19-20; 1 Jn. 1:5-11 

SUBJECT: CORRECTION ADVERSITY COMPELS US TO MAKE

THEME: Examine Your Attitude Toward Evil and Sin When Trouble Invades Your Life. 

RELEVANCY: God Desires for Us to Correct Our Attitude Toward Evil and Turn Away from the Practices of Sin. Sin usually leads to even more sin; it is certain that the “hardened heart shall fall into mischief.” God desires to compel all of us to engage in periodic self-examination so we may face up to our own sin and to do the difficult work of changing our beliefs and our behavior. 

INTRODUCTION:

The Scriptures tell us, God is a God of absolutes. We are either evil or righteous, based upon what we have decided to do in response to Jesus Christ and His shed blood on the cross. 

Now that we are saved, our focus must be on sanctifying ourselves unto Christ our Lord. Sanctification is being set apart for God’s special use…being progressively made holy. The ongoing, practical, and experiential growth in grace is the target. The daily journey of moving away from sinful behaviors to embracing a Christ-like lifestyle involving prayer, scripture study, complete surrender, and obedience to God. This is the lifelong work of the Holy Spirit transforming us believers to become more like Jesus Christ in our thoughts, desires, motivations, and actions. 

MESSAGE:  

COMPELS US TO CORRECT OUR HARBORING OF EVIL.

A.  CORRECTION THROUGH SALVATION.  

Persisting in sinful patterns and willful disobedience to God is a primary cause of a hardened heart. God is still calling you to trust Christ as your personal Savior today. He still loves you. His Holy Spirit still attempts to draw you to the Father.  

B.  CORRECTION THROUGH SANCTIFICATION.

Recognizing our sinfulness compels us to journey further, making life changing growth a habit. 

You likely remember that Proverbs 28:13, says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” These observations are key to the sanctification process. Recalling two particulars that are conducive to making sanctifying changes:

• Honestly acknowledging faults and taking responsibility for those wrong actions.
• Truly repenting to not merely say sorry but actively abandoning sinful behaviors.

   1. We Should Feel Compelled to Confess Our Sin.

When we see that we are sinful, we need to come to our heavenly Father saying, “I need Your forgiveness. Please wash me and make me clean in Your sight.” When we recognize that we have committed a trespass against our neighbors, or that we have sinned against God, we should not brush that aside casually as if to say, “Well, that's just my human nature.” Rather, we need to come to God and say, “I have sinned. Have mercy upon me. Change me so I won't desire to do this again!”

a.     Be wide open and straight with God regarding your sins. Psalm 139:23-24, says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: [24] And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” David acknowledges that God knows him completely. By asking God to “search” and “try” (test or examine), he invites God to reveal the inner motives and unconscious biases that he might be blind to. David is begging God to search for sin and point it out, even to the degree of examining his very thoughts. He wants God to expose any hidden sins in his life and guide him toward righteousness. This is a humble admission of our fallibility and a desire for God’s transformation.

b.    Beloved, this is ‘spiritual exploratory surgery’ for sin. The phrase “wicked way” refers to anything causing spiritual grief or pain. This is a request for cleansing and realignment, asking God to point out sin so it can be confessed, and to actively guide us onto the path of eternal life. Child of God, how are we to recognize sin unless God points it out? Then, when God shows us (sometimes through others), we can repent and receive forgiveness. Oh, make this verse your sincere prayer. If you ask the Lord to search your heart and your thoughts and to reveal your sin, you will be continuing God’s path of experiencing everlasting life.

   2. We Should Feel Compelled to Reject Sin and Stand Against Evil.

Recognition of evil should bring about a rebuke, a removal of evil, or a stand against evil.

Deuteronomy 19:19–20, Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. [20] And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.

a.     We can note the consequences for a malicious witness who gives false testimony in court. The Law mandates that the false accuser receive the exact punishment they intended for the innocent victim, serving as a severe deterrent to perjury and a way to purge evil from the community.

1)    So, if a person lied in court to get someone convicted of a crime, that person would receive the very same penalty (whether a fine, imprisonment, or death) that the innocent defendant would have faced. The goal was not personal vengeance but community protection to eliminate wickedness from society.

2)    Public justice had a dual purpose: to punish the guilty and to act as a strong psychological deterrent. By carrying out severe, fitting penalties in plain sight, the community would learn to fear the legal and moral consequences of lying. This strict justice system was designed to cultivate a culture of truth, integrity, and respect for the law. (See Bible Study Tools)

b.    Beloved, we too are to live in truth, integrity, and respect for God’s Word. Those who hope that God will tolerate a little sinfulness are those who tend to tolerate sinfulness in themselves.

1)    I have seen some come to the point that they do nothing about their sin even though they recognize it as sin. They usually say something like this, “But we are all sinful. We all fall short of perfection. I’m only human after all.” That is true. Romans 3:23 says it plainly: “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

2)    But, when we recognize sin in our lives as Christians, we should feel compelled by the Holy Spirit to do something spiritual about it! A Christian should never tolerate nor excuse his sin! We are to live with truth, integrity, and respect for God’s Word.

c.     1 John 1:9, states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This Christian core promise assures us believers that openly acknowledging and taking responsibility for our sins before God instantly restores our fellowship with Him, guaranteed by Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. Forgiveness means our sins are entirely pardoned and the barrier between us and God is removed. “...and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” speaks of cleansing or removing the internal guilt and moral pollution that sin brings, making us spiritually pure in His sight. While Christians are granted eternal, positional forgiveness at salvation, daily sins hinder our close fellowship with God. Confession acts like ‘relational dusting,’ washing away daily guilt and restoring our closeness with God.                                                            

   3. We Should Feel Compelled to Break Free of Sin’s Grip.

Jesus told a woman who was caught in the act of blatant sin, “Go and Sin No More”.

John 8:10-11, When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? [11] She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. 

Jesus literally expected her to quit sinning in this area He had dealt with.  He was commanding her to REPENT! It didn’t take her 10 visits with a Psycho Analyzer and $20, 000 dollars to get her life straightened out. It took real faith in the Lord Jesus, and conscious submission to Christ’s Authority in her life, therefore she could break away from sinful practices. She was now saved; therefore, she could stop making a habit of sinning! (Rom. 6)

a.     Look to the Lord Jesus, Who Requires Us to Be Perfect. Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. We believers are called to pursue spiritual maturity, wholeness, and unconditional love that mirrors God’s nature, particularly by showing grace to both friends and enemies.

1)    The word “perfect” means “mature,” “complete,” or “reaching a goal”. It does not mean absolute, sinless flawlessness, as we have real limitations.

2)    However, this is God’s ultimate standard; we cannot achieve moral perfection on our own. Instead, it is a lifelong pursuit of transformation, made possible only by relying on Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

b.    How Can We Be Perfect or Spiritually Mature?

1)    In character. In this life we cannot be flawless, but we can aspire to be as much like Christ as possible.

2)    In holiness. Like the Pharisees, we are to separate ourselves from the world's sinful values. But unlike the Pharisees, we are to be devoted to God's desires rather than our own and show his love and mercy to the world.

3)    In maturity. We can't achieve Christlike character and holy living all at once, but we must grow toward maturity and wholeness. Just as we expect different behavior from a baby, a child, a teenager, and an adult, so God expects different behavior from us, depending on our stage of spiritual development.

4)    In love. We can seek to love others as completely as God loves us.

c.     We Can Be “Perfect” If Our Behavior Is Appropriate for Our Maturity Level—mature, yet with much room to grow. Our tendency to sin must never deter us from striving to be more like Christ. Christ calls all his disciples to excel, to rise above mediocrity, and to mature in every area, becoming like him. Those who strive to be like Jesus will one day be like him because of seeing him as he is (1 John 3:2-3). John also advocates ‘walking in the light’ (1 Jn. 1:5-10) or being honest about your mistakes rather than pretending to be ‘perfect.’ We acknowledge our flaws rather than sweeping them under the rug. We begin to live honestly…transparently with God and relate more appropriately with people!

C.  CORRECTION THROUGH ZERO TOLERATION.

Facing the fact that we are sinful creatures is not the same as tolerating sin in our lives. Again, you may be saying, “But we are all sinful. We all fall short of perfection.” That is true.  You may also say, “Well, nobody is perfect, surely God understands that.”

   1. Understand That Acknowledgment is Not Toleration for Sinful Behavior.

Acknowledgment of sin should lead to cleansing and fellowship—not more tolerance.

1 John 1:5-10, This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. [6] If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. [8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

a.     Acknowledging sinfulness means agreeing with God that our behavior or conditions fall short of His standard or expectations. Toleration, however, is consenting to or condoning that behavior. This distinction calls us believers to confess and reject our sins rather than approve of our iniquities.

b.    Beloved, this is a solemn call to real repentance! Psalm 32:5, says: “I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.”

    2. Understand That Our Acknowledgment Leads to Rejection.

The Scriptures teach us that God desires for us to hate sin and its consequences and to turn from evil at every opportunity.

a.     We need to not only memorize Psalm 119:104, but we also need to adopt the attitude that it requires regarding sin and evil.  May its truth be our resolve! Psalm 119:104, Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

1)    We are not to imitate evil.

2)    We are not to embrace evil.

3)    We are not to flirt with evil.                                                                  

4)    We are not to be curious about evil.

b.    Realize that Jesus’ death and resurrection were God’s final remedy for sin. John 19:30, When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.  Until this time, a complicated system of ceremonial sacrifices had atoned for sins. Sin separates people from God, and only through the sacrifice of an animal, a substitute, could people be forgiven and become clean before God. But people sin continually, so frequent sacrifices were required. Jesus, however, became the final and ultimate sacrifice for sin. The word “finished” is the same as ‘paid in full.’ Jesus came to finish God's work of salvation (Jn. 4:34; 17:4), to pay the full penalty for our sins. With his death, the complex sacrificial system ended because Jesus took all sin upon himself. Now we can freely approach God because of what Jesus did for us.

We believe in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection therefore we can live eternally with God and escape the penalty of death in hell that comes from sin.

 CONCLUSION:

Sanctification can be your reality. This daily journey involving moving away from sinful practices to implementing Christ-like lifestyle measures may be your reality immediately. The Holy Spirit transforming us believers to become more like Jesus Christ in our thoughts, desires, and actions can began for you today. Remember, acknowledging sin before God is the path to forgiveness, not the acceptance of sin. 

   

 

Going Further…

Going Further…

Jn. 11; Matt.19:26

 

Sometimes ‘going further’ entails taking a few steps back at first. Perhaps progressing in the Lord feels more like standing still…pausing…to learn key factors well before moving any further. It is very likely we perceive different outcomes than God does…we want something quite unlike God’s intentions. The current situation seems to dictate our existing posture and beliefs…. To be more protective, judicious, and cautious just feels right about here…it even makes good logical sense…right? By taking a step back, we sometimes realize we are guilty of wanting outcomes that are far too small when God is thinking much bigger, grander, and strategic. Further, our expectations may even be more focused on ourselves and not necessarily the broader plan of God. ‘Going further’ requires joining our Lord on this journey of faith.

This kind of thing happened repeatedly in the Bible (Gen. 6; Gen. 17:1-27; 21:1-8; 2Sam. 7), but it was especially punctuated in John 11 with the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead. Often, we impose our limitations on God restricting Him to fit into our expectations, when God is not limited like that at all. Our need for Him and the opportunity to transcend normality are presented through life’s very real challenges (Jn. 11:1, 4, 14-15), but few believers seldom realize the chance to trust Him and surpass the restrictions imposed by society or our own understanding. It is true death, the grave, and the stench of death (Jn. 11:39-40) are very real limitations we cannot overcome no matter how sincere we are. It is also true that we allow ourselves to ‘think’ within the confines of those limits and we don’t even consider possibilities beyond them…. We err when we impose those same limits onto God only expecting or even requiring Him to operate within our ‘level’ of comprehension (Jn. 11:24). He is NOT obligated to function that way, and further He really knows what He is doing with each occasion. He has a strategic plan in mind (Jn. 11:4, 40)!

It is precisely at this juncture we feel acutely the frustrations…not realizing God is itching to introduce an opportunity that is mind-blowing and life changing! Such an occasion summons us to trust the Lord in this matter. Jesus requires ‘faith’—believing Him to realize the greater realities!  For instance, Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: ²⁶ And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? ²⁷ She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. (John 11:25-27). He declares Himself as the source of eternal life and tests Martha’s faith. He assures her that He has absolute power over physical and spiritual death. He guarantees eternal life to whoever believes in Him, prompting Martha to confidently confess her ‘faith’ in Him as God’s Messiah. Trust is always appropriate when interacting with the Lord.

But what tends to interfere with such simple faith? Sometimes we are so consumed with the past… ‘what we perceived should have been’ (Jn. 11:21-22, 32, 40), we haven’t even begun entertaining future possibilities yet. There are times all we can see is the gigantic problems…dwarfing others…sometimes more significant…legitimate factors. Perhaps we are even convinced we know what needs to happen. The solution is so obvious to us that we gently suggest ‘our’ remedies. Certainly, we would have been happy with a simple ‘healing’, but God wants a ‘resurrection!’ Often working together with the Lord is ‘imagined’ a certain way…with ‘our ideal’ outcomes given the details we observed…. We may even envision the local impact of a ‘resurrection’ miracle but not yet perceive the farther-reaching shock waves of such a witness for future disciples (Jn. 11:41-42, 45, 51-52). We may influence a ‘healing’ through our prayers, but only God can work His divine plan for our future which may involve another miracle or two. The first instance may court our pride, but the second option clearly illuminates the ‘grace’ of God! We are invited to join Him on this journey of faith; we dare not embark upon it alone!

“With God all things are possible” Jesus insists in Matthew 19:26, referring to the fact that God is unlimited, unrestricted, boundless…His great power transcends all the boundaries that we in our limitations must respect. Child of God, we have assurance…yes, even a guarantee that absolutely no obstacle is too great for God and that He may still intervene in seemingly impossible situations. God’s infinite ability and authority are not bound by natural, human, or earthly restrictions. Again, in Matthew 19:26, Jesus unmistakably says, “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” So whatever God calls us to do, He will empower and equip us to accomplish it. Trust Him for such power, whether it’s spiritual, emotional, relational, physical, or mental (2Cor. 12:1-10). Away with our restrictive inhibitions, fears, anxieties, vision for the future, expectations, requirements, and experiences. God is inviting each one of us to go further…so much further with Him by faith in His designs. Beloved, let us align ourselves with His holy character, divine purposes, and eternal plans, rather than merely granting our personal whims, notions, or schemes. 

You and I must trust Him to do the impossible…He abides by no such limitations like us. Prepare yourself for different, astonishing, unanticipated, growth, life investment, adjustments, misunderstanding, and yes even rejection—unfortunately most people will not get it. Learn to be ‘flexible’ as you enter the yoke with God! Be willing to accommodate Him and His designs. You will be glad you did! We must stop thinking too small…too logical…too selfish…too historic; start living by ‘faith’ in God’s limitless power and strategic design—pursuing His glory. Please join the ‘club’ if you feel challenged or intimidated by all of this. I honestly confess I am scared to death, but I must trust Him even when I cannot track Him! Beloved, illegitimate fears tend to limit us…especially our faith. We will experience far less real confusion and continue to ‘go further’ when we ‘believe’ God.

 

“Witnessing to Win the Lost”

Acts 4:1-40

SUBJECT: EVANGELISM

THEME: Practice the essentials to win the lost and overcome the distractions, and discouragements involved with evangelism.

INTRODUCTION:

The source that the soul-winners must look to for power and to be equipped is the Word of God.  To get the job of evangelism done and to overcome the attack of Satan, the Bible must be consulted for inspiration, instruction, and reassurance.

·       The Christian servant should never rely on self or mere human strength and effort.  The power of God is available to ensure effectiveness in the Christian experience; there is no need to rely on self.  Working in the energy of the flesh is the formula for discouragement and disappointment.  But, when a believer is filled with the power of God, they can be transformed into a great soul-winner for Christ.

·       Satan can hinder the work of evangelism by applying discouraging pressure to the preacher, teacher, missionary, evangelist, and Christian worker.  Therefore, we must beware of his designs to frustrate the evangelism efforts.

There are three practices Christian witness can adopt to ensure effectiveness.

MESSAGE:

I.           We Must Witness with Courage (Acts 4:16-21; 5:27-33).

A.   Courageous People Are Bold In Representing Christ. (Acts 4:31)

                                             i.     Courage is the strength of purpose that enables us to withstand fear or difficulty; the resolve to meet danger with strength, daring, and confidence.

A.    It is a reliance on the presence and power of God and a commitment to His commandments (Josh. 1:6–7, 9, 18; 23:6; 2 Chr. 19:11).

B.    We must place ourselves in the almighty hands of God and depend on the constant presence of Christ.

C.    We have been called to courage on the basis of Christ’s victory over death and worldly powers (John 16:33; Acts 23:11; 2 Cor. 5:6, 8).

D.    Our courage will show itself in patient endurance, moral steadfastness and spiritual fidelity. We will see an occasion for victory in every opposition (1 Cor. 16:9). 

                                           ii.     Courage is not reckless impulsiveness.

A.    Courage requires boldness to press through our fears and do what we know is right.

B.    How can we be more courageous? 

                                         iii.     Like the disciples, we need to pray with other believers for that courage (Acts 4:23-31). To gain boldness, you can

A.    Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to give you courage,

B.    Look for opportunities in your family and neighborhood to talk about Christ,

C.    Realize that rejection, social discomfort, and embarrassment are not persecution,

D.    Start where you are by being bolder in small ways.

B.   This Is Not A Day For The Faint-Hearted.

                                             i.     This is the day for the three hundred who will go all the way with Gideon. This is no day for the cowardly.

                                           ii.     This is the day for John the Baptist who preached the truth and let the chips fall where they would.

                                         iii.     This is the day when men must be willing to lose their heads, if need be, for the sake of the Gospel.

                                          iv.    Beloved, have the courage to stand like a Daniel, to suffer like a Joseph, and God will stand by you. God help us Christians to have such convictions today that we can say to God and to men until the mountains crumble to dust, “I will never lower the blood-stained flag of the cross.” (From Dr. C. Malone)

II.        We Need to Witness with Compassion (Matt. 9:35-38).

A.   The Lord Jesus Had Compassion On The Lost.

                                             i.     This was because he noticed that they were fainting and scattered everywhere without the care, provisions, and protection of a shepherd. 

A.    The Savior was certainly moved by their great numbers, sin, and weaknesses. 

B.    He was concerned that these precious souls would be gathered like a giant harvest.  This would require laborers, therefore, he instructed his disciples to pray for laborers. 

                                           ii.    Beloved, if you can witness and witness and witness and witness and never shed a tear, never have your heart broken, never know what it means to travail and agonize with an agony akin to that which Jesus had in Gethsemane, if you can witness without tears and compassion, you are going to do a lot of witnessing without the conversion of souls.

                                         iii.     Oh I see Jesus coming yonder on the Mount of Olives and looking down on the city of Jerusalem and from a broken heart He cries, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!” (Luke 13:34). The Bible says He beheld the city and wept over it. And if we are to move people toward God, we have to have some tears.

B.   People Need Someone With Warmth And Compassion. 

                                             i.     Someone with tears and genuine concern is what people need.  Certainly we must emphasize sound Bible teaching, but we should never sacrifice warmth and heartfelt Christianity.  To be over concerned with hairsplitting technicalities would be a mistake if we sacrifice compassion.

                                           ii.     We should have compassion in our hearts this will bring tears to our eyes when we consider that men and women are lost around the world.  Perhaps we all should pray that the Lord will open our eyes to see the pain, agony, the remorse, the affliction, and troubled souls of men.  Clearly the remedy is the pure dynamic Gospel preached from a broken heart for sinners.

                                         iii.     I wish God would give us what Mr. George Whitefield had. It is said that he preached two hours on the morning of his death. As he climbed the stairs one night with a little candle in his hand and started into his bedroom, out of the window he saw the multitudes and heard them cry, “Come out, Mr. Whitefield, and preach to us some more.” It is said that he walked out on the little balcony, held the candle for two hours, poured out his soul and preached with tears the Gospel to the multitudes.  With the candle burning low, he closed the door, walked off the balcony back into his bedroom. That night the candle of his life burned out to shine no more on this earth.

O God, help us to burn for Jesus with a broken heart! God, give us tears and help us see men and women lost around the world. God, help us to see today the agony, the sin, the remorse, the affliction, the trouble that can be remedied by a warm and stirring message of the dynamic Gospel of the Son of God. We need to witness with some tears. God, give us a broken heart! God, give us tears!

                                          iv.     I heard one preacher say that he used to be ashamed to weep as he preached, so he prayed, “O God, help me not to embarrass myself and others by weeping over sinners; help me to preach without tears.” He said for a long time his eyes were dry. Then one day he went back on his knees to God and prayed, “Give me back my tears.” God did and he never again wanted to preach without them. (From Dr. C. Malone)

 

                                            v.     If we can see the horrors of Hell, the miseries of sin, the awful depths of God's infinite wrath and judgment and not have a broken heart, then we are following Jesus afar off. God gives us tears. My friend, if God gives us the vision that we ought to have, if God helps us to see things as they are, and we do not weep, God have mercy on us!

 

                                          vi.     J. Wilbur Chapman told of visiting Sam Hadley in his great work in the slums of New York. He said one day, “Sam, I want you to show me tonight the slums of this city and these human derelicts without God. I want to see these sinners in the rough.” It is said that that night J. Wilbur Chapman and Sam Hadley walked together down in the slums. Mr. Chapman wrote that he had never seen such awful conditions. He saw men lying prostrate on the sidewalks and in gutters. He heard curses of lost men and women; he heard shrieks and groans and all that goes with drunkenness, debauchery, lust and sin. He heard it all.

As they walked along, Mr. Chapman said they came under a streetlight and suddenly, he heard Sam Hadley cry, “Oh! Oh! Oh!”

He asked, “Sam, have you had a seizure? Have you had an attack?” He said in that streetlight he saw Sam Hadley's face lifted toward Heaven and heard him cry, “O God, give me these souls!”

                                  J. Wilbur Chapman said, “My heart broke.”

 

                                        vii.     May God give us a taste of what John Knox had when he cried, “O God, give me Scotland or I die!” Certainly, these words revealed his great heart for the lost of Scotland.

 

                                      viii.     God's Holy Book says, “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” (Ps.126:6)

 

Let me tell you, you take your intellect, give me the tears; you take your theology, give me the tears; you take your hair-splitting, give me the tears; you take your technicalities, give me the tears. O God, give us church members who can weep over souls lost and without God. (From Dr. C. Malone)

III.    We Must Witness in the Power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:8, 13, 29-33).

A.   Christ Made the Difference in Them (Acts 4:13).

                                             i.     Knowing that Peter and John were unschooled, the Council was amazed at what being with Jesus had done for them. Only weeks before, they had been timid, wishy-washy bumblers.

                                           ii.     Now they were fearless, confident, articulate, and passionate spokesmen. A changed life convinces people of Christ's power. One of your greatest testimonies is the difference others see in your life and attitudes since you have believed in Christ.

                                         iii.     What are the most obvious changes Christ has brought about in your witnessing life?

B.   The Spirit Gave Them Great Power (Acts 4:31-33).

                                             i.     The apostles’ boldness was possible only because they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:8; 4:29,31; 9:27-28; 13:46; 14:3; 18:26; 19:8; 26:26; 28:31).

                                           ii.     This gave them the boldness that they needed to continue to serve God in spite of official opposition. This was a new filling of the Spirit to equip the believers to serve the Lord and witness to the people.

C.   The Spirit’s Power Can Be Ours Through Yielded-ness and Prayer (Acts 4:31).

                                             i.     God’s answer was to shake the place where they were meeting and to fill the people once again with the Spirit of God (Acts 4:31).

A.    When they had prayed, the place was shaken—a physical expression of the spiritual power that was present.

B.    They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, indicating

a.      Their obedience to the Lord, their walking in the light, their yielded-ness to Him.

b.     They continued to speak the word of God with boldness, a clear answer to their prayer in verse 29. 

                                           ii.     We can obtain the power of the Holy Spirit by asking in prayer. 

A.    The soul-winners should stay before the Lord in prayer until he or she is saturated and empowered with the Holy Spirit’s presence and power.

B.    Again the key is prayer, but one should remain before the Lord in utter humility and silence until every fiber of one’s being vibrates with the power of God.

CONCLUSION:

After John Knox had preached in the power of God, someone came down the aisle to meet him and said, “Mr. Knox, you preached today as if you came right out of the throne room.

Mr. Knox bowed his head in humility and said, “Perhaps I did.”

God help us to live as if we have come right out of the throne room of the very presence of God.  If we are to change the discords of sin into heavenly melodies of love, if we are to touch the souls of men, our own souls must be in tune with the Infinite. God help us to witness with reality, with courage, with compassion, and with the power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit.