If You Are Endeavoring To Serve God, This Message is For You

Text: Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

We need God's power like never before. We live in a world where people don't really know right from wrong, or truth from error.

a.   We live in a world that says it's okay to be wrong and it's wrong to be right. The house of God must stand for what's right.

b.   God saved you to be a witness, and He calls the saved to be witnesses, to be fruitful and multiply, spiritually.

c.   There's nothing impossible with God. Jesus showed us "The same way I was taken away, I will come back again someday.

d.   God's people must walk in the power of God. We NEED the power of God, not only in church but also in our personal lives. Today we will talk about how to walk in the power of God.

1.   A person can walk in the power of God by being a person of prayer.

a.   A wise person once said, "Little prayer, little power, much prayer, much power." The power of prayer is associated with God.

b.   Acts 1:10-14

10  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

12  Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath day's journey.

13  And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

14  These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

             i.        What did they do? They prayed.

            ii.        If you really want to see the power of God upon your church, learn to pray for your pastor and your brothers and sisters in Christ.

c.   Learn how to pray, and you will stop being so quick to criticize. A person with a critical spirit is one who isn't praying.

d.   Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

             i.    When you faint, that means you quit. Don't DO IT! Don't allow your fears to stop you from being used of God!

e.   1 Thessalonians 5:17 17  Pray without ceasing.

             i.    This means that we should always remain in the attitude of prayer, even though prayer isn't always honored.

            ii.    This will keep you in a place where you won't try to avenge yourself.

f.    Acts 4:23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

2.   Walk in the power of God by being steadfast in the midst of problems.

a.   The place of greatest resistance is in the center of the will of God.

b.   Acts 4:1-2

1  And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,

2  Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

             i.        When you start witnessing about Jesus Christ, some won't like it, but it's deeper than the people.

            ii.        What's important is that there are people in Norristown who care more about the souls of men than the numbers in their church.

          iii.        It's not about them coming HERE, but about getting them to Heaven.

c.   Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof, because at the end, you can tell whether it

d.   Acts 4:3-4

3  And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.

4  Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

             i.        They locked them up because of their witness. The enemy will try to put things in your life to make YOU lock up.

            ii.        They got locked up, and probably didn't even see the fruit of their labors.

e.   Don't ever allow things in your life to make you turn your back on God. If anything, let them make you turn TOWARDS God rather than away from Him.

             i.    The place of faith is in your relationship with God, which produces faith, and the enemy will ALWAYS try to distract you from that.

f.    1 Corinthians 7:35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

3.   Walk in the power of God by not allowing anything to steal your passion.

a.   Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

             i.        You need prayer, because prayer will lead you to the power of God. The power of God in your life will help you, when problems come, to still remain faithful to your passion.

            ii.        One of the fruits of the spirit is self-control. The Holy Spirit doesn't make you lose control, but helps you to GAIN control.

b.   Acts 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

             i.        The early church was unified and giving. You can't talk about being filled with the Holy Spirit if you aren't giving.

c.   Acts 4:33-37

33  And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

34  Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

35  And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

36  And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,

37  Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

d.   Everybody wants to talk about passion, but nobody wants to talk about COMpassion.

             i.    Your passion allows you to persevere through your problems. If the enemy can steal your passion, he can make you stop trying and simply go through the motions.

            ii.    Passion is a by-product of your walk with God. When the fire of God burns in your bosom you will not allow anything to come between you and God.

e.   Your relationship with God is more important than anything, even your status, even your family.

f.    Acts 5:39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

             i.    If the enemy comes against you, he isn't coming against "you" but the purpose of God in your life. Keep your eyes on God.

g.   Acts 5:40-41

40  And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

41  And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

             i.        It's all good to rejoice when things are going well, but if you can rejoice when everything is going wrong, that shows a close, personal relationship with God.

            ii.        Prayer doesn't change circumstances, it doesn't change people, it changes YOU.

God help us if we allow other people to discourage us when we know what God wants for us to do.