"Building a Church Through Outreach"
A Year With No Limits
-Part 2-
ELCOG 1/6/08
Text: Eph. 4:26-32 (30)
Tonight I want to continue the theme that I began this morning: A Year with No Limits. This morning I preached about the church having no limits in outreach. I want to focus tonight on the fact that we are a Pentecostal church and that we believe in the full power of the Holy Ghost. I want this church in 2008 to begin to experience God in the fullness of His power. I want us to be empowered with His spirit to enable us to reach this community for Jesus.
John the Baptist gives us a promise in Matt.
Matt. 3:11
11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Jesus promises
Luke 10:19
19Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Jesus wants to give us his power. He wants us to flow in his spirit. It’s time that we stop limiting the spirit of God. It’s time that we try not to grieve the spirit. We need to be obedient to the spirit of God and walk and live in his power.
When the power comes:
Acts 1:7
7And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
Acts 1:8
8But 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 will receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon us. God wants to pour his spirit out in your life. He wants you to become great witnesses in His power and he wants you to operate in His power.
1 Thess. 1:5
5For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
Eph. 3:20
20Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph. 6:10
10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Don’t limit God – live in his power. Take the limits off and live in the power of his might. We must demonstrate the power of God to this world, but in order for us to demonstrate his power we must be full of his power.
Price of His power:
2 Cor. 12:9
9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Cor. 13:4
4For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.
Pray for the power:
Matt. 6:5
5And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Matt. 6:6
6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Luke 24:46
46And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
Luke 24:47
47And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luke 24:48
48And ye are witnesses of these things.
Luke 24:49
49And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Acts 1:13
13And 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.
Acts 1:14
14These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
Acts 2:1
1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
Acts 2:2
2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Acts 2:3
3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
Acts 2:4
4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
We need to enter into our upper rooms and pray until the power of God falls in this place. Let us hunger for more of god’s power. Let us hunger for his glory and let us pray that the God of heaven will fill this place with his power so that we can minister to the masses. We need another old fashion out pouring of God’s power. Let this place be saturated by his power and let operated without limits.
In Closing: we want the power of God so that God can be glorified in us.
2 Thess. 1:11
11Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
2 Thess. 1:12
12That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We need to take off the limits and flow in the power of God. Let us have faith with power and watch God do new and greater things in this church in 2008.