Lightly edited for readability while preserving the speaker’s meaning and substantive statements.
You wanna be real, you wanna be empty inside You wanna be someone laying down your pride You wanna be someone someday, lay it all down before God we make this our declaration that we want more of you Jesus Lord more of your spirit in our lives, more of the Holy Spirit filling us leading us, guiding us into all truth, leading us to walk in the Spirit to walk in holiness and purity of both heart and mind and actions leading us to walk into the power of the gifts of the Spirit so that we can be not only a light God but a source of power and freedom to the world around us to people that are hurting God people that are bound by depression, they're bound by sinful habits they're bound by suicidal thoughts and Lord they need the power of Jesus to set them free, the power of the Holy Ghost flowing through somebody God to set them free and God we just pray that you will help us be prepared God cleanse the vessels, vessels of honor ready Lord God for you to flow through and to work through to people around us Lord God so that we can deliver them from the power of Satan and bring them to the power of Jesus Christ so that we can see them set free from a path of destruction and from the path that leads to hell to the path that leads to heaven now so many right now in our world they're deceived by doctrines of men by seducing spirits of devils they're deceived, they've been lied to many think they're okay when they're not okay God anoint us to speak the truth in love to speak your truth in love Father we just thank you for your goodness that there is forgiveness with you but there must be repentance and Lord help us to preach the repentance of Jesus to preach that people must repent for the kingdom of heaven in the end we thank you Jesus Lord I ask you to speak through me this morning as we get into your word Jesus name, I want to tell you something the devil is not happy about this morning because he keeps trying to interfere with stupid that is just crazy I'm telling you there's a word for you this morning and I want you to pay attention to it you can be seated, praise God I want you to take your Bibles this morning and I want you to turn to Romans chapter 8, we're going to start back where we started last week
Romans chapter 8, any Romans chapter 8, anybody need a Bible do we have any extras, got any extras who needs one angel Romans chapter 8 just so you know where we're going in the next few weeks as God leads I think I prayed last night and this morning and I felt like the Lord took a two part series and turned it into a three part series because I don't need to skip over this little part here because last week we talked about being led by the Spirit and what that means and started getting into about hearing the voice of God and being led by the Holy Spirit and we talked a little bit about that and we're going to talk more about that about being led by the Spirit today but some things that we need to know about the Holy Spirit or the Spirit of Jesus when he's leading us I mean just some fundamental things that we need to know but I just want you to know where we're going here we're not going to be a church that just is satisfied to sit in church services on Sunday morning there's a world out there that needs to hear the true gospel of Jesus Christ that hasn't been watered down or compromised that's not just for money that's not just for to promote self but to promote Jesus because people people are being lied to many by their own churches by entire denominations they're being lied to about things and we have got to stand up some people have got to stand up and be able be equipped to share the truth so in the next couple of weeks we're going to be talking about the gifts because we need to understand how to flow in the gifts and that the power of God or the gifts of the Spirit are also to help get people saved and for God to help to use those gifts when you're out when you're witnessing or sharing with your neighbors or something but we're also so we're going to we're going to do that we're going to complete that and then we're going to get into some some just write down evangelism training and then we're going to just do it on Sunday mornings for the next couple of weeks this summer I just want to tell you this summer we're going to get prepared as a church and a people to go out in the street and lead people to Jesus whether they come to our church or not that's not the point the point is Jesus had to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature and he didn't say a different gospel than what is preached in this Bible it's this one not a different one and we're going to learn how to preach it and how to share it and you know what there's a thing on YouTube you can look up how many of you know the comedy team Penn and Teller you all know about Penn and Teller you know that the big guy is Penn right am I right about that is that Penn I get them confused I don't know anyway the big guy that does the talking the other one doesn't talk but the big guy is an atheist
and there's I don't know how many of you have seen how many of you have seen the YouTube where he talks about the guy that brought him the Bible just okay so I'll go ahead and tell it but anyway he's an atheist and he is an outspoken well known atheist does not believe in God thinks Christians are stupid okay and he's very vocal about that and in their comedy routine and stuff they mock God they mock Christians they mock Jesus so I mean we're not talking about people that love Jesus but I want to tell you this move me you can you can watch this on YouTube but he talked about this man who came to Las Vegas to their show and walked up to him he said it was a very a very well spoken man very well dressed he said this man walked up and handed him a Bible and he said that after talking with this man for a few minutes and again I'm paraphrasing some of this but after talking to this man for a few minutes he knew that this was a good man and he said this he goes this Christian man was a good man he wasn't a wacko he wasn't a you know some crazy you know nut out there he said this wasn't an educated man this was a successful man in business he said this was a you could tell that this man was a good man and he said you know I really knew that this man cared about me and this is what he said now this is from an atheist he said you know that is what I call love he said because if Christians really believe that their way is the way of salvation it is the way to heaven it is the way to eternal life you know if they really believe that people who did not know Jesus as their savior were going to hell he goes how could these people not in love share the gospel with other people and he was moved by the sincerity and the genuineness of this man willing in a public place to walk up and I mean Las Vegas I've been there it is Sin City and not quite as bad it is almost as bad I think as New Orleans but they run a close race with each other but he said this man walked up and handed him a Bible and was willing to talk to him about his faith in Jesus Christ and he said a true Christian that is walking in love that loves his neighbor which share the gospel this is from an atheist y'all think about that for a minute they get it I thought when I heard that he understands better than most Christians who go to church every Sunday why do we let fear rule our lives why do we let the concerns of what somebody else might think rule what we do I don't understand that I'll say this about the spirit of fear the spirit of fear will either rule you it will overcome you or you will overcome it we have got to
quit worrying about what people think and tell them the truth and that's something I got over a long time ago people call me outspoken or blunt or whatever but it's just you know why I understand that eternity is too long to be wrong and I just made up my mind a long time ago that I wanted to be a light and a witness for Jesus and speak the truth and that it didn't matter what people thought about me and it didn't matter if they were offended and it didn't matter even if they got mad at me at first that I knew if I told them the truth that the Holy Spirit could use it and hopefully bring them out of darkness and deception into the light of God and so see I would rather offend you now and you end up being convicted of sin and repenting and get right with God on the right path and go to heaven than to tell you sweet nothings make you feel good every Sunday and then you end up going to hell because you never got the truth of what repentance meant or what following Jesus meant and that's the way I feel not only of a church as being a pastor but as when I go I've been to Africa and preached to thousands and preached to seminary students that are about to graduate and go out and preach the gospel I preached the same way because I believe that we have a responsibility everybody that I've ever preached to everybody in this room right here has an appointment with death you have an appointment with the judgment seat of Christ you have an appointment to give an account you've done said in the body and you're not going to be judged according to what you think is right in your own eyes you're going to be judged according to what is written in this book and so everybody in this room is going to stand before that judgment seat and they're going to go to heaven or they're going to go to hell and I take that very seriously as a pastor and we have got to wake up we have got some very bad attitudes about what God demands about who goes to heaven no, we want to be soft but I want you to see this in talking about being led by the Spirit of God we're going to see something today the people that are led by the Spirit of God will care about souls will care about lost people and backsliders they'll care enough to pray for them and to speak the truth to them so that they might be saved from going to hell so they can go to heaven and that the power of the Holy Spirit or the gifts of the Spirit are not just for church on Sunday morning and they're not just to show off and healing and miracles and things those aren't to show off all of the power of the Holy Ghost he is after one thing and I'm going to show you he is out to get people saved and not saved so they can sin, saved from sin see we've not preached the Gospel when we've told people Jesus will forgive you but you don't have to change but the Gospel is
Jesus will forgive you if you repent and give up the world give up the sin give him your whole life remember his name is not just Jesus it's Lord Jesus and your Lord is whoever you obey people got lackadaisical attitudes about sexual sin sexual sin will damn your soul to hell habitual sexual sin will damn your soul it is that simple God says we're going to look at it in a second homosexuality damn your soul hatred and unforgiveness damn your soul to hell jealousy and envy, bitterness and resentment that you let stay in you will damn your soul being a liar, being a thief see we think that God is overlooking fornication we think God is overlooking lying and stealing we think God is overlooking this stuff and the Bible says he doesn't overlook any of it to see this morning is that someone who is being led by the Spirit of God also has a different attitude towards sin the Holy Spirit comes to lead us into truth he comes to lead us into you know his name Holy Spirit he comes to lead us into holiness and purity he doesn't come to give us excuses why we live lukewarm or half hearted or why we do things that God says don't do the Holy Spirit if you're following him you will be getting more and more pure of heart and mind you will be getting more and more full of love for people around you that you want to see them saved going to heaven and not hell you will not worry about what people think anymore because you'll care more about their soul because you believe what God says but I want you to see this and we're going to back up a bit of what we covered last week but Romans chapter 8 boy if you don't know Romans chapter 8 you'll acquaint yourself with that entire chapter it might save your life pretty serious stuff but I want to back up for a second and focus in on being led by the Spirit the Holy Spirit leading us what's he trying to do when he's leading us let's look at this verse 14 we're just going to read this verse then we're going to back up and look at some scriptures but it says for as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons or daughters of God for as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons and daughters of God now in this chapter he's been talking about here's what it means to be led you're either led by your flesh by your fleshly desires or you're led by the Holy Spirit which one are you following? now that's what this chapter is all about here
and I find it interesting that in Romans 8 and what we're going to look at in a minute Galatians 5 and Ephesians 5 talks about being led by the Spirit but in all three of those chapters he talks about are you being led by the flesh and the lust of the flesh and the sinful desires of the world are you being led by the Spirit of God? the Christian, the son or daughter of God who's been born again and made Jesus Lord of their lives is going to be led by the Spirit of God not the flesh and if you're being led by the flesh and the fleshful desires and sins are dominating your life you are in trouble God is not overlooking it okay let's back up now he said but those he said for as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God and let's back up just to show you that he is talking about this go back up to verse 5 for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit for to be carnally minded that's to be constantly after your own lust and desires for to be carnally minded is death that's both physical and spiritual death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be so they that are in the flesh cannot please God now let's drop down to the verse right before the one we read verse 13 for if you live after the flesh you will die and that's talking about spiritual death in the lake of fire but if through the spirit you do mortify the deeds of the body you will live now is that in there? Did everybody see that? and then he ends that with they are led by the spirit of God they are the sons and daughters of God so he goes through all this stuff are you dominated in your mind by your lust by your fleshly desires by your own ideas by idols and things that you have that are more important to you than following Jesus are you dominated by sexual lust are you dominated by pornography are you dominated by fornication are you dominated by anger what is your mind ruled by what do you do what do you practice see the people that are led by the spirit of God will get their mind on the things the spirit wants them on the people that are following the spirit of God will get their mind on the things that Jesus wants right isn't that simple aren't you glad God is simple pastors and churches out here confuse this right I mean the command in the garden of Eden don't eat of this tree
you can eat all these other ones don't eat of this tree because if you eat this one you are going to die and of course he wasn't talking about just physically he was talking about spiritually be separated from God you are going to die that's pretty simple obey me and live forever disobey me and die guess what the basic command of God has never changed never and never will Satan hasn't changed either so he comes as an angel of light in the form of preachers in big churches and on TV saying like Satan in the garden you will not surely die if you disobey God brother it's a lie it's the same lie he's been telling for thousands of years but those who are led by the spirit of God guess what are going to overcome this thing now let's look and see what the Holy Spirit is really really doing we read this verse last week but we are going to bring out something a little different John 16 y'all with me I'm going to tell you the Lord is on this I sense him here the Lord anoints his word he anoints truth that will save you amen somebody just give me a nod or a grin once in a while alright 16 let's talk about the Holy Spirit look at verse 13 we are going to read this and read one more that goes with it how be it when he the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he is here that shall he speak and he will show you things to come he shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine and show it unto you so the Holy Spirit first of all he says he's going to come and do what leads you where into truth what is truth? there are no absolute truths but I want to tell you something for the Christian and really for the world some of them just don't want to accept it but there are absolute truths and when it comes to God and his demands and what he expects out of human beings it is absolute the 10 commandments were not the 10 suggestions he's not wavering on any of those things and I love people when I get out in the world witnessing and they talk about well that's your interpretation I said how do you have a different interpretation of thou shalt not commit adultery I mean how do you have a different interpretation of that I think that's pretty clear now if you were worried about the woman in Revelation who has the crown with 12 stars and the dragon and the man child that's about to be born you don't have to worry about all that symbolic language you can figure that out later
but if you can do what's already plainly written you'll get the rest later on this is where we are so go back, back up a little bit chapter 16 I want to read one we didn't read last week Jesus talking about the Holy Spirit and he actually said this and this is why I'm backing up a little bit about talking about the Holy Spirit leading us and speaking to us before Jesus said this that we just read that the Holy Spirit will lead us into truth and he will speak to us and he will show us things to come before he said that he said this about the Holy Spirit he says verse 7, nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you and when he is come now listen to this he's talking about the Holy Spirit is the Comforter when he is come he will reprove or convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment do you hear that? he says of sin because they believe not on me of righteousness because I go to my father you see me no more of judgment because the prince of this world is judged I want you to see this the Holy Spirit God said one of the things he's going to come he's going to come and convince the word there reprove it means to convince and the Greek it means to tell a fault to make plain you want to know if the Holy Spirit is speaking to you and leading you if there's a sin in your life that God has made clear in the Bible and you feel bad about this thing you feel a darkness or depression or somebody comes to you and says you know what you've got to deal with this thing I want to tell you that right there the Holy Spirit comes to convince you that certain behaviors are wrong and he says he comes to convince or convict the world of sin if it's the Holy Spirit he's going to be exposing sin you know if the Holy Spirit is speaking in a church does that church make you uncomfortable if you've got sin in your life if it doesn't the Holy Spirit is not there it's that simple because he has come to convince and I like to say this the world or the worldly of sin here's the thing of righteousness you know what that is? because there is no righteousness apart from the righteousness of Jesus Christ and your repentance and having the blood of Jesus wash your sin away so he wants to convince us first that we're sinners I tell people a lot of times you can't get somebody saved until they're convinced they're lost right? there's so many people that aren't even convinced they're going to hell and they're drunkards and they're fornicators and they're bound by all kinds of sins
that God says you know what if you're doing these things you're not going to make it but they're not convinced they're not convinced so the Holy Spirit comes to convict of sin and to point you to the only way and that is repentance and the cleansing blood of Jesus to wash your sins away and then to convince you of judgment the Holy Spirit wants to convince you that there is a judgment day where God will judge everyone whether they are righteous or unrighteous, whether they are holy or unholy, whether they are clean or unclean right? some people are going to be surprised when he says depart from me you curse it into everlasting fire why are they going to be surprised? Lord we prophesied in your name and in your name we cast out devils we did many wonderful works we went to church, we were in the choir we were baptized in water but you practiced lawlessness you practiced sin and iniquity depart from me we always saved debate right here it's real simple you either are following Jesus and obeying Him or you're not, I don't care what you call yourself in between we could debate about it all day long but the Bible is very clear about where are you going to stand holiness, without holiness it says in Hebrews no man will see the Lord not worldliness not loving the world we've just lost the gospel, the true gospel call people out of the world call people to give up idolatry call people to give up fornication call people to give up witchcraft and occultism call people to give up these things turn from these things and follow Jesus with all of your heart this is Christianity we've got a different version so number one, if the Holy Spirit is leading you if you're a son or daughter of God and you're listening to Him all together, but you're headed down the road to get it together you're not making excuses why you don't have it together you want me to tell you, and I've said this before but do you want to know the voice of the devil? here's the voice of the devil, when you hear this word it's not that bad, God understands no He doesn't understand when God says don't be a fornicator, what's that mean? and guess what it also means? it means if He says not to do it you can homosexuals can say they're born that way all they want to if God says it's wrong, don't do it He will not only, you have to choose
I don't want to do this and God will give you the power and the grace to not do it He'll set you free from it the problem is the want to do we want to? Holy Spirit, what did we see it? lead you into all truth, right? but what did He do before that? He's going to deal with your sin in your life right? now let's back up, let's see if that rings true in other passages in the Bible go with me to Galatians chapter 5 to confirm all that I just said in that last little barrage of preaching come on y'all, grin a little bit truth sets you free truth is good, that's why I can smile preaching such a hard message this morning because truth sets you free listen, I've been a a sinner, a bad one I used to, when I did stuff it was all the way that's right Galatians chapter 5 I love this a preacher friend of mine years ago said this passage ought to be put on a plaque and nailed outside the door of every church in America and we might have a revival Galatians chapter 5 let's read it now we're going to back up I want you to see the context of Him talking about walking in the spirit, being led by the spirit verse 16 this I say then walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh for the flesh lust against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to another so that you cannot do the things that you would but if you are led of the spirit you are not under the law meaning if you're led by the spirit you're going to find freedom you don't have to worry about the laws adultery and fornication if you're led by the spirit and you're walking away from those things then nothing to worry about you're free from the law the curse of the law and the judgment of the law but guess what? if you're not walking away from Him led by the spirit, you are under the full curse of the law we'll prove that, let's read it keep reading and I love this about Paul he spells it out without any, so there will be no confusion he's like, in case you guys don't know what it means to be in the flesh I'm going to explain it to you that's what verses 19-21 are look what he says now the works of the flesh are manifest or revealed which are these adultery, fornication which is the Greek word ponos
or pornea, sound familiar? fornication actually includes all sexual immorality, both incest homosexuality, you name it it names it all uncleanness, that's moral uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry, putting anything before Jesus money, or literal isle or as some do, Mary and other things witchcraft that's like wicca and satanism and spells and voodoo and all this little stuff, psychic hotline, we can just go down the list witchcraft hatred, ooh hatred, you know what that is, just having ill will an ill desire, wanting something bad to happen to someone because they hurt you that's hatred hatred, he spells that out wrath, oh wait, I skipped down didn't I, variance emulations, again these are jealousies wrath these are outbursts of anger with cursing and even violence strife seditions heresies, of course seditions causing divisions and false teachings envyings and murder, you know what the definition of envy is in the Webster's, the definition of envy is the resentful awareness of another person's advantage whoa, envy murders including abortion drunkenness is that pretty clear, we know what drunkenness right that means drinking until you get tipsy, I like how we have these names so that it doesn't sound like I'm drunk, if you're tipsy you're drunk if what we call drunk is about throwing up sloppy drunk, drunkenness drunkenness when it starts affecting I'll tell you this, when alcohol starts affecting what you would or would not do, when it breaks down your resistance to certain things, you're in drunkenness real simple, drunkenness revellings that's partying like we used to do in Opelika and the suchlike of which I tell you before, as I have also told you in times past that those or they which do these things shall not inherit the kingdom of God, did y'all read that, everybody read that those who do, the word do there, and this is in my book I put it in there for this purpose so people would the word do there is the Greek word prasso it means to practice habitually so let's back up those who practice habitually fornication, adultery hatred, jealousy
envy, wrath, strife sedition, erases drunkenness, if you practice these things you will not inherit the kingdom of God, and I don't care how many times you've been baptized or sung in the choir right? True Christianity means you change something you don't add Jesus to the list of your other gods and keep living the same way Jesus becomes all and everything else is swept away that's Christianity and that's why some walk away from it and try to find a church or a preacher who will tell them that it's okay to do those things did I just read it? now look down, he finishes this after he gives the list and he says verse 22, but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy peace, long suffering gentleness, goodness, faith I like this meekness temperance which is self-control against such there is no law, and look at this they that belong to Jesus, they that are Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts if we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit do you see the context? He's sandwiched between walking in the spirit two verses about walking in the spirit, he explained to you what walking in the flesh was, and he made it very plain, those who do these things not going to make it right? So we saw it Romans 8 we saw it, Galatians 5 we saw that the Holy Spirit is trying to get us to give up sin in John chapter 16 right? come on now, if I'm wrong, say I'm wrong then we'll go back and do it again now, let's turn to this Ephesians 5 somebody ought to say it's good preaching you know what, you know why it's good not because I'm saying it because it is what is written amen and you know what it's so good to here's another reason why I rejoice in this stuff, why I agree a little bit because this Sunday there won't be any blood on my hands when I stand before Judgement you choose to live how you're going to live, but I'll tell you what on Judgement day, this day you'll remember because if it didn't right, God's going to say, I sent you to a church, and that day I shared with you
how I felt about sin and how I felt, and I was very specific and Pastor Dean told you and you said, I don't care I'm going to do what I want now if you repent and get this stuff out of your life, you get on the right track, you're walking the track you're supposed to be walking God will say, praise God, you listen that's my job sometimes I like my job sometimes I don't alright, let's read on Ephesians 5 are y'all with me? now he's going to end this in this one he doesn't sandwich one before one after, but he ends this with talking about being led by the Spirit and you've got to remember, I believe firmly in taking the Scriptures in context it's important it's okay to look at a verse once in a while but it's more important that you look at what came before this what came after this, this was a letter it didn't have chapters and verses in it this was a letter, it was a continuous thought and teaching that Paul was given to this church now let's see what he said, verse 1 Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ also has loved us and has given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor so he says, walk after God follow God, and then he's going to tell you how right, everybody with me here's how, he says but fornication, premarital sex and all other sexual sins but fornication and uncleanness or covetousness, being greedy for money or gain let it not be once named among you as become a saint did he say it's okay once in a while not once named among you right guess what, it's not okay for me to look at the pornography one time now one time I might not send you to hell but if it leads to another time, and another time, and another time, and then an addiction in your life it will damn your soul that's why, don't let it happen and let me say this, the good news is yes, there is forgiveness for those who confess their sins and forsake them we've got a gospel out here that basically is what I call the sin confess merry go round sin confess, sin confess, sin confess sin confess, sin confess, sin confess nothing changes get off the playground and grow up and become a true Christian, amen alright yeah, alright let's keep reading
not once be named among you, verse 3 neither filthiness nor foolish talking, this is talking about filthy jokes which are not convenience, but rather the giving of thanks, for this you know, that no whoremonger, that's a person that chases whores, just so in case you don't know for no whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man who is an idolater has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ or God let no man deceive you man, you ought to stop right there, he says don't be deceived, let nobody deceive you no whoremonger no adulter, no covetous man no idolater is going to enter the kingdom of heaven will have any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ what's none, does none still mean none? zero, right there's not a dark corner of heaven that you get a shack in alright do you know that there are preachers who have doctorates of theology they say there's a dark corner of heaven when it says that the the servant who was unprofitable and became a sinner it was cast into outer darkness and they let you say that's not out of heaven there's some dark corner, no there is no darkness in heaven but there are preachers that preach that no dark corner oh, I think it's sinking in let no one deceive you I don't care if they get big long flowing robes and doctor so and so theology and divinity it doesn't matter, don't let them deceive you he says let no one deceive you verse 6, with vain words for because of these things come at the wrath of God on the children of disobedience be not you therefore partakers with them for you were sometimes darkness but now you are light in the Lord man, if Christians couldn't go back to this darkness then why would he say this to Christians do these things boy this is so important, I'm going to keep reading he goes on down, because he goes on down to talk about being led by the spirit and he says for the fruit of the spirit, 9 is all goodness and righteousness that you're proving what is acceptable to the Lord, oh God, proving what is acceptable to God, right have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them, for it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done to them in secret some of the stuff we shouldn't even talk about that's out there going on in the world but look what he says verse 14, skip down wherefore he saith, awake thou that sleepeth arise from the dead
and Christ shall give you light see then that you walk circumspectly not his fools but his wise redeeming the time because the days are evil wherefore be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is and be not drunk with wine where is an excess, but be filled with the spirit so again he talks about being filled with the spirit there at the end don't be drunk, don't be a fornicator don't be addicted to pornography don't even have any of the works of darkness in your life but rather be filled with the spirit then somebody that's filled with the spirit will be led by the spirit and let me tell you the good part is somebody that's filled with the spirit and led by the spirit, they will have the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives to help them walk the way they need to walk and to help bring others to Jesus Christ because the Holy Spirit listen, he wants to seek and save the lost turn to Acts chapter one and I'm about to quit notice I said about to Acts chapter one the Holy Spirit Jesus commanded them y'all there? Acts chapter one that's alright, I don't mind waiting a second I think we may do this one, we're going to end with one more I'm trying not to keep you for an hour and a half of preaching as I used to Acts chapter one, but I want you to see this hear Jesus talking about the Holy Spirit again and what does he say? He tells his disciples as he's getting ready to send to heaven verse four and being assembled together with them commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father and sayeth he, you have heard of me for John truly baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence when they therefore were come together they asked him saying, Lord will you at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel and he said it is not for you to know the times of the seasons which the Father has put in his own power but you shall receive power due to his power, after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the other most parts of the earth he said the Holy Spirit, the power of the Holy Spirit will come on you to do what? Be a witness
guess what? You can't win a fornicator if you're a fornicator and if you do, the fornicator might get saved but you're still a hypocrite you get what I'm saying? The Holy Spirit leading us and listen, this is where we're going to be going the Holy Spirit wants us to get it right so we can help them out there. I tell you I want a church that's right with God Amen? See over the years the seeker friendly mentality of building a church, you know what God kind of gave me an idea, kind of a vision of that, you know what it is? It's kind of the guy who works out with weights natural versus the guy who uses steroids or drugs. One of them is going to grow and get bigger quicker but he's endangering his health, he's endangering his liver his kidneys and actually I'll tell you the truth he's not really as strong as the man who does it natural and gets there the right way. The one who does it the natural way and it's harder and it takes longer but his foundation is completely different. And that's kind of the philosophy the kind of philosophy of and I take this, I believe this is the philosophy of Jesus Jesus preached to the thousands but he knew he had to have twelve that were right he had to have that base that was right with God that he could pour into them so that they could help him handle the thousands and he had the twelve and he had the seventy and I just want to say this what God's trying to do with us right now is get right get clean get full of the Spirit of God get the Word of God in you get ready get ready to be part of that net cause God wants to save some people you guys but he does what he does through his church the net there has to be a net to catch some fish remember what's the first thing Jesus taught his disciples what he said come follow me first thing, follow me not your flesh, follow me and I will make you to become fishers of men if we're not doing that, if we're not truly following Jesus
we can't really be fishers of men and we're not understanding that this place we live in here called earth and this state that we live in is temporary it's a blip on the screen Leonard Ravenhill used to say it is a dressing room for eternity is all it is and if you think that this life is long, it could end for you tomorrow I know we have one nurse here today but life is frail isn't it it's amazing one minute somebody can be fine and the next minute dead that to me ought to shake us about our own lives and enough to care about people around us the true Christian will care now I want to finish there's a saying finish strong I'm going to finish strong even God finish strong book of Revelation the last book that ought to be the 11th commandment finish strong 21 what's that? I guarantee you though that that principle is in there it might not say it's the 11th commandment but he even endures to the end will be saved how about that one hold fast till I come finish strong alright Revelation 21 7 and 8 and so we know what we've been talking about well let's back up even a couple of verses verse 5 and he that set upon the throne said behold I will make all things new and he said unto me right for these words are true and faithful and he said unto me it is done I am alpha and omega the beginning and the end and I will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely he that over cometh that means he that wins this battle against the flesh and against the devil he that over cometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my son but look at this list but the fearful and the unbelieving and the abominable and the murderers and the horn mongers and the sorcerers and the idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death boy we don't like to talk about these in church anymore do we I used to hear people put down preachers that talk about hell call them hellfire and brimstone preachers
but the bottom line is Jesus was a hellfire preacher that's Jesus talking right there by the way spelling out again who is going to make it and who isn't going to make it and that it is a real heaven and a real hell did you all see that here's what's interesting you know what have you ever wondered why it said the fearful you know why that's listed first because you know what keeps you a lot of times from doing what God wants you to do is you're worried you're afraid of what somebody else might think of you that's why when you're around a group of people and they say ah come on drink up buddy are you going to say no you get what I'm saying you're going to witness to somebody the fearful the unbelieving you know what that means God I know you said it nearby but I don't really believe that some people never say that with their mouth but they live that way God I know the preacher said this morning that fornicators habitual fornicators would go to hell but I don't believe that you're unbelieving you don't believe God's word you don't believe the testimony of His Son you don't believe a document that's been proven for thousands of years it's up to you you're unbelieving then say I don't believe in hell I believe in heaven well you're an unbeliever because this book teaches about hell right the fearful and the unbelieving isn't that interesting first two he mentions don't be afraid to stand up to men and live for Jesus believe all the Bible for it is life and health to your bones it'll save your soul the fearful and the unbelieving the abominable that's basically people doing things God hates like homosexuality God said He hates that by the way murderers whoremongers there's that whoremonger again sorcerers sorcerers whew they're everywhere that's also the Greek word pharmacia that means where we get our word pharmacy from drug users idolaters I won't even get on that one all liars whew you know what that means right there a preacher who told you that you can go to heaven and still be a homosexual or a fornicator is a liar
and he will burn forever for his sin of causing people to stumble well you start talking about this plainly it gets real it gets serious doesn't it God's word hits us what where we live right you see why did God give us this book right here I mean why did He give it is it because God wanted to show off some of it yeah God does show off but He's God He can do that right but that wasn't the purpose He didn't have to give us this book He didn't have to prove it by prophecy by manuscript evidence by archaeological evidence He didn't have to keep proving it by fulfilled prophecies and miracles He didn't have to do it you know why He did it He gave you this book to save you to show you the way of salvation to show you the way of repentance to show you the way to make it to live forever to show you the way to even have a better life now on this earth to show you the way and you either accept the way or you reject the way but it doesn't matter you can call yourself a Christian until you're blue in the face but unless you follow this way you're not and man do we ever need does this world ever need some people who really are we just had this week some people I didn't know them but some people in this church knew the man whose 16 year old daughter just killed herself this week people need to know for instance you don't get to murder yourself it's not your right but man what would have happened if maybe somebody would have told her the truth about some things or maybe walked up and laid hands on her and cast that demon of suicide and death out of her before she did it some people are so tormented by demons that they end up killing themselves I'm telling you we have got to start going out and helping people we've got to I think Megan knew her I know see if anything as painful as this is to talk about this is life and death this is forever this is why I preach like I preach this is why I am like I am this is not a game people die
and they die with God or they die without God they die in obedience and right with God or they die out of relationship with God this is not a game let us be right for yourself but for somebody else we've got to Kevin came we were working together this week and Kevin told me about this suicide and he was like I'm angry and there's been several suicides that people in this church have been touched by over just the last few months and he said I'm angry I want to do something about this thank God somebody wants to do something we talked about even putting together a campaign put signs everywhere whatever we've got to do do something you get what I'm saying but you've got to be where you need to be to really help somebody else amen let's pray Father in heaven we come to you today and we thank you Lord that there is forgiveness with you but God there has to be repentance and obedience from us you will wash away every sin but we have to be willing to give it up we have to be willing to give it up you told the woman caught in adultery go and sin no more that's not a suggestion Lord you want obedience you want us to love you with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves God we have got to get there before judgment day help us all do what you want to do, help us see the multitudes around us you said that the wide gate there's a gate that leads to destruction that many are going down but Lord you said in your word that in the last days there would be some people rise up who would turn many to righteousness let us be that people anoint us, fill us with truth, fill us with the Holy Spirit, fill us with power fill us with love, fill us with courageousness God to go forth to live the truth and then to preach the truth in Jesus name let's everyone stand this morning just for a few more minutes
free today me at all times this is my desire this is my return this is my desire and you's by your side and my heart is to free