WEBVTT 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:04.847 Pick up your Bibles, wave them around, make Jesus glad and the devil mad. 00:00:04.847 --> 00:00:09.688 And let's say this together say Heavenly Father, I'm here on purpose. 00:00:09.688 --> 00:00:10.208 Tonight. 00:00:10.208 --> 00:00:15.763 This is my custom to be in church when the doors are open. 00:00:15.763 --> 00:00:17.528 They open the doors. 00:00:17.528 --> 00:00:18.050 Tonight. 00:00:18.050 --> 00:00:31.725 I came flooding in, expecting revelation to build my faith, to build my faith to make me a disciple in Jesus' name, and that's what I wanna talk about tonight. 00:00:31.725 --> 00:00:38.225 Acts, chapter nine, and we'll start reading in verse 10. 00:00:38.225 --> 00:00:42.045 Acts nine 10. 00:00:47.079 --> 00:00:55.548 There was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias, and to him said the Lord in a vision, ananias. 00:00:55.548 --> 00:00:58.104 And he said behold, I'm here, lord. 00:00:58.104 --> 00:01:08.105 And the Lord said unto him arise and go into the street which is called Strait and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. 00:01:08.105 --> 00:01:18.665 For behold, he prayeth and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias Coming in and putting his hand on him that he might receive his sight. 00:01:18.665 --> 00:01:32.210 Then Ananias answered Lord, I've heard by many of this man and how much evil he's done to thy saints at Jerusalem and here he has authority from the chief priest to bind all that call on thy name. 00:01:32.210 --> 00:01:51.668 But the Lord said unto him go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel, for I will show him how great things he must do and how much he must suffer for my name's sake. 00:01:51.668 --> 00:02:10.247 And Ananias went his way and entered into the house and, putting his hands on him, said Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou cameest, hath sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 00:02:10.247 --> 00:02:14.746 And immediately they fell from his eyes, as it had been scales. 00:02:14.746 --> 00:02:19.365 And he received sight forthwith and rose and was baptized. 00:02:19.365 --> 00:02:23.048 And when he had received meat he was strengthened. 00:02:23.048 --> 00:02:33.888 Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus, and straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues that he is the Son of God. 00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:40.268 So tonight I wanted to share a message entitled the Marks of a Disciple. 00:02:40.268 --> 00:02:43.287 The Marks of a Disciple. 00:02:43.287 --> 00:02:51.008 So we see here that Saul of Tarsus, if you read the preceding verses. 00:02:51.008 --> 00:02:58.344 He had an encounter with Jesus and of course we know the Damascus road experience had totally transformed him. 00:02:58.344 --> 00:03:03.149 And it's not, you know. 00:03:03.149 --> 00:03:07.768 It was pretty earth shaking in a way, because he went away from the experience blind. 00:03:07.768 --> 00:03:15.526 He had to have somebody take him by the hand and it kind of reminds you of the experience where the coyote runs into the road runner. 00:03:15.526 --> 00:03:20.811 You know the bomb blows up, you know he turns into like ashes. 00:03:20.811 --> 00:03:22.746 I mean that's kind of what happened. 00:03:22.746 --> 00:03:30.683 I mean Saul hit Jesus and Jesus hit Saul and Saul, you know he took, he was knocked off his horse and everything. 00:03:30.683 --> 00:03:34.764 He came out of the encounter blind, needing someone to lead him by the hand. 00:03:36.139 --> 00:03:45.396 But here's Ann and I asked the disciple and you know he had an encounter with Jesus. 00:03:45.396 --> 00:03:51.710 Sometimes we just read through this story and we forget about the significance of Ann and I. 00:03:51.710 --> 00:04:00.324 I just think about how God used him, how God supernaturally appeared to him and all of that. 00:04:00.324 --> 00:04:01.728 It was just almost. 00:04:01.728 --> 00:04:03.966 It was just as dramatic as Saul. 00:04:03.966 --> 00:04:11.831 You know, really, if you get right down to it, and the word says that Ann and I was a disciple. 00:04:11.831 --> 00:04:17.810 He didn't call him an apostle, didn't call him a prophet, didn't call him an evangelist, called him a disciple. 00:04:17.810 --> 00:04:18.884 Everybody shout disciple. 00:04:24.363 --> 00:04:26.451 Now I was listening to producer Kenny. 00:04:26.451 --> 00:04:31.762 I don't know if you ever listened to Michael Berry, but he's got a guy on there that is producer Kenny. 00:04:31.762 --> 00:04:36.848 You know some of his ads and actually I did a radio show with producer Kenny. 00:04:36.848 --> 00:04:41.461 He would, you know, he has his own radio show and another deal, so I did one with him. 00:04:41.461 --> 00:04:44.610 But he's been advertising for this weight loss. 00:04:44.610 --> 00:04:49.101 He lost 82 pounds and so he that's. 00:04:49.101 --> 00:04:53.271 They got him to do the, to do the commercial. 00:04:53.271 --> 00:04:56.442 And he was talking about how. 00:04:56.762 --> 00:04:57.524 You know you can. 00:04:57.524 --> 00:05:01.690 You know you can get motivated. 00:05:01.690 --> 00:05:04.781 A motivation, you know you can. 00:05:04.781 --> 00:05:12.589 You know it's motivational speeches rather than sermons, you know, and motivation is kind of messes with your emotions. 00:05:12.589 --> 00:05:14.324 You can get all motivated. 00:05:14.324 --> 00:05:19.088 That reminds you of just next month, you know New Year's resolutions. 00:05:19.088 --> 00:05:20.713 That's your people get motivated. 00:05:20.713 --> 00:05:22.125 They're going to turn over a new leaf. 00:05:22.125 --> 00:05:26.589 So if you're on a gym, well you know this is big time. 00:05:26.589 --> 00:05:27.923 You've got to sign people up. 00:05:27.923 --> 00:05:31.507 While they're motivated, everybody's ready to work out. 00:05:31.507 --> 00:05:39.593 I'm going to start working out, and here comes $3,000 out of their bank account to buy a lifetime membership to go down there. 00:05:39.593 --> 00:05:44.911 And they know that about 98% of them will never show up more than once or twice. 00:05:44.911 --> 00:05:46.726 See, motivation doesn't do much. 00:05:46.726 --> 00:05:48.565 What you need is not motivation. 00:05:48.565 --> 00:05:50.865 What you need is what discipline. 00:05:51.879 --> 00:05:56.050 And producer Kenny made that point and I said bingo, that's what church is all about. 00:05:56.050 --> 00:06:09.624 Church is about making disciples and not about having a motivational seminar, because motivation is just what it is, it's just emotion, it's just, it'll be the thing that makes you want to run around the church and then you just really you're not changed. 00:06:09.624 --> 00:06:12.730 But but discipleship, discipline. 00:06:12.730 --> 00:06:20.827 And Kenny said you know, man, getting up at five o'clock in the morning, that was hard for me, but finally I started getting up at five, five, five, 30. 00:06:20.827 --> 00:06:26.702 I do my exercise and I do my, I do my walk in and I you know the odd or not, so it didn't more. 00:06:26.702 --> 00:06:29.283 He had to have more than motivate, he had to have discipline. 00:06:29.283 --> 00:06:34.925 That's what the church needs is discipline, disciples, disciplined ones. 00:06:34.925 --> 00:06:38.706 And so disciples ought to be different. 00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:44.687 The word disciple means a learner, a pupil or a student, but it means one with demonstration. 00:06:44.687 --> 00:06:46.225 Let's look at John 15. 00:06:46.225 --> 00:06:59.807 Jesus talked about disciples and he said here in verse seven if you abide in me and my words of mind and you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. 00:06:59.807 --> 00:07:04.389 Hearing is my father glorified that you bear much fruit. 00:07:04.389 --> 00:07:08.326 So shall you be my disciples. 00:07:08.326 --> 00:07:11.392 So shall you be. 00:07:11.392 --> 00:07:12.615 So what is a disciple? 00:07:12.615 --> 00:07:26.505 A disciple is one that abides in Jesus, bides in Christ, and his word abides in them and the word of God abiding in you. 00:07:26.505 --> 00:07:31.062 That's true to the measure that the word of God has control over your life. 00:07:31.062 --> 00:07:39.803 The measure of Christ's word abiding in you is the measure of how much are you obedient to that word. 00:07:39.803 --> 00:07:42.004 That's what it's all about. 00:07:42.004 --> 00:07:42.886 So what is it? 00:07:42.886 --> 00:07:44.050 It takes discipline. 00:07:44.050 --> 00:07:48.309 It takes discipline to choose not to lose your temper. 00:07:49.879 --> 00:07:53.511 Fly off the handle at people like Tom Cruise the other day. 00:07:53.511 --> 00:07:56.829 Oh, tom Cruise, just let his, let his. 00:07:56.829 --> 00:08:01.649 They're doing a movie, the new, one of these, whatever his movies are Mission Possible Seven. 00:08:01.649 --> 00:08:11.850 And somebody recorded him and he was going off Every other word was bleeped and just going off on them because somebody he'd noticed were too close together. 00:08:11.850 --> 00:08:17.124 And he said Merritt, we're doing a favor for people, you've got a job and you're going to. 00:08:17.124 --> 00:08:18.810 You're going to violate these rules. 00:08:18.810 --> 00:08:20.687 I'm telling you, you're out of here, you're fired. 00:08:20.687 --> 00:08:22.365 So I think he lost the whole crew. 00:08:22.365 --> 00:08:23.062 They all left. 00:08:23.062 --> 00:08:28.007 He was certainly not motivated by love. 00:08:28.007 --> 00:08:30.427 He was patting himself on the back by being an employer. 00:08:30.427 --> 00:08:31.802 Big deal, tom. 00:08:32.700 --> 00:08:38.989 Anyway, no, disciples ought to be different and we ought to have demonstration. 00:08:38.989 --> 00:08:44.822 We ought to have the word of God so that when we make a demand, so you ask that word, ask what you will. 00:08:44.822 --> 00:08:45.947 It shall be done unto you. 00:08:45.947 --> 00:08:52.932 It's not begging God, it's making a demand on your covenant for you or for someone else, like tonight at the altar. 00:08:52.932 --> 00:08:58.984 As you see, part of my ministry is making a demand on the devil to take his hands off people when they come up here. 00:09:00.940 --> 00:09:06.592 Sometimes I'll get a name in the spirit realm that I can address a demonic power and that. 00:09:06.592 --> 00:09:10.883 Don't worry about the demonic powers probably about an inch long, it's no big deal. 00:09:10.883 --> 00:09:20.871 When I say their name you got to show me this years ago when I say their name, they lose all the power to attach themselves to human flesh. 00:09:20.871 --> 00:09:21.633 They have to leave. 00:09:21.633 --> 00:09:28.562 That doesn't mean somebody's possessed, it just means their flesh is oppressed or their mind is oppressed by demonic power. 00:09:28.562 --> 00:09:32.807 And when God gives me that name, they have to go that alone. 00:09:32.807 --> 00:09:34.913 They're embarrassed, they're shamed. 00:09:34.913 --> 00:09:46.289 And the whole deal about demonic powers is they work in deception, they work by hiding, they try to melt into the landscape and hope you don't notice. 00:09:46.289 --> 00:09:48.568 Are you with me now? 00:09:48.568 --> 00:10:06.994 So disciples ought to have that type of fruit Amen, to know the Word, be filled with the Spirit and then be able to deal and help people get what they need and notice here you know Anna and I as the disciple. 00:10:07.053 --> 00:10:18.471 Here again, he's not a prophet, not a apostle, not a pastor, not an evangelist, and yet he had gifts of the Spirit operating in his ministry. 00:10:18.471 --> 00:10:22.994 So let's look at him here in verse 10. 00:10:22.994 --> 00:10:26.251 Let's go back to Acts, chapter nine. 00:10:26.251 --> 00:10:28.227 I was in John. 00:10:28.227 --> 00:10:29.312 Let's go back to Acts. 00:10:29.312 --> 00:10:36.229 The marks are the, I could say the characteristics of a disciple. 00:10:36.229 --> 00:10:40.831 So let's look at him, acts nine, 10. 00:10:49.245 --> 00:10:51.331 So the Lord appeared to him in a vision. 00:10:51.331 --> 00:10:53.109 So what is that? 00:10:53.109 --> 00:10:55.270 What gift of the Spirit is that? 00:10:55.270 --> 00:10:58.710 Discerning of spirits. 00:10:58.710 --> 00:11:08.335 When the Lord appeared to him, the gift of the Spirit manifesting in in Anna and I's ministry was discerning of spirits. 00:11:08.335 --> 00:11:12.572 It was the gift of discerning of spirits that allowed him to see Jesus. 00:11:12.572 --> 00:11:15.068 Are you with me now? 00:11:15.068 --> 00:11:21.567 So it's a vision, all right. 00:11:22.325 --> 00:11:22.947 And then what happened? 00:11:22.947 --> 00:11:32.456 Jesus communicated something to him and said told him. 00:11:32.456 --> 00:11:36.691 He said, he said Anna, and I said I'm here. 00:11:36.691 --> 00:11:38.918 And the Lord said unto him rise. 00:11:38.918 --> 00:11:42.486 Going to the street which is called straight and inquiring the house of Judas for one. 00:11:42.486 --> 00:11:43.630 Call Saul of Torsus. 00:11:43.630 --> 00:11:51.253 For behold, he prays and has seen in a vision a man named Anna and I's coming in and putting his hand on him that he might receive his sight. 00:11:51.705 --> 00:11:52.528 So what was that? 00:11:52.528 --> 00:12:07.013 What was that whole thing when he heard Jesus tell him to go to a certain location, to a certain street, to a certain man's house, and find another certain man and lay his hands on him and he would get healed. 00:12:07.013 --> 00:12:08.549 What is all of that? 00:12:08.549 --> 00:12:10.568 The word of knowledge. 00:12:10.568 --> 00:12:13.772 In fact, it's a series of words of knowledge. 00:12:13.772 --> 00:12:23.274 Every one of the pieces of information that Jesus in the vision told him is a gift of the spirit called the word of knowledge. 00:12:23.274 --> 00:12:27.909 Now, here, right away, he's got the certain spirits and words of knowledge. 00:12:27.909 --> 00:12:31.030 Man, he's looking like a prophet. 00:12:31.030 --> 00:12:34.830 He's the a prophet, no, he's a disciple. 00:12:34.830 --> 00:12:42.525 I said he's a disciple, all right. 00:12:42.686 --> 00:12:57.254 And then, in verse 18, he goes in and he lays hands on him and verse 18, immediately, everybody shout, immediately, they are filled from his eyes, as it had been scales, and he received sight. 00:12:57.254 --> 00:12:59.010 So what was that? 00:12:59.010 --> 00:13:01.597 What gift of the spirit was that? 00:13:01.597 --> 00:13:04.094 Gifts of healings? 00:13:04.094 --> 00:13:07.783 Well, wait, pastor, laying hands on the sick? 00:13:07.783 --> 00:13:12.018 No, he had an instant manifestation. 00:13:12.018 --> 00:13:13.985 That's the gifts of healings. 00:13:13.985 --> 00:13:19.231 That's not the normal laying on of hands Like we had tonight. 00:13:19.231 --> 00:13:23.126 That some of that is normal and some of it. 00:13:23.126 --> 00:13:28.592 I've seen over, experienced many years, that sometimes people get instant manifestations. 00:13:28.592 --> 00:13:29.948 I wouldn't be surprised. 00:13:29.948 --> 00:13:35.554 Some people already have instant manifestation no more indigestion, no more burning in their throat. 00:13:35.554 --> 00:13:38.649 Then it would be a gift of healing. 00:13:38.649 --> 00:13:41.948 If it's instant, if it's recovery, well then it's recovery. 00:13:41.948 --> 00:13:42.908 Are you with me now? 00:13:42.908 --> 00:13:47.548 So he had discerning of spirits, word of knowledge, gifts of healings. 00:13:51.967 --> 00:13:56.861 Now I want you to go back to Acts 22. 00:13:56.861 --> 00:14:28.493 And Paul, later in his life, is standing before a group, given his defense because he's been arrested, and so he's given his testimony, talking about what happened when he met Jesus and the Lord told him to go into Damascus. 00:14:28.493 --> 00:14:31.460 After he lost his sight Going to Damascus. 00:14:31.460 --> 00:14:36.336 There should be told there, verse 10 all things that you, that your appointed of thee to do. 00:14:36.336 --> 00:15:06.716 In verse 12, in one, ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, came unto me and stood and said unto me brother Saul received thy sight and the same hour I looked upon him and he said, verse 14 and the God of our fathers has chosen thee that thou should know his will and see that just one and should hear the voice of his mouth, for thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou has seen and heard. 00:15:06.716 --> 00:15:09.623 Let me ask you something. 00:15:09.623 --> 00:15:11.086 What is that right there? 00:15:11.086 --> 00:15:18.865 It's a prophetic word that Ananias delivered to Saul. 00:15:19.408 --> 00:15:26.375 And yet, when you go back and find out what Jesus told him to do, jesus didn't give him that word when he first appeared to him, did he? 00:15:26.375 --> 00:15:28.601 When did he get that? 00:15:28.601 --> 00:15:34.543 He must have gotten it in the moment when he was standing before Saul of Tarsus. 00:15:34.543 --> 00:15:40.198 The Spirit of God inspired him to say some things to him in a prophetic word. 00:15:40.198 --> 00:15:41.140 Are y'all with me now? 00:15:41.582 --> 00:15:42.745 The gift of prophecy? 00:15:42.745 --> 00:15:50.109 And in that prophetic word there's a word of wisdom. 00:15:50.109 --> 00:15:55.727 Word of wisdom is what Futuristic word of knowledge is present time. 00:15:55.727 --> 00:15:58.398 What was the word of wisdom wrapped up in that? 00:15:58.398 --> 00:15:59.861 In that word? 00:15:59.861 --> 00:16:10.947 Well, the word of wisdom was that you, he said, the God of our fathers has chosen you, that you should know his will and see that just one, and you should hear the voice of his mouth. 00:16:10.947 --> 00:16:14.126 You shall be his witness unto all men of what you've seen and heard. 00:16:14.388 --> 00:16:19.965 So he's prophesying about this, the future ministry that Paul, that Paul is going to have. 00:16:19.965 --> 00:16:23.022 Well, jesus had already told Paul similar things. 00:16:23.022 --> 00:16:25.149 So how did? 00:16:25.149 --> 00:16:25.971 How did he know. 00:16:25.971 --> 00:16:28.581 Well, he didn't know it was a gift of the word of wisdom. 00:16:28.581 --> 00:16:29.466 Are y'all with me now? 00:16:29.466 --> 00:16:39.467 So he's got five gifts of the Spirit manifesting in his ministry associated with this event. 00:16:39.467 --> 00:16:42.081 You never read about him again after this. 00:16:42.081 --> 00:16:51.438 This is, I mean, he's there, and the only reason we know about these other two gifts was because later on, paul is testifying what happened. 00:16:51.438 --> 00:16:53.585 So it's more of the body of evidence. 00:16:53.585 --> 00:16:56.981 That happened when he went to minister to solve Tarsus. 00:16:56.981 --> 00:16:58.846 Now I want you to think about this. 00:16:58.846 --> 00:17:02.881 Then Ann and I was the chosen vessel, wasn't he? 00:17:02.881 --> 00:17:05.712 And think about it. 00:17:05.712 --> 00:17:19.125 I mean, he was not in the 5-0 ministry, he was not a prophet, not an apostle, not evangelist, and yet God equipped him with gifts of the Spirit to bless his servant, who wound up writing three-quarters of the New Testament. 00:17:26.162 --> 00:17:29.688 Don't tell me that the believers ministry is not important. 00:17:29.688 --> 00:17:34.499 The believers ministry is powerful, I mean in modern days. 00:17:34.499 --> 00:17:37.346 I mean people that with five gifts of the spirit, they want to. 00:17:37.346 --> 00:17:41.965 They want to be ordained, they want to print up cards and have a name of their ministry. 00:17:41.965 --> 00:17:42.516 They want to. 00:17:42.516 --> 00:17:44.644 They want to have a place to preach. 00:17:44.644 --> 00:17:47.785 Well, none of that was associated with his call. 00:17:47.785 --> 00:17:52.755 He's still not a preacher as per se, he was just a believer, he was a disciple. 00:17:52.755 --> 00:17:57.085 When I say just, I mean look at how important the disciple is. 00:17:57.085 --> 00:18:03.527 I mean if disciples did their jobs, look, look, what we would have right now. 00:18:03.527 --> 00:18:09.863 We would have a lot different world, wouldn't we Praise God? 00:18:09.863 --> 00:18:20.483 That's what that's part of the function of the local church is to is to bring and make disciples the believers ministry and operation. 00:18:20.483 --> 00:18:23.388 How important it is for the believers ministry. 00:18:23.914 --> 00:18:36.694 You know, years ago I, right before we started the church, right in the fall of the year I guess it was October, november of 1994. 00:18:36.694 --> 00:18:38.401 I had already gone to Brother Osteen. 00:18:38.401 --> 00:18:39.163 You know the story. 00:18:39.163 --> 00:18:43.660 I'd come, submitted my idea of starting a church to him. 00:18:43.660 --> 00:18:48.085 He was fine with that, but he wanted me to wait and of course I couldn't wait. 00:18:48.085 --> 00:18:50.557 It was a yay or nay deal, go or no go. 00:18:50.557 --> 00:18:52.539 So I killed the church. 00:18:52.539 --> 00:18:54.500 I killed, I put a knife in it. 00:18:54.500 --> 00:18:58.104 I said I'm not going to start it now, I'm just going to kill it. 00:18:58.104 --> 00:19:19.261 He didn't give his unreserved blessing and so instead we went on a trip together and I went with him to New Delhi and there was a the last night of the of the crusade there in New Delhi, the capital city of India, there was over a hundred thousand people in that neighbor's stadium and two nights I got to minister to that huge crowd. 00:19:19.261 --> 00:19:19.655 It was an. 00:19:19.655 --> 00:19:21.501 It was an amazing experience. 00:19:22.835 --> 00:19:25.564 And on the way home I got to my engineer's mind. 00:19:25.564 --> 00:19:30.605 I started thinking about what would it take if you could have a crusade. 00:19:30.605 --> 00:19:35.284 How many crusades would you need for India? 00:19:35.284 --> 00:19:44.477 And at that time India was a and it's much bigger than that now one billion people at that time. 00:19:44.477 --> 00:19:50.342 So I spent what 27 years ago, 26 years ago? 00:19:50.342 --> 00:19:52.507 One billion people. 00:19:52.507 --> 00:19:55.162 Now I think it's 1.3 billion now. 00:19:56.275 --> 00:19:58.142 So I started thinking what would it take? 00:19:58.142 --> 00:20:04.021 How many crusades, how long would it take to reach the people of India? 00:20:04.021 --> 00:20:13.199 If you could do a crusade like this, if you could do a hundred thousand people, how many crusades would it take, how many of them would you have to have? 00:20:13.199 --> 00:20:24.569 You start dividing a hundred thousand into one billion and you come up with a figure that's catastrophic. 00:20:24.569 --> 00:20:28.765 I mean, there's no hope of reaching this world. 00:20:28.765 --> 00:20:34.500 If you had a crusade every day, a hundred thousand people, you couldn't reach. 00:20:34.500 --> 00:20:35.955 You would. 00:20:35.955 --> 00:20:36.497 Already. 00:20:36.497 --> 00:20:39.144 They would be multiplying past you. 00:20:39.144 --> 00:20:40.116 You'd never. 00:20:40.116 --> 00:20:42.523 You'd never reach the end. 00:20:43.275 --> 00:20:44.339 But what did the Prophet say. 00:20:44.339 --> 00:20:48.243 The Prophet said that the plowman is going to overtake the reaper. 00:20:48.243 --> 00:20:52.684 But in simple mathematics that was never possible. 00:20:52.684 --> 00:20:54.721 I mean, I started doing the math on it. 00:20:54.721 --> 00:21:03.696 There was no way that you could ever use crusades, big, huge meetings, to reap the harvest in this world. 00:21:03.696 --> 00:21:05.959 So what is the answer? 00:21:05.959 --> 00:21:10.097 Disciples, you have to reach your world. 00:21:10.097 --> 00:21:20.548 God has to use individual members of the body of Christ, like he did Ananias, to go and reap the harvest. 00:21:20.548 --> 00:21:22.413 Are y'all with me now? 00:21:22.413 --> 00:21:30.142 I tell you, I believe we're going to have a tremendous harvest, but it's going to take the believers ministry, it's going to take disciples to reap. 00:21:30.142 --> 00:21:35.705 And that's why he said you know, pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the harvest, amen. 00:21:36.714 --> 00:21:42.877 So let me show you the four things, the four marks or characteristics of a disciple or a believer. 00:21:42.877 --> 00:21:56.806 Let's just look through the window that we see here with Ananias and how he handled himself in this very telling episode. 00:21:56.806 --> 00:21:59.842 So let's go back to Acts, chapter nine. 00:21:59.842 --> 00:22:01.798 Get anything out of this tonight. 00:22:01.798 --> 00:22:23.809 Acts, chapter nine, verse one, or verse 10, rather, first thing I noticed about him is in verse 10, that Ananias was available. 00:22:23.809 --> 00:22:26.698 He was available. 00:22:26.698 --> 00:22:29.519 Everybody say availability. 00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:32.240 I say when God called. 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:38.655 He answered Ananias, here I am Lord, and an eyes here I am Lord, say he. 00:22:38.655 --> 00:22:40.181 He was tuned in. 00:22:40.181 --> 00:22:43.743 I mean, he was close enough to the Lord to hear his voice. 00:22:43.743 --> 00:22:44.978 Well, yeah, the God. 00:22:44.978 --> 00:22:46.863 Well, you know, but you've got to be spiritual. 00:22:46.863 --> 00:22:50.117 This reason he was selected to do this job. 00:22:50.117 --> 00:22:52.438 He was available. 00:22:52.438 --> 00:22:55.692 Everybody say I'm available. 00:22:55.692 --> 00:23:00.257 I mean, you know, here I am Lord. 00:23:00.257 --> 00:23:03.553 And so availability, full of the Holy Ghost. 00:23:03.625 --> 00:23:11.148 You know, years ago, when God began to hook me up with Brother Osteen and I had a job to do, I had to open and the closes and the. 00:23:11.148 --> 00:23:30.770 I was opening the services first and then, after I did that a while, then one Sunday, you know, he would rotate people coming up, different businessmen would come up, different people would come up, and finally one Sunday he just called me up and once he called me up he never did call anybody else up. 00:23:30.770 --> 00:23:34.691 So all of a sudden, I had a job of opening and closing the services. 00:23:34.691 --> 00:23:40.489 He just decided to quit messing around trying to pick somebody else. 00:23:40.489 --> 00:23:45.672 He just picked me and so I would. 00:23:45.672 --> 00:23:50.792 Sometimes I'd get a little frustrated, you know, because I wanted to preach. 00:23:52.505 --> 00:23:53.691 Other people would get to preach. 00:23:53.691 --> 00:23:59.911 When he'd leave town he would come up to me and say, john, I'm leaving town, so and so is going to be preaching. 00:23:59.911 --> 00:24:00.969 I want you to stay here. 00:24:00.969 --> 00:24:04.369 You watch over Doty, don't let anything bad happen. 00:24:04.369 --> 00:24:05.528 I'm going to hold you accountable. 00:24:05.528 --> 00:24:11.814 And he'd laugh and I think in my mind well, why don't they let me preach? 00:24:11.814 --> 00:24:14.051 I, you know why don't I get to preach. 00:24:14.051 --> 00:24:17.530 So I said, lord, why don't I get to preach? 00:24:17.530 --> 00:24:18.354 I can't not preach. 00:24:18.354 --> 00:24:20.172 He said that's not your job. 00:24:20.172 --> 00:24:22.011 Your job is to stay sharp. 00:24:22.011 --> 00:24:30.769 You're like a knife in a scabbard and you know, as long as you're in the scabbard you're not getting used. 00:24:30.769 --> 00:24:35.290 But let me tell you something when he pulls you out of your scabbard, you better have something. 00:24:35.290 --> 00:24:36.750 You better be so sharp. 00:24:36.750 --> 00:24:40.631 My word is sharp and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. 00:24:40.631 --> 00:24:42.209 You better have a word. 00:24:42.209 --> 00:24:47.932 When he does use you, when he pulls you out of the scabbard, your job is to stay sharp. 00:24:47.932 --> 00:24:51.434 So it got all that off of me. 00:24:51.434 --> 00:24:53.933 I quit looking for opportunities. 00:24:53.933 --> 00:24:55.750 I was thankful for the one that I had. 00:24:55.750 --> 00:24:57.315 Are you with me now Available? 00:24:57.315 --> 00:24:58.228 I was available. 00:25:00.404 --> 00:25:08.192 Number two I see in verse 17, is I see obedience Now, he was obedient from the very beginning. 00:25:08.192 --> 00:25:13.224 But the real, real tough part was in verse 13. 00:25:13.224 --> 00:25:15.753 I mean, lord, you don't know what you're doing. 00:25:15.753 --> 00:25:17.873 This guy's a bad dude. 00:25:17.873 --> 00:25:21.010 I mean he's killed people. 00:25:21.010 --> 00:25:24.756 I mean, do you realize what you're asking me? 00:25:24.756 --> 00:25:28.675 I mean, you know he might turn me in. 00:25:28.675 --> 00:25:33.508 I mean, he didn't say that, but you could tell he's a little bit. 00:25:34.329 --> 00:25:36.375 Lord, do you know what you're asking me to do? 00:25:36.375 --> 00:25:40.491 This guy's hailed people off to jail. 00:25:40.491 --> 00:25:42.951 What if he does that with me? 00:25:42.951 --> 00:25:44.951 Come on, lord, give me a break. 00:25:44.951 --> 00:25:47.869 He doesn't say that, but you know. 00:25:47.869 --> 00:25:49.730 And the Lord said go your way. 00:25:49.730 --> 00:25:52.894 Didn't even want to hear it, go your way. 00:25:52.894 --> 00:25:54.048 And he went his way. 00:25:54.108 --> 00:25:54.991 See, obedience. 00:25:54.991 --> 00:26:02.030 You're never gonna receive another instruction until you obey the last one. 00:26:02.030 --> 00:26:05.170 So the disciples, you know. 00:26:05.170 --> 00:26:07.071 Sometimes you don't know everything. 00:26:07.071 --> 00:26:08.048 He knows everything. 00:26:08.048 --> 00:26:11.434 You have a limited amount of knowledge. 00:26:11.434 --> 00:26:14.590 So when the Lord wants you to do something, just obey him and do it. 00:26:14.590 --> 00:26:16.527 Amen. 00:26:16.527 --> 00:26:18.067 And so he did. 00:26:18.067 --> 00:26:20.094 He went his way there in verse 17. 00:26:20.094 --> 00:26:22.891 And look what the results were. 00:26:22.891 --> 00:26:23.507 What a power. 00:26:23.507 --> 00:26:27.251 I mean you know what would have happened if Ann and I hadn't obeyed God? 00:26:27.251 --> 00:26:31.733 I wonder how long it would have taken for somebody to come along that would have obeyed him. 00:26:31.733 --> 00:26:36.534 It took the disciples in Jerusalem. 00:26:36.534 --> 00:26:41.770 I'm talking about the leaders like James and John and Peter and all of them. 00:26:41.770 --> 00:26:47.752 I mean it was 15 years before they were comfortable around Saul of Tarsus. 00:26:47.752 --> 00:26:52.711 They weren't trusting of him. 00:26:52.711 --> 00:26:57.756 15 years went by until finally, barnabas kept bugging him. 00:26:57.756 --> 00:27:02.593 Come on, what does this guy gotta do for y'all to be accepting of his ministry? 00:27:02.593 --> 00:27:10.050 Give me a break Availability, obedience. 00:27:13.265 --> 00:27:18.590 And then the third one, mark of a disciple, listens for further instructions. 00:27:18.590 --> 00:27:25.991 Nowhere in Jesus instructions was there anything about getting him baptized in the Holy Ghost. 00:27:25.991 --> 00:27:34.392 Nowhere in Jesus instructions was in there about him getting baptized in water. 00:27:34.392 --> 00:27:42.869 You find that out in Acts 22, when Paul is talking and giving his testimony. 00:27:42.869 --> 00:27:52.471 Then you find out further things that Ann and I took upon himself to do, even though Jesus didn't specifically tell him. 00:27:52.471 --> 00:27:58.234 So there's a disciple that walked in the Holy Ghost. 00:27:58.234 --> 00:28:07.981 The Holy Spirit put it in his heart to not only lay hands on him and get him healed, but to make sure he was baptized in water, washing away his sins. 00:28:07.981 --> 00:28:10.703 Make sure he's baptized in the Holy Ghost. 00:28:11.415 --> 00:28:20.843 And I mean, if it hadn't been for Ananias, how long would it have taken for him to get filled with the Holy Ghost where he could really preach to everybody? 00:28:20.843 --> 00:28:36.044 See what an absolute blessing Ananias was, not only to Saul of Tarsus but to the early church, got him in a position to start being used real quick. 00:28:36.044 --> 00:28:42.401 And of course we already heard that he prophesied he operated in the Word of wisdom. 00:28:42.401 --> 00:28:48.125 Amen, all those other things, all of that happened because he was a yielded vessel. 00:28:48.125 --> 00:28:50.123 He was a vessel under honor. 00:28:50.123 --> 00:28:58.662 You know, j was talking about that this morning, about being a vessel under honor. 00:28:58.662 --> 00:29:00.741 Well, that's Ananias describes Ananias. 00:29:00.741 --> 00:29:05.820 He wasn't so religious that Jesus had to tell every little thing to do. 00:29:05.820 --> 00:29:08.702 He was flowing with the Holy Ghost. 00:29:08.702 --> 00:29:17.501 Man, we need disciples that can be bold enough to flow with the Holy Ghost right now, amen. 00:29:17.501 --> 00:29:23.515 And so he listened for further instruction. 00:29:23.875 --> 00:29:29.970 The last one is he lived as a chosen vessel In Acts 22,. 00:29:29.970 --> 00:29:32.502 I wanna show that's worth going back over there for it. 00:29:32.502 --> 00:29:35.123 Acts 22, paul is talking about him. 00:29:35.123 --> 00:29:38.835 Years later he's still talking about this man. 00:29:38.835 --> 00:29:47.103 He was still grateful for his ministry, even though Paul was a mighty apostle, he's still grateful for this believer. 00:29:47.103 --> 00:29:52.086 And he said in here about Ananias in verse 12. 00:29:53.096 --> 00:30:05.595 And one, ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there in Damascus, came unto me and stood and said unto me. 00:30:05.595 --> 00:30:15.545 So Ananias lived as a chosen vessel and he was devout and had a good reputation. 00:30:15.545 --> 00:30:19.683 He was devout, had a good reputation. 00:30:19.683 --> 00:30:20.546 It's so important. 00:30:20.546 --> 00:30:22.974 You've only got one reputation. 00:30:22.974 --> 00:30:25.694 The people are gonna talk bad about you. 00:30:25.694 --> 00:30:29.623 But if they lie, that's one thing, if they tell the truth, that's another thing. 00:30:29.623 --> 00:30:38.465 So we need to live above reproach Doesn't mean that everybody's not gonna say ugly. 00:30:38.465 --> 00:30:40.382 People can say ugly things. 00:30:40.382 --> 00:30:43.083 People say ugly things about me, but they're untrue. 00:30:43.083 --> 00:30:48.366 What a tragedy it would be if they said things about me and they were true. 00:30:48.366 --> 00:30:53.015 No, we need to live as chosen vessels. 00:30:53.015 --> 00:30:54.862 We need to live above reproach. 00:30:54.862 --> 00:31:00.834 And so he was a chosen vessel as well as saw. 00:31:01.856 --> 00:31:03.342 And it takes one to know one, doesn't it? 00:31:03.342 --> 00:31:06.192 It takes one to know one. 00:31:06.192 --> 00:31:06.494 Praise God. 00:31:06.494 --> 00:31:08.167 Ananias the disciple, the marks of a disciple. 00:31:08.167 --> 00:31:10.755 Did you get anything out of this tonight? 00:31:10.755 --> 00:31:13.443 Little Bible study on discipleship. 00:31:13.443 --> 00:31:16.035 Come on, let's lift our hands and receive tonight. 00:31:16.035 --> 00:31:19.835 Praise God, lord, help us to be available at all times. 00:31:19.835 --> 00:31:22.183 We'll leave the ability part to you. 00:31:22.183 --> 00:31:27.393 You know, I like what one precious woman of God said. 00:31:27.393 --> 00:31:31.595 I'm trying to think of her name now but I've forgotten it. 00:31:31.595 --> 00:31:35.055 But she said God's not looking for silver vessels. 00:31:35.055 --> 00:31:36.333 He's not looking for gold vessels. 00:31:36.333 --> 00:31:37.769 He's looking for yielded vessels. 00:31:37.769 --> 00:31:44.071 Amen, and we need to be yielded to him, amen.