WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.839 Today the message is entitled Spirit Empowered Living. 00:00:03.919 --> 00:00:10.640 And I invite you to turn two passages of Scripture: Revelation chapter 3 and John chapter 14. 00:00:11.359 --> 00:00:14.080 As you're turning, I was in preparing the message. 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:16.879 I ran across the file that I keep in my office. 00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:19.760 It's called the What Were You Thinking file. 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:24.079 And it's filled with all kinds of stories of dumb things that people do. 00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:26.399 And here's one, for instance, that I really enjoy. 00:00:26.480 --> 00:00:30.960 It's a story of a guy who walked into a Bank of America one day to rob it. 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:34.560 But when he got to the bank, he realized he didn't have a stick-up note. 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:35.600 He forgot that part. 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:40.799 So he took one of those blank receipts that said Bank of America on it, and on the back he wrote the stick-up note. 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:42.960 And then he's standing in line waiting for a teller. 00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:48.000 And he thought to himself, I wonder if someone saw me writing the stick-up note. 00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:54.640 So he got all panicky and nervous, and he decided to go across the street to Wells Fargo to rob that bank. 00:00:54.880 --> 00:01:03.520 And so finally, as he makes his way to the teller, he slides the note across to her, and she reads the note and it says, This is a stick-up, S-T-I-K-U-P. 00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:06.640 Give me all of your money, M-U-N-Y. 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:10.400 So she realized he wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer. 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:13.840 So she said, Sir, I would love to fulfill your request today. 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:20.400 However, this stick-up note is written on a Bank of America deposit slip, and I can't honor it. 00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:24.640 So you're going to have to go across the street to Bank of America and rob them. 00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:31.680 And the man walks across the street and he's standing in line ready to rob the bank when the police arrive and promptly arrest him. 00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:34.159 True story actually happened. 00:01:34.959 --> 00:01:36.719 What were you thinking? 00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:39.920 Ever have a what were you thinking moment? 00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:41.760 I know I have. 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:55.680 Every time I choose to go my path instead of God's, every time I think I'm smarter than God is, or if I'm too impatient to wait for God's answer, or God gives an answer to my prayer, and I go, Are you crazy, God? 00:01:55.840 --> 00:01:57.040 No way am I doing that. 00:01:57.200 --> 00:02:04.319 And every time when I have chosen to set my path separate from God, it hasn't turned out well for me. 00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:08.000 And when I've looked back, I thought, what was I thinking? 00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:11.120 Ever have one of those moments when you look back on life? 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:16.639 You see, God has given you everything you need for life and godliness. 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:22.800 All the power of God resides in you, Scripture says, by his Spirit. 00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:28.240 The challenge we face is to live every day in a spirit-empowered life. 00:02:28.479 --> 00:02:37.599 Now, many of you were here a couple months ago when Pastor Robert was preaching the series on words, life or death, and the message of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. 00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:46.800 Now, that weekend across our campuses, we saw about 4,500 people come forward at the invitation and say, I want to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. 00:02:47.039 --> 00:02:49.280 I want the power of the Spirit in my life. 00:02:49.520 --> 00:02:56.400 The question that came to my mind as I was just so broken by the move of God among us was, what's next? 00:02:56.800 --> 00:03:02.319 How can we actually live every day in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the power of the Holy Spirit? 00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:06.080 Because I know Ephesians chapter 5, verse 18 instructs us. 00:03:06.319 --> 00:03:11.120 Paul writes and says, Do not get drunk with wine, which leads to debauchery. 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:14.159 Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:17.759 And the Greek word there for the verb filled is an important one. 00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:20.960 It's written in a present passive imperative. 00:03:21.039 --> 00:03:26.159 And that's important because the imperative means to be filled with the Spirit is a command of God. 00:03:26.240 --> 00:03:27.439 It's an imperative. 00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:33.039 The present means it's something that's supposed to happen consistently or daily. 00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:41.199 And the passive means it's not something you can do for yourself, it's something you receive from the Lord day by day. 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:46.639 But how do we live in the presence daily of a spirit-empowered life? 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:50.800 Well, there are three marks of a spirit-empowered life I want to share with you today. 00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:55.840 And here's the first one it's a transformation from independent to dependent. 00:03:55.919 --> 00:04:06.080 Let's take a look at Revelation chapter three, because in Revelation chapter three, we find the last of the seven letters that Jesus writes to the churches throughout Asia Minor. 00:04:06.319 --> 00:04:15.759 And this last one, Laodicea, is the only letter that Jesus writes that does not include a commendation, an affirmation of good deeds or good works. 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:25.600 It only speaks of a confrontation and a condemnation of a church that had chosen to live independent of the power of God. 00:04:25.839 --> 00:04:28.000 Look at what it says there in verse 14. 00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:32.079 Jesus writes or shares these words through the revelation of John. 00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:40.399 He says, These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness of the ruler, witness, the ruler of God's creation. 00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:45.680 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:48.399 I wish that you were either one or the other. 00:04:48.639 --> 00:04:56.560 So because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I'm about to spit you out of my mouth. 00:04:56.800 --> 00:04:58.879 Aren't you glad you came to church today? 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:07.680 When he says there, I'm about to spit you out of your mouth, literally in the original language, it means to vomit violently out of your mouth. 00:05:07.839 --> 00:05:09.199 But Jesus uses this metaphor. 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:12.000 He says, listen, you're neither hot nor cold, you're lukewarm. 00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:18.160 And is that the question is, is that some random comment, just a loose kind of analogy that he offers? 00:05:18.319 --> 00:05:19.600 Oh, absolutely not. 00:05:19.839 --> 00:05:26.879 You see, Laodicea is located about five miles south of a city called Heropolis. 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:31.040 Now, Heropolis was a city known for its hot springs. 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:44.639 Bubbling out of the ground came this hot water, and people from all over Asia Minor would flock to Heropolis, not far from Laodicea, because of the medicinal value of the hot springs of Heropolis. 00:05:45.279 --> 00:05:51.439 About seven miles to the east of Laodicea was a city called Colossae, in which we get the book Colossians. 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:54.800 And it was tucked away in the mountains. 00:05:55.519 --> 00:06:04.879 And when the snow would melt, Colossae would enjoy the cold, cold, fresh, clear water of the mountain melted snow. 00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:06.879 They were known for their cold water. 00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:16.399 Laodicea had neither, and so they built this intricate canal system to try and draw water down from Heropolis, the hot springs, and the cold mountain water of Colossae. 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:21.360 But by the time it reached Laodicea, the water was tepid and lukewarm. 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:22.480 It was nasty to drink. 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:24.959 Ever live somewhere with nasty water? 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:37.360 And Jesus takes this one truth, this one thing about the inability of the church, the people of Laodicea, the one thing they could not change, the quality of their water, and he makes a spiritual application. 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:46.560 And he said, Listen, because you are so independent and stubborn, because you think you can live this life apart from my spirit, let me tell you something, you're just like your water. 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:48.319 You're lukewarm and tepid. 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:51.040 And I'm gonna spit you out of your mouth, out of my mouth. 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:53.680 Now, Laodicea was known for three things. 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:57.759 It was known for its wealth, it was the center of banking in all of Asia Minor. 00:06:57.839 --> 00:06:59.519 It was a very, very wealthy city. 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:08.800 In fact, when there was an earthquake in 60 AD in Laodicea that was very destructive to the city, Rome said, We'll send funds to help rebuild your city. 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:12.560 And Laodicea said, now we've got enough money, we'll handle it ourselves. 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:14.480 They were known as being very wealthy. 00:07:14.639 --> 00:07:22.800 They were also known for their medical center and their hospital, especially the eye salve that was used for the healing of eye ailments. 00:07:22.879 --> 00:07:24.720 And it was known all over that region. 00:07:25.040 --> 00:07:27.920 If you had a problem, go to the hospitals at Laodicea. 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:32.480 Thirdly, it was known for its clothing, the manufacturing of black wool. 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:41.439 And it was at the crossroads of travel and trade in that area, and so it was known as the place where you could buy rich clothing. 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:43.120 And they were very proud of those things. 00:07:43.279 --> 00:07:45.839 And now look back at Revelation chapter 3. 00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:48.879 What does Jesus have to say to the church? 00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:51.279 Starting with verse 17. 00:07:51.839 --> 00:07:57.279 You say, I am rich, I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing. 00:07:57.519 --> 00:07:58.240 Wait a second. 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:00.800 Are you to tell me that there was actually a time? 00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:06.480 There was actually a group of people that put all their confidence in their wealth and what they could what they could earn? 00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:10.319 What kind of dim-wit people would actually put confidence in their wealth? 00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:11.920 It's amazing to me. 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:25.120 He says, You say I'm rich and I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing, but notice Jesus, he says, but you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, notice this, poor, blind, and naked. 00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:30.079 And Jesus takes the three things that they've found pride in. 00:08:30.399 --> 00:08:34.480 And he said, Listen, in the spirit, you are poor, not rich. 00:08:34.720 --> 00:08:35.919 You are blind. 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:38.000 You don't have the eye healing. 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:39.679 And you are naked. 00:08:40.320 --> 00:08:46.399 You see, Jesus is trying to teach them that their pride and independence can only get them in trouble. 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:49.440 And Jesus doesn't use some soft language here, does he? 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:55.200 No miltoast message, no spineless, politically correct kind of roundabout way of putting it. 00:08:55.360 --> 00:09:01.440 He comes straight out and he says, if you want to live for me, you need to lose your independence. 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:08.799 Because they had taken on the character of their culture and they had the form of godliness, but they denied the power therein. 00:09:08.960 --> 00:09:10.159 And there's a danger there. 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:12.000 And it's true in our society today. 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:16.559 The danger is a focus on self rather than the spirit. 00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:23.600 All of our language in our society tends to reflect the sense of you need to gratify yourself, you need to take care of yourself. 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:27.519 If you're empty, you need to fulfill yourself, society says. 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:30.879 If you're stressed, learn how to take care of yourself. 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:34.960 If you're on a job interview, you have to believe in yourself. 00:09:35.200 --> 00:09:38.240 If you're at the tattoo parlor, you must learn to what? 00:09:38.559 --> 00:09:40.159 Express yourself. 00:09:40.639 --> 00:09:44.720 If someone dares to criticize you, you have to learn to love yourself. 00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:49.200 And if you're not getting your own way, you have to stand up for yourself. 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:54.320 And if you're on a first date, you ought to be someone else. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:09:58.159 No, you need to be yourself. 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:00.960 But the problem is, what if yourself is a train wreck? 00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:02.159 What do you do then? 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:10.480 You see, the danger in living for ourselves is we lose the presence and the power of God in our lives. 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:14.240 Let me illustrate this by looking at Jesus' life and ministry. 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:16.399 Turn to John chapter 14, if you would. 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:19.360 Because Jesus offers to us a different approach. 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:21.120 Jesus was dependent. 00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:26.960 And the first mark of a spirit-empowered life is becoming completely dependent upon God. 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:33.360 This is in the Last Supper discourse, the final words of Jesus before his arrest and trial. 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:44.879 He's talking to his good friends, and he says in verse 10 of John 14, he says, Don't you believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me? 00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:45.919 Notice this. 00:10:46.080 --> 00:10:50.000 He says, the words I say to you are not just my own. 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:54.240 Rather, it's the Father living in me who is doing his work. 00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:58.399 In other words, Jesus is saying, I don't say anything on my own authority. 00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:02.720 I say only what I hear the Father telling me to say. 00:11:02.960 --> 00:11:06.240 Wouldn't that be an incredible way for each of us to live our lives day by day? 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:08.399 Saying only what God gives us to say. 00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:09.679 Look at verse 16. 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:10.159 He goes on. 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:14.320 He says, He says, I'll ask the Father, and he will give you another counselor. 00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:15.840 Well, who is the first counselor? 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:17.039 Jesus. 00:11:17.360 --> 00:11:18.799 To be with you forever. 00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:20.399 The Spirit of truth. 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:25.279 The world cannot accept him because it neither sees him nor knows him. 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:26.320 Catch this. 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:31.600 But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:33.600 Jump to verse 20 now. 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:36.080 On that day, Jesus says, What day? 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:40.879 The day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit fell, and all were baptized. 00:11:41.039 --> 00:11:48.320 On that day, you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:57.840 The good news today is that Jesus has come not only to live, die, and be resurrected, but he left us the Holy Spirit as our counselor and our guide through life. 00:11:57.919 --> 00:12:02.559 And the Holy Spirit lives in you today if you'll depend upon him. 00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:06.639 Notice what Jesus says in John chapter 5 as he continues, verse 19. 00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:07.360 I love this. 00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:08.559 This is amazing to me. 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:09.919 Look at this passage. 00:12:10.159 --> 00:12:12.879 Jesus, speaking about himself, says it this way. 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:14.240 I tell you the truth. 00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:21.440 He can only do what he sees his father doing. 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:24.399 Because whatever the father does, the son also does. 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:26.399 He's talking about himself, the son of God. 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:29.919 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. 00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:44.000 Now, I might not also be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I'm wondering if Jesus felt the need to totally depend on the Father and the Spirit in order to fulfill God's mandate for his life. 00:12:44.320 --> 00:12:49.679 I wonder what that says to you and to me today on how we should live our life. 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:51.600 So here's a question for you. 00:12:51.840 --> 00:12:58.559 What is the one thing you need to do to live a dependent life in the Spirit? 00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:00.080 Here's the answer. 00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:04.559 Surrender everything you have to God every day of your life. 00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:07.039 Aren't you glad you came to church today? 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:08.879 The answer is surrender. 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:16.559 Surrender your will, surrender your plans, surrender your dreams to the Lord, and submit yourself to the power of God. 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:22.320 Philippians 4 13 says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:24.480 But the reverse is also true. 00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:30.960 I can do nothing, nothing, unless the strength of Christ is alive in me. 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:36.720 Now, when it comes to surrender, aren't you grateful that you only have to surrender to God once in your life and that's it? 00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:38.080 You're set for life? 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:40.080 That's not true, is it? 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:43.360 In fact, here's my definition of surrender for you. 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:50.000 Surrender is our moment by moment response to the greatness and the grace of God. 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:54.399 Surrender is our moment by moment response to the greatness and grace of God. 00:13:54.559 --> 00:13:57.600 Every moment of every day of your life, you have choices to make. 00:13:57.759 --> 00:13:59.759 Most of those are done subconsciously. 00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:06.720 But sometimes the bigger choices and decisions on what to say or what to do rise to the conscious level, and you have a choice to make. 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:08.480 Are you going to follow the plan of God? 00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:10.320 Are you going to listen for the voice of Spirit? 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:11.759 Are you going to wait upon the Lord? 00:14:11.840 --> 00:14:14.799 Or are you going to step out and be independent and do it yourself? 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:19.360 Surrender is the starting point of the spirit-empowered life, day by day. 00:14:19.519 --> 00:14:22.399 Jesus says, if you want to be my disciple, deny yourself. 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:27.279 Take up your cross, and here's the mind-bender, daily and follow me. 00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:27.840 Okay? 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:31.120 So the second mark, here's the second mark of a spirit-empowered life. 00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:34.639 It's a transformation from inadequate to adequate. 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:36.799 Inadequate to adequate. 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:44.720 Now, those of you who know me know that I love children, small children, uh, little ones especially, uh, toddlers and so forth. 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:55.279 And just if I'm out at the mall or we're at a restaurant or we're at a social gathering and I see a small child, I'll gravitate to that child and try and strike up a conversation or share one of my cartoon voices or something. 00:14:55.360 --> 00:14:58.080 And my children always say, Dad, dad, you're creeping. 00:14:58.159 --> 00:14:59.840 You don't be a creeper, Dad. 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:02.559 You're gonna scare the child, and their parents are getting mad. 00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:03.840 Stop, stop, don't look at the child. 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:07.039 I didn't have I had to look it up what it meant in the urban dictionary. 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:08.879 I didn't know what creeping meant. 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:23.279 But I always loved children, and when I was pastoring in the Chicago area, I received a phone call one day from a family in our church, and they had uh their son was taken to the hospital, Cooks, Cook County Children's Hospital, with an asthma attack. 00:15:23.360 --> 00:15:31.600 And so I left my meeting, made my way to the emergency room, and as I uh went into the emergency room at the children's hospital, not a happy place to be. 00:15:31.759 --> 00:15:51.759 Uh, I walked by several rooms, and and I noticed one room on my left that took my attention because there was so much activity, nurses and doctors and things beeping, and I looked over and I could see a very small child lying in the bed, maybe three, four years of age, and and I couldn't tell if it was a boy or a girl because their head was completely wrapped in bandages about the size of a basketball. 00:15:51.919 --> 00:16:01.360 Well, the next room over was the room that I was going to, but the child that I was there to see was gone, and the nurse said they were downstairs with some x-rays and asked me to take a seat in the waiting room. 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:11.600 As I did, I sat next to this couple, and I realized rather quickly that the couple I was sitting next to were the parents of that little girl, Emily, four-year-old, in the room that I had just passed. 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:15.519 And I overheard in their conversation, kind of piecing together what happened. 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:27.120 And just an hour or so earlier, Emily was playing in the front yard and when she was on her tricycle and was biking her way across the driveway just as her uncle was pulling out of the driveway, and he had run over top of her. 00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:29.360 And it was a life or death situation. 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:42.799 And I'm hearing this story, and I'm broken at what this little child was going through and her parents, and so I just, in a bold kind of step, just said, I interrupted and said, uh, I'm a pastor in the area, and I just was wondering, I've heard a little bit of what your story is. 00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:45.679 Would it be okay if I just pray for Emily and pray with you? 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:46.639 And they said, Yes. 00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:47.840 They said, absolutely. 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:49.519 And so I prayed with them. 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:54.960 And then the prayer was over, and then the doctors had come and asked them for consultation, so they stepped away. 00:16:55.200 --> 00:17:07.359 And then a nurse came and said, Well, the family you're here for, they were down in the emergency or in the x-ray area, and the doctors sent them home and they said, Thank you for coming, but they wanted to get their son home, and they would call you later with an updated report. 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:09.279 And so I was free to leave the hospital. 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:12.000 But something inside of me said, You can't go. 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:15.119 But in that moment, Satan got in my ear. 00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:16.960 Don't you hate that when that happened? 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:20.640 And he said, You said your little prayer. 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:22.319 Why don't you just go? 00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:22.960 What? 00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:25.039 You think you're going to heal her? 00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:27.039 Just leave, Pastor. 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:29.680 You've done your pastor thing. 00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:35.440 And in that moment, I felt so inadequate. 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:41.119 Because you know, Satan is a liar, but he usually wraps the lie in just a little bit of truth. 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:46.720 And the truth of what he said was there was nothing I could do in my own strength for that little girl. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:47.839 That was true. 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:56.880 But in that moment, the Spirit of God spoke in a bold voice into my spirit, and he said, You may not be able to do anything, but I can. 00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:09.680 He said, They don't need you, but they need me, and I want to use you to comfort them. 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:23.039 Well, I struck up a relationship with them, made my way back to Cook County Hospital uh two or three times a week for two full months, and at the end of that period of time, Emily walked home miraculously healed by the power of God. 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:33.279 Let me tell you something, you may be facing a challenge today that's way over your head. 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:35.680 But I've got good news for you. 00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:37.359 You're inadequate. 00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:50.400 The reality is that living the spirit-empowered life is coming to the conclusion that in my own strength I am not able to deal with the challenges that God places before me. 00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:53.759 So I must rely on his spirit absolutely. 00:18:54.400 --> 00:18:59.759 Charlie Shedd is a Christian writer, and he wrote this, and I just thought it was appropriate to the moment. 00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:08.160 He said, Before we had children, I used to travel across the country sharing a teaching called The Ten Commandments for Raising Perfect Children. 00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:10.240 Before we had children. 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:25.119 After they had their second child, he changed it again to a few tentative suggestions for fellow strugglers. 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:31.519 And by the time they had their third child, he said, I quit giving the talk altogether. 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:38.400 See, the spirit-filled life is about living in God's abilities, not simply relying on your own. 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:48.319 I love what happens in 2 Corinthians chapter 12, because Paul there is confronted with a thorn in his flesh, a tormentor of Satan, not unlike mine that I mentioned a moment ago. 00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:54.559 It was, he says, to keep me from becoming conceited about the surpassing greatness of what I participated in. 00:19:54.720 --> 00:20:03.680 In other words, to keep me from thinking somehow I was doing this miraculous thing, Paul says there was this tormentor, and three times I prayed to God, take it away. 00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:06.799 And finally Jesus speaks into his life in verse 9. 00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:08.720 Oh, I love these words. 00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:15.839 Jesus said to me, Paul writes, My grace is sufficient for you. 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:20.640 For my power is made perfect and weak perfect in weakness. 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:28.880 Therefore, Paul says, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:30.960 Let me tell you something today. 00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:36.160 Christ is sufficient, and his grace is sufficient for your weaknesses. 00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:40.319 When you're weak, his strength emerges, and he is strong. 00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:43.279 Look what it says in 2 Corinthians chapter 3 and verse 5. 00:20:43.440 --> 00:20:51.359 Paul writes there, and he says, Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:57.839 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the spirit. 00:20:58.079 --> 00:21:02.720 For the letter kills, but the spirit gives life. 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:08.960 See, the issue is not about the abilities that you come with in the natural, the issue is what power lives within you. 00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:11.839 And this is found throughout biblical history. 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:14.160 All the heroes of the Bible. 00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:19.759 For instance, Moses did not part the Red Sea because he had big muscles. 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:24.480 I mean, David did not kill Goliath because he was an expert marksman. 00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:27.440 If that were the case, why did he pick up five stones? 00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:34.559 Daniel was not able to soothe the lions because he had good negotiation skills. 00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:40.640 Esther did not stop the murder of her people because she was a beauty queen. 00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:47.599 Samson didn't kill thousands of Philistines with his own bare hands because he had long hair. 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:52.480 I mean, if long hair was the criteria, then Fabio should have been an avenger. 00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:59.359 See, now I just divided the congregation and the under 40 and over 40 crowd, didn't I? 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:02.319 Fabio was a male model in the 80s. 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:05.279 Well, just go Google it when you get home and you'll figure out who he was. 00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:07.920 But that just wasn't about the hair. 00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:12.960 Gideon didn't defeat the Midianites with 300 men because he was a courageous person. 00:22:13.359 --> 00:22:18.000 Joshua didn't see the walls of Jericho fall down because he had a loud voice. 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:25.200 Jesus did not roll away the stone on resurrection Sunday morning because he knew how to tell a good story. 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:40.400 No, the reason the stone rolled away on resurrection Sunday morning was because sometime earlier, when Jesus came out of the waters of baptism in the Jordan River, the Spirit of God descended from heaven and remained upon him the rest of his life. 00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:53.759 And so when Jesus Christ died and was buried and rose again, it was that same power of God that morning that rolled back that stone and allowed Jesus to walk out victorious for the glory of God. 00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:57.920 It wasn't about any abilities that we have. 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:09.039 Romans chapter 8, verse 11 says, The Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. 00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:18.400 And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by the same Spirit living within you. 00:23:18.640 --> 00:23:27.839 You see, you are adequate today, not in your own abilities, but because the Spirit of God that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. 00:23:28.400 --> 00:23:35.119 The third mark of a spirit-empowered life today is a transformation from insecurity to security. 00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:41.839 See, one of the fundamental needs that your soul craves from birth is security. 00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:51.680 A newborn is taken and wrapped in a blanket and then cradles in the arms of its mother for security. 00:23:51.920 --> 00:23:58.799 A small child clings to a nasty, dirty, spit-up stained security blanket. 00:23:59.359 --> 00:24:11.039 Or in our case, in our home, a security binky or a pacifier or passi or baba or chewy or sucky buyer or whatever the street language is nowadays for that little piece of rubber. 00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:12.079 I don't know. 00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:18.400 But my daughter Megan, when she was little, she didn't have to have one binky to have security to go to sleep. 00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:22.480 And she didn't need two binkies, she needed three binkies. 00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:26.160 One in each hand and one in her mouth. 00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:29.039 Then she's ready for bed. 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:40.480 And I have this on film because we would, I filmed her once because what she would do in her sleep is she would just, as this one got stale, she would rotate out the binkies without ever waking up. 00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:44.720 Just every 20 minutes or so, new binky. 00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:48.319 See, we all have security issues, right? 00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:50.799 They start at birth. 00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:54.720 Somebody ask you, are you here today? 00:24:55.279 --> 00:24:59.039 Have any feelings of insecurity or anxiety about your life? 00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:00.160 They tell you something. 00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:05.200 If you have children or you've watched the news lately, your answer is probably yes, isn't it? 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:08.079 We all feel insecure at times. 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:12.319 We all have times of feeling anxious or fearful, and I know I do. 00:25:12.400 --> 00:25:16.880 Just because I'm standing up here doesn't mean that I never feel anxious or worry. 00:25:17.279 --> 00:25:18.400 I know I shouldn't. 00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:30.640 I know what scripture says, but I know when we deal with some of the challenges and the realities of life, the storms of life, things can get pretty insecure if we're not careful and not living in the fullness of the Spirit of God. 00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:32.319 Look what it says in Luke chapter 8. 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:34.960 It's the story of Jesus and the boat with his disciples. 00:25:35.119 --> 00:25:42.240 And starting in verse 22, it says, one day Jesus said to his disciples, Let's go over to the other side of the lake. 00:25:42.640 --> 00:25:44.720 So they got into the boat and set out. 00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:47.440 And as they sailed, notice what happened. 00:25:47.680 --> 00:25:49.759 He, Jesus, fell asleep. 00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:56.000 And a squall came down on the lake so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. 00:25:56.160 --> 00:26:02.000 And the disciples went and woke him, saying, Master, Master, we're going to drown. 00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:05.759 And he got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters. 00:26:06.079 --> 00:26:09.680 The storm subsided, and all was calm. 00:26:09.839 --> 00:26:16.480 And then Jesus asks them this piercing question: Where is your faith? 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:20.480 Where is your faith? 00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:22.880 That's the question I have for you today. 00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:29.359 Because your spirit empowered security hinges on the answer you give to that question. 00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:38.799 If you had to answer that question right now, in this moment, where is your faith? 00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:40.799 What would your answer be? 00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:43.119 What would your answer be? 00:26:43.519 --> 00:26:47.440 Because you never know what storms are going to come up in life. 00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:49.839 You may be going through a storm right now. 00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:54.240 And the question God is asking us is where is our security? 00:26:54.559 --> 00:26:56.160 Where is our faith? 00:26:56.400 --> 00:27:03.839 Because you were created to find security in God, in his power, in his provision in your life. 00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:12.000 And the same power, may I remind you, that was in Jesus Christ resides today in you. 00:27:12.720 --> 00:27:18.240 And just as a side note, remind me again, what was Jesus doing in the midst of the storm? 00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:19.839 Sleeping. 00:27:20.079 --> 00:27:21.759 I mean, they were taking on water. 00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:24.559 He's getting soaked, and Jesus is sleeping. 00:27:24.720 --> 00:27:31.440 What a perfect picture of a person, a man, a spirit at rest before God. 00:27:31.759 --> 00:27:37.519 Psalm 91:1 says, He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:44.400 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust. 00:27:44.799 --> 00:27:53.359 So, security today, security in the Lord is found in resting in the Lord. 00:27:54.400 --> 00:27:55.839 You want to know else? 00:27:56.240 --> 00:27:58.640 You want to know where else security is found? 00:27:58.960 --> 00:28:02.880 It's found in resting, and it's found in risking. 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:05.119 Take a look at the book of Acts once. 00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:08.799 It's really the Acts of the Holy Spirit through the apostles. 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:14.799 Not one time, not one verse, one chapter, did God say, okay, play it safe. 00:28:16.240 --> 00:28:17.359 Take it easy. 00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:18.000 No. 00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:21.519 Chapter by chapter, story by story. 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:39.119 I mean, you have Peter who was fearful and hid from the authorities and denied Christ three times, but in the book of Acts, chapter four, he stands boldly before the Sanhedrin, the religious leaders, and in the face of death, boldly declares that Jesus Christ is the Lord of all. 00:28:39.359 --> 00:28:41.759 You want to talk about risking it all. 00:28:42.559 --> 00:28:46.880 You see, living the spirit-empowered life is being willing to risk it all. 00:28:46.960 --> 00:28:51.279 And the safest place you can be today is in the center of God's will. 00:28:52.640 --> 00:28:57.039 When was the last time you stepped out in courageous obedience? 00:28:57.759 --> 00:29:09.440 Living the spirit-empowered life is about totally surrendering our lives, laying everything down from God for God, expecting God to speak, and then having the courage to respond when He does. 00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:17.359 I remember years ago when I was asking the Lord to find a place where I could be a senior pastor. 00:29:17.680 --> 00:29:29.359 I had been a staff pastor for about 12, 13 years, and my wife and I were praying for about a year and searching for the right church, and I had my kind of checklist, and I finally found the right church, at least I thought so. 00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:34.079 I found this church and it matched all of my checks, all the boxes had a check in it. 00:29:34.160 --> 00:29:43.279 And so we had kind of set up the deal, and so the elders asked us to fly to Des Moines to meet with them just to seal the deal and to kind of look for houses and so forth. 00:29:43.359 --> 00:29:47.039 And so my wife and I flew to Des Moines and we met with the elders all day long. 00:29:47.200 --> 00:29:56.799 And at the end of that day, as we were making our way back to the hotel, I remember as I was driving, I turned to my wife and I said, God has been speaking to me today. 00:29:57.039 --> 00:29:59.680 And he's saying, This is not the church for us. 00:29:59.920 --> 00:30:02.640 She looked at me and went, Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. 00:30:03.839 --> 00:30:08.640 She said, I knew this wasn't the place as the day went on, but I was willing to come if this is where we were supposed to be. 00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:10.559 But but I don't think this is God's answer. 00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:12.960 We invested a year in this process. 00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:18.079 We flew back to California where we were pastoring, and just that sense of emptiness came over me. 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:19.599 We had to start all over again. 00:30:19.920 --> 00:30:22.640 The very next day I was doing something very spiritual. 00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:24.480 I was mowing the lawn. 00:30:25.519 --> 00:30:29.759 And in the middle of the front yard, the Holy Spirit spoke to me. 00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:32.160 And he said, This, just this. 00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:34.240 It's time to move. 00:30:35.279 --> 00:30:36.079 It's time to move. 00:30:36.400 --> 00:30:39.680 I just turned down the only invitation I have, I'm starting over. 00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:40.319 It's time to move. 00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:42.799 And it just shook me so much I had to turn the mower off. 00:30:42.880 --> 00:30:44.640 I was afraid I was gonna cut some toes off. 00:30:44.799 --> 00:30:49.680 And I walked into the house, and Penny came up from the back, and she looked at me and she said, Well, what's wrong with you? 00:30:49.839 --> 00:30:50.799 And I said, What do you mean? 00:30:50.880 --> 00:30:52.720 She said, You look like you've seen a ghost. 00:30:52.880 --> 00:30:55.039 And I said, Have a seat. 00:30:56.960 --> 00:30:59.519 And she said, God just spoke to me. 00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:01.119 She said, while you're mowing the lawn? 00:31:01.200 --> 00:31:02.640 I said, Yeah, while I was mowing the lawn. 00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:04.319 So what did he say? 00:31:04.640 --> 00:31:07.279 I said, he said, it's time to move. 00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:09.599 She said, What does that mean? 00:31:09.920 --> 00:31:14.400 I said, I haven't had time to process it, but I'm pretty sure it means it's time to move. 00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:18.160 Just a guess. 00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:20.160 And she said, Well, move where? 00:31:20.240 --> 00:31:22.480 And I said, Well, I haven't figured that out, but I said, here's my plan. 00:31:22.559 --> 00:31:24.720 I think we need to call your parents back in Chicago. 00:31:24.880 --> 00:31:28.480 Ask them if they'll take us in until we can figure this thing out. 00:31:28.720 --> 00:31:29.839 Now, let me tell you something. 00:31:29.920 --> 00:31:38.799 If you're in your early 30s, you have a wife and two small children, and the best plan you have is to move in with your in-laws, that's God. 00:31:41.839 --> 00:31:46.559 And so I'd set up a meeting that following Thursday with a senior pastor to hand in my resignation. 00:31:46.640 --> 00:32:02.480