WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.120 Acts chapter 2, if you turn over there, please. 00:00:03.520 --> 00:00:05.040 I'm excited about being here. 00:00:05.120 --> 00:00:11.279 I I love you, love the church, I love Pastor Robert and the staff and pastors here and elders. 00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:20.160 And uh not only love them, I respect them and really appreciate uh what God has done uh in the life of this church uh since its beginning. 00:00:20.559 --> 00:00:27.199 Very proud of you, you all, and the contribution you've made to the health and the future of this body. 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:31.679 So it's a delight for me to get a chance to talk to talk to you. 00:00:31.920 --> 00:00:33.280 Was that a shot? 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:38.719 I'm used to it. 00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:41.039 You know, I'm used to people shooting at me. 00:00:42.719 --> 00:00:46.479 Now this is a uh a really a serious subject. 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:53.439 Um it's hard to be frivolous when you're talking about the Holy Spirit because he just isn't. 00:00:53.759 --> 00:01:15.840 And uh I can tell you this for sure I'm from a personal uh testimony, that in the last uh number of months uh the Lord has sort of revolutionized my own personal walk with him in this way that I'm much more uh intimate and intimately acquainted with and have ongoing conversations with the Holy Spirit in a way I never had before in my life. 00:01:16.319 --> 00:01:19.280 That I consistently am talking to him now. 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:22.480 I mean, just in the average run-of-the-mill day. 00:01:22.719 --> 00:01:33.920 And we all face circumstances and situations where we need information, we need understanding, we need uh leadership, we need to make decisions, we need to know what to say or what not to say. 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:35.359 Is that right or not? 00:01:35.760 --> 00:01:44.879 And I just started believing that the Holy Spirit meant what he said when he said, I'll lead you into all the truth, I'll be your teacher, I'll bring to remembrance everything that Jesus has said to you. 00:01:45.040 --> 00:01:49.760 I am in you and I am with you, I'm your comforter, I'm your helper, I'm walking right beside you. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:53.280 Why don't you ask me some questions every once in a while? 00:01:53.599 --> 00:01:55.040 So I started doing that. 00:01:55.200 --> 00:01:56.959 And it really has changed my life. 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:07.120 It's not only changed, I believe, my normal traffic patterns and things that I do in the way I would do things, but it's beginning to change me inside into a better person, I believe. 00:02:07.439 --> 00:02:16.000 That I'm much more guarded and consistent in what I say and what I don't say, uh those kinds of issues with my mouth and my lips and things like that. 00:02:16.159 --> 00:02:18.240 So I want to share some of these things with you. 00:02:18.560 --> 00:02:27.280 Acts chapter 2 is the account that most of you have already read before of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. 00:02:27.520 --> 00:02:40.319 Now, Pastor Robert's already explained all that to you, and I don't need to go in the background of that, but I can tell you this, that there's not a more personally important event in human history that ever took place than this one I'm going to read about right here. 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:47.280 My life has been affected more by this than any other single thing other than the entrance of Jesus Christ into my life. 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:49.840 So this makes Jesus personal. 00:02:50.080 --> 00:02:57.120 It is no longer under the old covenant where it was God with them, it is now God in us. 00:02:57.759 --> 00:02:59.039 God in me. 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:10.879 And uh that's a really different, that's a real change, it's a paradigm shift that is unbelievable that God lives in me now, in the presence of the Holy Spirit. 00:03:11.360 --> 00:03:12.400 All right, let's read this. 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:13.120 Uh, verse 1. 00:03:13.199 --> 00:03:14.479 I'm reading from the American Standard. 00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:24.159 It says, When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place, and suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:38.400 And there appeared to them tongues as a fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to do some weird stuff, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit was giving them utterance. 00:03:39.199 --> 00:03:58.879 There were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven, and when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and were bewildered, because they heard each one, because each one were hearing them speak in his own language, and they were amazed and marveled, saying, Why are not all these who are speaking Galilea? 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:02.560 How is it that we hear them in our own language to which we were born? 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:25.839 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontius, and Asia, Pergia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the districts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs, we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God, and they continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, What does this mean? 00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:28.800 But others were mocking, saying, They're full of sweet wine. 00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:38.959 And you know what happened in the rest of that day as Peter stood to preach, and three thousand people came to the Lord, and that really the church was given its birth here on this day. 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:44.560 That's a weird-sounding bunch of events if you look at it from a logical perspective. 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:56.160 But Jesus in Luke 24 had commanded them to go over to the city of Jerusalem and wait for the promised one of the Father who would endue them with power from on high, and they then they were to begin to do what Jesus commanded them to do. 00:04:56.399 --> 00:04:59.920 They did what he said, they went over and waited, and this event took place. 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:01.920 They had no idea what it was going to be like. 00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:06.079 They didn't understand, and we wouldn't have understood had we been in their shoes. 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:19.439 We you simply, how do you, how do you, in a faintest way, come to understand the importance, the cataclysmic event that was to take place in their lives and through them to many others. 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:22.399 Now, was this just a sovereign work of God? 00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:26.800 I mean, did God just in history choose a day and say it's going to happen on that day? 00:05:26.879 --> 00:05:30.879 Uh it's going to happen whether or not uh the conditions are right or the conditions are met. 00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:36.560 This is a sovereign work of God, and it's going to happen regardless of other events or other conditions. 00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:38.399 I do believe that's a sovereign work of God. 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:42.240 I do believe it's in the fullness of God's time, and all things happen that way with the Lord. 00:05:42.399 --> 00:05:44.160 And yet this is something else. 00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:51.040 I do believe the disciples met some conditions in order for this event to have its fullest impact. 00:05:51.920 --> 00:06:08.079 Now, if you want the Holy Spirit to anoint you, to fill you, to blow into your life as He came into their lives to that same extent, I believe you do have a part in that, that you do have some conditions to meet in order for the Spirit to have liberty to work in your lives. 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:12.319 It's not all independent of you, that there are some things that you need to do. 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:23.839 Now, from this story, I'm going to pick out four things, and I and I believe these are legitimate things, conditions that they met that provided the best opportunity for the Spirit to do what he did. 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:28.079 And it's applicable to us in our daily lives and in the church. 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:32.959 But let me give you those four windows just that you can open to allow the Spirit to move. 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:35.839 These are conditions that the Spirit is comfortable moving in. 00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:41.759 He loves to move when these conditions are met in a person's life or in a congregation's life. 00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:43.120 Here's the first one. 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:44.399 First condition. 00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:47.279 First window is submission to Christ. 00:06:47.519 --> 00:06:50.959 They had an attitude in the heart of submission to Jesus. 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:58.240 The reason they were together in the city of Jerusalem was because he commanded them to go there in Luke 24, 49. 00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:06.639 Behold, I'm sending forth the promise of my Father upon you, but you're to stay in the city until you're clothed or imbued or covered with power from on high. 00:07:07.199 --> 00:07:08.800 An amazing thing happened. 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:14.480 Jesus talked to these 120 disciples just before his ascension into heaven. 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:18.879 He's about to ascend into heaven after his resurrection and his appearance on earth. 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:22.000 He's about to go back to heaven, and he gave them this commandment. 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:28.000 First of all, he said in Luke 24, I want the gospel to be proclaimed in my name to all the nations, the beginning in Jerusalem. 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:30.000 You are witnesses of these things, he said. 00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:31.519 So he's sending them into the world. 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:37.360 But he said, Before you go do that, I want you to go to the city of Jerusalem and wait for the endument of power, for the promised one of the Father. 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:38.879 He'll come upon you. 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:40.800 Now here's what they did. 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:43.120 Talking about submission to Jesus. 00:07:43.439 --> 00:07:49.120 When he told them to go to the city of Jerusalem and wait, what did they do? 00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:52.879 Amazing thing that they did. 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:55.199 They went over to the city and waited. 00:07:55.439 --> 00:07:57.040 They did what he said. 00:07:57.439 --> 00:08:00.160 And listen, all of them did what he said. 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:03.600 Every single one of them did what he said as a group. 00:08:04.720 --> 00:08:06.639 Now, you have to get used to this. 00:08:06.720 --> 00:08:15.680 The Holy Spirit really is comfortable working in a submissive heart, submissive to the Lordship and the commands of God, the commands of Jesus. 00:08:15.920 --> 00:08:16.879 He's comfortable. 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:24.240 He works there because he himself is absolutely submitted to the will of God the Father. 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:26.319 He is God, but he's submitted to God. 00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:28.560 As Jesus is God, he's still submitted to God. 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:31.040 He did what the Father wanted him to do. 00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:38.960 That is a lifestyle and a way of thinking, a way of looking at life that will allow the Spirit to work in your heart and have liberty in your life. 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:41.840 He's comfortable in that kind of atmosphere. 00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:45.679 Now here's an interesting twist on this ruling. 00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:48.559 Jesus told them to go to the city and wait. 00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:50.240 What city did he tell them to go to? 00:08:50.399 --> 00:08:51.679 The city of Jerusalem. 00:08:51.840 --> 00:08:53.840 You know what the word Jerusalem means? 00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:55.279 Jerusalem. 00:08:55.679 --> 00:08:58.080 It means the city of peace. 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:03.360 They went to the city of peace and waited, and the Holy Spirit came upon them. 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:05.200 Now here's the point. 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:12.639 Here number one is the most challenging thing, one of the hardest things God will ever ask of you is to wait. 00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:16.080 Because you don't like waiting. 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:25.279 I can also tell you this, you are you're never truly submitted to Christ in any area of your life unless you're able to wait in peace in that area. 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:28.799 And trust in the Lordship of Jesus and trust what he told you. 00:09:30.639 --> 00:09:44.960 When you are anxious, when you're worried, when you're manipulative, when you're when you're trying to control events and you're all out of shape in any area of your life, I can tell you Jesus is not the Lord of your life in that area. 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:48.080 When he is Lord, you wait in the city of peace. 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:49.039 You wait in peace. 00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:50.559 You're at peace. 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:52.799 We don't like waiting, do we? 00:09:53.519 --> 00:10:01.600 If you're going to become intimately acquainted with the Holy Spirit, which you desperately need to do, I promise you you're going to have to loop learn the fine art of waiting. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:05.919 You don't like to wait, do you? 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:09.039 Americans don't like to wait. 00:10:09.519 --> 00:10:11.679 Matter of fact, we're in a hurry all the time. 00:10:12.240 --> 00:10:13.200 I know you. 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:15.600 I know what you're like. 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:17.039 You're like me. 00:10:17.440 --> 00:10:18.879 We're always in a hurry. 00:10:19.120 --> 00:10:25.759 Our lives are so busy, so full, not only just busy in activities, but we're busy with information. 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:27.759 Our minds are running everywhere. 00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:39.840 All of this information, these ideas, these things, these thoughts are in our minds to the place where it's very difficult for us to pick out the voice of the Spirit of God in the midst of all the other information. 00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:42.240 You must learn this. 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:44.720 You don't like to wait. 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:46.799 There's never a place in your life where you enjoy. 00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:48.159 Do you love waiting in line? 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:48.960 I mean, do you like that? 00:10:49.039 --> 00:10:52.399 I mean, do you just go somewhere and hope there's a line so I can wait? 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:53.919 We're not geared that way. 00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:55.200 We're not wired that way. 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:58.559 We always try to find the fastest line to get in, right? 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:02.960 You do it at the grocery store, you do it at the toll booth, you do it wherever you are. 00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:05.919 And I'm always wrong in the one I pick. 00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:09.200 Martha has it, Martha didn't like to wait. 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:11.679 She hit the traffic in Orlando is pretty tough. 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:13.360 And she has a theory. 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:14.960 That was my wife, Martha. 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:21.200 Her theory is, and she tells me this and always, you know, instructing me where to go and how to get there quickest. 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:25.440 And she she would say, never, ever get behind a minivan. 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:28.559 If there's a minivan in the line, get in the other one. 00:11:29.360 --> 00:11:34.159 When I said that at our church, a lot of people have minivans say, Pastor, I don't drive slow in my minivan, I drive fast. 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:36.000 You can always get behind me if you want to. 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:38.320 I said, Well, that's her theory, not mine. 00:11:39.679 --> 00:11:49.039 But listen, what I'm asking you here to do is a test of your submission to Jesus as your willingness and ability to wait in peace. 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:51.039 Whether that's in your finances. 00:11:52.720 --> 00:12:05.759 If Jesus is Lord of your finances, there will be seasons of time where he desires for you to wait, not to get ahead of him, not to jump out there and make it happen on your own, but wait for his provision, wait for his timing, and you'll be at peace about it. 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:10.399 You won't be striving, you won't be anxious, you won't be worried, you won't be all out of shape. 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:12.480 That's a sign of submission to Jesus. 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:15.440 That's true in your relationship, in the young people's lives. 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:17.679 I try to teach them, listen, wait on God. 00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:20.960 Let him provide who uh you you are to marry. 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:22.960 Don't jump ahead of him, don't get ahead of him. 00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:24.879 Stop being anxious and worried. 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:29.120 Stop saying, stop saying this, that I'll never meet the person. 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:31.200 I'll never stop saying that. 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:32.799 That's out of order. 00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:36.879 The Holy Spirit can't even speak to you in that kind of atmosphere. 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:39.279 It's true about your future. 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:42.000 It's true about your vocation, it's true about everything. 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:45.440 We must learn the art of waiting in peace. 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:48.399 The Holy Spirit will speak to us if we'll do that. 00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:50.240 He'll empower us, he'll anoint us. 00:12:50.399 --> 00:12:52.399 He loves that atmosphere. 00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:53.600 He empowers. 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:56.799 He doesn't empower anything that's not at peace with God. 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:01.120 So they were waiting. 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:03.360 And he made them wait for ten days. 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:08.240 He could have sent them over there and said, this afternoon the Holy Spirit will come upon you. 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:09.679 But he didn't. 00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:11.039 Made them wait. 00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:15.840 Now here's the second window that you can open in your life of the Spirit's presence to come in. 00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:17.600 It's the spirit of unity. 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:22.399 Now this is more corporate than individual, but it does have applications in individual life. 00:13:22.480 --> 00:13:23.679 It's the spirit of unity. 00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:26.080 Not only submission to Jesus, but a spirit of unity. 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:33.440 Acts 2.1 says they were all together, and the day of Pentecost came, all together in one place or in one accord. 00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:35.759 Now that word can be translated both ways. 00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:37.200 Actually it means both things. 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:41.440 They were together in one place, but they were also together in one spirit. 00:13:42.720 --> 00:13:50.000 They were all in agreement about the fact that they needed to be there and that something that Jesus promised was going to take place and they weren't fussing about it. 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:56.159 They didn't stop and take a vote on how they, you know, whether they ought to be kneeling, standing, or what whatever. 00:13:56.399 --> 00:13:57.919 They were in a spirit of unity. 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:00.960 They're in one place, in one accord. 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:02.799 Now listen, listen to me closely. 00:14:02.960 --> 00:14:11.279 You'll never find the Holy Spirit moving to the extent that He did in the New Testament church among a divided people. 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:14.240 He won't. 00:14:14.879 --> 00:14:16.080 He is grieved. 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:18.559 He is offended by division. 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:22.240 I'm not talking about having a unanimity of opinion. 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:24.320 I'm talking about a unity of the spirit. 00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:26.080 And those are two different things. 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:34.399 As a matter of fact, one of the reasons God made us all so different is that we learn how to walk in unity of spirit, even though we're so different and we have so many different opinions. 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:37.039 That's a sign of strength. 00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:39.919 Our diversity is a sign of strength, not a weakness. 00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:42.879 But he wants us to walk together in a spirit of unity. 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:51.840 You will learn more about the ways of God in relationships with other people that you're not like than you will in any other circumstance or situation. 00:14:55.279 --> 00:14:57.200 And you're not like everyone else. 00:14:57.360 --> 00:15:06.799 There's always going to be a diversity of opinions, difference of opinions, difference of ways of seeing things, different gifts, and all of this, yet we're one body and we're to be in one spirit. 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:09.679 You understand the devil understands the power of unity? 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:11.360 He understands it clearly. 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:17.200 And where he learned it most was in his observations, in his seasons of time, when he was closest to the Trinity. 00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:22.480 He saw the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit operating in absolute and perfect harmony and unity. 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:26.720 And that's where you'll learn it too, to tell you the truth. 00:15:26.799 --> 00:15:31.759 If you'll look in it, the Bible is filled with this sense of unity of the Trinity. 00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:35.200 You'll hear the Holy Spirit speaking of Christ, testifying of Jesus. 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:38.720 Hear Jesus testifying of the Father, the Father testifying of the Spirit. 00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:40.480 And it goes back and forth all the time. 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:44.000 They're always testifying of one another. 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:48.559 But the whole the devil understands the power of unity. 00:15:48.639 --> 00:15:51.200 That's why he constantly works to divide. 00:15:52.639 --> 00:16:01.519 This is not some sickly little silly uh uh you know attitude that accepts someone no matter what they're like and all that. 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:05.919 This is a this is a real spiritual atmosphere. 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:08.399 It means something. 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:13.440 The most outstanding characteristic of the New Testament church was their fellowship. 00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:20.559 The Greek word is a quinia, and it means much more than us just getting together and having a meal together every once in a while or a fellowship meal. 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:22.960 It means a covenant relationship. 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:29.200 It means I am absolutely devoted and committed to the unity of the body. 00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:30.639 What it means? 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:31.840 Spirit of unity. 00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:33.840 The devil wants to divide. 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:43.200 He wants to divide your marriage, and the way he will do that is he will bring disunity, disharmony, division between you and your spouse. 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:44.639 He starts there. 00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:46.799 Same thing is true of churches. 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:58.159 He wants to divide churches because he knows if he can get a church divided and grumbling and complaining and at one another, at the leadership, or whatever, if he can do that, he'll stop you in your tracks. 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:05.200 And I'm telling you, the future of this church does depend upon the unity of the spirit displayed in the body here. 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:06.559 Absolutely no doubt about it. 00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:14.640 And the greatest hindrance, the greatest challenge that you'll face in the future is to take care of division and divisive spirit. 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:20.640 Don't allow them to exist in your life and don't allow them to exist in the lives of those that you know. 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:22.799 Challenge those divisive spirits. 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:24.960 Because it's of the devil. 00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:26.319 It's the work of the devil. 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:30.240 Division is always the work of the devil. 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:32.960 Always. 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:35.599 I'm not talking about differing opinions. 00:17:35.839 --> 00:17:38.240 I'm talking about a spirit of division. 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:45.599 Never, never, never, never, never be a part of or a party to a divisive spirit. 00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:49.519 It's one of the seven things, Proverbs says, that God hates. 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:53.920 He hates the spirit of strife and division. 00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:56.480 Now there's a couple of things you've got to do. 00:17:56.640 --> 00:17:57.839 A price of unity, I call it. 00:17:58.000 --> 00:17:59.359 First of all, it's diligent effort. 00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:00.480 You must work at this. 00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:09.039 Ephesians 4, verse 3 says, that we are to be diligent to preserve the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. 00:18:10.079 --> 00:18:14.480 I don't know about you, but I think this is something you need to be reminded of. 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:21.279 That it's a part of the responsibility of every member of the body of Christ to be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:23.599 Wherever it is, you diligently preserve it. 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:28.160 Don't you allow things to come in that divide, spiritually divide people. 00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:29.440 Okay? 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:33.440 The Holy Spirit will come and He works in the midst of unity. 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:42.799 The second thing, not only is diligent effort, but the second thing you must understand that there is a biblical cause to discipline those who cause disunity and disharmony. 00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:45.359 And that needs to happen. 00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:46.400 It needs to be practiced. 00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:52.079 Romans 16 talks about that, about how a guy can come and divide and all of this and how to deal with it. 00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:54.000 And that needs to take place. 00:18:54.160 --> 00:19:00.160 But don't just look to the leaders to be the ones who take care of that and challenge that. 00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:01.200 You challenge it. 00:19:01.680 --> 00:19:07.279 It's important that you diligently preserve the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace in the church. 00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:08.880 And in yourself. 00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:16.720 Not only am I not going to be a party to it, I will challenge it in love every time it comes around to me. 00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:22.720 Here's what you do. 00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:38.880 When division comes, when they're when this person comes with a divisive spirit, whether it's a critical spirit, divisive spirit, murmuring spirit, complaining spirit, a gossiping spirit, and it doesn't just have to be against the leadership, it can be against anybody else in the body, really. 00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:40.319 Here's what you do. 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:43.440 You look at them in love, look them in the eye. 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:45.039 Now there's a reason they're coming to you. 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:47.119 They have some attachment to you in some ways. 00:19:47.359 --> 00:19:48.319 You understand? 00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:54.480 You look them in the eye, you smile at them, and you say, Stop it. 00:19:56.319 --> 00:19:56.960 In love. 00:19:58.319 --> 00:20:02.079 And you say this, I will not be a party to division. 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:04.559 That's not going to be on my record. 00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:07.119 When I appear before God, that will not be on my record. 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:08.559 And I'll tell you this. 00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:15.200 What you're saying is wrong, what you're saying is evil, and what you're saying is sin. 00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:17.599 Don't say it to me. 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:18.799 I will not listen to it. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:24.319 You take that matter to that individual and you get it settled, or take it to somebody else in authority. 00:20:24.559 --> 00:20:26.319 I will not be a party division. 00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:26.960 Why? 00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:33.519 Because I want the Holy Spirit to empower us to do all that Jesus died for us to do, right? 00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:39.599 Don't allow a divisive spirit to come around you. 00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:46.400 Now sometimes you just have to challenge, you have to confront a divisive spirit in someone else. 00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:52.799 Martha and I started giving each other kind of liberty to challenge that spirit in us. 00:20:54.079 --> 00:20:55.680 You have to challenge it. 00:20:57.119 --> 00:21:00.000 And there's a lot more to say, but that's enough. 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:02.880 Let me read you a verse of scripture in 1 Corinthians 11. 00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:03.519 It's amazing. 00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:05.039 Verse 7 and 8 says this. 00:21:05.119 --> 00:21:06.000 It's from the good news. 00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:06.559 Listen out. 00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:09.839 The good news tweaks this verse. 00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:19.440 It says, Often your meetings do more harm than good, because I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you. 00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:29.680 Often when you come together in your meetings, they do more harm than good because I hear that there are divisions among you. 00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:35.519 In other words, it'd be better if you never get together than to get together and be divisive. 00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:37.680 Why? 00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:42.880 Because that is a negative testimony, it's a negative witness to Christ. 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:46.400 Think about this. 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:58.960 How would you like for the world, a person in the world, to look at you and your meetings and your fellowship together, look at it, examine it, see division among it, and die and go to hell because they look. 00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:03.279 Now the opposite of that can be true. 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:04.559 It's true in the New Testament church. 00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:06.319 This is what the Holy Spirit produced. 00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:10.480 He produced an awesome fellowship in their lives. 00:22:11.680 --> 00:22:13.680 They had all things in common, even. 00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:21.839 You see in Acts 4, by that time, that they began to understand the awesomeness of their fellowship, their quantum neo. 00:22:22.160 --> 00:22:23.759 And I'm telling you, they loved it. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:26.720 It was unbelievably wonderful to them. 00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:30.400 They weren't just in awe of the apostles, the signs and wonders done through the apostles. 00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:33.119 I believe they were in awe of the fellowship they felt. 00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:35.119 Spirit of unity. 00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:42.319 So the Holy Spirit desires to blow into your life, to come into your life, and one of those conditions is the unity of spirit. 00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:46.799 First of all, submission to Jesus, Lordship of Christ, waiting in peace. 00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:49.279 And the second is the spirit of unity. 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:50.400 Now here's the third one. 00:22:50.559 --> 00:22:51.839 It's sanctified speech. 00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:53.599 Sanctified speech. 00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:56.079 Luke 24 says this. 00:22:56.319 --> 00:23:01.519 And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple praising God. 00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:08.319 So what were they doing while they were waiting on the Holy Spirit to come in those ten days waiting in the city of peace? 00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:09.519 They were praising God. 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:11.920 They were praying, worshiping, praising God. 00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:14.559 It's amazing what they didn't say. 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:19.920 They didn't come into this room and just get in a fuss over the color of the carpet. 00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:23.200 You know, they didn't come in and say, well, this room's too small. 00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:23.839 It's too hot. 00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:28.319 It's too, it's too this, it's too loud, it's too soft, it's not working out. 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:29.599 I don't like where we are. 00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:30.640 You don't hear that. 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:35.200 They were together praising God, praying and praising God. 00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:40.480 That was an atmosphere that the Holy Spirit found conducive to his ability to move and work. 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:44.160 They were using their lips to praise the Lord. 00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:46.720 Sanctified speech. 00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:50.240 Have you ever thought about this? 00:23:50.400 --> 00:23:54.960 That the number one instrument that the Holy Spirit works through is your mouth. 00:23:57.920 --> 00:24:02.640 For example, in 1 Corinthians 12, the nine manifestation gifts of the Holy Spirit. 00:24:03.279 --> 00:24:08.960 Out of those nine manifestation gifts, and this is what manifestation means, that's the way the Holy Spirit shows up or expresses himself. 00:24:09.279 --> 00:24:10.960 It's what he looks like. 00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:15.519 Out of those nine manifestation gifts, five of them are directly related to our mouth. 00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:20.319 Word of wisdom, word of knowledge, tongues, interpretation of tongues, and prophecy. 00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:23.440 The other four are related in some measure to our mouth. 00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:28.720 The number one instrument the Holy Spirit will use in your life will be your lips, your mouth. 00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:33.920 So it's important that He control your mouth. 00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:37.599 If he can't control your mouth, he can't control you. 00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:41.279 If he can't possess your lips, he can't possess you. 00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:47.839 And he won't trust you if you're licentious with your lips. 00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:52.400 If you're promiscuous with your words, he cannot trust you. 00:24:53.920 --> 00:24:57.279 So he won't give you what he wants to give you. 00:24:58.240 --> 00:24:59.279 This is an observation. 00:24:59.440 --> 00:25:03.920 But I'm telling you, folks, we are very, very loose with our lips in what we say. 00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:05.279 And it's a general observation. 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:08.000 I include myself in that too. 00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:12.240 That we we rarely ever think before we speak. 00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:16.559 Slow to speak, slow to anger, quick to hear. 00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:18.319 That's what Proverbs said. 00:25:19.119 --> 00:25:20.079 Slow to speak. 00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:24.960 We are to guard our lips and allow him to control our speech. 00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:28.880 He can't get your tongue, he can't get you. 00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:30.960 James talks about that in James 3. 00:25:31.119 --> 00:25:32.799 The rudder of the ship guides the ship. 00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:35.759 Little little piece of equipment back here guiding this huge ship. 00:25:35.920 --> 00:25:37.039 He relates that to the tongue. 00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:38.400 Your tongue guides your whole life. 00:25:38.480 --> 00:25:41.359 I'm telling you, listen to your speech and tell your future. 00:25:44.079 --> 00:25:48.079 It's a little spark that sets a whole forest on fire. 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:50.400 It's what is how he relates the tongue. 00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:52.480 The tongue has great power in it. 00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:58.240 He says it has the power to curse and bless, to bring life or death. 00:25:59.119 --> 00:26:00.640 The power of the tongue. 00:26:02.000 --> 00:26:08.720 He says, I observed, James says, that there are with the same lips you praise God and cursed men. 00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:10.880 He says, this ought not be so. 00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:13.279 And I can tell you this, it ought not be so. 00:26:13.359 --> 00:26:18.400 And I'll tell you one of the reasons why it ought not be so, because if it is so, the Holy Spirit will not come and anoint. 00:26:18.640 --> 00:26:19.519 He will not come. 00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:24.799 He will not come and empower you with your lips under the under those kinds of conditions. 00:26:25.680 --> 00:26:27.119 He said, What's what you say? 00:26:27.759 --> 00:26:28.960 I never forget Dr. 00:26:29.039 --> 00:26:34.720 Mark Rutland, who is my predecessor at Calvary Assembly, a great guy and the best preacher in the world. 00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:36.960 I mean, he's just unbelievable. 00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:39.759 He's a president of Southeastern College now over in Lakeland. 00:26:40.480 --> 00:26:43.279 He was telling me the story one time, or I heard it in message one. 00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:51.759 He said this lady came to talk to him one day, uh counsel with him in his office when he was at Calvary, and he said uh she comes in, she just starts letting her husband have it. 00:26:51.839 --> 00:26:53.359 I mean, up one side and down the other. 00:26:53.599 --> 00:27:06.400 She was critical, accusatory, I mean, just letting him have it all the time and said, and then she got on, and he drinks liquor, alcohol, he drinks, and I hate him drinking, and he drinks and all of this, and he just she just went on. 00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:08.319 He said, for 30 minutes she didn't draw a breath. 00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:12.079 And she was critical, you know, just critical, this this rush of words. 00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:14.079 And he finally said, you know, this is not going anywhere. 00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:17.839 He broke into the conversation, he said, Lady, listen to me, listen to me. 00:27:19.279 --> 00:27:21.839 He said, I realize your husband drinks. 00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:26.880 But he said, I've been listening to you for 30 minutes and I already want to take a drink. 00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:31.279 I can't imagine. 00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:35.839 I can't imagine him not wanting to take a bunch, having to live with you. 00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:39.359 Your words impact people. 00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:42.160 Every word is consequential. 00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:44.640 Every word is consequential. 00:27:45.359 --> 00:27:48.559 The Lord desires to capture our mouths. 00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:49.519 Listen to me. 00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:56.160 I believe that's one of the reasons that the Holy Spirit did this and does this unusual thing called tongue. 00:27:56.640 --> 00:27:59.359 They spoke with other tongues as the Spirit was giving them utterance. 00:27:59.599 --> 00:28:01.200 I don't know what your opinion about tongues is. 00:28:01.359 --> 00:28:03.599 Actually, I don't care what your opinion is. 00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:04.720 I know it's biblical. 00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:07.039