this morning our message is entitled access code access code before I pray I'd like to invite you to turn to the book of Ephesians chapter 3 Ephesians chapter 3 and we are going to look together at verse 20 Ephesians chapter 3 verse 20 and we read now to him who is able to do together exceedingly abundantly above all that we two things ask or think and how according to the power that works in us bow your heads with me gracious father I invite your power to come now and speak to your people may I be more than a conduit but may I be one who believes what you put on my heart and as your message goes forth find fertile soil I pray in Jesus Holy Name Amen world war two was a horrible event when you add up the statistics more than 70 to 85 million people died in those Wars it is estimated at about 20 or 30 million of that were civilian casualties you would think with that much loss of life how could the world go on to be better than it was before if I could use the phrase highlight I think it would fit right here one of the standout periods in World War two was what happened in Japan I read to you this morning the commentary the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima or Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War two were codenamed little boy and fat man that's kind of an ironic name to give to a atomic weapon little boy respectfully these bombs caused widespread destruction leveling cities and killing between 90 to 166 thousand people in Hiroshima the people had no chance they did not even know what was coming about twenty thousand of the casualties were Japanese soldiers in Nagasaki the death toll was 39,000 to 80,000 in that city the commentator said these are the only two nuclear weapons ever used in warfare and they go on to say expressing my sentiments and let's hope it stays that way can you say that there is no such thing as limited nuclear war there is no such thing as limited nuclear anything when it's nuclear it's not limited its unlimited casualties some of the nuclear weapons today are more than 3,000 times as powerful as the bomb dropped on Hiroshima that caused the largest casualties if you're mathematical in your mind and you're quick you could just say 166 thousand times 3,000 that's the potential casualty and so when nations say that we have 256 nuclear warheads and another one says we have 500 the question is one is too many but somehow in this world today of military strategy they try to level the playing field by outnumbering each other in their nuclear capacity as you read about the fear that people often express one of the greatest fears people express is the fear of a nuclear being launched because somebody just got angry what I want to tell you today that doesn't just happen that way there is a fail-safe system in place that ensures that nothing happens as the direct result of one person's actions it is known as the two-man rule what's the phrase the two-man rule in the case of the Minuteman missile the launch crews once they receive in order both must agree you have to follow really carefully because this is powerful both must agree that the orders are valid both must do what agree that the orders are valid and how they do that by comparing what they call the authorization codes in other words one gets an order with authorization codes he or she compares it with the other individual and once the codes match they know that it is a valid order that was received but it goes to the next level the orders are received in a sealed envelope called a sealed Authenticator and the sealed Authenticator is stored in a safe place which has two separate locks and each operator has the key to only one lock so that neither can open the safe and launch the weapons alone it takes how many it takes to each one has a separate key going on further each operator has one of the two launch keys once the order is verified they must insert the key in the slots on the control panel and then they have to turn the keys simultaneously that means they turn the keys at the same time as they further precaution the slots for the two launch keys are positioned far apart enough so that one person couldn't stretch and turn both keys there's a great distance between one key slot and the other key slot making it impossible what's the word that I say impossible for one operator to reach both of them at once when I read this story I thought I have a I have a very analytical mind and the moment I read the story I followed up the understanding of the story with up [Music] that's amazing because Ryan immediately I saw a picture of the gospel how in the pattern that was established for the releasing of the Minuteman missile I thought that is phenomenal because in the kingdom of God the power of God is released on the same basis the two-man rule follow me carefully there is a key in God's hand and there is a key in your hand are you following me both keys belong to the same lock both keys must be turned simultaneously God doesn't turn it before us and we cannot turn it before God the keys must be turned together I cannot turn it until he's on the same mission as we are and we cannot and he won't turn it until we are on the same mission as he is we've got to be on the what kind of mission the same mission before the keys are turned I don't know if your mind as quick as mine but before the keys are turned we must compare the validation code in other words if the Commission comes from the Word of God it is a valid code can you say men once we get the Commission from the Word of God to go forth and proclaim the gospel and he compares it with what I'm reading and he proclaims that what I read is valid and what he wrote is valid then we are on the same page and we can turn the keys together and when we turned the keys together the power is unleashed because the key cannot be turned until we are in agreement with God that's why Mathew the converted tax collector said these words in Matthew 18 verse 18 and 19 and this is powerful I want you to see today the purpose of this message is I want us who have become constable what word that I just say constable who have become comfortable and eating I want us to become uncomfortable and eating and become comfortable and feeding we've got to get outside of our comfort zones and recognize that God has left to us something far more powerful than even the capability of all of the nuclear weapons released at the same time Matthew says concerning our agreement with God and the release of the power he said to Matthew 18:18 notice what he said what's the first word assuredly I say to you in other words you can count on it whatever you bind on earth will be bound we're in heaven and whatever you what loose on earth will be what loosed in heaven when God when we pray for the power of God to be loosed on earth the power of God is loosed we're in heaven when the power of God is loosed in heaven the power of God is also loosed on where on earth he's in essence saying when we agree verse 19 again I say to you if two of you what's the next word agree on earth concerning anything that they ask it will be done for them by My Father in heaven what guarantee do you have that's better than that guarantee there is no guarantee better than that guarantee excuse me if I seem a little enthusiastic today I just came off of a what you call a tour of duty 11 evangelistic series in a row I'm still plugged into the power so duck if you feel any heat because I'm by no means meandering the maze of mediocrity today God is saying if you agree can you imagine what that what the implications are if we as a church agree if we as a church agree concerning the work of God and we ask the father to release his power for that work to be done he said anything that you agree concerning anything that I asked that you ask it will be done for them and who's going to do it our Father where in heaven so I want to I want to take it off your shoulder because you might read that and say it would be done by us on earth he said no no you may be the puppets but I'm the puppeteer the father in heaven is going to accomplish his work through us but so many of us and I take I need to be rebaptised I take all the blame I've kept you dormant for much too long but your dormant days are over if you want a dormant Church find another one this church is done being dormant this is not an evangelistic series this is the beginning of perpetual evangelism we've been called for nothing more than to come and go so if you want to just be entertained fine a church where you get entertained I will not even try to stop you from leaving but if you want to get involved in the battlefield of the Lord and allow the God that we serve to release his power in your life for lives to be transformed and come to the knowledge of a saving grace you're in the right place because this is not the big this is not an evangelist stick series we are reaching out and turning the keys together God is about to release in us something that has been far too dormant you know what amazing there was something called a salt treaty the strategic arms limitations talks this happened when America realized that Russia had too many nuclear weapons and they decided that oh wait a minute Russia is far more powerful than us and their nuclear arsenal so what we're gonna do is we're gonna talk them down to limit their nuclear capabilities it was called the salt treaty the strategic arms limitation talk now I want to make a point there is no limitation of the power of God in the kingdom of God there is no limit as George met as George vandamm and used to say many years ago prayer is the key is the what is the key in the hand of faith that unlocks heavens storehouse that's a that's a quote in the writings of Ellen y prayer is the what key prayers the what key you know when we pray we often pray when things don't go right when we like things to change when we need something when we missing something when we don't have something when we need to be prayed for or anointed we pray but I want to tell you if you only need prayer on special occasions you're connected to the wrong God because God is powerful all the time when he won he was victorious over death he said all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth and the church has been operating in a in a sin powered environment without the power of heaven inoculating it so that I could be resistant to the disease of sin coming into its church we've been operating in an environment that has power packed 24 hours a day seven days a week every day of the year year after year after year the devil is ramping it up to try to find ways of defeating the army of God it is only as the army of God reaches out by faith in prayer and turns the key together that we get out of the realm working and let God work for it is God who works where in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure without prayer the church is powerless without a partnership with heaven nothing will be accomplished when I read the end of that text in verse 19 if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask I thought great will be able to do it but the end of the text says no no no it will be done for them by My Father in heaven in other words Terry keeps saying at this moment you are saying god it's not working so he says since you both agree that you need help ask me and it will be God working in us both to will and to accomplish of his good pleasure amen so the work that is being done lists not let's not you see if we were the ones that were the only ones responsible for the work Paul would not write for God will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness we are simply the participating arms and you know what the army goes on we have Veterans Day you know a Veterans Day does Veterans Day remembers the soldiers that were on the battlefield but there are more soldiers on the battlefield and there will always be Veterans Day because there'll always be more soldiers on the battlefield why because until there are no more wars there is no need for a battlefield but the war goes on the christians of years pass the soldiers that are now laid to rest elder C D Brooks and l de Cleveland and pastor Ron Halverson and all the great evangelist they've come and gone and we often say we miss them but less while we honor what they have done the power is still available the power that worked in mark Finlay and in doug batchelor and Dwight Nelson and the list goes on and on and in us is still the same today he hasn't changed that's why Matthew when he was converted he said for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for how long forever and then he ended our men he recognized that he as a tax collector that was swindling people under the table his life could not be changed without the power of God and I want to tell you that somebody said to me this week I won't I won't disclose who that is but somebody said pastor the Lord has placed on my heart to do something new and but it terrifies me it frightens me and I say to that individual that's good because one of the foremost leaders in business William Covey he said until you participate in something that scares you to death you have not stepped out of your comfort zone he said but the fear is the motivator that will keep you going forward recognizing that this is not dependent on me at all it's dependent on an out of power outside of me when you look at the disciples you'll recognize everything that they did was not depend it was dependent on their participation but it was not dependent on their power because they had no power Matthew said for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory that's why when Jesus established the church he made a statement that caused the powers of darkness to stand back and take notice he said upon this rock I build my church and the gates of Hell shall not what shall not prevail against it but as we inventory the church today we have to ask the question what has happened to the church between the Church of Ephesus and the Church of Laodicea something went drastically wrong and I know what it is so I'll unfold it briefly when Satan lost the battle in heaven he saw it for a second round and he lost that one too he couldn't get a third round because Jesus said I'm out of here I'm going back home between the declaration to leave and then Jesus leaving Satan sought to try to interrupt knowing that Christ was at the end of his ministry this is powerful he sought to interrupt what the Lord was going to do after that so he started by getting into the heart of Judas got rid of Judas then he sought the most instrumental and influential disciple by the name of Peter the man with the big mouth fast lips slow brain and he got Peter to deny Jesus at the most critical hour in his ministry but the Lord did not lose control because on the other side of that disappointing experience Peter and John ran to the tomb and Peter was addressed again by the Lord and he extended to him repentance and forgiveness and said if you love me feed my lambs feed my sheep feed my lambs he even had to break down Peters resistance as to where he will go and would not go and then Peter was finally converted and on the day of Pentecost he proclaimed with unfettered power repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out and you'll receive the power of the Holy Spirit and he couldn't even preach that gospel unless he had received the power of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost he couldn't even say that unless he had received that power and so the New Testament church went on and went on and as you examine the record of the early church of revelation it is clear that the church was plugged into unstoppable power what kind of power did I say unstoppable revelation 6 and verse 2 the Bible gives us a glimpse as to how the church began John the Revelator says and I looked and behold a white horse that's that victorious horse just recently this week they said be careful kim jeong-hoon was videotaped as riding on his white horse and they said when he does that something big and catechol is because on the other side of that because he often rides on his white horse before he displays his his weaponry and his power but the world does not know what that means but we need not fear kim jeong-hoon because the rider on the white horse named jesus is still in control he said i looked and behold a white horse and he who sat on it had a bow and a crown was given him and he went out doing two things what conquering and to conquer there was no place that the gospel was resisted successfully every place it went it bore resolves because the apostles recognized that the power was not an end even when they got locked up in jail Paul and Silas in jail still bringing people to Christ singing at midnight what a fail oh jailor said man what kind of people are they they're in jail in this sing and fellowship even the jailer got converted you see when the Lord is active by a spirit in your life your circumstances are less of an issue because there's not what happens to you it's what happens in you that makes a difference and so many of us look at our circumstances outside of us the concern of the kingdom is what's happening in us what happened to the church that church that went out conquering and to conquer the church once looked to heaven but I say it's sad to say that they the church is looking more to Washington DC then to the kingdom of God lord have mercy deliver us from our blindness it's like the church is constipated by politics and I'll stop it right there the Apostle Paul looking at the Church of the last days he saw how Satan and whether we know it or not the devil is strategic he'll find whatever you hobbyhorses and put another quarter in your quarter machine and have you ride your hoppy was going nowhere you're in front of the supermarket your political supermarket going nowhere arguing for your candidate your candidate what candidate have you ever seen can bring us salvation and freedom from sin we're trying to validate people that come up with jargon whether democrat or republican it would deliver me what a democrat or republican there is no answer in a man that has a grave waiting for him the answers in Christ who was victorious over the grave let us stop this political foolishness I still see it I hear it it just irritates me when we sit down as brothers and sisters having victoriously praised God and we just dive into the cesspool of politics only to satisfy the enemy of darkness to delight divide us God is calling for the church to be united but not on the front of Washington but on the front of heaven but the Apostle Paul when he diagnosed the condition of the church the Lord allowed Paul to see the diagnosis and Paul the Apostle wrote having a form of godliness but denying what its power there it is again and he says when you find somebody who's not connected to the power please turn away cause dead things it's crazy but dead things beget dead things people that talk death and destruction and sadness and it cannot be done they start it's amazing how you can't catch health but you can catch sickness in that amazing around somebody somebody sneeze you get sick I wish we could get around somebody they sneeze and we get happy and that one that would not be nice the church is happy why cuz somebody came to church happy and they started coughing the whole church is happy wouldn't that be nice but the form of godliness has been leveling the church why because we have the we have the right doctrinal understanding we have the right teachings it's all in place we got the right diet the right day of worship but without the power it's nothing but theoretical theology as somebody says it'll get you intellectual but that's as high as you'll go Paul the Apostle the church has descended into something that God never intended in the prognosis I found many churches have replaced truth with noise feelings and experience the pure gospel has been swapped while nobody has been watching with the prosperity gospel and the prophet Daniel even talking about that is the dark ages he says Rome successfully cast the truth to the ground and they prospered and today the truth that had been cast to the ground it seems so hard when we go to pick up the truth and restored people are upset that we pick up the truth and try to restore it it amazes me when I talk to religious people and when you try to share the truth to them they they almost want to say would you just leave the truth on the ground and the devil led preachers to no longer seek the approval of God for John the Apostle said for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God John 12 and verse 43 and I have told you this before but I want to tell you this again I don't need anybody's approval any more I'm not asking for it I want to hear well done thou good and faithful servant and there's not a man that can tell me that I'm not gonna be cut loose in offensive but I want to be faithful to what God has called me to and I'm learning more and more that when God puts something on my heart that's confirmed in his word and the keys are turned together that we don't need to ask men should we do this the Lord said to Peter follow me and he said what about him who him he said if I want him to stand here till I return it's none of your business you follow me and sometimes we wait for consensus when Paul saw the CT scan at the laste church he says but the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine 2nd Timothy 4 verse 3 and 4 and that time has come we're living in an age where a sound doctrine is not welcomed but after their own desires or lust they shall heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and they shall be turned away from the truth and be turned aside to fables it is amazing it is amazing the Christian church today is the only place that you can lie and still be successful is that sad you can lie to the whole congregation somebody could try to clear it up with the truth and everybody will get upset because you're trying to clear up a lie and restore the truth despisers of those that are good that's the definition of what that is Paul said the time will come the time has come and what do we know it or not that's the battlefield that we're facing understand that that's the battlefield of today that was the CT scan Paul saw it developing in the in the life of the church the CT scan has revealed the condition of the worldwide avenue of what's called Christendom today it's not how God intended but I got no I got good news to you one of the reasons why the church is still alive today is because God put the church on life support he said I'll never leave you and I'll never do what I'll never forsake you and when you look at the when you look at the church in Revelation John pictures a church in Revelation 1 verse 12 and 13 the Lord is still in the midst of his people revelation 1 verse 12 and 13 John said then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me and having turned I saw seven golden candlesticks now this is powerful you got to follow this and in the midst of the seven lampstands who did he see one like the what son a man in the midst of his church clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden scent with a golden band when you look at that picture and you look at the church today I want to insert right here this quotation from the book Acts of the Apostles it's a powerful quotation that I think we ought to read look at this what it says it says in enfeebled and defective as it may what appear the church is the what one object upon which God bestows in a special sense his what supreme regard God has not turned away from the church the church is his church built on his foundation he's the rock upon which the churches bill they may be let me rephrase that we may be going through shaky times but God is still in charge of his church Zechariah was given a vision the Lord has seen in the midst of his seven golden candlesticks john was given a vision before I go to Zechariah John was given a vision and John was given a vision to know where the power of the church resides notice where he he found the power he found the power of the church and I want to say this today because we're in the midst of ho Lord please have mercy on your church we are in the midst I don't even want to try to discourage you I just came from the operating room and I saw the church it's in the church is in ICU but the good thing about the church is the Lord says ICU haha it's an ICU but the Lord says ICU and he's not gonna let the church die he's gonna put a slow drip of truth amen he's gonna put a heart monitor to see whether or not he's changing that corrupt heart we have when we start losing hope he's gonna change the bag and put a fresh one and he's gonna have somebody come in and see are you doing better than you were yesterday I'll make it the churches on life support but God is watching his church John said the mystery of the Seven Stars revelation 1 verse 20 which you saw in my right hand the Lord is speaking and the seven golden lampstands the seven stars are the are the angels of the what seven churches and get this and the seven lampstands which you saw are the what seven churches this is very significant when it comes to understanding where the power lies because as this vision is given by revelation or in Revelation by john john is simply the book of compilation because out out of the four hundred four verses almost two hundred and seventy six have found other places in the bible so to understand what john is seeing we need to peek over into Zacharias book because Zachariah was given a vision of the lampstand the lampstand represents the church what does it represent it represents a church Zachariah is given a vision of the lampstand the lamb Stan had seven lamps on it connected to the seven lamps with seven pipes the seven pipes were connected to two olive trees one on the right hand and the other on the left and zechariah did not understand what he saw and he said what is this and the answer was given in verse 6 of chapter 4 so the so he answered that is he and said to me this is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel and what is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel together not by what might know by what power but by my what spirit says the Lord of hosts Zechariah saw the church but the lamp stands needed oil if you all came from the two olive trees without the oil the church had no light there was a lamp stand but there was no light you see Isaiah 60 arise shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you what better time for the glory of God to be seen fear God and give glory to him how can a church give glory to God in an hour where God's glory needs to be revealed except the glory of God has risen upon us and the glory of God is not just risen upon us doctrinally the glory of God is revealed through us characteristically in other words the world wants to not just see what you believe but they want to see what it's done for you they want to see the transition in your life and zechariah saw the church but he said i see the lampstands but how we're gonna light them and he saw tubes running down in a bowl of oil as the olives were being squeezed I'll tell you sometimes the Lord has to squeeze us in order for the power and the presence of the Spirit of God to flow out of us for the light to be shining there's something else that I want to make very clear and I didn't talk about this aspect yet I mentioned it but I have to bring it back to brick greater clarity in the failsafe system the two slots for the launching keys were positioned far enough apart and as I said earlier the purpose for them being far apart so that it could become impossible for one operator to reach both of them so the gap between the two slots were there for a reason and I'm going to take you down a different path but the lights gonna come on one of the reasons the disciples were concerned about the departure of Jesus that is him going back to heaven is they were concerned that they were about to lose power what we're gonna do what are you going well the way you know I am the way you know I'm going but you can't come with me so what are we gonna do I want you to transport yourself to that day I want you to be there with me they saw him calm storms shut up the winds defeat demons raised the dead open the eyes of the blind bring the dead back to life raised Jairus daughter they saw him feed 5,000 4,000 they saw Jesus do stuff that no body else ever did and there was a level of we're with him we're with Jesus when the disciples when Jesus began to build his resume it got to the place where people saw Peter James John Matthew the list goes on and on and they said you do not want to mess with them because they're with him are you getting it so they had a little bit of we got it Peter said I'd never believed but I saw what he did so wherever they went with Jesus they felt good until Jesus got arrested this is serious if they got him and we saw him get away many occasions if they got him what's going to happen to us and misguided theologians say the disciples gather together on the first day of the week for the church service no they got together on the first day of the week for fair service f.e.a.r was gone are we so now after that Jesus not by the skin of his teeth but by the plan of salvation comes out of that tomb victoriously and they think oh this is so good that was close the Lord but you you want amen so they were back with Jesus he appeared to five hundred people saw him they had lunch with him they had breakfast with Jesus and in their minds still not understanding what he was about to do they said him will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel they thought he was got ready for another round he said no I'm leaving they said what you go you leaving you mean we just went through this traumatic week you got well ok you didn't get killed but you got killed but you came forward that was good I like that that was really great guy I mean do that again well let's make it real him that was I never saw anybody do that and I'm with you what you mean you're leaving so what are we gonna do well I tell you what so they this they they had this they had this gap feeling so what are we supposed to do but I want to let you know while they're concerned about the gap the Lord was saying to them what I want you to understand is when I left heaven I stepped into this I stepped into this frail flesh call humanity call what so I'm forever human I'm forever divine but I'm victorious now I'm going back different than when I came here and I'm not omnipresent like I used to be but I'm gonna do something special for you I know what's going on but I'm gonna send somebody who's gonna do something that is gonna blow you away so I have to leave peek at it John 16:7 I gotta leave now I want to make it clear he still knows what's going on everywhere but when he put that human flesh on he sacrificed something eternally so that we might have eternal life John 16:7 the Bible says nevertheless I tell you the truth it is to your what advantage that I go away if I do not go away the helper will not come to you but if I depart I will send him to you he said the gap between heaven and earth is going to disappear only in the lives of those who are filled with the Holy Spirit without the Holy Spirit there will be a gap in our lives what will there be a gap we'll have the right day the right diet the right everything because how can you not have the right thing when you follow in Jesus but what they needed more than anything else was what the church leaders had failed to embrace when Jesus came those who had been given the gospel for nearly 2,000 years they had everything right but they lacked something and Stephen on the day that he was stoned he revealed what they lacked Acts chapter 7 verse 51 the very thing that the Lord was going to give the disciples was so that they won't lack what the spiritual leaders of many centuries lacked notice what Stephen said you stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears notice what he said you always resist the one Holy Spirit as your father's did so do you the reason why the Pharisees the STM describes the Sadducees the reason why they couldn't do anything is because they had everything right but they had no power no power because the one that had the power they rejected the one that came to empower them beyond doctrinal accuracy he came to infuse within them the right character the ability to do a work that they had not been able to do and he had given them time and time again he gave them 490 years they couldn't do it he gave them centuries before that they refused to do it even in the New Testament church when the church began to grow and the church was growing to the point with the entire town came together they still resist the work of the Spirit of God in the lives of the disciples and the Apostles and when Stephen was Tony said the problem of you is you always resist the Holy Spirit and that's not anything new because that's what your fathers did ladies and gentlemen brothers and sisters we can no longer go forward by resisting the power of the Holy Spirit the church without the Spirit of God has no power we cannot win people by the accuracy of our doctrines without the power of the Holy Spirit can I get an amen because we may get them intellectually but it's the Spirit of God that finds their hearts it's the Spirit of God that finds what their personal need is we can have the best plans but without the Spirit of God those plans will fail I submit to you today the Church of the last days has the identical need of the church in the early days look at Acts chapter 1 verse 4 and 5 it's amazing how the Lord unfolded this great need to the early church and in these two passages verse 4 and 5 of acts 1 are some very powerful components that are a part of our instruction because what happened to them the Lord seeks to do again in us but we have to follow what he said to do and what not to do the Bible says in verse 4 of acts 1 and being assembled together with them he what's the next word commanded he didn't suggest he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem let me pause stop right there some of us are trying to leave Jerusalem let me make this clear some of us leave church on sabbath and are trying to go and do something and he said don't you leave until the promise happens to you don't you leave notice what he said do not depart from Jerusalem but to do what wait for the promise when you try as you leave the church to do a work without the promise becoming a part of your life you go forth and human frailty not in define not in divine assurance he said do not depart and notice he didn't he didn't suggest he command to them don't you dare leave until the promise gets here what's the promise which he said you have heard from me verse five for John truly baptized with what water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now the church was powerless the church is powerless if we just stop at water baptism John baptized but it didn't accomplish anything that's why I got him out of the way he said but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now you see the church was powerless and he commanded them don't depart until that happens so when acts 1 verse 8 came it was a fulfillment Bob of the promise what was the promise after the promise after the promise they could start moving now verse 8 of Acts 1 but you shall receive what's the next word say that word again power Dunamis like a dynamite exploding in the heart and life of the individual all of a sudden what does the dynamite do it reactivates it brings you back to an explosive feeling about your relationship between you and God it explodes your passion for other Souls it explodes your desire for Bible studies and prayer it explodes your desire to be involved in the mission of the church it doesn't say to you that above you can't put a bomb in a suitcase and not know it's there I didn't even think I need to tell you that you shall receive power when when the Holy Spirit surrounds you say it again honey when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and look at what happens now I want to caution you if you see what happens you're gonna be responsible for what you see and you shall be what witnesses to me we're in Jerusalem your own church in Judea your own town in Samaria the folk that you don't like those Samaritan woman said we are I'm Samaritan you Jew we don't talk the Lord said I'll break that barrier down - amen he'll break down the walls not only in your church and in your community and among the people you don't like but he says when you get past all those barriers then I could send you to the rest of the world and but you got to get the power what I like about the early church the church did not wait for community census they had a heavenly commission they did not wait for the approval of man they had the authority of God they were not waiting for something to happen around them because something happened in them so this evangelistic series might be something happening around us but it will do nothing unless something happens where in us don't walk into leave don't walk and if you had that attitude please don't even show up if you come to say oh I wonder if God feel let's just go see cuz that's pastor Johnson let's go see what happens I know I mean I mean if that's your attitude please do not come with stinking thinking that Zig Ziglar used to say remember that promise stinkin thinking he used to say stinkin thinking is contagious but if something happens in you notice what happens notice how it happens acts 4 verse 31 and I want you to catch you cuz sooner or later you gonna catch it I know you already got it but I'm just saying sooner or later you're gonna really catch it what happened acts 4:31 and when they had what what do they do the precursor when they did what prayed the place where they were assembled together was what shaken and they were all what's the next word filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the Word of God with what boldness they didn't stand in the pulpit and say I don't know if I should say this they was so straight that they kept getting arrested that's right I was in California I talked about this immorality this homosexuality I said that's right I said it I know it's there legal in this state but I'd rather go to jail then be indicted by God as a person that doesn't have a mouth we don't like to call sin by its right name and people don't find really from the passion of the world it's amazing how the how the hell we can find legal categories for sin well now marijuana is not illegal this is crazy it's only illegal when you pass a certain content a certain amount becomes illegal but if it's below that it's not illegal or upset it God is waiting to fill us with the Holy Spirit but here the access code you want the access code the holdup is us let's get the access code before we shut this down Luke chapter 11 verse 9 to 13 the access code we're about to dive into the access code because the access code is the key to the whole release of the power that God wants to pour in our lives the access code God is waiting on us to fill us with the Holy Spirit but we have the access code verse 9 to 13 and I want you to know this repetition Luke chapter 11 so I say to you together ask and it will be what given to you the next word seek and you will find the next word knock and it will be opened to you three things God calls us to do ask what else seek and what else knock if somebody was outside in the coal and they were doing those three things would you open the door chorus but you know what's amazing to me the Christian Church displayed in the old days the same thing that they display today when Peter was knocking they said this is not real let's keep going verse 10 for what's the next word I want you to get each component for how many the prayer warriors and the not warriors those who know how to sing and those who don't know how to sing how many those who have offices and those who don't have offices how many for everyone who asks what's the promise received this is the promise this is the promise and he who seeks what finds and to him who knocks what it will be opened now the Lord uses an illustration if a son asks for bread if a son does what asks for bread from any father among you will he give him a stone what's the answer no or if he asks for he what fish will he give him a serpent instead of a fish the answer is what no now watch this or if he asks for an egg will he offer him a scorpion the answer is what no so if we're asking God will he give us what we ask the answer is what okay I want to get it because I had you say no no I want to see if you were listening verse 13 if you then the Lord knows us being what evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more will your Father give the Holy Spirit to those who once again ask him if you count ask seek knock ask seek knock ask ask ask ask what's he trying to get us to do he said thank you would you just talk to me it's like a kid in his dad's right by and he's trying to move a rock I remember seeing this on America's Funniest Home Videos every now and then I've fallen to that show it's stupid but it's funny and I still a little kid going like this and his mother videotaped of the Senate in and said what are you trying to do sit I'm trying to grow and he did that three more times and he said and the whole audience left he said but it's not working because you can't grow like that but the Lord said if you tell the things that are impossible two men are what possible to God now I'm not saying that the God is gonna take him from five years old to nine years old because she's shaking but what I'm saying it's so many of us we put effort into things that God is simply saying if you would only ask I'm not evil in any particular way if you're evil parents will give you an egg fish and bread just because you ask you think you're gonna ask me for my Holy Spirit and I not give it to you that is the reason why there is an attack against the third person of the Godhead today because they want to neutralize him and make him a non-factor don't fall for the devil's lies he is the third person of the Godhead he is God very much as the other two are and without that reality nothing will happen look at this quotation I have just a few more before I end but I want you to see this very carefully from gospel workers 369 a revival of true godliness among us is the what greatest and most urgent need of all our needs not more money not more programs but true godliness we must have the holy unction from God the baptism of his spirit for this is the what only efficient agent in the promulgation or the spread of sacred truth without the Spirit of God you can't even do that it is the Spirit of God that quickens the what lifeless faculties of the soul to appreciate heavenly things why do we suffer from a lack of appreciation for Bible studies that is the answer right there the Spirit of God is absent you can't tell me that the Spirit of God is in your life and you have no appreciation for heavenly things it's not possible and he ends by sin she ends by saying and attracts the attentions towards God and the truth so when this when the Christian world say hey we're praying for the Spirit of God but I don't want the truth that's a farce so the question is why do we lack the power of God when he wants to give it to us James 4 verse 2 says it simple you do not have because you do not ask I wind up with the story I remember in the 1970s I've been around yeah I was around in the 1970s you young folk and there was an oil crisis anybody remember the oil crisis of the 1970s this is all folks time anybody remember the oil from east to west I don't know what year Ryan was born I'm probably not the 1970s he was a thought from east to west the nation was on oil rationing remember that Bob which led to gasoline rationing I don't know if Moses was in America yet probably you were in America okay you remember that the speed limit was reduced from 70 to 55 to conserve oil gas stations had signs that read even license only today so if you guys intended a to you get gas but in three that's tomorrow even if you were empty you were not allowed to come into the gas station there was science sorry no gas ask President Nixon for gas some stations had science gas sold 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon I remember that very well Brooklyn was amazing the other science sales of gas was limited to 10 gallons if you had that big old American gas guzzler too bad and back then we had some gas guzzlers it was four 50s and 500 those semies and those Dodge Chargers remember that dudes in the quarter Electra 225 come on all people say Amen we had those gas guzzling vehicles but you can only get 10 gallons up and down the East Coast where signs pumps closed people took and we do this to my my wife's cousin was getting married in Maryland at the time we all drove down to Maryland well Chancellor you don't get down to Maryland one take a gas you had to get gas but if it was an even day you could guess it was an odd day you don't get gas so Terry you know what we did we drove with two different license plates Roger I used to be a sinner I'm now a sin as saved by grace so before we went to the gas station we pull off in a rest area and change the license plate even and driving good gas you got to find a way to survive now that's when before I was converted and on the way back is it even odd odd can you drive in ten gallons please because that's all you want to get I'm going somewhere with this in the parable of the ten virgins the focus was not on their similarities the focus was on their difference the deficiency they were all virgins they were pure and undefiled on their beliefs they all had lamps they belong to the same church the same movement that's why I had to say and I have to insert this right here the greatest danger we have is becoming comfortable with our similarities you keep the Sabbath you keep it I'm a vegan you're a vegan I'm an Adventist you're in a Venice that's why we ask folks stupid questions are you in happiness they might say no but I do love the Lord now let me tell you why that's not a good question to ask because we're almost approaching them like they don't know Jesus but Jesus didn't say that he said other sheep I have that are not of this fold we have to when we go to this series in Benton don't ask folk that question say I want to share with you what the Lord has done in my life and when they see the active power of God in your life then the adven message will become attracted to someone attractive to someone why because they saw what difference it made in your life then they'll say what are you when I told my mother I forgave her for abandoning me for 25 years you know what she asked me the first question I couldn't understand it but I understand it now the Lord just gave it to me this moment she said what are you is what do you mean well she's what are you I said I'm a seventh-day Adventist Christian she said I want to be what you are and I baptized my mother you know why because she got forgiveness after 25 years of abandoning her son she said if it in other words if it meant if it could do that to you it could do something for me my mother's deliver my deliver from alcohol and cigarettes instantly in baptize and died in this message I have the hope of seeing her again but I tell you it's dangerous when we become comfortable with our so limit similarities because the Holy Spirit is that is the access code to the power of God within us in the hour of crisis the difference was revealed the difference was not external the difference was internal here's my point so I can be balanced when you are balanced internally you will be balanced externally you cannot pick off grapes from a grape tree and not expect grapes to grow back its nature has to be changed for there to be external changes it has to first start from where on the inside and Matthew said and the foolish said to the wise what was the issue give us some of your oil for our lamps are going out I don't want to get to the pulpit that God sends me to and find out that there's no oil Ryan pastor Terry I don't wanna get to the pulpits Moses I don't wanna get to the Pope us to preach and I find out there's no oil when I go to the advantages of mine I'm in this prayer mode even the best setting we were in Coronado California right on the beach the beach is staring us in the face the sand is calling my name and I said to my wife I cannot go every day I stayed at my Bible honey you go walk on the beach oh but so beautiful you get a breath of fresh air you got I can't go honey I cannot go let me know how it is God sent me here not for the beach but for the lives finally on the last day I didn't even get to the beach I got pretty close just on the sidewalk near it for 15-20 minutes I went back you see my brothers and sisters gospel workers page 245 look at what Ellen White says it is the absence of the Holy Spirit and of the grace of God that makes the gospel ministry so powerless to convict and to convert but I end with this quotation the southern watchman August 1st 1905 look at this one there is no say there is no say it there is no one more time limit to the usefulness of how many one who putting self aside makes room for the working of who the Holy Spirit upon his heart and lives a life how holy consecrated to God and how do we know that Ephesians 3 verse 20 look the Lord told us this the Lord said this is how it's gonna be now to him let's read it together now to him who is able to do how exceedingly abundantly above how much all that we ask or what think according to the word power that works where in us today I'm gonna ask you Thank You Ben he's locked in today I'm gonna ask you the power that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki is child's play compared to the power that Heaven wants to release in our lives the Lord said look around the harvest is ripe but the labor is a few pray that the lord of the harvest will send forth laborers into the field and I praise God that we can travel the world and share the gospel and continents and countries and cities and states the God is saying the vineyard is right here they are harvest all around us look around the field is white ready to be harvest my heart bled yesterday when that young man walked up to me in subway and he said my life is in a bad place right now I'm a Christian man but I need a better relationship with God and I saw you here and I had to walk up to you and I know you're a man of God and I know you can direct me I said God is telling us they walk up to us in Walmart and then Best Buy the young folk and Best Buy say I watch your show they're young people we think three penises for all people no no young folk are watching can I ask you a question about that topic you covered yes what is it I'm gonna wall my my wife is walking by okay I'm she knows what's going on 15 minutes I'm talking to a young man okay my dad is a pastor in the Baptist Church but tell me what an Adventist is watching that watching it's our time to cast the net on the other side of the boat it's our time to get out of the compute and be uncomfortable until another person is sitting next to us so I'm asking you to commit yourself I'm asking you to join I'm asking for us to join God I want us to reach out and turn the key together so if you want to turn the key with God I'm gonna do something special this morning if you want to turn the key with God could you come down here and pray with me and I'll tell you how to do that I'm not gonna ask you to go preach give out sermons sing on the corners but it all begins right where the Lord told the disciples do not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the father and he'll pour the Spirit of God in your life when He pours God's Spirit in your life when He pours God's Spirit in your life you are going to be empowered in a powerful way today when you leave some of you may be able to go out 145 some of you may not be able to go whatever God has enabled you to do that's between you and the Lord but I'm asking some of you that there are enough flyers in the for you take some of these give them to somebody pray over it like we used to do in evangelism in days have always said father these tracts that we had we had an instance where we found about 2,000 of our flies in the garbage can when the postal workers stood away cuz they don't want to carry it in Vallejo California but the meetings were successful in souls were baptized some people got these and threw them down at the bus stop and somebody picked it up and was at the meeting you can do nothing against the truth but only for the truth so there's nothing that could stop anybody if we believe that what we're proclaiming at 3abn is the everlasting gospel and it is right now as we stand at the gospel is going out on languages all over the world bouncing off of satellites and through internet connections and through phones and iPads and every possible mean God has raised up a faithful ministry praise God for our new leaders Jill and Greg pray for those young folk because the burden has just been increased but we cannot be across the street while they're laboring 24/7 as it is and be inactive we got to be laborers together we got to do our part they're reaching the world with the undiluted of three inches messages one that's counteracting the counterfeit and they've been sowing fields by the way of television but it's time for us to go out and yeah they're in the harvest and God is gonna send them he's gonna send them here's what I'm asking you to do father helped out my unbelief if you don't believe that God can do it pray help my unbelief secondly arm yourself how do you arm yourself don't wake up tomorrow morning without asking for the Spirit of God to fill your lives I don't know what today is gonna bring father but still my life change my priorities I told my wife yesterday she said we got doctors of ones who said that's wonderful let's do our doctors appointments on the way home I said hurry you know where I'm going when we get home she said where I said back to my seat back to my seat and praise God for my wife who's patient we're in the same house and she sits there she knows that God is so she brings me my tea and my English muffins my cookies and whatever I need she said I'm praying for you I'm praying for you I'm praying for you she's been on the battlefield with me all our lives I could not be the man that I am without the wife he's given to me I love you honey I thank God for you but now we got to get our families don't go home preaching if don't go on beating people over the head just simply say to them God's got something for you I know it he did it for me take it to the local 7-eleven they'll let you put one in there I've seen all the Flyers on the 7-letter take it to the local walk down let you take the local stores where you shop hey Matt could I pull it sure go right ahead but do everything that God places on your heart but we're gonna begin at the beginning today we're gonna ask for God to send his spirit into our lives I'm not doubting that the Spirit of God is not working in your life that would be an assumption on my part of which I have no evidence a God doesn't want the Spirit of God just to work on our lives he wants to fill us he wants to turn us into disciples that will not be diluted or delayed that will not be set back a dis or beat or I'll be turned back by somebody who closes the door we need to be vacuum salesman for the kingdom of God if that door closed i'ma sell evacuated a if that's the last thing I do imma get a flyer in that door if that's the last thing I do and God will honor it so spirit of the Living God I want us to sing that song it's only one song [Music] we're just gonna sing that song and pray I'm not gonna I'm not gonna stretch it out but this song is gonna be our prayer so God can come into our hearts today in a powerful way not just the first introduction but we're saying Lord I don't want to have some I don't want just 10 gallons I need my tank to be full because if I only have 10 gallons I got to stop I have one a full tank because the battle is fierce and the journey is long pray for all of our young folk our leaders in our church our elders and our leaders that 3a be and pray for all of them because we're all in this together we are partnering together 3abn is very much a part of this pray for lani wolf Trio they're gonna hear the Gospel message God is already working on their hearts but pray for our own hearts [Music] what are we asking them to do me [Music] has been pleased softly I want to pray my father in heaven the life of Elijah was an example of being filled the prophets of old the disciples the apostles the church that you sustained during the dark ages the light never went out the Reformers the Pioneers for this church and through the centuries many faithful soldiers members of the churches pastors leaders departmento people people in the congregation so many have experienced the infilling of your spirit but Lord today we pray for that fresh in filling in our lives not the introduction because we know what your spirit can do but our day of Pentecost has come and we want to go forth with the love and power and proclaim the Word of God with boldness there gonna be people walking into that Benton Civic Center people are we're gonna meet this week we're gonna pray for God to give us encounters with folk and we're gonna be ready with a flyer here my brother here my sister here young lady here husband and wife God's got something for you come this is your hour we're gonna be there Lord praying and we're gonna expect God to do great things we're gonna pray without faith we're gonna pray without wavering our faith we don't want to be double-minded we don't want to be unstable we want to believe God and see the hand of God do great and mighty and marvelous things and Lord we don't want to take any credit for all the work we've done all the Flyers made I bless I pray Lord you bless all the people that have diligently labor to make everything happened but as we go forth may we go forth recognizing whatever we agreed together on earth shall be done by our Father in heaven we go forth in your power in your promise in your strength recognizing that it is God who works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure so father you are the author be the finisher of our faith and bring these precious souls as this church begins a cycle of evangelism may this be our heartbeat and everything we do made this place be furnished with souls for the kingdom may they then be activated father I pray one other thing may we go out and reclaim those who were among us they know the truth but they may feel that they are not loved that they are not appreciated that they are not desired that they are not wanted may we go to those the lost sheep of the house of Israel and bring them back home but go ahead of us and do that work in their hearts that they may be receptive and finally Lord when the work has completed one day may it be our privilege is simply here well done thou good and faithful servant bless the meetings in every particular the Flies that have been mailed the ads on Facebook the banners the digital signs the advertising the television spots the radio spots may all these seeds done for your glory produce a harvest for your kingdom and I will be careful we will be careful to give only you the praise may we not make a mistake and say we've done a good job but may we say thank you Father for doing a great job in these willing vessels in Jesus name we pray God's ain't said amen
