Empowered by Grace: Living in God's Supernatural Power
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the profound calling of the church to move in the supernatural power of God. Reflecting on Acts 4:33, we discussed how the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of Jesus with great power, and as a result, great grace was upon them. This grace is not just for a select few but for the entire church. God desires that every believer operates in the supernatural—performing miracles, healing, prophesying, and sharing words of knowledge and wisdom. This is not about personal validation or fame but about reflecting Jesus and creating followers of Him, not ourselves.
We delved into the importance of cultivating God's presence in our lives. This involves acknowledging His presence, repenting quickly, praying in tongues, and meditating on His word. We also discussed the necessity of growing God's faith in our hearts, which comes from knowing Him deeply and living in His word. Faith without action is dead, so we must put our faith into practice by praying for the sick and stepping out in boldness.
Furthermore, we emphasized the need to passionately pursue spiritual gifts, practice prayer and fasting, and learn to hear God's voice. These disciplines help us align with God's will and move effectively in His power. Associating with anointed individuals and being motivated by love are also crucial. Love is the foundation of all spiritual gifts and the greatest manifestation of God's power.
In conclusion, the supernatural is part of the DNA of this house, and God is calling us to a higher level of operation in His power. This involves a lifestyle of intimacy with God, rooted in His word, and a commitment to His purposes. As we respond to His call, we will see His glory manifest in unprecedented ways.
### Key Takeaways
1. Cultivating God's Presence: Acknowledge God's presence in your daily life, repent quickly, and engage in practices that invite the Holy Spirit, such as prayer, worship, and meditating on the Word. This creates an environment conducive to His power manifesting through you. [01:12:33]
2. Growing in Faith: True supernatural faith flows from the spirit and affects the mind. It requires a deep relationship with God and constant renewal of the mind through His Word. Faith defies logic and is essential for experiencing the supernatural. [01:18:48]
3. Putting Faith into Action: Faith without works is dead. To see the supernatural, we must act on our faith by praying for the sick and stepping out in boldness. Even if immediate results are not visible, God's love and power flow through our obedience. [01:26:43]
4. Pursuing Spiritual Gifts: Earnestly desire and pursue spiritual gifts. Study them, pray for them, and observe those who operate in them. Spiritual gifts are not for personal gain but to manifest God's glory and serve others. [01:30:07]
5. Motivated by Love: Love must be the foundation of all our actions. It is the greatest manifestation of God's power and the driving force behind our faith. Understanding and experiencing God's love compels us to share it with the world. [01:46:15]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[51:15] - Introduction and Family Background
[53:01] - Vision and Acts 4:33
[54:24] - The Supernatural for the Whole Church
[55:18] - Displaying God's Glory
[56:12] - Spending Time in God's Presence
[57:00] - Gifts of the Spirit
[57:39] - Encouragement for Pastors
[59:33] - Vision for the Church
[01:00:48] - Pursuing the Supernatural
[01:03:14] - Prophecies and Fulfillment
[01:06:23] - The Law of Response
[01:08:07] - Eight Principles for the Supernatural
[01:12:33] - Cultivating God's Presence
[01:18:48] - Growing in Faith
[01:26:43] - Putting Faith into Action
[01:30:07] - Pursuing Spiritual Gifts
[01:46:15] - Motivated by Love
[01:50:17] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Acts 4:33 (NIV) - "With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all."
2. James 2:20 (NIV) - "You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?"
3. 1 Corinthians 14:1 (NIV) - "Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy."
#### Observation Questions
1. According to Acts 4:33, what were the apostles testifying about, and what was the result of their testimony?
2. In James 2:20, what does the author say about faith without works?
3. What does 1 Corinthians 14:1 encourage believers to do regarding spiritual gifts?
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the grace mentioned in Acts 4:33 relate to the power the apostles demonstrated? [53:42]
2. Why is it important to put faith into action according to James 2:20? How does this align with the sermon’s emphasis on acting on faith? [01:26:43]
3. What might it look like to "eagerly desire" spiritual gifts in a practical sense, as instructed in 1 Corinthians 14:1? How does this pursuit align with the sermon’s call to passionately pursue spiritual gifts? [01:30:07]
#### Application Questions
1. Cultivating God's Presence: What are some practical steps you can take this week to acknowledge God's presence in your daily life? Consider practices like prayer, worship, and meditating on the Word. [01:12:33]
2. Growing in Faith: Reflect on your current relationship with God. What specific actions can you take to deepen your faith and trust in Him? How can you incorporate more of His Word into your daily routine? [01:18:48]
3. Putting Faith into Action: Think of someone in your life who is in need of prayer or healing. How can you step out in boldness to pray for them this week, even if you don’t see immediate results? [01:26:43]
4. Pursuing Spiritual Gifts: Identify a spiritual gift you feel called to pursue. What steps can you take to learn more about this gift and seek it earnestly in prayer? [01:30:07]
5. Motivated by Love: Reflect on your motivations for seeking spiritual gifts and performing acts of faith. How can you ensure that love is the foundation of all your actions? [01:46:15]
6. Hearing God's Voice: What practices can you implement to better hear and discern God’s voice in your life? Consider setting aside specific times for quiet reflection and listening. [01:37:09]
7. Associating with Anointed Individuals: Who in your life exemplifies a strong walk with God and operates in spiritual gifts? How can you spend more time with them to learn and grow in your own faith journey? [01:41:58]
This guide is designed to help your small group delve deeper into the sermon’s key points and apply them practically in their lives. May your discussions be fruitful and transformative.
Devotional
Day 1: Cultivating God's Presence in Daily Life
Description: Cultivating God's presence involves more than just acknowledging Him during church services; it requires a daily, intentional effort to invite the Holy Spirit into every aspect of our lives. This can be achieved through practices such as prayer, worship, and meditating on the Word. Quick repentance and a heart open to God's guidance are essential. By creating an environment conducive to His presence, we allow His power to manifest through us, enabling us to operate in the supernatural. [01:12:33]
Isaiah 55:6-7 (ESV): "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."
Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to acknowledge and invite God's presence into your daily routine? Consider setting aside dedicated time for prayer and worship.
Day 2: Growing in Faith Through Deep Relationship
Description: True supernatural faith is not merely intellectual but flows from a deep relationship with God. This faith affects the mind and defies logic, requiring constant renewal through His Word. Knowing God deeply involves spending time in His presence and allowing His Word to transform our thinking. As we grow in faith, we become more attuned to His will and more capable of experiencing the supernatural in our lives. [01:18:48]
Romans 10:17 (ESV): "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."
Reflection: How can you deepen your relationship with God this week? Identify one specific way to immerse yourself in His Word and renew your mind.
Day 3: Putting Faith into Action
Description: Faith without works is dead, and to see the supernatural, we must act on our faith. This means stepping out in boldness, praying for the sick, and trusting God even when immediate results are not visible. Our obedience allows God's love and power to flow through us, impacting those around us. Acting on faith requires courage and a willingness to be used by God in any situation. [01:26:43]
James 2:17-18 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."
Reflection: Think of a situation where you can step out in faith today. How can you act boldly to demonstrate God's love and power in that situation?
Day 4: Pursuing Spiritual Gifts with Purpose
Description: Spiritual gifts are given to manifest God's glory and serve others, not for personal gain. We are encouraged to earnestly desire and pursue these gifts by studying them, praying for them, and observing those who operate in them. This pursuit aligns us with God's will and equips us to move effectively in His power. Understanding and utilizing spiritual gifts helps build up the church and advance God's kingdom. [01:30:07]
1 Corinthians 12:31 (ESV): "But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way."
Reflection: What spiritual gift do you feel called to pursue? How can you take practical steps to develop and use this gift for God's glory and the benefit of others?
Day 5: Motivated by Love in All Actions
Description: Love is the foundation of all spiritual gifts and the greatest manifestation of God's power. Our actions must be motivated by love, as it compels us to share God's love with the world. Understanding and experiencing God's love transforms our hearts and drives us to serve others selflessly. Love is the driving force behind our faith and the key to moving in the supernatural. [01:46:15]
1 John 4:7-8 (ESV): "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love."
Reflection: Reflect on your motivations for serving others. How can you ensure that love is the driving force behind your actions today? Consider one way to demonstrate God's love to someone in your life.
Quotes
1. "I believe that God doesn't just want a few people to live and move in the supernatural. He wants the whole church to move in the supernatural, right? So the book of Acts in another verse, it says the restoration of all things. We've seen the restoration of a lot of different things like the Bible school that we went to. We heard about the restoration of the evangelists, of the pastors, of the teachers, and then eventually of the prophets and the apostles, right?" [54:24] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "He wants to display his glory through the church, right? So what can convince the world? Even more. Even more than one or two special people is when the whole church moves in the supernatural. When the whole church knows how to do miracles, how to do healing, how to prophesy, how to have words of knowledge, words of wisdom, right? And it's not a performance thing. It's not like, oh, I have to get ready. No, it's because we know, we know our Lord Jesus, right?" [55:18] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Spend enough time in his presence, have enough knowledge of his word and his will, that his glory reflects on us, that his glory will move through us, not as a performance thing, but just because we are vessels. It's not to make us look more interesting, become famous or get more followers. No, it's to create more followers, not followers of us on Instagram, followers of Jesus in the kingdom. That is what it's all about." [56:12] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "The gifts of the spirit and the power is not for you really. It's not because God loves you. You are saved because God loves you. But the gifts and the power, the ministries are because God loves other people. I believe that this is what God has for us and specifically that what he has for your pastors." [57:00] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "You have great pastors in your church and they will lead you. They will lead you to a great future. If you let them, sometimes we come to church and we just want to soak up what is there, but you need to let someone lead you to get to a certain place." [57:39] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "The more that you can cultivate. You cultivate an environment that's conducive to the Holy Spirit. The more of God's presence you will carry, the more of his presence that you will carry, the more power will manifest and you cultivate the environment by spending time on whatever he likes to do, whatever he likes, whatever the Holy Spirit likes to do, he wants to hang out with you." [01:15:59] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "You need to cultivate God's presence in his life and not just enjoy it, not just enjoy his glory. You need to cultivate this. You need to bring this into your life. More often." [01:14:30] (10 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Faith and action always go one hand in hand. They're not separate things. Faith is action and your action should always be based on faith, but it should always go together. There's no faith without action always because you believe that the Lord answers your prayer. You pray, right? So because you believe that God should be worshiped, we worship. We start singing, right? So action is always connected to our faith." [01:29:24] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "You can catch the anointing from someone else. You can catch it. Anointing is like oil. I did that in my church. I had a cream, right? And I touched the cream and then I touched someone else. And that person took the cream and touched someone else anointing is oil. So it's oil that goes from one person to another, not a source should always be God, but it goes from one person to another. So you get that by association." [01:44:38] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Love should always be your motive. It must be the foundation for everything that you do. If you go wrong with anything, but you love, you'll be all right. You'll be all right. Love. Love is the greatest manifestation of God's power. Now I don't want this to be an excuse, so I don't want you to say, oh, yeah, healing doesn't work, but, but I love people. Okay. But that's not what I mean. But love is the greatest manifestation of God's power." [01:45:29] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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