Thirsting for the Spirit: A Call to Renewal

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Without the power of the spirit of god, my friends, we are helpless. We're sails without wind, engines without fuel, coals without fire. What hope is it that we gather in a beautiful room for an hour and a half to two hours? What people are doing this all over the world. Gatherings are still taking place. It's not the simple fact that we're simply here that makes the difference. It is the spirit, the presence of one god almighty being here that changes this dynamic, that turns us from a crowd into a congregation, that turns us from an assembly into the very throne room of heaven. [00:26:03]

Don't get too complacent in your theological knowledge. Don't become proud because you've got elders that love you and shepherds you as god shepherds them. Don't become conceited in the spirit of unity that we experience. No, remember, without god none of this happens. You know you can be in intensive care unit but compare yourself to a corpse in the morgue you look pretty good. It's all relative isn't it? The question is what can we do without the power of god and all we can do is sow to corruption and reap to corruption. [00:28:04]

Our tired apologetics is not getting it done. Clever answers and even logically sound biblical answers is not enough to move the human heart. No sir, there's only one apologetic that changes and transforms the lost soul and it is god in his people, god in power manifested through them. That's the apologetic we need, and that's the apologetic this early church had. They were very unlearned and ignorant according to the educated and degreed but they had been with Jesus. [00:29:08]

Look at the text again floods upon the dry ground do you see that floods not a shower, not a flood not mercy drops. Floods I'm thankful for mercy drops don't misunderstand me, but that's not what the promise says. The promise says that god answers abundantly I will pour floods on the dry ground. He doesn't do things halfway, yes he is a god that does things in the beginning small, but when god's in it they don't stay small. [00:30:08]

When your soul is dry, when your spirit is dull, you need refreshment you need a fresh drink, you need the showers of god to come. And in the very sermon that we alluded to in acts chapter 3 that peter preached after healing the lame man, this is what he said he gave us a principle not just for the lost but also for the saved in acts 3 19 repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the lord. [00:31:40]

When god's people are refreshed by the presence of god, then new life occurs converts are always the result. The need of the lost is great today. I ask you I'm thankful for the foes who were baptized a couple of weeks ago aren't you I'm very thankful to god what answers to prayer they should encourage us to pray all the more, but friends what's nine what's nine compared to others in this very body still yet lost. [00:34:48]

Acknowledge your thirst and dryness this morning, acknowledge it notice what the text will pour water on him that is thirsty floods upon dry ground. Are you thirsty then you're a candidate for this promise are you dry you're you're the target of this promise you see Jesus didn't heal the healthy but the sick didn't come to lift up and help the righteous but the unrighteous don't be like Laodicea who said that they were rich and had become wealthy and needed nothing. [00:38:01]

Prayer is the receiving of the promise, that's what Jesus said he said it this way ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you what he's telling you is that prayer is the means by which you receive what god has but not just wrote prayers not prayers that were prayed from the mind and not the heart but no prayers that believe so number three believe it. [00:39:50]

Faith certainly knows the truth and accepts that it's true, but then it does one other thing it acts on it, because faith considers the truth real real not just a fact and if someone gave you a check this morning but you had did not take it to the bank you have no right to complain that the check is bad god has given us a check this morning I will pour water on him that is thirsty I will pour floods on the dry ground. [00:41:51]

God did what he promised he gave water to the thirsty and floods upon the dry ground it is the great Hebrides revival of 1949 to 1952. It took place in the village started in the village of Barbus on the largest island of the Hebrides the island of Louis the Hebrides islands are some coastal islands just off the northwest coast of Scotland. It all began with two elderly women Peggy and Christine Smith they were 84 and 82. [00:44:01]

The glory of god is at stake and it won't be good find bible teaching or preaching that makes the difference it will be the manifestation of Christ himself his glory being revealed in and through the body of believers the church we're living in an age when people out there are saying look at those Christians look at those people look at that big church out there in California that's ignoring and revolting against the governor's edict what do those people think they are. [01:01:26]

When the glory of god comes when god is manifested in what we do we don't stop doing those things we just do them in the power of the spirit and not in the flesh anymore then they will not be able to say where is their god their lips will be silenced as far as that argument they will not be able to say that anymore is there a god in the church of Jesus Christ yes sir there is and he's in you let him work. [01:02:50]

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