Transformative Encounters: Embracing the Holy Spirit's Power
Summary
As we embark on a new year, our focus is on the Holy Spirit and the transformative power of prayer and fasting. We are entering a 21-day period dedicated to seeking divine encounters, where we will lay our needs and desires before God, trusting in His ability to bring about change. This is a time to define what we want to overcome, to speak life into our situations, and to witness the miraculous. The Holy Spirit, often misunderstood, is our divine helper, encourager, and guide. He is the spirit of truth, sent by Jesus to lead us into all truth and to testify of Him. Our journey begins with understanding that God desires to walk with us daily, just as He did with Adam and Eve.
The Holy Spirit is not a distant force but a personal presence in our lives, actively working to guide us in truth and righteousness. He convicts us of sin, not to condemn, but to convince us of the need for transformation. Our encounters with the Holy Spirit are not random; they are purposeful, designed to bring about change, empowerment, and a deeper relationship with God. As we hunger and thirst for more of God, we open ourselves to His supernatural work in our lives.
This year, let us seek regular encounters with the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to transform us from the inside out. Let us surrender our ambitions and motivations, aligning ourselves with His will. As we do, we will experience the fullness of His presence, power, and purpose in our lives.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Power of Defining Your Needs: To overcome challenges, it is crucial to define and articulate them. Writing down your needs and speaking them aloud invites God's intervention. The power of life and death is in the tongue, and by declaring your needs, you open the door for God to work miracles in your life. [37:08]
2. The Role of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is our divine helper, sent by Jesus to guide us into all truth. He is the spirit of truth, convicting us of sin and leading us in righteousness. Understanding His role is essential for experiencing His transformative power in our lives. [49:33]
3. The Importance of Divine Encounters: Every encounter with the Holy Spirit brings change and empowerment. These encounters are not just for personal edification but for equipping us to impact our generation. Seek regular encounters with God to experience His power and presence. [51:56]
4. Hunger and Thirst for God: Our level of spiritual hunger and thirst determines the depth of our encounters with God. A profound desire for more of God's presence guarantees divine activity in our lives. Without hunger, God has nothing to work with. [01:30:48]
5. Surrender and Transformation: True transformation comes from surrendering to God on His terms, not ours. The level of change we experience is proportional to our willingness to let go of self-centered ambitions and embrace God's will. [01:34:05]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:45] - Announcements and Corrections
- [03:15] - Focus for the New Year
- [05:30] - The Power of Defining Needs
- [10:00] - Encouragement to Write and Speak Needs
- [15:20] - The Role of the Holy Spirit
- [20:45] - Divine Encounters and Transformation
- [25:30] - Understanding the Holy Spirit
- [30:00] - The Importance of Prayer and Fasting
- [35:00] - The Helper and Encourager
- [40:00] - The Spirit of Truth
- [45:00] - Hunger and Thirst for God
- [50:00] - Surrender and Transformation
- [55:00] - Call to Action for 21 Days of Prayer
- [01:00:00] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. John 15:26 - "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me."
2. John 16:7-13 - "But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."
Observation Questions:
1. What role does the Holy Spirit play according to John 15:26 and John 16:7-13? How is He described in these passages?
2. In the sermon, the pastor mentioned that the Holy Spirit is often misunderstood. What are some common misconceptions about the Holy Spirit that were addressed? [49:33]
3. How does the pastor describe the relationship between defining our needs and experiencing God's intervention? [37:08]
4. What examples were given in the sermon of the transformative power of prayer and fasting? [01:30:48]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the Holy Spirit's role as the "Spirit of truth" impact a believer's daily life and decision-making? [49:33]
2. The pastor emphasized the importance of divine encounters. What might be the purpose of these encounters in a believer's life? [51:56]
3. How does the concept of surrender relate to experiencing transformation through the Holy Spirit? [01:34:05]
4. What does it mean to hunger and thirst for God, and how does this affect one's spiritual journey? [01:30:48]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt the Holy Spirit guiding you. How did you respond, and what was the outcome? [49:33]
2. The pastor encouraged writing down and speaking your needs. What specific needs or challenges will you define and present to God this week? [37:08]
3. How can you create space in your daily routine to seek regular encounters with the Holy Spirit? What changes might you need to make? [51:56]
4. Consider your current level of spiritual hunger. What steps can you take to deepen your desire for God's presence in your life? [01:30:48]
5. In what areas of your life do you need to surrender your ambitions and align with God's will? How can you begin this process today? [01:34:05]
6. How can you support others in your small group or community in their journey to experience the Holy Spirit's transformative power?
7. As you enter this 21-day period of prayer and fasting, what specific goals do you have for your spiritual growth and encounters with God? [01:35:58]
Devotional
Day 1: The Power of Articulating Your Needs
In the journey of faith, defining and articulating your needs is a powerful act of faith. By writing down and speaking your needs aloud, you invite divine intervention into your life. This practice is not merely about listing desires but about engaging in a dialogue with God, acknowledging His sovereignty and your dependence on Him. The act of speaking life into your situations aligns with the biblical principle that the power of life and death is in the tongue. As you declare your needs, you open the door for God to work miracles, transforming challenges into testimonies of His grace and power. [37:08]
"Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (Philippians 4:5-6, ESV)
Reflection: What specific need or challenge in your life can you articulate and present to God today? How can you practice speaking life into this situation?
Day 2: Embracing the Role of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is not a distant or abstract force but a personal presence actively working in your life. Sent by Jesus, the Holy Spirit is your divine helper, guiding you into all truth and convicting you of sin, not to condemn, but to transform. Understanding His role is essential for experiencing His transformative power. The Holy Spirit leads you in righteousness, encouraging you to align your life with God's will. As you grow in your relationship with Him, you become more attuned to His guidance, experiencing a deeper sense of peace and purpose. [49:33]
"But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come." (John 16:13, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you invite the Holy Spirit to guide you into truth today? How can you be more open to His conviction and guidance in your daily life?
Day 3: Seeking Divine Encounters
Every encounter with the Holy Spirit is an opportunity for change and empowerment. These divine encounters are not random but purposeful, designed to equip you to impact your generation. By seeking regular encounters with God, you open yourself to His power and presence, allowing Him to work through you in extraordinary ways. These encounters are not just for personal edification but for the greater purpose of advancing God's kingdom. As you hunger for more of God, you position yourself to experience His supernatural work in your life. [51:56]
"And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, 'Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.'" (Acts 18:9-10, ESV)
Reflection: How can you intentionally seek a divine encounter with the Holy Spirit this week? What steps can you take to be more receptive to His presence and power in your life?
Day 4: Cultivating Hunger and Thirst for God
Your level of spiritual hunger and thirst determines the depth of your encounters with God. A profound desire for more of God's presence guarantees divine activity in your life. Without hunger, God has nothing to work with. This spiritual hunger is not about striving but about longing for a deeper relationship with God. As you cultivate this hunger, you create space for God to move powerfully in your life, transforming you from the inside out. [01:30:48]
"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Psalm 63:1, ESV)
Reflection: What specific practices can you incorporate into your daily routine to cultivate a deeper hunger and thirst for God? How can you create space for His presence in your life today?
Day 5: Surrendering for Transformation
True transformation comes from surrendering to God on His terms, not ours. The level of change you experience is proportional to your willingness to let go of self-centered ambitions and embrace God's will. Surrender is not about losing control but about trusting God with every aspect of your life. As you align your ambitions and motivations with His will, you experience the fullness of His presence, power, and purpose. This surrender leads to a life of transformation, where God's plans and purposes are fulfilled in and through you. [01:34:05]
"And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.'" (Luke 9:23-24, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to God? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Quotes
"what you won't define you won't overcome what you don't point what you don't make a point of writing out, there's something about writing it out that when you put it on a card there's something about speaking it that if you really want to overcome it there's power of life and death in the tongue when you put it on these cards and we begin to call those things out barren wounds will will open up and where those that were unable to conceive will conceive, come on help me amen, there's proof in this church of that from the 21 days of prayer and fasting couple that couldn't conceive all of a sudden conceived at the end of 21 days, amen lost loved ones that families had almost given up on now are sitting on pews inside of the church right now, come on drug addicts that didn't think we're going to make it amen are now clean and delivered because of prayer and fasting in the beginning God, amen the author and finisher and perfecter of our faith, so I want to encourage you this morning to become active in your faith and take a step of faith and write out your needs this morning bring them to the altar and lay them here and know that God is able, amen listen, he's the one scripting out your day, amen, he's the one, hallelujah, through the person and power of the Holy Spirit that makes himself known to you today, hallelujah just as he did with Adam and Eve to come and walk in the cool of the day, I'm going to just tell you God wants to walk with you today, come on he wants to transform your life today, hallelujah and so I want to encourage you to take that step of faith, I want to ask a couple of prayer partners to join me you may have special needs this morning that you would like to represent with upraised hand all over the house, amen, amen Jeff Raines would you come and lead us in prayer and while Jeff Raines is coming to lead us in prayer this morning, I would encourage you as well, take a step of faith listen, all you got to do is take the first step, God will meet you right where you are, amen and he will encourage you and I'm going to talk about the helper today here's what I want you to know that he will help you in your time of need, he will help you in your time of indecision, he'll help you in your time of doubt he will help you and so as the comforter and the helper is here, why don't you step out in faith today knowing, knowing that God is still active, he's still alive and well and he's still working in that situation that you may have thought was hopeless, can I just tell you, it's not hopeless amen, because hope is alive in Jesus Christ, amen come on, step out in faith this morning as you bring your needs to this altar Jeff, lead us bud thank you you" [00:15:08]
"Come on, are there any overcomers in the house today? Is there anybody that can declare that he's got everything? Amen. That I tried it all and it all failed. But when I turned to Jesus, when I turned to Jesus, he brought life and that life more abundant. Father, we thank you today. You are the only one, the only one who can. Hallelujah. Lord, we've tried. Everything the world had to offer. But yet we realize that there was nothing, nothing, no one who was able to do what you can do. So Lord, we thank you today. We thank you for Jesus. We thank you for the presence and the person of the Holy Ghost who is here today. Lord, we're looking for transformed lives to happen today because of your presence. Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on us. Lord, let this year be a year to where we see supernatural encounters begin to happen in the lives of your people. Transform us from the inside out. Lord, we'll thank you because you are the only one who can take that which was dead, touch it and bring life to it. You're the only one who can fully and completely deliver those that may be, addicted right now. God can be set free instantaneously by the spirit of God. Hallelujah. Those that are bound can become free. Hallelujah. In the name of Jesus. Hallelujah. You're the only one who can. Hallelujah. So God, just start making gardens out of the graves that we're in right now. Plant us in your spirit. Hallelujah. God, we'll thank you and we'll praise you for what you are. We'll praise you for what you are doing in the name of the powerful, in the name of the lovely, in the name of the matchless Christ, Jesus, the hope of salvation. It's in his name we pray. Amen and amen. Can we bless the Lord as we're being seated today? Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Amen. Amen. Amen. Woo. Good to be in the house of the Lord. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. All this week kept asking, what day of the week is this? Amen. I kept as the days were unfolding and we had this day off and that day and I worked most every day this week, but I finally had one day that I just kind of hung out at home and instead of coming into the office, I was working on my message and I kept thinking, Lord, will Sunday ever get here? Amen. So I'm fired up. I'm ready to preach today and I'm going to stay with my notes because I've got a ton of stuff to download into you." [00:36:00] (178 seconds)
"Come on, let me say that a better way. God's desire for you is to spend time with him. So there's this mutual thing that is going on that God wants to have a fellowship with you and I. You say, that's nothing new, Pastor, we know that. But how does he do that? How do we do that today? That's the big key here that we need to understand because if he walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day before the fall, I got news for you, he wants to meet with you every day. He wants to meet with you all day, every day. That's why he tells us to pray always. Come on, amen. And so there's a way that we can figure ourselves, we can walk through this as we make this journey right here. But I will send you the helper. Somebody say helper. Come on, look at your neighbor and tell him, I got good news for you. Come on, look at him. I got good news for you. There's a helper available to you right now. Come on. And the reason there is, is because God loves you. Hallelujah. Now, he's a divine. Listen, you know what that means? He's not natural. There's a supernatural unction here of God that we can encounter. He's the divine encourager. He's the divine encourager. to get that this morning. So if you're down and out, if you've got things that are going on that are discouraging, I've got news for you today. Let me encourage you today. There's a helper in the house. Amen. And he's available to every one of us. So you don't have to give up on your lost loved ones. Amen. You ought to be encouraged today. Well, pastor, I've tried everything I know to get a hold of them. That's the problem. You tried what you know. Wait and let's try what God gives you. Amen. Be encouraged today. Hallelujah. He names him the helper, the spirit of truth. So if you want to know who the Holy Spirit is, he's the spirit of truth. Where Satan, the truth is not in him. Come on. With God, there's no lie in him. Amen. So he is the spirit of truth. He will come to you from the father and will testify. About me, Jesus is saying." [00:47:57] (142 seconds)
"here's what here's what i want to come here's what i want to tell you listen to me listen to me i'm not being hard this morning this whole message is about the helper and the encourager amen but here's what i want to tell you listen to me when you are born again when your name has been written in the lamb's book of life when old things have passed away and all things have become new when you like nicodemus have been born again amen amen . listen to me listen to me there's some things that technically happen your citizenship is no longer in and of this world you may be in this world but you're not of this world amen you are declared as an alien alien and a stranger that makes things real good right there don't it amen watch this therefore born from paul's famous word therefore listen to me when you are born again your classification changes and you're no longer a sinner but you have become a saint therefore again because the holy spirit will come alongside you and guide you in all truth you no longer practice sin but you practice righteousness there's been a transformation that happened in your life i'm defining some things right here listen to me and if that has not happened listen i'm not here to condemn you i'm not here to condemn you i'm not here to condemn you john 317 i'm here to encourage you today if those things have not happened in your life and you're not a changed creature in christ jesus and old things have not become new then i've got good news for you today the helper is here and through him you can be radically changed in the name of jesus hallelujah all right let's keep going when the spirit of truth comes he will guide you into all truth he will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard he will prophetically tell you about what is to come he will bring glory bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me all that belongs to the father is mine this is why i said the spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me throughout human history god has progressively revealed himself to humanity manifesting his love his characteristics and his personhood but especially his tripartite or his trinity essence his three in one from the very beginning god reveals himself as the one true god who exists in three persons let me say that again he's one god amen one god not three gods but one god in three persons don't miss that because it is important that we know and understand our god and who he is and how he works for us and we can live in his nee heroes andêts we can continue guidance for those who need and operates in our life so John 1 and 18 makes it clear that God is the Father and John 1 14 he's the son and in John 14 16 and 17 he's God the Holy Spirit these are important lessons for us to know right here God the Father with who no man has seen no one has ever seen God but the one and only Son who is himself God so yet the same father gives us an identity that we can tangibly associate with so we get that Jesus Christ who is the Word made flesh and dwelt among us here on earth John 1 and 14 the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us we've seen this glory the glory of the one and only Son who came from the Father full of grace and truth now listen to me well I don't have time to go there I was gonna I was gonna debunk some false religions right here but I'm watching the clock and I don't have time God the Holy Spirit who continually guides comes and leads us to the right path and leads us to the right path and comforts and empowers believers John 14 16 and 17 and I will ask the Father and he will give you another advocate helper counselor to help you and be with you forever notice that and be with you forever so listen to me listen to me if you're ever going through a lonely time in your life I got news for you if you're born again quit thinking you're all by yourself amen woe is me nobody knows what I'm going through I got news for you never by yourself the spirit of God lives and dwells in you amen and I got news for you you got one more strawberries in Platzham hallelujah thank you Lord listen verse 17 the world cannot accept him because it sees him nor knows him now I want you to get up grasp that listen to me the world loathes him that is me that is no glory and also wherever he heard me heard money and who The world doesn't understand when we talk about the person of the Holy Spirit. If you're not born again, if an individual's not born again, listen, they can't understand these supernatural things that we're talking about right here. That's why this is for a house right here, the church, to understand that they can't see or understand him because even the Bible itself declares it itself is spiritually discerned." [01:00:00] (0 seconds)
"So here's the reason for this series. Here's my key point. The Holy Spirit is the most overlooked member of the tripartite, meaning the Trinity, yet his activity on earth is essential to every individual on this earth and especially to the believer. The reason I said to every individual is because, he's the convictor of sin. But beyond that, to the body of Christ, it is essential that we realize that the Holy Spirit is the one who is active and working in our earth, in this earth right now, in our lives. Therefore, that's why, that's why, that's why we need a friendship with the person of the Holy Spirit. And he is a person. Come on, somebody help me today. And he is a person. And regardless of what, I'm not going to be mean today. No, I just want to tell you, in love, regardless of whatever you've been taught from another denominational standpoint, I want you to hear it from the word of God today. He is very clear that he is active and wants to be active in your life. He is not some strange force out there. No, he is personal in your life. And he wants to work in your life. And he wants you to know his voice. Amen. My sheep will know my voice. He wants you to know the nudging and the unction of the Holy Spirit. You ever been walking in the mall or in high school? I don't know about you guys now, but we used to walk the halls in the high school and we used to have to change classes. Y 'all still do that? They still do that today? Man, we had to change classes. We'd walk down through the halls and I had a buddy with me that, that he was, he was our next door neighbor. His name was actually Buddy. And everywhere after school, we would walk, we'd go uptown to get a, we'd look in the ditches and we'd pick up Coke bottles or Pepsi bottles. Come on, have I got any other tight wads in the house? And we would find enough bottles to be able every day just about to buy a drink and also get a zero or either a Baby Ruth candy bar. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Well, let me pause. I need to go back and thank God for all those blessings. I forgot to thank him for. But when you walk with Buddy, he would always look at you in your face. He didn't look at you where you were going. He never, listen, you could have walked him into the, into a truck and he'd have never known it because everywhere we went, Buddy just looked at you while he was talking. And Buddy had another problem that I, that would irritate me to no end. I'd be walking straight and Buddy would always be walking crooked. And he'd be nudging against you. The Holy Spirit is the one who comes along with you in your life. That when you're walking off target, come on, I'm preaching good right now. When you're moving in a direction that's not right, if you're sensitive to him and he's a friend with you, he will nudge you back in the right direction every time. Hallelujah. Oh, I said I didn't have any stories. I need to get out of those." [01:03:10] (0 seconds)
"Therefore, the assignment of the Holy Spirit is to attest to Jesus on earth just as the Son gives testimony of the Father who is in heaven. So significantly, this means that when the Holy Spirit comes upon someone's life, when the Holy Spirit moves and works in your life, Jesus is revealed to that person. That's what's going on. Now, just... Just as much as some denominations have gone so far as to minimize the work and the talk of the Holy Spirit, some have gone so far that that's all they do. Because humanity has always had a problem getting the pendulum to stay in the middle. There's a balance here. And the Holy Spirit, listen to me, listen to me, listen to me, is not to be, is not here to take the place of Jesus, but to testify of him. Are y 'all hearing me good today? Amen. Now, let's keep going. See, this thing about growing up in Christ is more than just running and shouting. This is getting the plywood laid square so that we don't have to tear down and rebuild again every time troubles come our way and we find ourselves knocked off balance. Now, it also means that if anyone teaches or preaches without exalting Jesus, what is spoken does not come. It does not come from God and that the Holy Spirit does not support it. Everything has to be built around him and his finished work on the cross. Now, the Holy Spirit was present and active in God's work in creation and the resurrection of Jesus. Likewise, we see him taking a direct part in the birthing and the directing of the church. Now, so here's the big question. Here's the big question. How do we encounter the Holy Spirit? I think that's what we've got to ask. We've got to answer today and we've got to settle it. And I'm going to just tell you, I'm going to give you six examples next week or six pieces to go to that that I had in here that I pulled out because I knew we would run out of time. But before we can answer that, let's explore why we encounter the Holy Spirit. I think it's more important that we understand the why before we get to the how. Y 'all with me? Now, the power and presence of God do not work randomly or arbitrarily in one's life but always with a clear purpose. God doesn't work. You know what I'm telling you? God doesn't work haphazardly. Come on. Are you with me? Listen. He has a plan and a purpose for your life. Look, look, look. Listen to me. He loves you that much that he took the time to write out a plan for your life. That means for you individually. He knows you. Amen. The Bible says he numbered the hairs on your head. He etched your name" [01:09:18] (177 seconds)
"let me be very clear this morning the revelation god's give is not gives is not for the purpose of making us more intelligent or more admired but to enable us to encounter him daily like adam and eve did can i say that again in our pentecostal world world right now listen to me listen to me i'm loving on you right now look at your neighbor and tell him he loves you this morning amen so i'm not finding fault or condemning here's what i want you to understand this morning though that when we preach and teach the doctrine that we love as pentecostal holiness folk and we you know how we testify y 'all know how we do it i just know you tell you i'm saved sanctified and filled with the holy ghost listen to me that's not for your educational purpose that's not for your status to be better than anyone else it is to equip you with power from on high to change the generation it's not for intellectual among this amen it's for divine encounter with him that will draw you closer to him so his fingerprint is deeper on you. Listen to me. Listen to me. I better say this before somebody takes that and twists it out of context. I'm saved. I'm sanctified. And I'm being sanctified. And I'm filled with the Holy Ghost. Amen. With speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance and I'm grateful for it. Hallelujah. But I got news for you. I'm a leaky vessel and I need more fillings every day. Hallelujah. Glory to God. That's why the tires on your car leak air. There's not always a nail in it. There's always not a screw in it. There's always not dry rotted. But a tire is built from individual molecules that are heated and compressed together so a tire even of itself leaks air naturally. And there's nothing you can do to stop that without water. There's not some kind of substance that is applied in it now. Like a gook or something that you put in it that will roll around in it and seal it. And I'm not calling the Holy Spirit gook. Amen. But I'm telling you, we leak. Amen. And we need a sealer and he's the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah. The analogy of the tire is that some of us just got a little more tread on us than others. Hallelujah. Leave that one alone. Hallelujah. Glory to God. Man was created to live in the presence of God and to carry it wherever he goes. Now, Paul's encounter with the Holy Spirit did what zeal and education could not do for him. I wish I had time to tell you about Paul's pedigree. The apostle Paul, Saul that became Paul, was probably the most or one of the most educated. He could quote the Torah wordfully. He could quote the Bible word by memory. He knew it front to back. He knew the laws of the land. And yet, it didn't transform him. Knowledge alone will not save you. Are you hearing me? Atheists go to school and even go to Bible colleges. Amen. Amen. It takes an encounter with the Holy Spirit. To make that which is in you come alive. So that what you have learned becomes real to you. Personally. Hallelujah. Now, on to the question at hand. How do we encounter the Holy Spirit? There's two ways. Two ways. Those given by God in his sovereignty. A good example of that would be the apostle Paul. The apostle Paul was not seeking after God. He was out persecuting the church. Y 'all hearing me? But God met him on the road. That was a divine encounter appointed by God in Saul, Paul's life. That's one way. That one speaks for itself. The second way that we encounter God. And this is the one I want to circle in on for just a few minutes this morning. Those that sought God's children who were hungry and thirsty for him. And divine encounters come with God. Because you're hungry and thirsty for him. You can ride. Listen to me. Listen to me. You can ride by the steakhouse all you want. But if you don't stop and partake, you still hungry. Now, we're going into a 21 days of prayer and fasting. And I'm going to be waving at them steakhouses. Amen. And them french fries. Glory to God. Leave my ice cream alone. No, it's gone. But let me tell you something with God, you can know where he's at. You can come sit in the house of God, but until you encounter him personally and redemptively, you don't really know God. That takes the work of the Holy Spirit. And those who are hungry and thirsty, look at your neighbor and say, I'm hungry. Amen. Come on, tell him I missed breakfast this morning. Amen. No. And I'm thirsty. Amen. Those who hunger and thirst, albeit in our Western culture, and I call that our American culture, many feel that having an encounter with the living God is either optional or available upon request on our part. But let me be very clear. Their attitudes are seriously flawed. So when we think about. The hunger and thirst to experience a transformative encounter, a good example would be found in Luke eight. Just make note of that. I'll read these four verses for you in Luke eight. There was this woman who was suffering from the flow of blood. Now I'm going to tell you what I'm going to tell you what hungry and thirsty looks like. A woman in the crowd had suffered for 12 years with constant bleeding. Luke eight, 43, and she could find no cure. Do you hear what I said? She had tried everything else. Some manuscripts say it exactly that way. She had tried everything else. She had spent out all she had trying to get well, and she could not said coming up behind Jesus, having spent everything she had on doctors. She touched the him, the fringe of his garment, his robe, and watch this next word immediately. Amen. Somebody say immediately for me. See divine encounters have an immediate reaction. Nobody's got to tell you if you encountered God, nobody's got, in fact, I can promise you this. Once you encounter God, you'll be telling everybody else. Amen. Hallelujah. Divine encounter right here. Immediately the bleeding stopped. Who touched me? Jesus asked. Everyone denied it. And Peter said, master. Master. The whole church was present today. Everybody was in the house. And they were all standing and singing. And they were all putting money in the offering plate. He said, you don't understand. It wasn't just the normal thing that just happened. Amen. He said, somebody touched me in a way that was unique because I felt virtue. I felt power go out of my body. And immediately she was healed. She was hungry. And she was thirsty. And she was desperate. And I got news for you. Anyone that is hungry and thirsty and desperate, God will not turn away." [01:14:04] (0 seconds)
"So let me confirm to you also that there is no limit to the number of times that one can have a supernatural encounter with the Holy Spirit, nor to who can have them. But rest assured, our degree of experience with him will determine, listen to me, our experience. With him will determine the degree or the level. It will determine the degree or level of our spiritual hunger and thirst for him. Pastor Ron to come. While God is no respecter of person, can I tell you, he is a respecter of your hunger and thirst. You missed that. Don't miss that today. While God is no respecter of person. He is no. He is a respecter of your hunger and your thirst, Michael. He can. He knows whether you're hungry or thirsty for him. There's no question about it. And the degree of your hunger and the degree of it's kind of like going to a buffet table. Well, it's the wrong thing to talk about on a on a fast day. We're getting ready to kick it off. Y 'all better eat all you want today because tomorrow it goes down. Actually, I hope you've been tempering yourself a little bit getting ready for it. Because if you have it, when you cut all the sugar out tonight, tomorrow and the day after your head is going to explode. That fructose ever how you say that word that another word for sugar. It's just listen to me. It is designed and chemically designed by scientists to put in food. To hide the word sugar. And it is just as addictive as most illegal drugs. you're going to withdraw. And you're going to like I got the flu. No, you don't. No, you don't. You got withdrawals and your body's going to start changing. And instead of craving sugar by the day 21, you'll be you're going to be craving the Holy Spirit so strong that you don't care. If you don't ever eat anything sweet again. Because let me tell you this, he's going to become sweet to you. Hallelujah. I'm about to lose y 'all But he respects when you come to the table of buffet. You say, Lord, There's times we will go to a buffet and I'm thinking, I just wish they would let me have a one plate cost. Y 'all with me? Because if I pay this exuberant amount for multiple trips back. This. This tightwad rascals going to get his money's worth. And where I walked in hungry, I'll walk today. Because we're talking natural, but I'm trying to get a supernatural. I want for the next 21 days, I want you to go to the buffet table of God. I want you to go to the marriage supper. of the lamb. I want you to go to the wedding feast that he's already prepared and I want to compel you to come to the table and I want you to eat eat eat of the presence of God in your life. And I want you to expect encounter after encounter after encounter with the Holy Spirit." [01:23:10] (0 seconds)
"How many of you right now would say, I need a supernatural work of God in my life, in my family's life, in my finances, in my health? Come on. Is there anybody in the house that would agree with me? You named the topic, but you need God to move in that area right now. Well, here's what I want to tell you. If you're not hungry for it and you're not thirsty for it, God can't do anything. There. If you're not praying and seeking Him, the one who is the helper, the divine enabler to change things, He can't do anything for you. It's not that He can't, but He can't. And then lastly, I need to move on. Stand with me. A level, the third part of the progression. A level of impact determined by the level of heart transformation. The point I want to make is this. We can hinder the power of the immediate impact of meeting with God by resisting or holding on to self -centered ambition or selfish motivations. Listen to me. God's all powerful. But you can limit what He will do in your life by how you reject Him. Because He is a gentleman in every way. He will not force Himself on you. But if you'll open up to Him, if you'll just surrender to Him, there's nothing He can't do in your life. twelve disciples, and I'm done, I'll get here. They were all touched. There's no doubt about it. All twelve were touched. But one was truly not changed. Judas was disappointed because his encounter did not turn out the way he expected. You know what we do? We come to God with ultimatums. Come on. You don't have to confess. That's alright. We come to God on our terms. But I got news for you. When you come to God on your terms, you will be disappointed. But when you come to God on His terms, I surrender all. All to Jesus I surrender. When you surrender all to Him, you will never The level of change will always be proportional to the impact of the supernatural encounter. The encounter with the Holy Spirit leads one to experience a transformation that is as drastic or dramatic as the encounter itself and the hunger for God it has compelled with the inside of each of us. So for the next 21 days I want to call you to a place of surrender. I want to call you to a place of encounters. Not a encounter but with multiple encounters with God. Beth, we did a service back in May. I looked up when it was. We did a service in May, on May 21. We entitled that service Encounter on a Wednesday night. I better move because she gets nervous when I talk about her. We okay? Love you. God moved so radically in her life that she surrendered everything to Him that night. This means yes and this means no. You don't have to talk. Did it change everything in your life? In case y 'all didn't see it, that's yes. An encounter with God will change everything in your life. And the degree of the encounter will be determined by your willingness to surrender and receive or by the degree of the rejection of your own ideologies and selfish motivations. Are you with me today? So look at your neighbor and help me. Look at them real quick and tell them it's time. Come on, tell them it's time. Come on, tell them it's time. Come on. Tell them it's time to surrender. To surrender all. Come on. Tell them it's time for an encounter. Come on. It's time for an encounter with God. Because, listen to me," [01:31:31] (0 seconds)
"Bow your heads with me. Father, as we enter into these 21 days of prayer and fasting, I am believing for supernatural encounters with you in miraculous ways. Lord, as we define the person of the Holy Spirit, I am a helper. Reminding us of what Jesus said, it's expedient. It's important. It's imperative that I go away. And if I go away, I will send the divine encourager, the helper, the advocate. He will convince of wrong, of sin. He will make known your righteousness. And he will lead us in all truth. is to experience what Adam and Eve did in the cool of the day. Lord, would the Holy Spirit just begin to blow across this sanctuary today and just move in this house now that we would sense your presence and manifest ways that we would know without a doubt that you're here. Lord, we're desiring and we're hungry and we're thirsty for an encounter. So have your way in this house and do what only you can do, Lord. Transform from the inside out. And Lord, multiply, multiply your presence in our midst as we hunger and thirst for you. Maybe you're here today and you'd say, Pastor, I want this, this transformation in my life. I want to know not only about Jesus, but I want to know him intimately. And I want to know him personally. And I want the spirit of truth who has been working on me throughout the message and throughout the worship. I want the spirit of truth that's revealing Jesus to me right now. I want to yield to him to the point I want to surrender my life fresh and anew to Jesus Christ. If you're here today on this first Sunday of 2025 and you're ready to surrender your life to Jesus Christ and to know him redemptively and personally while no one's looking around, you're here and you're ready. You're ready to be transformed by the power of God. Would you just give me a quick wave so I'll know who I'm praying for today. Is there anyone here in the house today? I see that hand. Thank you for being honest. Are there others? Are there others? God, I want to be transformed. I want to be transformed. I want to be born again. I don't want to continue on in sin. The spirit of truth is convicting me right now. And I know he's convincing me of my wrongs, but I want to get it right in the name of Jesus. Is there anyone else here today? I want to ask a couple of prayer partners to just come and join me real quick around this altar. And as they make their way here, I want us to just pray for a moment and allow the Holy Spirit to work with you right now. Here's what I'd encourage you to do. We want to celebrate with you. We want to rejoice with you. You're here today and you're ready to surrender your life to Jesus. Would you just make your way to the altar right now? Allow me the opportunity to pray with you and for you and to celebrate with you this encounter that you're having as you surrender your life to Jesus. Young lady, don't delay. Don't delay this thing. What God wants to do, the measure of the transformation will be found in the level of commitment to surrender to him right now. Would you be thankful? Would you step out from where you are and surrender your life to him right now and allow God to just wrap his arms around you in love and mercy? Hallelujah. Thank you, Lord. I can promise you as the song says, there's nothing better. Nothing better." [01:37:33] (0 seconds)
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