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Live Like a Champion – Week 25

The Promise of Power Through the Holy Spirit!

Acts 1:8; Zechariah 4:6

This Week’s Memory Verse:   Acts 1:8

 
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

 

Who wouldn’t like some more power?      

Power to get up and face the day (Show the Energizer Bunny)                    

Power to get the list of chores done (Show Tim Tool Man Taylor)
Power to be able to handle stressful work situations (Show the Star Trek Kirk quote).
 

The world defines power (according to Merriam-Webster)

“a source or means of supplying energy; the ability to act or produce an effect; possession of control, authority or influence over others.”

 

The biblical word used in this specific verse is “dunamis” (doo-ni-mas), which means:

“a description of strength of mind; moral qualities of a person; an inner strength that does not come from or depend on outer things. This is how they will be able to show God to others through their lives.”

 

Growing up, my parents raised my two sisters and me to be able to do things on our own, to take the initiative to get things done (which took a lot of prodding at first), and to help others when needed, which they led by example. They had us in church, surrounded by people who encouraged us in our walk with Jesus, and showed us that they were to be serving others in love, as the Holy Spirit gave them the power and the strength that they needed to get it done.

 

I know it was God’s power through the Holy Spirit that was helping them to do this because they could not have done it on their own. They demonstrated to us that they were studying the playbook. In this day and age, we could say that we have an app for that…downloading and plugging in to the right source! But where the problem lies is that, just like a gym membership, it doesn’t work unless we use it or put it to work. The power of the Holy Spirit is not something you use in the case of an emergency. NO! We are to be allowing it to flow in and through our lives each and every day.

 

I trust you have been listening to Pastor Jerry’s messages the last two weeks. They are key to understanding the differences between being sealed, being anointed, and having the power of the Holy Spirit. Somehow, there has been confusion in the church and many have come to think that these are interchangeable, and that is not the case! They are all part of what He does in our lives so we can carry out God’s plan for our lives. Let’s dig into the playbook (the Bible) and see how these all can work together in our lives.

 

Today, we will cover

  1. What is the intent of the power of the Holy Spirit?
  2. What is the best way for the power to flow?
  3. ow are we to listen? and
  4. How He ultimately brings glory to God?

 

I. What is the intent of the power of the Holy Spirit?

 

It is literally the power of God, the ability to act effectively and influence the behavior of others or influence events. Since it comes from Him, it is infinite, unlimited and eternal, unlike any other kind of power.

 

A. Old Testament examples

 

As David was being anointed to be king:

So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.”

1 Samuel 16:13

 

The Spirit enabled him to do wonderful things, even in the face of great hardship and persecution. While He did not permanently indwell, the Spirit worked through them and gave them power to achieve things they would not and could not on their own.

 

n a vision to Zechariah for Zerubbabel:

“Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”

Zechariah 4:6

 

In this message of encouragement to Zerubbabel, he was being told that his work wasn’t going to be accomplished through human strength and human power, but by the Spirit of the Lord, a divine power that is constant and consistent.

 

B. In the New Testament we find:

 

To be witnesses and share the Good News of Jesus with everyone

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 1:8

 

Personalize this verse… “In New Castle, and in all of Henry County and Indiana, and to the end of the earth.

 

The once timid disciples, who had been in hiding since Jesus’ crucifixion, were now turning the world upside down with the message of the Gospel.

 

Paul writes to Timothy to encourage him:

 

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

2 Timothy 1:7

 

Look at that order! It is the power of the Holy Spirit that enables us to love, and to be disciplined. When we share the Gospel, we are to share it with power, but also in love and the evidence of that should be seen in our lives. It can never be a “do as I say, not as I do” message.

 

 

 

II. What is the best way for the power to flow in your life?

 

A. Look at the initial instructions:

 

“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

Luke 24:49
 

 

“Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 1:4-5

 

They were told to stay and wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit would come. They were not told how long they would have to wait. How many of us would have honestly stayed in place after just a couple of days? This group of followers waited over a week! Ten days after receiving the message to ‘stay put’, that is when the power fell on them.

 

B. We are told to submit or surrender.

 

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.”

1 Peter 5:6

 

I have told you before that Peter is one of my favorite disciples. He was often quick to speak or act, yet Jesus loved him dearly and kept telling him to love others as well. He was the one who had denied knowing Jesus to a servant girl yet on the Day of Pentecost, he was the one preaching to all who would listen! God provided through the Holy Spirit what Peter needed, just when he needed it!

 

 

 

III. How are we to listen to His voice and leading?

 

A. You can’t listen if you are doing all the talking.

 

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

 

When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!”

Matthew 6:5-8

 

Remember, prayer is a TWO-WAY communication! You don’t just pray down through you prayer list, then say “OK, that’s it. Gotta run!” We are to wait upon the Lord, allow Him to speak to our hearts, and for Him to tell or show us what He wants us to do for the day.

 

And you don’t have to be real wordy with your prayers. Just talk with Him like you would a friend on the phone, but just like a friend on the phone, let Him get a word in edge wise!

 

B. Follow Jesus’ example.

“But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.”

Luke 5:16

 

This is just one time the Bible records Jesus going off by himself to pray. He knew that in order to hear God’s voice clearly and without distractions, He had to be by Himself. So if Jesus did it, and we say we want to be like Jesus, shouldn’t we be doing the same thing?

 

C. Fasting is part of the training.

“I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.” 1

Corinthians 9:27

 

No excuses about fasting. I know some can’t fast from food because of medical conditions. Then fast from Facebook, or television or games on our phone, iPad, or gaming system. Spend that time reading your Bible, praying and journaling. If you can only fast one meal, then take that time to go out to your car and spend that time with God. This is a great way to set a new habit or routine, as some of the other things we do are distracting us from what God is trying to say to us that He wants us to do as believers.

 

 

IV. How does He ultimately bring glory to God?

 

“So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

1 Corinthians 10:31

 

“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”

Colossians 3:17

 

The Holy Spirit was moving upon Paul as he emphasized an important message. In his letters to the Corinthians and to the Colossians, he uses almost the same words. Not just some things, but everything, knowing that we are representing Jesus and giving glory and thanks to God. This can only be accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Left up to us, trying to do it in our own strength and power, usually ends up a train wreck!

 

The Holy Spirit is at work in our lives, pointing us to the example of Jesus and helping us become more like Him. Jesus never took credit for the miracles and wonders that He did, but rather always pointed people to give praise to His Father, God. And God loved us so much, that He sent His one and only Son to live among us and give His life for us. Then when He rose again, He ascended to the right hand of the Father to intercede for us, and the Holy Spirit came to comfort and guide us….see the wonderful cycle of love!

 

This is how we should live our lives…in the fullness of power through the Holy Spirit. This can only be done when we stay in the Word, discipline and train our hearts and minds, listen to the voice of God as He speaks to our hearts and then work together to build His kingdom, all to His glory.

 

 

I want to pray this blessing over you as we close out this message:

 

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13

 

You can listen to the message here:

 

You can watch the message by clicking HERE.

 
 

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Seize the Moment – Day 459

Today’s hymn focus will be “There is Power in the Blood”

 

1 Peter 1:18-19  (NLT)            

 

“For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God”                                                

 

This hymn was both written and composed by Lewis Edgar Jones in 1889, while he was attending a camp meeting at Mountain Lake Park, MD. He was a graduate of Moody Bible Institute, and Billy Sunday was one of his classmates.

 

While hymn writing was one of his passions, he spent most of his life working for the YMCA, in a variety of positions.

 

This hymn emphasizes the fact that we are redeemed by the blood of Christ, recognizing the sacrifice He made, giving His life to save our souls.

 

“There is power, power, wonder-working power, in the blood of the Lamb

There is power, power, wonder-working power, in the precious blood of the Lamb”

 

We need to wake up from our spiritual slumber and recognize all the power that God has given us to live our lives for Him. There is Power in the blood of Lamb (Jesus) that saves us…There is Power in the name of Jesus when we pray…and There is Power through the Holy Spirit that enables us to be His witnesses!

 

 
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
 
 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Ken reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
You can listen to this hymn by clicking on the next line:
 

There is Power in the Blood

 
1
Would you be free from your burden of sin?
There’s power in the blood, power in the blood;
Would you o’er evil a victory win?
There’s wonderful power in the blood.
 
Chorus
There is power, power, wonder-working power,
In the blood of the Lamb;
There is power, power, wonder-working power,
In the precious blood of the Lamb.
 
2
Would you be free from your passion and pride?
There’s power in the blood, power in the blood;
Come for a cleansing to Calvary’s tide,
There’s wonderful power in the blood.
 
3
Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow?
There’s power in the blood, power in the blood;
Sin-stains are lost in its life-giving flow,
There’s wonderful power in the blood.
 
4
Would you do service for Jesus your King?
There’s power in the blood, power in the blood;
Would you live daily His praises to sing?
There’s wonderful power in the blood.
 

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Seize the Moment – Day 458

How to Soften a Hard Heart!

Exodus 8

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, June 18.

 

Have you ever felt your heart harden towards a situation or a person?

 

You know you should apologize to someone, but you don’t want to. You know you should forgive someone, but you are not yet able to do so and truly mean it. Those are realities of a hard heart.

 

Exodus 8 covers three of the ten plagues: the plague of frogs (verses 1-15); the plague of gnats (verses 16-19); and the plague of flies (verses 20-32).

 

How did Pharaoh respond to each of these three plagues?

 

Pharaoh promises to let the Israelites go if Moses would give them relief from the plague, which Moses did each time by interceding to God on behalf of Pharaoh. Amazingly, God responded to Moses’s intercessions by taking away the plague.

 

Unfortunately, like many people, Pharaoh had another response after receiving relief from his suffering. He forgot and hardened his heart! Exodus 8:15 says, “But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, as the Lord had said.”

 

Obviously, this did not surprise God, but why does it surprise us? This is an everyday struggle of the human condition—we so easily and quickly forget!

 

Forgetting is one of the main reasons our hearts become hardened! That is why Peter says in 2 Peter 1:9, “For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.”

 

We must remember from what we have been saved! Because of grace and mercy, God has delivered us from death and darkness.

 

What has God delivered you from in the past? Are you thankful? Have you forgotten?

 

Seize the moment and soften your heart to God by remembering His grace and mercy towards you. You are forgiven and free because of the Cross of Jesus Christ! Make it a habit of your life to practice thankfulness and to remember daily!

 
God bless your day!
 
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.

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Seize the Moment – Day 457

The Battle Begins!

Exodus 7

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, June 17.

 

The first six chapters of Exodus has set the stage for the battle that must happen between Moses and Pharaoh so that the people of God would be set free after centuries of Egypt’s systematic slavery of the Israelites.

 

This battle would not be won with diplomacy, though words would be used, nor would this battle be won by armies, though Pharaoh will ultimately deploy his army. The battle belongs to the LORD, and God will fight and win it for His people in ways that go beyond human comprehension. God takes on Egypt’s power using the ten plagues!

 

Listen to God’s clear intent for the battle in Exodus 7:1-5,

 

Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I make you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall speak to Pharaoh that he let the sons of Israel go out of his land. But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. When Pharaoh does not listen to you, then I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments. The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst.”

 

There is always something more going on in our circumstances than we can know or imagine because God fights the battle for His glory and His kingdom purposes!

 

God took on the pantheon of false gods in Egypt to demonstrate His power and God took on the systemic slavery of Egypt and stubborn pride of Pharaoh to show His grace and compassion.

 

Seize the moment and trust God to fight your battles! God wants to demonstrate His power and presence in and through your life!

 
God bless your day!
 
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.

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Seize the Moment – Day 456

Heavy Burdened!

Exodus 6

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, June 16.

 

Are there any heavy burdens weighing you down?

 

God desires to set you free from the burdens that are oppressing you and the anxieties that are enslaving you! From Exodus 6:5-7, listen to God’s promise to Moses for the Israelites,

 

Furthermore I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, “I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.”

 

God is commanding Moses to free His people in what will forever be remembered as the first exodus! These are the words God gave to Moses to explain this to His beloved children but they would not listen as verse 9 explains, “So Moses spoke thus to the sons of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses on account of their despondency and cruel bondage.”

 

The same is true today. People are living in despondency and under the cruel bondage of sin to such a point that many cannot hear God’s gospel message of love and salvation through Jesus Christ.

 

Are their heavy burdens in your life causing you to not listen to God’s invitation?

 

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus, the second Moses, invites you, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-burdened, and I will give you rest.”

 

Seize the moment and cast all of your heavy burdens and anxieties onto Jesus and find rest from the tyranny of despondency and the cruel bondage of sin.

 

 

God bless your day!
 
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.

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Seize the Moment – Day 455

Come Under Right Authority!

Exodus 5

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, June 15.

 

Jesus made it very clear that living your life with great faith is to live your life under authority.

 

Under whose authority do you live your life?

 

Pharaoh gives us an interesting insight into the human condition—we only submit to the authority of that which we recognize. Listen to the first interaction between Moses and Pharaoh in Exodus 5:1-2,

 

And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ ” But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”

 

It will take many more exchanges and ten horrific plagues to convince Pharaoh of his error in judgment about God’s authority over him, and until that time, there would be significant loss of life and a great devastation to the Egyptian land and way of life.

 

It would take a great and divine compulsion for Pharaoh’s heart to relinquish control. Because this LORD that Pharaoh did not know about nor would recognize as having any authority over his sovereign rule of Egypt would demonstrate His ultimate sovereignty and absolute power over all things, with or without Pharaoh’s approval.

 

The same is true in our own lives!

 

Seize the moment and accept God’s sovereign rule of your life today—take on the yoke of Jesus Christ and come under the authority of God. His desire is for you to be free of Pharaoh, both from being one and from being under one. Jesus’ yoke is easy and His burden is light.

 

 

God bless your day!
 
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 

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Seize the Moment – Day 454

Excuses! Excuses!

Exodus 4

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, June 14.

 

I remember when I first experienced God’s call upon my life to be a pastor. I had a list of excuses including bad choices from my past that I felt disqualified me, ongoing struggles in my life, and the biggest one of all, my glaring inability to sing. Excuses, excuses!

 

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I had joined a long list of people that spans thousands of years of history. What is the common denominator of this list of people? People who were called by God, but who made excuses of why they weren’t qualified, if not found reasons for why they were disqualified.

 

In Exodus 4:10-13, Moses made excuses to God on why he can’t be the right guy for the job:

 

Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” The Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? “Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.” But he said, “Please, Lord, now send the message by whomever You will.”

 

Audaciously, this conversation came after God had given Moses three supernatural signs of God’s endorsement: 1) the staff turning into a serpent; 2) his hand having leprosy and then being cleansed of it; and 3) turning water from the Nile into blood.

 

Moses tried to convince God that he was disqualified, but God wasn’t buying it, because God has a whole different way of seeing things.

 

Are you currently making excuses on why God can’t use you to do something?

 

Seize the moment and make yourself available to God because God doesn’t call the qualified, God qualifies the called!

 

God bless your day!
 
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 

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Live Like a Champion – Week 24

“The Promise of an Anointing!”

1 John 2:20 (NAS95)

 

Last week, we learned that when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you are sealed by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of promise. This promise of a seal secures you in two things: 1) your identity as a child of God, and 2) your eternal life with God.

 

We are signed, sealed, and delivered in the Trinitarian fellowship of God because God has called us to be a part of His team to go into the world and represent Him—we are Image Bearers, ambassadors of Jesus Christ, messengers of His Gospel, ministers of reconciliation. People see God’s love in and through us because it is the Holy Spirit who verifies us as God’s Image Bearers. We are authenticated by the Holy Spirit, sealed for this purpose and anointed to do this very work.

 

We are now a part of God’s rescue mission and this week’s promise is an essential part of God’s plan of salvation. The play of the week is “The Promise of an Anointing!” The memory verse for this promise is 1 John 2:20, “You have an anointing from the Holy One.”

 

Let’s look at this promise in the context of 1 John 2:20-27:

 

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

 
What does it mean that we have an “anointing” from the Holy One?  
 
The concept of being “anointed” carried a specific meaning in the minds of the original audience because the anointing was a key part of the Old Covenant. Anointing oil was “used to show that an official, such as a priest or king, was chosen by God, by pouring the oil on top of the person’s head. The anointing oil was stored in the tabernacle and, later, the temple. [In Exodus 30:22-31], the oil is to be used on the tent of meeting, all of its furniture and utensils, and the priests.”[1] The anointing oil was a visible practice of an invisible reality—God anointed that which belongs to Him! He sets it apart for His use! 
 

To summarize, when you are anointed it means you are consecrated or set apart (chosen) as a person for a special work of God. Literally, you are declared holy by God. The anointing means that you have the presence and power of the Holy Spirit “abiding” in you. According to Peter in 2 Peter 1:3, the anointing is “His divine power [that] has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness.”

 

The anointing of the Holy Spirit is not about being an elite soldier for Jesus or gaining a special status or position in the church through secret knowledge or increased revelation, because the anointing is what makes each of us a Christian in the first place. You don’t need something more to make you feel more special than everyone else, because God has already made you His treasured possession! When a person is anointed or when we say there was an anointing on a service or worship time or sermon, what we are actually saying is that the presence and power of the Holy Spirit was witnessed. To walk in the anointing is to walk with Christ in His easy yoke. It is the way of life for every believer.  
 
The anointing comes from God at the same time as the seal. As Paul makes clear in 2 Corinthians 1:21-22,
“Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.”

 

Not only are we given the identity of and security as the children of God, but we are anointed by the Holy Spirit to do the work of God’s household. The promise of the anointing equips each of us to fulfill the purpose for which we have been chosen! As Pastor Ken will teach us more about next Sunday, the Holy Spirit is God’s power within us!  This was true for Jesus in His ministry, just as it is for our own. Listen to Jesus, as He began His ministry in Luke 4:14-21
 

And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

 

Jesus was quoting from Isaiah 61:1, which was again applied to Jesus in Hebrews 1:9. This same anointing is applied to set apart New Covenant believers for God’s glory.  
 
Peter make this very clear in 1 Peter 2:9-12

 

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.

 

 And just to close the loop, Peter is directly referencing Isaiah 61:6; Deuteronomy 7:6; Exodus 19:6; and Hosea 2:23.  
The anointing is established by God in the Old Covenant; fulfilled in Jesus Christ with the New Covenant, and imparted upon us and fulfilled through the Holy Spirit! This is who you are as the Church—the anointed ones (hagios) to whom Jesus has promised victory through His victory. John declares in 1 John 4:4,
“You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

 

How do we overcome? 
 
Because the same power that rose Jesus from the grave lives in us. By the power of the Holy One who has anointed us for this very reason—to defeat darkness and shine the Light! The following is a series of teachings about the Holy Spirit by Jesus on the night He was betrayed, from John 14—16: 

 

  • “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father” (John 14:12).
  • “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:16-18).
  • “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:25-26).
  • “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning” (John 15:26-27).
  • “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:7-8).
  • “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you” (John 16:13-15).
 

This is Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit is the One who sees to the fulfillment of Jesus’ promises for God’s glory. This is what the Apostle Paul meant when he stated in Philippians 2:13-16,

 

It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

 

This is the promise of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. In Mark 1:17, Jesus made the promise of discipleship to all who would follow Him:
“Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

 

Why are you anointed with the Holy Spirit?  TO MAKE YOU BECOME…  It is the anointing of the Holy Spirit that fulfills in and through us the promise of Jesus Christ to all who follow Him! God is the means by which we can partner with Him to do His will for His glory! All glory to God!

 

Church, the question is not whether or not you are anointed, because it is impossible for you to be His Church apart from this promise! As a member of the Body of Christ, you are His anointed! 

 

The question is whether or not you are walking in the anointing and experiencing the fullness of the Holy Spirit in you! 

 
 
 
 

You can listen to this message from Pastor Jerry here:

 

Or you can watch the video by clicking Here.

 
 

FOOTNOTES:

 

[1] John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016), Ex 30:25.


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Seize the Moment – Day 452

What makes a hymn a hymn?

 

Ephesians 5:18b-19     (NLT)            

 

“Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.” (NLT)

 

Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs are all sung in praise of God. The difference depends on where they have been taken from, their music and words, and the instruments accompanying them.

 

Last week, we learned that Isaac Watts began writing in the 17th century hymns and spiritual songs because his father’s church was tired of just singing the Psalms. But we were encouraged to do this all the way back to the 1st century church.

 

A Psalm is a song that is taken from the Book of Psalms and was accompanied by stringed instruments and percussion instruments.

 

Hymns are formal and traditional songs sung by the congregation that normally have four-part harmony written out for them. Many times, the lyrics were written out and then sung to classical music, traditional cultural songs and even using the melodies of songs that were sung in the local taverns. (How scandalous is that?)

 

Spiritual songs are normally described as the inspired and spontaneous songs given by the Holy Spirit Himself. They are influenced by different cultural and musical styles.

 

It’s time for us to wake up and realize that our musical preference is not what should be leading our lives. It is the Spirit that should be leading us. The musical stylings we prefer are to bring glory to God. His praise is to ever be upon our lips, whatever the style we like to sing!
 
 
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
 
 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Ken reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 

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Seize the Moment – Day 451

Friend of God!

Exodus 3

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, June 11.

 

What do you call your friends?

 

Exodus 3 tells the famous story of God’s call of Moses at the burning bush. This is a magnificent story which captures a dynamic dialogue between God and Moses. Verses 13-15 highlights a significant exchange in the conversation:

 

Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.”

 

Wow! God reveals His personal name to Moses. This was unparalleled at this time in human history, but this would become the normative pattern of Moses’ relationship with God. In Exodus 33:11, the Bible explains, “Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.”

 

God invites Moses to be His friend and to go on His behalf to rescue His people from slavery and oppression.

 

Are you a friend of God?

 

Jesus followed His Father’s example in John 15:15, “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.”

 

Seize the moment and answer Jesus’ invitation to be His friend and to go on His behalf to rescue His people from slavery and oppression.

 

God bless your day!
 
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.

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