1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:16,100 Welcome to Hub City Vineyard. 2 00:00:16,100 --> 00:00:22,720 To get connected or to give online, go to hcv.church or give.htv.church. 3 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:26,960 If at any point during this message you feel called to make a change in your life, text 4 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,400 change me to 970-00. 5 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:32,720 Thank you and enjoy the message. 6 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:37,840 Last week we launched into a new series as you heard there for the month of February, 7 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:38,840 Empowered. 8 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:44,520 And for this entire month we'll be discussing how the Holy Spirit, His life, presence, and 9 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:49,480 power of course that comes from God is available to us each and every day. 10 00:00:49,480 --> 00:00:52,380 Last week we answered the question, who is the Holy Spirit? 11 00:00:52,380 --> 00:00:56,960 If you missed that talk I would encourage you to go to our YouTube channel, like it, 12 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:01,920 and be sure to listen into it because we answered that question very clearly. 13 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:08,100 We learned the Holy Spirit was a person who wants an intimate relationship with us each 14 00:01:08,100 --> 00:01:09,100 and every day. 15 00:01:09,100 --> 00:01:14,960 Now two of the terms that we discussed, one from the Hebrew ruach and the other from Greek 16 00:01:14,960 --> 00:01:20,800 nouma, speak to the Holy Spirit being a breath or a wind. 17 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:25,280 And this morning we're going to continue our discussion on the Holy Spirit by looking at 18 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:29,200 how we are daily filled with the Spirit. 19 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:33,960 Now oftentimes word cannot express this filling of the Spirit and I would like to give you 20 00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:40,680 a visual example of what a life filled with the Spirit may look like. 21 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:41,680 Let's watch. 22 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:42,680 Right? 23 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:48,120 Now for many of us when we see that you're like there's no way, there's no way I'm going 24 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:54,720 to strap myself to that kite and allow the wind to lead me out of control. 25 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:58,800 Not knowing where I'm going to come down, not knowing where I'm going. 26 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:05,520 See that individual was simply harnessing the power of the wind and he was having a 27 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:09,720 enjoyable time, you saw the look on his face, doing it. 28 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:16,920 Well dare I say that is the same as we live a life filled with the Spirit. 29 00:02:16,920 --> 00:02:19,000 So let's open this morning in prayer. 30 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:25,520 I want to invite you even if you're at home to sit, palms up, allow your arms just to 31 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:31,640 rest on your legs and I want to invite us all to take three deep breaths. 32 00:02:31,640 --> 00:02:42,360 Let's just breathe in God's Spirit. 33 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,320 Now let's all say these words together. 34 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:48,400 Holy Spirit come. 35 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:54,960 We invite you to fill me now in Jesus name. 36 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:55,960 Amen. 37 00:02:55,960 --> 00:03:01,280 So today we're going to be focusing on one verse. 38 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:08,200 A verse that Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, Ephesians chapter 5 verse 18 says this. 39 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:12,160 Don't be drunk with wine because that will ruin your life. 40 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:18,960 Instead, everyone say instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit. 41 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:24,020 See Paul wrote these words in a letter to the church of Ephesus, this church he happened 42 00:03:24,020 --> 00:03:27,040 to plant several years before. 43 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:31,360 The city of Ephesus had roughly 300,000 residents. 44 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:35,440 It was located in what is now modern day Turkey. 45 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:37,860 Ephesus was a seaport town right on the water. 46 00:03:37,860 --> 00:03:41,080 Its primary source of income was trade. 47 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:46,600 So there was constantly people and goods moving in and out of the city. 48 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:52,200 We learned that Paul loved this city, particularly because he lived there for three years. 49 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:57,040 He loved the people and he loved the people so much that he felt like God called him to 50 00:03:57,040 --> 00:03:59,840 plan a church in that city. 51 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:04,400 See he felt that these people were hungry for the things of the spirit. 52 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:07,080 They were hungry for God. 53 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:13,920 And Paul knew this because Ephesus had a giant statue of the Greek god Artemis. 54 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:19,480 Artemis was the daughter of Zeus and people would come from all over the region to simply 55 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:22,920 visit the statue and to worship. 56 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:27,640 Now this statue actually still exists and is known as one of the seven wonders of the 57 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:28,640 world. 58 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:34,240 There was also another statue in Ephesus, a statue of the god Dionysus. 59 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,640 And Dionysus was the god of wine. 60 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:43,640 So I want you to realize when Paul made this statement to the people, do not get drunk 61 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:49,120 on wine, these people could directly relate to those words. 62 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:54,720 See, for the people of Ephesus, it was real to them because the way they worshiped this 63 00:04:54,720 --> 00:05:01,600 god was by having a huge party where everyone simply got drunk on wine. 64 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:08,400 See, the Ephesians believed that they would experience their god's presence by losing 65 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,560 control of themselves and alcohol. 66 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:17,080 The god would inhabit them as they lost control of themselves. 67 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:22,600 So drinking and becoming drunk was actually worship to them if you will. 68 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:30,480 So for Paul to say, don't get drunk, it will ruin your life, this was directly challenging 69 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:35,360 their original belief systems when it came to god. 70 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:41,760 Now the word used to ruin your life was the Greek word, asotia, and it was defined as 71 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:48,140 extreme indulgence in sensuality, excessive and extravagant squandery. 72 00:05:48,140 --> 00:05:53,800 Now this is actually the same word used to describe the prodigal son that Jesus taught 73 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:54,800 us. 74 00:05:54,800 --> 00:06:00,600 It's a squandery of time, of resources, of energy, of money. 75 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:08,240 And see, we have to pay attention to why Paul wrote this correlation between getting drunk 76 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:10,720 and being filled with the spirit. 77 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:13,480 And it wasn't just Paul that connected these two. 78 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:19,240 In Acts chapter 2, the disciples were actually accused of being drunk in the early morning 79 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,680 after they were filled with the spirit. 80 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:26,600 Now why would god include this in the bible? 81 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:31,520 This correlation between being drunk and being filled with spirit. 82 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:37,020 Well that leads us to our first thought this morning, you see, god desires that we pursue 83 00:06:37,020 --> 00:06:38,560 him more. 84 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:40,840 God desires that we pursue him more. 85 00:06:40,840 --> 00:06:47,800 See, when a person drinks excessively and becomes drunk, simply stated they lose control 86 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:49,240 of themselves. 87 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,600 They begin to act very differently. 88 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:55,800 They may begin to slur their words, say stupid things. 89 00:06:55,800 --> 00:07:03,000 Some people become very loving when drunk, while others want to fight and become violent. 90 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:10,520 Hey look, some of you unfortunately have experienced and seen how alcohol can destroy homes and 91 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:12,000 families. 92 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:16,880 And I want to say this morning, I am sorry that you went through that. 93 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:21,920 I am sorry that you experienced that and it is my prayer that god will free you from any 94 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:26,720 sort of pain you may have experienced in that issue. 95 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:30,760 And see, god is challenging us with these words in how we worship. 96 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:37,360 See, he desires that we pursue him first over the desires of the world. 97 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:42,000 And we see that when we go into verses 15 to 18. 98 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:45,160 It says be careful how you live. 99 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:49,500 Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise. 100 00:07:49,500 --> 00:07:52,040 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 101 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:57,140 Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the lord wants you to do. 102 00:07:57,140 --> 00:07:58,960 And then that's when he references being drunk. 103 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:01,360 Don't be drunk with wine because that will ruin your life. 104 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:03,320 Instead be filled with the spirit. 105 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:06,040 So Paul is challenging us. 106 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:12,400 Instead of yielding to our appetites, to our cravings, to temporary pleasures, submit to 107 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:17,440 his spirit and seek what is best for your life. 108 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:22,960 See, the spirit desires an intimate relationship with you and me. 109 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:26,880 And maybe you're here this morning and you're stuck. 110 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:30,720 Maybe you've walked through the doors and there's some form of addiction in your life. 111 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:33,680 It could be drugs or alcohol, but it doesn't have to be. 112 00:08:33,680 --> 00:08:36,680 So many people easily relate that. 113 00:08:36,680 --> 00:08:42,520 But it could be excessive spending or uncontrolled shopping just for more stuff. 114 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:43,720 It could be overeating. 115 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:45,760 It could be overindulgence. 116 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:56,400 Listen, all of those things simply leave a person empty, hopeless, and wanting more. 117 00:08:56,400 --> 00:09:03,000 God desires that we worship him more, which leads us to our next thought. 118 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:08,720 See, God generously supplies his spirit every single day. 119 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:12,920 Ephesians 5, 18, don't be drunk with wine because that will ruin your life. 120 00:09:12,920 --> 00:09:18,320 Instead be filled, everyone say filled, with the Holy Spirit. 121 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:26,280 Now the word filled comes from the Greek word plareo and it means to be filled or become 122 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:29,440 generously supplied with. 123 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:34,920 Now this word can describe the concept of a wind filling the sails of a ship as it carries 124 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:37,800 it over the seas. 125 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:43,080 And we have to realize by that definition to be filled with the Spirit is to allow God 126 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:45,660 to guide us, to lead us through life. 127 00:09:45,660 --> 00:09:52,440 Last week we used that example that our bodies, if you will, picture them as a sailboat and 128 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:56,400 God's Spirit leading us through life. 129 00:09:56,400 --> 00:10:02,440 The word filled also speaks of something that should be ongoing or continuous and it's actually 130 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:03,440 a command. 131 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:09,600 So you could translate it, be being filled with the Holy Spirit. 132 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:11,600 Be being filled with the Holy Spirit. 133 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:20,040 Just like you have to put very expensive gas in your car, we are called to be filled with 134 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:21,600 the Spirit. 135 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:28,160 Now this can become confusing to people, especially Christians, because the Bible teaches us that 136 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:34,640 when we, when you and I begin a relationship with Jesus, it teaches that we're filled with 137 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:35,640 the Spirit. 138 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:41,560 So people immediately reference, well if God filled me with his Spirit when I believed, 139 00:10:41,560 --> 00:10:43,920 why do I need to be filled again, Chris? 140 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:45,820 Let's answer that. 141 00:10:45,820 --> 00:10:50,960 When we believed God, God took residence in our hearts. 142 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:53,720 He took residence in our spirit. 143 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:56,800 He filled his spirit in to ours. 144 00:10:56,800 --> 00:11:01,880 However, throughout the New Testament, especially in the book of Acts, we can read where the 145 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:06,360 early church was filled again and again. 146 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:12,120 In fact, some biblical scholars reference the book about the establishment and growth 147 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:18,040 of the church instead of the Acts of the Apostles, they actually reference it the Acts of the 148 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:19,040 Holy Spirit. 149 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:22,280 See, look at Acts 431. 150 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:29,840 After this prayer, the meeting place shook and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. 151 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:33,280 Then they preach the word of God with boldness. 152 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:40,440 See, so we have this indwelling spirit, which is a one time happening on the day of salvation. 153 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:46,280 And then we have this every day filling of the Spirit. 154 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:50,120 Simply meaning when we're going through our everyday lives, when we're going to work, 155 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:57,480 when we're going to school, especially when we're going to Walmart, God fill me with your 156 00:11:57,480 --> 00:11:58,480 Spirit. 157 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:02,880 Because it's very important for us. 158 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:09,200 I said earlier that be filled was a verb or action and it is, but it's actually a passive 159 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:10,200 verb. 160 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:13,080 And you say, Chris, what's a passive verb? 161 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:17,000 Which simply means we don't do this on our own. 162 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:20,840 We can't be filled with God's Spirit in our own strength. 163 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:24,000 We can't be filled with God's Spirit by doing certain things. 164 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:26,200 It has to come from God. 165 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:29,680 It has to come from above. 166 00:12:29,680 --> 00:12:38,240 Now remember the Holy Spirit, the ruach, the numah, if you will, is the wind or breath 167 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:39,800 of God. 168 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:44,680 So what I'm going to do is I'm going to continue by just looking at three characteristics of 169 00:12:44,680 --> 00:12:47,200 the wind, which leads us to our third thought. 170 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:52,800 See, the Holy Spirit isn't seen, He's experienced. 171 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:54,480 The Holy Spirit isn't seen, He is experienced. 172 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:59,280 So what I've done this morning into our house of miracles, I used to do this quite a bit 173 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:00,280 back on Bauer Avenue. 174 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:02,520 I brought some object lessons with me. 175 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:03,520 Okay. 176 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:07,360 Remember I'm an educational, elementary education degree. 177 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:14,240 I'm a teacher and I believe that object lessons best encourage us to understand the Spirit. 178 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:16,280 So is it okay if I use those this morning? 179 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:17,280 Okay. 180 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:23,160 So I have here the Toro Super Leaf Blower. 181 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:24,440 Okay. 182 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:29,880 And I can turn this on and off and nothing's happening. 183 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:34,680 But when I connect to the power, something happens. 184 00:13:34,680 --> 00:13:35,720 Right? 185 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:37,800 And we all know what that is, don't we? 186 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:42,760 As soon as I find the power, I'm not able to see the power this morning. 187 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:50,280 So I'm looking for the power and I think I see it now and I do. 188 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:53,280 So we have power. 189 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:56,280 Kathy, see that? 190 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:57,280 Oh, it's not. 191 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:00,280 Oh, there's nothing going on there. 192 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:03,280 Oh, it's blowing there now. 193 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:08,000 What happened when I plugged the power source in? 194 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:11,000 You got filled. 195 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:15,400 Now, Kathy didn't necessarily see the wind. 196 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:16,880 What did she do? 197 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:18,240 She felt it. 198 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:22,360 And all of you saw her hair blowing. 199 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:25,440 So you realized there was something happening there. 200 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:27,080 True or false? 201 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:28,080 Thank you. 202 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:29,080 It's very true. 203 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:33,840 Now I have a water pitcher here. 204 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:36,840 If you're in the front row, I'm sorry. 205 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:38,040 I'm just kidding. 206 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:41,120 I'm just making them nervous. 207 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:47,080 And remember, I just referred to when we give our lives to Jesus, God what? 208 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:48,960 He puts His Spirit in us. 209 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:49,960 Right? 210 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:53,660 So this is representing us and we gave our life to Jesus. 211 00:14:53,660 --> 00:14:55,200 We got filled with His Spirit. 212 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:57,180 He is residing in us. 213 00:14:57,180 --> 00:15:01,180 But as you read the book of Acts, you constantly see the disciples, the followers of Jesus 214 00:15:01,180 --> 00:15:02,180 being what? 215 00:15:02,180 --> 00:15:03,180 Filled. 216 00:15:03,180 --> 00:15:06,880 And when we get filled, it overflows. 217 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:13,320 See, it's that constant filling that allows us to then overflow. 218 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:15,920 And then who do we overflow into? 219 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:21,560 Our friends, our coworkers, our family, our extended family, the community. 220 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:26,520 They get a piece of the Spirit coming out of us. 221 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:29,920 Look at John 14, 15 through 18. 222 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:33,760 If you love me, obey my commandments. 223 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:38,440 And I'll ask the Father and He will give you another advocate, which means helper, who 224 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:40,240 will never leave you. 225 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:42,600 He is the Holy Spirit who leads into all truth. 226 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:49,080 The world cannot receive Him because it isn't looking for Him and doesn't recognize Him. 227 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:54,320 But you know Him because He lives with you now and later will be in you. 228 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:56,800 No, I will not abandon you as orphans. 229 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:58,920 I will come to you. 230 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:01,520 So what these verses tell us is this. 231 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:07,060 Friends, we have to recognize and make room for the Holy Spirit in our lives. 232 00:16:07,060 --> 00:16:12,280 We have to recognize and make room for the Holy Spirit in this church. 233 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:18,840 See, I've had conversations with different pastors through this whole COVID thing. 234 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:22,680 And we're calling each other and people are asking me how it's going. 235 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:26,240 They ask me questions like how did you build a building in the middle of COVID? 236 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:27,700 Like what were you doing? 237 00:16:27,700 --> 00:16:28,700 What were you thinking? 238 00:16:28,700 --> 00:16:30,580 How did it all come together? 239 00:16:30,580 --> 00:16:33,360 And then you opened while it was still happening. 240 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:35,240 Like what is going on there, Chris? 241 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:37,580 You know what I say to them? 242 00:16:37,580 --> 00:16:39,640 We're just following God. 243 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:44,120 But like I can't explain why God had us build a building in the middle of COVID. 244 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:45,440 I can't explain it. 245 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:51,140 I can't explain why our giving or income went up in the middle of COVID when typically everyone's 246 00:16:51,140 --> 00:16:53,160 went down. 247 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:54,160 Right? 248 00:16:54,160 --> 00:17:01,360 I can't explain that we opened these doors two weeks before Easter last year and we had 249 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:04,160 our first baptism on Good Friday. 250 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:08,640 We had our Good Friday baptism, which is coming up again. 251 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:10,440 And then we had three others after that. 252 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:13,040 And just last year alone, we had 51 baptisms. 253 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:14,040 Right? 254 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:15,040 Yeah, that's right. 255 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:16,840 That's an incredible amount. 256 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:22,080 And listen, that's not even adding in our New Year's Day baptism when 19 other people 257 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:26,520 got baptized, which brings us currently, we haven't even been in this place a year yet. 258 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:28,400 We're already at 70 baptisms. 259 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:33,000 That's 70 lives changed and now following Jesus. 260 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:36,640 And I'm believing that God's going to, when we have this Good Friday baptism coming up, 261 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:40,040 we're going to have over 100 in a year. 262 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:41,040 Right? 263 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:45,760 Let me just simply say, that's not anything I'm doing. 264 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:47,360 That's God. 265 00:17:47,360 --> 00:17:54,680 Friends, that's the Holy Spirit breathing and moving in people's lives. 266 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:55,680 Okay? 267 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:59,520 And we see that in Acts chapter two, verses one through four and 13. 268 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:04,240 On the day of Pentecost, all the believers were meeting together in one place. 269 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:07,920 Suddenly there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it 270 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:12,760 filled the house where they were sitting just like he's filling this room. 271 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:16,360 Then what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled in each of them. 272 00:18:16,360 --> 00:18:21,520 And everyone present was filled with the Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the 273 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:24,280 Holy Spirit gave them this ability. 274 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:29,960 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, verse 13 saying, ah, they're just drunk. 275 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:30,960 That's, oh. 276 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:34,400 See, there's that correlation again. 277 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:35,920 People are seeing something different. 278 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:38,560 They're like, whoa, this isn't normal. 279 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:39,880 It's very early in the morning. 280 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:44,760 These people are strange and acting weird and they didn't quite get it. 281 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:46,920 Just like Jesus said about the Spirit, right? 282 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:52,560 Those outside of the faith are going to be hesitant to what they're seeing. 283 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:54,960 That's why they asked, are they drunk? 284 00:18:54,960 --> 00:19:03,320 However, the scriptures are very clear that all of them were filled with the Spirit. 285 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:04,760 Now hear me out. 286 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:08,080 It wasn't just a few of God's favorites, right? 287 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:10,000 God has no favorites. 288 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:13,180 In fact, we are all His favorites. 289 00:19:13,180 --> 00:19:20,520 So on the day of Pentecost, 120 men and women, everyone say women, were in the upper room 290 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:25,720 in Jerusalem and they were all filled, say filled, with the Spirit. 291 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:28,240 See, it was no coincidence. 292 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:29,240 It wasn't chance. 293 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:33,640 It wasn't a lottery that they played. 294 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:38,160 Each of the 120 received and all were filled. 295 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:41,440 See, their gender was not in consideration. 296 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:43,960 Neither was their age or race or status in life. 297 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:44,960 Now think about this. 298 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:50,200 Someone, it could have been an angel, I have no idea, in heaven must have counted the heads 299 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:55,360 since one flame landed on each of them. 300 00:19:55,360 --> 00:20:02,080 So I'm here to say this morning, if you have a head, God has a flame for you. 301 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:14,560 Right now, you are counted in those numbers and you will receive power. 302 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:17,160 Which leads us to our next thought. 303 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:20,120 See the Holy Spirit is unpredictable. 304 00:20:20,120 --> 00:20:24,440 John 3, 8, the wind blows wherever it wants. 305 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:28,320 Just as you can hear the wind but can't tell where it comes from or where it is going, 306 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:32,960 so you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit. 307 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:35,920 See here's the reality, here's the truth for many of us. 308 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:42,000 One of the big reasons people are hesitant to the Holy Spirit is we can't control the 309 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:43,120 Holy Spirit. 310 00:20:43,120 --> 00:20:46,080 We can't control the working of the Holy Spirit. 311 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:49,480 And guess what friends, we like controlling our lives. 312 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:53,300 Can I get an amen? 313 00:20:53,300 --> 00:20:54,680 We like everything. 314 00:20:54,680 --> 00:21:02,000 Our schedules, our work, our days, our finances, our friends in our neat little boxes. 315 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:04,040 And we don't like them being messed with. 316 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:05,040 True or false? 317 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:09,240 I want very many truths but it's true. 318 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:18,160 You see the Holy Spirit tends to blow through those boxes and blows those papers everywhere 319 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:21,280 and on some occasions knocks those boxes down. 320 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:23,600 And you want to know why? 321 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:29,760 Because when we have everything in order and when we are in control we don't need God and 322 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:31,240 we get real comfortable. 323 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:37,000 But see the Holy Spirit is unpredictable. 324 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:39,920 Just like that video we watched in the opening. 325 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:45,320 It's going to blow us and take us places we never even imagined. 326 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:49,400 Now hear me out, I've had so many conversations over the years where people have shared with 327 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:50,400 me. 328 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:56,280 Every person that fills out a connection card for the first time whether online or a hard 329 00:21:56,280 --> 00:22:01,040 copy I reach out to them the following week and I ask them what was your experience like. 330 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:08,920 So I reach out to every single person and constantly I hear, well Chris I just experienced 331 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:11,240 something different at HCV. 332 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:14,820 There was just something different there. 333 00:22:14,820 --> 00:22:18,760 I was singing those songs and I didn't even know the words. 334 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:23,160 I didn't even like the music but I began to cry. 335 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:28,360 And I don't know why I was even crying because I wasn't even sad. 336 00:22:28,360 --> 00:22:33,820 Chris while you were sharing it was as if God was speaking right to me like you were 337 00:22:33,820 --> 00:22:39,240 watching in this video of my life this week and I realized through your words that God 338 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:46,680 was real and God was inviting me to something more, to change. 339 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:53,080 See an experience with God is not something we initiate or control. 340 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:56,480 It's something we invite God to do. 341 00:22:56,480 --> 00:23:02,580 And this morning you all already did it. 342 00:23:02,580 --> 00:23:09,960 We just have to make room for the Spirit to move and He is unpredictable. 343 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:10,960 Very unpredictable. 344 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:14,760 Listen I've been doing this for a long time. 345 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:20,680 And I know when a person makes room for the Holy Spirit their life is supernaturally 346 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:21,680 changed. 347 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:27,560 Whether it be an addiction, a marriage, a job, a healing in their body, joy in their 348 00:23:27,560 --> 00:23:33,640 life, their life is changed. 349 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:37,360 But it's a choice to make room for the Spirit. 350 00:23:37,360 --> 00:23:40,140 I mean look at Philip in Acts 8, this is amazing I love it. 351 00:23:40,140 --> 00:23:46,000 The Holy Spirit said to Philip go over and walk along beside the carriage. 352 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:48,040 Now notice what it says, Philip ran over. 353 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:50,240 And he said well why did he run? 354 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:54,160 The Holy Spirit told him to walk because Philip was excited to be what? 355 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:57,320 To be used by the Spirit. 356 00:23:57,320 --> 00:24:01,480 He ran over, heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah and Philip asked, do you understand 357 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:03,080 what you're reading? 358 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:08,480 And he ended up leading that individual into a relationship with Jesus. 359 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:17,720 And see that can be our life if we allow ourselves to be following an unpredictable God. 360 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:24,920 The Holy Spirit provided him an opportunity and daily we're going to be given these opportunities 361 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:27,240 when we're led by the Spirit. 362 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:30,720 But hang on, right? 363 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:33,100 That ride can get real crazy. 364 00:24:33,100 --> 00:24:35,760 Which leads us to our next thought. 365 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:37,320 See the Holy Spirit is powerful. 366 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:40,640 I mean wind is powerful, right? 367 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:45,800 It can generate electricity, it can sail a ship, a tornado or hurricane can destroy entire 368 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:47,440 towns. 369 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:51,160 Wind is powerful. 370 00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:54,140 And I believe many of you are going through something right now. 371 00:24:54,140 --> 00:24:57,160 Maybe God brought you here today just to hear this. 372 00:24:57,160 --> 00:25:04,000 Human strength, your own power, your decision making, your finances is not going to get 373 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:05,980 you through it. 374 00:25:05,980 --> 00:25:09,720 What you need is the power of God. 375 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:14,560 There's a difficulty that you're currently going through or facing that's staring you 376 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:21,760 in the face almost like a mountain and I'm here to let you know you're not alone. 377 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:26,040 That God is inviting you to connect with this power and we learn that the Holy Spirit then 378 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:30,680 comes alongside of us so that we don't have to go through this thing called life all by 379 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:33,200 ourself. 380 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:35,680 Acts 1, 5 and 8. 381 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:42,160 John baptized with water but in just a few days you'll be baptized with the Holy Spirit. 382 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:47,080 You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses 383 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:52,480 telling people about me everywhere in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria and to the ends 384 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:53,480 of the earth. 385 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:56,040 Now I want you all to hear this. 386 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:59,920 It doesn't say you might receive. 387 00:25:59,920 --> 00:26:03,420 It doesn't say well some of you will receive. 388 00:26:03,420 --> 00:26:07,860 It says you will receive. 389 00:26:07,860 --> 00:26:11,400 And I want to encourage you, look I stand on this verse. 390 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:17,000 I believe that God is sending our community of faith into the tri-state area not in our 391 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:22,920 own strength but with His power so that it's flowing out of us to release hope and change 392 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:25,860 to many. 393 00:26:25,860 --> 00:26:32,520 And I believe that because without the Holy Spirit we're just another church hoping to 394 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:34,600 pay our bills. 395 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:38,400 Without the Holy Spirit we're just another church hoping to pay our bills. 396 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:44,700 Without the Holy Spirit we're just hoping one new person walks through our doors. 397 00:26:44,700 --> 00:26:52,140 Without the Holy Spirit church becomes a box that needs checked and the songs that we sing 398 00:26:52,140 --> 00:26:56,800 just become words, not change, life change. 399 00:26:56,800 --> 00:27:02,320 Listen, I'm just being honest with all of you. 400 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:05,360 I don't want that for our community of faith. 401 00:27:05,360 --> 00:27:09,840 I don't want that. 402 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:15,660 But it can happen if we're not giving space for the Holy Spirit to move and change us. 403 00:27:15,660 --> 00:27:21,120 If we simply become religious and go through the motions Sunday after Sunday we can find 404 00:27:21,120 --> 00:27:29,280 ourselves trapped in simply what is not God's best for our lives. 405 00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:33,000 And that leads us to our action steps being filled with the Spirit. 406 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:39,280 See the cool thing about Paul, he challenges us to be filled with the Spirit and then he 407 00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:43,520 gives us these practical steps to living them out every day in the next verse. 408 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:44,520 It's amazing. 409 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:50,680 He says be filled and he says this is how you do it and the first is this. 410 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:53,280 Look you've got to give up control. 411 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:56,360 Ephesians 5 18 from the amplified version. 412 00:27:56,360 --> 00:28:02,200 Do not get drunk with wine for that is wickedness, corruption, stupidity, but be filled with 413 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:06,360 the Holy Spirit and constantly guided by him. 414 00:28:06,360 --> 00:28:13,920 See when we give up control, when we yield to God, then we are filled. 415 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:16,600 God I need you to blow in my life. 416 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:19,880 I'm giving you control of fill in the blank. 417 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:21,760 Does that make sense? 418 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:24,980 It's not the same for all of us. 419 00:28:24,980 --> 00:28:26,560 God I'm giving up control of my marriage. 420 00:28:26,560 --> 00:28:28,240 I'm giving up control of my relationships. 421 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:29,640 I'm giving up control of my finances. 422 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:31,080 I'm giving up control of my job. 423 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:34,640 I'm giving up control of my children. 424 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:38,840 I'm giving up control. 425 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:41,400 And it's not about you. 426 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:45,360 We have to realize when we give up control it's about others as well. 427 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:46,360 Remember our example? 428 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:48,320 Look yeah you gave your life to Jesus. 429 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:49,320 That's great. 430 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:50,320 You have a deposit. 431 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:55,800 You have a resident, he's residing in your life but nothing's happening. 432 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:59,580 But when you're constantly being filled, God control, I'm giving it up. 433 00:28:59,580 --> 00:29:04,560 It just is an overflow of his spirit. 434 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:12,360 It's constantly encountering God and as we're encountering God we're giving it away to others. 435 00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:18,120 For example for years we've been doing this Valentine, tomorrow's Valentine's Day right? 436 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:21,880 If you have a spouse look at her and say I love you. 437 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:23,880 That was horrible. 438 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:26,600 Are you not proud to be married? 439 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:30,200 Roger, look at her and say I love you. 440 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:33,200 Yeah Roger. 441 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:40,240 So we've been doing this flower giveaway in the Square of Hagerstown since we've been 442 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:41,760 here. 443 00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:44,000 We give away flowers. 444 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:49,080 And tomorrow we're going to be in the Square of Hagerstown and Newsflash the Square of 445 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:54,280 Martinsburg all you West Virginia Mountaineer fans. 446 00:29:54,280 --> 00:30:00,640 Go Terps. 447 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:01,640 To give away flowers. 448 00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:04,520 Right and you say Chris why would I do that? 449 00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:07,320 Because we are overflowing with his spirit. 450 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:10,840 See you don't realize what change you can bring to hand someone a flower and say hey 451 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:14,120 God loves you let us know if you need anything and that's all you say. 452 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:17,480 But that may lead to a prayer, that may lead to a healing, that may lead to someone giving 453 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:20,280 their life to Jesus right there in the Square. 454 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:22,400 Because you're being obedient. 455 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:25,880 So my point is I need ten people to go to Hagerstown, ten people to go to Martinsburg. 456 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:28,080 Do I have them in here? 457 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:29,560 I believe I do. 458 00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:31,640 Go to the Welcome Hub and sign up. 459 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:37,760 Now other of you is thinking well Chris I have friends and they don't like church. 460 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:41,160 They believe if they come into a church the roof is going to burn down. 461 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:43,080 They just don't like church. 462 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:47,140 Ok listen you saw in the announcements invite them to a movie night. 463 00:30:47,140 --> 00:30:49,840 They want something to do with their kids anyway. 464 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:51,400 Right? 465 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,440 Invite them to movie night this Friday night and then they roll in and they realize wow 466 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:57,600 this is cool this doesn't look like church. 467 00:30:57,600 --> 00:31:01,360 This looks like a place where I can just hang out and be myself. 468 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:03,320 You know why do we do these things? 469 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:09,120 Because we want to give up control of the way to do church in order that other people 470 00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:15,240 will be impacted by his spirit. 471 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:18,000 John 15 5. 472 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:21,080 I am the vine you are the branches. 473 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:25,040 Those who remain in me and I in them will produce much fruit. 474 00:31:25,040 --> 00:31:30,880 But apart from me you can do nothing. 475 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:34,280 I don't want to be a people who are doing nothing. 476 00:31:34,280 --> 00:31:35,880 I don't want to be a people. 477 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:40,120 I don't want to be a church that is distracted and is comfortable. 478 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:44,840 I want to be a group of people that is giving away the Holy Spirit. 479 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:47,720 Leo Tolstoy said this. 480 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:54,120 Our whole life is taken up with preparations for living so that we never really live it 481 00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:55,700 all. 482 00:31:55,700 --> 00:31:59,760 Our whole life is taken up with preparations for living so that we never really live it 483 00:31:59,760 --> 00:32:00,760 all. 484 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:01,960 I tell you this. 485 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:03,760 We all have our schedules in our boxes. 486 00:32:03,760 --> 00:32:05,760 I mean think about it. 487 00:32:05,760 --> 00:32:07,840 It all started in middle school. 488 00:32:07,840 --> 00:32:11,320 When we were in middle school we couldn't wait to get to high school because it was 489 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:12,320 so much better. 490 00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:13,320 It was freedom. 491 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:16,240 And when we were in high school we couldn't wait to get to college because our parents 492 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:17,880 don't know nothing. 493 00:32:17,880 --> 00:32:19,320 They're controlling me. 494 00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:21,760 But when I get to college it all changes. 495 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:23,800 And then you get to college and you find yourself miserable. 496 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:24,800 You realize your parents are right. 497 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:28,880 Then you got to focus on a career because you got to pay the bills of the college you 498 00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:29,880 just went to. 499 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:32,960 So you're looking to this career and you're thinking I'm going to get this job. 500 00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:34,240 It's going to bring in money. 501 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:35,240 I'm going to pay all my bills. 502 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:36,240 I'm going to be happy. 503 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:37,240 I'm going to be successful. 504 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:38,240 Then you get your career. 505 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:39,600 You hate your job. 506 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:40,600 You realize it sucks. 507 00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:42,600 So you think about I can't wait till I retire. 508 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:44,600 Do I get my 401k? 509 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:55,600 Everything's going to be better. 510 00:32:55,600 --> 00:33:02,720 We're constantly living to prepare to live instead of saying I got to live in the moment. 511 00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:06,640 I got to live in the possibility of the moment. 512 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:12,880 This whole text is about living an abundant life every day and being filled with the Spirit 513 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:13,880 every day. 514 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:14,880 That's all it's about. 515 00:33:14,880 --> 00:33:17,400 It's not about focusing on what's next. 516 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:19,560 It's not about the next stage in life. 517 00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:20,560 It's not about the next event. 518 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:23,880 It's not about the next marker. 519 00:33:23,880 --> 00:33:27,680 It's living in the moment. 520 00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:31,680 Connecting to the Spirit every day and then releasing it into the lives of others. 521 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:38,600 But that only happens when we give up control. 522 00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:42,800 God help us to give up control. 523 00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:44,040 Which leads us to our next step. 524 00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:45,040 Just speak life. 525 00:33:45,040 --> 00:33:48,240 Ephesians 5 19 from the Amplified. 526 00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:55,320 Speak to one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. 527 00:33:55,320 --> 00:34:01,080 Spoken words are either life or death. 528 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:05,340 When it comes to our co-workers we can empower them or we can beat them up. 529 00:34:05,340 --> 00:34:12,280 When it comes to our very own children we can build them up or tear them down. 530 00:34:12,280 --> 00:34:15,240 Our words have the power of life or death. 531 00:34:15,240 --> 00:34:17,480 Our words can have power. 532 00:34:17,480 --> 00:34:24,080 Our words can have anointing in life when we partner with the Holy Spirit. 533 00:34:24,080 --> 00:34:32,720 So I want to constantly challenge you to invite the Holy Spirit into your mouth. 534 00:34:32,720 --> 00:34:35,800 Especially those of you that struggle with foul language. 535 00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:40,080 Have you ever thought about this? 536 00:34:40,080 --> 00:34:43,560 God highlighted to me this the very earliest morning when I was preparing. 537 00:34:43,560 --> 00:34:45,200 Listen to this. 538 00:34:45,200 --> 00:34:49,840 A great way to take a barometer on our Holy Spirit tank. 539 00:34:49,840 --> 00:34:55,520 And what I mean by that is remember your car when it's driving it needs gas. 540 00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:59,280 And all of you are like me when the gas light comes on you think how many more miles can 541 00:34:59,280 --> 00:35:00,280 I get? 542 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:02,040 Gas is really expensive. 543 00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:04,840 I know I can get 30 more miles. 544 00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:09,200 So I'm going to wait and hold off to the last second. 545 00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:14,560 Listen a great barometer on your Holy Spirit tank is simply this. 546 00:35:14,560 --> 00:35:16,700 The words coming out of your mouth. 547 00:35:16,700 --> 00:35:22,260 If you find yourself constantly speaking negativity not just with your words but what you're typing 548 00:35:22,260 --> 00:35:24,120 on social media. 549 00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:26,960 Being judgmental with our words about others. 550 00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:29,720 Arguing your opinion to the point of anger. 551 00:35:29,720 --> 00:35:31,840 Guess what? 552 00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:37,480 Your Holy Spirit tank is low and running on empty. 553 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:42,900 And you need to invite the Holy Spirit to refill you. 554 00:35:42,900 --> 00:35:50,040 You need to pause and say Holy Spirit come fill me again. 555 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:51,880 Which leads us to our next step. 556 00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:54,640 We've got to surrender control. 557 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:55,640 Speak life. 558 00:35:55,640 --> 00:35:56,640 Number three. 559 00:35:56,640 --> 00:35:57,640 Just sing out. 560 00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:00,280 Ephesians 5 19 again from the Amplified. 561 00:36:00,280 --> 00:36:03,200 Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. 562 00:36:03,200 --> 00:36:08,680 Offering praise by singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord. 563 00:36:08,680 --> 00:36:12,640 Singing proves how much we trust God. 564 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:18,360 When we sing out it allows others to see and hear our hope. 565 00:36:18,360 --> 00:36:23,400 Right whether in your house, in your car, put on some worship music and just start singing 566 00:36:23,400 --> 00:36:25,180 out loud. 567 00:36:25,180 --> 00:36:27,380 Like in the mornings. 568 00:36:27,380 --> 00:36:29,780 Like you wake up you don't want to be up. 569 00:36:29,780 --> 00:36:33,120 You got to make lunches if you got kids, if you got teenagers you got to make lunches, 570 00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:36,800 you got to make breakfast you're going through the motions. 571 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:37,800 Listen. 572 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:41,200 Lexa play me some worship music. 573 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:42,200 Right? 574 00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:43,200 Lexa. 575 00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:46,200 Play fill me up. 576 00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:47,200 Right? 577 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:55,520 And when the song starts playing as the Spirit was moving over the water Spirit come move 578 00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:58,040 over us. 579 00:36:58,040 --> 00:36:59,040 Just start singing out. 580 00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:00,040 Guess what? 581 00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:02,080 You're going to drive your teenagers nuts. 582 00:37:02,080 --> 00:37:03,420 Because they don't want to be up. 583 00:37:03,420 --> 00:37:04,420 They don't want to hear you singing. 584 00:37:04,420 --> 00:37:08,840 You already got a bad voice but all of a sudden you're happy and singing. 585 00:37:08,840 --> 00:37:13,640 And the Holy Spirit is going to be jabbing your teenagers right in the ribs because you're 586 00:37:13,640 --> 00:37:16,040 singing out loud. 587 00:37:16,040 --> 00:37:17,040 Does it help? 588 00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:18,040 You're darn right it helps. 589 00:37:18,040 --> 00:37:19,040 Listen to this. 590 00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:26,960 Sojourner Truth was a black American abolitionist and women's right advocate and she said this, 591 00:37:26,960 --> 00:37:29,240 life is a hard battle anyway. 592 00:37:29,240 --> 00:37:33,720 If we laugh and sing a little as we fight the good fight of freedom it makes it all 593 00:37:33,720 --> 00:37:35,320 go easier. 594 00:37:35,320 --> 00:37:40,600 I will not allow my life's light to be determined by the darkness around me. 595 00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:45,240 Man isn't that truth? 596 00:37:45,240 --> 00:37:46,240 Just this week man. 597 00:37:46,240 --> 00:37:48,480 I don't remember what day it was. 598 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:49,480 It was Tuesday or Wednesday. 599 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:50,480 It was earlier in the week. 600 00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:53,120 And I was just having one of those mornings. 601 00:37:53,120 --> 00:37:55,120 I was feeling overwhelmed. 602 00:37:55,120 --> 00:37:56,120 Right? 603 00:37:56,120 --> 00:37:57,720 I felt like I was just struggling. 604 00:37:57,720 --> 00:37:58,720 I was exhausted. 605 00:37:58,720 --> 00:38:00,120 I didn't sleep well. 606 00:38:00,120 --> 00:38:02,160 It was just one of those days. 607 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:03,160 Right? 608 00:38:03,160 --> 00:38:04,520 A lot was happening in the church. 609 00:38:04,520 --> 00:38:05,880 I was praying for people. 610 00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:08,920 Just people struggling with things. 611 00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:11,720 And I was just having one of those mornings. 612 00:38:11,720 --> 00:38:14,240 So I'm taking my daughter to school. 613 00:38:14,240 --> 00:38:16,040 I'm taking Lily to school. 614 00:38:16,040 --> 00:38:20,080 And when we go to school I always make sure I put on some worship music. 615 00:38:20,080 --> 00:38:24,960 And as I was driving to school I was feeling this way and the song Gratitude by Brandon 616 00:38:24,960 --> 00:38:26,440 Lake just started playing. 617 00:38:26,440 --> 00:38:27,440 Right? 618 00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:32,160 And if you don't know the song, like literally the song came on and started playing and I 619 00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:33,160 just couldn't help myself. 620 00:38:33,160 --> 00:38:34,960 And I began to sing. 621 00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:37,080 Come on my soul. 622 00:38:37,080 --> 00:38:39,200 Don't you get shy on me. 623 00:38:39,200 --> 00:38:40,960 Lift up your song. 624 00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:45,600 Cause I've got a lion inside of these lungs. 625 00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:49,160 Get up and praise the Lord. 626 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:50,160 Right? 627 00:38:50,160 --> 00:38:51,160 That's it. 628 00:38:51,160 --> 00:38:54,160 So I just started singing. 629 00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:55,160 Right? 630 00:38:55,160 --> 00:38:58,040 So I'm singing and then all of a sudden I'm crying. 631 00:38:58,040 --> 00:39:00,640 And I'm like, why am I crying? 632 00:39:00,640 --> 00:39:05,320 And then I began to realize that was the Holy Spirit coming alongside of me. 633 00:39:05,320 --> 00:39:08,160 Does that make sense? 634 00:39:08,160 --> 00:39:11,600 Coming alongside of me. 635 00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:16,200 Now you in the second gathering get a little bonus because this just happened to me. 636 00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:19,680 So during the first gathering I had a different set of earrings in. 637 00:39:19,680 --> 00:39:22,800 And every time I turned my head like this, guess what happened? 638 00:39:22,800 --> 00:39:27,080 They were clicking in the microphone and it was driving everybody crazy and it was stressing 639 00:39:27,080 --> 00:39:28,080 me out. 640 00:39:28,080 --> 00:39:29,080 Okay? 641 00:39:29,080 --> 00:39:32,600 Cause I don't like clicking. 642 00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:35,840 So I went home and I went home to change my earrings. 643 00:39:35,840 --> 00:39:36,840 Alright? 644 00:39:36,840 --> 00:39:39,880 So as I get home I walk through the door. 645 00:39:39,880 --> 00:39:45,320 There's Bae, my beautiful white poodle to greet me. 646 00:39:45,320 --> 00:39:49,320 And I sprint up the steps to the third floor because that's where our bedroom is and I 647 00:39:49,320 --> 00:39:52,200 notice she doesn't follow me. 648 00:39:52,200 --> 00:39:57,680 I get to the third floor, walk into our room and walk into the bathroom and I find that 649 00:39:57,680 --> 00:40:03,320 she had decided to get into our trash. 650 00:40:03,320 --> 00:40:16,360 And it just so happened friends that there was a poopy diaper in that trash. 651 00:40:16,360 --> 00:40:20,880 So I'm at home needing to change my earrings out, vomiting in my mouth because it smells 652 00:40:20,880 --> 00:40:22,720 like poop right beside me. 653 00:40:22,720 --> 00:40:33,080 There's turds on the floor smeared into the floor. 654 00:40:33,080 --> 00:40:35,120 Roger you know what I did didn't you? 655 00:40:35,120 --> 00:40:39,800 I kicked that, I did not do that. 656 00:40:39,800 --> 00:40:44,240 I didn't kick her Dave, I promise. 657 00:40:44,240 --> 00:40:47,160 I began to sing. 658 00:40:47,160 --> 00:40:48,160 I did. 659 00:40:48,160 --> 00:40:59,160 Listen, in that situation you either sing or that dog's going somewhere. 660 00:40:59,160 --> 00:41:02,040 Man I was singing. 661 00:41:02,040 --> 00:41:12,560 Holy Spirit you are welcome here as I'm putting earrings in and then I paused and cleaned 662 00:41:12,560 --> 00:41:23,080 up poop and made my way back here to share with you. 663 00:41:23,080 --> 00:41:28,560 Here's my point, listen seriously though, when we start singing that's how we fight 664 00:41:28,560 --> 00:41:29,560 our battles. 665 00:41:29,560 --> 00:41:34,560 See we come here on Sundays and we'll even sing our song, this is how I fight my battles. 666 00:41:34,560 --> 00:41:36,720 And you guys know that song right? 667 00:41:36,720 --> 00:41:39,960 And on a Sunday you'll be singing out loud and you'll be into it and you'll be tapping 668 00:41:39,960 --> 00:41:40,960 your foot. 669 00:41:40,960 --> 00:41:45,800 You'll be raising your arm but then when you're in the midst of the chaos you don't want to 670 00:41:45,800 --> 00:41:46,800 sing. 671 00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:50,600 But when we sing that's when we experience victory. 672 00:41:50,600 --> 00:41:52,880 Amen? 673 00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:55,920 Which leads us to our final step. 674 00:41:55,920 --> 00:41:58,560 Just be thankful. 675 00:41:58,560 --> 00:42:04,640 Remember that word filled comes from the Greek word pleiraou and it means generously supplied 676 00:42:04,640 --> 00:42:05,840 with. 677 00:42:05,840 --> 00:42:10,820 Jesus told his disciples he had to die so that we would receive what? 678 00:42:10,820 --> 00:42:11,820 Something better. 679 00:42:11,820 --> 00:42:18,320 He said I got to go die so that you receive something better. 680 00:42:18,320 --> 00:42:24,620 See we need to be constantly thanking God that he generously supplied us with the ability 681 00:42:24,620 --> 00:42:26,840 to live an abundant life. 682 00:42:26,840 --> 00:42:30,080 And Paul even says that in Ephesians 520. 683 00:42:30,080 --> 00:42:32,600 Always giving thanks to God. 684 00:42:32,600 --> 00:42:39,720 Always giving thanks to God the Father for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 685 00:42:39,720 --> 00:42:42,440 See we need to always be grateful. 686 00:42:42,440 --> 00:42:45,120 We need to be thankful for this life that we've been given. 687 00:42:45,120 --> 00:42:51,680 We need to be looking for opportunities to serve in a living God and to bring his hope 688 00:42:51,680 --> 00:42:52,680 to others. 689 00:42:52,680 --> 00:42:58,120 Now listen I've got a specific word for you this morning. 690 00:42:58,120 --> 00:43:04,440 I was praying this week and as I was praying and in my quiet time I felt that God was going 691 00:43:04,440 --> 00:43:11,920 to bring to this place people this morning that were going through the doldrums. 692 00:43:11,920 --> 00:43:16,240 Even when I said that word you thought man that's me. 693 00:43:16,240 --> 00:43:19,080 It could be the winter blues. 694 00:43:19,080 --> 00:43:20,520 It could be a relationship you're in. 695 00:43:20,520 --> 00:43:22,400 It could be a marriage that you're struggling with. 696 00:43:22,400 --> 00:43:23,400 It could be your job. 697 00:43:23,400 --> 00:43:24,920 It could be spiritual doldrums. 698 00:43:24,920 --> 00:43:29,320 You might have a bad attitude with God. 699 00:43:29,320 --> 00:43:36,200 It could be that you're just bored with life and you're just going through the motions. 700 00:43:36,200 --> 00:43:41,320 Listen the doldrums, the little research is an actual place. 701 00:43:41,320 --> 00:43:48,160 It's an actual place near the equator called the inner tropical convergence zone. 702 00:43:48,160 --> 00:43:53,300 And it's in this zone where the wind literally stops. 703 00:43:53,300 --> 00:43:56,840 And for ships at sea without motors you've got to remember this name was given when there 704 00:43:56,840 --> 00:44:00,920 was only sailboats. 705 00:44:00,920 --> 00:44:05,900 If they found themselves in this zone all movement literally stopped. 706 00:44:05,900 --> 00:44:12,600 The waters became lifeless and the ships began to drift. 707 00:44:12,600 --> 00:44:21,120 Soldiers named the place the doldrums because sometimes when they got in the doldrums it 708 00:44:21,120 --> 00:44:28,760 meant death, that soldiers didn't get out alive because they ran out of food, ran out 709 00:44:28,760 --> 00:44:32,040 of water. 710 00:44:32,040 --> 00:44:34,320 And God wants to speak to that this morning. 711 00:44:34,320 --> 00:44:44,920 Will you stand with me? 712 00:44:44,920 --> 00:44:47,920 Come Holy Spirit. 713 00:44:47,920 --> 00:44:52,440 Oh God you're so good. 714 00:44:52,440 --> 00:44:56,240 We're just thankful for your living presence in this place this morning God. 715 00:44:56,240 --> 00:44:59,980 We want to give you room. 716 00:44:59,980 --> 00:45:06,840 We want to make room for you to move in our lives. 717 00:45:06,840 --> 00:45:10,600 So if you connected with that, if you walked in here and you heard that doldrums and you're 718 00:45:10,600 --> 00:45:11,600 like man that's me. 719 00:45:11,600 --> 00:45:13,280 It doesn't matter what you're going through. 720 00:45:13,280 --> 00:45:20,840 I'm going to pray for you right now in the name of Jesus I pray that you would release 721 00:45:20,840 --> 00:45:25,880 that situation, that difficulty over to God. 722 00:45:25,880 --> 00:45:28,660 Whatever it is, it's causing those doldrums. 723 00:45:28,660 --> 00:45:29,660 Give it to Him now. 724 00:45:29,660 --> 00:45:32,660 Say God I give it to you. 725 00:45:32,660 --> 00:45:38,840 And now say Holy Spirit fill that space. 726 00:45:38,840 --> 00:45:39,840 Yes. 727 00:45:39,840 --> 00:45:47,600 See when we make room, that's when God moves. 728 00:45:47,600 --> 00:45:52,040 When we make room, that's when God moves. 729 00:45:52,040 --> 00:45:58,340 Now there was also a few other words I want to share with you that our prayer team was 730 00:45:58,340 --> 00:46:04,360 praying for you this week and did you know that one out of every four adult living in 731 00:46:04,360 --> 00:46:09,960 the United States struggle with some form of mental health issues. 732 00:46:09,960 --> 00:46:20,720 It could be bipolarism, could be personal personality disorder, it could be depression, 733 00:46:20,720 --> 00:46:23,520 post-traumatic stress. 734 00:46:23,520 --> 00:46:33,240 And to go along with those mental health issues, we also received the word anxiety and being 735 00:46:33,240 --> 00:46:35,960 overwhelmed. 736 00:46:35,960 --> 00:46:42,960 Now there are specific needs that need prayed for individually. 737 00:46:42,960 --> 00:46:47,600 And we're going to sing the song Holy Spirit literally. 738 00:46:47,600 --> 00:46:52,840 And as we're singing out I want to invite you if you relate to those issues, there will 739 00:46:52,840 --> 00:46:55,880 be people here on my right to pray for you. 740 00:46:55,880 --> 00:46:58,360 And I'm believing that God's going to set you free. 741 00:46:58,360 --> 00:47:04,560 I'm believing that God is going to set into motion your healing this morning. 742 00:47:04,560 --> 00:47:07,640 So as we're singing I want to invite you if you connect with that to come to my right, 743 00:47:07,640 --> 00:47:12,280 there will be people there to pray for you. 744 00:47:12,280 --> 00:47:15,200 But I want to encourage all of you, if you need fill with the Holy Spirit what do we 745 00:47:15,200 --> 00:47:16,200 need to do? 746 00:47:16,200 --> 00:47:17,200 Sing out. 747 00:47:17,200 --> 00:47:24,960 And listen, listen, if Chris can sing with the microphone on, you can sing without one 748 00:47:24,960 --> 00:47:25,960 on. 749 00:47:25,960 --> 00:47:29,120 You can sing loud and proud. 750 00:47:29,120 --> 00:47:31,920 Because I'm believing as you sing loud and proud the Holy Spirit is going to overwhelm 751 00:47:31,920 --> 00:47:32,920 you. 752 00:47:32,920 --> 00:47:58,120 So if you can sing with the microphone on, you can sing without one on.