Hello, we're glad you joined us today. We're going to be sharing from God's Word on how to empower you as a believer and in doing so we're going to empower the church. So we hope you have time and continuing. Please connect with the Rise and Shine by visiting our Facebook page at facebook.com slash a Rise and Shine TV show or emailing us at a Rise and Shine TV at gmail.com.
We look forward to connecting with you. We've been talking about the church and not just say church, we're talking about not necessarily just the local church. We're talking about the church as a whole, as a whole, you know. And so we don't have any church in mind.
We're not thinking of any particular church. We're talking about the church as a whole and when you see things going on globally at a level that's going and then you hear things in the past about, you know, this one did this or that one did that or, you know, and this event happened and that event happened and you're just like, oh my gosh, I can't believe this. Oh my gosh, I can't believe this. Oh my gosh, they did what?
You know, how did we get here? How did we get to this place? And so what we're talking about is the church, the last day, this church, are we going to be a church that is powerful or are we going to be a church that's pitiful? You know, and I think we have to make that decision.
I think we don't have to make that decision as a church globally. But see, we're talking to, because the church is not this organization or this group that's out there somewhere, you know, the church is you, you are the church and I'm the church. Born again, believers, we are the members that makes up the church. And so I'm talking to Christians globally, you know, no matter where you are or no matter where you're at, it doesn't matter.
You know, we are the church. And so are we as individuals? See, the church is only going to be as strong as it's weakest, really it's weakest member because that's important. Every member matters.
So long we've had such a messed up, messed up, messed up mind thought, you know, where leaders are concerned that most of the time what we do is we are spectators and not participators. We're setting by letting somebody else, you know, entertain us at times or do all the ministering and do all the being used by God. But God wants you to everybody. God wants us all to have power because as we've said before in Acts 1 and 8, and you have to think about when you go back and think about Acts 1 and 4 and 5 and then Acts 8 as well, who is he's just talking to?
What was the group he was talking to? He's just talking to this elite group of apostles and that was it, this 12. Well, we get record from the scripture that there was that he actually appeared over 500 people at one time and he ended to the end to the disciples who went on to be apostles. But so estimating wise, there should have been at least 500 people at the day of Pentecost.
But we know from scripture there was only 120. So he has to make you wonder where was the other 380? Where were they at? Probably the same place Thomas was when Jesus appeared to the 12 the first time.
He wasn't there. And when they told him about it, he wouldn't even believe it. The fact that he wouldn't believe it says a little bit about why he wasn't there because evidently it wasn't as important to him to be with them as it was the other 10. I said, yeah, the other 10, you know, so where was the other 380?
We don't know. But we do know that 120 did exactly what Jesus told them to do. They went to the upper room and they stayed and they prayed to the best of their ability and the best of their knowledge. And I don't think they came to finally came.
And I know they were all in one mind and one accord. That is important because God can't move in division and discord, that's for sure. But I think it was more that these people were doing the best they knew how, what they had been doing because they didn't have the fullness of the spirit at that time. They were born again and had been born again long.
So see, they're baby Christians. And yes, some of them have been walking with Jesus and most of them have been around him and heard him, you know, but I believe it came because God said, this is what I'm doing it. This is a day of Pentecost and enough of them cooperated with him that allowed him to fulfill his word. And I believe that's what God's looking for today is for enough Christians and believers to cooperate with him so he can do what he desires to do in these last days so that we can close his age out and get on with what God has for us in eternity.
I just do. Acts 2 and 4 is the fulfillment of what Jesus said in Acts 1 and 8, he said, you shall be in due to the power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you. And that word power is important. Say, where we get down to my friend?
Powerful word. I mean, it's a self-energized, creative force that is almost unexplainable. Well, what they're really describing is, and you can see it later on, when he said, you'll get this power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you. So this power is in direct connection with the person of the Holy Spirit.
He is that power. He is the one that displays that power. And God has allowed this third person of the Godhead to actually come and live, not just in us, but he wants to come hold us, to equip us and empower us to do what he's called us to do. So let's read Acts 2 and I guess just read 1 through 4.
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And they appeared into them, cloven tongues, like as a fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
And see, we can see right here in this fulfillment now. I think it's, I really think it's quite amazing when you think about this little event and try to project yourself into it. Like you were kind of like you were there, you know, and you could almost see the crowd and you can hear Jesus talking. You notice that in Acts 1 through 4 and in verse 8, matter of fact, nowhere previous to this, nowhere previous to this in any other gospels, none of the gospels that Jesus ever missed in speaking of no times.
It's never mentioned. Isn't that interesting? The only place you'll find it previously is in the book of Isaiah when Isaiah prophesied that I will speak to them with another tongue and stammering lips and another tongue, but yet they won't hear. That's the only place it's ever mentioned.
But see, this is the fulfillment of that. Acts 2, 1 through 4 is that fulfillment. So I think it's interesting, you know that he did something that would have been just as totally foreign and just possibly uncomfortable, questionable, what some of the other adjectives that you could use. I mean, in their own natural mind, he'd be like, I think if they told him, they probably struggled with it because I think that's what's- Right, try to make it happen.
Or try to make it happen. Yeah, or just all kinds of stuff, because when you think about it, what is the biggest thing that people struggle with about being filled with the fullness of God? The baptism. It's the tongues.
It's the- I mean, it's that one subject, that one subject right there, speaking of other tongues really messes people up. And what's funny is I didn't think about it. I didn't create it. I didn't decide that.
Even the original apostles didn't think about it. In fact, Jesus didn't even come up with it. God the Father spoke to the Prophet Isaiah over 707 years before this happened, and he had already decided that's what he was going to do. But I think he gave something that was so possibly unattractive or so foreign, I'm trying to think of words that you could even describe it to the natural man that would force them to have to step in and receive it by faith.
Well, I think too, because it is something that man can't use his intellect for. So he can't say that he has wisdom about that. You know what I mean? It can't be something that one man can say that he has complete knowledge of and somebody and he can look down on somebody else and say that it puts everybody on the same plane.
What does that mean? I don't care how educated you are, how educated you are, when you have faith and are able to believe that, everybody's the same. And it doesn't even matter what your lifestyle was before then. No matter how deep in sin you were, no matter what you did where you came from, that means absolutely nothing to anything with God.
The same plane. Yeah, you take the apostle Paul. He said he felt like he was the least of the apostles and wasn't even deserving of that ministry. Because he's thinking from a natural standpoint, he said he put Christians in jail.
He had stood by and watched Stephen be killed. And you know, and all this, he got steel taken proud out of that. He got him with his spirit. See, pretty much a level plate.
It's all of us come the same way. We come through the blood of Jesus Christ, not of works. It's all a free gift. If you'll receive, but see, a lot of people don't know if they can get past the door of tongues.
There is so much on the other side of that door because go ahead. And that power, that same power is available to everyone, like you said. You don't have to be in a five full ministry to need that power or to be able to use that power. It's for you on your everyday life and in your own personal ministry because you'll probably get into this later, but everybody is called a preach like he goes on to say.
So everybody has somebody that they're going to be connected to to share Jesus with. And that's what gives you the ability to do it. And we talk to you about, I mean, you need that power. I mean, we've tried to convince people.
We've tried to talk them into it. We've wore their ears off their head trying to, you know, trying to get this across to them. But when all it takes, now listen, all it takes is a Holy Ghost to come on you and for you to speak by the spirit one time because it's the spirit that convicts. We've tried to harass them to the point where they do it.
And a lot of them will do it. You'll show it up. Right. Well, that happens with salvation.
And I think that's what I'm talking about. I think we've had a lot of them do that. So you'll show it up. I'll do whatever you say.
Just get this over with so I can go do what I want to do. But the feeling of the Holy Spirit speaking in other tongues is to empower you for service. See, they're different. And we have a lot of Christians that have been born again and they have the fruit and they don't understand the spirit field Christian because they've been filled with the spirit and they still have never taken the time to develop any character.
But they can sure so supposedly at times move in the spirit and God may even allow them to because God doesn't wait for you to mature spiritually in the fruit of the spirit before he fills you with the spirit. Lord, if he did, nobody'd ever get it. Nobody'd ever get it because you never, you never, you won't grow. And so what happens is people don't grow.
So we have people out here that they don't want this because they've seen these people over here and these spirit field people can be the most arrogant, the most ugly, the most judgmental of people that there are because after all, you're not as good as I am because look what I have and you don't have. You know, matter of fact, we're not even sure you're saying because you don't have it. And can you see what we're saying? The new birth is for fruit.
The nine fruit is for the Spirit. Galatians chapter 5, it says you better love, joy, peace, faithfulness, so on and so on, patience and all that stuff kind of stuff. You know, but then the feeling of the Holy Spirit speaking of the other tongues empowers you to be that witness for service and to do what God's called you to do. So you need to understand it.
You got to grow in the fruit and you have to grow also in learning how to be used by the Holy Spirit for service. And it's not always preaching at somebody, being preaching and thumping your Bible. At times it's just simply living a godly spirit, field life around them and having the victory and walking in love. That probably is the greatest magnet to the gospel than anything else.
Right. Because they see that you're different. You know, you're not like everybody else. You're nice, you're kind, you know, and you're not judgmental.
That doesn't mean you, you can't be if you don't want to be. No, but that just means they'll see that. Oh, they'll see what they'll look at. And because everybody makes mistakes, everybody gets angry, everybody says things, but they'll look at the overall picture of your life.
And they'll even see that when you do get angry, now listen, you have the manliness enough or a woman is enough. That ain't a word, but you can be a man or a woman of God and come and say, you know, I'm sorry I said that to you. You're sensitive to other people when you say things or do things to the point where you're willing to come and say, you know, I wish I hadn't have said that. I wish I hadn't have done that because I know that in doing that that I hurt you.
Because spiritual Christians, even they could just flat run over people and they think that, well, I'm doing this. God said to it. And they have no idea that they don't get it. See, they don't get it.
They've never grown. So you got to grow, you got to grow in fruit and you got to grow in your ability to learn how to be used by the spirit. And I like the way the spirit used me best because to me, it's safe. I don't try to do things.
I don't try to work things up. I don't look at people and try to understand or to operate in things and spirit. I just leave life, get around people and just be yourself. And then while I'll be talking or doing something, all of a sudden just out of the blue suddenly, spirit of God will come on me.
And by normal conversation, an intellectual standpoint of conversation will go to an inspired conversation and I'll begin to speak by the spirit. And every time that happens, no matter who I'm talking to or who's in the room around me and it's listening, they can tell it. See, they can tell it. Why?
Because that's divine supernatural utterance given by the Holy Spirit. That is the Holy Spirit coming on you to touch somebody else's life. No, you can't make that happen. No, you can't make that happen.
But you can make yourself available to it. And you can be a candidate for it. But you only do that by staying in his presence and allowing him to do a work in you. That's why the baptism of Holy Spirit is so important because a part of getting to that place where he can use you is not only spending time in his word, but spending time praying in other tongues because praying in other tongues will get you to that place.
It'll get you to that place. And what I just explained to you, 99% of the church has no clue. See they think that there's a pope and then there'll be those that will thank the spiritual and they'll try to say, you can listen, the way you can tell if what you are saying is by the spirit or just your ugly self or your intellect is how does it affect the person that's here in it? Prophecy, the Bible talks about prophecy and I'm getting off on this for just a second.
I've got to say this. Prophecy in the Bible is referred to. And especially in 1 Corinthians 14 it talks about that you all make, what did you all prophesy? Well, prophecy in every explains it.
It does three things. It says it's spoken for edification. That's the bill somebody up. Exaltation to encourage somebody or to comfort them.
Okay. Now, and the prophesy means to speak a divine supernatural utterance or words in a known language. That means you're speaking by the spirit. What I just said that will happen to me at times.
And that doesn't just happen to me because maybe I'm in one of 5.0 ministry. That happens to me because I'm born again, I'm Spirit Field and I stay in His presence and I pray in tongues a lot. And so therefore it gives Him the opportunity to use and work through me that, because He wants to takes people's lives around, not just me, around you. You're where You live, where You work, and your family, and things like that, and you've harped on them, and you've beat on them, and you've done everything imaginable.
They don't like to be around you sometimes because you drove them away from you. But if you just one time would let God speak to you, but you can't make it happen. You can't go and you just have to trust Him. Lord, use me, use me, Lord, let me speak, let me do something, you know, and then do what you know to do.
Buy somebody's lunch, you know, give them your parking space, whatever it takes, just do something from the totally from the natural and show God you want to help people. Buy somebody's lunch, your other coffee that's behind you in the next door, you don't know they are just buying anyway. You know, just do something like that and show God you want to help people. And then, and then spend time in this place, it's a God beginning to use you.
So when the Holy Spirit comes on you, that's when we bear fruit. That's when we, because if you could do it without the Holy Spirit coming on you, Jesus wouldn't have had to tell them to book about it. You need to tear and get this. So what, what's happened is in the past, the reason the church has come to a pitiful place instead of a place of power is because we have come to the conclusion that the Holy Spirit is not necessary.
We didn't, we didn't come out and write that out and say that's what we're doing, but we pushed him aside and we've taken in other things. We've given up the gold for brass, so to speak. And we pushed, we did not realize it, but we pushed the power of God out away from us. And we've tried to do intellectually and in our own flesh and our own ability, what can only be accomplished by the Spirit.
Right. And if we want the church to be empowered and to be the thing that, the Word of God says that we should be, then we want to encourage you and ourselves and inspire us to be the starting point for that. And that's what we want to be is an inspiration and an encouragement for you to get started and be the source of light and influence where you are. And then as we come together as individuals and we're encouraged and we're inspired and we're walking in the influence of the Holy Spirit in our own lives.
And then when we come together, that's when we're going to see the body becoming powered and begin to do what God's called us to do in the earth. You know, it's funny. She said that and when she's saying that, I saw this, I saw this. You have to remember now, see, I've done the work for years.
You know, and I've gone into some houses, you know, and you'll hang this real big, huge elaborate chandelier. You know, someone could be massive and wait a whole lot. Okay. And you get to sing up there and you go, you look at these little light bulbs and these will pull a little light bulbs, little bitty things and they're only 25 watts.
And of course we're used to 1600 watts, old school, you know, 69 watts, we're not writing condescent. That's what I'm referring to. And you think, well, they ain't going to be much. Or if it's LED, it's LED.
It may only be three watts. You know, you're going like, well, that's a good Lord. They don't sense anything putting that in there. But what happens is you don't just put one, you put 25 or 30.
Right. And you get, I mean, that one puts out a certain amount of light, but it's all it can put because that's, that's, that's all it's rated for. See, we're all rated for a certain amount. But my gosh, when you put them all up there together, you're going like, whoa, I mean, it lights the room up.
I mean, it is sobriety. Can't hardly look at it. And the first thing you do is I need to put this on a dimmer. So a dimmer will dim the lights because at times it's so bright, it's almost overwhelming over powering because it's so bright.
And so a lot of times we put dimmers on them just for that purpose because they don't want to be bright. But that's the way that we are as Christians and believers. We have a certain amount of that light that is residing and living down on the inside of us. You know, God wants us not to cover that with a basket, but He wants us to be as full as we can be by staying in His presence.
So when we do come together, yes, instead of three watts, we have three or four hundred watts and we're in that the, the moving and the power of the Spirit is so strong that it's overwhelming. It's overwhelming. It almost blinds you. And when you look at, I mean, when you look through the book of Acts and other places in the Bible, God's presence, well, Paul, what not, Paul off his donkey, his mule or whatever.
It was locked. That light was the glory of God. I mean, Jesus, but He's not a three water. You can't be.
I mean, He's a trillion water. And when He showed up, maybe we're talking about a light that you can't even describe to the point that it knocked Paul off his animal and blinded him, his physical eyes, because it was so bright. See, that's what we're talking about. But I believe all that intensity of that light that Jesus has, He's dispersed throughout his body.
And I believe if you could ever get a group of people, my goodness gracious, if you could ever get a group of people in one place, in one mind, in one accord, no fussing, no fighting and getting past all the grumbling and complaining and just 11 one another and walking in love and be full of the Spirit and actually coming to church for one time in their life with something instead of needing something, then my God, you could see a move of God. You could see the Spirit of God. It's no wonder we have lost it coming in and they'll get saved four and five times in a row. Every time they raise, they're older, call their razor hand, but their lives never change.
Why? Because they're waiting in there for the presence of God in the room to convict them. See, and we say, blame it on the pastor. We're bringing it on the preacher.
Let's see if it's not the preacher at all. See, it's, it's us. We have something to do with it. Amen.
Okay. So looking at Acts, it says that they were all filled with the Spirit and spoke with other tongues. Jesus said to get them past that door. And I think it happened in such a way that they probably didn't have much time to think about it.
You know what? They didn't have a whole lot of time to think about it. But they embraced it. And not only that, they went forth and what was amazing is if you look at it also, and we could look at it later if we wanted to when, when Philip went up to Samaria and he preached, he didn't bother getting anybody filled with the Spirit.
He just got him saved and healed. Then Peter and John went up. See? And they got filled with the Spirit or even Cornelius.
He said, it's like Cornelius, it's probably a better example when Cornelius, you know, was Phil, Peter went to Cornelius's house and preached and they all got filled with the Spirit against speak with other tongues. That, now listen, that was a sign to the original group that this was a genuine experience. He said, how can, I mean, Peter's rehearsing in front of the rest of the car? He got caught on the carpet.
You went to, you know, you went to the Gentiles. How can you do this? You know, you're not supposed to do this. You know, I, for Jesus just told them, you know, go to all the world.
I guess they missed that part. You know, how did we miss that? You know, and so, you know, so when he went in and he just simply just told him what happened. He said, they all got filled with Spirit.
He said, here's each other. I mean, with me, there was with me, there were witnesses, there were Jews as well. He said, well, I'll sit down, watch them in amazement, how God just filled them all with Holy Ghost. Let me get in and speak with other tongues.
He said, how can we resist God if he gives them the Holy Ghost? So see, that to them was a sign of the genuineness of the conversion. So it's not limited to one denomination, isn't it? No, it's not.
See, it's not. God wants to fill everybody and it's told a will. But again, if you're out there today and you've never made Jesus Christ the Lord of your life and you know that. See, he confirms the word with signs following.
And so if you're out there, I know those people are listening and you know you're not right. You know you're not right. You know that you've tried to do it in the past, but you really wasn't sincere. But if you're today and you're sincere and you're willing, all you have to do is pray this simple prayer with me and me in your heart.
Say this word to me. Say, Jesus, I take you today as my Lord and as my Savior. Sin, Satan, I choose not to serve you. I choose not to follow you.
Jesus, I declare that you are my Lord. Heavenly Father, I thank you for hearing my prayer. And receiving me and accepting me into your family. Now I ask you to fill me with the fullness of your spirit.
And I thank you for doing it in Jesus name. Amen. Now, if you were out there and you were never made Jesus Christ the Lord of your life or for some reason you had turned away from him, you prayed that prayer. This is a great day for you and I encourage you to tell someone.
Jesus said if you confess to me before me and I'll confess you before my Father before the angels. So I want you to confess that and let people know what they've done for you. Let us know here. And it would bless us.
God bless you until we see you again. Please connect with the Rise and Shine by visiting our Facebook page at Facebook.com slash a Rise and Shine TV show or emailing us at a Rise and Shine TV at gmail.com. We look forward to connecting with you.