Sunday 12th May 2013 - The Dove Is Here To Stay - Brian Nish

THE DOVE IS HERE TO STAY INTRODUCTION Taking a huge risk today by preaching this message??? I believe the W’worth prophecy re Spirit and Word coming together… I believe, honour, and live by the Word of God - But I want to put God in His proper place by putting Him – as a Person - before His Word Rom 14v17 - ...the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy - in the Holy Spirit John 16v7- ...it is to your advantage that I go away for if I do not go the Helper will not come to you. But if I go I will send Him to you Luke 4v18 - The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me Acts 1v8 - You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you The Holy Spirit is God on earth today He is the One who equips and enables the church to advance the Kingdom Holy Spirit is often symbolised as being wind, fire, water, oil, finger of God, power, dove - which can appear impersonal. Jesus is symbolised as a rock, lamb, lion but that doesn't mean He isn't a divine Person Holy Spirit is a Person - and He wants a relationship with us Holy Spirit is the presence of God Today I want to focus on the Holy Spirit as a dove Chris Bowater – “Catch the sound of heaven - The dove is here to stay” What doves represent in the bible Innocence, gentleness, sensitivity, purity, peace, and the Holy Spirit In the O/T doves could be used as a sacrifice ‘The law of first mention’ - the first time a subject is mentioned in the bible it carries the same basic meaning throughout the whole bible The book of Genesis is often called the 'seedbed' of the bible DOVES SIGNAL A NEW SEASON Noah Gen 8v8-12 And Noah sent out from himself a dove to see if the waters had receded...but the dove found no resting place and returned to the Ark...and in seven days he sent the dove again and it returned with an olive leaf...and in another seven days he sent out the dove and it didn't return God sent the flood to destroy sin and wickedness from the earth When the dove brought back the leaf and - then didn't return - it meant that God's wrath (anger with sin) was satisfied and sin had been punished It also meant it was time for a new season to begin - to return to the land and begin to rebuild Jesus John 1v32 And I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained upon Him The dove landed and remained upon Jesus Again this signalled the beginning of a new season upon the earth And, pointed prophetically to the One who would become the sacrifice and take God's punishment for sin upon Himself: To restore our relationship with God To restore our relationships with one another To restore our relationship with the land KLC The prophetic word - "The dove is here to stay" Confirmation for us that we are entering in to a new season on the earth What is this new season? Isa 61 In other words, this new season is a time to bring love, healing, and freedom - and a time to repair, rebuild, and restore - both people and places - upon the earth HOSTING THE DOVE We need to learn to host and steward the presence of the dove more and more, both individually and corporately In his book "Hosting the Presence" Bill Johnson asks the question "Are we camped around the sermon or the presence?" John 5v39 - You search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life - and these are they which testify of Me The scriptures testify of Jesus – they point to Him We should worship and follow the God of the bible - but some people have made their bible their God The bible is there to reveal God to us - and be a light to our path God and His presence is more important than His word! We should put God first and His word second Adam and Eve had a relationship with the Person and presence of God - not with the words He spoke to them Therefore in our lives and in our meetings - If God is serving 'wine' - we should drink - If God is serving 'bread' - we should eat In O/T Israel camped around the presence Ex 13v2 - Israel had a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night Ex 33v11 - pillar of cloud at tabernacle door (tent of meeting) Ex 33v15 - If Your presence (not commandments!) doesn't go with us, don't bring us up from here Moses met with the Person, and glory of God, in the Tent of Meeting His relationship was with God Himself - not the Ten Commandments written on two pieces of stone - important as they were In N/T the church camped around the presence The Early Church didn't have the New Testament - they had to depend upon the O/T - their relationship with the Holy Spirit - and His presence and guidance on a daily basis Acts 2 - the pouring out of the presence of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost Acts 5v3 - ...Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit? Acts 5v12-16 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done...that at least the shadow of Peter (presence of God) passing by might fall on some of them... Acts 13v2 - And as they ministered to the Lord and fasted the Holy Spirit said "Now separate to Me (Holy Spirit) Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I (Holy Spirit) have called them As Christians we often say that we want to return to N/T Christianity? To do that we need to learn to ‘honour and camp around His presence’ In times of revival people ‘camp around the manifest presence of God’. In fact, some people travel miles just to taste and receive from His presence FINALLY Last Wed OSL Day feedback – The best day of 3 – God’s presence is here When people come from Bethel, and other places, they tell us that the presence of God is here Sadly, we can get so used to His presence that we can take it for granted So let’s thank God for His presence amongst us and bless it that it may increase – and pursue Him for more Yes, God is bringing His Spirit and His Word together in these days of revival – but let us always remember to put God before His Word! “The dove is here to stay”!!!