2010 ~ Making Up Lost Ground ~Spirit-filled Service~ January 24, 2010

2. 2010 ~ Making Up Lost Ground ~Spirit-filled Service~ January 24, 2010

3. Review #1: ~Spirit-filled Prophesying~

4. Act 2:17-18 "When the last days come, I will give my Spirit to everyone. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will have dreams. In those days I will give my Spirit to my servants, both men and women, and they will prophesy.

5. Here is a thought rewind: A life filled with the Spirit does not leave much room for a life filled with sin, self, and Satan.

6. Review #2: ~Spirit-filled Living~

7. Eph 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.

8. Principle #1… Being filled with the Spirit should be a natural and expected evidence of one’s relationship with God and Christ.

9. Review #3: ~Spirit-filled Ministry~

10. 1Co 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profitof all:

11. Principle #2: The wisdom of God for your future helps to alter what you do in your present.

12. Can we release… …Spirit-filled Service?

13. Introduction… Eph 4:1 In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk--better yet, run!--on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere.

14. Eph 4:2-3 And mark that you do this with humility and discipline--not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.

15. Text time… Eph 4:7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

16. G5485 χάρις charis khar'-ece From G5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude): - acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).

17. Here is a thought: Thisgraceis in the form of the enabling and empowering Holy Spirit!

18. Principle #1: It is impossible to finish the race without His grace.

19. Eph 4:8 As the Scriptures say, "When he went up to the highest place, he led away many prisoners and gave gifts to people." (Ps. 68:18)

20. Scripture strength… Col 2:15 He took away the weapons of the powers and authorities. He made a public show of them. He won the battle over them by dying on the cross.

21. 2Co 10:4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. Shouting time!!!

22. Principle #2: The trampling of the spirits over us leads to the triumph of the Spirit in us.

23. Ephesians 4:11 (Amplified Bible) 11And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers.

24. Here is a thought: Never underestimate the value of Christ’s gifts to the church.

25. OT Testament look… 1Sa 18:29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually.

26. Old Testament look… 1Sa 24:6 He said to his men, "GOD forbid that I should have done this to my master, GOD's anointed, that I should so much as raise a finger against him. He's GOD's anointed!"

27. Verse impact… Rom 10:14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

28. Paul’s stance to the Corinthians… 1Co 9:1 And don't tell me that I have no authority to write like this. I'm perfectly free to do this--isn't that obvious? Haven't I been given a job to do? Wasn't I commissioned to this work in a face-to-face meeting with Jesus, our Master? Aren't you yourselves proof of the good work that I've done for the Master? 1Co 9:2 Even if no one else admits the authority of my commission, you can't deny it. Why, my work with you is living proof of my authority!

29. 1Co 9:3 I'm not shy in standing up to my critics. 1Co 9:4 We who are on missionary assignments for God have a right to decent accommodations, 1Co 9:5 and we have a right to support for us and our families. You don't seem to have raised questions with the other apostles and our Master's brothers and Peter in these matters.

30. 1Co 9:6 So, why me? Is it just Barnabas and I who have to go it alone and pay our own way? 1Co 9:7 Are soldiers self-employed? Are gardeners forbidden to eat vegetables from their own gardens? Don't milkmaids get to drink their fill from the pail? 1Co 9:8 I'm not just sounding off because I'm irritated. This is all written in the scriptural law.

31. 1Co 9:9 Moses wrote, "Don't muzzle an ox to keep it from eating the grain when it's threshing." Do you think Moses' primary concern was the care of farm animals? 1Co 9:10 Don't you think his concern extends to us? Of course. Farmers plow and thresh expecting something when the crop comes in.

32. 1Co 9:11 So if we have planted spiritual seed among you, is it out of line to expect a meal or two from you? 1Co 9:12 Others demand plenty from you in these ways. Don't we who have never demanded deserve even more?

33. Here is another thought: The Scriptures never said the men were perfect, but the gifts are perfect.

34. Principle #3: Christ never gave us the gifts we wanted, He gave us the gifts we needed.

35. Eph 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

36. Power words for the week: Equip, work, ministry, & edifying

37. Equipping - (2677) (katartismos from  katartizo [word study] = mend, repair, make whole or perfect, of setting bones, mending nets in turn from katá = with + artízo = adjust, fit, finish related to ) means to make something or someone (in this case the "sheep" in the flock) completely adequate or sufficient for something.

38. Simple definition - The basic idea is that of putting a thing into the condition in which it ought to be.

39. Work of Ministry - G1248 διακονία diakonia dee-ak-on-ee'-ah ministries, ministry, mission, ministration, preparations, relief, serve, service, serving, support.

40. Work of ministry - diakonia is an office or ministration in the Christian community viewed with reference to the labor needed for others.

41. Verse Power: Mar 10:45 It's the same way with the Son of Man. He didn't come so that others could serve him. He came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people."

42. For the edifying… To edify means “to build up.” In its root meaning it signifies “to erect, to strengthen, to build up.

43. Principle #4: My preparation (equipping) may lead to some perspiration (work) with application (ministry), but the church will be strong in edification.

44. Pray it, speak it, & declare it: Equip me for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body!