6/8/14 YEAR OF EQUIPPING TO SERVE
The Empowering of the Holy Spirit
The Cross and the Switchblade: 50 Years of MiraclesPossibly one of the most difficult issues to deal with is gang violence and drug addiction. Those who are controlled by these seem to be in an impossible situation. And, control is a good word to use.
Over fifty years ago a young unknown Assemblies of God pastor went to New York to try to help some gang members. His first attempt failed. Then God opened some doors. Eventually a book was written about it and become a best-seller with more than 11 million copies sold in 10 years. It is the story of David Wilkerson coming to New York City to share the love of Jesus with seven teenagers on trial for the murder of Michael Farmer, as told in the book The Cross and the Switchblade.
Instead of being able to witness to those seven teens, Wilkerson was thrown out of court on Feb. 28, 1958, and ended up with his picture on the front page of New York City newspapers the next morning. But that failure was part of God’s plan to use David Wilkerson to help more than just seven young men. In the months that followed, Wilkerson founded Teen Challenge, a ministry to youth, adults and families affected by drug addiction and other life-controlling problems.
Wilkerson’s passion for evangelism soon produced results. In July 1958, Nicky Cruz and members of his gang, the Mau Maus, committed their lives to Christ in a rally sponsored by Wilkerson.
Today there are more than 200 Teen Challenge facilities in the U.S. and 1,000-plus ministries in 94 other nations. In the past 50 years The Cross and the Switchblade has been published in more than 40 languages.
In 2006 Christianity Today listed The Cross and the Switchblade as one of the 50 most influential books in Christianity during the previous 50 years. The book continues to be used as an evangelism tool to share the message of hope that God can change the broken lives of addicts. And, God DOES change broken lives.
David Wilkerson concluded The Cross and the Switchblade by saying, “The Holy Spirit is in charge. As long as He remains in charge, the programs will thrive. The minute we try to do things by our own power we will fail. This is the guiding principle of the Center here in New York. ... The Holy Spirit is in charge here. We should write it for all to see on the lintels of every doorway we build. But since that might seem like so many words, we will do better: we will write it on our lives. And in all the lives we can reach out to and touch and inspire with the living Spirit of God.”
Info taken from Pentecostal Evangel article
The Holy Spirit is in charge. In learning about the history of this ministry, the foundation has always been the power of God to change lives. Without that, nothing worthwhile happens.
For the past many weeks, on Wednesday nights we have been studying the topic of the two kingdoms. The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan. They are opposites and there is a battle. The only way to win is with God’s power and weapons.
Recent report from Rocky Grams: Memorable service tonight at IBRP. I got to preach from Romans 16. The students were very receptive. We’ve been under spiritual attack, including curses and marches with drums at 3:00 A.M. around our property. But God! We ask that you intercede for us. For the leadership, teachers, staff and students. Many students are having problems sleeping and when they do get to sleep are having terrible nightmares when they do get to sleep.
The battle is just as intense here in Western Wisconsin. We need God’s power.
The thing I have found myself praying more than anything over the years is this: Lord, we need the strong sense of your presence and power. My desire is that God will get people’s attention. He is the only One Who can do it.
Acts 2:1-4 NKJV
1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:14-18 NKJV
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.
18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.
Acts 2:37-39 NKJV
37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
It is easy to look at the challenge of God’s work and say it just can’t be done. This is true, but, for God. When David Wilkerson went to New York, he was totally over his head. It was impossible. But, for God. Let’s get a quick picture of what he faced, short clips from the film The Cross and the Switchblade.
Show clip.
It is easy to say that we face an impossible challenge here in Wisconsin. Yes, that is true. But, for God.
We read from Acts 2. It was the Day of Pentecost. Pentecost was the second festival on the Jewish calendar. It was a celebration when the first fruits of the harvest were given as offerings to God. This is a picture for the church, the beginning of God’s spiritual harvest of souls in the world. This Pentecost celebration in Acts 2 marked a dividing line between the Holy Spirit’s occasional presence and temporary empowerment, and his continual presence and sustained empowerment now available to all of God’s people.
Let’s go back and look in more depth at the verses we read.
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What does God want to give us? A spiritual harvest. He wants to use us to reach large numbers of people for Jesus. He wants to give us His power to serve Him. Can it be done?
Let me share from a recently received missionary letter.
Ted Heaston: An A/G missionary with Global University. Writing about Tanzania.
Tanzania has 28 church planting centers and expects to have 32 by this year end.
Ted met with Tanzania General Superintendent, Barnabas Mtokambali. He is leader over 6002 AG churches in the nation. Every year they are planting between 600-700 new churches. Pastor Mtokambali expressed great appreciation for the work of Global University’s training of pastors. Brother Bar-nabas stated, “Of course the emphasis is not on the church buildings, it is on the move of the Holy Spirit, because if the power of God is moving – the people don’t care about the building they just want to participate in what is happening. People will pass up church structures to come to the place where God is moving.” While being the General Supterintendent he also pastors a church located in Morogoro, a center for witch-craft and Islam. His church has 3 all night prayer meetings every week. As a result the church has grown large and they have planted 249 new churches out of their own congregation.
Please Pray:
For pastors to continue their training after churches are planted.
Books for their libraries
The training of 10,000 ministers & the winning of 2 million souls to Christ.
Safety as we travel
Needed support for budget.
What do we need to see and apply today? (Open for your comments)
This is God’s work. We are involved in God’s work.
God has all power to do anything necessary to complete His work.
God wants to empower us to be used for His work.
God wants to empower YOU.
No task is too great or no opposing power to intimidating for God.
God equipped David Wilkerson and he impacted millions.
God is equipping millions of believers in Africa today and they are reaching millions.
God is here to equip us to turn western Wisconsin upside down for Jesus. Again, let me share this verse: Acts 17:6 NKJV
. . . These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.
NLT . . . “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too.”
What we find throughout the book of Acts is that the outpouring of the Spirit included the believers speaking in tongues as the Spirit gave them the enabling. Here is a prayer I want to challenge us all with, for today and every day. Lord, fill me with your Spirit and keep on filling me. Believers filled with the Holy Spirit make the difference.
