Full Of Faith And The Holy Spirit

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Welcome to the Quality Christian Living Podcast.

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Once again, I am your host, David Friend. Today

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we're taking on a rather interesting topic entitled,

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Full of Faith and the Holy Spirit, based upon

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the story of the life of Stephen, an amazing

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man of God, and we'll get into that in just a

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moment, but before we do, let's pray. Heavenly

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Father, I invite you to come in and help me,

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Holy Spirit, take over. I release my thoughts

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and my ideas to you. I pray that you would bless

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this podcast and touch those who are listening

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in. I thank you for great results. I believe

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that you're gonna do mighty works in the lives

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of each and individual listening in today. We

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give you praise for it in advance. In Jesus name

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I pray, amen. Well, let me say this. What does

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it mean to be full of faith and the Holy Spirit?

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We're gonna be dealing with that throughout this

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entire podcast. You see, a follower of Jesus,

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known as Stephen, is described as having these

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qualities. He was described often that he simply

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has a powerful man of God, full of faith, filled

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with the power of God, and filled with the Holy

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Spirit. So how can we receive this kind of a

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walk with the Lord? We read about what the Bible

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says about an ordinary man, Stephen, who received

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a supernatural anointing from the Holy Spirit.

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Now, those of you who that's what your reason

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for listening in today is to receive something

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special from the Lord, I believe you'll just

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surrender, just yield to him, allow the Holy

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Spirit to work in you and through you, and let's

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just examine now the life of Stephen and see

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how we can learn from that and how we can experience

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how he became such a powerful man of God. Let

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me read about Stephen and as I read how I want

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you to think about how we can be full of faith

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and the power of the Holy Spirit. The book of

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Acts explains the church had a need and the apostles

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needed to select some people, some individuals,

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to minister to the church congregation. So let's

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look at Acts chapter 6 verse 2 in the New Living

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Translation. So the twelve apostles called a

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meeting of all the believers. I can just see

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this happening. They said, we apostles should

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spend our time teaching the Word of God, not

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running a food program. Now, that's why I like

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the New Living Translation because that's kind

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of how people would speak today. It's like when

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a pastor has a church filled with people and

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he's being just completely barraged by activities

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and requests and demands for his time and he's

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trying to find time to get into the Word of God

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and prepare a sermon for that week. There's no

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difference in that. And so he needs people, people

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in the church to help carry out the work of the

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church, the ministries of the church, the care.

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needs of the church. Currently my wife and I

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are the congregational care pastors at our church,

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Dream City Church in Scottsdale. After spending

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nearly 20 years being the senior pastors there,

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we felt it was time for us to step aside, allow

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someone else to come in, but stay with the church,

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work with the church, and we are just so blessed.

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So it's just such a blessing to be a part of

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that. So the Apostle said, we just don't want

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to be a bunch of food program people. We need

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to get into the Word of God. In verse 3, it tells

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us that they chose seven men who were full of

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the Spirit and of wisdom in verse 5 it tells

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us that Stephen was chosen and it also says right

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there It says a man full of faith and the Holy

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Spirit they go together of course verse 8 we

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reads this Stephen was a man full of God's grace

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and power who performed amazing miracles and

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signs among the people now that may seem over

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our heads and it's not because the The power

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of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us is the same

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power that dwelt in Stephen and the same power

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that dwelt in Jesus when he walked this earth.

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He was filled with the Holy Spirit and his ministry

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started. And so we've got to approach this podcast

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thinking that is it possible to be full of faith

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and the Holy Spirit and to be able to work great

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works? Yes, it is. But it all has to do with

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our relationship with the Holy Spirit, the way

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we're committed to God, our obedience to Him,

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and the way we follow the Word of God. And we'll

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get into that. in some detail here in just a

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moment. So, but think about that as we go through

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this. Let's look at Stephen and stop for a moment

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and just simply look at who he was. How did he

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come about having all of that faith and all the

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power of the Holy Spirit? Stephen was a servant.

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He made himself available to people. This reminds

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me of Jesus. You see, Jesus was a servant. In

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Mark chapter 10 verse 45 in the New International

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Version it says this, for even the Son of Man,

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that was Jesus of course, did not come to be

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served but to serve and to give his life as a

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ransom for many. Jesus came here to earth to

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be a servant. The only way that you can be a

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great leader is that you start off by serving.

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The only way I believe you can be a great pastor

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is if you lead by serving. The only way you can

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be a great Bible teacher, I believe the only

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way you can have a great marriage is for the

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wife and the husband to serve each other and

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for the children to serve their parents. I mean

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people say, now you're going overboard and kids

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don't serve their parents anymore. Yes, they

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do. If they're raised in the Word of God, if

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they're going to the house of God and getting

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the teachings that they need and to see the power

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of living a peaceful life under the power and

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the anointing of the Holy Spirit, if they're

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taught to honor their mother and their father

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that their life will go well and they'll live

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a good, long, healthy life, kids can grow up

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serving their parents. And yeah, it's possible.

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I know some of you might be kind of laughing

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right now, but bottom line, that was God's intention

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for us to be servants to each other. And that's

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the example we received. even Stephen, to be

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full of faith and the power of the Holy Spirit.

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So now we might want to examine ourselves. Do

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we go to church to only be served? The old statement,

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what's in this for me? I tell you the number

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of times that I have met people in the church.

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I've pastored for 20 years. I've been a member

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of our assembly of God church, you know, for

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that congregation, that denomination for nearly

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50 years. And all that going on, I've found one

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thing that was consistent. People that went to

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church to serve other were happier. They were

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more vibrant. They had more life and their activities

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and there was more joy in them, there was just

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more happiness in them. But people who go to

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church for what's in this for me never seem to

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receive the blessing. that God wants to give

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them. He won't give us a blessing if we're greedy

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and if we're self -serving and we're not thinking

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of others as being more important than ourselves.

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Now this is getting a little heavy in that area.

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For some people might say, well, you know, that's

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just not possible. I don't have time to help.

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We all have time to help in some capacity or

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another. We all have the same amount of time

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every day, 24 hours in a day. And how we use

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those hours will determine, I believe, our walk

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with God and the relationship that we have with

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the Holy Spirit. So do we go to church to just

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be served? Or do we go to church saying, where

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can I serve? Where can I find a way to serve

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other people in our church? You know, when a

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person comes to church and they sit there for

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a month or two months or six months or three

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months or ten years, whatever it might be, and

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you talk to them and you find out they're not

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involved in activities, they're not using the

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talents God has given them, they're just simply

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coming to church and just kind of being there.

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And that's still great to be in church, that's

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wonderful, but that's not the fullness that God

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wants us to have. That is not the example. we

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see in Stephen as he served others. Servanthood

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made Stephen great and full of faith through

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the power of the Holy Spirit. It's the same thing

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for us. Having a attitude of servanthood will

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help us to realize what value we add to the church,

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what value we add to the Christian walk that

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we have and the value that we can bring to other

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people and help them. And we don't do it so that

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we get lifted up and we get praised and we get

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exalted, if you will, among people for, look

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at this great person or that great person. We

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do it because out of humility to God. Jesus is

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always looking for humble people. And when he

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finds humble people filled with the power of

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God, the Holy Spirit, then we'll come upon that

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person and give them these gifts that we've talked

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about in prior podcasts. I've gone over all the

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power gifts of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of

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the Spirit, all the various things, and all of

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that has a direct connection with whether we

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are people who serve others or whether we're

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people who want to be served. Those who serve

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are greater than those who only want to be served.

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I'm not sure where all those words came from

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other than the Holy Spirit, so I'm going to repeat

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that one more time. Those who serve... greater

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than those who only want to be served. The story

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of Stephen being full of faith through the Holy

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Spirit is a great example for all Christians.

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We're not going to leave this right now. We're

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going to continue talking about his life and

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talking about how his life can have such a great

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impact on each and every one of us. Listen to

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these statements the Lord gave me. Stephen became

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extraordinary through yielding to the Holy Spirit

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and submitting himself to the leading of the

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Holy Spirit and only doing those things that

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he felt that the Holy Spirit was leading him

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to do. Stephen knew God had a plan for his life

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and he served in that plan. Stephen had a desire

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to be a part of God's plan. Now we need to stop

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here for a second because some people say, well,

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I've heard about people having a God having a

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plan for their life. How do I know what my plan

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is? What my purpose is? Well, I believe that's

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something that we need to find by seeking God

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through his word, through prayer, talking to

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other people and seeing if people see qualities

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in us that maybe we can't see in ourselves. I

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can remember. We were served at church for like

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20 years. And we were so active in the church.

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We had a Sunday school class. It was really fun.

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It was wonderful. We made a lot of friends. All

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of our dearest friends in the world were the

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people we knew at church. Our kids were in church

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when they were teenagers. I mean, all this was

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just a wonderful experience. And then the Holy

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Spirit fell upon me. And my wife and I, we chatted

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about it. I said, honey, I believe the Lord wants

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us to close our business down and go into full

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-time ministry. And I was 48 years old when that

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happened. And usually people think, what, 48?

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You're thinking about, OK, things are going well.

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Let's work towards. retirement and in a few years

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I'll retire but that's not what the Holy Spirit

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had for me and I went to my pastor and I said

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pastor Tommy I just want you to know that the

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I believe the Holy Spirit's called us to go into

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ministry and we were going to close our company

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down shut everything down and go into full -time

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ministry and we'll work for free if that's what

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you want that's what we'll do and we did and

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I'm not boasting about that I'm just telling

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what the Holy Spirit told me and pastor Tommy

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looked at me and he says well it's about time

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and I just was like what what we mean it's about

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time he says I've known that the Lord had his

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touch on you and that he that you would someday

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be involved in ministry on a full -time basis

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and I said wow I didn't know that. See, the reason

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I use that example, that's not to boast, I use

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that example because I mentioned to you earlier,

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how do you know your purpose, your plan, God's

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plan for your life, the reason that God has you

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on this earth. You might want to listen to other

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people that speak into you and listen to them

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when they say things like, you're a person who's

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friendly, or you're a person who's an organizer,

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or you're a person who likes to lead and teach

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the Word of God, or you're a person who likes

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to go pray for people. That's God's call on your

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life. And when that happens, you step into it

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and you go into it full force. Total commitment

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100 % and follow the Holy Spirit and have him

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guide and direct you so that we can have and

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you can have that power of the Holy Spirit and

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be filled with faith by the Holy Spirit. Now

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being filled with the Holy Spirit qualifies us

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to minister to others. Some people say well I

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haven't gone to Bible school, I haven't had theology

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training and all that so I can't minister to

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other people. Oh yes you can. When you have the

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Holy Spirit in your life you are qualified to

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minister to other people as long as as you use

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the Word of God as your instruction manual. That's

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the manual that you will use the rest of your

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life when you are serving other people and helping

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other people. Stephen was full of faith and he

00:11:19.259 --> 00:11:21.720
received that because of his relationship with

00:11:21.720 --> 00:11:23.899
the Holy Spirit. Now I did a podcast here not

00:11:23.899 --> 00:11:26.019
too long ago talking about the power gifts of

00:11:26.019 --> 00:11:28.299
the Holy Spirit and one of them is great faith.

00:11:28.320 --> 00:11:30.720
Not just faith, but great faith. And the Holy

00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:32.299
Spirit is the one. It's found in the book of

00:11:32.299 --> 00:11:34.139
1 Corinthians, I think it's chapter 12, where

00:11:34.139 --> 00:11:36.139
it talks about the gifts of the Spirit that are

00:11:36.139 --> 00:11:39.500
directed and given out by the Holy Spirit that

00:11:39.500 --> 00:11:41.850
he's the one that has a soul decision who he's

00:11:41.850 --> 00:11:44.289
going to give certain gifts to he chose Stephen

00:11:44.289 --> 00:11:48.590
and made him a gift of great faith because because

00:11:48.590 --> 00:11:51.029
Stephen was so filled with the Holy Spirit and

00:11:51.029 --> 00:11:52.929
that's how he led his life he wasn't concerned

00:11:52.929 --> 00:11:55.429
about about what he got of any things he when

00:11:55.429 --> 00:11:57.590
he served others he never lacked for anything

00:11:57.590 --> 00:11:59.970
when he met the needs of other people he never

00:11:59.970 --> 00:12:02.129
lacked for anything so Stephen was full the Holy

00:12:02.129 --> 00:12:04.149
Spirit and we can have that same experience but

00:12:04.149 --> 00:12:06.110
the Holy Spirit's the one who brings it he was

00:12:06.110 --> 00:12:09.659
so full of faith that there was not room, listen

00:12:09.659 --> 00:12:13.159
to this, for doubt, for fear, or anxiety. Wouldn't

00:12:13.159 --> 00:12:15.299
that be wonderful? Just think about that. So

00:12:15.299 --> 00:12:17.539
filled with the Holy Spirit in God's Word, there's

00:12:17.539 --> 00:12:20.179
absolutely no room in our heart and in our mind

00:12:20.179 --> 00:12:23.139
for things like doubt and fear and anxiety. See,

00:12:23.179 --> 00:12:25.500
Paul experienced that. Now I'm going to use a

00:12:25.500 --> 00:12:27.259
scripture that I've used many, many times before,

00:12:27.259 --> 00:12:29.399
but it's so powerful. In the book of Philippians,

00:12:29.480 --> 00:12:31.340
Paul said that we should be anxious for nothing.

00:12:31.460 --> 00:12:33.259
By the way, he wrote this when he was in prison,

00:12:33.299 --> 00:12:35.379
remember? And he says to be anxious for nothing,

00:12:35.500 --> 00:12:43.539
but everything through prayers, petitions, Now,

00:12:43.720 --> 00:12:46.320
when Paul said that, he was so full of faith

00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:48.879
and so full of the Holy Spirit that there was

00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:52.090
no room for anxiety. for fear, for doubt, for

00:12:52.090 --> 00:12:54.470
questioning. He knew that God had this whole

00:12:54.470 --> 00:12:57.450
thing and he was in control, God was in control,

00:12:57.490 --> 00:13:00.149
and Paul surrendered to him. Stephen did the

00:13:00.149 --> 00:13:02.330
same thing. He surrendered to him. As I get down

00:13:02.330 --> 00:13:04.389
later in this podcast, there's a connection between

00:13:04.389 --> 00:13:07.190
Paul and Stephen that's kind of shocking. And

00:13:07.190 --> 00:13:09.529
for years, I didn't know this. And then, I don't

00:13:09.529 --> 00:13:10.950
know, after I'd been a Christian for eight or

00:13:10.950 --> 00:13:12.850
10 years or so, all of a sudden I heard a preacher

00:13:12.850 --> 00:13:15.269
preach about this. There was a relationship between

00:13:15.269 --> 00:13:18.990
Stephen and Paul. So let's move on. Before Paul

00:13:18.990 --> 00:13:20.740
was called into ministry, As a matter of fact,

00:13:21.179 --> 00:13:24.620
Stephen lived above his circumstances. Boy, I

00:13:24.620 --> 00:13:26.940
could stop right there, just end the podcast

00:13:26.940 --> 00:13:29.600
and say, if we could just learn how to live without

00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:32.120
anxiety, without fear, without doubt, and live

00:13:32.120 --> 00:13:35.419
above our circumstances, that would be all that

00:13:35.419 --> 00:13:37.360
we'd all have to receive from this. We could

00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:39.759
just get that, just get that. And that's something

00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:42.019
that I strive for every day, something that all

00:13:42.019 --> 00:13:44.200
of us need to strive for is to learn how to live

00:13:44.200 --> 00:13:46.679
above our circumstances. We can only do that

00:13:46.679 --> 00:13:49.340
through the anointing and the power of the Holy

00:13:49.340 --> 00:13:52.259
Spirit. Stephen never thought of being lucky.

00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:53.840
You know, if you'd walk up to him, he'd never

00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:55.500
said, yeah, you know, I've been lucky today or

00:13:55.500 --> 00:13:57.500
that guy over there is lucky today. That word

00:13:57.500 --> 00:14:01.200
lucky is simply not a word for Christians. Stephen

00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:04.500
would have never said or had any ifs in his life.

00:14:04.580 --> 00:14:06.399
He wouldn't say, well, maybe this will happen

00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:09.039
or possibly that might happen. No, he was so

00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:11.759
filled with faith and so such power of the Holy

00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:13.860
Spirit in his life that there were no ifs in

00:14:13.860 --> 00:14:17.000
his life. Stephen could be filled with joy during

00:14:17.000 --> 00:14:20.500
great trials. We can all have this type of faith

00:14:20.500 --> 00:14:23.539
because we are filled with the same Holy Spirit

00:14:23.539 --> 00:14:26.600
that Stephen was filled with. Now, have you ever

00:14:26.600 --> 00:14:29.299
desired to have faith that is unshakable? Faith

00:14:29.299 --> 00:14:32.639
that you can rise above all your current circumstances?

00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:34.460
I'm sure that you have. I'm sure that all of

00:14:34.460 --> 00:14:37.360
us have. If our faith weakens, I suggest that

00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:39.659
we read about the life of Stephen. Matter of

00:14:39.659 --> 00:14:41.620
fact, I can't think of a better story to give

00:14:41.620 --> 00:14:43.940
you an example than the life of Stephen if we're

00:14:43.940 --> 00:14:45.799
struggling in our faith, are struggling with

00:14:45.799 --> 00:14:48.570
our walk with God. His story is found in Acts

00:14:48.570 --> 00:14:51.450
chapter 6. At the end of his life, he was martyred

00:14:51.450 --> 00:14:54.309
by being stoned to death. But before he was stoned,

00:14:54.389 --> 00:14:56.429
listen to this, he looked up to heaven, the Bible

00:14:56.429 --> 00:15:00.549
tells us, and saw Jesus standing at God's right

00:15:00.549 --> 00:15:03.389
hand. See, Stephen was under attack. The people

00:15:03.389 --> 00:15:05.850
hated Stephen because Stephen was serving God.

00:15:05.929 --> 00:15:08.029
He believed in God. He was performing great miracles

00:15:08.029 --> 00:15:10.409
and works. He was supporting the work that Jesus

00:15:10.409 --> 00:15:13.159
taught. His relationship with all the people

00:15:13.159 --> 00:15:15.159
that he had, he was known as a man filled with

00:15:15.159 --> 00:15:17.960
faith and power. And the people in those days

00:15:17.960 --> 00:15:20.840
that were in power and in authority over the

00:15:20.840 --> 00:15:24.080
world had no use for Jesus and had no use for

00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:27.559
people who looked to Jesus. So he was being greatly

00:15:27.559 --> 00:15:29.879
persecuted, Stephen was. And in the midst of

00:15:29.879 --> 00:15:32.580
this persecution, he looked up as his accusers

00:15:32.580 --> 00:15:34.519
were yelling at him and whatever, he looked up

00:15:34.519 --> 00:15:37.909
to heaven and saw Jesus standing. Jesus wasn't

00:15:37.909 --> 00:15:40.669
sitting beside the Father, he was standing. That

00:15:40.669 --> 00:15:43.450
tells me that Jesus was deeply touched, that

00:15:43.450 --> 00:15:46.149
he would stand up to be able to look down upon

00:15:46.149 --> 00:15:49.990
Stephen to encourage him. As Jesus was killed,

00:15:50.330 --> 00:15:52.289
he looked to people and he said, what? Lord,

00:15:52.549 --> 00:15:54.929
God, my Father. forgive them for they know not

00:15:54.929 --> 00:15:56.950
what they do because he was so filled with power

00:15:56.950 --> 00:15:59.710
in the Holy Spirit. As Stephen was being stoned,

00:15:59.850 --> 00:16:02.850
he said, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. He asked

00:16:02.850 --> 00:16:06.769
Jesus to not charge his accusers with their sins.

00:16:06.929 --> 00:16:09.129
I tell you, that is so powerful to think that

00:16:09.129 --> 00:16:12.009
can actually happen to individuals. Today, the

00:16:12.009 --> 00:16:14.889
Holy Spirit helps us by telling us to pray for

00:16:14.889 --> 00:16:17.549
other people, pray for our accusers, pray for

00:16:17.549 --> 00:16:20.110
those who despitefully use us, pray for people

00:16:20.110 --> 00:16:22.570
who persecute us. And that's what Stephen was

00:16:22.570 --> 00:16:24.649
doing because That's what Jesus did in Matthew

00:16:24.649 --> 00:16:27.370
5 44 in the New International Version says his

00:16:27.370 --> 00:16:30.570
Jesus said this but I tell you Jesus said love

00:16:30.570 --> 00:16:33.330
your enemies and pray for those who persecute

00:16:33.330 --> 00:16:35.929
you Stephen did that he could only do that through

00:16:35.929 --> 00:16:37.549
the power of the Holy Spirit. And I'm going to

00:16:37.549 --> 00:16:39.470
encourage you, if you're struggling with somebody,

00:16:39.509 --> 00:16:41.149
you're having a challenge with somebody in your

00:16:41.149 --> 00:16:43.169
life, I just pray right now that you would turn

00:16:43.169 --> 00:16:45.509
it over to the Lord, that you would ask the Holy

00:16:45.509 --> 00:16:48.029
Spirit to give you peace that passes all understanding,

00:16:48.190 --> 00:16:50.769
that the Holy Spirit would help you to show love

00:16:50.769 --> 00:16:52.850
and compassion to these people, and that they

00:16:52.850 --> 00:16:56.370
would be drawn to Jesus because of your ability

00:16:56.370 --> 00:16:58.929
through the Holy Spirit to overcome the challenges

00:16:58.929 --> 00:17:00.610
that you're faced with them. And I just pray

00:17:00.610 --> 00:17:02.330
that you'll have a breakthrough. Matter of fact,

00:17:02.350 --> 00:17:04.269
let's just pray right now. Heavenly Father, for

00:17:04.269 --> 00:17:06.130
those who are struggling, with relationships

00:17:06.130 --> 00:17:07.869
with other people. It might have been, it might

00:17:07.869 --> 00:17:09.769
be a husband, a wife, it might be children, it

00:17:09.769 --> 00:17:11.769
might be in -laws, brothers and sisters, it might

00:17:11.769 --> 00:17:13.769
be a pastor they had a problem with, it could

00:17:13.769 --> 00:17:15.809
be a business associate, it could be whatever

00:17:15.809 --> 00:17:18.289
it might be, a friend from high school, male

00:17:18.289 --> 00:17:20.609
or female, whatever it might be. Father, I pray

00:17:20.609 --> 00:17:22.450
in the name of Jesus that the power of the Holy

00:17:22.450 --> 00:17:24.410
Spirit would come down upon each and every one

00:17:24.410 --> 00:17:26.829
of us, that we would speak life and hope into

00:17:26.829 --> 00:17:29.170
those who've persecuted us, that we would pray

00:17:29.170 --> 00:17:31.990
for them, that we would seek your blessing on

00:17:31.990 --> 00:17:35.309
their life, and they would see the power of God

00:17:35.309 --> 00:17:37.710
in that relationship, the power of God in that

00:17:37.710 --> 00:17:40.009
forgiveness, in that prayer. And Lord, that they

00:17:40.009 --> 00:17:42.089
would come to you, they would run to you when

00:17:42.089 --> 00:17:44.170
they see someone that they're having a difficult

00:17:44.170 --> 00:17:47.750
time with literally praying for them and believing

00:17:47.750 --> 00:17:50.029
that God will bless them. Use them now, I pray,

00:17:50.170 --> 00:17:52.430
Father, and help them in their challenges, and

00:17:52.430 --> 00:17:54.730
all of us that have these challenges, that you

00:17:54.730 --> 00:17:56.950
would guide us by your Holy Spirit to have that

00:17:56.950 --> 00:17:59.190
compassion that only you can give us. In Jesus'

00:17:59.470 --> 00:18:01.589
name, amen. I think it's important to mention

00:18:01.589 --> 00:18:03.859
here, because I referred to this earlier, about

00:18:03.859 --> 00:18:06.599
Stephen and Paul having a connection somehow.

00:18:06.819 --> 00:18:09.000
I think it's important to understand this that

00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:12.779
Paul was originally known as Saul and when Saul,

00:18:13.140 --> 00:18:16.160
soon to be the Apostle Paul, was there when Stephen

00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:18.900
was being stoned to death and the Apostle Paul

00:18:18.900 --> 00:18:22.099
was a witness to Stephen's stoning and supported

00:18:22.099 --> 00:18:24.460
it and agreed with it and felt that that's what

00:18:24.460 --> 00:18:26.579
should happen to Stephen is he should be stoned

00:18:26.579 --> 00:18:29.039
to death. Stephen went on to heaven Paul then

00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:31.000
went on about his miserable life that he had

00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:33.400
for a while, or Saul, I should say, went about

00:18:33.400 --> 00:18:35.700
that miserable life he had until the road to

00:18:35.700 --> 00:18:39.279
Damascus. When the man named Saul ran into Jesus,

00:18:39.460 --> 00:18:42.480
he became the apostle Paul, who was one of the

00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:45.160
greatest Christians ever to live, ever walk on

00:18:45.160 --> 00:18:47.920
this earth, and wrote a huge portion of the New

00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:50.900
Testament. And there's the connection that is

00:18:50.900 --> 00:18:53.559
amazing to think that God can turn around a person

00:18:53.559 --> 00:18:56.779
with that much hate to have more love than the

00:18:56.779 --> 00:18:58.440
hate that they ever had in him. their life. When

00:18:58.440 --> 00:19:01.880
we are led by the Holy Spirit, He presents our

00:19:01.880 --> 00:19:04.339
prayers to God. I mean, He takes them directly

00:19:04.339 --> 00:19:07.880
to God. Our God always hears and answers the

00:19:07.880 --> 00:19:10.619
prayers of those led by the Holy Spirit. Now

00:19:10.619 --> 00:19:12.420
I need to make a comment here. When I say that

00:19:12.420 --> 00:19:15.039
He always hears and always answers the prayers,

00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:18.220
sometimes He answers our prayers with no or with

00:19:18.220 --> 00:19:21.220
not now or not at this time. So God always answers

00:19:21.220 --> 00:19:23.500
in one way or another. What I'm talking about

00:19:23.500 --> 00:19:26.140
is not just reserved for the great Christians,

00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:30.029
the big named evangelists or preachers around

00:19:30.029 --> 00:19:32.109
the world that have massive congregations. What

00:19:32.109 --> 00:19:34.410
I'm talking about is for them but it's also for

00:19:34.410 --> 00:19:36.730
every single one of the followers of the Lord

00:19:36.730 --> 00:19:40.309
Jesus Christ. When we understand that the Holy

00:19:40.309 --> 00:19:42.829
Spirit who lives in us is the same Holy Spirit

00:19:42.829 --> 00:19:45.589
that came down upon Jesus when he was baptized

00:19:45.589 --> 00:19:47.849
by John the Baptist. The Holy Spirit who dwells

00:19:47.849 --> 00:19:50.710
in us is the same Holy Spirit that took Stephen

00:19:50.710 --> 00:19:52.890
through all the difficult challenges he had even

00:19:52.890 --> 00:19:55.509
to his being stoned to death. The same Holy Spirit

00:19:55.509 --> 00:19:58.410
that's in the was in the Apostle Paul here on

00:19:58.410 --> 00:20:00.569
earth is the same Holy Spirit that lives and

00:20:00.569 --> 00:20:02.309
dwells inside of each and every one of us. When

00:20:02.309 --> 00:20:05.309
we understand that we will have wisdom, we will

00:20:05.309 --> 00:20:07.809
have peace, we will have joy because we will

00:20:07.809 --> 00:20:10.329
be led by the power of the Holy Spirit. In Acts

00:20:10.329 --> 00:20:13.130
chapter 6 verse 10 in the New International Version

00:20:13.130 --> 00:20:16.609
it says this, it tells us that the power of Stephen

00:20:16.609 --> 00:20:19.869
was so great that his accusers could not stand

00:20:19.869 --> 00:20:22.930
up against the wisdom the Holy Spirit gave him

00:20:22.930 --> 00:20:26.599
as he spoke back to them. Do yourself a huge

00:20:26.599 --> 00:20:29.059
favor and a get -receiver, a great blessing,

00:20:29.319 --> 00:20:32.720
and listen and read to the life of Stephen found

00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:35.319
in the book of Acts chapter 6. You'll be blessed,

00:20:35.380 --> 00:20:37.400
you'll be glad that you did, and I believe that

00:20:37.400 --> 00:20:39.920
Lord will help you to deal with whatever you're

00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:41.460
going through right now. I'm gonna have to close

00:20:41.460 --> 00:20:43.319
again in prayer. I really feel that there's other

00:20:43.319 --> 00:20:46.039
people that just need to allow me to pray over

00:20:46.039 --> 00:20:48.920
you. Father, I pray for all those who are listening

00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:51.259
in today, myself included, Lord, that we would

00:20:51.259 --> 00:20:54.160
all desire a greater, closer walk with the Holy

00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:56.559
Spirit. that we would understand that we can

00:20:56.559 --> 00:20:59.440
walk in power. We can experience the power that

00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:01.900
Stephen had to overcome, the power that the Apostle

00:21:01.900 --> 00:21:04.819
Paul had to overcome. When Jesus left this earth,

00:21:04.859 --> 00:21:07.319
he says, greater works will you do than even

00:21:07.319 --> 00:21:09.559
he has done, because he knew the power of the

00:21:09.559 --> 00:21:11.180
Holy Spirit would be there to help and guide

00:21:11.180 --> 00:21:13.480
us and direct us. And I pray, Lord, in this series

00:21:13.480 --> 00:21:15.779
on the Holy Spirit, that people would receive

00:21:15.779 --> 00:21:17.599
something special. I know each and every time

00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:19.799
I work on this and prepare something, put it

00:21:19.799 --> 00:21:21.940
together, the Holy Spirit helps me and draws

00:21:21.940 --> 00:21:23.980
me closer to Him and gives me new thoughts and

00:21:23.980 --> 00:21:27.079
ideas about ways that we can draw closer to God

00:21:27.079 --> 00:21:29.920
and then He will in turn draw closer to us. And

00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:31.960
we do that through the power of the Holy Spirit

00:21:31.960 --> 00:21:34.440
who lives and dwells in each and every one of

00:21:34.440 --> 00:21:36.559
us. I pray, Lord, that you would bless each one

00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:38.359
who is listening in, that they would prosper

00:21:38.359 --> 00:21:40.220
in all things and be in good health, even as

00:21:40.220 --> 00:21:42.920
their souls prosper, I pray. In Jesus' name,

00:21:42.980 --> 00:21:45.099
amen. Well, I'm going to continue. I hope you

00:21:45.099 --> 00:21:46.940
enjoyed this one. I certainly did. I'm going

00:21:46.940 --> 00:21:50.119
to continue my series on the Holy Spirit, and

00:21:50.119 --> 00:21:52.920
I've got a title that I put together and some

00:21:52.970 --> 00:21:55.690
some notes here that I'll just read here quickly

00:21:55.690 --> 00:21:58.059
about what's coming up next. The next podcast,

00:21:58.140 --> 00:22:00.160
unless the Holy Spirit changes it between now

00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.160
and then, is going to be titled, I believe, Life

00:22:03.160 --> 00:22:05.660
With and Without the Holy Spirit. We're going

00:22:05.660 --> 00:22:07.859
to look at what it would be like to be led by

00:22:07.859 --> 00:22:10.740
the Holy Spirit or not to be led by the Holy

00:22:10.740 --> 00:22:13.900
Spirit. And if the Holy Spirit wasn't here, then

00:22:13.900 --> 00:22:16.579
what kind of life would we have? How do we know

00:22:16.579 --> 00:22:19.720
when we are in the Spirit or we are in the flesh?

00:22:19.960 --> 00:22:22.799
And how can we lose our relationship with the

00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:25.519
Holy Spirit? And how do we reconnect with the

00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:27.380
Holy Spirit? So these are things that the Lord's

00:22:27.380 --> 00:22:29.079
given me. I don't have anything put together

00:22:29.079 --> 00:22:31.380
yet, but as the Lord is willing, then that will

00:22:31.380 --> 00:22:33.859
be the next podcast that we'll be dealing with.

00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:35.460
I hope that you'll let your friends and family

00:22:35.460 --> 00:22:37.880
members know about that. Now as I close this

00:22:37.880 --> 00:22:40.420
up, I want to tell you very quickly about what

00:22:40.420 --> 00:22:42.200
Quality Christian Living is all about. That's

00:22:42.200 --> 00:22:44.339
what this entire podcast has been for four and

00:22:44.339 --> 00:22:46.779
a half years, and God has blessed it, and I've

00:22:46.779 --> 00:22:49.240
been so honored to be a part of this. And so

00:22:49.240 --> 00:22:51.599
I'd like to encourage you to go to my webpage,

00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:54.559
davidcfriendauthor .com, and when you get there

00:22:54.559 --> 00:22:57.210
you'll see a link right on the first page to

00:22:57.210 --> 00:22:59.250
all the podcasts that we've done. This has been

00:22:59.250 --> 00:23:03.029
podcast number 374. So obviously there's been

00:23:03.029 --> 00:23:04.630
a lot of topics, a lot of things we've talked

00:23:04.630 --> 00:23:06.970
about. This particular series on the Holy Spirit

00:23:06.970 --> 00:23:09.730
now has lasted a year and will continue until

00:23:09.730 --> 00:23:11.990
the Holy Spirit tells me to change the topics.

00:23:12.029 --> 00:23:14.809
But I've got literally dozens of more topics

00:23:14.809 --> 00:23:17.170
that I could teach on the Holy Spirit. That's

00:23:17.170 --> 00:23:19.349
what He wants me to do and I'm gonna wait and

00:23:19.349 --> 00:23:21.589
pray for that and ask for His direction. And

00:23:21.589 --> 00:23:23.809
if you hit that link though, there'll be other

00:23:23.809 --> 00:23:25.890
topics in there dealing with finances, dealing

00:23:25.890 --> 00:23:28.849
with the gifts of the Spirit, dealing with how

00:23:28.849 --> 00:23:32.049
to have relationships with people the way God

00:23:32.049 --> 00:23:34.349
intended them to be and how to live an overcoming

00:23:34.349 --> 00:23:36.609
life. There are just so many, many podcasts there

00:23:36.609 --> 00:23:38.190
I hope that you'll listen to. As a matter of

00:23:38.190 --> 00:23:40.569
fact, we get more downloads now to the stuff

00:23:40.569 --> 00:23:43.309
we've done in the past. There's so many new people

00:23:43.309 --> 00:23:45.869
that are coming in and going back and listening

00:23:45.869 --> 00:23:47.730
to all these podcasts that were done over the

00:23:47.730 --> 00:23:50.109
last several years. I believe it will be a blessing

00:23:50.109 --> 00:23:52.630
to you and I hear wonderful comments from people

00:23:52.630 --> 00:23:55.059
all the time about how they received a special

00:23:55.059 --> 00:23:57.119
touch from the Lord. And if you'd like to know

00:23:57.119 --> 00:23:59.920
more about the Quality Christian Living podcast,

00:24:00.140 --> 00:24:03.920
you can subscribe to it by going to cpnshows

00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:07.000
.com or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:09.079
So I want to thank you so much for listening.

00:24:09.240 --> 00:24:11.779
And if you enjoyed this episode, I'd like you

00:24:11.779 --> 00:24:14.519
to just take a moment to rate and review the

00:24:14.519 --> 00:24:16.019
podcast. It would be really nice. It would be

00:24:16.019 --> 00:24:18.660
a blessing and tells other people what you thought

00:24:18.660 --> 00:24:20.839
of what you heard today. I hear so many wonderful

00:24:20.839 --> 00:24:23.259
comments that way. You can leave a review on

00:24:23.180 --> 00:24:26.440
Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music, or Charisma

00:24:26.440 --> 00:24:28.880
Podcast Network, or just give us a star rating

00:24:28.880 --> 00:24:31.720
on Spotify, however you choose to support it.

00:24:31.819 --> 00:24:33.960
We will certainly appreciate that and thank you

00:24:33.960 --> 00:24:35.940
for being a part of it. Quality Christian Living

00:24:35.940 --> 00:24:38.759
is something that's so important to me, and the

00:24:38.759 --> 00:24:40.640
series on the Holy Spirit, of course, is just

00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:42.960
such a vibrant part. I think it's the best part

00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:45.220
of what we've been doing here on Quality Christian

00:24:45.220 --> 00:24:47.779
Living, but to live a quality life, live a life

00:24:47.779 --> 00:24:50.380
that's not just getting by, not a mediocre life.

00:24:50.539 --> 00:24:52.839
You know, years ago I would meet people And I'd

00:24:52.839 --> 00:24:54.380
say, well, how long have you been serving the

00:24:54.380 --> 00:24:55.980
Lord? Well, I've been serving the Lord 20 years,

00:24:55.980 --> 00:24:57.819
30 years, 50 years, whatever it might be. Well,

00:24:57.819 --> 00:24:59.619
how are you doing? Well, they'd make a statement

00:24:59.619 --> 00:25:01.920
like, well, I'm still breathing. I'm still above

00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:04.099
ground, which means they're not buried. And those

00:25:04.099 --> 00:25:05.900
were kind of statements I'm going, is that all

00:25:05.900 --> 00:25:08.619
you have to say about being a Christian? That's

00:25:08.619 --> 00:25:10.079
when I was a new Christian, I would ask that

00:25:10.079 --> 00:25:13.200
question. And people would say, well, I'm getting

00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:15.660
by, and God's helped me. But I don't really think

00:25:15.660 --> 00:25:18.019
that's the kind of life that Jesus wants us to

00:25:18.019 --> 00:25:20.759
live. And I've used the scripture, John 10, 10,

00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:23.349
many times. Jesus is speaking, he says, the thief,

00:25:23.349 --> 00:25:25.410
that's the devil, comes to kill, to steal and

00:25:25.410 --> 00:25:27.509
destroy. He says, but I've come to give you life

00:25:27.509 --> 00:25:30.690
and give it to you more abundantly. That is quality

00:25:30.690 --> 00:25:33.910
Christian living. Living a life at a level of

00:25:33.910 --> 00:25:36.130
quality that the Holy Spirit wants us to live

00:25:36.130 --> 00:25:39.029
and God, our Father, wants us to live and Jesus,

00:25:39.170 --> 00:25:41.650
our Lord and Savior, wants us to live. So I pray

00:25:41.650 --> 00:25:43.690
that the Quality Christian Living podcast will

00:25:43.690 --> 00:25:45.789
become a part of your life and I would encourage

00:25:45.789 --> 00:25:48.029
you to let other believers know about the series

00:25:48.029 --> 00:25:50.430
on the Holy Spirit because it is by far the most

00:25:50.430 --> 00:25:52.809
popular series that we've done and the one has

00:25:52.809 --> 00:25:55.250
been received by so many people, quite frankly,

00:25:55.309 --> 00:25:57.430
around the world. I just am amazed when I get

00:25:57.430 --> 00:25:59.289
the reports that's told me that we've reached

00:25:59.289 --> 00:26:02.289
out to over 140 countries around the world listening

00:26:02.289 --> 00:26:04.690
to these podcasts. So we give God all the praise

00:26:04.690 --> 00:26:07.230
and glory for it and thank Him for that. So I

00:26:07.230 --> 00:26:08.990
pray that you'll be blessed. So I want to close

00:26:08.990 --> 00:26:10.930
this out right now, but I want to give you a

00:26:10.930 --> 00:26:13.250
blessing before I do that. I pray that the Lord

00:26:13.250 --> 00:26:15.309
will bless you and I pray that He'll keep you

00:26:15.309 --> 00:26:17.529
and that His face will shine upon you and that

00:26:17.529 --> 00:26:19.650
He'll be gracious to you and give you peace.

00:26:20.039 --> 00:26:23.039
I said earlier in this podcast, may you prosper

00:26:23.039 --> 00:26:26.140
and be in good health even as your soul prospers.

00:26:26.539 --> 00:26:28.759
So once again, thank you for listening to the

00:26:28.759 --> 00:26:31.059
Quality Christian Living Podcast. I've been your

00:26:31.059 --> 00:26:33.539
host David Friend. I pray that you'll receive

00:26:33.539 --> 00:26:35.680
a closer walk with the Holy Spirit than you've

00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:38.940
ever had before. I pray that all of us will understand

00:26:38.940 --> 00:26:41.220
that the life that Stephen lived is a life that

00:26:41.220 --> 00:26:43.640
we can live here on earth today. And I believe

00:26:43.640 --> 00:26:46.579
that. I pray for power and faith through everyone

00:26:46.579 --> 00:26:48.500
listening in today. We'll give you all the glory

00:26:48.500 --> 00:26:50.660
for it, Father. These things I ask in Jesus'

00:26:50.839 --> 00:26:52.880
name. I once again thank you for listening in.

00:26:52.960 --> 00:26:53.539
God bless you.