Holy Spirit Faith and Power (323)

WEBVTT

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I want to welcome you to the Quality Christian

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Living Podcast. I am your host, David Friend.

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Today's podcast is entitled, Holy Spirit, Faith

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and Power. We're going to discover how the Holy

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Spirit brings a powerful amount of faith and

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power to our life. And we'll learn from the life

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of Stephen, who we'll read about in the book

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of Acts. We'll better understand how faith and

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power come from the Holy Spirit, and finally,

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how we can be filled with the Spirit each and

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every day of our lives. I know God's got some

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great plans for us, but let's go to the Lord

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first in prayer. Heavenly Father, I thank you

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for the opportunity, once again, to bring this

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podcast to those who are listening literally

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around the world. We pray now you would bless

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them, and I pray that you would anoint this podcast,

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and I submit to you, and I ask the Holy Spirit

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to take complete control, take charge, about

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to speak about today. The topic is the Holy Spirit,

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so therefore, we need you. we seek you. We need

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your guidance and direction. I pray you would

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bless this and that those who are listening in

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would receive something very special today. Holy

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Spirit, may you open up our hearts to receive

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directly from you. I pray that you would guide

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every thought, every comment, the reading of

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each scripture and that your name would be blessed

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and we just give you thanks for it. We ask now

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that those who are listening in would receive

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exactly what they're looking for and only you

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can accomplish that. So we'd be careful to give

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you the praise and glory for what's about to

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take place and I with these things now in Jesus

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name I pray amen this has been a very exciting

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series for me and a lot of people are calling

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me people are texting me I've had emails that

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they're being blessed by it and being touched

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by it so I just thank the Lord for that because

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when we talk about the Holy Spirit we talk about

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the greatest power that's ever been written about

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and when we read the Word of God we have to always

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remember that every word in the Word of God has

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been inspired by the Holy Spirit for those who

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wrote it so I hope you're ready to hear what

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the Holy Spirit does to give us faith and how

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he does that and how he gives us power in our

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prayer times, power in our walk with God, power

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to live that life that God wants us to live.

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For the Holy Spirit to help us increase our faith

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and experience His power, we must be filled with

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the Spirit. Let's look at a man who was filled

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with the Holy Spirit. The Apostles needed help.

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to serve the growing church. They were outnumbered

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by people and there was so much going on they

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needed people to serve other people so that the

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apostles could spend time preparing the Word

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of God and ministering to people one -on -one.

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So they decided to recruit others. It says in

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Acts chapter 6 and verse 5, there were seven

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who were chosen and one of them was named Stephen.

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So they picked out seven men who were there to

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be probably the first deacons that we've ever

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heard of in the church. Then in Acts chapter

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6 and verse 8 in the New Living translation.

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It says this, Stephen, a man full of God's grace

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and power performed amazing miracles and signs

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among the peoples. Now the thing that I like

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about that scripture, I mean there's a lot about

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it, but that particular verse puts two things

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together that a lot of people don't, I think,

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understand. And that is this man was full of

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God's grace, it said at first, and power to perform

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amazing miracles. So when you put that together,

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a lot of people say, well, grace and power, do

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they go together? Absolutely. God has incredible

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grace for each and every one of us, unlimited

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grace for us, and he has the ability to have

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the greatest power and does have the greatest

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power that man has ever seen. God is omnipotent,

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omniscient, and omnipresent. God is God. But

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Stephen was filled, or full of God's grace and

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power so that he was able to do amazing miracles.

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and signs among the people. So therefore the

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Holy Spirit blessed him and gave him these gifts.

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In upcoming podcasts we're going to talk about

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the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the

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Spirit and we're going to talk about how the

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Holy Spirit gives gifts to people in whom he

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chooses who to give them to. It's his choice,

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it's his selection, if you will, to let those

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gifts come down upon people. So Stephen was an

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ordinary man. Now that's so important to this

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teaching because we're all ordinary people. Stephen

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was an ordinary man that the Holy Spirit made

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supernatural. And that can happen to us. We can

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literally be transformed by the power of the

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Holy Spirit. We're transformed when we become

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followers of Jesus Christ. We become slaves to

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sin before we receive Christ but then we're set

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free of that and we become a new person. The

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Bible says a new creation we become so therefore

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Stephen was a new creation and an ordinary man

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who didn't understand the Holy Spirit and didn't

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understand what the supernatural was but he became

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what he didn't understand was possible and that

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he was filled and full of the Holy Spirit and

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worked in supernatural ways. He was selected

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to be a deacon. I mentioned deacon earlier but

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really he was. He was selected to be a deacon

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in the two new church in Jerusalem. Now most

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theologians call Stephen the first Christian

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martyr. That means the first one to be killed

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for his faith and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ.

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Stephen was filled with faith and the Holy Spirit.

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When you read through chapter 6 and chapter 7

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about the life of Stephen and what he went through

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and the accusations that came up against him,

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he had to be filled with the Holy Spirit. But

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while that was going through that, Stephen loved

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serving other people. He was filled with grace.

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That scripture said, remember, filled with God's

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grace and power to perform miracles. Well, he

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was a servant and he got the attention of God

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because he was a servant, because he loved people

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and he wanted to help other people. He wanted

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to help the apostles build a great church and

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so he served. And many of you out there who are

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going to churches, I hope that you'll examine

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yourself and say, am I really serving where God

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wants me to serve? Am I doing what I should do

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in my local church to help that church grow?

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Can I possibly be someone like Stephen who's

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filled with the Holy Spirit? Well, the way you

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become filled with the Holy Spirit and we'll

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get into that in just a moment. One key step

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is that we need to think of others as being more

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important than ourself. We need to learn how

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to love other people and to serve other people.

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Now Stephen is famous because of his verbal attacks.

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on the religious, non -Christian leaders of the

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day. He preached about Jesus being the Messiah,

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and because of that he was accused of blasphemy.

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He had a trial that was a mock retrial. It was

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just a mock trial. It was fake and phony because

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the people had nothing against Stephen. They

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just had everything against Jesus, against these

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Christians, about followers of Jesus Christ.

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And Stephen was bold enough to tell them that

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they were wrong. They were wrong in God's sight,

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had rejected Jesus, and therefore Jesus is the

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one that his accusers hated, and so therefore

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they accused him of the very thing that they

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were doing. They were accusing him of blasphemy,

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turning against God, and therefore they plan

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to stone him to death. So Stephen was stoned

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to death. And during that stoning, two very powerful

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moments took place. It's so important that we

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understand that because we go through trials.

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I'm sure everybody out there right now is going

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through some kind of a trial or a difficult thing

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that you're going through. You're facing some

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circumstances you really don't want. You want

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them out of your life. Trials happen. We have

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to look to God, the author and the finisher of

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our faith, and he is our source. He's a very

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present help in times of trouble. So Stephen

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knew that because he knew what was going to happen

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because that's how They talked about people when

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they didn't like them or they disagreed with

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them. They wanted to stone them to death. A moment

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ago, I said that there were two very important

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things that took place. Well, let me share those

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with you. First one was about a man named Saul

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of Tarsus. He stood by and supported the murdering

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of Stephen. Saul later became the apostle Paul.

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The other major event in that stoning is recorded

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in Acts chapter seven, verse 59 in the New Living

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Translation. Here's what it says, as they stoned

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him, Stephen, prayed Lord Jesus receive my spirit

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and in verse 60 he fell to his knees shouting

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and Lord don't charge them with this sin and

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with that he died now does that sound familiar

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or what remember at the crucifixion Jesus said

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Jesus said forgive them for they know not what

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they're doing and so Stephen while he was being

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stoned was so full of the Holy Spirit so filled

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with the power of God they looked up to heaven

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and said they don't know what they're doing so

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please don't count this against them and I just

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I just think that is just an amazing example

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of how we can deal with the challenges we face

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in our life. Now I'm not saying we're going to

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be stoned. I'm not going to say we go through

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what Stephen went through or what Jesus went

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through. What I'm saying is when we're in the

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midst of the battle, let's not let the battle

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drag us down to lose our faith. Let's have the

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battle increase our faith, increase our trust

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in God so that while we're going through something,

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we'll be focusing on what we're going to go to.

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We want to look forward to that. future, to what's

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going to take place, for the potential that God

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has, for the ability he has, and what God is

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going to take us through. In order to do that,

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we've got to have Holy Spirit faith and Holy

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Spirit power. I can't continue this podcast without

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reading something that is so incredible when

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it comes to understanding the power that Stephen

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had in his life. I just can't leave this alone.

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It's found in the book of Acts chapter 7, and

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I think it's verse 55, and it says, but Stephen,

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full of the Holy Spirit, gave He's steadily into

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heaven. Hear the word steadily. He didn't take

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his eyes off of Jesus and saw the glory of God

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and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor

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at God's right hand. In the middle of the battle,

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he kept his eyes on Jesus. Boy, we all need that.

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Let me just pray right now. I just feel the Holy

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Spirit all over me right now. Heavenly Father,

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I pray for those who are going through the battle

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right now, Lord, they'll put their eyes on Jesus.

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They'll look up into the heavens and see Jesus

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is there with his hand extended saying, I'll

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never leave you or forsake you. I'll always be

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there for you. I'm always going to be at your

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side. So Heavenly Father, help those going through

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difficulties right now that their eyes will be

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off the difficulties and on their Savior, their

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Redeemer, their Lord, and so they can handle

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anything that's thrown at them because Jesus

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is there to strengthen them, to help them, and

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carry them through. And I'll thank you for that

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in advance. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. Just

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one more little thought. Look at what Stephen

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experienced, but because of him being full of

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the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit. He never

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took his eyes off of Jesus. I pray that you're

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receiving this in the way that it's intended

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that the Holy Spirit is helping you to give you

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strength where you need it. Think about this

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for a second. When we are full of the Holy Spirit,

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our faith becomes supernatural. That's powerful.

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That's amazing. We operate in what we read about

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in Romans chapter 8 and verse 27. And he who

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searches our heart knows the mind of the Spirit,

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because the Spirit intercedes for God's people

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in accordance with the will of God. We operate

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according to the will of God. We operate in the

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will of God. We operate in the power of the Holy

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Spirit and the strength of the Holy Spirit and

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the faith that the Holy Spirit helps us to have

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and shows us that we can have. from one realm

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of faith to a whole new realm of faith. When

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Jesus talked about having great faith, He talked

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about people who just did not allow their circumstances

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to rob them of what God was taking them to, what

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God wanted to bring into their life. You know,

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God knows the mind of His Spirit operating in

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us, obviously, because He is part of the Godhead.

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He's part of the triune God, God the Father,

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God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. So therefore,

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God knows the mind of the Holy Spirit who is

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in us. That is what takes us into the supernatural.

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I know that might sound a little heavy to you,

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but that's what the Word of God tells us. It

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teaches us that. So how do we become full of

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the Holy Spirit? Well, first of all, we need

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to be witnesses of the things that have happened

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good in our life. And we need to be witnesses

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to the goodness of God, the power of God. the

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forgiveness of God, the life that we used to

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live now has changed to the life that we're living

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today. And we can be full of the Holy Spirit

00:11:41.100 --> 00:11:43.679
when we recognize that we're witnesses of what

00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:45.919
God has done in our life. Listen to Ephesians

00:11:45.919 --> 00:11:49.120
chapter 5 and verse 18. It says here, do not

00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:53.039
get drunk with wine because that will ruin your

00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:55.639
life. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. That means

00:11:55.639 --> 00:11:58.940
we need to live a life filled with seeking a

00:11:58.940 --> 00:12:01.799
closer walk with God, a life filled with the

00:12:01.799 --> 00:12:04.360
goodness of God, a life of prayer. a life of

00:12:04.360 --> 00:12:06.519
meditation, thinking on the things of God, a

00:12:06.519 --> 00:12:08.820
life of praying in the Spirit, a life of praying

00:12:08.820 --> 00:12:11.019
without ceasing, which simply means, that doesn't

00:12:11.019 --> 00:12:13.789
mean you... non -stop pray 24 hours a day, you

00:12:13.789 --> 00:12:16.389
have to sleep. But obviously, to pray without

00:12:16.389 --> 00:12:19.009
ceasing means that when we're conscious, when

00:12:19.009 --> 00:12:21.269
we're awake, our whole life needs to be focused

00:12:21.269 --> 00:12:24.389
on, I can do that because God will help me go

00:12:24.389 --> 00:12:26.289
through that. I know that all things are possible

00:12:26.289 --> 00:12:28.409
because of what Jesus has done in my life and

00:12:28.409 --> 00:12:30.629
because of his power and his strength. That is

00:12:30.629 --> 00:12:32.610
really praying in the spirit. We need to have

00:12:32.610 --> 00:12:35.629
the word of God so in our heart that when anything

00:12:35.629 --> 00:12:37.889
that we do comes up, we have a scripture to match

00:12:37.889 --> 00:12:39.710
that. We have a scripture that takes that. When

00:12:39.710 --> 00:12:41.879
I was challenged in my life on various different

00:12:41.879 --> 00:12:44.519
occasions. I always found it so important to

00:12:44.519 --> 00:12:46.179
say, trust in the Lord with all my heart, lean

00:12:46.179 --> 00:12:49.080
not on my own understanding and all my ways acknowledge

00:12:49.080 --> 00:12:51.659
him and he direct my path. That's Proverbs 3

00:12:51.659 --> 00:12:53.980
.5. I quote that over and over again because

00:12:53.980 --> 00:12:57.220
I say that every day in my life. No matter what

00:12:57.220 --> 00:12:59.740
I'm facing, before I go to bed, I have to say

00:12:59.740 --> 00:13:02.580
that. Before I go to bed, I have to remind myself

00:13:02.580 --> 00:13:04.539
about what Paul wrote in Philippians. He says,

00:13:04.740 --> 00:13:07.299
to be anxious for nothing but everything through

00:13:07.299 --> 00:13:09.879
prayers, petitions with thanksgiving, make your

00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:14.860
Let me get back to the question, how do we become

00:13:14.860 --> 00:13:16.879
full of the Holy Spirit? Here's a scripture,

00:13:16.899 --> 00:13:19.580
I think, that just hits the nail on the head,

00:13:19.620 --> 00:13:23.360
so to speak. In Acts chapter 5 and verse 32 it

00:13:23.360 --> 00:13:26.860
says this, God gives the Holy Spirit to those

00:13:26.860 --> 00:13:30.240
who obey and surrender. to Him. Now, if you're

00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:32.159
saying, I don't know if I have the Holy Spirit

00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:34.440
guiding me and leading me, well then we might

00:13:34.440 --> 00:13:36.740
want to evaluate whether we're listening to Him,

00:13:36.919 --> 00:13:39.580
obeying God, and surrendering to Him, because

00:13:39.580 --> 00:13:41.519
He wants the Holy Spirit to operate on us. Now,

00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:43.139
when you become a Christian, when you receive

00:13:43.139 --> 00:13:45.419
Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and in

00:13:45.419 --> 00:13:49.019
the prior podcast I prayed for people to... Receive

00:13:49.019 --> 00:13:52.000
Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior to ask for

00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:54.340
forgiveness of their sins and when they did that

00:13:54.340 --> 00:13:56.120
with a sincere heart and they and they prayed

00:13:56.120 --> 00:13:58.360
that prayer and asked Jesus in their life the

00:13:58.360 --> 00:14:00.960
Holy Spirit came to dwell inside of them and

00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:02.559
that's wonderful and that's how it is for all

00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:04.779
of us but in order for the Holy Spirit to work

00:14:04.779 --> 00:14:07.039
in our lives and to guide us and for us to be

00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:09.600
filled with the Holy Spirit and operate in the

00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:12.740
Holy Spirit we have to obey and surrender to

00:14:12.740 --> 00:14:15.740
God and it's not that hard to do as long as we

00:14:15.740 --> 00:14:17.919
just wake up in the morning and maybe just Start

00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:20.320
off with a me and say, Lord, thank you that it's

00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:22.940
morning. Thank God that morning is here. And

00:14:22.940 --> 00:14:24.480
I'm just going to ask for you to guide and direct

00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:26.539
me. It can be as simple as that. We can just

00:14:26.539 --> 00:14:28.419
say, thank you, Lord, for this day. Anything

00:14:28.419 --> 00:14:31.240
to be positive and encouraging and uplifting

00:14:31.240 --> 00:14:34.659
to your spirit to encourage yourself in the Lord

00:14:34.659 --> 00:14:37.440
and give him credit for the blessings that he's

00:14:37.440 --> 00:14:40.039
putting in your life. So we've got to be encouraged.

00:14:40.409 --> 00:14:42.909
by the Holy Spirit who lives and dwells inside

00:14:42.909 --> 00:14:45.029
of us. It's so hard for me to talk to people

00:14:45.029 --> 00:14:46.730
who are Christians. They love the Lord. I mean,

00:14:46.730 --> 00:14:48.629
they're good people. They love the Lord. They

00:14:48.629 --> 00:14:51.429
go to church all the time. They give their finances

00:14:51.429 --> 00:14:53.429
to the Lord. They help people. They bring their

00:14:53.429 --> 00:14:55.450
family or friends to church. And they're just

00:14:55.450 --> 00:14:57.570
really great people. But sometimes when you ask

00:14:57.570 --> 00:14:59.590
them, how are you doing? How are things going

00:14:59.590 --> 00:15:01.929
in your life? Some of their responses are, well,

00:15:02.070 --> 00:15:05.669
I'm getting by. I'm just making it. I'm still

00:15:05.669 --> 00:15:08.129
breathing. I'm still above ground. And they make

00:15:08.129 --> 00:15:10.750
those kinds of statements. that grieves the Holy

00:15:10.750 --> 00:15:13.710
Spirit. If we walk around saying, well, I'm still

00:15:13.710 --> 00:15:15.929
breathing and that's how I'm getting by, that's

00:15:15.929 --> 00:15:18.330
really not much of a confession of what Jesus

00:15:18.330 --> 00:15:21.070
has done in our life. When we ask, how are we

00:15:21.070 --> 00:15:23.090
doing, if you have nothing else to say, just

00:15:23.090 --> 00:15:25.789
say, I'm blessed. And when the other person's

00:15:25.789 --> 00:15:27.950
looking at you, they hear that out of you, it

00:15:27.950 --> 00:15:30.490
touches them, it changes them. And so in order

00:15:30.490 --> 00:15:32.690
to walk in the Spirit and have that kind of faith

00:15:32.690 --> 00:15:36.080
and increase faith and power in our... prayer

00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:39.740
life and power and our trust in God, we've got

00:15:39.740 --> 00:15:42.039
to claim the good things of God and the promises

00:15:42.039 --> 00:15:45.080
of God and say, I'm blessed in Jesus' name. Now,

00:15:45.100 --> 00:15:46.799
here's another question a lot of people have

00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:50.799
asked me over the years. How do we receive greater

00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:53.059
faith and power? I've talked a lot about it,

00:15:53.159 --> 00:15:54.820
give you scriptures about it, but some might

00:15:54.820 --> 00:15:56.320
say, well, that's all good and those are great

00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:57.960
scriptures. I know I'm supposed to obey the Lord

00:15:57.960 --> 00:16:00.620
and all those good things, but give me some specifics.

00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:02.659
So let me just give you a few things I think

00:16:02.659 --> 00:16:05.580
the Holy Spirit has given me to share with you

00:16:05.580 --> 00:16:09.399
about how we can really receive greater faith,

00:16:09.720 --> 00:16:12.100
that means greater prayer life, and power in

00:16:12.100 --> 00:16:14.860
our life. Number one, study the scriptures. Get

00:16:14.860 --> 00:16:16.840
the word of God out and study the scriptures

00:16:16.840 --> 00:16:19.139
that talk about faith. Talk about the scriptures

00:16:19.139 --> 00:16:21.539
that talk about power. power, and put those into

00:16:21.539 --> 00:16:23.759
your heart and mind. Remember one or two of them,

00:16:23.799 --> 00:16:26.360
and they'll help you understand how to receive

00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:28.899
greater faith and power. Another way is to pray

00:16:28.899 --> 00:16:31.159
daily. At least some time of our day, whether

00:16:31.159 --> 00:16:34.159
it's two minutes or two hours, spend some time

00:16:34.159 --> 00:16:36.840
every single day in prayer. I just can't imagine

00:16:36.840 --> 00:16:38.919
going to sleep at night without praying. I can't

00:16:38.919 --> 00:16:41.419
imagine not eating a meal and not praying. I

00:16:41.419 --> 00:16:43.659
can't imagine not taking time during the day

00:16:43.659 --> 00:16:46.320
sometime and pray for the needs of other people

00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:49.019
I know that are hurting. And please forgive me

00:16:49.019 --> 00:16:50.879
if you think I'm patting myself on the back because

00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:53.120
I'm really not because I get challenged I get

00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:55.220
times when I don't feel like praying but I pray

00:16:55.220 --> 00:16:58.019
anyways I don't feel like praying certain scriptures

00:16:58.019 --> 00:17:00.399
or whatever but I pray them anyways because I

00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:03.399
find out if I do that if I do that I know that

00:17:03.399 --> 00:17:05.359
I'll get the attention of God and I know that

00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:07.460
he'll be pleased with that so the first thing

00:17:07.460 --> 00:17:09.920
I said to do in order to receive greater faith

00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:12.059
and power was to study the Word of God two is

00:17:12.059 --> 00:17:15.059
to pray daily another one is to seek God's presence

00:17:15.059 --> 00:17:17.299
now how do we do that we seek God's presence

00:17:17.299 --> 00:17:20.359
by worshiping Him by singing songs of worship.

00:17:20.420 --> 00:17:22.480
When you get into your car, put Christian music

00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:24.859
on. Not just all the time, but put Christian

00:17:24.859 --> 00:17:27.279
music on and it'll lift up your spirit. Have

00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:30.180
Christian music playing in your home. Go to church

00:17:30.180 --> 00:17:33.180
and get there for the worship time and the sermon

00:17:33.180 --> 00:17:35.539
time. You know many times when I would preach

00:17:35.539 --> 00:17:37.660
that people would come in and I would see them

00:17:37.660 --> 00:17:39.700
coming in while worship is going on and they're

00:17:39.700 --> 00:17:42.619
missing part of the worship time. That's an important

00:17:42.619 --> 00:17:45.220
part of the service is to be there for the worship

00:17:45.220 --> 00:17:48.109
time. That way we're drawing closer to God. We're

00:17:48.109 --> 00:17:51.069
together in unity, lifting up the Lord, giving

00:17:51.069 --> 00:17:53.390
his praise. The Bible says to enter his courts

00:17:53.390 --> 00:17:55.670
with thanksgiving. We should give thanks in our

00:17:55.670 --> 00:17:58.190
worship time. And so we've got to seek God's

00:17:58.190 --> 00:18:01.809
presence, and we do that by singing to him, by

00:18:01.809 --> 00:18:04.990
worshiping him, by listening to wonderful, godly

00:18:04.990 --> 00:18:07.569
music, and get that into our heart. Another way

00:18:07.569 --> 00:18:10.970
is to serve other people is a way to receive

00:18:10.970 --> 00:18:13.869
greater faith and power. That's what Stephen

00:18:13.869 --> 00:18:16.789
did. Remember it said that he had great power

00:18:16.910 --> 00:18:19.130
because he was a man who served others and he

00:18:19.130 --> 00:18:22.250
had great grace because he served other people

00:18:22.250 --> 00:18:25.049
and he had great faith and all that because of

00:18:25.049 --> 00:18:27.809
the fact that he put other people above himself.

00:18:27.809 --> 00:18:29.349
He wanted to help them. He wanted to serve them.

00:18:29.509 --> 00:18:32.250
Jesus did that. He came to serve. Jesus came

00:18:32.250 --> 00:18:35.329
to this earth and all he did just went around

00:18:35.329 --> 00:18:37.490
serving people, healing people, praying for people,

00:18:37.650 --> 00:18:39.769
encouraging people, blessing people. And when

00:18:39.769 --> 00:18:41.690
he was challenged, he took authority over them

00:18:41.690 --> 00:18:43.869
in the name of Jesus. He did. But bottom line,

00:18:43.869 --> 00:18:46.819
Jesus was a servant and he served other people

00:18:46.819 --> 00:18:49.079
and we need to do that so to repeat that very

00:18:49.079 --> 00:18:51.619
quickly how do we receive greater faith and power

00:18:51.619 --> 00:18:54.279
read the scriptures pray daily get into God's

00:18:54.279 --> 00:18:56.460
presence through worship and serve other people

00:18:56.460 --> 00:18:58.680
I've heard this question many times how can we

00:18:58.680 --> 00:19:01.779
be full of faith well faith has several components

00:19:01.779 --> 00:19:05.640
one is trust another is patience another is not

00:19:05.640 --> 00:19:08.380
to be anxious and to stop worrying Stephen was

00:19:08.380 --> 00:19:11.200
so full of faith and the Holy Spirit that even

00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:15.569
when he was being stoned he Focused only on Jesus.

00:19:15.750 --> 00:19:18.710
He was so full of faith that his eyes never wanted

00:19:18.710 --> 00:19:21.309
to go off of Jesus I know there's challenges

00:19:21.309 --> 00:19:23.650
in our life and I have a lot of challenges. I'm

00:19:23.650 --> 00:19:26.410
currently the pastor over Congregational care

00:19:26.410 --> 00:19:29.549
and daily. I mean seven days a week. I hear I

00:19:29.549 --> 00:19:32.369
get calls I get texts I get emails about people

00:19:32.369 --> 00:19:34.529
who are hurting and and they're challenging sometimes

00:19:34.529 --> 00:19:36.390
sometimes I feel like maybe I'd like to have

00:19:36.390 --> 00:19:38.430
a little rest from that but when that comes in

00:19:38.430 --> 00:19:40.789
we've got to pray Sharon and I will stop and

00:19:40.789 --> 00:19:43.369
we'll just see God will pray for I need the comes

00:19:43.369 --> 00:19:46.210
in because we know that God will be pleased with

00:19:46.210 --> 00:19:48.529
that. I know there's distractions in life and

00:19:48.529 --> 00:19:50.890
I know it's difficult sometimes to be full of

00:19:50.890 --> 00:19:53.609
faith and be full of the Holy Spirit but Stephen

00:19:53.609 --> 00:19:55.849
found a way to do that and that's a beautiful

00:19:55.849 --> 00:19:57.890
example because remember what I said he was an

00:19:57.890 --> 00:20:01.089
ordinary man who became super ordinary, super

00:20:01.089 --> 00:20:04.349
natural I said because of his faith and because

00:20:04.349 --> 00:20:06.250
of his trust in God and because he wanted to

00:20:06.250 --> 00:20:08.849
walk in the Spirit and the power of God. I guess

00:20:08.849 --> 00:20:10.670
I need to start wrapping this up. Time is going

00:20:10.670 --> 00:20:14.460
fast. The Holy Spirit helps our faith and gives

00:20:14.460 --> 00:20:17.880
us power when we work together with those who

00:20:17.880 --> 00:20:20.700
love God and desire to do His will. Listen to

00:20:20.700 --> 00:20:22.769
that. When we work with other people, that means

00:20:22.769 --> 00:20:25.009
we go to church with them, we pray with them,

00:20:25.190 --> 00:20:27.890
we help them in their needs, and we volunteer

00:20:27.890 --> 00:20:30.250
to be a part of a local church and to minister

00:20:30.250 --> 00:20:32.150
to other people and reach out to other people.

00:20:32.269 --> 00:20:34.890
That's when we can sense the power of the Holy

00:20:34.890 --> 00:20:37.829
Spirit helping us and increasing our faith and

00:20:37.829 --> 00:20:39.569
giving us power. You know, when you help someone

00:20:39.569 --> 00:20:41.549
else, you're helping yourself. A lot of people

00:20:41.549 --> 00:20:43.849
don't realize that, and many, many people do.

00:20:43.890 --> 00:20:46.150
Many realize when you help someone else, it just

00:20:46.150 --> 00:20:47.849
feels good, doesn't it? When I was a little kid,

00:20:47.849 --> 00:20:50.410
I was a greedy little kid. I just wanted every

00:20:50.250 --> 00:20:52.130
everything from Christmas and I didn't really

00:20:52.130 --> 00:20:53.829
care if anybody else got anything and I was just

00:20:53.829 --> 00:20:56.349
terrible and I'm so thankful that God took that

00:20:56.349 --> 00:20:58.869
away from me as I grew up and when I found Jesus

00:20:58.869 --> 00:21:00.869
Christ as my Lord and Savior all of a sudden

00:21:00.869 --> 00:21:03.089
He started showing me that when I helped other

00:21:03.089 --> 00:21:05.450
people and I made sure that they got what they

00:21:05.450 --> 00:21:07.849
needed that He would take care of me and give

00:21:07.849 --> 00:21:10.369
me what I needed. And so therefore when we're

00:21:10.369 --> 00:21:13.289
around wonderful people that need help and people

00:21:13.289 --> 00:21:15.890
that are loving and people that are not even

00:21:15.890 --> 00:21:18.049
loving people, just simply people that we need

00:21:18.049 --> 00:21:20.160
to help, we will be blessed. we will increase

00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:22.740
our faith and we'll increase the power and our

00:21:22.740 --> 00:21:25.019
trust in God to do mighty things in our life

00:21:25.019 --> 00:21:28.160
and we are then walking in the Spirit and full

00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:30.099
the Holy Spirit when we help others. The Holy

00:21:30.099 --> 00:21:34.319
Spirit has the same amount of unlimited power

00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:36.440
as God the Father. We've got to remember who

00:21:36.440 --> 00:21:39.180
the Holy Spirit is. He is everything. And it's

00:21:39.180 --> 00:21:42.000
not an it. I've heard people say, the Holy Spirit,

00:21:42.140 --> 00:21:43.880
it this and it that. No, no, no, no. No, the

00:21:43.880 --> 00:21:45.799
Holy Spirit is not an it. The Holy Spirit is

00:21:45.799 --> 00:21:48.119
a person. It's the third person in the triune

00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:50.579
God. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy

00:21:50.579 --> 00:21:53.700
Spirit, three in one. We have one God that we

00:21:53.700 --> 00:21:56.960
serve, not three gods. If we desire to live an

00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:59.940
overcoming life, we've got to understand the

00:21:59.940 --> 00:22:02.339
power, the unlimited that the Holy Spirit has.

00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:04.279
So if we want to live that life that's overcoming

00:22:04.279 --> 00:22:07.960
and abundant and Spirit -led, then we must have

00:22:07.960 --> 00:22:11.380
a goal to walk in the Spirit and be full of the

00:22:11.380 --> 00:22:13.720
Holy Spirit like Stephen was. And I keep throwing

00:22:13.720 --> 00:22:16.140
Stephen up, I guess more than anything else,

00:22:16.180 --> 00:22:18.079
is because he's just an ordinary guy. He was

00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:19.980
just a normal person. But when the Spirit of

00:22:19.980 --> 00:22:23.940
God filled him to overflowing, he became supernatural.

00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:26.220
He became so filled with the Spirit that all

00:22:26.220 --> 00:22:28.759
he wanted to do was help others and challenge

00:22:28.759 --> 00:22:31.799
those who were up. set with him and upset about

00:22:31.799 --> 00:22:34.519
his faith he was a a man that took on you know

00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:37.640
the whole the Sanhedrin's he took on the the

00:22:37.640 --> 00:22:39.680
priests of the day who had the authority the

00:22:39.680 --> 00:22:41.900
ability to kill him that didn't bother him he

00:22:41.900 --> 00:22:44.160
moved forward and then when we look at Stephen

00:22:44.410 --> 00:22:46.049
I guess when you think about Stephen, what he

00:22:46.049 --> 00:22:48.569
went through, all the accusations he went through,

00:22:48.589 --> 00:22:50.130
and if you want to read more about his life,

00:22:50.210 --> 00:22:52.470
then get the book of Acts out, chapter 6 and

00:22:52.470 --> 00:22:54.869
chapter 7, you'll learn so much about Stephen.

00:22:55.089 --> 00:22:56.950
But all the things he went through, he was very

00:22:56.950 --> 00:22:59.210
strong and very bold in what he believed, because

00:22:59.210 --> 00:23:01.390
he wasn't going to back down, just was not going

00:23:01.390 --> 00:23:04.490
to back down. And yet, when he started getting

00:23:04.490 --> 00:23:08.450
stoned by his accusers, he looked up into heaven,

00:23:08.630 --> 00:23:11.910
and I just picture him with, he had joy that

00:23:11.910 --> 00:23:14.079
came over him, joy that came over him. You know

00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:16.339
when Jesus was crucified on the cross the Bible

00:23:16.339 --> 00:23:18.920
talks about for the joy that laid before him

00:23:18.920 --> 00:23:21.839
You know he endured the cross so therefore Stephen

00:23:21.839 --> 00:23:24.359
knew that he understood that through the spirit

00:23:24.359 --> 00:23:27.680
And he actually had joy in seeing Jesus in heaven

00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:30.019
when he was going through difficulties so counted

00:23:30.019 --> 00:23:32.420
all joy when we run into trials and challenges

00:23:32.420 --> 00:23:35.059
because God is a rewarder of our faith and his

00:23:35.059 --> 00:23:37.579
Rewarder of our desire to serve him and he'll

00:23:37.579 --> 00:23:39.920
give us power to overcome the challenges that

00:23:39.920 --> 00:23:42.119
we face in life You know I think I'd be remiss

00:23:42.119 --> 00:23:45.519
if I didn't give you the scripture of where Jesus

00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:47.799
experienced joy when he was on the cross. It's

00:23:47.799 --> 00:23:51.000
in Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 2. It basically

00:23:51.000 --> 00:23:54.079
tells us very clearly that for the joy that was

00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:57.599
set before him he endured the cross and Stephen

00:23:57.599 --> 00:24:00.799
did that and we can experience difficulties and

00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:02.920
we will. I mean I've fought some terrible battles.

00:24:02.940 --> 00:24:05.440
I've had horrible cancers. I've had terrible

00:24:05.440 --> 00:24:07.920
challenges in my life and yet God has always

00:24:07.920 --> 00:24:10.660
brought me through and I always think about how

00:24:10.660 --> 00:24:13.390
blessed we are that God is always there, always

00:24:13.390 --> 00:24:15.869
ready, and the Holy Spirit who lives and dwells

00:24:15.869 --> 00:24:18.970
inside of us is that same power that God Almighty

00:24:18.970 --> 00:24:21.970
has, and yet he's living within our meek little

00:24:21.970 --> 00:24:24.069
frame that we have here on earth. Now to wrap

00:24:24.069 --> 00:24:26.970
this up again, we are not perfect people, and

00:24:26.970 --> 00:24:29.250
we never will be, just because we became Christians,

00:24:29.470 --> 00:24:31.690
but we serve the one who is Jesus Christ. We

00:24:31.690 --> 00:24:34.450
will make mistakes and experience sin, you know,

00:24:34.450 --> 00:24:37.069
as we go through life, but always remember that

00:24:37.069 --> 00:24:40.609
God's grace is greater than our mistakes and

00:24:40.609 --> 00:24:42.309
the sins that we commit. It doesn't mean we go

00:24:42.309 --> 00:24:44.390
on sinning. It just means that if we make a mistake,

00:24:44.470 --> 00:24:46.950
God's grace is sufficient. Call upon Him. Tell

00:24:46.950 --> 00:24:49.269
Him you're sorry. Ask for forgiveness. 1 John

00:24:49.269 --> 00:24:52.630
chapter 4 verse 4 says this, the spirit who lives

00:24:52.630 --> 00:24:55.390
in you is greater than the spirit who lives in

00:24:55.390 --> 00:24:57.329
the world. I think that scripture alone will

00:24:57.329 --> 00:24:59.250
help us to understand how the Holy Spirit can

00:24:59.250 --> 00:25:01.269
give us faith, greater faith than we have now,

00:25:01.269 --> 00:25:03.529
and also help us to have great power in our life.

00:25:03.630 --> 00:25:05.849
So I'm going to ask you to allow the Holy Spirit

00:25:05.849 --> 00:25:08.789
to increase your faith and your power. Let me

00:25:08.789 --> 00:25:10.630
pray for you. Heavenly Father, thank you for

00:25:10.599 --> 00:25:12.500
this opportunity. Thank you for those who've

00:25:12.500 --> 00:25:14.680
listened in. I pray now that they would be blessed.

00:25:14.759 --> 00:25:16.859
I pray the Holy Spirit would fill them faith,

00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:20.000
greater faith, and fill them with power to overcome

00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:22.660
the challenges they will face. Thank you, Lord,

00:25:22.660 --> 00:25:24.940
for this opportunity, for this time, and I give

00:25:24.940 --> 00:25:27.240
you all the praise for it. In Jesus' name I pray,

00:25:27.380 --> 00:25:29.980
amen. Well, I'd like to tell you more about Quality

00:25:29.980 --> 00:25:32.160
Christian Living. Thank you so much for listening

00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:34.319
into this podcast as we've talked about the Holy

00:25:34.319 --> 00:25:36.200
Spirit and will continue to talk about the Holy

00:25:36.200 --> 00:25:39.440
Spirit. The next podcast, I believe, unless the

00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:41.759
Holy Spirit changes it is going to be called

00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:44.960
Holy Spirit Power. I'm just really excited about

00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:46.619
that. We're going to focus on just that word,

00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:48.500
the power that the Holy Spirit brings into our

00:25:48.500 --> 00:25:50.440
life. But if you'd like to know more about Quality

00:25:50.440 --> 00:25:52.319
Christian Living, that's the name of our podcast,

00:25:52.579 --> 00:25:54.920
I'd like to invite you to go to my webpage at

00:25:54.920 --> 00:25:57.680
davidcfriendauthor .com and when you get there,

00:25:57.680 --> 00:25:59.799
right on the front page, you'll see a link to

00:25:59.799 --> 00:26:04.240
our podcast. This is podcast number 323 and that

00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:06.380
tells you there's a whole lot of podcasts out

00:26:06.380 --> 00:26:08.519
there and I hope that you'll listen to them.

00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:10.900
Many of them deal with faith, many of them deal

00:26:10.900 --> 00:26:12.960
with finances, many of them deal with what it

00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:15.319
is to live an overcoming life. Many of them talk

00:26:15.319 --> 00:26:18.220
about the purpose that we have as Christians,

00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:20.380
that God gives us a plan, a purpose for our life.

00:26:20.460 --> 00:26:22.759
So there's a number of topics and we've just

00:26:22.759 --> 00:26:24.880
finished a series not too long ago dealing with

00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:27.660
having faith for miracles and that turned into

00:26:27.660 --> 00:26:30.299
a book that I thank the Lord for and that's been

00:26:30.299 --> 00:26:32.859
released recently. In addition to the podcasts

00:26:32.859 --> 00:26:34.720
on my webpage, you can scroll down to the next

00:26:34.720 --> 00:26:36.400
page and you'll get a list of all the books that

00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:38.789
I've written. There's quite a few of them. currently

00:26:38.789 --> 00:26:41.670
on Amazon right now, dealing with help for veterans,

00:26:42.130 --> 00:26:45.049
dealing with issues with Agent Orange and PTSD

00:26:45.049 --> 00:26:48.049
that many veterans have experienced. Also, there's

00:26:48.049 --> 00:26:50.529
books there on faith, books on finances, how

00:26:50.529 --> 00:26:53.220
to get out of debt and stay out of debt. and

00:26:53.220 --> 00:26:55.900
books dealing with how to live that powerful,

00:26:56.240 --> 00:26:59.019
abundant life that God wants us to live. So that's

00:26:59.019 --> 00:27:01.059
what He chose for us and that's what He desires

00:27:01.059 --> 00:27:03.539
for us. Jesus said it, remember, in John chapter

00:27:03.539 --> 00:27:05.900
10 verse 10, I've come to give you life and give

00:27:05.900 --> 00:27:08.299
it to you more abundantly. So I hope that that

00:27:08.299 --> 00:27:10.440
will bless you. If you'd like to subscribe to

00:27:10.440 --> 00:27:15.279
my podcast, you can go to cpnshows .com or every

00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:18.240
listen to your podcast. My next podcast is entitled

00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:21.599
Holy Spirit Power. Now I believe that many Christians

00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:24.440
are not aware of the power of the Holy Spirit

00:27:24.440 --> 00:27:27.859
and that we may not really be able to comprehend

00:27:27.859 --> 00:27:31.079
how the Holy Spirit brings us that power to overcome

00:27:31.079 --> 00:27:33.700
evil and darkness and addictions and all types

00:27:33.700 --> 00:27:36.079
of things in our life. And the promise of Jesus

00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:39.220
giving the Holy Spirit to us coming was more

00:27:39.220 --> 00:27:42.500
than just to help us be better and live comfortable.

00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:44.819
There's just so much more to that. So I'm excited

00:27:44.819 --> 00:27:46.759
about this podcast. So with that, I'm going to

00:27:46.759 --> 00:27:49.240
close this up by giving you a blessing. May the

00:27:49.240 --> 00:27:51.569
Lord bless you and keep you in his they shine

00:27:51.569 --> 00:27:53.750
upon you and be gracious to you and give you

00:27:53.750 --> 00:27:56.250
peace. May you prosper and be in good health

00:27:56.250 --> 00:27:58.710
even as your soul prospers. So until next time,

00:27:58.809 --> 00:28:01.809
may God richly bless you. May you receive faith

00:28:01.809 --> 00:28:04.349
and power as you walk in the Holy Spirit. Thank

00:28:04.349 --> 00:28:06.130
you for listening to Quality Christian Living.

00:28:06.329 --> 00:28:08.509
I have been your host, David Friend. This has

00:28:08.509 --> 00:28:12.490
been podcast number 323 entitled, Holy Spirit,

00:28:12.650 --> 00:28:13.390
Faith and Power.