The Holy Spirit in Us (317)

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Welcome to the Quality Christian Living Podcast.

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I am your host, David Friend. We are in our new

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series entitled Simply the Holy Spirit, and today

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we're going to talk about the Holy Spirit working

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in us. We're going to search the scriptures for

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a better understanding of how the Holy Spirit

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works and what He wants to do in our life. We're

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going to see how the Holy Spirit will help us

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in our weaknesses and our difficult times in

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that we're going through trials, and how the

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Holy Spirit brings wisdom and power and understanding

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into our life. And we're going to discover how

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the Holy Spirit works in us so that we can be

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a blessing for someone else and be an example

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of how He can give us power and strength and

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understanding. And we're going to find a way

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to live and walk in the Spirit. Before we do

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that though, we need to pray and seek for His

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guidance and direction. Heavenly Father, I thank

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You for the opportunity once again to get into

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Your Word, to be able to speak to people quite

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frankly around the world who have a desire to

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learn about the Holy Spirit. I pray that You

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would bless it now. And I now submit and yield

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to the Holy Spirit. I ask him to come in now,

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take control of my thoughts, my minds, any prayers

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that we may have or any scriptures that we read

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that he would help us and take control of this

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podcast and guide our thoughts and our minds.

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And I pray those who are listening in would receive

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a very special touch from him today and that

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the anointing of the Holy Spirit would flow through

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the airwaves to people around this country and

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this world who need a closer walk with the Holy

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Spirit. us and guide us, and I'll give you praise

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and give you glory in advance for what you're

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about to do. For I ask these things in Jesus'

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name I pray. Amen. There are so many places in

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the Word of God that talks about the Holy Spirit.

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The Old Testament refers to the Spirit of God

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hovered over the earth and all the way through

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the Old Testament and throughout the New Testament

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we hear of the power of the Spirit of God. So

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we're going to get into some examples in the

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Word and one of my absolute favorite stories

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in the Word of God has to do with the life of

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a man named Stephen who was quite frankly a servant,

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a man who served others. It's such a powerful

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story and has great examples of how we can then

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operate underneath the power and the anointing

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and the grace of the Holy Spirit. So I'm going

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to read it to you. It's in, not the whole story,

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but I'm going to read excerpts of it, scripture

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here and there, in order to see how the Lord

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wants us to understand how the Holy Spirit worked

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in Stephen's life and how he can also work in

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our life. So as we go through this story and

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as we go through the example of his life, I want

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you to think about how the Holy Spirit wants

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to work in us, wants to touch us and help us

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in our weaknesses and our difficult times. And

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even when we're on top of the world, so to speak,

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when we are absolutely being blessed in every

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area of our life and experience the joy of the

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Lord and when living that abundant life that

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God promised us. truly understand that the Holy

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Spirit wants to bless us, that He has a desire

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to bless those who are followers of the Lord

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Jesus Christ. So I'm going to be reading this

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story found in the book of Acts in chapter 6

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and verse number 8 in the New Living Translation

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says this, it tells us that Stephen was a man

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full of God's grace and power and that he performed

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amazing miracles and signs among the people.

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So here we have a man who was an average guy

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as far as You know, as far as he wasn't a special

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leader, he wasn't a wealthy man. He was just

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simply someone who wanted to serve Jesus Christ

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and he did it by serving others. The apostles

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loved him and they wanted him to be a part of

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the ministry. Stephen was a man who simply served

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other people daily. That's the main theme that

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we hear about him is that he was there to help

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others. You see, when we help others, we're going

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to be blessed. When we give, it comes back to

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us. Press down, shaking together and running

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over. That's what Stephen did, and I believe

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there's the key to him being filled with the

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Holy Spirit. He was one of the seven men who

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were chosen by the apostles to serve and to minister

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to the members of the church because the apostles

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were told, you need to preach, you need to study,

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you need to prepare, you need to reach out, you

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need to go to the masses. Well, they needed a

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group behind them. They needed a group of people

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who were servants to help and support the apostles

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and hold up their hands and lift them up. It's

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the same way in the church. have a senior pastor

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who's just a wonderful powerful man of God and

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someone who's blessed to the Lord and anointed

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by the Holy Spirit and he's reaching people and

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doing a great ministry but the behind -the -scenes

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things the things that opening the doors and

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getting the place cleaned up for the services

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and going out and talking to people inviting

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people to come to the church and the people who

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who watch the floors and the people who who set

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up the tables and the people set up the chairs

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these are all people that are vital part of the

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church and that's what Stephen So I hope that

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gives hope to people out there. Maybe you're

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not a pastor, maybe you're not ordained, maybe

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you don't really feel you have a call in your

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life that you're supposed to quit your day job

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and go into full -time ministry and like that.

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But bottom line, you know that you know that

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you know you want to be used of God. And if you

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want to be used of God, He will put us to work.

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It reminds me of a story of my pastor who came

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to me one day, Pastor Tommy, and he came to me

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and he says, you know David, he says, I just

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really feel that the Lord wants to use you in

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the church and would you Do me a favor and help

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this one Sunday school class." He says, I just

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need someone to step in and kind of teach it

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and oversee it. It's an adult class. And maybe

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for four, five, or six weeks or so, you can help

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it and kind of see if we can't find someone else

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to come in and take it over and do this permanently.

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And I said, well, sure, I'll be happy to do that.

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So my wife and I decided, OK, we'll be the Sunday

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school teachers. So we started in first week,

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second week, third week. The next thing you know,

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the class started to grow. And it was five and

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six weeks. And it was growing and growing. grew

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and grew and grew it wasn't because of me it

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was because of God it was a divine move of God

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a sovereign move of the Holy Spirit to draw people

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in that class we started with about 25 or 30

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people that were meeting in the church sanctuary

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and in a period of about a year we had like 200

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people then it went to 300 to 400 to 5 we had

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roster of 600 people who attended that class

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we tended that class now don't don't take this

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wrong I'm not boasting or bragging about anything

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that my wife and I did but there was a in the

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church, the pastor came, they needed someone

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to serve other people. He asked us if we would

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do it for six weeks. We wound up teaching that

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class for 15 years, and God blessed it. Matter

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of fact, that was how my wife and I were being

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taught. Quite frankly, we didn't know it at the

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time. We were being trained and put in a position

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that someday we would pastor our own church,

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and that's what happened, and so we thank God

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for that. But that little six -week assignment

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that we were asked to do, we stepped in. What

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if we'd have missed on that? What if we had have

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passed on that? We could have missed our opportunity

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to be quite frankly led into pastoring and starting

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a church in North Scottsdale. So God blessed

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it. I thank God for it. And to God be all the

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glory and honor. And I want to thank my pastor

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Tommy for asking us to take a stand and do that.

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So you may be in a church that needs someone

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to step up and take over an area or help in an

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area. Go to your pastor, talk to them, and volunteer

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to be a servant of the Lord. I know God will

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richly bless you in all that you do. Now, none

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of that I had prepared to talk about my past

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experience with our pastor and the class and

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the Sunday school class and all that. And none

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of that was anything I planned to talk about,

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you see. So therefore, the Lord obviously has

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placed the Holy Spirit in this teaching already

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to take me in an area that I think would help

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and minister to people who are trying to make

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decisions on what they should or should not do

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in their church. Let's get back to Stephen now.

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He was chosen because it was evident to the apostles

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that he was with the Holy Spirit that he just

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showed it in everything that he did. That tells

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us that anyone in the church can experience life

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being filled with the Holy Spirit. Now let's

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look a little closer at Stephen. In Acts chapter

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7 we see that because of Stephen's faith in Jesus

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Christ. The religious priests hated him. The

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apostles loved him. The people loved him. The

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people in the church loved him. But the outside

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people, the people that were not followers of

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Jesus Christ, matter of fact they were enemies

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of the gospel, they hated Stephen because Stephen

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was doing something that would bless the kingdom

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of God and bless the ministry of the Lord Jesus

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Christ. But because of his acceptance by the

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Holy Spirit and his acceptance by the Lord and

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acceptance by the apostles to be a part of that.

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He was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit

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and that power was making quite an impact in

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the church in those days. He was a servant to

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others. That's all he did. So any of us can be

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filled with the Holy Spirit if we just simply

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submit our lives to Christ and submit our hearts

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and our minds and our thoughts to the Holy Spirit

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and ask him to lead us, guide us, and direct

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us. Now Stephen was anointed by the Holy Spirit

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to challenge his accusers. You see, they came

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after him. But he had something to say back to

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them. Now, he was bold and strong in this. If

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you want to really read the whole story, you

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should read the book of Acts, chapter 7, and

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I believe in chapter 6. If you'll read those,

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you'll see the whole story, but I'm going to

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just use a few scriptures in order to help us

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better understand how Stephen's life affects

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us today and how the Holy Spirit can work in

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each and every one of us. In Acts, chapter 7,

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verse 51, Stephen called his accusers. This is

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what he said to them. You are stubborn people.

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You are heathen. at heart and death. in the truth

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you must forever why is it he says why is it

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you must always forever resist the Holy Spirit

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he didn't say you're resisting me he didn't say

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you need to hear my message you needn't say you

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need to hear the Apostles message he said a very

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powerful statement that's what he had great wisdom

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and it came because he was filled with the Holy

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Spirit he said you are always resisting the Holy

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Spirit see the Holy Spirit wants to move into

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everyone if you're a Christian or not if you're

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of another faith of maybe even in a cult or something,

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or no people in a cult, the Holy Spirit wants

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to speak to them, wants to speak to every single

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person on the face of the earth. And we need

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to yield to the power of the Holy Spirit. And

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he knew that they were fighting against the Spirit

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and would not surrender to the Holy Spirit. You

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see, the Jewish leaders were infuriated, absolutely

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violently upset with Stephen and the words that

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he had to say. So let's look a little closer

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as this story goes along and we can see what's

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taking place as Stephen is filled with the hope

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Spirit and his enemies are filled with an evil

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spirit. So let's look at Acts chapter 7 and verse

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55. I'm reading again in the New Living Translation.

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It tells us that, but Stephen, full of the Holy

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Spirit, gazed steadily. Now while they were his

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accusers, were coming after him and they were

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attacking him and they wanted to beat him to

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death and soon they would kill him. In the midst

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of all this, Stephen stopped and it says, but

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Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily

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into heaven. You know, that's what we need to

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do in the midst of trials. We need to gaze steadily

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into heaven. We need to ask the Holy Spirit for

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guidance and comfort. I know when I've been diagnosed

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with incurable cancers and given basically death

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sentences by doctors in my lifetime on three

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different occasions, I needed to gaze steadily

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into heaven. I need to gaze steadily into the

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Holy Spirit and seek comfort and his guidance

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because my flesh wasn't going to give me any

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comfort. My flesh was being accused and my flesh

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had no way of battling it but the Holy Spirit

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who lived and dwelt in me gave me the strength

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in the power of the Holy Spirit to deal with

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these issues and that'll happen in your life.

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It'll happen in every one of our lives if we

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gaze into the eyes of our Heavenly Father and

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that's through seeking the Holy Spirit in our

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life. It says, but Stephen full of the Holy Spirit

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gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory

00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:46.460
of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place

00:11:46.460 --> 00:11:49.899
of honor at God's right hand." Wow. Verse 56,

00:11:49.980 --> 00:11:54.000
let's go on. Stephen told his accusers in verse

00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:57.580
56, look, I see the heavens opened and the son

00:11:57.580 --> 00:12:01.220
of man standing in the place of honor at God's

00:12:01.220 --> 00:12:03.879
right hand. Now, picture this. My goodness, the

00:12:03.879 --> 00:12:05.820
man is under attack. I don't know how many people

00:12:05.820 --> 00:12:07.919
were at him. They were picking up stones to stone

00:12:07.919 --> 00:12:10.700
him to death. They were yelling and cursing at

00:12:10.700 --> 00:12:13.179
him and saying all kinds of hideous things about

00:12:13.179 --> 00:12:15.220
him and threatening him and all this. And in

00:12:15.220 --> 00:12:17.460
the middle of that, he decided to turn his attention

00:12:17.460 --> 00:12:20.019
away from all that stuff, all those trials, all

00:12:20.019 --> 00:12:22.240
that anxiety that could be upon him and look

00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:24.039
for the Holy Spirit and look for the guidance.

00:12:24.120 --> 00:12:26.940
And the Holy Spirit is the one who revealed the

00:12:26.940 --> 00:12:30.220
vision of Jesus being in heaven to Stephen. So

00:12:30.220 --> 00:12:33.100
it's pretty powerful. This angered the priest.

00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:35.080
The more they yelled at him, the more he looked

00:12:35.080 --> 00:12:37.039
up into the heavens. It's basically what happened

00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:39.299
to him. So this angered the priest and the leaders.

00:12:39.320 --> 00:12:41.990
So they began to stone Stephen. They figured,

00:12:42.049 --> 00:12:44.230
well, this guy, we can't shake him with words.

00:12:44.309 --> 00:12:46.350
We can't shake him with threats. We can't shake

00:12:46.350 --> 00:12:48.669
him with all these accusations and whatever.

00:12:48.909 --> 00:12:51.009
But basically, they're saying, we're just going

00:12:51.009 --> 00:12:52.769
to have to take you out. And so they started

00:12:52.769 --> 00:12:55.409
to stone him. The Bible continues to tell us,

00:12:55.409 --> 00:12:58.649
it says this, as they stoned Stephen, prayed,

00:12:58.789 --> 00:13:01.990
Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. He fell to his

00:13:01.990 --> 00:13:05.529
knees and shouted, Lord, don't charge them with.

00:13:05.679 --> 00:13:08.480
the sin, and with that he died. We have to stop

00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:10.840
and think for a second. Look at what he was going

00:13:10.840 --> 00:13:13.759
through. Look at what this incredible scene must

00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:15.720
have been. These people were gathered all around

00:13:15.720 --> 00:13:17.419
him. They had taken him out into the countryside

00:13:17.419 --> 00:13:19.799
to stone him to death. And as they're stoning

00:13:19.799 --> 00:13:22.980
him to death, he's so filled with the Holy Spirit.

00:13:23.100 --> 00:13:25.480
See, as he's facing the most difficult thing

00:13:25.480 --> 00:13:27.600
he'll ever face in his life here on earth, in

00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:29.580
the middle of all that, he is so filled with

00:13:29.580 --> 00:13:32.259
the Holy Spirit that he has compassion for those

00:13:32.259 --> 00:13:34.820
who are attacking him. Such compassion that he's

00:13:34.820 --> 00:13:37.399
based saying the same thing that Jesus said when

00:13:37.399 --> 00:13:40.480
Jesus was on the cross and before Jesus gave

00:13:40.480 --> 00:13:43.279
up his life he said forgive them father for they

00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:46.299
know not what they're doing and Stephen was so

00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:48.519
filled with the power of the Holy Spirit that

00:13:48.519 --> 00:13:50.980
in the middle of this horrendous, absolutely

00:13:50.980 --> 00:13:53.679
horrendous event that was taking place, he knew

00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:56.139
that he was dying. He said, please forgive them.

00:13:56.279 --> 00:13:57.960
These people don't know what's going on. They

00:13:57.960 --> 00:14:00.360
really are not aware of it. What amazing power

00:14:00.360 --> 00:14:02.139
that is. And I know that's heavy, and I know

00:14:02.139 --> 00:14:04.259
that's extreme. A lot of people would say, well,

00:14:04.259 --> 00:14:06.320
that's a pretty extreme example. But really,

00:14:06.340 --> 00:14:08.580
when you think about what we face in life each

00:14:08.580 --> 00:14:10.860
and every day, we've got to learn how to overcome

00:14:10.860 --> 00:14:13.179
it. We've got to know that when we're told that

00:14:13.179 --> 00:14:15.039
we've got a sickness, we've got to trust God.

00:14:15.139 --> 00:14:16.889
When we're told that We have a financial problem.

00:14:17.070 --> 00:14:18.990
We've got to trust God. When our marriage is

00:14:18.990 --> 00:14:21.110
maybe shaky and in trouble, we need to trust

00:14:21.110 --> 00:14:23.750
God. When our kids are wayward, we need to trust

00:14:23.750 --> 00:14:26.549
God. Whatever takes place in our life, we've

00:14:26.549 --> 00:14:28.809
got to understand that we've got to walk in the

00:14:28.809 --> 00:14:31.250
power of the Holy Spirit. We cannot do this on

00:14:31.250 --> 00:14:33.389
our own. We can't just say, well, I've got strength.

00:14:33.389 --> 00:14:35.690
I can do this. I can overcome. I'll do it my

00:14:35.690 --> 00:14:37.809
way, that type of thing. No, we've got to stop

00:14:37.809 --> 00:14:40.090
thinking that way. We can't think that we can

00:14:40.090 --> 00:14:42.570
do it in our own ability because we are weak

00:14:42.570 --> 00:14:45.090
in our abilities. God's abilities are unlimited.

00:14:45.000 --> 00:14:48.139
and his power is great and unlimited, the Holy

00:14:48.139 --> 00:14:50.860
Spirit's power is unlimited, and that's where

00:14:50.860 --> 00:14:52.840
we get our strength. I think after all this,

00:14:53.019 --> 00:14:55.220
you can now understand why I love the story of

00:14:55.220 --> 00:14:57.500
Stephen. And by the way, as Stephen was being

00:14:57.500 --> 00:14:59.840
stoned to death, the Bible tells us that the

00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:03.039
accusers took off their coats and laid them at

00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:06.740
the feet of a young man named Saul. This was

00:15:06.740 --> 00:15:10.159
Saul, the man who eventually became the apostle.

00:15:10.429 --> 00:15:13.870
Paul. You see, in those days, Saul was a man

00:15:13.870 --> 00:15:16.590
who hated Christians. He wanted to take out Christians.

00:15:16.629 --> 00:15:18.929
He wanted to kill as many Christians as he possibly

00:15:18.929 --> 00:15:21.210
could. And I believe that when he experienced

00:15:21.210 --> 00:15:23.289
and saw what Stephen went through and Stephen's

00:15:23.289 --> 00:15:25.950
faith and Stephen's trust in his God, that was

00:15:25.950 --> 00:15:28.029
the beginning. That was the first thing that

00:15:28.029 --> 00:15:30.450
ever happened, I think, that made Paul, back

00:15:30.450 --> 00:15:33.789
then known as Saul, started to look in a different

00:15:33.789 --> 00:15:35.490
direction. And of course, we know later on the

00:15:35.490 --> 00:15:38.330
road to Damascus, Paul was slain down on the

00:15:38.330 --> 00:15:41.139
ground and he lost his eyesight. and Jesus came

00:15:41.139 --> 00:15:43.100
there and said, why are you persecuting me? Why

00:15:43.100 --> 00:15:46.000
are you coming after me? And Saul was converted

00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:48.820
and named Paul the apostle, one of the greatest

00:15:48.820 --> 00:15:50.899
men that's ever walked the face of this earth.

00:15:51.019 --> 00:15:53.840
But he did that under the power and the anointing

00:15:53.840 --> 00:15:55.860
of the Holy Spirit. You know, we've learned so

00:15:55.860 --> 00:15:59.320
much from this Bible story. Let me first list

00:15:59.320 --> 00:16:01.360
just maybe a couple of those items I think we've

00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:04.039
learned from it. One, we learned about a deeper

00:16:04.039 --> 00:16:06.059
relationship with the Holy Spirit, that that's

00:16:06.059 --> 00:16:07.860
what we've got to have. We need to have that

00:16:07.860 --> 00:16:10.419
in our life in order to face all the trials that

00:16:10.419 --> 00:16:13.000
we're going to face. And we learned that it's

00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:16.559
so important to understand how God wants so much

00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:20.220
to help us and wants to bless us. Stephen was

00:16:20.220 --> 00:16:23.559
able to face difficult times, but we learn from

00:16:23.559 --> 00:16:25.580
that that the Holy Spirit was with him. And I

00:16:25.580 --> 00:16:27.259
think it's important I make a statement here.

00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:30.100
I talk about a lot on how the Holy Spirit is

00:16:30.100 --> 00:16:32.340
with us when we're facing trials, but the Holy

00:16:32.340 --> 00:16:34.580
Spirit's with us all the time. He's with us when

00:16:34.580 --> 00:16:36.879
we're really doing well, when things are going

00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:39.980
great. If we yield to Him, He'll give us direction

00:16:39.980 --> 00:16:42.200
and guidance, and He'll lead us in our life.

00:16:42.220 --> 00:16:43.879
So we've got to understand the Holy Spirit is

00:16:43.879 --> 00:16:46.059
there to help us in good times and bad times

00:16:46.059 --> 00:16:49.279
alike. You know, we need to stop and think. every

00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:52.080
time in our life about whatever we face, good

00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:54.320
or bad, that the Spirit is there to comfort and

00:16:54.320 --> 00:16:56.919
to help us. All right, number two. In this story

00:16:56.919 --> 00:16:59.279
of Stephen, I think that we see how the Holy

00:16:59.279 --> 00:17:01.820
Spirit gives us strength and grace for others.

00:17:01.899 --> 00:17:04.000
Isn't that interesting? Strength and grace, they

00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:06.299
go together. You know, Jesus came to earth and

00:17:06.299 --> 00:17:07.859
he was filled with strength, but he was filled

00:17:07.859 --> 00:17:10.759
with grace. And the Holy Spirit has all the grace

00:17:10.759 --> 00:17:12.440
that we'll ever need and all the strength that

00:17:12.440 --> 00:17:14.279
we'll ever need. So we've got to understand and

00:17:14.279 --> 00:17:16.339
we see that in Stephen is that the Holy Spirit

00:17:16.339 --> 00:17:19.220
gave him strength to face the challenges and

00:17:19.220 --> 00:17:21.480
strength to be able to be aggressive and to be

00:17:21.480 --> 00:17:23.579
able to tell people what he believed and when

00:17:23.579 --> 00:17:26.299
he believed it and to serve others and in all

00:17:26.299 --> 00:17:28.759
areas of his life but grace for other people

00:17:28.759 --> 00:17:30.779
when he was being mistreated and I think that's

00:17:30.779 --> 00:17:32.880
a great lesson for us to learn. And now number

00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:35.740
three, in this story we see how the Holy Spirit

00:17:35.740 --> 00:17:38.660
filled Stephen so that others could see that

00:17:38.660 --> 00:17:42.059
Stephen was full or filled with or filled in

00:17:42.059 --> 00:17:44.259
the Holy Spirit. You know, other people will

00:17:44.259 --> 00:17:46.579
see us. Have you ever been to someone and walk

00:17:46.579 --> 00:17:48.259
up to you're chatting with them and they'll look

00:17:48.259 --> 00:17:49.940
at you and they'll say something like, you just

00:17:49.940 --> 00:17:51.579
seem to be happy all the time. You just seem

00:17:51.579 --> 00:17:54.059
to bring a kind of joy into the room and you're

00:17:54.059 --> 00:17:56.359
just a positive, encouraging person. You see,

00:17:56.359 --> 00:17:58.380
when that's said to us, we've got to realize

00:17:58.380 --> 00:18:00.539
if we're a follower of Jesus Christ, that's the

00:18:00.539 --> 00:18:03.200
Holy Spirit that brings that to us. And people

00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:05.680
are drawn to that. They are drawn to the Holy

00:18:05.680 --> 00:18:07.619
Spirit. They're drawn to the power and the presence

00:18:07.619 --> 00:18:10.220
of the Holy Spirit. So I think it's amazing that

00:18:10.220 --> 00:18:13.519
from this story we can learn that we can live

00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:15.759
filled with the Holy Spirit that other people

00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:18.210
will see. And we'll have so much of God in us

00:18:18.210 --> 00:18:20.589
and so much power and strength and love and grace

00:18:20.589 --> 00:18:23.470
in us that it'll overflow. It literally will

00:18:23.470 --> 00:18:26.269
overflow. We'll have an abundance for good works

00:18:26.269 --> 00:18:28.509
and we'll have an abundance to be able to reach

00:18:28.509 --> 00:18:30.349
out. We'll be blessed but we'll have so much

00:18:30.349 --> 00:18:32.470
left over that we can be a blessing to others.

00:18:32.630 --> 00:18:35.990
And then the final step here maybe for this particular

00:18:35.990 --> 00:18:39.309
podcast dealing with this story on Stephen, we

00:18:39.309 --> 00:18:42.430
found in the book of Acts chapter 7, it shows

00:18:42.430 --> 00:18:45.349
us how the Holy Spirit brought wisdom to Stephen.

00:18:45.230 --> 00:18:48.670
even in what to say and how to say it. Now think

00:18:48.670 --> 00:18:51.130
about that for a second. A lot of times as a

00:18:51.130 --> 00:18:53.509
pastor I counsel people that are having problems

00:18:53.509 --> 00:18:55.230
in their families, problems in their marriage,

00:18:55.490 --> 00:18:57.150
difficulties with their kids and they come in

00:18:57.150 --> 00:18:59.769
to see me and I pray with them and I many times

00:18:59.769 --> 00:19:01.869
pray and say, Heavenly Father, I pray that the

00:19:01.869 --> 00:19:04.410
Holy Spirit now would help these parents or help

00:19:04.410 --> 00:19:06.930
this husband or this wife, this spouse to know

00:19:06.930 --> 00:19:10.670
what to say and how to say it. So that's so important.

00:19:10.789 --> 00:19:14.059
The Holy Spirit knows what to say. But just as

00:19:14.059 --> 00:19:17.240
importantly, he knows how we should say it. And

00:19:17.240 --> 00:19:19.660
so ask for the Holy Spirit to guide us and help

00:19:19.660 --> 00:19:22.380
us in that area of our life. Now I realize that

00:19:22.380 --> 00:19:25.299
some may say that Stephen, after all these great

00:19:25.299 --> 00:19:26.940
things you're talking about and this great man

00:19:26.940 --> 00:19:28.940
that he was, he was stoned to death. The bottom

00:19:28.940 --> 00:19:31.339
line was he was stoned to death. Well, it's true,

00:19:31.339 --> 00:19:33.920
that's true. But listen to this. The story of

00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:38.680
Stephen that took place over 2 ,000 years ago

00:19:38.680 --> 00:19:42.339
has brought life, and hope and peace and comfort

00:19:42.339 --> 00:19:45.740
and grace and forgiveness of sins to hundreds

00:19:45.740 --> 00:19:48.670
of millions of people in this world. He went

00:19:48.670 --> 00:19:50.869
through all that, and yes he was stoned to death,

00:19:50.970 --> 00:19:53.849
but now he's spending eternal life with Jesus

00:19:53.849 --> 00:19:55.950
Christ, his Lord and Savior. And no matter what

00:19:55.950 --> 00:19:58.430
we go through here in life, here on this earth

00:19:58.430 --> 00:20:01.250
while we're here, we have a goal and a plan in

00:20:01.250 --> 00:20:04.170
our life is to spend eternity with Christ. And

00:20:04.170 --> 00:20:06.529
Stephen was so filled with the Holy Spirit that

00:20:06.529 --> 00:20:08.930
the good times and the bad times, he was led

00:20:08.930 --> 00:20:10.930
by the Spirit of the Living God and his life

00:20:10.930 --> 00:20:13.410
was strong and vibrant. He had a great impact

00:20:13.410 --> 00:20:16.609
and so can we as followers of the Lord Jesus

00:20:16.609 --> 00:20:19.210
Christ. We're kind of running out of time because

00:20:19.210 --> 00:20:21.750
I have a goal to keep these below 30 minutes

00:20:21.750 --> 00:20:23.910
That's kind of my goal And I know the Holy Spirit

00:20:23.910 --> 00:20:26.509
will help me to keep it within that in addition

00:20:26.509 --> 00:20:28.569
to that if I get a thought or something I'll

00:20:28.569 --> 00:20:30.630
write it down the Holy Spirit gives me and we

00:20:30.630 --> 00:20:32.789
can talk about that in future podcasts because

00:20:32.789 --> 00:20:35.329
I don't have to get everything done in one podcast

00:20:35.329 --> 00:20:38.009
so let's just kind of as we wrap this thing up

00:20:38.009 --> 00:20:39.990
talk a little bit about what we've learned today

00:20:39.990 --> 00:20:41.809
and what we've come to understand about the Holy

00:20:41.809 --> 00:20:44.630
Spirit living in us the Holy Spirit truly lives

00:20:44.630 --> 00:20:46.869
in every believer in first Corinthians chapter

00:20:46.759 --> 00:20:49.039
Chapter 6 and verse 19, Paul wrote these words,

00:20:49.339 --> 00:20:51.880
Don't you know that your bodies are the temples

00:20:51.880 --> 00:20:55.359
of the Holy Spirit? Who is in you? So therefore,

00:20:55.539 --> 00:20:57.400
you know if Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior,

00:20:57.700 --> 00:21:00.349
he lives. The Holy Spirit lives and dwells inside

00:21:00.349 --> 00:21:03.250
of you. The Holy Spirit is always available to

00:21:03.250 --> 00:21:06.009
help us. So we need to yield to Him. That means

00:21:06.009 --> 00:21:09.170
think only about Him and think upon only those

00:21:09.170 --> 00:21:11.210
things that are good and true and right. Paul

00:21:11.210 --> 00:21:13.049
talked about that and we'll talk about that in

00:21:13.049 --> 00:21:16.250
future podcasts. The Holy Spirit has many titles.

00:21:16.410 --> 00:21:18.650
He's the Comforter, the Periclean or the Helper.

00:21:18.750 --> 00:21:21.990
He is the grace in our heart and in our mind.

00:21:22.089 --> 00:21:25.089
He reveals the deep things of God. He intercedes

00:21:25.089 --> 00:21:28.160
for us. He is truth. He has the answers to to

00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:31.069
our questions. There's only one condition. that

00:21:31.069 --> 00:21:33.970
we have to meet in order to have, I should say,

00:21:34.089 --> 00:21:36.430
the power of the Holy Spirit in our life. And

00:21:36.430 --> 00:21:38.609
that condition is to know Jesus Christ as our

00:21:38.609 --> 00:21:40.950
Lord and Savior. So before I close this podcast

00:21:40.950 --> 00:21:42.789
out, I need to just take a moment. It'll only

00:21:42.789 --> 00:21:45.029
take a moment, but if you don't know Jesus Christ

00:21:45.029 --> 00:21:47.410
as your Lord and Savior, or if you're not sure

00:21:47.410 --> 00:21:49.230
of where you're going to spend eternity, whether

00:21:49.230 --> 00:21:50.869
you're going to spend it in heaven or not, I

00:21:50.869 --> 00:21:52.829
want you to pray this prayer with me. Because

00:21:52.829 --> 00:21:55.069
the Holy Spirit will dwell only in believers,

00:21:55.269 --> 00:21:57.450
followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, those who

00:21:57.450 --> 00:21:59.930
have submitted their life to Him and are trying

00:21:59.930 --> 00:22:02.400
to him and follow him all the days of their life.

00:22:02.700 --> 00:22:04.700
So if you don't know the Lord or if you're not

00:22:04.700 --> 00:22:07.240
certain of your relationship with the Lord, just

00:22:07.240 --> 00:22:09.619
repeat this prayer with me right now. Say, Heavenly

00:22:09.619 --> 00:22:12.420
Father, I need a Savior. I need you to help me,

00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:14.599
but I've sinned. I've fallen short of your glory.

00:22:15.470 --> 00:22:18.089
I ask that you would forgive me of the sins that

00:22:18.089 --> 00:22:20.809
I have committed. I repent of my sins, and I

00:22:20.809 --> 00:22:23.329
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,

00:22:23.529 --> 00:22:25.369
that He was born of the Virgin Mary, that He

00:22:25.369 --> 00:22:28.150
was crucified but resurrected, and He sits at

00:22:28.150 --> 00:22:30.769
the right hand of the Father. So on this day,

00:22:31.069 --> 00:22:33.849
I surrender my will, my desires, and my heart

00:22:33.849 --> 00:22:36.529
and mind to the Lord Jesus Christ, and I accept

00:22:36.529 --> 00:22:39.930
Him as my Lord and my Savior. In Jesus' name

00:22:39.930 --> 00:22:43.150
I pray. Amen. If you prayed that prayer and you

00:22:43.150 --> 00:22:44.769
really meant it, you really meant it with all

00:22:44.769 --> 00:22:46.950
your heart, get to a good church. Find a good

00:22:46.950 --> 00:22:48.990
Bible preaching church. Get yourself a Bible.

00:22:49.069 --> 00:22:51.769
I truly recommend you read the book of Romans.

00:22:51.890 --> 00:22:54.569
It's a powerful, powerful book and will help

00:22:54.569 --> 00:22:56.170
you in your walk with the Lord. There's a lot

00:22:56.170 --> 00:22:58.049
of other things you should read, but get into

00:22:58.049 --> 00:23:00.390
Christian fellowship. Find fellow believers who

00:23:00.390 --> 00:23:02.789
know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and

00:23:02.789 --> 00:23:05.470
start searching the scriptures and see what God

00:23:05.470 --> 00:23:07.730
has planned for you because he has a purpose

00:23:07.730 --> 00:23:09.970
and a plan for your life. And the Holy Spirit,

00:23:10.069 --> 00:23:12.119
as soon as you accepted Jesus Christ, the Holy

00:23:12.119 --> 00:23:15.039
Spirit, came to live and dwell with you. So he's

00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:17.720
in you now. So seek him, ask for his guidance,

00:23:17.980 --> 00:23:20.519
ask his direction, and yield to his power and

00:23:20.519 --> 00:23:22.900
presence. And I ask all these things in Jesus

00:23:22.900 --> 00:23:25.500
name I pray, Lord. Amen. You know, when the Holy

00:23:25.500 --> 00:23:28.200
Spirit comes into your life, he will always be

00:23:28.200 --> 00:23:31.299
there to help. He's waiting to help. His first

00:23:31.299 --> 00:23:34.539
desire is to comfort us. He's ready, willing,

00:23:35.000 --> 00:23:37.690
and able. So now let's seek him. Well, I hope

00:23:37.690 --> 00:23:40.450
this has been a blessing to you, and I just want

00:23:40.450 --> 00:23:42.349
you to know we're going to continue on this series

00:23:42.349 --> 00:23:45.289
on the Holy Spirit. Matter of fact, my next podcast

00:23:45.289 --> 00:23:47.750
is going to be entitled, I Believe, unless the

00:23:47.750 --> 00:23:50.750
Lord changes this, if the Holy Spirit redirects

00:23:50.750 --> 00:23:53.529
me. But I'm planning my next podcast to be entitled,

00:23:53.789 --> 00:23:57.269
The Holy Spirit, Our Helper. And I believe that's

00:23:57.269 --> 00:23:59.769
something that will help people, encourage people.

00:24:00.049 --> 00:24:02.210
So with that, I would like you to invite some

00:24:02.210 --> 00:24:04.230
family and friends, tell some people that we're

00:24:04.230 --> 00:24:06.990
doing this series on the Holy Spirit. tell you

00:24:06.990 --> 00:24:10.309
how excited I am about this particular series

00:24:10.309 --> 00:24:12.809
on the Holy Spirit. My wife loves to talk about

00:24:12.809 --> 00:24:15.930
the Holy Spirit. She loves for us to share with

00:24:15.930 --> 00:24:17.970
people and pray with them to receive the infilling

00:24:17.970 --> 00:24:20.690
of the Holy Spirit. And she just really wants

00:24:20.690 --> 00:24:23.309
people to understand the power. And so she's

00:24:23.309 --> 00:24:26.170
so excited about this. So she's praying about

00:24:26.170 --> 00:24:28.849
this series and that God will bless it. And I

00:24:28.849 --> 00:24:31.569
just feel an anointing on this. It's just wonderful.

00:24:31.730 --> 00:24:33.609
And I pray that it'll bless you. You know, if

00:24:33.609 --> 00:24:35.670
you'd like to know more about Quality Christian

00:24:35.559 --> 00:24:38.660
Living, which is the name of our podcast, you

00:24:38.660 --> 00:24:41.980
can go to my webpage at davidcfriendauthor .com

00:24:41.980 --> 00:24:44.339
and when you go there, pull up that first page

00:24:44.339 --> 00:24:46.460
and you'll see a link to all the podcasts that

00:24:46.460 --> 00:24:50.660
we've done. This is podcast number 317, so you

00:24:50.660 --> 00:24:52.700
can tell there's been a lot of topics that we've

00:24:52.700 --> 00:24:54.940
covered. We've talked about the Holy Spirit before,

00:24:54.940 --> 00:24:58.380
but not as in depth as we're going to now in

00:24:58.380 --> 00:25:00.539
the months, depending on how the Holy Spirit

00:25:00.539 --> 00:25:02.660
leads us. And I wouldn't be surprised if this

00:25:02.660 --> 00:25:05.180
could take six months or so to really really

00:25:05.180 --> 00:25:07.519
complete the work that I believe the Holy Spirit's

00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:09.880
called us to do in this particular series. So

00:25:09.880 --> 00:25:11.940
you can look at that and you'll see a list of

00:25:11.940 --> 00:25:13.839
all of those and you can scroll all you want

00:25:13.839 --> 00:25:16.960
to. It talks about finances. We talk about miracles,

00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:19.259
about having faith. We talk about the gifts of

00:25:19.259 --> 00:25:21.940
the Spirit. Just a plethora of topics that you

00:25:21.940 --> 00:25:24.059
can be blessed by. And if you want to know more

00:25:24.059 --> 00:25:26.500
about me as an individual, you can scroll down

00:25:26.500 --> 00:25:28.380
on my webpage and you'll see a number of books

00:25:28.380 --> 00:25:30.640
that I've written dealing with various topics

00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:33.059
including our veterans, including our finances,

00:25:33.220 --> 00:25:36.259
including various issues, I think, on faith and

00:25:36.259 --> 00:25:38.779
miracles and things that are important. So I

00:25:38.779 --> 00:25:40.660
believe that that will be a blessing to you.

00:25:40.839 --> 00:25:43.140
And if you'd like to subscribe someday to my

00:25:43.140 --> 00:25:46.380
podcast, you can do that by going to cpnshows

00:25:46.380 --> 00:25:49.559
.com or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

00:25:49.880 --> 00:25:52.880
Once again, I appreciate so much you being here

00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:55.319
and being a part of this. Our next podcast is

00:25:55.319 --> 00:25:58.640
going to get into talking about how the Holy

00:25:58.640 --> 00:26:01.160
Spirit helps and the way He wants to help and

00:26:01.160 --> 00:26:03.490
how we can find help and we all need help. from

00:26:03.490 --> 00:26:06.829
time to time and so I believe that we'll get

00:26:06.829 --> 00:26:09.250
into something that will be very very helpful

00:26:09.250 --> 00:26:11.809
very strong with people so if you know people

00:26:11.809 --> 00:26:13.829
who are struggling with questions about where

00:26:13.829 --> 00:26:16.210
do I go from here or should I do this or is it

00:26:16.210 --> 00:26:18.269
is it okay if I do that or they have questions

00:26:18.269 --> 00:26:20.430
about the Holy Spirit just contact them and let

00:26:20.430 --> 00:26:22.230
them know about this series because I believe

00:26:22.230 --> 00:26:24.410
this is going to be one of the quite frankly

00:26:24.410 --> 00:26:26.609
the most anointed series that we've ever done

00:26:26.609 --> 00:26:29.150
and I claim that in Jesus name just to kind of

00:26:29.150 --> 00:26:31.009
give a little hint about what I believe the Holy

00:26:31.009 --> 00:26:33.410
Spirit has placed upon my heart We're going to

00:26:33.410 --> 00:26:35.809
have podcasts. We're going to talk about what

00:26:35.809 --> 00:26:38.960
it means to receive. the comfort of the Holy

00:26:38.960 --> 00:26:42.400
Spirit. And what does it mean to understand that

00:26:42.400 --> 00:26:45.380
the Holy Spirit is willing and that He's ready

00:26:45.380 --> 00:26:48.700
and that He's able? Those could all be individual

00:26:48.700 --> 00:26:51.420
podcasts. I truly believe that. So we're just

00:26:51.420 --> 00:26:53.160
going to yield to the power and the presence

00:26:53.160 --> 00:26:55.720
of the Holy Spirit and ask for His guidance and

00:26:55.720 --> 00:26:57.980
direction so that He can lead us through every

00:26:57.980 --> 00:27:00.480
area of this. And I believe it's going to be

00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:03.420
fun, exciting, and I believe it'll help us in

00:27:03.420 --> 00:27:05.640
our walk with God. Before I close, let me pray

00:27:05.640 --> 00:27:07.579
for you. Heavenly Father, pray for those who

00:27:07.579 --> 00:27:09.619
are listening in, and they, many of them are

00:27:09.619 --> 00:27:11.900
here because they have a desire to get closer

00:27:11.900 --> 00:27:14.660
to you and be led by the Spirit of God. Those

00:27:14.660 --> 00:27:17.539
who are Christians that are strong in their walk

00:27:17.539 --> 00:27:19.660
with you and and they walk and they're filled

00:27:19.660 --> 00:27:22.039
with the Holy Spirit I pray that this could be

00:27:22.039 --> 00:27:23.920
a blessing to them to share some of these thoughts

00:27:23.920 --> 00:27:26.460
with others So I pray a blessing upon everyone

00:27:26.460 --> 00:27:28.900
who's listening in both in the United States

00:27:28.900 --> 00:27:31.279
and across the world as we've been blessed To

00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:33.680
see so many different countries around the world

00:27:33.680 --> 00:27:36.059
who are listening to these podcasts I pray that

00:27:36.059 --> 00:27:38.180
you would bless them father and that they would

00:27:38.180 --> 00:27:40.720
receive Exactly what you have for them help them

00:27:40.720 --> 00:27:43.680
to be led by the Holy Spirit and help them to

00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:47.140
learn to yield by the power of the Holy Spirit

00:27:47.140 --> 00:27:48.940
into everything they face whether it be good

00:27:48.940 --> 00:27:51.420
times or bad times bless them and keep them I

00:27:51.420 --> 00:27:53.660
pray and I'll thank you for it in advance in

00:27:53.660 --> 00:27:56.440
Jesus name amen let me just give you one final

00:27:56.440 --> 00:27:59.039
blessing as I close out this podcast may the

00:27:59.039 --> 00:28:01.700
Lord bless you and keep you may his face shine

00:28:01.700 --> 00:28:04.059
upon you and may he be gracious to you and give

00:28:04.059 --> 00:28:07.000
you peace May you prosper and be in good health

00:28:07.000 --> 00:28:12.000
even as your soul prospers. So may God now richly

00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:14.619
bless you in all you do and may you be filled

00:28:14.619 --> 00:28:17.259
with the power and the might and the strength

00:28:17.259 --> 00:28:19.599
and the grace of the Holy Spirit in your life.

00:28:19.720 --> 00:28:22.420
May you walk daily in it and just receive the

00:28:22.420 --> 00:28:24.859
goodness of God. Be blessed in all that you put

00:28:24.859 --> 00:28:27.460
your hand to. Thank you once again to listening

00:28:27.460 --> 00:28:30.519
into our podcast entitled Quality Christian Living

00:28:30.519 --> 00:28:33.819
with this series on the Holy Spirit as we continue

00:28:33.819 --> 00:28:35.960
on it. I pray you'll be blessed, and I pray that

00:28:35.960 --> 00:28:38.759
you'll let others know about this opportunity.

00:28:39.259 --> 00:28:41.799
We'll give you praise, Lord, and give you the

00:28:41.799 --> 00:28:43.819
glory for what's taking place. Bless those that

00:28:43.819 --> 00:28:46.279
are here. I am your host, David Friend. Thank

00:28:46.279 --> 00:28:48.000
you once again for listening in. This has been

00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:52.819
podcast number 317, The Holy Spirit Working in

00:28:52.819 --> 00:28:53.059
Us.