The Power of “And”
“He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8, ESV)
It’s About the “And!”
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:4, ESV)
No gift from God was given for the sake of having the gift, but doing something with it.
They were filled with the Holy Ghost — “AND . . .”
The Goal is not in the “What” but in the “And”
“And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31, ESV)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, ESV)
“And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.” (Acts 19:6, ESV)
Basic Tenets of Early Charismatic/Pentecostals:
You have been snatched from eternal damnation to show forth the praises of Him who called you out of darkness.
Live modestly, vigilantly, and in constant prayer and fellowship because of end-time darkness and because your true reward will be in Heaven.
Your body belongs to Jesus; be a living sacrifice. This is reasonable service because you were bought with a price.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit has been given to you to be a witness AND to fulfill the great commission.
It’s Not One or the Other — It’s Both
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3, ESV)
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17, ESV)
“Wholly Other” — Christian theological term used to describe the difference between God and everything else.
Tent = Temporary, Natural, Carnal, Flesh
Mansion = Eternal, Spiritual, True Self, in Christ (in the Spirit)
“because our gospel came to you not only in word but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.” (1 Thessalonians 1:5, ESV) [Gal. 2:20]
Infilling of God’s Spirit should produce the outworking of God’s character.
“It’s not how high you jump when the Spirit touches you but how straight you walk when your feet hit the ground.” Rachel Burchfield
“And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;” (Acts 2:17, ESV)
IS IT RIGHT AND DOES IT WORK
DOES IT HELP PEOPLE
ARE PEOPLE DRAWN TO JESUS OR TO YOU
So What’s Your “And”