Pour out Your Spirit (Act 1:1-8).

1. The need of our time. The Church is becoming aware of its own desperate condition and the even more critical needs of our time. We long for revival and the life of Jesus amongst us and we experience it but only for certain periods and not as an ongoing lifestyle.
We can blame many things:
We see people’s lack of involvement.
We see the lack of dedication to the Body of Christ.
It is because people come to church with an “Entertain Me” attitude.
Many still lack the fundamental hunger that is needful in a revival.
We can say there is no fear of God and respect for the ministry.
We can say it is not enough prayer, lack of commitment.
People don’t read the Bible-doers of the Word.
Follow and serve God no matter what you may be going through! Seek ye FIRST the kingdom of God and HE will add all other things…
Christians around the world are praying for revival. What exactly is meant by "revival"? Some think in terms of great meetings or tremendous evangelistic outreach. Others think more in terms of Christians who are encouraged and brought to a new level of commitment in their faith. But what is it?
Revival is ultimately Christ Himself being seen, felt, heard, living, active, moving in and through His Body on earth. True revival is not man-centered but Christ-centered. It is not about a type of music or special experience, but a fresh revelation of Christ in the midst of His people.
REVIVAL HAPPENS WHEN JESUS SHOWS UP FOR CHURCH. The Lord is always present when His people gather in His Name- but now we are talking about His manifest presence- feel it, see it. Move in it.
When the people of God become aware of the Presence of the Lord, everything changes. Our worship services, our family lives, our evangelistic efforts, and our individual devotional lives will all be different when God shows up for church.

When He shows up anything can happen! He can save, fill, change, restore, touch, heal, deliver, motivate, bring purpose, lead, provide, use people, change priorities, bring commitment, evangelistic zeal, lives are transformed, joy is evident, the powers of darkness are forced to retreat. Biblical truths that had perhaps grown stale are suddenly infused with new life. The love and life of Jesus are lived out in fresh new ways as the Church gathers.
Endless list! DO YOU WANT IT?

The early church had a revival in prison. We can hardly get the saints to worship in the church on a Sunday with our heaters, fans, fancy equipment.
The early saints walked by a cripple man at the gate beautiful and lifted him up to his feet – healed in Jesus name. For us it is hard to go to someone who’s life is falling apart and ask them if we could minister to them.
The N.T. Christians turned their world upside down in two years (Acts. 17:6).
Devils left screaming from the New Testament church-The N.T Church was bold people who walked into the market places and into kings throne rooms and declared the gospel of Jesus Christ.
That Church grew because of God’s favour and because the world looked at it as something that offered a refuge from the sinful lifestyles.

The early church would hold an all night all church prayer meeting to get Peter out of jail. The early church would go from house to house fellowshipping and praying.
We promote programs and agendas but how many souls will be won by our church and by our use of time, energy and money?
The cares of life, the politics, economy, elements of this world and the evil powers at work, are pulling us away from what the original church was.
WHAT DO WE WANT WHEN WE ASK FOR MORE?
What did the early church have that we do not have today? Christians are praying for God to move in significant new ways in the Church.

2. There need to be a growth cycle consisting of:

a. Being continuously filled with the Holy Spirit and power ( Eph. 5:18). The Book of Acts is the greatest book on revivals which has ever been written.
In (Acts 1:4) we find our risen Lord gives His last and His most powerful command –in verse 9 He was taken up in a cloud in the air. If you go away for a time and leave people behind, your last words are important.
He actually "charged" them, a military term, "not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father" (ASV). Ampl. ‘He commanded them…”
When it comes to the baptism in the Holy Spirit it is not a voluntary thing (if you want to.)
He commanded them to go to the Upper Room and to ABIDE IN PRAYER TOGETHER! And because they did, the Holy Spirit came! In verses 14 and 15 we read that they, about 120, continued in prayer and supplication.
Why did they do it? Because Jesus commanded it. They didn’t discuss the possibility of not going-of ignoring it-of having a say in it whether they should or shouldn’t go.
They didn’t have a Bible Study on: Five reasons why we should we go to the upper room?
The command of Jesus to wait (Luke 24:49). Our trouble today is that we have not seen the Upper Room prayer meeting as a command of Jesus. We seem to have little authority when it comes to getting our churches into prayer meetings.
This is a great part of our problem and weakness – getting corporate prayer and revival back into our churches (Acts 1:4).
Can I ask you today: How much of the Holy Spirit do you have today? Read (Acts 1:8.)
To Jesus it was an absolute necessity that his disciples will be filled with the Holy Spirit continously (Acts 13:52). His own ministry only started after He was baptised in water and the Holy Spirit came down upon Him! With the Holy Spirit in and on you, you become a dynamic instrument in the hands of a living God.
We need a baptism of fire!!! Let the fire of God burn in our bones and it will burn up all dignity, all excuses, all selfishness-it will consume all religion and leave only the glory and power of Jesus behind. Don’t let the fire of God pass you by, don’t let the river pass you by.
God, remove in me the ritual, the routine and give me a passion for the reality of your Spirit! Burn up the wood, hay, stubble and replace it with refined gold!
The infilling of the Holy Spirit is the gateway to the supernatural. More of the Spirit also means more signs and wonder/miracles. After the day of Pentecost, miracles occurred constantly in the Acts church.

b. Change me/church. (2 Cor. 5:17) is not a once of thing. If we stay the same as we are, the world around us will stay the same. If we don’t change the world will keep on going downhill: Sin will increase, unrigtheousness will increase, the church will diminish, the people will die without Jesus, the sick will become more, crime and corruption will increase.
When we change the light will increase in South Africa-attitudes will change-lives will be touched and God’s righteousness will increase.
When we become more hungry for God then our sensitivity level increases. And because we then live nearer to His heart, because we hear His voice clearly our lives change. When we become God conscious, we grow out of self consciousness. We then explore the MORE we are praying for, the things that God wants to do! There are so many dimensions of God that we haven’t touched yet.
We are called to FLESH OUT THE LIVE OF JESUS and it will happen more and more as we fix our lives/attention on Jesus! I want to encourage you to intensely pursue full devotion to Christ. Trust Him to change you, be thankful for His daily work in your life, pursue Him, follow Him, love Him with your whole life!!!
My friends we can never get enough of Jesus Christ in our lives. This is a never ending quest, deeper with God and it is also an increasingly rewarding process.

c. Use me/church (John 15:16) God is looking for a dividend because He has made great deposits in your life! Playing it safe is the most dangerous way to live. Safe in my comfort zone, with no possibility of failing. No possibility of being embarrassed. No stepping out of the boat, no trusting God, no faith in this miracle working God. It also means that there is no possibility of of being used by God.
The Great Commission (Matth. 28:19) is the last and most forceful and imperative of all His commandments, and we must hear and do it.
God release whatever is necessary and USE ME IN THE PROCESS. God can take your mess and turn it into a message! A negative past doesn’t disqualify you from a positive future. We’re you’ve been is not nearly as important as where you are going! Many of us sitting here today can say, “My family put the function in disfunction.” Nothing in your past can disqualify you from what God wants to do through your life in the future!
God wants a passionate people. He wants passion and zeal for Him! IF YOUR PASSION DOESN’T MOVE YOU, it won’t move God! God is entrusting us with a move of God- what are we doing with it. We are a fortunate people, we are a chosen generation-we are custodians of “the more of God.” Are you ready to pray, to be, to move, to change, turn the world upside down?

(Col.1:27) teaches us the mystery of God – "Christ in us, the hope of glory." Is there a more astonishing verse in Scripture-that the Son of God has actually come to take up residence within the individual Christian? Lord, help us to experience the indwelling Christ! Open the eyes of our hearts that we might know You and become aware of Your Presence here inside us. Immanuel-God with us!
What a difference it would make in our lives if we truly lived out the truth of Christ in us, the hope of glory; walking daily with Jesus--aware of His presence, His love, His strength, and His direction.
Take up your position in Jesus Christ, take up your mantle- touch the world around you because you are touched by God-you are God’s anointed! Let the Holy Spirit flow in P’n P, Post office, streets and wherever you go-invading the market place!
We are seeing an increased awareness of the activity of the Lord in the midst of His people and it is exciting-and He wants you to be part of it!
Your intimacy with FatherGod intimidates the devil, because he knows from that relationship comes authority, boldness and a flow of the Spirit. This is a season where we must believe and act upon what we know! We minister effectively only when we understand God’s goodness.


3. Conclusion: You? How will God work through you to make a difference in this world? He poured out his life and His Holy Spirit in us to use us!
It’s time for all of us get life. It’s time that all of us get tired of living in 2nd hand Christianity and get an expectation of living in Christ. Get tired of depression, tired of sin, tired of the devil’s lies, of being the same year in and year out!
(John 10:10). Realize that Jesus is life in abundance, Jesus is hope, Jesus is love, Jesus is joy, Jesus is peace.
Say with me: I am a carrier of the presence of God.
Lord I am available in your kingdom.
I will speak your Word.
I will declare the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I will flow in your Spirit. My life will touch other lives!
Amen.