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Lessons From A Spirit-Filled Family | Pastor Daniel Batarseh · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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Gospel According to Luke. Meet me there in the first
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chapter. Of Luke.
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And Lord, as we come now before your word.
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You know, the hearts of every man, and woman in this place.
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And Lord, we need a touch from you.
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Because we are prone to fall into routine.
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Especially this time of the year.
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We pray that you would rescue us from familiarity and that you
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would Lord. Give us fresh eyes to see the
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beauty of the birth of our savior.
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And what with this particular message though may not be
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traditional, we ask that it would nonetheless bless and that
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it would awaken our hearts. It would bring Faith.
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Hope joy into every life who would receive it by faith.
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And so upon the delivery of this word, would you grant a Grace
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and Upon Our Hearts? Would you give us an openness to
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receive an attentiveness that would honor you?
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We look to you now in these days, especially Lord, we look
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to you with great expectation and longing for your return and
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Jesus name we pray. Amen.
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Amen. As you know this is the time of
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the year. When Christians generally
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rehearse the truths around the Glorious and marvelous
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miraculous birth of the Messiah. And As we look to that with that
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theme in most of our minds, I would like for us to highlight,
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some precious insights from the word of God that are found
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leading up to that Monumental event.
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Our time together is going to be different.
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This this afternoon it's not going to be traditional, it's
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not going to be. That kind of familiar approach
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with the familiar message that we are prone to receiving.
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instead, I want us to look at The person work of the Holy
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Spirit. The person and work of the Holy
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Spirit apart, from the obvious participation that he had in the
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Incarnation of the Son of God, I think for many Believers, the
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perception of the holy spirit's involvement around the events of
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the entrance of Christ into the world is pretty narrow, but my
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prayer is that as you and I come to this text that our vision
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would expand. And that our understanding of
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just how present he was when it comes to the Arrival of Christ
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would be something glorious to us.
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Would be something that we would be moved by and this is going to
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be a very practical message. It's not going to be any
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theological, but it's not going to just be commentary about who
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the holy spirit is and and what purpose he played in this
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occasion. I want to speak directly to your
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hearts. I want your minds to be
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illuminated to realize what is possible.
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When the person of the holy spirit is invited into your
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life, to make the investment that he is able to make, if you
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would just believe it, if you would just trust in it and trust
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in him and this goal will be accomplished as you and I turn
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our attention to a very special family that played an integral
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part in the occasion of Christ's arrival.
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And that's in Luke 1. In Luke 1, we read of a couple
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named Zechariah and Elizabeth and we were given a description
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as we are debuting in this gospel account.
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They were both from the tribes of Levi.
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They were righteous before God and they kept all the
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Commandments and statutes of the Lord.
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They were people who loved God. They were people who honored the
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word of God. There are people who wanted to
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please God. In addition to that we learn
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about this couple All that Elizabeth was Barren, they had
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no children and she could not have children.
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And to add to that sorrow, they were advanced in years.
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But on a day, a special day for Zacharias, a priest would enter
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into the temple. Something unusual happens, the
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angel Gabriel appears, he visits Zechariah.
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And he informs this man, that he would have a son that his wife
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would indeed conceive. And the conception of this child
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would be a miracle in itself. But more than that, the angel
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reveals that this child is going to play a special role in
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preparing a people for the Lord. He was fulfilled prophecy.
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He would be the Forerunner for the Messiah, and Zechariah is
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absolutely stunned. Before, even considering the
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role that his son would play. He can't even fathom how his
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wife could even conceive. And so he does act in unbelief
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and we'll get to that in a moment.
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But is clear just from that brief biography, that this
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family was special and they played a very special role in
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this narrative. This important chapter in
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Redemptive history. And so much can be said about
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this family. But what I want to highlight to
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you, this afternoon is the partnership of the Holy Spirit
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or the role of the Holy Spirit, the activity of the holy spirit
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in each of their lives, with each member of this family, I
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want you to see how the Holy Spirit Works in them.
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And then from there you and I are going to be able to just
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glean some truths that I pray with all my heart would really
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move your soul this afternoon. And so look briefly with me at
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Luke 1, 14 to 15. And we read as the angel speaks
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this message from Heaven to Zechariah and you will have joy
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and gladness and many Will Rejoice at his birth.
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This is John, the Baptist is not Jesus.
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We're speaking of here in verse 15 for he will be great before
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the Lord pause there. If you're going to be achieving
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any greatest, be great before, God, don't be great before, men
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be great before the Lord, he will be great before the Lord
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and He must not drink wine, or strong drink, and he will be
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filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb
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highlight that he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
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Now, scroll down in your Bibles to Luke 141.
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And what do we read? And when Elizabeth heard the
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greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth
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was filled with the Holy Spirit. Interesting.
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Only gets more interesting as you come to the same chapter and
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verse 67. And what do you see?
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And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and
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prophesied saying, Three times in close proximity to one.
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Another Luke was led by the spirit of God to tell us how
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Zechariah Elizabeth and their son, John were filled with the
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Holy Spirit at different times. Now you may be wondering why
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this is important especially in connection to the theme of
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Christmas and I'll tell you why it's important.
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Because one important reason is the fact that the empowerment of
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the Holy Spirit and his work in the human life because of the
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work of Jesus Christ on the cross that was dependent upon
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his Incarnation is available. Now, not just the Kings, not
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just to priests not just to some profits and not just to some
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special households he would be made available to everyone and
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anyone who would believe on the Son of God, the prophet Joel
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spoke of a day that there. Would be an unusual outpouring
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of the Holy Spirit and the objects of the reception of the
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Holy Spirit would be sons and daughters.
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Young and old male and female servants.
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They would all know a touch from the holy spirit.
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That would Empower them in a way that was only limited to a
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select few throughout history. And so, as much as what we're
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going to see today is unique to this family and that there are
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some realities that are not to be necessarily repeated.
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The application of the presence of God being with us still
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applies. Today it still applies today.
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And so when you and I look at what's happening here with this
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family and how the holy spirit is working in and through them,
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I want your hearts to believe, I want your hearts to see that the
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same Holy Spirit who is not merely a force whose not merely
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the extension of God's power. Who is a person himself can be
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known in your life in a very special way in a way that is
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only made possible because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
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And the way we're going to do this is simply looking at a few
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thoughts, very simple, very straightforward, but they're
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going to be anchored in what we just read those three verses.
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And the first thing that I want to say to you today as you hear
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these truths, is that everything that you hear mention today is
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only possible because of Christ. And that is certainly true for
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this first point from what you just heard, I want to declare to
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you with all the authority that I have.
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In Jesus name that God, the Holy Spirit desires to fill our
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families. God, the Holy Spirit desires to
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fill our families. It is not an unusual thing, to
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reading your Bibles, at the Holy Spirit fills, someone or filled
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someone it's throughout the Bible, but what is very special
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about the verses that I just read to you is that unless you
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know of a different place in scripture, this is the only
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place in all of the Bible where God the Holy Spirit explicitly
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tells us that every member of One household was filled with
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the Holy Spirit. You.
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And I even use this vocabulary and we are familiar.
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With the idea of Spirit-filled people, that man is filled with
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the holy spirit. That woman is filled with the
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Holy Spirit and beyond that, we are comfortable and we are
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familiar with saying that that is a Spirit-filled church with a
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Spirit-filled leadership in a Spirit-filled people.
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But you know, what's very uncommon, at least to me is
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hearing about Spirit-filled families.
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Spirit-filled families households, where the members
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have the Holy Spirit working in and through their marriage, the
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siblings and the Dynamics of the household all together.
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And although again, we see that this is a unique description of
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a household. The reality of it is not
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supposed to be unique. You see what the Holy Spirit has
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done here in Zechariah who was a husband, and then a father and
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an Elizabeth who was a wife, and then a mother, and even in John,
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who was their son? And who had Parents, what he did
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in them. He wants to do in US.
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He wants to do in every single family in the church.
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Today, he Longs for it, he desires it and we should desire
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it just the same. And I think that is a very
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important message during this time of the year because apart
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from focusing and rehearsing the truth about Jesus, this is very
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much a time that we enjoy family that we think about family and
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for some of you in this place, that is a great thought.
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Families associated with joy, with blessing, with healing,
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with, with, with heartfelt, safety and encouragement.
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And four, others family is synonymous with trouble.
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It's painful, there's trauma as Brokenness and this time of the
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year is not to be looked after with great excitement, it's to
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be dreaded. And I want to tell you that if
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you are part of a fractured family, all of us are in perfect
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here. All of us have challenge.
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I'm talking about severely, fractured families, know that,
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that is not God's design. That is not God's design.
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Nor is it, his will God desires to make a mark on each household
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with the promised Holy Spirit. And if you want belief for that,
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then understand that, so much is built upon that foundation of
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the activity of the Holy Spirit In Our Lives.
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When we think about that, famous passage in Ephesians 5, right?
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22 down to verse 33, about how husbands and wives should relate
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to one another and serve one, another and love one another and
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respect. One another, and how those
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instructions for the household bleeds into Ephesians 6, where
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you have Now instructions for children, how they should obey
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and honor their father and mother and how the father should
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not provoke their children to wrath.
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We look at those instructions as though we're supposed to do it
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in our own might and strength and wisdom as though it is
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separated from the grand context of Ephesians.
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What people don't realize when they jump over that at their
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weddings and they put it on their little paintings at their
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homes, or they go over those truths and Judge counseling or
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in family, what they don't realize.
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I believe most of the time is that all of those truths are
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built upon Ephesians 5:18 and what's Ephesians?
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5:18, you know it very well do not get drunk with wine.
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For that is debauchery, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.
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Be filled with the Holy Spirit Paul starts there.
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Before he tells husband's how to be Godly husband's.
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He starts there before he tells wives, how to be Godly wives.
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He starts there before, he tells children how to honor their
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parents. We all need the holy spirit.
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With this tells me here is that the Divine standard for
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sacrificial, love for submissiveness, for service to
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one another that we all long for in our homes that we all ache
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for and our relationships with the closest people to It is
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absolutely and utterly impossible without the Holy
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Spirit. That's what Paul's Chain of
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Thought teaches us. True Harmony in the home will
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never be realized if the holy spirit is not truly honored.
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But when dependency on him is realized Miracles can take place
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and if dependency on him, is lacking the know this Division
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and Devastation won't be. You see the filling of the holy
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spirit in zechariah's family was for the purpose of proclamation,
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right? When Zechariah was filled, he
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prophesied when Elizabeth was filled, she proclaimed an
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outburst of Praise when John, the Baptist was filled, he was
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consecrated in the womb so that he would be raised up to be that
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prophet of the Old Testament points to But the the role of
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the holy spirit in our lives today, expands beyond the
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purpose of proclamation and faithful witness to Christ.
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Marriage is not easy. Raising children is challenging
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rebelling against your parents as a Temptation that visits
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early on. But here's the Holy Spirit who
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has been granted through Jesus Christ as an ever-present help
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for those who would believe and for those who would realize they
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need him, you know, Paul's order of thought there in Ephesians
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proves to us that the mark of a person who is filled with the
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Holy Spirit is not just faithful.
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Ation of the Gospel. It is shown in how we relate to
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people. Especially our families.
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You want to see a spirit filled man, you want to see
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Spirit-filled woman? You want to see Spirit-filled?
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Anybody look how they treat people?
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Look how they treat. Others, look how they serve.
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Don't just look at what they say.
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Don't just look at the depth of their sermons, the depths of
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their teaching, the depths of their witness.
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Look at how they move and act and react and initiate and
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refrain. It's so practical.
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It's so easy to understand the very difficult to grass in
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reality. And I know what some of you
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might be thinking in this place if it is true that the holy
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spirit is the key to seeing. I'm not just talking Talking
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about things going along fine, I'm talking about exciting
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fruit, being known in the home. There are non-believers, they
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who have better, household, Dynamics and Christians, but
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that's not the standard you getting along and not trying to
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kill each other. That's not the standard of
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Christian households. We're talking about partnership,
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we're talking about, we're talking about righteousness
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being passed down from generation to generation.
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That's what we're talking about. And I know what you might be
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thinking if that is the case, then why is it that it is so
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difficult to identify a stable Christian home?
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Can I tell you why this answer might shock you?
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It's because being Christian isn't enough.
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No, wait there. Put your Stones back in the
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pocket. being Christian isn't enough and the counseling slots
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will prove that it's being a Christian with a certain
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attitude. Certain realization.
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It's to have a heart that realizes I really want to honor
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God. It's not just about having a
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peaceful home, a fruitful marriage, a lovely relationship
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with your kids. It has to come to a place where
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your heart says, I really want to glorify God.
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And if God called me to be a father, a husband, a wife God
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called me to be single, but to be a young adult in my
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household, I really want to honor the Lord.
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And it's Spirit-filled Christians.
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I see Spirit-filled results in their lives and not every
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Christian is Spirit-filled or else.
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Why would Paul instruct us to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
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You can be Christian and be empty to the day you die, or you
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can be a Christian. Who knows what it means to be
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overflowing with the power of God, And it requires again, a
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certain attitude, a certain Faith, a certain realization.
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And I think when you look at Zechariah Elizabeth's life, you
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get a hint of it. Look at verse 6 of, Luke 1.
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You heard me describe them earlier, but here's the
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reference. And they were both righteous
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before God walking blamelessly in all the Commandments and
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statutes of the Lord. This does not mean, of course
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that their performance, their moral performance, earned them.
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Some spiritual upgrade, you know how?
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I know that. Zacharias unbelief when the
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angel told him about the conception of his son is enough
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proof to show me that this man was far from perfect.
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They were human. Just like you and I, they fell
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short. They made mistakes, they were
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disciplined by God. Namely Zechariah.
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But you know what? That verse that I just read
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proofs to me. That although they did fall
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short, oh they had a heart for God.
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They really wanted to obey God. They really wanted to live for
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his glory, even in their destitution, even in their dire
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situation of barrenness. I love how we see here that this
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righteous couple still honored. God though, they didn't have
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what they really wanted. That was a son, a child They
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were just determined to live for him and that's very important in
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light of the fact that Zechariah was a priest.
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Zachariah was not like those other priests, and religious
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leaders, who are hypocritical and superficial, he was
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different. He was the real deal.
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And what I want to tell you today is that any couple or
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their families, their children who have no interest in living
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for the glory of God should have zero expectation of God,
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providing them what they need in order to glorify him and enjoy
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his blessings. What I'm trying to tell you.
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Today, there needs to be an attitude of desperation, and
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attitude of longing. I realization of your dependency
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on something Supernatural because the things that we try
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to do in the natural always fail.
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So here's what I want to ask you in light of this first point of
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this portrait of a man, his wife and their one, son all being
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filled with the Holy Spirit. Whoever you are at today, no
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matter what position you occupy, no matter what role God has
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called you to operate. In when was the last time that
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you started your day, knowing the great difficulties that were
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going to await you just in the front, step outside of your
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bedroom. When was the last time you said,
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oh God, if you don't fill me, I will fail, I will fail.
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I will not be the man that you called me to be.
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I will not be the woman that you called me to be.
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I will not be the son or daughter that you called me to
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be. In the beautiful, we have to
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hear it again. When was the last time that you
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pleaded with the Lord, I'm talking about pleading with the
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Lord, to have your selfish, heart conquered by the spirit of
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God. When was the last time you
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caught yourself for a series of days, being impatient or so
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easily. Agitated for no justifiable
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reason. When was the last time that you
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paused pulled yourself away. Humbled yourself before almighty
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God said oh God please. I don't want to be like this
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subdue where I lack control. I need your help.
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I need you to help me. That is the kind of heart
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posture that opens up wonderful possibilities and Graces in the
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person of the Holy Spirit if we Endeavor to do that.
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Listen I know counseling is important.
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It helps we need the church, we need wisdom but I'm pointing you
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to the counselor of counselors today.
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I'm pointing to the person of the Holy Spirit.
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He can really change things, but it requires the first step of
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saying I can't do this. I know that it sounds like a
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wonderful reality but it will require every member of each
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household to at least do this one thing and saying, Lord, fill
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me. I'm going to fill my heart with
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your word and I'm going to ask as a child would ask a father
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for a gift and that is the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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If you Endeavor to do that. It will not only be realized in
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our faithful witness to Christ like this family.
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But also, in the way that we treat one another and love one,
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another and serve one, another, with our with our Silent Witness
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to the world. Here's what I want to tell you
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this Christmas season. God, the Holy Spirit wants to
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fill our households and he's able to do it all.
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I can say so much more, but let's move on to the second
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thought that I have for you, God, the Holy Spirit offers an
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otherworldly Joy. God, the Holy Spirit offers an
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otherworldly joy, and I find that here in Luke 144, this is
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when Mary visits Elizabeth And Elizabeth experience has an
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unusual movement in her womb. You want to text to prove the
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sanctity of human life in the womb?
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Here it is. Luke 144 for behold, when the
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sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb,
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leaped for Joy, leapt for joy. Things don't have joy.
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People have joy. We have a person in this womb,
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he has a name, he has a purpose and he has feelings.
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And at this point, the sound of the vessel that would host and
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mother of the Messiah. Made the bb-baby leap with
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excitement and realization of the near presence of the Savior.
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You know, people come to this verse this unique biography of
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John the Baptist, and they make it a matter of much debate only
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and I think that's a great disservice to our
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sanctification. If we just use this as a talking
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point about different schools of thought, and how God works
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before were born and our destiny before were born and what
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happens and look that's, that's fine and dandy.
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That's great. I think it's important to have
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these conversations and maturity, but don't miss what
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this is implying apart. From there, the realization that
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this is a truth that undeniably declares that the life of The
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Unborn is precious and cherished by God himself.
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I was meditating on this and I thought and I thought there's
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something interesting here. There's something very
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interesting here on a practical level and here it is.
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John experience Joy. Even before he entered in the
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world, John experience a joy even before he entered into the
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world. What I mean by that is before
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John experienced anything in this life.
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Before anything of this world was offered to him.
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There was exuberant Glee in that little heart.
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There was a delight there were satisfaction.
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There is gratification there was, there was wholeness, there
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was an overflowing of love. And contentment.
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John knew a joy that only God can give a joy.
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That is not Reliant upon any kind of connection to this life.
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A joy that solely came from God, the Holy Spirit Is that your
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joy? Or is your joy heavily depended
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upon the Affairs of this life? Going in your favor?
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I see a principal here. Here is, John cut off from the
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world and he's still joy-filled. Here's what I want to tell you
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today. You can know a joy at this world
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does not have to offer, and cannot offer.
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That's yours in the Holy Spirit and what was the object of this
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Baby's Joy? The arrival of the Messiah, the
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near presence of his master. That is what filled his heart,
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that is what awaits you. And I in the Holy Spirit, listen
27:05
Christ, really satisfies. He satisfies you to the point
27:09
where it calms. You it settles you.
27:12
It keeps you at sustains you and it surpasses every other trick
27:17
of this world. Every other trinket, every other
27:20
little toy that this world has to offer, comes not even near
27:24
the reality of the joy. The holy spirit in the person of
27:27
Jesus Christ, and I see that here, I see this, man, this
27:31
little boy, who was to be a mighty man of God who knew this
27:35
unusual joy that was directly inspired by the holy spirit
27:38
because you heard it, he would be filled with the Holy Spirit
27:40
from the womb, because the holy spirit is the one who opens your
27:43
eyes and mind to the immeasurable greatness of
27:45
Christ. His wisdom, his power, his
27:48
majesty, his grace, his Fellowship.
27:52
He's the agent that makes it known.
27:53
He's the agent that makes it real.
27:56
He's the one that today is moving and hearts and wants to
27:58
make them. Leap for joy in Christ.
28:02
There's a lot of miserable Christians out there.
28:05
There's a lot of Christians out there that their Joy fluctuates
28:08
based on the stock market or what they bought, what they
28:12
filled their closets with what newest and not.
28:14
What addition, there's a joy in the Holy Spirit purely from the
28:19
Holy Spirit. And if you think that this Joy
28:23
is just designated for a special child that has special time in
28:26
history, you're wrong because this phrase leap for Joy is
28:31
found in one other place in the Gospel of Luke and when you
28:35
discover it your realize that this Joy is not just reserved
28:38
for a profit but available for all the children of God, look at
28:42
Luke 6, very quickly and verse 22 to 23.
28:50
Here's the Lord, Jesus. And he says in Luke 6:20, 2223
28:55
blessed. Are you when people hate you and
28:57
when they exclude you and when they revile you and spurn, your
29:01
name as evil on account of the son of man notice on account of
29:05
the son of man, not because you're a rude person on account
29:08
of the son of man. Now, look at verse 23 rejoice in
29:12
that day, and leap for joy. The same wording.
29:18
Leap for Joy for behold, your reward is great in heaven for so
29:25
their fathers did to the prophets.
29:28
Do you see it the sacred joy that this baby experience in the
29:32
womb is the same joy that you and I can know in this very dark
29:37
world That's what Jesus is saying that this Spirit
29:41
generated gladness is so profound that it can be enjoyed
29:45
and realize not just at the revelation of Christ, not just
29:49
after you discover something in the word or you see him moving
29:51
in real life in your life, not beyond that.
29:54
You can know the same joy that John, the Baptist knew in that
29:58
special place at that special time as you face, as you face,
30:04
the ugliness of life. The Despicable unjust treatment
30:08
of others, you can know that joy and I think about it either.
30:12
The Lord is teasing us or this is real.
30:15
He can actually command us to leap for Joy when people are
30:20
slandering your name when people are ruining your reputation when
30:25
people want to destroy your life.
30:28
He says, you know what leap for Joy means, it actually means
30:31
leap. I'm not going to do it for you.
30:32
I'm gonna let you use your imagination.
30:34
Literally, your joy is so overpowering that it moves your
30:38
physical being That is available, that is what is
30:43
possible in the holy spirit. That is something that you and I
30:46
must realize that this time of history as well.
30:50
Although there's another phrase, I want to point you to, and it's
30:52
in Luke as well. Luke 1021, look at this passage
30:55
very briefly with me. And Luke 1021.
31:02
Here is another place where we are.
31:04
Explicitly told that Jesus rejoiced.
31:10
You'd be hard-pressed to find another place where the the Holy
31:12
Spirit tells us. That Jesus rejoice.
31:15
And here it is. And Luke 1021.
31:17
This is a sermon in itself. What made?
31:19
Jesus Rejoice. That's not what I want to show
31:22
you. I just want to show you that he
31:23
did. And then the special way in that
31:28
same hour, he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, I thank
31:33
you, Father, Lord, of Heaven and Earth that you have hidden these
31:37
things from the wise and understanding and revealed them
31:40
to Little Children. Yes.
31:41
Father for such was your gracious will He rejoiced in the
31:48
holy spirit that word rejoice in the English does not help us
31:52
understand that the profound real at reality of this Joy, it
31:57
means exceedingly glad it's talking about a bubbling over a
32:01
just to be overjoyed. This is what's happening here
32:04
with the Lord. It's visible, I was observable.
32:07
It was tangible, it was contagious, it was there.
32:12
And this is not just a show us that the holy spirit is the
32:14
source of that kind of quality of Joy.
32:17
What is meant to show us here? Is that the holy spirit is the
32:20
one that can bring us to a supernatural joy rejoiced in the
32:26
Holy Spirit, the holy spirit is a supernatural being and he
32:29
produces a supernatural Joy. That's what's happening here.
32:32
It's a level that the human emotion cannot bring you to.
32:36
It's a level that no experience in this life, no matter how
32:39
great it is can bring you to its average.
32:41
Voicing in God, caused by God for God and you want to know?
32:46
Well, how do I know if I have joy in the Holy Spirit.
32:48
I'll tell you one mark of it. Look at what Jesus does.
32:51
He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said I?
32:53
Thank you. Father, you can appraise God.
32:56
When you're filled with the Holy Spirit, you're gonna thank you
32:59
gonna have this personal relationship with God.
33:02
That is living. That is spontaneous, that is
33:04
real, that a step, by step day by day, that's how you know that
33:07
you're filled with the joy of God.
33:11
Here's Jesus exemplifying that. I thank you.
33:14
I thank you Father. If you like gratitude, you lack
33:19
the filling of the spirit. But if you have the Holy Spirit
33:22
and you desire, this kind of a joy then realized, it has been
33:26
made available to us because of Christ.
33:28
And I want that for your life. God wants that for your life.
33:33
Jesus knew it in his Earthly life.
33:35
Why would you not want to know it in yours?
33:39
And so the Holy Spirit offers us an otherworldly Joy.
33:44
So real. So profound.
33:46
So powerful. We come to the final fight.
33:51
Which is related to the second. The god, the Holy Spirit enables
33:56
us to bless God at all times and I find that in zechariah's life.
34:02
Because you heard it earlier in the beginning of the message
34:04
that Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and he
34:06
prophesied, he prophesied. Now, hearing about John though,
34:11
even a baby that's a very unique thing left for Joy, leap for joy
34:15
in the womb, that's obvious in principle, the messiah's coming,
34:18
he's coming to save, he's near he's close, there's
34:22
relationship. There's intimacy there.
34:23
That, that makes sense. But the holy spirit's work in
34:28
Zechariah is especially challenging to us.
34:31
Yes, he prophesied and he gives his glorious series of profound
34:35
truth. Concerning who Jesus is and who
34:36
his son John would be in what's purpose?
34:39
He would serve. But when you know, the
34:40
predicament of Zechariah right before we are told he was filled
34:44
with the Holy Spirit, then you have an insight to just how
34:47
marvelous. This is what happened to
34:49
Zechariah when the angel visited him.
34:52
He did not believe and he was disciplined by God and the same
34:57
mouth. That proclaimed unbelief was
34:59
muted by God. You're not going to be able to
35:02
speak until the birth of your son for a minimum of nine
35:07
months. You're not going to be able to
35:09
utter a word and the factor. That's going to loosen your
35:12
tongue is when the word of the Lord is fulfilled before your
35:15
eyes. And so, here's this man of God,
35:19
who did not believe that, God, that he trusted, who did not
35:22
believe what God had done before through men, like Abraham.
35:27
Who is disciplined and he would not be able to say anything.
35:29
Now we you we know that but like many things in the Bible we
35:33
don't pause to meditate the implications of that or how that
35:36
must be Zechariah was a real man.
35:38
Can you imagine not being able to say one word for almost a
35:43
year? Think about how frustrating that
35:46
is. Think about how difficult that
35:49
is, think about your day-to-day activity in your Affairs, in the
35:52
things that you need to get done.
35:53
Think about just basic things like asking for something so
35:56
simple, with a few words that you cannot do.
35:58
I mean, if you want a glimpse of it, look at verse 62 of Luke 1,
36:01
you get an idea of how frustrating it must have been
36:04
and Luke 162. And they made signs to his
36:12
father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called, John was born,
36:16
they want to know Zechariah, what do you want to name your
36:18
son? And they made signs to his
36:20
father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called and he asked
36:24
for a writing tablet. And wrote his name is John and
36:27
they all wondered they made signs.
36:28
So they were treating him as though he was deaf, he wasn't
36:30
deaf. He just couldn't speak, but here
36:34
they are making signs to them, trying to communicate something
36:36
and he's just give me the tablet.
36:37
So he asked for the tablet, right?
36:39
And he writes I imagine imagine trying to communicate in this
36:41
way. Imagine being treated in this
36:43
way, imagine how infuriating that is.
36:44
Imagine how annoying that is. Just just just like, let your
36:48
imagination flow. A request.
36:53
When you're hurting and you want to do what you want, some kind
36:57
of help and you have to fend for yourself.
36:58
Instead of requesting for somebody to come to your
37:01
assistance you can just imagine it on a human level.
37:04
The pent-up frustration as time goes by.
37:08
And then one day, everything changed, the birth of his son.
37:11
It would all be altered and the man would finally be able to
37:15
speak. He be able to now, for the first
37:17
time here is own voice and people for nine months, you
37:20
haven't heard him hear his voice as well.
37:24
What would be your first words? After 9 months of not, being
37:26
able to say anything? What would you express?
37:31
What would you communicate? What would you utter?
37:36
I think many of us are thinking very Pious thoughts, but for
37:39
honest, maybe, there'll be some groans.
37:41
Some moans Maybe vomit out, complaints about the dealings of
37:46
God in our lives. But that is not what you find
37:49
here with Zechariah. Zachariah here by the power of
37:53
the spirit. Look at Luke 164 and
37:56
immediately, his mouth was opened and his tongue.
37:59
Loosed and he spoke blessing, God That's the first thing that
38:05
Zechariah does. When God lifts off that burden
38:11
and enables him to speak. Again, the first thing Zechariah
38:14
does is bless God. You're saying how was he able to
38:19
do that? We'll look here at verse 67 and
38:22
his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and
38:25
prophesied saying, blessed. Be the Lord God of Israel for.
38:29
He has visited and redeemed his people.
38:34
By the Holy Spirit. That even after that
38:37
uncomfortable season of suffering debilitation
38:42
restriction alteration. The first thing that this man
38:46
does is praise praise. He doesn't squeal, he doesn't
38:51
even PSI Imagine that nine months, finally, your will speak
38:57
about time. Not even a sigh praise.
39:05
How is that humanly possible? It's not.
39:07
That's the point. It's the spirit of God in you.
39:12
On you, through you, that can take circumstances that are
39:16
beyond our control, like this man experienced.
39:21
And for you to be so overwhelmed by the spirits influence in your
39:24
heart that you can, you can bypass even the hard things that
39:27
God allows you to experience, and to see the goodness of God
39:30
and to rejoice in God, it's as though if you heard this man
39:34
speaking at this time, it's as though nothing had happened in
39:36
the past, nine months. How can that be?
39:39
Well, because of the Holy Spirit, Uncontrollable
39:43
circumstances do not have to control this if you're
39:45
controlled by the spirit. so even if your family is not like
39:52
zechariah's family, which is very, very likely where there
39:55
are 12 many people who are not filled with the spirit of God,
39:59
You can still know. You can still know this kind of
40:03
a praise in your heart, joy in Your Heart, A Song In That
40:07
season, that can only be inspired by God himself.
40:12
You can know the stability of this feeling of wholeness, even
40:15
if in the natural there's something missing.
40:19
There's something missing in your life.
40:22
So in this Christmas season, I want to just turn your attention
40:26
to what has been made possible because of Jesus Christ coming
40:30
into this world. The Holy Spirit awaits to fill
40:34
your families and if he's not gonna, if he's not going to fill
40:38
your families because some members not say there's some
40:41
members not serious, let him fill you.
40:45
Let him fill you and let the fragrance on you.
40:49
Let the salt in your life cause others in that household to be
40:52
thirsty. God, the Holy Spirit has a gift
40:57
and it's to offer you otherworldly joy in this
41:01
miserable. Bleak life realize that there is
41:04
something from Heaven that awaits to stir your heart even
41:09
though you have nothing in this life like John In that womb
41:13
vacuumed and in the dark yet, leaping with joy, you have
41:16
people in palaces, you have people who can drive whatever
41:19
they want. You have people who can purchase
41:21
anything and did not affect their bank account.
41:24
Who don't have what this baby had in that little womb.
41:28
You could have it and it can be so profound that when people
41:31
mock you and Scorn you, you can actually leap for joy.
41:36
And lastly, the Holy Spirit can do a work in you that even
41:40
though you are dreading December 24th.
41:43
And December 25th, you are going to that house.
41:45
And you know, it's going to be a very difficult.
41:48
Few hours. There's going to be people
41:50
missing that you want to be there.
41:54
There's going to be circumstances that are going to
41:56
cause you to remember things of the past that are going to break
41:58
your heart regardless of those things like, Zechariah God can
42:02
fill that. Mouth with praise, he can fill
42:06
your heart with joy. He can take you to another
42:09
place. He can, he got allow you to soar
42:10
above all these things in this life.
42:14
This is all real, by the way. This isn't pretend, this isn't
42:17
Hallmark stuff. This is an imagination.
42:20
This isn't a superhero story. This is Christianity.
42:24
This is Christianity with the real Christ and so I offer him
42:28
to you. In Jesus name that if you're a
42:30
person in this place, who may not even be a Christian, you
42:32
haven't even done the ABCs of this whole thing.
42:36
The Holy Spirit, also has another job, and he does it very
42:38
well. He convicts the heart of sin.
42:42
And even with a message of Hope like this, your heart could be
42:44
stirred. Oh man.
42:45
I don't have what this preacher just said, but I long for it,
42:49
he's ready to give it but you have to repent, you have to turn
42:53
from the sin that Grieves the Holy Spirit and you have to
42:55
embrace what Christ has done. Let him wash you and forgive you
42:59
and cleanse you because that is the work necessary for the Holy
43:02
Spirit to come now and abide in you.
43:05
And then to animate you in the things that I just said, and
43:08
this is just the peak of a great Iceberg of Glorious truths.
43:12
So, do you know Christ today? Do you know Christ today?
43:16
What is your life? What is your life, really?
43:21
What has this life under your own authority and sovereignty
43:25
offered you Christ has come to give life and life more
43:32
abundantly and let me say this to the Christian Perhaps, you're
43:37
in need of Revival. The holy spirit is the reviver
43:42
But it's not going to come by you coming into this place week
43:45
after week saying. Okay, let's see what God's got
43:47
for me next. That is not the attitude, that
43:50
moves the heart of God. You come broken and bring your
43:53
broken marriage with you. You come broke and bring your
43:57
broken children with you. And you say, you know what, I
44:02
don't Wednesday night. I usually binge on Netflix, but
44:04
I'm going to go to the house of God and lay on my face before
44:08
his presence and plead with him to do a miracle in my life.
44:13
To do a miracle of my marriage, to do a miracle in my kids
44:16
lives, the Holy Spirit waits to partner with you.
44:21
He moves by faith, he moves by your faith and I plead with you
44:27
that as we come upon the new year, that you would seek God,
44:30
in a way that you never saw him before and watch what he'll do
44:33
in 2023 and beyond for the glory of his name.
44:36
For the good of his child. That's my message to you this
44:39
afternoon. Let's pray.
44:59
Lord Almighty. We pray.
45:01
We really pray from the bottom of our hearts.
45:07
Oh lord it's so possible that there is more Brokenness in this
45:11
place than there is wholeness. Forgive us for not seeking the
45:20
Holy Spirit. His wisdom, his power, his
45:24
guidance. Forgive us for not having the
45:27
faith to believe that he can do miracles.
45:31
Even with the most stubborn. Lord, what was just said, was An
45:40
imperfect presentation of your truths.
45:44
But take what was imperfect. Take the stumbling words, the
45:49
stammering lips and take even the distracted mind.
45:57
And Lord meet us with the little faith that we have.
46:02
Meet us here. Lord, we pray.
46:05
We do pray that you would make every marriage whole at
46:08
Maranatha, Bible Church. We pray that you would bring
46:12
Salvation to the children. That mothers are praying for who
46:17
have been praying for years. Lord, let there be that kind of
46:20
a Christmas miracle. We pray for Family Worship to be
46:24
known again in the living room and the dining table.
46:31
Lord, fill our families. Lord renew our joy in the Holy
46:36
Spirit. Lord, renew a happiness in God.
46:44
That makes us look out into this world and say I have everything
46:47
in Christ. I have all I need in Jesus.
46:54
And Lord in the times of difficulty, Lord of Zechariah
46:57
and Elizabeth teaches. Anything is that you can be
46:59
righteous and still hurting. And Lord if there are things in
47:04
this life, that we've prayed for like this couple and not realize
47:07
it yet, may we still have the power to honor you and worship
47:10
you and serve you as this couple did.
47:14
And Lord, even if we are enduring trials, Temptations
47:19
difficulties. Lord, may we be able to praise
47:22
and bless you. Through it all.
47:26
And so Lord, this Christmas. Week.
47:30
We now stand in faith with Hearts Alive, to worship you,
47:35
with the truths that we have heard that are available to us.
47:38
Thank you for reminding us of these things.
47:40
In Jesus name, we pray. Amen, I stand and Worship the
47:43
Lord together.