This episode is part two of the last episode, How to Be Clothed in Power and Love.

Who, beyond the disciples, operated in the gifts of the Holy Spirit? It’s a myth that was just a few people. The early church was a supernaturally-empowered Church and we can walk in that same power and love. In faith, we must insist on receiving God’s fullness. We’ve been taught to receive the Holy Spirit – it’s an act of surrender, a yielding.

The devil’s full-time job is to get us focused on our circumstances and inadequacies. He will try to rob our joy to keep us from operating in and enjoying God’s fullness.

  • Why is joy important? Can’t we just “get through things,” knowing we will experience true joy in heaven?
  • What is our posture when listening to and reading the news?
  • What is your testimony in the midst of the bad?

This episode is pulled from a newly-available sermon series, Clothed in Power.

Listen to Episode 30

Additional Resources

Transcript

Now open your Bible to Isaiah chapter 11. There’s some truths that we know that we sort of know. But in reality, we don’t really know. What do you mean, Joe? Well, I mean, we know it in a part. We’ve experienced it in a measure. But the fullness of it hasn’t dawned on us and when it does, it grabs us. So here’s the thing. Jesus came and was anointed as the Messiah of God. Right? And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. Right? We talked about that a little bit. Notice this, in Isaiah 11 it says, “There shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him.” So we know that that was Jesus, right? Okay. The Spirit of Wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and of might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. Now, that’s sometimes called a description of the seven fold Spirit of the Lord.

Now, let me ask you this. Do all seven of those rest on Jesus? It’s not a trick question. All seven of those. That was the fullness of the anointing that rested on him. Okay? Whose anointing are you supposed to walk in? His! So would it be inappropriate or presumptuous for you to expect the spirit of wisdom and knowledge, understanding, power, fear of the Lord to rest on you? I don’t think it would if you’re supposed to partake of His anointing and you’re His joint heir. So the Spirit of the Lord is to rest upon… in Psalm 133, don’t turn there, but it talks about the anointing that came on the head of Aaron. Aaron was the high priest, a type of Jesus. And it says the anointing that comes upon him goes down on his shoulders and then down to the hems of his garments. In other words, it starts on the head and covers the whole body. Well, the anointing is on the head, and if the body will receive it, it’s on the body.

I know that as the result of the charismatic movement or whatever other reasons we’ve all been probably taught to receive the Holy Spirit. And I believe the Lord honored that and I believe we did receive, but what I’m seeing is that you in your faith need to insist on the fullness. Not from God. Because it isn’t God that’s keeping you from it. It’s unbelief, your past experience and man’s traditions. You see? Why should not we walk in the same power as the early church? “Well, brother, don’t you know it was just the twelve that did that stuff?” No, I didn’t know that. First of all, it was Jesus. Then it was the twelve. Then it was the seventy. Then it was the hundred and twenty, and it was the three thousand, then it was the five thousand, then many multitude of the priests became obedient to the faith. And they suspect it was in the great large number by the time Jerusalem was destroyed. Many many Christians were in Jerusalem but they all left, because they saw that Jesus had prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem. They believed him and they escaped. But there was multitudes in Jerusalem that had come to believe in the Messiah. Because you figure if multitudes of the priests became obedient to the faith, they all affected all of their synagogues. Now, was there rejection? Yes. Unfortunately, the majority still rejected Messiah. But what I’m getting at is that there were numbers of people who were walking in the power of God.

Let me just give you an example. When we read in the book of Acts that that Peter said that we apostles need to give ourselves to the Word of God in prayer. Let us appoint over this food distribution, some faithful men. And they they chose the seven, which we refer to as usually as deacons, although it just says they were servants. That’s not really an office title. But it said that Philip up was filled with the Holy Spirit. A man full of the Holy Spirit. Well Philip went down to Samaria. Now Samaria was the city that the Jews wouldn’t have anything to do with because the Samaritans had become mixed with other races and they were not purely Jewish. And they had mixed religion with Judaism with some of the pagan religions, so they were rejected by the Jews. So for Philip to go down there was a great step. But then the revival he had there was amazing. But now think about this. He wasn’t what we would even call at that point anyway a fivefold minister. He’s just somebody that helps out at church. Which is a good thing to do, just for the thought.

But here’s the thing. Signs, wonders and miracles came as he preached the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus. Now the apostles Peter and John did come down and get them filled with the Spirit. But as we looked at last week, there were others who, who got people filled with the Spirit who weren’t among the twelve. Initially, I think they thought only the twelve could. But Ananias, just a disciple of Jesus got Paul filled with the Holy Spirit. And, of course, the spirit’s spreading rapidly throughout the known world because the church is expanding and growing. And there’s not always one of the twelve there to get them filled with the Spirit.

When we read about Corinth, we read about the competition. The Greeks were parting up over various apostles. Barnabas, who wasn’t one of the twelve, Cephas or Peter who was, and then Paul. And they were dividing over who they’re gonna follow and Paul rebuked them for that. He said don’t follow man. There’s one God who granted the revelation to each of the men and it’s all yours. Whether it was the revelation that Paul had or that Peter had or that Apollos had, so it’s all the revelation of God. Don’t divide over men.

But you notice that two of those three men were not among the twelve. Were they called as apostles? Yes, they were. There’s actually close to 24 people called as apostles in the New Testament. So this idea that there was only twelve is just a tradition. But here’s the thing. It was a supernaturally empowered church. Just read Corinthians 12 through 14. Paul had to correct their misuse of the gifts. Today, we’re more likely to rebuke the lack of use of the gifts, you see. Now, like I said, when you see something is yours, and you realize somebody’s been talking you out of it, it ought to make you angry. Now, I’m not talking about flesh and blood here. See, the devil is telling you “Well, God can’t use you. You’re not spiritual.” God’s saying, “You’re born of my spirit. My spirit’s in you and I offer my spirit to be upon you. What more do you need?” You see? “Well, I should be holy.” Well you should. What’s the matter with you? Get holy. Well, let me just say though, it’s a real tough job without just yielding to the Holy Spirit. Working up your own holiness is a full time job that it will lead you quite in the pit of discouragement.

But how about cultivating yielding to the Holy Spirit within you to create the holiness? How about allowing him to reveal the word to you that imparts faith to you that helps you to grow up in Christ? That’s a whole lot easier than trying to be holy. I’m a bit of a student of history and in the 19th century, there was a holiness revival and a theology developed around that if you want to be holy, you need to you need to totally surrender your life and you need to turn away from all sin and once you meet the conditions, then God will anoint you with holiness. Well, you know, I think they had the cart before the horse. The idea is get the Holy Spirit so you can get yourself surrendered and get rid of your sin and learn to walk in the Spirit. You see?

I’m convinced that the carnal mind is inherently religious. “Just tell me what works you want me to perform, Lord and I’ll do it.” He says, “This is the work, believe on the one who he sent.” That’s what he said to the Jews that came to him. He said “What are the works that we should perform Lord to receive eternal life?” He said, “This is the work, believe on the one whom he is has sent.” That’s a life work, that’s not an event work. You and I have to commit to a lifestyle of believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. “Well, I did. I’m born again.” Okay. Are you filled with the Spirit? Are you healed in your body? Is your mind free from oppression? Are your physical needs and family needs met? Are your loved ones saved? You need to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for all those things.

The seven fold Spirit of the Lord rested upon Jesus. Now turn to Isaiah 42. I suspected that this message was going to take more than a week. Isaiah 42 is another passage that’s quoted in the New Testament about Jesus. 42:1, “Behold my servant who I uphold, my elect one in whom my soul delights. I have put my spirit upon Him and He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. And he will not cry out nor raise his voice or cause his voice to be heard in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break and the smoking flax he will not quench. He will bring forth justice for truth.”

A couple of things here. Notice again, it’s the spirit upon. How many know that the Holy Spirit dwelt in Jesus? But how many know he didn’t do one miracle until the Spirit came upon Him? At His baptism in the Jordan the Spirit came like a dove and rested upon him. And the father said, “This is My beloved Son in whom I’m well pleased.” All right? Now, as his joint heir, can you not claim that the Spirit of the Lord would be upon you? But here’s the good thing, because the Spirit of the Lord is working in you and the Spirit of the Lord is resting on you the Father also delights in you.

Think about it now. What God has done in you is so pleasing to Him, you’re acceptable and pleasing to Him. There’s a word for this maybe you haven’t heard it. It’s called Grace. Grace means you can’t earn it, but you get it anyway. Actually, my new working definition of Grace is God’s empowering love giving us what we need and changing us to what He wants. His empowering love. God loves you, but he’s not sitting up in heaven loving you. He’s working within you to will and to do His good pleasure. He’s begun a good work in you, which he will complete because your destiny is to be conformed to the image of His Son. And I think he can actually do that. Amen?

Real quick, turn over to Isaiah 61. This is my three fold witness on the Spirit of the Lord is upon me talking about Jesus. Isaiah 61, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.” Now, one translation, I think it’s the ESB, it might be a different one says good news to the afflicted. So it’s not just talking about physically poor although it includes physically poor. It’s talking about those who are oppressed. And you have good news for them. And you need to see yourself as a carrier of good news. And he says, “To preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal or to bind up the brokenhearted, and to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Now in Jesus’ earthly ministry, He preached the day of vengeance that was coming on Jerusalem. Within a generation of his lifetime, Jerusalem was destroyed. The temple was destroyed, and Israel was no longer a noticeable people with a land of their own. That’s what the vengeance of God was. So that doesn’t really apply to us. We’re not preaching vengeance. But we comfort all who mourn and we console all who mourn in Zion to give them beauty for ashes, and the oil of joy for mourning. Let me just suggest to you as wonderful as heaven is, you should have oil of joy in this life. God wants us to share the oil of joy now. And actually, the Bible says in in Romans 14:17, that the kingdom of God the rule of God, is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

We had a really great old time kind of faith preacher that used to come and share with us and he was a real man of faith. Sometimes he’d say things that were kind of funny. Je said, “Listen, I get angry if the devil tries to steal my joy.” But what he was saying was, if his joy was being robbed, he would say, “No, I refuse to be without joy. It’s mine in Christ.” A funny way of saying that, but really, joy belongs to us. The joy of the Lord is your strength, so if you’re running low on strength, get a fresh dose of joy. If you need a fresh dose of joy take a fresh dip in the word and take a good look at what Christ has done for you. And that will bring your joy back.

The devils full time job is to get you focused on your circumstances. But you know what? There’s coming unemployment for him. That was a lot more brilliant than your response. You want to make him unemployed in your life. Out of work. Doesn’t do him any good to try to discourage you, because you draw upon the joy of the Lord and you laugh at problems. I, like you, have got enough problems and things on my plate that I could easily be robbed of my job. But I am learning to say “No, that’s not right.” Jesus said, “My joy I give you.” So I’m saying “Lord, fill me with joy. Holy Spirit, the kingdom is joy in the Holy Spirit. So Holy Spirit give me joy. You want to be markedly different in the marketplace? Always be full of joy. Always be full of the peace of God. Say, “Well, I’m not there yet.” Well, I don’t doubt that. I doubt that any of us are consistently always there.

What I’m trying to put before you is a vision of what God wants for you. You see, what God wants for me. Whether I’m able yet to fully take hold of it is not the question. I may not be. But, I’m on a journey called growing up into him in all things. You’re on a journey growing up into him in all things, and your testimony ought to be “Well, God isn’t finished with me yet. There’s more for me. There’s more for you.” He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ. In other words, God is going to keep working in you till you go to be with the Lord or the Lord actually comes back, whichever comes first.

So, how’s your future look? Really good! Well, what about this and that? I don’t know, but really good. What’s ahead for us, glory. Yeah, we’re growing up into him in all things. The path of the righteous grows brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. “Well, what about world governments? What about plots and schemes?” Not my problem. My focus is on beholding him and being transformed into the same image. “Well, don’t you think we should be responsible?” By all means. “Don’t you think we should be informed?” Yes. With this caveat, yes, unless it gets you angry at men. Sometimes if you study the current situation from any perspective, it’ll just make you mad. And you’ll lose your peace. Should you really be responsible? Yes. Should you be obsessed? No. I can see that went over good. It’s true, though. I have to balance the amount of input I take from the news media, even from my favorite news sources, because inevitably, some of them are angry and they impart that to you as you listen to them. I just don’t have time for that. That’s a distraction for me. I want to be obsessed with growing up in him and helping others grow up in Him. Amen?

Threefold anointing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Every anointing you read about resting on him is for you. It’s for you. “Well, what if I don’t have the same kind of a calling? What if I’m not called to full time ministry?” You still need wisdom. You still need understanding. You still need knowledge assuming power, you still need the fear of the Lord. You need all those things to walk worthy of the Lord fully pleasing Him being fruitful and every good work and increasing in your knowledge of God.

All right. Don’t accuse me of being finished but I am going to stop. Here’s what we want to do tonight. I believe the Lord started something last week of a fresh flow of the miraculous. You know, wonderful testimony last week. I believe it’s the beginning of something we’re moving into. And I believe if you need the fullness of the Spirit, if you need healing in your body, if you need freedom from some kind of oppression that’s come upon you, Pam and I and healing room workers are going to be up front here, as we dismiss the service to pray with anybody who wants prayer. We’re working for a corporate faith that releases the working of miracles. Gifts of healing, yes, but we want to move past healing to miracles. Opening a deaf here is not just a healing. It isn’t just mending something. That was replacing something, but we want to see more of that. Right?