While tormenting of knives of innocent family members there's corruption in religion and politics along with prejudice pollution and unemployment and in this age of deception and suffering our only solution to life's problems and hope for the future is still Jesus Christ and His Word. Coming to you from the capital city of California. Lazing facts presents. The everlasting Gospel we are gathered with God's family of faith a Sacramento central church together we would explore the Bible with teacher author evangelist pastor Doug Batchelor in the atmosphere of heartfelt prayer to our Savior and Lord moved by songs of love and praise for God is Amazing Grace and inspired by the dedication and personal witness of our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ we will study the timeless everlasting truths of God's word from messages which inspire us with the hope and freedom we have in Christ to practical down to earth sermons which give us the tools to live godly lives in a secular society as well as messages that give Bible answers to our spiritual questions and look at what God says about the future there is sure to be something for everyone so we invite you to join our family and experience the transforming power of God's Spirit in your life. Isn't it 1000 years ago the Lord has shown me so much and drawn me much closer to him I solicit your prayerful support as I attempt by God's enabling power to walk in His will and His way and living up to all that to do I thank my father for this opportunity to experience a new. Well Rhonda hectically a re baptism in many respects this is her 1st that as she shared with me that she's experienced a real conversion recently. Has the board working in her heart she's become good friends with Karen and enjoyed listening as they visited on the phone together and . We just want to pray the lord of build her with his spirit to day and bless her in her ministry she has 3 children that she's adopted that she's raising when I ask the Lord to give her strength and wisdom in raising. And I wonder if any of Ron the special friends that may be here today or family would like to stand in support of this decision. Rhonda because you've made a decision to accept Jesus legally as your sig if you filled with the spirit part of Mr I baptize you in the name of the Father and Son The Holy Spirit. This is the most important decision I've ever made in the past several months I've come to know the Lord in a way I never thought was possible I've been able to overcome many obstacles and struggles and it's all been by the grace of God It's been the most wonderful thing I've ever experienced I have been blessed so much and I praise God for it all I'm especially thankful for making new friends in this church who have prayed for me and encouraged me in my spiritual walk with the Lord. And it's been a privilege for care and I to become special friends with Kalen we're so thankful for her decision today to commit her life to Jesus and to join this movement. She's come for several months to our churches had very perceptive questions and she has made a very careful decision to be a Christian and be a 7th Day Adventist Christian and I wonder if friends or special family of Kaylin that are here today would like to stand in support of this this is. A killing because you've made a decision to be filled with God's Spirit to have your sins washed away and be baptized. I now baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit in. It's a real joy for me to be able to participate in a Tory baptism today she came to some of our evangelist sick meetings some time ago I've been faithful in attending prayer meeting and coming to church been studying with Kevin and healing and others and just a soaking up the word of God I want you to pray in a special way for this young lady she's a working single mother with several children and now she's just delighted today to know that Jesus is going to give her a new beginning and give her strength she said there were things she might want to share but she was afraid she'd cry. And we just want to pray God will fill her with a spirit I wonder if some of Victoria friends and family that may be here today would like to stand in honor in support of this decision. I think Tori because you've made a decision to accept Jesus as your savior to have him wash away your sins to give you a new heart filled with His Holy Spirit I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son the Holy Ghost. After our evangelist a comedian's last November Allison approached me and said I'd like to be rebaptized not ready yet I want to pray about this and and know that it's the right time she was baptized the young girl and I felt at times that she's drifted away and wanted to make a complete surrender of the life of the Lord and we're so thankful she's prayed. Seriously about that she wanted to know that she was sincere about her complete conversion and commitment to the Lord and again a few weeks ago she came and said I'm ready now I want to be baptized I know she takes it very seriously and I would like to invite any of Allison's friends or family that are here special friends that like to stand I know to her family members are operating cameras today and so it may be difficult for them to respond but we want to support you in the sissies. Now isn't because you've made a decision to be baptized you have Jesus was where you stand with his spirit follow him I baptize you in the name of the Father in the Son and the Holy Spirit in me. Well good morning how are you guys today. Right well today I'm going to read you a story about a 100 years ago a poor old musician stood on its street corner in London scratching away on its cheap violin hoping that some withdraw coin or 2 minutes had Hour after hour he scraped at the string but if playing with show poor that people seem to hurry by so as not to hear it instead of beautiful music it was more like fingernails scratching across a chalkboard. By dinner time his calf was still empty and that meant an empty stomach for him and nothing to take home to his sick wife suddenly a stranger stopped by him a penny for an old musician said the poor player the stranger did not hear him instead he said Lend me your violin a moment the old man surprise passed over the instrument the stranger tighten the string into the grow the boat gracefully across them new life sure threw the old violin It spoke with new voice beautiful music flowed from it people stopped to listen they stood still and wonder they came closer they threw pennies in the Hat lots and lots of pennies in something or silver money 2 more people came and yet more they did not pass by as before they just could in the music tell of them soon a crowd gathered and policemen came hurrying up to see what was the matter but instead they stopped to listen to Meanwhile the hat was spilled money overflowed on the sidewalk while the world player looked on him back into his hand the wonderful music had ceased and the crowd was opening to let the mysterious stranger pass through who was playing that lovely music people cried but no one seemed to know some stared at the old musician wonder and wondering if at all it might have been he no it was not I he said but the maestro from the opera I may cry and so it was the master had passed by the master musician had taken the cheap violin from the feeble hand of the tired old player and made it sing like the harps of heaven this is what Jesus can do for each and one of you boys and girls without him we can't do anything at all. All our best can seem war and scratchy like that old violin in the hands of the street musician but in the hands of the Master how different everything is life becomes full of beauty and melody Cheers turn the smiling grumbling gives place to cheerfulness the greedy become unselfish and everywhere the blessing of the Lord is seen and felt mothers wonder what happened daddy to what has come over these boys and girls strangers come and say wow look at that by a young gentleman or look at that pretty little lady they must have had Jesus working in their hearts everybody even I and I know you boys and girls to love to hear that kind of music then people recognize that you were taught by the Master Jesus Christ now get your goat and go quietly back tears. The heart will call. Me. Of. The. I will. Of. The. Whole. Way My. Heart of. A scripture reading this morning efficiency the 3rd chapter verses 16 to 19 that he would grant you according to the riches of His glory to be strengthened with my true his spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith that you being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all of the saints What is the winds the link the depth the height and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge that you may be filled with all the limits of God Father in heaven surely these words of Paul pinned under inspiration by the Holy Spirit is what we need in our hearts be in feel Lord with that love that passes all understanding so Phyllis now and as our pastor opens the word of to us we just ask Lord for your spirit to be upon him this we ask in the name of Jesus Amen maybe she'd like to welcome everybody this morning so already been a wonderful Sabbath day I think we could probably go home right now and have all receive the blessing and then you know I think I'm going to dismiss are you you know me better than that like welcome those who are worshipping with us through the means of our television program alike especially welcome those who might be viewing on Channel 4 to one of our news stations and we're really excited that you can join us here for the everlasting Gospel at the 2nd official church you ever in the capital area would like to invite you to come and worship with us on Sabbath morning now this morning our message is really a continuation of our study on the Holy Spirit. We talked in our previous program about the need for the Holy Spirit and allow me to review that briefly because I think that would be helpful 1st of all we discovered we need the Holy Spirit to understand the word we need the Holy Spirit to be able to obey God We need the Holy Spirit I've got 10 items here and there's more I'm sure we need the Holy Spirit to be able to prayer right we need the Holy Spirit for comfort the comforter we need the Holy Spirit for power he empowers us to live the Christian life we need him for witnessing is I will give you my spirit that you may be witnesses we need him for guidance when he gives us direction we need him for cleansing and we need the Holy Spirit to see less Bible tells us in the last days that everyone will have even the mark of the beast which is the spirit of the devil with the seal of God which is 1st of all the Holy Spirit but there's also something . More visible than just the spirit but we know those saved have the Spirit of God in those laws of the spirit of the enemy so it's essential for us as Christians to have the Holy Spirit I think we discover that now we're going to talk obviously about what can I do to be filled with the Holy Spirit how many of you would like to know about that we want to be filled We know it's essential is there something I can do now I think we all realize that God has done his part he sent the Holy Spirit Jesus said it's expedient for you that I come Christ died his sacrifice was accepted he sent the Holy Spirit down on the day of Pentecost and he never took it back the promise of the Holy Spirit and Jesus right to send the Holy Spirit is just as real today as it was 2000 years ago even. How come we do not see more Pentecostal Manifestation of God Spirit in the world today is because God is waiting he's not ready or is it because maybe we're not ready is it something he says looking at a clock up in the sky somewhere and when this prosthetic clock reaches a certain point got this well I couldn't send it before but I guess I can send the Holy Spirit now or is it that God is waiting now for instruments that he can fill so keep in mind that the Pentecostal power of the Holy Spirit is available right now to each one of us now something that is difficult for some to comprehend is that God the spirit comes into lives in different degree I would venture to say that everybody here has the Holy Spirit in some degree in their lines right now a person can have a little bit of the Holy Spirit working to bring comfort or conviction that a person can be filled with the Holy Spirit of the place where the running over Bible tells us a parable about 10 virgins in a wedding remember that and they had all in their lamps remember that was the oil symbol oh that they all have the same amount of oil did it make a difference how much oil they had those who did not have enough oil didn't make it so even though everybody here has some of the Holy Spirit in their lives we need to be filled and baptized in the Holy Ghost they've been part of what Jesus' ministry was all about John's that I baptize you with water but the one who comes after me I'm not worthy to even bear his shoes he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and Fire now is that available today before we had our baptism a few minutes ago I gathered in the office with these ladies and we prayed for each one of them that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit because I think that's something that must be synonymous with the Christian you cannot live the Christian life without the Christian spirit that's why I'm talking about this. It's the most desperate need in our church is God enough the Holy Spirit and in Christ in each one of them so God's Spirit comes in degrees I want to read a scripture that deals with that a little bit John chapter 3 verse 34 for he whom God has sent speaks the words of God Speaking of Christ for God gives not the Spirit by measure under him now even though the Holy Spirit might be working in different degrees in our lives did Jesus have a limited supply of the Holy Spirit or was Christ. The Son of God who had the Holy Spirit without measure he was filled with a holy spirit you know the Bible says that John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb again we read in well we have already shared with you about the parable of the 10 virgins and they had it varying degrees when. The disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit on the Defend it costs did they have the Holy Spirit in their lives before that day now did they get more on the day of Pentecost you know the Bible compares the Holy Spirit with rain no rain is something where you might have a downpour but if you do not have a constant supply pretty soon it evaporates I believe the Holy Spirit comes in our lives in waves how many do you remember all the water we have this last week or how many of you had homes that were flooded or partially flooded or damaged from the rain with your hands you remember all that water we were filled to overflowing I think I've shared with you the care and I were watching them launch both in our front yard just last winter well to look at the area around the house now you never know that it was so wet back then we're almost at the point where we're praying for rain again aren't we. The Holy Spirit in your life needs to be a daily experience you need to have it constantly send in fresh supply now in the Bible they were a largely agricultural society their climate was similar to California in the latitude there in Palestine but it was a little different because of the configuration of the Mediterranean Sea when they farm their crops they would plant their seeds and it was all seasonal they could have here again everything after they planted the seeds then they would pray for what they called the former rain when the former rain came its purpose was to saturate the ground and to sprout the seed then it would grow from that initial saturation through the season but just before harvest they would pray for what they call the you know when those what will the latter rain the purpose of the Latter Rain was to ripen and plump the fruit the grain for the harvest Now when Jesus ascended to heaven he spent 3 and a half years sowing see right when Christ ascended to heaven he sent the Holy Spirit the former rain the sprout the crop Jesus is hotel this that in Revelation is coming to harvest before he comes the harvest he is going to pour out the Holy Spirit in the latter rain double Pentecostal power to ripen the fruit the plump the grain for the harvest Now how many of you believe that Jesus is coming soon then when are we going to get this outpouring of the Holy Spirit that we so desperately need for the harvest I think it has to come soon it's imminent how does it come that's what we're talking about I think the Lord is waiting for us to do something so we can send the latter rain so we can harvest the earth so one thing you can do to hasten Jesus' coming is the pray for the Holy Spirit to prepare the harvests Ok Not only does the Holy Spirit come into our lives. To convict this of sin and to comfort us he then fills us now when you've got a glass and it's dirty and you want to last of water you will 1st use the water maybe mingled with a little soap to clean the glass and prepare the glass and then use the water to rinse the glass and then use the water to fill the glass and drink it the water is being used not only for cleansing it's being used for satisfying the Holy Spirit is like that I think you all have the Holy Spirit working in your lives right now he comes in to convict you of sin in your life to cleanse you but he wants to do much more than that he wants to then fill you to satisfy others so that your life is this the a constant channel of refreshment to the Lord and to those around you God wants the Holy Spirit to be channeling through you not just constantly convicting him cleansing him and and so we need the feeling of the Holy Spirit not just so that we can feel comforted and cleansed but so God can operate through you was Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit Christ said as the Father has sent me so send I you as he wants us to be filled with the Holy Spirit as He sends us to the world we can't live the Christian life we cannot share the Christian message without God speed how do you know if you've got the Holy Spirit how do you know how much of the Holy Spirit you have What's 2 the evidence catch this friends don't miss this there's a lot of confusion in the world people think well I don't know whether or not I've got the Holy Spirit and some I tell you well do you speak in tongues that's the evidence of the spirit that's a lie. You do not tell of a person as the Holy Spirit by the gifts of the spirit the Bible says you will know them by their was the fruits of the Spirit Nowhere does it say you can tell by the gifts because the devil can fabricate certain gifts candy but the devil cannot fabricate the fruits of the Spirit what are the fruits of the Spirit elations chapter 5 I got a lot of scriptures you may want to join me and look them up or you may want to write them down and do a study later on today lation fibers 22 and 23 but the fruit of the Holy Spirit is love you have no jawing person who has no joy in their life does not have the Holy 'd Spirit I've met a lot of folks who are very religious and they know how to tell everyone else how they ought to live their lives but they constantly go around looking like they've been baptized in pickle juice and you wonder do they really have God in them was Jesus like that was he that pessimistic so join needs to be one of the characteristics Incidentally if we're going to make our religion attractive to the world around us do we do that by conveying misery or happiness our religion must be a joyful religion in order to attract others to it love joy peace to peace in your heart Holy Spirit comes in what form sometimes like in the long suffering Are you patient or yes snet easily gentleness he or you rough and crude or has the Holy Spirit mellowed you goodness they meet this temperance if you have these fruits in your life you have the Holy Spirit if some of these fruits are missing you may have the Spirit in one measure but not completely We want to have all the fruits of the Spirit amen because Jesus said You will know them by their fruits you know what else I believe I think when the Lord comes the ones that are marked for him are known by what they have my character reflected in them they have the fruits of the spirit in them. So we need to pray for the Holy Spirit in the fruits of the Spirit in our lives now all right how do we receive the Holy Spirit I've got 7 points here notice the hellebore fingers as if I had 7 points because I can't hold up 7 I've got 7 points here that I want you to catch on how we can cooperate with God to be filled with the Holy Spirit 1st of all ask him pray for you remember where it says in the Gospel of Luke if your child gives you or if your child asks for a loaf of bread will you give him the stone if you ask for fish will you give him a serpent if you asked for an egg will you give him a scorpion if you then being evil know how to give good gifts and your children now he's comparing this with good gifts how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to them that ask that's Luke Chapter 119 to 13 ask him Deuteronomy 11 member we're talking about the former rain in the latter rain if you want rain what do you do pray Deuteronomy 1114 that I will give you the rain in your land in its due season the 1st rain in the latter rain that you might gather in your corn your wine and your oil Zachariah 10 verse one asked me out of the Lord rain in the time of the Latter Rain you notice you not supposed to pray for the latter rain in the middle of the season what do you suppose to pray for the latter rain in the time of the Latter Rain is it harvest time now should we be praying for the Holy Spirit and now and Latter Rain power. Are we just the sight in this or is God commanding it he's asking as he though of the Lord rain in the time of Latter Rain so shall the Lord make bright clouds and give them showers of rain to everyone grass in the fields all right when God gave the former rain what did they do Bible says an acceptor one verse 14 these all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication they were fasting and rain and pleading with the Lord for the Holy Spirit Jesus said You go to Jerusalem I don't want you to go up preaching until you're filled with the Holy Spirit you've got sometimes you can do more harm than good doing the work of the Lord without the Lord said You go to Jerusalem and you pray for the Holy Spirit and they went and they spent 10 days fasting and praying and putting aside their differences and then God filled them with the Holy Spirit that was axed after one verse 14 now there's something to consider do you know what you're asking for when you ask the Holy Spirit if you are asking for rain what happened when it rained after 3 and a half years of famine in the days of Elijah the prophet did rain after he prayed 3 and a half years they humbled themselves they prayed the rain came what came with the rain a storm in the sometimes the most water is accompanied with high winds and lightning wind rain fire so when you're praying for the latter rain do you realize you mightn't bring for trouble follow me now the bible says all that live godly in Christ Jesus suffer persecution how many of you are being severely persecuted for your faith I know we might have family members or work employees that give us a hard time or rid us but we haven't seen persecution like some people I believe that there's a connection between godly living and suffering persecution Ok now I also believe there's a connection between being filled with the Holy Spirit and godly living right so when we're filled with the Holy Spirit what will the devil do. When you pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit you might be praying for a storm at the same time with the latter rain cloud let it come in if it means the only way we can be filled with God's Spirit is to brace ourselves for a storm and let it come because that's what going to have to happen before Jesus comes everything in the world is going to intensify when has the church grown the most when it was snoring or when God poured out the spirit and it was persecution was the persecution when he gave the former rain yes he poured out the Holy Spirit and thousands were baptized and then the devil got busy and he started persecuting and the church just exploded with growth in those 1st centuries Wouldn't you like this message to go all around the world now so when you pray for the rain you're also praying for a storm the rains really good very important farmers pray for rain you don't pray for it when you want to picnic do you and if you want your religious experience to be a picnic then don't pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit because it will bring a storm with it all right so we need to ask Number 2 how do we receive the Holy Spirit the need the a willingness to obey this God give the Holy Spirit to anybody or does it give it to those who are willing to listen to Him The Holy Spirit is God in you and if you're not willing to listen to God then why would he give you his power you're just a danger give you some scripture Acts Chapter 5 Verse 32 Write this down don't forget this act ever 5 or 32 Peter said we are His witnesses to these things and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those that obey Him I want to say that again but I don't want to say it alone with the Holy Spirit given to whom God has given it with whom God you doesn't it God has given it to whom the Holy Spirit whom God has given to them that will be. Are you willing to obey Now this might sound like a dichotomy because you've heard me say you can't obey without the Holy Spirit announcing the Holy Spirit given to those who obey Him You notice I said those who are willing to obey if you're not willing to obey Him He will not give you the Holy Spirit I thought it was so strange so many of these televangelists that got into trouble a few years ago said they had the Holy Spirit because they spoken out they made no connection with their having the Holy Spirit based upon a willingness to obey it became evident a lot of them had secret sin in their lives and well that's nothing the Holy Spirit in my life as I speak in tongues the Bible says God gives the Spirit to those that obey Him Oh remember this one John Chapter 14 rift if seen Jesus said If you love me keep my commandments and we always stop right there and say See that got to love God give us man it does not stop there listen to what Jesus said If you love me keep my commandments and its continuation of the thought amen if you love me keep my commandments and I will pray the Father and He will give you another Helper that he might abide with you forever even the Spirit of truth love me and obey me and I will send you the Holy Spirit for a lot of these people and they all praise the Lord I've got the Holy Spirit now living in sin Well they might have the Spirit convicting they were doing something in the light but they're not filled with the Holy Spirit of the liberally breaking God's Law in man because that would be God in them condoning their wickedness you willing to obey number 3 how do I receive the Holy Spirit see Cam in his word accept or Chandra's 44 and the while Peter was still speaking these words the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word Does that mean it could happen right here now if we're hearing God's Word the Holy Spirit can fall upon us there is power in the word nothing about this for a 2nd. What is the purpose of the Holy Spirit part of what he does is he brings to our remembrance the things of Jesus the Holy Spirit is Jesus in such what is another name for Jesus the Word was made flesh the Holy Spirit in you if Anonymous with the word in you and so through getting the word in us you think it might be that simple through getting the word in us your opening the way for Jesus to get enough by word I hid in my heart that I might not sin allow me to say that differently Christ is in my heart that I might not sin God's Spirit is in my heart that I might not sin we underestimate the privilege we have the answer we have right with in our hands in the Word of God through having God's word come into us through regular devotions in attending services noted in a just a church rare meeting we're having good bread meetings I hope you'll come and see through attending services through personal devotion through the home Bible study we get the word innocent Christ comes us and then the Holy Spirit begins the work enough John chapter 6 verse 6 the 3 Jesus said the words that I speak to you if they are spirit and they are life please allow me to rephrase the words that I speak to you they are carried by the Holy Spirit they are empowered by the Holy Spirit they are coupled with the Holy Spirit when you get the words of Jesus in you the Holy Spirit penetrates your life through the word Islam like normal black ink on white paper the this word of God is in their power to not only can you not understand the Bible without the Holy Spirit when you do understand the Bible through the Holy Spirit He just how can I receive the Holy Spirit number 4 be willing to humble yourself God deals comfortable in a humble Well God resists the proud God doesn't want to be in a proud how so. He wants the dwell he makes his abode with the humble in heart it's the meek will inherit the earth the Bible tells us that after that terrible famine for 3 and a half years in the days of the legend when did God send the rain after the people got down on their knees and they said the Lord He is God the Lord He is God they confess their wrong in serving pagan gods when they humble themselves Is it Ok now I can answer your prayer they didn't bring the rain but they wouldn't humble themselves you then sent the clouds when did God send the former rain on Pentecost hadn't the disciples been arguing among themselves which was the greatest Peter and John said I'm going to sit on his right hand I'm going to sit on his left in a Judas and I'm going to be the treasure everybody was fighting for position in the kingdom thinking about themselves but one of the reasons Jesus did not sin the Holy Spirit right away he made them wait 10 days they were not ready in their heart yet but after 10 days in that room together train for giving one another apologizing confessing their faults he could then fill them with the Holy Spirit the Bible says they are in Acts chapter 2 they were not only in one place they were of one accord what does that mean they put aside their differences and I'm getting on ahead of myself your but they to humble themselves and then God could fill them with the Holy Spirit you know you pray for me I know you must be praying for me because God humbled me by all Last Sunday I woke up on the 1st one up and went downstairs and our car door was open out on the street and it was still dark out the light on was in the car and I ran outside my shorts and and someone had broken into our car and they stole my racquetball reckon that really bothers No not the new car parents are still the racquetball racket. I've got this little tape player where I put all of the mad notes of the past you know I'm driving along and I'll say something weird in there some weird thought and I don't know what they thought when I got a hold of that plated back because I'm sure that was the biggest convoluted mess of messages they'd ever heard before I probably scared of the listen to that they they stole our cassette tapes and they're all Christian tapes I don't know why they did that and I don't they took they cleaned up the glove box they just basically cleaned up the car I was I was so mad because now this is the 4th time that's happened a few months ago someone went by and to stab the tires on like a struck stab buyers have a lot of spare change for new tires and. They broke into my truck and stole my radio then they broke into my construct this month and they still do the cd player and speakers and took everything out of it and it's happening on a regular basis and I'm getting madder in matter is I tell you I spent that hold a few me and I started thinking about ways the kids Nah don't want to be discriminatory it might have been a woman I don't know. And I had some ideas you know I thought what if I get a big rat trap and not a mouse trap the mouse trap like this a rat trap like that and they're powerful and run a little cable through it and I don't know anyone do this is and I'll be sued for telling you how your one little cable through it is I'd strap it on the seat under the seat there and then set the trap put a light scarf over it and then you put like a watch in the middle put in a few other things around it so it doesn't look too conspicuous You days leave it like that middle and I will here and now run out there and arrest them make a citizen's arrest I was thinking like this for 2 or 3 days I was so man one reason I was mad is it was taking away my peace the middle of the night I'd hear some I get up and I run downstairs and look and see if anyone is breaking into my car again. Every time I come downstairs instead of praising the Lord I look out the window to see if the car still there that's terrible and I kept thinking you know you have an imagination like me and I kept thinking What will I do if I catch that Bella what will I do and I don't tell you anything I thought but it wasn't good and the Holy Spirit started working on me and saying Doug Christiansen and think this way does Jesus would never do that to a person and I was thinking I was thinking by him and think I was mad I was mad that's racquetball racket so let me read something to you while I'm thinking all this I got a letter in the mail at the office when I came to work. Doug money Mellish Inc You asked me to give this to you money Mellish Inc of course is the speaker for the voice of prophecy radio program and I thought what this is a letter from someone in jail well one year ago today I was arrested for a car burglary I was stealing speakers out of a car the new 3 strike law was applied to me and I'm facing a sentence of 27 years to life on Monday July 31st 1905 while here in jail I wanted to better myself so I got into a 12 step drug and alcohol program everyone was talking about a higher power I believed in evolution but I went to the library was searching for God I found a book about a fellow named Doug bachelor who lived in a cave he talked about these books called the desire of ages Daniel the revelation the great controversy I won't read the whole letter he became a Christian the best thing that ever happened to me in my life I know now that if the judge sentences need to life in prison that I will have a ministry think God And I thought maybe I could cube this down and tell you was I ever humble your eyes think all these terrible things I forgot that God can save the otherwise he wouldn't see me I guess I'd forgotten that you are searching get forgotten that. And so I still look out the window when I go downstairs in the morning but you know got changed my attitude it was a humbling experience to get this letter good isn't it interesting how the Holy Spirit works with you here I'm thinking about ways to eliminate free the earth of all people who vandalized cars and then I get this in the mail so we need to be willing to humble ourselves assemble for worship Did you ever think how important being filled with the Holy Spirit is connected to us some blame for corporate worship the Bible says and accepted u. Verse one when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all of one accord not only that they were in one place most of the times when God poured out His Spirit and Pentecostal power people were collectively gathered worshiping him actually after 4 verse 31 and when they had prayed prayed the place where they were assembled together was shaken and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the word of God with boldness and why does God the less with the Spirit speak His word with bull semen you notice it says the place where they were assembled when it be a tragedy when God does G.'s the poor out the Latter Rain Pentecostal power spirit as the day that you decided to stay home George or to worship God by yourself out in nature I hear all kinds of really lame excuses to not come to church on the Sabbath day but if you're in the habit of coming in sporadically I can just about guarantee you that the day that God does choose to pour out His Spirit on a congregation you'll be somewhere else if you make your commitment to come to church every week and you're not going to miss it are you so it's important to assemble for worship if you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit number 6 Be willing to forgive Christ is all about forgiveness Saemon and I think one of the greatest obstacles to the Holy Spirit flowing freely through our lives is when we have Ngar and bitterness for others in our space and God Spirit is obstructed from flowing through a heart that will not forgive others. Now we need the Holy Spirit to forgive right . But once the Holy Spirit enables you to forgive others he can and fill you with himself so not only do you need the Holy Spirit to enable you to forgive others then when you cleanse yourself you know den people don't get angry do they when you humble yourself before the Lord and you die to self and say Lord on yours I have no rights to be mad anymore I'm going to forgive everybody when you die to self the Holy Spirit can resurrect you with a new life and Candy you willing to forgive others and the number 7 I told you had 7 ways to be filled with the Holy Spirit number 7 is probably one of the most important you gotta want him out of me just ask this fast and pray but you've got to won him more than anything now how many of you are grateful that you breathe Alright I want to some with you you know I can hold my breath for 4 minutes I don't care and held me under the Jacuzzi one time that's all I know now now really no no I can hold my breath for 4 minutes and 10 seconds now before I stop smoking I can hold my breath for 4 minutes he makes a big difference in the 10 seconds all right now if your doctor does not advise this do not participate with this experiment Ok No I'm not going to hold my breath for 4 minutes in front of everybody I don't know how long I'm going to do it but I'm going to ask you to do it too when I say I want everybody to take a breath and hold your breath Ok Ready 123 in the breeze until I tell you just like breathing How much do you appreciate air then I have you appreciate it more now than you did a minute ago. Nobody can for you know. I didn't tell you to breathe. How many of you appreciate reason a little bit more now than you did a few minutes ago. I heard of a young man who was in a monastery and he was asking his religious mentor he said I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit what do I need to do is that come with me let's look at the water so I took him down by the lake he said look at your reflection in the water the young man leaned over and he looked at his reflection he says I want you to look deeply Look closely and the teacher took his head and plunged under and the teacher was kind of a robust man he held him there and pretty the fella trust of the teachers there is heads in the water he's going what am I supposed to see down here anyway didn't he wait and pretty soon every cell in his body began to cry out for oxygen finally when he was flying around the teacher let him up and he came up gasping for air taking big gulps coughing and spluttering he just said when you want God that bad you'll have the Lord says in His word some 63 Verse one 0 god you are my god early will I seek you my soul thirsts for you my flesh longs for you in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water you've got to be like a sponge a dry sponge and God is like the oyster and you're just aching to soak it up Isaiah 44 Verse 3 for I will pour water on him who is thirsty Who is he going to give the water to are you hungry again and kerosene after God in righteousness if you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit you cannot have a casual interest he must be the most important thing to you I will pour water on him who is thirsty and floods on the dry ground you know that your dry ground I will pour my spirit on your descendants and my blessing on your offspring Luke chapter one verse 53 he has built the hungry with good things and the rich he is sent away empty you know one of the characteristics of God's people in the last days is we don't know our need we think we are rich and God sends us away and. But if we know that we are poor and wretched and miserable and blind and make it if we are hungering and thirsting after writers in this if we've had a glimpse of God a vision of His goodness and we want to aspire to reflect his image and that's the greatest longing in your heart if every part of your body every part of your soul cries out that I want God in me then he'll kill you and if you do not have that aspiration then you won't give God a really want God has manners he doesn't force himself on anybody else it's knock on the door but you've got to open the door and invite him in if you want God more than anything he can fill you with His Spirit being a Christian does not mean merely being baptized being a Christian does not mean merely understanding doctrine and those things are important more than anything else. Being a Christian means you've got God's Spirit in Christ is in us through the Holy Ghost he said I am with you always to the end of the world how through the Holy Spirit in us and if because of circumstances you could not be baptized and if perhaps you didn't understand some doctrine properly you might still be in the kingdom but if you do not have the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the spirit there will be nobody there who does not love him and there will be nobody there who does not have joy so if you want to be there then we must have God's Spirit you're now just want to share a thought with you sometimes we're frightened by complete commitment we know that giving all to God is going to just bring storms into our lives and we wonder how can I possibly ever be what I need to be Don't underestimate how were of the Holy Spirit within you you may not be able to see what's happening on the outside but there's a power on the inside that is united with the power of omnipotent he I heard not long ago about these ice birds in the North Sea It could be 10 stories tall. And even with all that surface area they move into the wind the reason being even though the wind is blowing them north the current that takes care of that 90 percent underwater it's moving south there's something that's not seen a power below that's moving and the other might be storms above but if you've got the Holy Spirit in your life you'll be carried by his current even into the face of severe opposition when you ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit you really giving him the problems you see in Lord I don't know how I can live the Christian life but I know that Christ did it and when he is in me through his power I can you know I had not planned to do this but I just feel impressed that perhaps there are some here today we've not made a decision to commit their life to Christ and I'm being more specific in my appeal right now but if God's Spirit and I believe he's here right now don't you friends if God's Spirit is warm in your heart and you're saying I want God I've not yet asked him to come into my life I'm not yet made a decision to accept him as my Savior from sin and to give me his direction for my life and you don't want to leave this place today 'd without making that decision I'd like to invite you to do something about that in God's calling you to come to him and you've not yet come to him Would you please come to the front and by so doing saying in the presence of God and His angels and disassembly I want to make a decision to ask God be my See you get to make the decision to say yes to the Lord and all you have to do is say Lord I'm coming we always invite people to come publicly because I sculled people publicly is a public decision you must not be ashamed of someone who died for you come let's come a little closer here and to how we maybe you could come over here we're going to kneel and pray and then after we pray together those who responded today if you wouldn't mind taking a moment and following the elder George and Jones into the pastor's study we want to just get your names and have special prayer with you for whatever your request might be. You know we talked about humility in the last verse of this song said we should kneel to him and humbly pray that he'd still Arca you want to do that with me right now let's kneel and ask God to fill us with His Spirit loving Lord 1st Lord we want to come and acknowledge that we are sinners we're proud I'm a stubborn sometimes we're bitter and unforgiving we have a lot of needs represented in our lives but Lord aside from everything we know the most desperate need we have is for you in our it's I pray that you'll create within each one of us a hunger and then there's the craving for the Holy Spirit to just completely take possession of us Lord we want to be spirit possessed with your spirit I pray Lord that right now through the Holy Ghost you will come to every person who's kneeling in your presence help us to hear your voice speaks truth to us and comfort I pray Lord that in the lives where there is a need for gentle conviction that you will convict this of the things that need changing and help us choose right now to give that to you knowing that you were able to help us overcome in the lives right now Lord where comfort is needed and I pray that you bring peace and bring a calm in the region storms Lord we know also the Holy Spirit can bring physical healing and I pray that where Elian is needed that you will strengthen and empower an inner Giants but whatever the needs Lord we know that we need you we need Jesus we need the Holy Spirit in our lives in our minds bless this church with the Latter Rain experience and I pray that we can be your witness Thank you Lord for hearing our prayer because we're asking in Jesus for you. Well friends I trust you receive the blessing from today's broadcast if you did we love to hear from you we really appreciate all of the cards and letters that come in don't forget to ask about our resources we have a number of books literature audio and videotapes to help you in your personal walk with Jesus and also better enable you to witness with your friends and your family you like write us our address is amazing fax he'll box 680 Frederick Maryland 217 o 5 No maybe you didn't have a pencil so I'll give that to you again it's amazing facts he'll box 680 Frederick Maryland 21705 if you want to call us during business hours the number is area code 301-694-6200 friends when you write please remember the only way our program can stay on this station is because people like you are moved by the Holy Spirit to remember us in their giving won't you send us a little something when you're right we appreciate that so much and remember us in your prayers as well and God bless you until we meet again and study God's work. Good morning my name is Ashley from the village of many on the island of Guam and you're listening to Joy f.m. . 91.9 f.m. I guess. And. Play nice hand right now at 5 o'clock looking for a school that provides quality Christian education at an affordable price a school where your child receives personal attention from caring and qualified teachers.