Who Is the Holy Spirit?

Well, I want to welcome you guys to Salt Church again, if you’re joining us online. I am Pastor Carl and we want to welcome you to Salt Church. We count it an absolute honor that you would join us today. A couple announcements, things that we want to go over. Tonight at 6 o’, clock, we are gathering for worship.

We do this about once a quarter or twice a year. And we really felt like that the middle of the summer that if you would come. My understanding is, is TJ’s telling me we have up to five churches that are going to represent and it’s all purely accidental. Basically what we do, if you understand this is something different, you’re going to find out if you’re new to Salt, this is something you’re going to find out. A little bit different with Salt, is that we are very, very kingdom minded.

Okay? I don’t care what house you come from. When we come together, it’s about worshiping the king. And when we come together, it’s not about the house that you worship in, it’s about the king that you worship. And our goal and what we do and what we want is that we want you to be able to take something from this house into your other house.

We have on Thursday nights at Thursday night at 7 o’, clock, we meet here and we do what are called encounter nights. Those encounter nights are just that, they’re encounter nights. We don’t want to experience God, we want to encounter God. And the way that we encounter God is by coming in with no agenda. We simply come in and present ourselves as humble servants and children of God that say, God, we’re here.

We, we want to meet with you. Come with us and we may play some worship or we may, but we sit and we pray. And we’ve actually seen, not to our surprise, because God, God’s not surprised. We’ve watched him heal cancer, we’ve watched him heal backs. We’ve watched and seen deliverance happen right here.

Why? Because we make ourselves available to him and to move. And even this past Thursday, we had up to three churches that were here on Thursday. And we just prayed. We just prayed and we blessed them and we love on them.

Because the idea behind it is, is that one day and possibly one day soon, we’re not going to be divided by denomination or church or house. We’re all going to sit under the glory of God and we’re going to worship together. We’re going to worship together. All right? So with that said, I want a couple announcements that we’re going to do.

Unfortunately, due to rain yesterday, we were not able to have our cookout. And right on time at 3:04, it literally downpoured. So that was a good call. However, not this Sunday coming up, but the following Sunday. We have decided that we’re kind of done with that because we want to get together with you guys.

We, we are going to have our cookout and our gathering right after church. The following will be the last Sunday of July. We’re just going to meet here, we’re going to do some burgers and dogs and we’re going to have fun and we’re going to be able to just talk and we can just hang out together and get to know each other and love on each other. So that is our plan. So plan for that.

Not next Sunday, but it’ll be the last Sunday in July. We’re just going to get together. Soul Hunters group is going to be kind of. They’re kind of putting that on. If you want to know what Soul Hunters is, then my encouragement to you would be to talk to Cody Porter and also talk to tj.

That is our outreach to sportsmen, to those that love the outdoors, whether you surf, fish, hunt, whatever, come meet with them, talk to them. I know they’ve got another outing planned here in another month or so and these guys just love the outdoors. We have Alex, who loves to. He’s our local and in house surfer. We’ve got a bunch of surfers that are in house and these guys are absolutely awesome in everything that they do.

Obviously the encounter night of prayer, we do this every Thursday from 7 to 8. Again, no agenda. Worship night is tonight. Also we have announcement we have put there for August 16th for child dedication. If we can do that, I would ask that you see Michaela, who is in the back with our children’s church, see her or see Tammy.

And they would love to get you signed up and so we know how many people are coming. Also, I’ve been told by Our wonderful Ms. Tammy, we have some merchandise and stuff that’s outside she would love. If you guys would like to pick up salt church merchandise, please see her. We do do this for a.

She’s got all the prices and everything on it, but we do it for a love offering or donation and we would love to bless you guys. So if you would like to see her, see her after that, if you are new with us, you will see on the seat beside you, you should see one of these cards. We would ask that you would fill it out, give it to us. Give it to Ms. Tammy.

She’s got a free gift for you and she would love to just love on you and, and just say hi. If I haven’t met you and you’re new, please see me after the service. I would love to just get to know you and say hi to you. So without further ado, let’s go ahead and we’re going to continue today. Next Sunday, we’re going to finish up our series, excuse me, on foundations.

Basically, if you’re new here. What we’ve been doing is our senior pastor in Elizabeth City. It’s an affiliate church that we are, we are under Pastor Hans Hess, wrote a book called First Passages. And basically what it discusses is it goes over the basic, just the basics of Christianity, why Christianity, why Jesus? And so we go over those certain things and it’s just very down to earth.

He’s a very, very good teacher, wrote a very good book, and I would encourage you guys to get it. Today, we’re going to discuss who, who is the Holy Spirit? Now, I know with a lot of different denominations and a lot of different people, we have all different, you know, I think the Holy Spirit is this, or I think the Holy Spirit is this. So what we’re going to do is we are going to discuss about who the Holy Spirit is, and we’re also going to discuss what does the Holy Spirit do. And then what we’re going to do towards the end of this sermon, the end of this sermon, we’re going to walk into a little bit of sanctification to what gets us there and allows the Holy Spirit to do so.

If you would follow along, if you have your Bibles, whether it be on your phone or whatnot. And we our text today, we’re going to draw our text today from. It’ll be John 16, 5 through 15. And this is coming from the new living translation. And we’re going to talk about the work of the Holy Spirit.

And it says, but now I am going away to one who sent me. And not one of you is asking where I’m going. Isn’t that amazing how John puts this into Scripture? And it’s here it is, it’s after the crucifixion, he’s risen from the grave and he’s getting ready to ascend into heaven. And, and all the disciples are sitting around him and they’re not even asking, well, where are you going?

It says, instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you, but in fact, it is best for you that I go away because if I don’t, the advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of sin and God’s righteousness and the coming judgment. The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Talking about Jesus.

Righteousness is available because I go to the Father and you will see me. No more judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged. The enemy has already been placed in custody. He just doesn’t know it yet. He’s done.

It says in verse 12, it says, There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it. Now when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own, but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future prophecy. He will bring glory to me by telling you whatever he receives from me, all that belongs to the Father is mine.

This is what I say. The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me. Holy Spirit. Right now, Father God, we welcome you into this place. And we ask, Father God that right now that not my words, but your words would be spoken.

We pray that every heart would be open. We pray that every mind would receive. We pray, Father God, that right now, Lord God, that you would be the great communicator and the great orator. Father, we thank you for what you’re going to do through this message in your name. Amen.

And Amen. Amen. So what we find out? The term Holy Spirit is actually mentioned multiple times within scripture. It’s mentioned 40 times in Acts, five times in Matthew, four times in Mark, 13 times in Luke, three times in John, 16 times in the Paul’s epistles, five in Hebrews and two in Peter.

But before we can understand what the Holy Spirit does, we must first understand who he is. See, far too many believers know about the Holy Spirit, but they never truly know them know Him. See, the Holy Spirit is not merely an experience to seek. See, growing up in the early charismatic movement, it was always. It was always an experience to go to church.

There didn’t seem to be any order or there. You know, there was a lot of, like, it would go here, it would go there, and everybody would like, oh, I’m going to go to church, because I experienced something. Sometimes the Holy Spirit is treated as an it or a force or an influence, but nor is he simply a doctrine that can be studied. See, as mentioned in Matthew 28:19, it says, Therefore, go and make Disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy spirit. See Matthew 3, 16, 17.

It says, after the baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the the heavens were opened up and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice came from heaven and said, this is my dearly beloved Son, who brings me great joy in this Scripture. It manifests the three distinct personalities of God the Father simultaneously through time and space. See, the Son has now become baptized in water. The Spirit descends like a dove, and the Father speaks of his approval.

So who exactly is the Holy Spirit? Well, one, the Holy Spirit is a person, as we said before. It’s not an it, it’s not a force, and it’s not simply, well, this is just a doctrine or theology. It’s a person. In John 16:12 and 15, coming from the new King James Version we understand, and it says this.

For he will not speak in his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak, and he will tell you things to come. See, we read this scripture, we read it through the new living translation coming in through, coming at it from a different translation, it says, he will glorify me, for he will take of what is mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are mine. Therefore I say, he will take of mine and declare it to you. Notice how many times Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as He.

He never refers to the Spirit as an it. Why? Because the Holy Spirit thinks the Holy Spirit speaks, the Holy Spirit guides, the Holy Spirit reveals, and ultimately the Holy Spirit glorifies Christ. You cannot have a relationship with a force or an entity. You can only have a relationship with a person.

As a person, he has intelligence as we deceive, as we understand in Acts 15, 15 and 28, it seemed good to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has a mind, therefore, and it says in scripture, he knows the Father’s will, because him and the Father are communicating together. They’re communicating on our behalf. He has a will. Acts 16, 6 and 7, it says, and now they had talking about Paul, who was getting ready to go somewhere else.

He says now they had gone through and I’m going to butcher this, so forgive me. Through Figuria in the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to my Asia, they tried to go to Bithynia, and the Spirit did not permit them. See, Paul wanted to go in a direction, but the Holy Spirit said no. One of the greatest lessons that we can learn as believers is that not every closed door is because the devil closes the door.

Sometimes what’s happening is that the Holy Spirit is already gone before you. You are the apple of God’s eye. He loves you. So what he’s going to do is the Holy Spirit will go before you and the Holy Spirit will give you that unction and go, no. But too many times, believers go, well, I’m under attack by the enemy.

Or the enemy’s doing this or the enemy’s doing that. No, stop giving the enemy that much credit. Because as we said in other messages, understand this. We sometimes we play the victim instead of the victor. The enemy is under our feet.

That was covered by the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross over 2,000 years ago. The enemy has no power. So understand this. Sometimes every door, every opportunity is not a door. Maybe it’s just a window that you’re supposed to peer out of.

Because sometimes if you wind up crawling out that window, you don’t see what may befall you. So stop trying to create an opening. When the Holy Spirit says there is none, he has feelings. In Ephesians 4:30, it says, do not grieve the Holy Spirit. See, you can’t grieve electricity.

You can’t grieve emotion. You grieve a person. If I say something to my wife that is. That is offensive to her, may not. May take it.

I grieve her. Every act of disobedience, every act of obedience brings to light. But when you counter that with every act of rebellion brings grace, grief. There are moments when God allows us to become deeply aware that he’s not merely just around us. He’s in us.

Christianity is not simply about following principles. It’s not about, I talk to some people and they go, well, I don’t want to become a Christian because it’s all about rules and regulations. No, it’s less about rules and regulations and more about a relationship. It’s walking daily with somebody. It’s walking daily with the power, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Number two, the Holy Spirit is God. If the Holy Spirit were merely an angel or a heavenly messenger, he could never do what Scripture says he does. Peter, in dealing with Ananias, who kept back what he had promised to give. In Acts 5 and 3 and 4, he said, basically in a gist, he said, you were lying to the Holy Spirit. You have not lied to mere men, but you’ve lied to God.

The Holy Spirit is not less than the Father he’s not less than the Son. He is but fully God. He is all knowing. We call that omnipotent He God, who possesses absolute and infinite knowledge. The Holy Spirit knows the heart of God because.

Because he is God. Nothing surprises him, nothing confuses him, and nothing catches him off guard. God is not surprised by what’s going on in your life. He’s not. He watches over you daily.

When he leads you. He already knows tomorrow. He is everywhere. In other words, he’s omnipresent. He is across all time and space.

I love this. And the scripture, in Psalm 139, 7 and 12, David says this. I can never escape from your spirit. I can never get away from your presence. If I go up to heaven, you are there.

If I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride on the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest ocean, even there, your hands will guide me, your strength will support me. I could not ask the darkness to hide me, the light around me to become night. But even in darkness, I cannot hide from you. To you, the night shines as bright as the day.

Darkness and light are the same to you. You can’t escape from God. You can’t escape from the Holy Spirit. He loves you and cares for you that much. Where can I flee from your spirit?

The answer, nowhere. There’s nowhere that he’s not watching you. In your deepest, darkest moments in your life, when the walls are closing in and there is no answer, and you have. You think there’s no way out. He’s there with you.

He sees you. Whether on the highest mountain or in the darkest valley, God’s spirit has already been there. And he is there continually. One of the greatest comforts for a believer is this. You may feel alone, but you are never abandoned.

He is all powerful. He’s omnipotent. He has unlimited power and supreme control over creation. In Job 33:4, Eliyahu was presenting his case to Job, and he said this. The Spirit of God has made me.

The same spirit that was hovering over creation raised Jesus from the dead, and it lives inside of every believer. Understand this. The same spirit that raised him from the dead, the same spirit that operated then, is the same spirit that operates now. He is the same yesterday, today and forevermore. He healed cancer and sickness and disease then.

He can heal cancer and sickness and disease now. The holdback is never him. It’s us. It’s us. There is no situation too broken.

There is no heart too hard. There is no addiction too strong and there’s no marriage. Too far gone. The Holy Spirit specializes in bringing life where death has only presented itself. Number three.

The Holy Spirit is God’s promise. In John 14:8, Jesus tells His disciples, no, I will not abandon you as orphans. I will come to you. The statement changes everything. God has never intended his people to live out our Christian life alone.

The Holy Spirit is not God’s backup plan. He is the promise. He is our helper. He is the comforter. He is the teacher.

He is the guide. He’s the counselor, and he abides forever. In simple terms, the Holy Spirit is God Himself, dwelling not only with his people, but within his people. See, Jesus told his disciples, it is to your advantage that I go away. So you got to imagine being a disciple at that time and hearing that and saying, I’m going to go away because they spent three years with him.

They loved him. But when we understand, why would it be better for Jesus to go away? Because Jesus beside them would become the Holy Spirit within them. In John 16:8, it says, and when he comes, he will convict the world of sin and God’s righteousness and the judgment and coming judgment. He will guide you into all truth.

He will not speak on his own, but will tell you of what he has heard. He will tell you of the future. He will bring glory to me by telling you whatever he receives from me. The Holy Spirit and God, they’re communicating because they’re one in the same. And all of it is done because of us, his children.

So what happens if we as believers truly submit and surrender ourselves to the Holy Spirit? Well, and I will tell you this, a lot of this, and what I’m going to go through is a lot of it has happened because I’ve experienced myself. And I know a lot of mature believers believe it themselves because it’s happened to them. Number one, we become more aware of the presence of God. One of the very first things a lot of believers consist.

They consistently testify to this. Jesus becomes more real. We understand as we submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit. Prayer changes things. Worship changes.

The Bible comes alive. I read it, and it becomes more real to me. Church becomes more than just an experience. It becomes an encounter. See, one of the things that I’ve understood, like a lot about.

Excuse me, about concert goers years ago, I think one of the last concerts I went to was Garth Brooks, confident, tells you how old I am. The thing about that, it wasn’t just. It wasn’t just an experience. It was almost. It was an experience.

It was just. It was more than just a show. We can have experiences, but experiences are temporal. When you have an encounter with the true living God and you understand what he’s doing in your life, it changes your whole way of thinking. You get up in the morning and you think differently.

You go to work and you think differently. You act differently. When challenges come your way, you approach them differently because you have this innate power in you. In Romans 8, 9, it says, but you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit.

If you have the Spirit of God living in you. And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all. In Galatians 4, 6, 7, it says, and because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, abba. Father. Daddy.

Daddy. Now you are no longer a slave, but God’s own child. And since you are his child, you are made an heir. The Spirit continually reminds us that we are sons and daughters. We have been grafted in to the family of God.

You’re not merely adopted. Adoption is a legal term. It’s a piece of paper. But when you become grafted in to the branch to the tree of God, the same blood that flows through him flows through you. The same power that flows through from him flows through you.

You become an heir. We receive power to be witnesses. In Acts 1:8, it says, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. You will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and in Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Jesus didn’t say that.

When the Holy Spirit comes. Oh, you’re going to read, Remi. You’re going to receive some information. You’re going to get a download. You’re going to get some information.

You’re going to read the Word. You’re going to do this. He said no. What did he say? You will receive power.

Power. Because with the blood of the cross and the shedding of the blood on the cross, you’re not just getting information. You walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit was never intended to make us impressive. It was intended to make us effective.

The greatest evidence of the Spirit is not how loud we worship, it’s how bold we live. See, in reading a book through Perry Stone, in his book called the Code of the Holy Spirit, he says, the Holy Spirit has been the power source of enabling the Church to fulfill the Great Commission and the spread of the gospel. Of Christ to the world. You can’t share the Gospel of Jesus Christ without the Holy Spirit because you can’t do it on your own. You can’t.

The Holy Spirit enables you to do that. It gives you the power and the authority to do that. Number three, spiritual gifts are released. Now, this could be a whole series in and of itself. And I am not going to take that time right now to go through that with you.

However, I thought it to be important. Let’s just read a little bit on First Corinthians 12. And I’m going to start at chapter, chapter 12, verse 7. And it says, and if you notice, I broke out my old one, the old Faithful. She’s a little torn, she’s a little ripped.

But you know what? That’s good. We’ll take it. A spiritual gift. As it says in verse seven, a spiritual gift is given to each of us so that we can help each other.

To one person, the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice. To another, the same spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same spirit gives great faith to another and to someone else, the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives the one person the power to perform miracles. Yes, that’s right.

By the power of Jesus Christ, we have the power to perform miracles. Okay, I know there are some within the Calvinistic authority and whatnot and say, well, that. That was then. That’s not now. No, that’s now.

That’s now. Jesus even said greater things you will do. I digress. And another, the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another Spirit.

Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. What do we understand about this? He gives us gifts so we could serve one another. Every believer has a place. Every believer has a purpose.

Every believer has something heaven wants to release in you. I don’t have the ability to do everything. That’s why we are of one body. You can do things that I may not be able to. That doesn’t make me greater or lesser than you.

What it does is it makes us powerful. It makes us a team. Number four, it says, Our love for Jesus deepens. In John 16, 14, 15, it says, he will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me, all that belongs to the Father is mine. This is why I said, the Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.

The Holy Spirit never draws attention to himself. He Always points to Jesus. Whenever the Holy Spirit is moving, Jesus is being exalted. Holiness increases, worship deepens, love grows. If an experience magnifies man more than Christ, it’s not the work of the Holy Spirit.

Now, I’m probably going to step on a lot of toes and there’s a lot of good churches out there, but there’s churches out there that they value the experience more than the encounter. They have the process right, They’ve got the procedures right, they play the right music, they’ve got the performance right. But there’s no atmosphere for the Holy Spirit to do what the Holy Spirit wants to do. We’ve got multi million dollar pastors which first of all, if you know me, I’m not against prosperity. I want millionaires all in this church.

Because I serve the King, the most high. That’s a sermon for a different day. What I don’t like is when you take when I, even I, in the realm that I am as a pastor, I don’t want to ever be lifted up. I want to lift him up because when he’s lifted up, he draws all men unto him. It’s not about me.

See number five. Joy becomes our strength. I’m not talking about happiness. Happiness is temporal. I can be happy.

Yay. But what we want is joy, Joy, joy, joy. Amen. Where’s the little ones at? See, in Acts 13:52 it says, and the believers were all filled with joy in the Holy spirit.

In Romans 14:17 it says, for the kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. A Spirit filled life is not a life for from problems. If you’re looking for an answer to say, God’s going to take all my problems wrong, I will tell you this from personal experience. My wife will stand here with you. Before I took this position, our lives were good.

We had money, we had everything we needed. There was no problems. I didn’t get calls from the bank, I didn’t get calls from collection agencies. I didn’t get anything. And trust me, I put it off.

I asked my brother Alex how many times I would go to him and go, no, I’m just second chair. I’m just second chair. I’m good, I’m good. And he’d look at me and he’d laugh and I go, what are you laughing for? This isn’t funny.

I’m second chair. And he’d look at me and he’d go, yeah, yeah, yeah, you keep Thinking that. And finally God got to the point where he. He sat me down and he goes, really? Really?

That’s not what I called you for. And I remember the day, the time and the hour, and I stood in front of my bishop and I said, I’m probably going to regret this, but you know what? I love God way too much, and I’m willing to step into this. And he looks at me and he goes, it’s about time. And he said, are you serious?

I said, yeah. And he goes, okay, great. He goes, here’s what I want you to do. I don’t want to hear another word come out of your mouth about how you’re second chair. He said, you walk in the authority that God’s given you.

And I said, absolutely. And the day that he blessed me to take this church, I’m just going to be honest with you. Am I lying, hon? It’s when all hell broke loose. The bottom fell out.

Work dried up, started getting the phone calls, couldn’t pay our bills. And let me explain something to you. It hasn’t gotten any better. But I know this. I’m a child of the most high God, and I refuse to allow the enemy to get the glory on this.

Because you know what? The harder he pushes back on the headwinds, I know something that he doesn’t. I’m over the target and I’m gonna be his biggest irritant. And that’s what you need to do. That’s what.

That’s what happens when you submit yourself to the Holy Spirit. What happens is the Holy Spirit no longer could sit here and go, well, they’re just kind of in the closet. They’re not really. They’re Christians, but they’re just okay. No, what it is, is his demons start coming to him and going, you’re not going to believe this.

And go, what? These people from Salt man, they’re kicking our tails. Yup. Batter up. Let the next one swing.

Because I’m tired of being a footstool. I’m tired of being a welcome mat. I’m tired of settling for not enough. I live in more than enough because he promises it. See, I want a life that is filled with supernatural joy.

I want my joy to become my strength. I want peace to replace fear. I want hope to overcome the desperation. I want to live in expectancy that replaces doubt. When the Holy Spirit is welcomed into your life, healings become possible.

Prayers become confident. Guidance becomes clear. Faith becomes stronger. Miracles become expected. Because we serve a miracle working God.

I don’t care what the doctor told you. I don’t care what diagnosis you have. I don’t care if the bank is knocking on your door. I don’t care if you are a child of God and you are abiding in the Word and you’re standing on his promises. God says, I got this.

Watch me. God says, watch me, because I’m gonna blow your mind. The question isn’t whether the Holy Spirit is present. The question is whether are we surrendered? He’s not looking for perfect people.

He’s looking for yielded people. The Christian life was never meant to be lived by human effort. It was designed to be lived through the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit. The greatest need of the church today is not more processes, not more programs, not more personalities, not a more polished presentation. It’s surrender to the Holy Spirit.

And if you say, well, you know, that’s. You know, every church has this way. Let me drop something on you. About 10 years ago when I was serving as an assistant pastor, and some of you, I’ve told this story before, and I’ll make it quick. As I sat before the Lord one night and I said, God, I’m not leaving this floor until I hear from you and you tell me what you want me to do.

And within a matter of minutes, it was like I was transformed. And God began to speak to me. And he said, number one, I’m calling you out. You’re done here. You’re done.

Because my spirit is no longer welcomed here. You’re done. And he said secondly to me, he said, I’m looking for a church that will give me room to move, that will give me the opportunity for signs, miracles, and wonders. It’s not about comfort. It’s about conviction.

It’s about allowing the Holy Spirit to do everything that. That this word says. He says, I’m looking for an axe church. See, when the Holy Spirit fills his people, Christ is exalted, lives are transformed, and the world cannot stay the same. You can’t.

It’s impossible. Surrendering to the Holy Spirit is only one way that we begin the walk. But we must walk in sanctification. For it is only by the Holy Spirit that we can truly live a sanctified life. And I know that this is a whole sermon in and of itself, but we’re going to touch on it just a little bit.

See, in many Bible believing churches, salvation is the name of the game. They want souls, they want butts in seats. Trust me, I was part of a church like that. They could get you to the Altar, they could get you saved, but your walk was on your own. Oh, get into a life group.

I’m not against life groups. Trust me. My children’s pastor looks at me and looks at me and tells me, you better like life groups. Yes, ma’, am. Not a problem.

But what it is, it’s. But we forget about the second work of grace, which is sanctification, and the third, which is baptism by the infilling of the Holy Spirit. You must live a sanctified life in order. I can’t take. I can’t hand somebody here’s a glass of water.

Oh, by the way, and dirty it up a little bit and expect them to drink. Doesn’t work that way. Many of these churches, the manifestations of the Holy Spirit, they’re not witnessed due to the fact that many of these believers know nothing about sanctification. It’s more about comfort. It’s more about comfort.

Let me preach you a good, squishy, comfortable message. Let me preach you something that maybe just tickles the ear a little bit. But there’s nothing that challenges you. There’s nothing that says, why are you a Christian? Because if you can understand in yourself why you’re a Christian, why, when somebody stops you on Atlantic Avenue and go, why do you believe what you believe?

The scripture says you need to be ready in season and out of season. I could tell you just about everything there is about my job or construction and how a house goes together. I got that. But we live in a day and age that people don’t care. It’s not about the material things, because if they’re going to hell, they don’t care about what house they live in.

There’s a lot of rich people in Croatan that have a lot of money, but that money isn’t going to get them into heaven. I’ve seen some very, very miserable rich people, and I’ve been in the backwoods of North Carolina in a trailer park and walked in and felt the glory of God. It doesn’t matter. See, Perry Stone said this, and I’m going to quote him another quote from his book. He said one of the reasons is that for years the holiness churches were often viewed by the younger generation as being too legalistic and opinionated.

What he’s talking about is that they were more concerned about the outward adornment of women. The outward appearance often equated to that of a person’s level of sanctification. In other words, in the simplified version of it, in the Carl terms, it’s. They look the look. They talk the talk, they walk the walk.

It was an attempt to look pure on the exterior while living impure on the interior. See, in 1st Samuel 16, it says 7. It says, For a man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. There’s a lot of us in the church today and I’m part of being part of the church. They look at some of these pastors, they look at believers and they go, well, man, they got it together.

They’re wearing a $5,000 three piece suit, they drive a Cadillac Escalade. Man, their offerings are big and they do real good. And man, they must be really spiritual. But yet that’s on Sunday, because on Monday, yeah, they’re a totally different person. I’ve walked in houses before.

I’ve walked in houses. I’m just going to be honest my business. I’ve walked in houses, in people before in the city of Norfolk, Portholes, every city in this area. And I see pictures, I see Bibles on the countertop. I see pictures of Jesus.

And they talk the talk. But I’ll tell you what, when they’re dealing with somebody, when it comes to insurance or whatever, forget about it, all bets are off. All bets are off. See, sanctification is what separates the profane and the unclean from the things of God. What is unclean, that is in.

You cannot exist in the presence of the Lord. You can’t happen. You can’t happen. See, when we look, there’s basically, there’s a few ways that God sanctifies the believer. And sanctification simply means to be set apart.

It is both an event as well as a lifelong journey. God not only saves us from sin, he continually transforms us into the image of His Son. Notice this, that sanctification is always God’s work first and our response is second. See number one, sanctification. And we’re going to kind of bring this in, so I want your attention and I apologize if it seems like I’ve gone long, but I want you to understand this.

Number one is sanctified. We are sanctified by the blood of Christ as it states in Hebrews 13:12. Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered outside the gate. Everything begins at the cross. The moment we place our faith in Jesus Christ.

His blood cleanses us, forgives us, and sets us apart for his purpose. God has a purpose for you. I don’t care what your family says. I don’t care what your boss says. I don’t care what anybody else says, you have a purpose.

We are no longer enemies. We are sons and daughters of the Most High God. This work is instantaneous. You don’t gradually become forgiveness. You don’t have to work for your forgiveness.

It’s done. You don’t slowly become God’s child. The blood of Jesus makes you new, right? Then done. It’s not a hey, this is going to take, it’s a done kind of belief.

He said at the cross, it is finished. It’s done. Number two is sanctified by the word of God. In Ephesians 5:26, he said that he may sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of the water by the Word. If the blood gives us a new position, then the Word renews our mind.

You cannot have another a new position. In a lot of the jobs and careers we have, even though you get a bump in promotion, you still have to do. We call them CE classes. You still have to garner that experience. You still have to create the knowledge.

That’s no different than being a Christian. The blood’s already done it. It’s done. It’s finished. Don’t let the enemy lie to you.

It’s done. But we need to stay constant renewal in the Word. And you do that every day. You get into the Word Now I hear some people, they’ll say, well, you know, I can’t really read the Word. Find a translation that works for you.

Find one. I’ve got a couple train. I like the new living translation. I started reading out of the new King James. My next, I think, is.

What’s it called? The E. EVASB Whatever. That’s the real version. That’s what my brother tells me.

See, as we continually expose ourselves to the Scripture, the Holy Spirit shines his light into areas that our lives need to change. This is what’s called a progressive sanctification. The Word reveals hidden attitudes, correct wrong thinking, exposes the works of the flesh, and it shapes us into the likeness of Christ. We cannot become what we refuse to behold. The more we live in the Word, the more the Word becomes lives in us.

You don’t need. Let’s just be honest, okay? Let’s get serious. You don’t need the drugs, you don’t need the alcohol, you don’t need the pornography. You don’t need anything else.

Because the more time you spend in the Word, what it does is that stuff acts like a filter and it gets that garbage out of you. But here’s the problem. The problem is you. It’s me. Because what happens is we have to be continually moving forward.

We have to do it. Nobody’s going to do it for you. At some point in time, my kids, I got done changing their diaper or feeding them. It’s. They’re on their own.

We have to do it. Stop playing the victim. I grew up in a single family household. I grew up in a household where it was rough. I watched my mother go through the beatings.

I watched this. But you know what? I’ve counseled a lot of kids. You know what? Here’s what I could tell you.

I can’t answer for everybody else. I could just answer for me. At some point in time in my life, I said, you know what? I refuse to play the victim because I am blood bought, blood born forgiven by the grace of God. And I’m not gonna.

That my past is not gonna dictate who I am right now. He already did that. He settled that on the cross. It’s done. I’m not gonna live in my father’s footsteps.

I’m not. I’m gonna live in my heavenly Father’s footsteps. Number three, sanctified by the power of the Holy spirit. In Hebrews 10:10, it says, For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the blood of Jesus Christ once for all times. In 1029, it says, just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us.

So you don’t worry about what somebody says to you. Let them say, Harris and I were just talking about this today. I saw two comments come across. And, you know, normally my old man would be like, yeah, I’m gonna rip him a new one. And I was like, nah, I’ll let it go.

I laughed. I really did. I laughed. I was like, yeah, God, bring it on. You know, make all the comments you want.

I know the God I serve. I know the people that I serve. See, in this, the Holy Spirit takes what Christ accomplished on the cross and makes it all a living reality. In our daily lives, there’s an instantaneous work as he transforms us from death to life and gives us a new nature. But there’s also a progressive work as he empowers us to walk.

We walk in the freedom that Christ has already provided. The Christian life is not meant. Is not lived by human determination. It is lived through divine enablement. We are not overcome by.

But we don’t overcome sin by trying harder. We overcome by yielding more to the Holy Spirit. The enemy’s gonna squeeze you. My wife always taught our kids used to tell them this. The more you’re squeezed, we’re gonna see what comes out.

The more you’re squeezed, we’re gonna see what comes out. Number four. It’s sanctified through a life of separation. And, and just basically it’s 2nd Corinthians 6:17 and Hebrews 12:1. And basically, in a sense it says, come out from among them and be ye separate.

Biblical separation is not isolation from people. It’s not like you got to walk around and go, oh, I’m holier than thou. I’m not going to. How do you think they’re going to see God? How do you think they’re going to see God?

Because what’s going to happen is as you live that sanctified life and you go, you realize, you go, God, there are people in your life. I’m just going to tell you this right now, in case somebody hasn’t already said it, There are some people in your life, you need to cut them loose. You need to get them out, Gone. Because we used to call, my wife and I, they’re called life suckers. You get around them and immediately you can hear this swishing sound.

Joy goes, happiness goes. The bank account goes. Everything goes. It’s like if they don’t, if they’re not there to encourage you. How many friends.

I’ve had friends, and all they do, every time I get around them, it’s like they play the victim. Oh, woe is me. And I go through an hour long counseling session with them. And after a while I’m like, look, I’m done moving on, okay? Love you, love your brother, but I’m moving on, okay?

Because I’m not gonna hold, I’m not gonna hold your hand. You make the choice. It’s separation from anything that pulls us away from Christ. If there is somebody in your life or something that you’re doing that pulls you away from Christ, cut it loose. You don’t sit there and the doctor goes, hey, by the way, you got a cancerous tumor and we can really, you know, we can get rid of it.

It’s just going to take a little thing and you go, you don’t sit here and go, no, I like it. I think I’ll just, I’ll go ahead and I’m just going to live with it. I’ll be good. I’m just going to treat it, really cut it loose. Because the longer you’re tied to dead things, I hate to tell you this.

The longer you’re tied to dead things, you. You become like that which you are tied to. As we walk with the Holy Spirit and obey the Word, we intentionally lay aside every weight and sin that hinders our walk with God. We establish spiritual guardrails and healthy boundaries, not because we fear the world, but because we treasure the presence of God. You’ve got to want the presence of God more than you want to be around that.

That addiction or that person. We. You know, guardrails are not a sign of weakness. They’re a mark of wisdom. We don’t build boundaries to earn God’s favor.

We build them because we already have it. So notice this progression. The blood saves us, the Word renews us, and the Holy Spirit empowers us. Maybe that needs repeating. The blood already bought you.

Now the Word is going to renew you, and the Holy Spirit is going to make you more powerful than you’ve ever been. Our obedience protects what God is producing within us. Sanctification. Pay attention to this. Sanctification is not God asking us to become someone we are not.

It is God transforming us into who he has already declared us to be. God already sees you as a son and daughter. He already sees you as an heir. He already sees you as a victor. It’s our job to walk in it.

The Christian life was never meant to be lived by striving. It was meant to be lived by surrender. Every day we choose to yield to the Holy Spirit, we become a little more like Jesus every day. The goal of sanctification is not merely better behavior. The goal is a greater resemblance of Christ.

So stand with me. Stand with me. And here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to challenge you. And I want you to repeat this after me, okay?

So say this. Holy Spirit, continue the work you began in me. Wash me through your word. Empower me by your presence and shape my life until the world sees Jesus in me. Heavenly Father, I praise you right now.

Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Amen. Amen. Understand this, children. God is not done. God’s not done in you.

His work is continual, but it is up to you. You have to walk in his word. You’re already bought. It’s been paid for. It’s done.

If you’re not a believer today, then I pray that God will touch you. I, myself, my wife, Colleen, Alex, T.J. we would love to pray for you and welcome you into the kingdom of God. If you’re a believer today and you feel like, well, I’ve only been walking halfway.

I don’t feel like I’m receiving everything that God has for me. You’ve already been bought. The work’s been done. Get into his word every single day. Devour it.

Devour the word. Get into it. Get on your knees. And then ask for a fresh anointing of His Holy Spirit. Because I could tell you what I know.

We could talk about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We could talk about speaking in tongues. We could talk about prophecy. We could talk about all that. That’s for a later date.

I want you to see where God sees you. Right here, right now. You are loved. You are cared for. You’re not alone.

He watches you so with every head bowed and every eye closed. Heavenly Father, right now, I just pray. Right now. I pray, Father, that you would bless these people. I pray that you would walk before them.

I pray that you would touch them. I pray that you would minister to them. I pray, Holy Spirit, that they would have a fresh outpouring in their life. Father, I pray that. That you would do something in their lives, Lord God, that’s never been done before.

I pray, Father, you would open their eyes, their minds, their hearts, Lord God, to show them the things in their life that they need to get rid of in order to walk closer with you. I pray power on them. I pray fire on them. In the name of Jesus. I thank you for them.

I pray that today they would go and walk out. Wherever their hand, their hands touch would be blessed. Wherever their feet possess, they would be blessed. Bring people into their lives, Lord God, right now that will simply look at them and go. I want what’s inside of you.

I want what’s inside of you. Thank you Jesus. Praise you, Father. Hallelujah. Amen and Amen.

I love you guys. Thank you for coming. Thank you for being here tonight. Yes, please. We are going to be back here tonight at 6:00 and we are going.

I’m believing in an excitement tonight. I want an encounter with God tonight. And if you want that encounter, come join us tonight. We will pray for you. We’re going to believe if you need a breakthrough, we’re going to believe for that breakthrough through in Jesus name come tonight.

Go with God. He’s going with you. Bless you, love you. Have a great day.