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POWER

INTRO:

A. Men seek power via wealth, politics, spiritualism

1. Simon the Sorcerer

2. many want more POWER IN THEIR LIVES…

a. over their enemies

b. in their jobs

c. to accomplish more in their spiritual lives

B. Think about the power of the sea…

1. man can’t stop it; can’t change it

C. But w/o God it is powerless (moon & elements for tide –

Col 1:16-17 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. (17) He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

1. Think about the earth as a spinning ball – weight of NY, Chicago, LA, Tokyo

D. This past few weeks – power of hurricanes…. tornadoes…. etc.

E. Sun

1. We brag about harnessing solar power

2. God provides – we cannot even begin to tap

F. Man

1. offspring of all animals born – can take care of itself almost immediately

2. humans – the most helpless

G. Christians

1. highest order of mankind –

fulfilling what he was created for

2. Have the greatest work top do

3. God has supplied us with all the POWER

it takes to accomplish His will.

4. Many Christians are in the dark –

looking for the light switch

a. most want to know HOW to be more effective

b. most desire to do more

H. This lesson to help us to understand more about our POWER

AND HOW TO UNLEASH IT

Many don’t realize the POWER they have

PRAYER

Phil. 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Phil. 4:13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Psalm 91 is about the security of the believer…

Psa 91:14-15 "Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. (15) "He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.

Isa 58:9 "Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; You will cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.' If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness,

John 9:30-31 The man answered and said to them, "Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. (31) "We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.

1 Pet. 3:10-12 For, "THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS, MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT. (11) "HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT. (12) "FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER, BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL."

There is real POWER IN PRAYER….

THINK: ANY POWERE ON EARTH THIS POWERFUL?

IT’S IN YOUR HANDS –

THIS POWER CAN BE UNLEASHED UPON PEORIA

ONENESS

A. There is the strength that comes from uniting together

(i.e. United we stand, divided we fall)

Jesus put it this way….Mat 12:25 ……. "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand.

B. Denominationalism embraces division – ecumenism –

Paul – inspired by the Holy Spirit – Sent by Christ – to tell us….

(read Eph. 4:1-6)

1. One BODY – the church –

(Eph. 1:22-23) …”he is the head over all things to the church, which is the body”

(Acts 2:47) adds the saved to it

(Eph. 3:21) “unto God be glory in the church”

2. One SPIRIT – revealed the mind of God

3. One HOPE – Eternal Life – (“Anchor of the Soul” Heb. 6:19)

4. One LORD – one guide, one king, one Savior –

Matt. 28:18 “all power has been granted…..”

His death – power over Satan

His resurrection – power over death

5. One FAITH - ….system….not “of your choice”

(2 Tim. 3:16-17) “All scripture is given by the inspiration….”

6. One BAPTISM – final act of new birth (John 3)

1 Pet. 3:20-21 – Saves us Gal. 3:27 – Bapt. into Christ

Rom. 6 … where we meet the blood of Christ

7. One GOD & father of all

Designer – Spoke into existence

C. As we agree on this oneness – we are powerful!

In John 17 – Jesus prayed for unity among His followers

John 17:17-23 "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. (18) "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. (19) "For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. (20) "I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; (21) that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. (22) "The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; (23) I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.

1. Powerful enough to make believers out of non-believers

2. Denominationalism teaches that division is OK & the world scoffs at such – how can we all be CHRISTIANS believing differently – and the world turns away

3. We, the body of Christ, MUST show the purity of the Lord’s church by being united

WORD

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

TALK ABOUT POWER! WHAT COULD COMPARE?

Joh 17:17 "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

Joh 12:48 "He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.

Jam 1:25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

Jam 2:12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.

1. Denominations… “I feel in my heart”

2. The Christian can say “I know!”

THE WORD IS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO CHANGE LIVES & SAVE SOULS

EXAMPLE

So Powerful – you can lead souls to the Lord – or turn them forever away!

Biggest compliment – Linda & Art “Saw what you and Marti had.”

A. Power to lose souls

Heb 4:11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

WATCH YOUR STEP SO THAT NO ONE WILL BE LED AWAY BY EXAMPLE!

2 Pet. 3:17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness,

ALSO, WATCH OUT THAT YOU DOLN’T ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE CARRIED AWAY BY THOSE WHO ARFE A POOR EXAMPLE OF WHAT A CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE!

Paul to Timothy – 1 Tim. 4:12 Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.

Paul to Titus - Tit 2:6-8 Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; (7) in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, (8) sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

James said - Jam 5:9-10 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. (10) As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS!

RIGHTEOUSNESS

A. Our righteousness BREEDS STRENGTH

1. Every time we overcome temptation, we become stronger

Jam 1:2-4 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, (3) knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. (4) And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Jam 1:12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

2. Rom 6:15-23 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! (16) Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? (17) But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, (18) and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. (19) I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. (20) For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. (21) Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. (22) But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. (23) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

CLOSE

You have the power to turn Peoria upside down….

Realize the power that you have – much unharnessed

If released – this church will EXPLODE

There are hundreds of thousands of lost souls in this area ---

Many who are seeking truth ---

What will reach them? More money? A better preacher? NO!

Unleash this power…Prayer, Oneness, Word, Example, Righteousness