Plugged in Part 3 Being Led of the Spirit

 

We are in the 3rd week of our series entitled Plugged in

A) Looking at how the Early Church turned their world upside down

 

B) First study: They were empowered by the Spirit

 

C) Part 2 Fanned the flames of Revival

  1) Gave themselves to the Word

 2)  Prayer

 3) Communion

 4) Fellowship

 

Part 3 tonight – Being Led of the HS – How the Holy Spirit leads us

A) This is one of the most important aspects of the Christian life – Spirit led life

 

B) Jesus living thru us! –

 

C) Learning to be sensitive to His Leading !

 

 

How does the HS lead us ?  Acts 3:1-10

 

The HS leads us in our normal everyday circumstances

A) 9th Hour the hour of prayer – Jews went to the temple to pray

B) The apostles made it their practice as well

1) The 9th hour took on special meaning – the hour that Jesus was crucified – It is finished

 

C) Being men of Prayer – Heading to the temple to Pray –

 

D) To get there they would pass thru the gate that was called Beautiful –

1) Large impressive gate made of Corinthian Bronze

 

Told there was a man lame from birth – Ch.4:22 tells us he was 40 yrs old

A) V. 2 of Ch.3 we are told it was his daily routine to be laid there at the gate – begged for alms

 

B) Peter & John Probably passed by this man many times before

1) On this particular occasion it would be different

 

C) See when the man saw them he asked ………

 

Peter pulling the pockets out of his robe – Silver and gold ………………………. Walk

A) This is how the HS works most of the time : Daily routine

 

B) Had many times going to a restaurant for Ice tea to read – I will see someone – supposed to talk to.

1) Someone from Church – someone haven’t seen in a long time

C) Going to the Gym – usually in the mornings

1) Sometimes –schedule later in the afternoon after work – Sure enough  someone to talk to.

 

D) I am very routine oriented – used to get frustrated when my routine would get disrupted

1) Now I have learned – God moments – Divine appointments

 

Traveling- Good reading time

A) Sit down person sitting next to me { Captive audience for 3 hours / 10 hours

 

B) Sit down don’t speak English – Study time

1) Friday head phones and loud music

 

C) So many awesome experiences on Airplanes

 

Key is you have to be open !

A) It is easier to steer a moving car than one that is parked

 

B) Open and moving – Peter needed to be open!

1) He could have just said no – sorry – moved on and missed out on a miracle –

 

C) And a Preaching opportunity

 

D) Peter Obviously felt a prompting of the spirit – and did the right thing by responding

 

I have to admit that there have been many times where I have felt a prompting that I have ignored

A) Fear – I will seem like an idiot

 

B) Lazy & selfish – Just don’t feel like that today

 

C) 8hr flight { zone closed off – I was the guy head phones on music and a movie

 

D) Another guy I was traveling with we weren’t sitting together –

1) He got to minister to several people

 

E) I missed out – Lord forgive me

 

 

Here is what I have learned – Prompting go for it

A) Leads to more – leads to open doors

 

B) Better to be wrong – appear foolish –

1) Than to miss out.

 

C) The more that you respond the more doors the Lord will open for you.

 

 

The Lord leads in our normal day to day circumstances

A) He rarely works thru formulas

 

 

B) Expect the unexpected : 1st trip to Yugo

1) We had an agenda – Churches { Dead

 

C) Subo – Streets – Lets go for it

1) Radical

 

We made a formula – Music in the Streets

A) Worked well for a while

 

B) Then we added Dramas

 

C) On probably my 6th trip – 5 cities –

1) One music and Drama didn’t work

 

D) Went to Kapvisvar – PRAY

1) God spontaneously moved – different

 

HS leads thru open doors

A) Paul told the Church at Corinth how an open door was given to him to minister in Ephesus

 

B) Doors open{ University High – Woodbridge

1) Home study – No Striving

 

C) Force open doors { Here 7 campus studies

1) Forced my way in – Not much fruit

 

D) Next year – Not doing that – open door to Rancho do FCA – More fruit – one school than all seven combined

 

E) The Devil can open doors – JONAH

 

 

HS also works thru closed doors

A) Acts 16 Paul really wanted to go to Asia to preach the gospel

 

B) The HS forbade him – didn’t allow it

1) No open door – Paul frustrated – but the Lord had other plans

 

C) Vision of a Man from Macedonia – come here

 

D)Paul goes into the region of Macedonia -  doesn’t find a man

1) What He finds is a woman – womans Bible study

 

D) Eventually a man – Philippians Jailer

 

Good calling – Prompting man from Mass

A) Me Corvallis

 

B) Silverton –

 

C) Eventually Corvallis

 

 

God’s timing

 

 

 

So Spirit leads us { Everyday circumstances

A) Leads us without formulas

 

B) Opens doors

 

C) Closes doors

 

Acts 13 Ministered to the HS

A) Prayer fasting