Brief Summary
This sermon emphasizes the importance of spiritual power in Christianity, asserting that it is essential for effectively advancing God's kingdom. It identifies two key secrets to unlocking this power: encountering Jesus and experiencing the move of the Holy Spirit. The sermon challenges believers to move beyond religious practices and seek genuine encounters with God, which lead to transformation and the ability to manifest God's power in the world. It also stresses the significance of cultivating a deep hunger for God's presence, as this hunger enables believers to host the Holy Spirit and operate in greater dimensions of power.
- Power is essential for effectively advancing God's kingdom.
- Encountering Jesus and experiencing the move of the Holy Spirit are key to unlocking spiritual power.
- Cultivating a deep hunger for God's presence enables believers to host the Holy Spirit and operate in greater dimensions of power.
Introduction to Power
The speaker introduces the concept of power as a compelling force that validates and reinforces the message of God. He illustrates this with the example of David, who attracted men of valor as he grew in God's power. The speaker contrasts David's humble beginnings with his divinely ordained authority, emphasizing that power transcends education, popularity, and social status. He shares a personal experience of loss and realization, underscoring that true power is not found in titles or religious practices but in a genuine connection with God.
The Nature of True Power
The speaker defines true power as distinct from psychology, philosophy, and sociology, identifying it as the power of God. He uses the example of Eleazar, who stood his ground against an entire army, to illustrate that power makes number inconsequential. He passionately advocates for a Christianity grounded in power, not mere religious activity, emphasizing that without power, believers are spiritually naked, regardless of their outward appearance or eloquence. He asserts that spiritual authority is recognized in the spirit realm, where commands are questioned based on whose authority they are issued.
Three Secrets to Operating in Power
The speaker introduces the core message of the sermon: three secrets that govern the operation of power. He emphasizes that Christianity should be a replicable reality, not a one-time fluke, accessible through understanding and tapping into these secrets.
Encounter with Jesus: The Doorway to Power
The first key to touching real power is having an encounter with Jesus. Without this encounter, believers may speak eloquently but lack true power. Life's circumstances serve as indicators of one's spiritual state, revealing both helplessness and opportunities for manifestation. Crisis becomes the platform for demonstrating power, turning potential defeat into triumph. The speaker emphasizes that the pursuit of power should be driven by an encounter with Jesus, which grants the authority to become sons of God, capable of advancing God's government.
Sonship Through Encounter
The speaker distinguishes between being a child of God and a son of God, explaining that sonship is based on encounter, not just birth. He references Galatians 4:1, noting that an heir, while still a child, is no different from a servant. He emphasizes that consistent beholding of the Lord transforms believers into His image, enabling them to handle power. Adam's rule in the Garden of Eden was sustained by his regular encounters with God, which allowed him to function as a god on earth. The speaker urges listeners to prioritize laboring in the spirit to have encounters with God rather than relying on motivational preaching or psychology.
The Importance of Spiritual Encounters
The speaker stresses that prayer should be a pursuit of encounters with God, not merely a long, drawn-out activity. He references Isaiah 40:30-31, highlighting that those who wait upon the Lord mount up with wings like eagles, gaining strength and seeing heavenly realities. He uses the example of Jesus in Gethsemane, who was strengthened by angels after praying, and Moses, whose face shone after encountering God on Mount Sinai. The speaker warns against using life for experimentation and urges believers to labor in the spirit to catch a glimpse of reality.
The Consequences of Spiritual Weakness
The speaker explains that weakness stems from what one has seen or not seen, emphasizing the need to ascend the mountains of God to gain control over earthly matters. He asserts that people change not because of sweet or intelligent messages, but because messages compel change through spiritual power. He contrasts spirit-led communication with mere English, stating that spirits communicate spirit and life. He encourages listeners to labor in the spirit and cautions against abusing impartations, urging them to wait on God rather than men.
The Power of Standing in God's Presence
The speaker emphasizes that true power is the ability to stand in God's presence, referencing Moses' 40-day vigil on Mount Sinai. He explains that Moses' power came from what he saw and that God followed him out of the mountain, making his words law. He highlights that a man of power commands not only spirits but also nature, referencing David's curse on the mountains of Gilboa. He urges listeners to become creatures of encounter, looking upon God every morning, and laments the decline of this culture of waiting on God in the current generation.
Experiential Knowledge of God
The speaker contrasts the God trapped in the Bible with the God who speaks and is heard. He criticizes preaching without experiential knowledge, emphasizing the difference between mental and experiential understanding of God. He references 1 John, highlighting the journey beyond theory into encounter, and laments that too many Christians are dry due to a lack of encounters. He criticizes the reliance on borrowed messages and the lack of power in dealing with real-life situations like demonization, advocating for direct, authoritative action in the name of Jesus.
The Evil Day and the Power of Manifestation
The speaker asserts that if God helps, it will be without doubt, and urges listeners not to wait until the evil day to labor in the spirit. He explains that for those with the power of God, the evil day becomes a day of manifestation. He shares anecdotes of people who have had encounters in heaven, emphasizing that some individuals live in heavenly realms and have access to divine knowledge. He references the story of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, who, while meditating on God's anointing, was so filled with power that his meeting was missed, and handkerchiefs sent in his stead performed miracles.
Distinguishing Authority Through Encounter
The speaker encourages listeners not to be lost in the crowd but to distinguish themselves through the level of authority they carry, which comes from encountering the Lord. He urges them to "kill" themselves on the mountain until the word of God comes alive or the Lord appears, cautioning against merely becoming theologians.
The Move of the Spirit: The Second Key to Power
The second key to spiritual power is the move of the Spirit. The speaker notes that power is scarce because few experience these things, and those who don't often argue against them. He humorously critiques those who engage in fruitless debates and scriptural arguments without personal experience, emphasizing that hearing a true message is a commandment in the spirit. He encourages listeners to labor in the spirit and not join the bandwagon.
The Glory of God and the Honor of Kings
The speaker references Proverbs 25:2, stating that the glory of God is to conceal a matter, but the honor of kings is to search it out. He praises the Christians in Berea for searching the scriptures to verify the truth. He emphasizes that those who have had encounters with God can pinpoint specific shifts in their lives, which are definite and deliberate, not coincidental.
The Holy Ghost and the Power of the Highest
The speaker references Luke 1:35, explaining that the Holy Ghost comes upon individuals, and the power of the Highest overshadows them. He emphasizes that the impossible circumstances become the access point for manifestation, making the testimony beautiful. He asserts that without the move of the Spirit, there is no power, and everyone who commands authority in the kingdom is flooded with the move of the Spirit.
The Indicator of the Move of the Spirit: Hunger
The speaker identifies hunger for the presence of God as the key indicator of the move of the Spirit. He warns that when this hunger begins to die, the move of the Spirit wanes, and previously commanded results become unattainable. He shares his personal experience of feeling helpless and needing to be strengthened by the Spirit to deliver a message. He emphasizes that the move of the Spirit is not a feeling but an unending passion for the presence of God.
The Best Gift of the Spirit: Desire
The speaker identifies the ability to continually hunger for God and His things as the best gift of the Spirit, referencing 1 Peter 2:2. He asserts that a man who constantly desires God can provoke revival even in his room. He uses the example of Simeon and Anna, who, through their constant presence in the synagogue, were chosen to announce the arrival of Jesus. He emphasizes that the men who shake territories are those who never back off from the presence of God.
The Zeal of God's House and the Secret of Elijah
The speaker references John 2:17, highlighting that the zeal of God's house consumed Jesus, driving Him to seek God from night till morning. He explains that David's power in war was not skill but hunger for God. He emphasizes that seeking the presence of God unlocks the heavens, referencing Elijah's persistence in prayer to bring rain. He explains that Elijah created the "fist" in the cloud through his groaning in prayer.
The Power to Cause Change Through Hunger
The speaker explains that Jesus' time in the wilderness, initially meant for temptation, became a season of announcing and affecting His work through engaging God. He emphasizes that the power to cause change is resident upon hunger. He laments that many Christians are dry and tired even in church, lacking the capacity for the move of God. He contrasts this with their agility and enthusiasm when engaging with worldly things.
The Importance of Intimacy with God
The speaker emphasizes the importance of intimacy with God, referencing the story of Brother Lawrence and highlighting that a servant in the kingdom of God is more important than a general because a servant is always there to attend to His voice. He explains that before legislation, there is intimacy, and without ministering to God, there is no power to legislate over a territory. He laments that hunger for God has diminished, dwarfing the capacity for the Holy Ghost to rest upon believers.
Capacity for the Holy Ghost
The speaker notes that people ask for the mantle of past spiritual leaders but lack their hunger and capacity. He shares an experience of almost collapsing under an unction, realizing the need to pray for capacity rather than dimension. He criticizes the fleeting nature of impartations due to a lack of sustained consecration and appetite. He emphasizes that the volume of one's appetite determines the degree of manifestation and that without appetite, one cannot host the dimensions of a spirit.
Enlarging Appetite for God
The speaker explains that enlarging one's appetite for God involves dumping oneself on God and pressing in, even without immediate signs or voices. He references the Azusa Street Revival, where believers prayed in tongues for extended periods to enlarge their capacity for the spirit. He emphasizes that tarrying in Jerusalem means staying until one is endued with power. He contrasts this with those who have appetite for worldly things but dwindle in God's presence.
Journeying to the Deep and Accommodating God
The speaker asserts that those who journey to the deep qualify to see the wonders of God, emphasizing that the measure one seeks takes appetite to accommodate it. He explains that beseeching God involves pressing in, which may not result in immediate signs but will eventually lead to a greater capacity for the spirit. He concludes by stating that when the spirit comes down, it will come in unquantified measures.
