HopeLives365

Mark Finley: God is once again preparing to pour out His spirit. Once again, Pentecost will be repeated. God did the impossible in the first century and He will do the impossible again.

Guest (Male): This is HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message: A Fulfilled Christian Life Through The Holy Spirit, Part 5. Enjoy, and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay up to date with HopeLives365 and Pastor Mark by going to HopeLives365.com. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: We're talking about revived by the spirit of the promised revival. When we talk about the Holy Spirit, we're not talking about something in the distant future. We're talking about the ministry of the spirit in our lives today.

Now, this morning we're going to talk about the promised revival that God promises will come. But we don't want to think about that as a future event. We want to think about that as a very present event. When you look out over the history of the world, it becomes increasingly obvious that unless God does something remarkable, this gospel of the kingdom that is to be preached to every nation before Jesus comes is not going to take place.

When you look at the fact of the billions of people in this world that don't know Jesus, unless something dramatic happens. And I'd like to suggest to you that based on scripture, God is preparing for something that is very, very unusual to happen in the near future.

My wife and I lived in England from 1985 to 1990 where I was the ministerial secretary for the Trans-European Division. We had 17 countries. And one of the places we loved to go was London. London, I think, is one of my favorite cities in all of the world. It's really a magnificent city to come down and look at Big Ben or to wander around downtown and look at the parliament buildings and go to the chapel where John Wesley preached and the underground war rooms of Winston Churchill. It's just a very historic but for me, a very inspiring place.

Some time ago, there was a man who was poverty-stricken. He was sitting there on the corner of the London Bridge. He had an old violin. And he was just kind of squeaking away at that violin. You may have had a neighbor whose children were learning violin, and you know the shrieks and the squeakiness of that violin. So this old man was sitting there. He had a little basket. He was hoping people would drop their coins in the basket, but people were just passing him by. The old man had dressed in his best suit, but he was squeaking away in his violin.

Pretty soon, a tall gentleman walked by and said, "May I see your violin?" It was an old, battered violin. And this gentleman began to play it, and people began to stop. And they began to listen. There were traffic jams on the London Bridge. And somebody, as they thought about this individual now playing the violin with this amazingly beautiful music, somebody said, "Wait a minute. It's in the hands of the Master." It was Paganini, the famous violinist. And he took that same old violin, and he began to play it, and the music was just majestic.

Sometimes our lives are like an old violin. But when they're in the hands of the Master, Jesus does something special with them. As an instrument in the Master's hand, the Spirit will do more for our lives than we possibly can imagine. We may be struggling with discouragement, but the Spirit can bring encouragement and comfort. We may be struggling with grief, but the Spirit can lift our spirits and encourage our hearts. There may be some sin in our life that we're struggling with. We've tried and tried again, but the ministry of the Holy Spirit comes and strengthens us. We may have some decision to make, and we're at the crossroads of that decision, and the Spirit gives us wisdom.

The Bible predicts that before the coming of Jesus, there will be a last day revival where men and women are on their knees seeking the Spirit. Now let me be clear. It's not that the Spirit has not been with us before. The Spirit guides and directs. It's the Spirit that brings conversion to our hearts. It's the Spirit that guides us. So when we talk about the reception of the Spirit, we're not talking about something new that has never taken place. We're talking about more of what already is. We're talking about the abundance that God wants to give us.

The Bible does talk about this last day revival. It talks about the Holy Spirit poured out in Pentecostal power. Jesus said in Matthew 24, verse 14, "This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come." The outpouring of the Spirit in the final days of Earth's history is to accomplish this ultimate goal. The Bible says in Romans chapter nine, verse 28, "For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness because the Lord will make a short work upon the Earth."

God is going to move in the last days in unusual, in incredibly remarkable ways. That which has taken decades and centuries will be accomplished in a short amount of time. The Holy Spirit will be poured out in full power. The Gospel will be spread quickly around the world. Multitudes will respond to the preaching of God's word, and thousands are going to share the words of life with their neighbors and find responsive hearts waiting to receive the truth.

We are living in a time today in this Earth's history of great uncertainty. If I had to summarize the condition of our society today, I would summarize it with the word uncertainty. Very few people know what's going to take place in the future. We feel this anxiousness. There is an anxiety about the economy when you're 30-some trillion dollars in debt as a nation. And when the amount of your national debt is higher, the amount of interest on your national debt is higher than the entire defense budget, and the United States defense budget is 12 times greater than any other defense budget in the world.

If you look at the history of civilization, when your indebtedness and the interest on your debt is higher than your defense budget, that nation is going to crumble. You look at the history of civilization. So when you look at our economy, we're uncertain. When you look at the tension in nations, we're uncertain. When you look at the condition of our society, when you look at what's taking place now with government shutdowns, there is this anxiety, this uncertainty, this what is going to take place in the future? And as people are so uncertain, the Gospel can find lodging in their hearts by providing them with a certainty, a solid foundation.

The Bible uses the terms rain to describe the moving of the Spirit. It uses the term early and latter rain. They were part of the agricultural cycle of Israel. The early rain, literal rain, would water the seed that had been planted. Now some people say, well, the early rain falls in the spring, the latter rain in the fall. That's not true when it comes to the agricultural cycle of Israel because it's different than it is here today. The early rain would typically fall in Israel in the fall time to germinate the seeds that had been planted and the latter rain would fall later in the agricultural cycle to ripen the grain.

There are many symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Bible. There's a symbol of water, there's a symbol of fire, there's a symbol of oil. But here, God uses the symbol of rain. The latter rain is used to describe the mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit at end time that will take the seed that's been germinated and bring it to harvest. The latter rain is one of the Bible's symbols for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the last days.

James chapter five, verse seven and eight, "Therefore be patient brethren until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand." The literature that we have given out, the prayers that we have prayed, the witness that we have done through kind godliness in our lives, the television programs, the radio programs, all of that is going to come to fruition as a praying people seek God as the latter rain of the Spirit is poured out in mighty ways far beyond what we could imagine.

Joel two, verse 23, "Be glad you children of Zion and rejoice in the Lord your God. He's given you the former rain moderately and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former and the latter rain." Now historically, the former rain was poured out at Pentecost and 3,000 were baptized in a day. But he says, "Wait a minute. The former rain is given moderately." If I saw 3,000 people baptized in a day here in the Centerville area, I wouldn't think that was a moderate outpouring, would you? Certainly not. But look, when we think about the latter rain, the Earth will be lightened with the glory of God.

God is going to do some amazing things. And to be part of what God is doing, there's no time now to leave the church. There's no time now to drop out of Christianity because we are on the verge of some amazing things that God is going to incredibly do. Historically the former rain or the early rain fell at Pentecost, 3,000 baptized in a day. But Pentecost is going to be repeated on a much grander, much larger scale. You and I can be some part of something big for God, something large for God, something far greater than we could ever imagine.

Revelation 18:1, "After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven having great authority and the earth was filled with his glory." Notice, great authority. This message comes down with the very power, the very authority of God. And Christ is triumphed over the principalities and powers of Hell on the cross of Calvary. And here, the angel comes down with power, and the Earth is filled with the glory of God. We are on the verge of something amazing that God is going to do and we can be part of that.

Great Controversy page 611: "The work will be similar to that of the Day of Pentecost. As the former rain was given in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the opening of the gospel to cause the upspringing of the precious seed, so the latter rain will be given at its close for the ripening of the harvest. The great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening. The prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring of the former rain at the opening of the gospel are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its close."

Just as God's promises did not fail in leading Israel into the Promised Land, God is faithful to the covenant, faithful to his promises. So the promise of the latter rain, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is indeed as solid as the word of God. Great Controversy page 612: "Servants of God with their faces lighted up and shining with holy consecration." These people have been on their knees. They've been seeking God. They will hasten from place to place to proclaim the message from heaven. By thousands of voices all over the earth, the warning will be given. Miracles will be wrought, sick will be healed, signs and wonders will follow the believers.

God again is preparing to do something amazing through you. God's going to use your life in ways that you can't yet imagine. The Spirit is going to be poured out through you. You will see in this generation as the Holy Spirit is poured out, God doing some amazing things. You know some people are constantly talking about the counterfeit. There will be counterfeit miracles, there will be counterfeit signs, there will be counterfeit wonders. It's another thing to recognize the counterfeit, but it's another thing to receive the genuine gift of the Holy Spirit.

Do you long for the genuine outpouring of the Holy Spirit in your own life and in the life of the church? Is that something you really long for that you pray about? Zechariah four, verse six says, "Not by might nor by power but my Spirit says the Lord of hosts." God is going to take a people who are humble, a people whose hearts are filled with humility, a people who recognize that they cannot but God can.

What's holding back this coming revival? If indeed God promises for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the latter days, what is holding that back? What is Heaven really waiting for? In First Selected Messages page 121: "A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this should be our first work." A revival of true godliness. A quickening of the spiritual life of the soul. A renewal of that spiritual life. It is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs.

I'm told that in the Bank of Scotland, there's 40 million pounds of unclaimed deposits. In other words, people died, they left their will, but nobody claimed these 40 million pounds. I wonder in the Bank of Heaven, does God have much more for us than we ever realize and we claim it by faith? Do we fail to claim the unlimited resources the Holy Spirit holds for us? One of my great desires is to understand the prerequisites for receiving the latter rain.

What are some of the practical prerequisites that you find outlined in God's word to receive the abundance of the Holy Spirit in your life and in mine? The first prerequisite to receive the Holy Spirit is to ask God. Now that might seem very, very simple, but God respects our freedom of will. Zechariah 10, verse one: "Ask the Lord for rain in the time of the latter rain." We're living in the time when God wants to pour out his Spirit in all abundance. And he invites us to come. He invites us on a daily basis to ask.

Review and Herald, August 25, 1896: "We should pray as earnestly for the descent of the Holy Spirit as the disciples prayed on the day of Pentecost." There are some of us who before we get out of bed in the morning, in those quiet waking moments lie there and say, "Jesus, before my feet touch the floor today, I ask you to fill me with your Spirit. May every word I speak be guided by your Spirit. May every thought I think be motivated and shaped by your Spirit. May every interaction I have today be one in which I'm sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit."

In Testimonies Volume eight, page 23: "My brethren and sisters, plead for the Holy Spirit. God stands back of every promise he has made." Do you believe that, church? Does God stand back of every promise he's made? With your Bibles in your hands say, "I have done as thou hast said. I present thy promise: Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you." When we ask God for his Spirit, we can by faith believe he gives it to us and go out in our day knowing that we are filled and guided by the Spirit of God. Are you seeking daily for the baptism that is the infilling, that is the immersion with the Holy Spirit? Are you praying for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in your own life?

Luke 11, verse 13: "If you then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more?" I love these expressions in the New Testament: much more, much more. God will do much more for us than we could imagine. "How much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those that do what? Those that ask him." So God longs to give us his Spirit. The first prerequisite for receiving the Holy Spirit is we ask God.

The second prerequisite is an undivided heart. What do we mean by an undivided heart? We see this in the life of Jesus. An undivided heart accepts the Lord's correction in all matters, regardless how insignificant they may appear. An undivided heart simply says, "God, whatever you want in my life, reveal it. I'm not going to argue with you about it." There is a problem in the Christian life that once you solve it, it solves every other problem. The problem that solves every other problem, and it's the problem of the will. If you have to fight with God everything that he impresses you with, you'll always struggle.

But if you say, "God, I'm going to solve this basic problem. I'm going to surrender my will to you and whatever you impress me to do, that's it, that settles it." If you look at Jesus' life, he had an undivided heart. John eight, verse 29 is a great example of an undivided heart: "And He who sent me is with me. The Father has not left me alone, for I always do those things that please Him." That's an undivided heart, isn't it? It's a heart that says, "God, all I need to know is what you want me to do. All I want to do in my life is please you."

When God has a group of people whose main desire is to please him, he'll then pour out his Spirit in abundance. Now look, an undivided heart doesn't mean you never fail. An undivided heart does not mean you never make a mistake. If in your heart you are sincere and desire to please him, that pleases him. The fact that what you want in your life more than anything else is to please Jesus, that's an undivided heart. You may stumble at times. You may fail at times. But in your heart you're not turning back. In your heart you've made that commitment. In your heart you please him.

You remember in Gethsemane, Jesus didn't walk to the cross singing "Praise God from whom all blessings flow." He said, "Father, if it's possible, let this cup pass from me." So before Jesus, there were the nails driven through his hands and the crown of thorns upon his head and before Jesus, he was going to bear the sin and the grief and the guilt of all humanity. But he said, "Father not as I will." That's an undivided heart. The will is surrendered to God. God, whatever you want me to do, I'm there, God, I want to do that.

Each test we face is an opportunity to discover what's in our hearts. See if you have some test in your life over say mass media and seconds a day on the word of God and the Bible. So that test that God gives you as the Spirit convicts you is simply to reveal what's in the heart. Maybe it's a test in the area of physical habits in your life or some test in the area of diet. Whatever it is, the issue is not simply the test. The issue is God brings us to certain decisions regarding attitudes. Maybe it's criticism, maybe it's gossip, maybe it's pride. But God's going to bring those things through his Holy Spirit to us to reveal what's in our hearts and if we have this undivided heart, we cry out, "God not my will but your will be done, strengthen me on this thing."

When we make that decision, Testimonies Volume eight, page 19: "There is no limit." We find this also in Steps to Christ. "To the usefulness of the one who putting self aside makes room for the work of the Holy Spirit upon his heart and lives a life, I call it an undivided heart, wholly consecrated to God. There is no limit to what God wants to do through that man, that woman, that boy, that girl who lives a life totally consecrated to him."

The third prerequisite for the reception of the Spirit is saturating our minds with the word of God. The same Spirit that desires to fill us fills us as we study his word. The same Spirit who inspired the Bible inspires us as we read it. The word of God brings revival. Psalm 119, verse 25: "My soul clings to the dust, revive me according to your word." So as we read the word, saturate our minds with the word, the Spirit of God fills our lives. Psalm 119, verse 154: "Plead my cause and redeem me, revive me how? According to your word."

Guest (Male): You've been listening to HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message. Our mission is to attractively present the Christ-centered biblical truths of scripture in a practical, relevant way to people around the world so that they may experience the abundant life that Christ offers and effectively share with confidence his life-changing truths with others. You can support this ministry and help us reach even more by going to HopeLives365.com/donate. And now, a final thought from Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: So as we've open the word of God, as we fill our minds with the word of God, the foundation of revival is not emotion. The foundation of revival is not sentimentalism. Certainly when we know God, there is an emotional response because we are emotional beings. But that's not the foundation of revival. The foundation of all revival is the word of God. As Jesus said in John six, verse 63: "The words that I speak to you they are spirit and they are life." Spirit-filled lives are guided by the word, instructed by the word, empowered by the word, sanctified by the word, transformed by the word.

What are the prerequisites of receiving the Holy Spirit? First in the quietness we seek God. We open our hearts and ask him powerfully to come into our lives and grant to us the working of his Spirit. Secondly we say, "God give me an undivided heart. Help me only to want to do those things that please you." Thirdly we say, "Lord, may your Spirit that inspired the word inspire my heart." There's a fourth prerequisite, and that's to put away all dissension between you and anyone else.