When the Spirit Comes Down (Part 2)
God's timing is sovereign, and we must have a personal relationship with Him to understand His will and timing for our lives.
Erlo Stegen emphasizes the importance of God's perfect timing in our lives, as demonstrated during Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out. He encourages believers to seek God's will rather than pursuing personal desires, highlighting that true relationship with God leads to spiritual fruitfulness. Stegen reminds us that the Holy Spirit writes God's laws on our hearts, transforming us from within, and challenges us to reflect on our spiritual state and the impact we have on others. He warns against the dangers of division and mockery, urging a sincere response to the Gospel. Ultimately, he calls for a genuine harvest of souls as a result of being filled with the Spirit.
Text
Acts 2:1-12
1) "When the day of Pentecost had fully come". It is important to note that God in Heaven has His time according to His Sovereign will.
The story is told of a woman who desperately wanted a husband. So one night she went outside the house and cried and prayed aloud under an oak tree for a husband. An owl awoke from the noise and screeched "whooooo". She replied, "anybody Lord".
There are things of far more importance than marriage on earth. However if God pushes you into marriage then obey but do not hanker after it. God has marked out your life but you need to ask God to let His will happen in your life. Remember it is not every one who says "Lord Lord", but those who do His will who will enter Heaven. Do not make your own plans for your life but pray that His will be done in your life.
We read in Gal 4:4, "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son". Jesus wasn't born just any time but in God's perfect timing. There was Caiaphas the high priest, Pilate, the Romans who practiced death by crucifixion, etc. The timing was just perfect.
You need to have a personal relationship with God that He Himself leads you. Do not simply do things because your dad, uncle or aunt did it.
Every detail of Jesus' life was worked out by God. Exactly when Jesus would be crucified, how long He would be in the grave, how and when He would appear to His disciples, when he would ascend to heaven, and when the Holy Spirit would be poured out at Pentecost.
The Lord chose that specific day to pour out His Spirit so that all the visiting people from outside Jerusalem would hear the Word of God in their own language.
Jesus promised to be with His disciples always and would give them the Comforter, the Holy Spirit to abide with them.
When you pray with urgency for something to happen remember that God has His time. You need to hear from Him what His will and time is regarding the matter.
2) We spoke last time about the feast of firstfruits where everyone brought their firstfruits to offer to God. We don't bring firstfruits anymore. We must bring souls to Jesus. How many souls have you won to the Lord? Or must you say like that Afrikaans song, "moet ek gaan met leë hande, moet ek so my Heer ontmoet" (must I appear empty handed before my Lord)?
Maybe you're unable to win a single person to God because you're not alive spiritually and do not have God's presence in your life. Maybe you're still busy with flirtatious relationships and love the world. In such a state you cannot bear good fruit.
3) The second part of the feast was the remembrance of how Moses received the 10 commandments, how God spoke to Moses on the mount and the noise and rumblings on the mount.
But in Jer 31:31-33 we read, ""Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah ... I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts"
They were still remembering the tablets of stone but the word of God was not written in their hearts. Although they had the written commandments of God they could still sin in private and look at things they ought not.
But here He promises to pour out His Spirit upon them, write His laws on their heart. How is it in your family? Is there fighting or does God's Word reign? Is His laws written on your heart and His Spirit upon you?
Where the Holy Spirit does not reign there is a party spirit. A spirt from hell. But we want God's Spirit to reign amongst us.
You might be in one place together but not of one accord because you have been speaking and slandering other people behind their back. Repent from that.
Some who heard the apostles preach in other languages mocked and said that they were full of wine, and some others heard it and mocked together. But many were cut to the heart and separated themselves from the mockers and were saved. We have these two groups. To which do you belong?
World history was changed by these men filled with the Spirit of God. What history do you make for the Kingdom of God?
It would be terrible if everything said today doesn't penetrate your heart and change your life for eternity and unto eternal life.
May it be a true harvest of firstfruits, Pentecost in your life today.
Sermon Outline
- God's Timing is Sovereign points: - God has His time according to His will - Illustrated by the story of the woman and the owl
- Personal Relationship with God points: - God leads us personally - Not just following tradition or family examples
- God's Plan for Our Lives points: - Every detail of Jesus' life was worked out by God - Including the timing of the Holy Spirit's outpouring
- The Importance of the Holy Spirit points: - The Holy Spirit abides with us and gives us comfort - We must be alive spiritually to bear good fruit
- The New Covenant points: - God promises to write His laws on our hearts - The Holy Spirit reigns where God's Word is obeyed
Key Quotes
“Maybe you're unable to win a single person to God because you're not alive spiritually and do not have God's presence in your life.” — Erlo Stegen
“Where the Holy Spirit does not reign there is a party spirit. A spirit from hell.” — Erlo Stegen
“May it be a true harvest of firstfruits, Pentecost in your life today.” — Erlo Stegen
Application Points
- We must pray with urgency and listen to God's response regarding our lives.
- We must bring souls to Jesus and be a true harvest of firstfruits in our lives.
- We must repent from sin and allow the Holy Spirit to reign in our lives.