Activate the Power | Associate Pastor Chad Erickson
by Chad Erickson
First Apostolic Church of Maryville (Maryville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Acts 4:5-8, Acts 3:1-10, Psalm 24:7-8, Acts 1:8, Mark 16:15-18, Mark 16:20, Acts 4:1-4

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/chad-erickson--activate-the-power
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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stand to your feet with me and turn your Bibles to act chapter 4 Acts chapter 4 I I do want to say um I know we've been announcing this but I want to go a little bit deeper into my announcement um we've been announcing a movement conference and on your church Center app on your church Center app and I hope I hope that everyone in this place tonight has downloaded that app it's a free app has has logged into our church um because everything everything you really need to know what's happening what's going on around here is all found on that app if you ever if you ever say I wish I knew what was happening around here that's because you don't have the app downloaded on your phone okay so get into the app um under under events you'll see where you can register registration you can you can register for the movement conference um this is a conference uh where uh we are charging registration and so therefore um we are uh cing the registration of you okay I said it on Sunday uh you're not going for free because it's going to cost to have you here but the church this church takes care of our staff and please get on there um there's four tracks uh that you can sign up for there's a church administrators uh it's it's it's kind of for department heads uh small group leaders um if you administrate over a a department or a group um you can sign up for that track uh great sessions happening there um we're talking systems how how to design uh how to implement systems um we're talking small groups our mission uh for our fall small groups we be talking about that at movement um you could get a part of the student Ministries and children's ministry workers if you are a student uh Ministry worker or a children's a kids quest uh Ministry worker please sign up for that um there's going be all kinds of great information during our breakout session um there's a music team member if you're a part of the music team uh worship team band uh choir you just want to you want to get more information on music maybe you're interested in songwriting uh sister Ericson and drayen Young Brother Dr and young are going to combine for a session that talks about uh songwriting and that special that perfect song for your church and and getting that song um writing this song that blesses that blesses the local church um s like that uh then and then there's also a track for production and social media uh we have one of the greatest production teams around here or around really around all over Pentecost uh in social media team I promise you if you're a part of that team you can come to movement and learn even more than what you already know and I say that because they're going to pull out all the stops and they're going to be teaching new new ideas and implementing uh implementing uh new ways uh for production and also social media design and all that all that so please if you want to know more about if you want to see the actual breakout sessions go to live themovement dorg here we're so glad you're here we're so thankful that you came to a Wednesday night service and worship with us amen Acts chapter 4 uh Peter and John are practicing the new power that they've received Acts chapter 4 and um they talk about that doctors have practices you've heard the term that that the doctors practice medicine does that make anybody else nervous but what that truly means is is they are required as a doctor they are required to continually practice or stay current with advancements in medicine that's what that means it's actually a good word it sounds like they're like just trying it out but really what they're doing is they don't just go to eight years of University get the diploma and for the next 50 years decide that they're going to be your doctor they every year they've got to upgrade they've got to go back back they got to get more training they got to get more education they're always practicing advancing their medicine so here we have Peter and John and and and I I liken that to they've been preaching the very same message that they preach in Acts chapter 2 and in Acts chapter 3 and so what they're kind of doing is they're kind of practicing the power that they received on the day of Pentecost all right they they're renewing this power they're they're filled with the Holy ghost but we're going to kind of kind of learn kind of teach about this tonight but they're practicing what they've been preaching all right they they're practicing what they've been preaching so here we go acts 4 and CH chapter 4 verse number five says and it came to pass on the tomorrow that their rulers and elders and scribes and then Annis the high priest and I'm not I'm not going to go through all the names but and as many as were of the Kindred of the high priest were gathered together at Jerusalem and when when they had set them in the midst they asked Peter and John by what power or by what name have you done this then Peter here we go filled with the Holy Ghost said unto them where are going to go there that's all I need right there they said what power have you done this by what power have you done this my my title tonight is simply this activate the power activate the power let's pray together father we love you God we're so grateful Lord God I feel your presence Lord God I I just feel a sweet spirit that is in this room tonight God of your Believers Lord that have come together Lord God in one mind and one Accord to hear your word God to sing songs to you Lord about you for you oh I I just pray Lord God that everybody leaves this house tonight Lord with a fresh oh with a fresh anointing inspire people Lord God to finish out their week and do greater things Lord for your kingdom than they've ever done before God I believe this message that you give me tonight is going to help Lord God do just that in Jesus name we pray and everyone said amen amen you you may be seated in the house tonight amen I I publicly want to wish my wife a happy 20th anniversary y'all she's put up with me for two decades two decades that's not easy if you're laughing it's CU you know me that that's not always easy but I I appreciate I appreciate her putting up with me and I I cannot wait to see what God is going to do what God's going to do in the next in the next two decades in our marriage but but let me just kind of tell you just just just a a little story um I I took her back last week I took her back our 20th anniversary we haven't done anything big on our anniversary oh Lord for about 15 years and I apologize f for that but I took her but I took her back to where our honeymoon was in Mexico and uh went back there and it was it was surreal it was beautiful it was uh brought back so many uh memories from from 20 years ago and uh probably one of the best things that happened the very first day we were there her phone stopped working and if you know my wife she she's she's rather a workaholic and so that meant that meant no text from assistance that meant nobody asking questions cuz we really didn't even tell anybody we're going you know so people didn't even know people were texting you know and and all of the sudden she got that green screen of death her phone wouldn't even turn off wouldn't do nothing it would vibrate and she knew somebody was trying to text her but all it was was a green screen so I'm talking about it was beautiful I'm talking about no checking social media she couldn't call the girls every 5 minutes to see what they're doing I was like I've got her all to myself and then she's like give me your phone it didn't work out well for me but but uh but no she was good she was good uh uh she we we just had we had a great we we had a great week but but the first thing I did I I understood what that meant to her because I know movement conference is coming up and she trying to prepare all kinds of things we're trying to get this building ready we're trying to get the music ready we're trying to get everything ready for movement conference I know she's got people designing stuff for her and so the first thing I did was I quickly called our our trusted Verizon guy and I ordered her another phone and and sure enough we got home there it was waiting so I I'm the tech guide the family so I I get the phone and I start pulling everything off the cloud and getting everything back on and and thank God for iCloud thank God that that you lose the phone and you don't lose information remember back in those days when you lost your phone and you lost everything remember you had to like like ask all your friends like please send me your address book cuz I don't know anybody's number remember that and and it was like and you had to like the little flip phone you had to like punch it in like hey BB right see and had put a his number back in so thank God for thank God for the iPhone thank God for iCloud thank God the data came back into her phone but I told you all the story and in you know probably where I'm going with this because it doesn't matter how much the phone is worth it but it doesn't matter what you have what apps you have downloaded on that phone how many files you have on the hard drive if the phone is not activated you've got a glorified paper weight you have no mobile data you you walk out of the house you walk out of Wi-Fi and it's useless except to play video games and um I got I got to read through and and and something on the directions just hit me and it's something I've seen so many times in the past but it simply said activation is required if you don't call the number that they give you you have nothing but a really expensive hard drive so what I want to do is I want to talk about activation I want to talk about because here here it is and I I don't want to get too far ahead of myself but the deal with the Holy Ghost and the out infilling of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost it's only works if you activate it it only works if you do something with it um matter of fact turn back with me into Acts chapter 3 because I want to kind of read the backstory of our text the text that we read uh Peter and John have just uh they've just been pulled out of out of jail and they're before the magistrates they're before the religious rulers and the high priests and and they're they're asking them questions and they're trying to figure out trying to figure out how how this guy was healed that had been lame from his mother's birth from birth and and here we have in in in Acts 3 uh verse one the Bible says now Peter and John went up together into the temple at The Hour of Prayer being the ninth hour and one thing about reading reading stories in the Bible you got to kind of know a few things you you first got to know who the author is and the author of the book of Acts is St Luke and and he's the Evangelist he's the he's the physician and and the Apostle Luke he also wrote of course the Gospel of Luke and so if you read Luke's gospel and you keep on reading if you skip over the Book of John the Gospel of John and keep on reading the acts it's really cool because it just it goes from Luke right into acts and and really the story never really stops and you just keep on keep on moving but um the main character in Acts Chapter 3 of course is Peter and John it's it's Peter and John and it's this this this guy that's been laying for 4 years and and the cool thing about Peter and John is both Peter and John had biological brothers that were part of the 12 y'all know that they both they both had Brothers they were also a part of the 12 disciples and um but you don't hardly ever hear of Peter and John uh teaming up with their brother but you hear them all the time teaming up together Peter and John man how many how many Bible stories how many accounts in the Bible do you read about Peter and John on doing amazing things together ministering in amazing ways and then of course you have the setting the third thing is is you got to understand where you are and what's happening um and the setting of of this story is the very next account after the day of Pentecost so we have Acts chapter 2 the Holy Ghost has poured out 3,000 Believers we have we have Acts chapter 2 and then we move straight into the story and it's kind of interesting to me because the first word of Acts chapter 3 is the word now now Peter which simply to me means it's kind of pushing the story along to the next chapter and so now Peter and John went up together into the temple at The Hour of Prayer being the ninth hour and a certain man laying from his mother's womb was being carried whom they laid daily at the Gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to ask of arms of them that enter into the temple so you got to visualize this with me because I I've always visualized this guy as sitting at the gate but this is not where the story takes place he's actually being carried he's in he he he's in route to this gate called Beautiful where he sits every day but he's he's being carried by a couple friends who seing Peter and John about to go into the temple he asks alms of them verse four and Peter fastening his eyes upon him and and I want to stop right here because most everybody else who's passing by this beggar is looking away why is that well is because it's very easy to look away from a need especially when you don't want to get involved and and something within us sometimes I feel we feel like if we look away from a situation and act like we didn't see it we don't have to be responsible for it you know what I'm talking about it's kind of like you know you get off at you get off off Interstate 40 at Cedar Bluff and there's always somebody there with a sign right oh always somebody there with a sign and and and the fact is Brother Dean there's probably people that are there often times that have legitimate needs whe whether they've uh they're not able to to to get assistance and they're not able to work and and and they're trying to feed their family and sometimes man if they really want to get they really want to just just pluck those heartstrings man they'll have their dog with them and then if they really want to get you they might have a small child with them right and what do you want to do if you're like me brother or now you might be differently but if if it's me I'm on my way to go get something I'm way to go find something I'm way to I'm on way to a restaurant I'm on my way to pick up something from printage there on Cedar Bluff and my natural reaction is to look the other way because then maybe they won't realize maybe just maybe they'll think that I didn't see them so therefore I don't feel I don't have to feel heartless right there there was this one time my wife and I we were we were we were preaching in in uh Denver Colorado and the only guy that I've ever thought about no not really but he had a sign that said we'll work for marijuana and I I I I didn't give anything to him but I thought this guy is making some money because he he's he's kind of gotten out of the box you know everybody else has a sad story he's got a big old smile on his face and he's twirling his sign around and he puts it in front of your window and I saw people in front of me rolling their window down and I'm thinking to myself oh my I didn't give him any money but typically the people that are truly in need it's so easy to look away and actually not acknowledge the issue but I'm here to tell you tonight we've got to acknowledge the needs that are surrounding us matter of fact that's why we started the free program because we acknowledged that there was a need because people were were were abusing substances and be people were addicted to things I I'm talking about people in Blunt County a county where we are we rank high with meth we rank high with different kinds of drugs that are that are being made in in Laboratories if you will and and for whatever reason Blunt County ranks really high in the state of Tennessee with with with these drug Labs our city and even even in the church church we can't ignore the elephant in the room which is even people that are sitting on pews are addicted to things and we can turn our heads and just say you know what they just need to pray more and we just got to believe that they're just going to they're somehow going to get off this the this this drug or or or stop drinking or or pornography or whatever it is but instead we said no we can't look away we've got to address we got to look at the problem we got to look upon the problem and we got to start a free class and brother and sister white thank you so much much for your faithfulness every Sunday to the free class they got Monday Bible studies I know that John stones are a part of that brother young and all brother Kenny we got we got so many people that that all we don't even know the people that they're giving Bible studies to and they're going into homes and they're reaching after people why is it because they looked up instead of looking away Peter and John looked at the situation looked at the problem and said wait a minute I've been given a power in the chapter before I've been give the power to do something about the problem that he has I thank God there some 30 years ago we started a marriage Retreat and I know I I know that that probably majority of people that go to marriage Retreat you go because it's one of the most fun social events we have all year we have listen if if you're missing marriage Retreat because you think it's just a bunch of people with bad marriages that come together you're you you're sorely mistaken we have so much fun without you but we wish you would come and be a part of it but then there are also those that 30 years ago the Carpenters Saw You know what we got some some issues in some marriage we we're going to bring some people in we're going to bring some some counselors in and some pastors and preachers and and teachers that are going to come in and work with people with their marriages because a good healthy marriage is important somebody say Amen good healthy Mar listen you can be married and not be happy and you're going to feel like you live forever but I've got I've got I've got such a um a good friend I made a good a new friend named Ted Ted and Danny and you'll see him on Sunday morning sitting in section six um Ted's 81 Danny's 76 um I never never thought I'd have good friends that were about three generations Beyond me but it's working out it's working out we we just we give lunch together it it's it's awesome you know we're to we're so separate generations but there's so much fun to talk to um and probably because I love history and I love just I love just hearing stories and I just let them talk but Ted lost his wife back in January and when he talks about his wife I mean you would think that they got married five years ago because he talks about how amazing his his marriage was he he said he said he calls me Pastor ER he said pastor ER he said I can't even he said I have not cried one time since my wife passed he said I'm in mourning but I've not cried one time and he said and the only thing I can think it is is because we had such a wonderful marriage I regret nothing and so all my thoughts are just so happy about my wife and they had been married I don't know 50 Years or or or probably more probably 60 years or or better and and he says it just flew my I don't know how but it just flew by and that's what happens when you're in a marriage that's good and and so years and years ago the Carpenters they said you know what it's going to be fun it's going to be great time for social it we're going to we're going to Fellowship we're going to get to know each other better and all that good stuff but the main thing was they didn't look away when they saw marriages that were faltering that needed help and thank God for how many marriages have been saved have been resurrected because of marriage Retreat we you'll never know because something about it every year you get more and more and got the influence what what about our Christian School what what our Christian School some 40 years ago I believe it's been now started or how many years ago was it 30 years ago 30 years ago that they started the Christian School oh my goodness when we started looking out they started looking out and see our kids will not be raised in Egypt our kids when they took the Bible out of school they took morals out of school they took character out of school and of course we could have looked away and and listen I'm not throwing off on other churches but it's a lot of work having a school is a lot of work it's not easy it's not something you do because you just enjoy having 250 Kids on Campus all day long every day it's work I I got Pastor friends will tell me they're like yeah we sure ain't starting a school that's just a mess yeah it is a mess yeah every day having kids 6 weeks old to 18 you're going to have mess every single day talk to talk to Brother suvin people me in his office every day I see kids sitting behind Sister Amy at the desk in trouble who did you bite today kids walking out all chewed up the church has to support the school because the school can't support the school come on I'm just being real we could have looked away it would have been so much easier for the carpenters just say you know what we'll just homeschool the kids we'll just for you know all the church they can just take care of their own kids whatever whatever is best for them but they said no we want to have an academy where we can build character where the Holy Ghost can fall in a chapel service where people can get baptized in Jesus where families like where's the canos I just saw move where the Kano family can bring their kids to daycare and then decide to enroll them in the school and now here we got you got you got one graduate you got a senior this year I can't can you believe that sister Mel what happened little Colin what happened to little Colin it's G to be a senior came in the daycare I remember feels like yesterday came in the daycare but thank God for a church that didn't look away when they saw the need and saw the problem oh my God I thank God we're about to start a training center for missionaries and a training center for for church planners and a training center for musicians and music leaders we're to start a training center for discipl makers why because the world is getting darker and the church must get brighter Peter and John they fastened Their Eyes Upon This beggar and you got to imagine come on you you got to jump into the story with me brother John Stone we got to jump into the story because we're reading the Bible thousands of years later okay but you got to look at Peter and John who just received the gift of the Holy Ghost they've been following Jesus Around Jesus man he's been doing these awesome Miracles he been cing storms he's been raising the dead calling ra Lazarus out of the grave he he been doing unbelievable we're talking feeding 5,000 7,000 eight however many thousand we're on the hillside feeding them with a with with Five Loaves and two fish he he's been doing this these unbelievable things and now Jesus is not here and now can you can you just imagine they they didn't have the New Testament to read about miracles right we can we can read the New Testament and and it's easy for us to believe in Miracle signs and wonders because we have all kinds of stories we could read about it but what about Peter and John when now they have the Holy Ghost and now it's up to them it's not Jesus anymore now it's up to them to allow power to flow through them and I just I just can see them as Peter and John are fastening Their Eyes Upon This beggar and it's obvious this guy had never walked in his life it's it's obviously he's been laid up because they've been coming to the temple to pray every day as long as they can remember and this same guy has been at the temple call the gate called Beautiful every time they pass by but they had enough within them to say you know what we're going to try out this power that we have today and so here we go he says oh Peter fastened his eyes upon him and and he said look on us and and and then what I get out of this story right here is that this beggar whether it was shame because of his condition whether it's because he was in a constant depression because of his condition I don't know what it was but apparently he was not looking at Peter and John so Peter had to say hey hey look look look me in the eyes have you ever told somebody that look hey I especially your children look me in the eyes and and it reminds me in the Book of Psalms of the psalm that says lift up heads oh ye gates and be lifted up be Everlasting doors remember that for the king of glory shall come in who is the king of glory the lord God strong and mighty the Lord God Mighty in battle and I think about the power of the Holy Ghost That Came Upon Peter and John as they're looking at him and they're saying we need you to look up at us because no longer do you have to live a life of shame but lift up your head because God's about to do something amazing for you and I believe even in this house today there might need to be a par shift where where people who have their head down and and their shoulders slumped and and and so many things have gone wrong in their life somewhere along the way you got to have a paradigm shift and realize that God wants to do something great for you you got to get out of where you've been and realize that God wants to do something amazing in your life uh his Bible talks about his ways are his thoughts are towards you for an expected end he wants to see something great take place in your life it's so the very first thing was we got to get you out of this whole mentality of poor me and get you into the powerful me mentality and so the lame man he he gave heed unto them expecting verse five to receive something of them then Peter said Silver and Gold Have I None and there's listen there's a good chance that we don't have what the world is looking for I'm not just talking about money I I'm talking about what the world thinks they need and what they actually need are two different things when people come to the church here and and and I'm sure weekly I if not daily we have people that stop by our office and and and who want to uh fill out the application to receive receive funds and and again I'm not putting any I'm not putting anybody down I know there are legitimate needs where people really have legitimate needs but the fact of the matter is Apostolic is is like top of the list on the phone book you know what I'm saying make their way through and and but I think I think to myself we may not be able to give you financial help but we can give you something that surpasses Financial that that's what Peter was saying he's said hey silver and gold I I I I don't have it or I don't have it to give to you but such as I do have woo he he said such as I have give I Thee and I preached messages before entitled such as I have and and I thank God for the power of the Holy Ghost but those next three words is really what jumped out of this passage it says give I Thee and here's what I've really come to preach because if you activate the power that lies within you listen it's not just for us to enjoy personally and I thank God for every Goosebump that I feel when the Cho singing every time I get up and I get a microphone in my hand and I sing songs and and I I I sing the best of my ability and I I feel the holy ghost coming on me and I might hit notes that I can't normally hit but the Holy Ghost come I thank God for the Holy Ghost I thank God for anointing but that's truly not why the Holy Ghost was given it's the benefit of the Holy Ghost but that's not why the Holy Ghost was given the Holy Ghost was given so we could share he said Silver and Gold Have I None but such as I have give I to thee and so we got to look at ourselves and wonder are we giving to this world what God gave us to give to the world you say well how do you give your Holy Ghost away you give your Holy Ghost away because the power that is inside of you and resides inside of your being again it's not just a one-way ticket to heaven and I know you I know it's essential I understand it's a plan of salv part of the Plan of Salvation but that's still not why the Holy Ghost was given the the Holy Ghost was given you shall receive power to do what to be witness to be what does to be a witness mean it it doesn't say to witness and a lot of times I know we see that word witness and we think to ourselves uh that means like bringing your Bible to work in sharing the gospel and again it does include that but what we're doing is we're witnessing to a generation or to our generation the power of God we're showing that God is able to do Miracles and signs and wonders God is able to change your life God's able to pull you up out of a life filled with sin and set you up on a rock set you on a foundation where you can build your family where you can raise your children where you can have health or where God can do things through you oh as I begin to read this story things began to jump out at me that had never jumped out before and I got to thinking if I'm going to activate the power that lies within me and I'm going to give it away there has to be three things there's there's three p's that must be present there has to be purpose there's got to be a problem and there's got to be power and your purpose is revealed in someone else's problem come on think about it as a child of God as a Believer as someone if you've been filled with the Holy Ghost now I didn't just say that you receive the Holy Ghost I'm talking about if you're filled with the Holy Ghost we have to look around and see the problem the reason why Peter and John were successful in Acts chapter 3 was because they saw the problem and they did something about the problem they realize here is my purpose here's why I'm going to be a witness right here of the power of God this is why I receive the gift of the Holy Ghost in Acts chapter 2 and that's when the power is activated when you use it for the purpose of the problem so Peter he says such as I have give I Thee in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk he said such as I have give I Thee and he took him by the right hand and lifted him up and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength and he leaping up stood and walked and entered with them into the temple walking and leaping and praising God and and this might not mean much to some people but if you've ever been in a car accident where you had to go through therapy to learn how to walk again anybody ever everybody ever had that happen because I I visit I visited a lot of you in the hospital when you were when you were going through therapy to to learn how and and that just seems it seems Elementary but you truly have to learn how to walk again this guy had never walked in the first place he had never crawled in the first place he had been lame from his mother's W he was born this way he was born disfigured in a way that he could not walk but here we have him walking and leaping and praising God and that that does something for me because I think God you're you're so much more than just a miracle worker you could have just corrected his legs and he would have had to learn to walk from that point on he would had to go through therapy and learn to walk and I'm sure he would have been more than excited to receive that kind of healing but our God does more than enough Our God not only healed him but when Peter grabbed him by the right hand and pulled him to his feet and showed him hey this is what it feels like to stand up on your feet when he got up on his feet he began to LEAP up and down he began to shout and began to praise God it kind of reminds me and I I know I've said this before but I'm still working on it I promise you I'm working on it but I'm working on a song called the dance of the Redeemer brother Kenny and you're the one you brother Kenny if you've ever seen brother Kenny come out of the choir loft he does what he does today the same way he did it when he first got the Holy Ghost the very I remember man he had that long flowing hair and that I think you had a f Man chew or something you had something going on chewing something going on in front of you and man I I remember watching him and when the Holy Ghost hit brother Kenny woo man he started stting to spin around like a top spinning so fast I don't know brother Bruce I don't know how he does it I'll pass out I'll be on the floor passed out or or doing something worse but man he gets something inside and you inspire me brother Kenny because I'm going to write a song called the oh the dance of the redeem now now I used to sing the Phil screen deem we sang the song of the redeem that's a good song probably needs to be revitalized a little bit but that's a good song but my song dance of the redeemed brother the Kenny all I can see is is a man who didn't know what to do with his arms and his legs they got so excited that felt the Holy Ghost in such a powerful way look back over his life in a way that he could not control himself and he didn't have the good old Pentecostal twep down come on weoo we know how to pick him up and put them down some of y'all a professional Pentecostal two steppers Bo he didn't know what he was doing it was just a dance of the redeem brother wo he just started fling those flailing those arms and spinning as fast as he can and brother Kenny you just keep on dancing like that because I love that something inside of me just go woo goes berserk when I see you do that because it's a dance of the redeemed it's a person that says I used to be living in a lifestyle of sin but God has delivered me from so much I don't even know what to do with myself I can just see this man right here leaping leaping and saying look at me look at my legs I'm l w I'm walking I'm praising oh you may be see that I don't know I again I read too much in the story sometimes my imagination gets out of control but I just see Peter and John trying to act as cool as they can walking into the temple and got this guy behind him woooo y'all see that that's going to go on YouTube as a clip I can feel it already thank God parison have her phone out but can you see do you all see what I'm seeing cool two two cool guys walking in and one crazy guy jumping up down like a Jumping Bean coming in behind him and everybody saw it and everybody realized who he was and nobody could believe it but they could not deny the power that they saw oh they could not deny it Bible says in verse 9 and all the people saw saw saw him walking and praising God and they knew that it was he which sat for arms at the beautiful gate of the temple and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him come on I my question today is what are you doing with your power are you activating the power that God has given you through the Holy Ghost I know I already read it but you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is coming upon you you're going to be Witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem in all Judea Samaria unto the uttermost part of the earth that's Jesus speaking if we're holy if we're filled with the Holy Ghost today we can speak the same words such as I have come on we we've got power we've got power we've never unleash we we've never used it to its fullest potential we might not even realize the power that's inside of us I I just wonder today I I wonder what would happen in the church uh if if the Revelation would come in that the gift of the Holy Ghost is not just one step of Salvation listen the the denominal world they think that the Holy Ghost is the third person of the Trinity and sad to say a lot of the Apostolic Church think that it's just the third step in the Plan of Salvation but it's so much more than that if we're just checking the box of salvation we have sold ourselves so short but we better wake up and understand the true understanding of what we have we've got the Holy Ghost and signs ought to be following every believer come on I know that the speaking in another tongue is the initial evidence but there's got to be signs following that prove that you have the Holy Ghost that's right matter of fact in Mark 16:15 very familiar scripture says he he said unto them go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to Every Creature he he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned and these signs shall follow them that preach the gospel these signs shall follow them that Pastor large churches no no no these signs shall follow them that believe are there any believers in the house come on someone we sell ourselves short this gospel was not given just the preachers not just the teachers it was not given just to those that that that we look at it we we the the the bishop JH Osborne's this gospel was given to every believer he shall in my name cast out Devils they shall speak with new tongues uh they shall take up serpents and if they drink in the deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover and they went forth here we go and preached everything whereare the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following amen there got there's got to be proof that we've got the Holy Ghost people we work with ought to know that we've got the Holy Ghost and it shouldn't just be because the way we dress I'm thankful we look different I'm thankful we're separated I'm thankful we're modest I'm thankful that our women look like women and our men look like men but there's got to be something Supernatural about us that people can see if they if you don't come to mind when they have a need in their life if they view you as just the next guy down the line something's wrong we we we've somewhere who we we've come up short somewhere but I don't believe that's what this church is about because I've heard too many stories brother Malone I I've heard you tell too many stories of people in the hospital coming up to you and say hey I I've heard stories of what God's done for you and I I know you're a man of the spirit and can you Todd can you come and pray for me my my daughter's sick my my daughter's got a disease in her body I know you've been healed of the disease can you pray over my daughter that that's that's that's proof that you've got the Holy Ghost when other people see it because we have signs following us oh come on we can't call ourselves Apostolic if there's no Supernatural involved in our life uh we cannot call ourselves Apostolic if there are no signs and wonders and miracles come on y'all looking at me like I'm like crazy oh brother Ericson bless your little heart we live in the real world come on you know sometimes we look at Miracles as if if we're not pulling people out of wheelchairs that we we're not we don't have any signs following us you you might speak a word into somebody's his life and help them with their marriage or help them they might have just lost a child and you can speak into their life you can speak hope into their life and a miracle is performed right there a sign followed you that you have something inside of you that they didn't have and that they needed and you fulfilled the need that they had you found your purpose in their problem listen this week I'm I'm going to look for people matter of fact this month pastor already said it there's Nicodemus there's people who are looking and wondering and asking what do I have to do to be saved how how can I have eternal life tell me I feel lost I feel like I feel like I'm doing all that I can do but I'm just not doing quite enough and I just believe this month that people I believe that that the hungry if we'll open our eyes and if we will look towards the need I just believe we're going to see people with needs and we're going to be able to walk out and say God speak through me into their life right now God I pray Lord God I know she's struggling I know he's struggling maybe I don't know maybe it's a financial struggle Whatever It Is God I may not be able to give them money and help them with their finances but God I believe I can give them hope acts 4 and4 says and as they spake unto the people the priest and the captain of the people of the temple and the Sadducees Came Upon them and being grieved that they had taught the people and preached through Jesus the resurrection of the dead and they laid hands on them and that was not a good thing and they put them in jail until the next day for it was now even time here we go verse four I love this how be it nevertheless many of them which heard the word believed and the number of the men was about 5,000 see this right here this one incident this one thiso Peter and John looking and fasinating their eyes onto this one problem they fulfilled their purpose they took them by the hand the power of Jesus the power of God F that hand that person rose up off that matth they were healed they began to dance and shout and 5,000 people were affected by one incident that's Revival if we can get into our minds sometimes we look well I wonder how we could have Revival in the church what can we do to have a Soul Revival it might just take one incident it might just take one Miracle it might just take one sign it might just take one wonder and Revival could take place in Blunt County why because there's people under the sound of my voice today that don't just have the Holy Ghost that didn't just receive the Holy Ghost but they're filled with the Holy Ghost and they want to make a difference in their Community they want to make a difference on the job they want to make a difference in their City this very same power that Peter that Peter had oh we had that very same power within us today if you have the Holy Ghost inside of your life we sing songs growing up I've got the Holy Ghost down in my soul just like the Bible says that's song I've got the Holy Ghost down in my soul just like the Bible said well I've been to the water and I've been baptized my soul got happy and I'm satisfied I wouldn't take nothing for my journey now just like the Bible remember that just like the B oh what about this one I've got it I've got it I've got it I've got it something about the power of the Holy Ghost I can't explain it but I've got it who I've got it you need it you need it woo remember let me tell you something we used to shout with that something you need it you need it something about the power of the Holy Ghost I can't explain it but you need it oh you need it we keep on going you can have it if you want it you can have it if you want it there's something about the power of the Holy Ghost listen it's a the same Holy Ghost we used to sing about in yesterday come on if you had the Holy Ghost 25 years ago the Holy Ghost doesn't loses power the Holy Ghost is stronger today than it's ever been God's doing more in the church today than he's ever done the church is bigger the kingdom of God has grown larger than it ever has listen we already possess the power we need to make a difference in our family in our home we already possess the power that we need to make a difference on the workplace but are you doing something with the power that you possess I want to minister to the Lost uh I want to win my lost family members uh and it's going to happen when I give I can't just receive the Holy Ghost such as I have give I Thee woo God help us uh oh God give us the Revelation oh God that the Holy Ghost is so much more than it get out of hell free card come on that's how we use it well I'm on my way to heaven I'm so glad another song We sang I am too Colin I want to take as many people as I can with me and I show want things happening around do do you know that all over this city there's churches that do not believe in healing they don't they don't believe in heal healing signs and wonders I don't I guess that verse wasn't meant for them I they might just tear that out of the Bible I don't know I don't know how you can get around that verse right there as if it was just for the day of Pentecost or or or that Century Church oh my God I'm so thankful we could have prayer service around here it's not just a ritual it's just not just a tradition well we have prayer service right before offering oh no when we bring those needes before God we really the Believers really believe something's going to happen when those when those names go across the screen the bottom of the screen we really believe that people are praying for them and something is going to happen brother Roger I have seven more minutes he told me they said I need you to end at 8:50 I really believe that I I believe we can we can walk into a situation and with the power that we have inside of us we can do something about it and again I don't I'm not trying to be all like people going to expect to just walk on water and calm storms and stuff I'm not I'm not going there I'm just simply saying there ought to be something happening in our life that causes people to be attracted to us in a way that they want to know why we are like we are and again not just why we look like we look why are you like you are why do I feel something when I'm in your presence why is it every time you walk into the door why do I feel a peace why do I feel Joy when you come to work why why why is it I I listen one of the greatest compliments one of the greatest compliments got a oh got a good friend Josh Petrillo man he comes to church here and and he has his kids in our school he he said he said the first thing I noticed when I walked into the academy was I just felt the presence of God when I walked in he said every time I walk whether I'm coming in to bring my daughter's lunch because she forgot it at home he said whatever it is he said I just feel something different it's not the building it's not the sheetrock it's not the carpet it's the people that are in the building it's the people of God it's those teachers it's those daycare workers he walks in and he feels a presence he feels so powerful what is that power I'll tell you what it is it's the power of the Holy Ghost and its signs and wonders following the Believers God help us bring the presence of God help us bring the power to every neighbor we have every cousin we have every Aunt we have every Uncle we have every brother sister daughter son father mother that doesn't have the Holy Ghost that's never experienced what we've experienced God give us Lord God the power inside of us such as I have give I Thee in the name of Jes Jesus let your marriage be healed in the name of Jesus let your daughter be healed in the name of Jesus rise up and walk out of that Financial struggle in Jesus  name stand to your feet and I I need you if you will please and and I preached I preached on this in several on Sunday and I said listen we've got to make a declaration that we are going to look we're going to believe that God oh listen pastor said at Cornel there's Cornelius is all over this County that are waiting on somebody to come to them in the month of August every Sunday morning please please every Sunday morning it's going to be EV an evangelic message it's going it's going to come from this Pulpit it's going to be to those that need the Holy Ghost they need the power of God living inside of them not just feeling it from the outside but living it on the inside get people here on Sunday mornings please get people here on Sunday mornings I I believe we could have a 50 Soul Revival in the month of August you believe that I believe if we would get busy and we would look for the need God help woo God help me not to turn my head away from the need but Lord when I go to work tomorrow God woo Lord God right now I'm making a declaration I'm gonna open my spiritual eyes and I'm going to look for people I'm gonna listen when I go to the water cooler on break time when people start to talk about their problems I'm going to start listening come on can anybody say that prayer with me and say God I'll be I'll be filled with the holy ghost in a way that there's going to be signs following me can anybody just wave their hand at me and say brother Ericson I believe this week I'm going to start looking for somebody that I can pour myself into that I can add value to their lives that I can tell them there's something more than what you have I've got something more my wife has something more my daughters have something more you too can have the same thing we  have come on somebody they're  hungry I feel the Holy Ghost they're hungry they're looking they're asking they've seen you they've watched you on YouTube they've watched you in the choir they know where you go to church they see how you dress they feel the spirit and they're hungry they're want to know how do I become like you how do I get my life in order like your life is in order we need discipl makers we need people that love to make disciples not just witness the people but disciple people come on come on you got to meet a Cornelius this week I believe even this week you can meet a Cornelius even this week even this week you can help somebody come on you can help somebody we're working on something I'm I'm almost through I'm through we're working on something for the movement be here for the movement because we're working we have got to develop and we're developing talking points and bible studies for all situations matter of fact right here you meet a Cornelius if you meet him at the checkout line at Kroger we're working on a minute a minute talking point for you to where in that one minute you know what to say to that person you you you may never see them again but you we're we're working on these talking points where you can just put some questions in their mind to where that Cornelius says oh so there is more I thought I had it all but but but so there is more where so it's a minute or whether it's a few moments or whether it's an hour or whether you have a season of time those four things that's what we're working on a minute maybe it's a few moments maybe maybe you're flying to Atlanta on Delta and you're sitting next to a person in the last five minutes of your plane flight they look over at you and they say hey what do you do for a living well I'm a Christian School at an Apostolic Christian School Apple what yeah and so we're working on we're working on talking points and maybe even just just like a five minute Bible study where you can could quickly bring them to a place where again a Cornelia can say oh this is what I've been looking for you give them the website you send them where to where to go look and find more information maybe it's an hour may maybe it's a season of time maybe you have maybe may maybe it's this is that Bible study maybe you have four weeks that you could give somebody an hour a week we're working on that please oh please understand it is our responsibility to be discipl makers we're all disciples I hope we're all followers of Christ I hope we we all follow his word and obey his word but God help us to be discipl makers God I want to share this gospel I want to demonstrate God's power to all people come on somebody if you'll promise with me that you'll do your very best to activate the power that's inside of you this month come on let's pray together God I believe Lord in closing today Lord God I believe Lord God that among this congregation standing before me we have hundreds of people people Lord God that are going to see a problem and they're going to fulfill their purpose through that problem Lord and they're going to apply power to that problem Lord God and because of it God we're going have people here on Sunday mornings we're have people filled with the Holy Ghost we're have people repent of their sins we're going to have people in the water of baptism I believe Lord miracles signs and wonders I believe hope and joy and peace Lord God are going to be spread throughout our community and Great and Mighty things are going to take place Holy Ghost Revival I want you to take place in this house uh in this city in this County in this part of East Tennessee Lord I'm believeing Lord God you're going to empower us on through your Holy Ghost you've given us Authority Lord God over the enemy and you've given us Authority Lord God in our community Lord God activate the power within us in Jesus name we pray and if you'll do that say Amen come on shout amen amen clap your hands one more time in Jesus name Jesus thing come on let's go out and win our community come on let's go out and win our community I believe we can do it look around you I believe if if any group of people can do it this group of people can do it come on