August 13th, 2000, Sunday Evening

"Pulling Together with Power"
We need every church member to 'pull together'

OPENING: Acts 4:32-33, KJV

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• How many of you have been in an old-fashioned Tug-of-War? You were glad when people would join behind you when you felt the pull of the opposition. You were usually organized with the pullers up front and the heavyweights in the back ... right?
  
  
• When you're pulling from a worthy opponent, you all need to work together on the team. If you have a strategy and you all pull together, in unison, and at the same, you will defeat your opponent.
  
  
• In church, everyone needs to join and pull together at the same time--even children. Everyone pulls or everyone hurts.
  
  
• Acts 4:1-3: Peter and John were beaten and thrown in prison for preaching about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Who in this country has been publicly beaten for doing this? No one ... yet. Don't joke--the time may come. This great country is going down the tubes at breakneck speed.
  
  
• Acts 4:29,32: The key here is being of one heart and soul--pulling together with power. As we yield ourselves to the spirit of God, we will come together as one.
  
  
• Acts 1:22: The purpose of the apostles was to be a witness for Jesus Christ.
  
  
• Romans 10:9: You cannot be saved without believing Jesus Christ rose from the dead. The Resurrection was proof His death was sufficient to pay for our sins--yours and mine.
  
  
• His death is our receipt to an eternal life. So when it's time for you to be justified to enter heaven, just pull out your receipt!
  
  
• Jesus Christ's death was a vicarious atonement for our sins.
  
  
• 1 Corinthians 15:1: This chapter is referred to as the "Resurrection" chapter of the bible. Jesus Christ didn't die to be buried. He died for our sins. That's why he rose again. If he didn't come back to life, what future would man have beyond our death? We'd be miserable through the rest of our life because we'd have nothing to look forward to!
  
  
  • Some people have claimed to "seen Elvis" or "seen the Virgin Mary." NEWSFLASH: Elvis (who died of a drug overdose over a toilet), Mary, Mohammed--they're all dead. They have not come back to life nor are they alive.
  
  
• When you pray for forgiveness, you can feel guilt for your sins but not be truly in sorrow about them. To have sorrow in addition to guilt when praying for forgiveness is a sign of being truly sorry--as if you were coming to tears--a true emotion.
  
  
• You need power to give the word of God to others.
  
  
  • #1. You need a testimony. In order to sway people to believe in the word of God, you need to give them proof of others' coming to Christ through their disbelief.
    
    
  • #2. Acts 4:31: Speak with the word of God with boldness.
    
    
  • #3. You need to be a group united with the same heart, mind, and thought--the ideal position of a church. As a group, speak one voice--not a multitude of voices. When one person says you sound just like someone else they know, chances are you and that friend are speaking the same mind, judgment, and voice--ideal Christian fellowship.
    
    
    • Acts 4:32
    • Romans 12:16
    • Romans 15:6
    • 1 Corinthians 1:10
    • Philippians 1:27
    • Philippians 2:2
    • 1 Peter 3:8
    
    
  • #4: Leadership -- You need a cadence counter when pulling that rope. The pastor will be the cadence counter. However, even after a while if you can't hear the pastor anymore, you should have the mindset of knowing at what moment to pull that rope--without encouragement!
    
    
  • Even little children can make the difference. As you keep adding little children to one end of a rope, inevitably, sooner or later, you will not be able to pull against the strength of the children!
  
  
• Who is this power available to?
  
  
  • Acts 1:22: To be a witness to the resurrection, you need power (and be baptized)
    
    
    • Acts 4:33: EXAMPLE: The apostles were given that power so they could witness
    
    
  • Acts 4:29: To those who would speak the word of God with boldness
    
    
    • While the apostles were the KEY to the successful prayers of the people, it took the prayers of the people to be successful. Therefore, always pray for your pastor!
    
    
  • Those who require this power are those who would attempt to do something spriritual; If you try witnessing in the flesh for the first time (without God's guidance or asking God first), one of two things will happen:
    
    
    • 1. You will quit
    • 2. You will invite and confess to God that you need Him in this effort
  
  
• How is this power activated?
  
  
  • Luke 11:13: To those who ask God
  
  
• Three things to do to come together:
  
  
  • #1: Acknowledge sin (Psalm 51)
    
    
  • #2: Ask for forgiveness (1 John 1:9)
    
    
  • #3: Accept forgiveness -- by allowing the Holy Spirit to take control of you. This is not demon possession. This is freely and willingly allowing the Holy Spirit to take control of the steering wheel in your head. The moment he steers you in a direction you're afraid of and you take the wheel back, the Holy Spirit is going to say, "Ok! You have the wheel!"
  
  CLOSER

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• To come together:
  
  
  • Pray you believe (in God)
  • Pray you repent (to God)
  • Pray you rely (on God)
  • Pray you relinquish (by giving the wheel to God)
  
  
• Acts 4:32-33: Let us, as Christians and churches, pull together with power today. God has allowed our church to stand today for a reason. Otherwise, we wouldn't be here or have a purpose for God.