GOD’S WORD FOR SEPTEMBER 4

We are reading from a daily devotional  called “Running To Win” written by Erwin Lutzer  and the late, great D.L. Moody.   Erwin Lutzer is a light in our day as D.L. Moody was in his.  Besides his many ministries, and many books, Pastor Lutzer was Senior Pastor at Moody Church in Chicago for 36 years and now serves as Pastor Emeritus there.  He is  Chancelor and a former professor at Moody Bible Institute, where he taught Theology and Ministry, and now has numerous radio teachings.

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SUPERNATURAL WITNESS

Acts 1:8

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

D.L.MOODY

If  these early Christians had gone out and commenced preaching then and there without the promised power, do you think that scene would have taken place on the day of Pentecost?  Peter would have stood up and beat against the air, while the Jews would have gnashed their teeth and mocked him.  But they tarried in Jerusalem; thy waited ten days.

“What!” you say, “with the world perishing and men dying!  Shall I wait?”

Do what God tell you.  There is no use in running before you are sent; there is no use in attempting to do God’s work without God’s power.  A man working without this unction, a man working without this anointing, a man working without the Holy Ghost upon him is losing time after all.  We shall not lose anything if we tarry till we get this power.

ERWIN LUTZER

Why do we need the Holy Spirit to share the gospel’s power?  We face two obstacles:  first, the human heart resists the gospel’s exposure of sin and it’s call to trust Christ as Savior.  Second, Satan blinds minds, distracts thoughts, and hardens hearts.  Only God’s power overcomes these!

But we do not have to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit in the same way the disciples did.  The coming of the Spirit at Pentecost ushered in the new era of the church, and after that event, all believers everywhere are indwelt with the Holy Spirit.  But we do have to wait before the Lord in repentance and faith so that we experience the filling of the Holy Spirit.  Only then can we have an effective witness for the gospel.

PRAYER

Father, please help me to take time today to seek you for the filling of the Holy Spirit.

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1 Timothy 4:1

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,

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Ephesians 1:13-14

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

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John 4:24

God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

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Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

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1 Corinthians 2:14

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

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2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

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Genesis 1:2

The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

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1 John 4:1

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

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Romans 8:11

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

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2 Peter 1:21

For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

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