All righty.
Well, get that Bible out, get your sword out.
I better get some helpers here.
I can't see nothing.
There we go.
All righty, Luke chapter 11.
We've been kind of looking at the prayer that Jesus modeled.
And that took us a couple weeks to get through that.
the last thing that the Lord says there in that model prayer, but deliver us from the evil one.
And I don't know about you, but I need delivered from all three enemies that we have, right?
The world, the flesh, and the devil.
I need delivered from those things.
Because somehow one of the three seems to creep in and have its way with poor old Scotty Brown.
And yet God has given us everything that we need.
that pertains to life and godliness.
He's given us the equipment.
We just don't draw on it.
We don't pull our sword out of our sheath.
Right?
We don't engage in that spiritual battle in our prayer lives.
And it's one of the last things we do.
It's just wild to me.
And yet, here I stand.
Guilty is charged, right?
Have you ever just felt like you have this big neon sign on your forehead
that just flashes hypocrite, hypocrite?
hypocrite, right? And so I'm just thankful that the Lord gets that and he's full of grace and mercy.
But that doesn't, his grace and mercy doesn't excuse us, right? It doesn't excuse our wickedness
and our neglect and our complacency. It doesn't excuse any of those things. And so we're going to read
verses 5 through 13 here.
And I love it because it's all in red.
And you can't go wrong when you read the words of Jesus.
And so it says here in verse 5, after Deliver Us from the Evil One, it says,
And he said to them, which of you shall have a friend and go to him at midnight and say to him,
Friend, lend me three loaves.
For a friend of mine has come to me on his journey.
and I have nothing to set before him.
And he will answer from within and say,
do not trouble me.
The door is now shut and my children are in bed.
I cannot rise and give to you.
I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him
because he is his friend,
yet because of his persistence,
he will rise and give him as many as he needs.
And so I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you.
seek, and you will find, knock, and it will be open to you.
For everyone who ask receives, and he who seeks finds,
and to him who knocks, it will be open.
If a son asks for bread from any father among you,
will he give him a stone?
Or if he asked for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?
Or if he asked for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
if you then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?
Shall we pray?
Lord, your word is, it's infallible.
It speaks to us to our spirit, and it speaks life to us.
And so, Lord, we just, we praise you.
I praise you for this passage of scripture that has just rocked my world this week.
And I thank you, Lord.
I thank you that your word has that effect on your people.
Lord, help us to keep putting it in our hearts.
Give us a passion to read your word daily.
And God, that it would bear the fruit, that it would go forth and not return void.
And we know that's just what it is.
It's that sharp sword that cuts into our conscience and into our hearts and into our minds.
minds. And Lord, we pray that it would have its way with us today in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.
So it's interesting. Jesus gives a couple of parables here. And he starts with a man going to his friend.
And it's, if you have kind of a Middle Eastern idea, it says he comes to him at night.
and a lot of people traveled at night in that hot part of the world.
I remember we flew into Dubai some years back.
We were on our way to Intebi, Uganda.
And we flew into Dubai.
We got there at midnight.
It was 105 degrees at midnight.
It was hot.
And I'd never seen so many men wearing dresses.
You know, the white robes that the Muslim folks wear.
But they would travel at night because of the heat.
And Jesus uses this parable.
And he says, which of you, if you have a friend, and he comes to you at night,
and to ask you for bread, you know, I don't know.
I don't really like getting woke up at midnight.
but people would probably be okay with that, right?
They would probably want to help.
And in that culture, the custom of the day was the house was one room.
And there would be this elevated, raised platform where all the family slept.
And then down on the ground were all their animals, maybe a cow or some sheep and goats
and probably a few chickens.
And there was no way a man could get up, right, without disturbing the whole household.
He says, no, the door is shut, right?
And the custom was that they would help.
As long as they were awake, their door was open.
Because hospitality ruled in that culture.
Right?
You read throughout the Old Testament where the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the
strangers or the people that would sit at the city gate. And if strangers came in, they,
you know, they would go out and invite them in and be hospitable. You remember the angels there at
Sodom and Gomorrah. And they said, oh, no, you can't be out here at night or there. In the Kings,
there was a man, a prophet that him and his wife. And the man showed up and he says, no, you've got to come.
We just don't do that. I mean, it's stranger danger in our culture, right? You don't do that. You don't
take in a stranger. And yet, the Bible tells us even in the New Testament, hey, don't be so
quick to just throw off strangers, because some have entertained angels and not knowing it when
you see somebody have a need. And so it's important for us to be hospitable within reason,
obviously. But this guy is somebody who's coming. He has a need.
people have come to his house and he's getting interrupted.
He's getting roused out of his sleep.
Now, many believe that this part of this parable, the contrast, because there's two here,
but this one is a parable teaching us the importance of persistence in prayer, that you need to be persistent.
Now, I think prayer has a place for persistence, right?
it's kind of like breathing.
Prayer is the breath of a Christian.
Right.
Isn't that what Paul said?
Pray without ceasing.
How do you do that?
It becomes a lifestyle.
Right?
It becomes a lifestyle.
You pray off the cuff all the time.
We see Nehemiah, right?
Going in before the king and he's throwing up these little satellite prayers.
And that's, but I don't think that that's what this is teaching because I listen to pastor,
Chuck's teaching you on this and he says wrong it's not a prayer about it's not a parable about being
persistent but because if it was a parable about being persistent and Jesus in Jesus is teaching here
then the man in the house would represent God and you notice the man in the house here he's put out
he's said no go away God doesn't treat us like that we don't come to the Lord he says get out of here
I'm busy.
Isn't that a good thing?
I'm so thankful that the Lord's not like that.
And the only reason he would grant the request is the word persistency.
It means shameless persistency, right?
That he's just shamelessly tormenting this guy, to shut him up, to leave him alone.
It's kind of like that unjust.
judge that we see in Luke chapter 18. He grants the wish of the widow simply because she's past her name.
Now, I'm not saying that the Lord wouldn't do that, but he seems to be a little more long-suffering
than this friend that was inconvenient. The Bible teaches that God is ready. He's ready. He's
ready to hear us. Psalm 3415, it says, the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears
are open to their cry. So God here is ready to hear us. He is not burdened by it.
And the guy gets his answer, right? He's asking. He's persistent. The guy will give him the
bread to make his life easier. It says that about disciplining our children in Hebrews, right?
You give them a whoopin to make your life easier. That's why you give him a whoopin.
Because they make us look bad, don't they? Don't our kids make us look? They just make us look bad.
Like, I'm really not that way. No, that's what you're, you're how they got that way. Right?
They're just a reflection of their parents.
And, but God is, he's, he's ready to hear.
He's not, he's not put out by us.
He's a big boy.
He can handle all of it.
Think about it.
Just the people in this room.
We bombard the Lord in heaven with our prayers.
Hopefully.
Maybe some of us need some work on that.
I know I do.
Jesus tells us in Matthew, right, about prayer.
Matthew 6, verse 7 and 8, and he says,
when you pray, do not use vain repetition,
shameless persistence,
as the heathen do,
for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Therefore, do not be like them,
for your father knows the things you have need of
you ask him. God knows what you have need of, but are you willing to ask? So often we don't ask.
James tells us you, you have not because you ask not. You haven't been approaching the Lord.
And it's not like God's saying, no, you come on, you got to beg me, got grovel, get on your knees, get on your face.
It's not like that at all. So much of prayers.
help
please help
I know that's me
Ecclesiastes says this
Solomon in his wisdom he says
do not be rash with your mouth
in other words be careful
what you say even in prayer
and let not your heart
utter anything hastily before God
for God is in
heaven and you are on earth therefore let your words be few and i think this is it was a great example
with the thief on the cross he just said lord remember me when you come into your kingdom so simple
so sincere because god truly looks at the heart he's not he's not impressed by the flowery
prayers that people offer up people i think people
People waste a lot of energy and prayer that is, they just, those words just fall to the ground.
Like instructing God, instructing God what's going on in this person's life.
Really? Like God don't know. You got to tell him every detail.
No, just bring the person before, Lord bless them. Lord touch their life. They need healing. Lord, heal them.
You don't have to be all, I don't want to, I don't want to diss on the charismatic, but you don't have to be crazy.
right? And inform the Lord of what he already knows.
Just let your request be known. Let your words be few.
Peter tells us in 1. Peter 5, 7,
casting all your care upon him for he cares for you.
God cares for us. He loves to hear us.
Talk to him.
I had my grandson
And the other night, he was at the house.
He said, Papa, come downstairs and fight with me.
Let's go fight.
I said, yeah, and I'm going to whip you.
He said, no.
He said, I'm going to get you.
You're Goliath, and I'm David.
He's got this big old rubber band thing.
He flips it at you, you know.
And I got to be careful how I fall now.
It's just going to break everything.
I stagger over to the couch and fall down.
I only got about three of those in me,
and then I run out of air, you know.
But I am elated when that little boy talks to me.
I'm just thinking, Lord, did you get that giddy about us talking to you?
Just giddy.
Hey, I ain't heard from you in a while.
What's going on?
He loves it.
His thoughts toward us are as the sand of the seashore, the Bible says.
That's a lot.
Well, then in verse 9, he says,
So I say to you, ask.
You've been asking?
What you've been asking for?
Ask for the Lord's will to be done.
Ask for him to forgive you.
right that might be the first thing that needs to happen because then he goes on and he says ask and it would be given to you seek and you will find knock and it will be open to you
Jesus said if we ask anything listen according to God's will people say man I've been talking to Lord about this for a long time and I just don't get no answers no I think you got your answer not today
Not yet. Wait. Or absolutely not. You know, God does. He answers that prayer. Yes, no and wait. And,
but you have to be okay with that, right? Don't we have to be okay with coming to the Lord? And whatever he tells us is what we should do?
No, you shouldn't do that. Or yes, go ahead. I always get that backwards. He says yes, and I don't. And he says, no, and I
do. That's just a good way to get in trouble. But ask. It's an imperative. Please ask. God's ready for you
to ask him. And like I said, it might need to be asking for forgiveness first, but the psalmist tells us
that if we regard iniquity and in our heart, God does not hear us. So start with a clean slate. Oh,
Lord. Oh, Lord. I know I haven't done a lot, but I know I've sinned. Please forgive me.
Or you could be like the guy laying in bed saying, Lord, right? I haven't sinned, haven't
gossiped, haven't committed adultery in my heart, haven't murdered in my heart yet, but pretty
seem I'm going to get out of bed. Right? And things might change.
and seek.
Seek out what God has for you.
Don't be scared.
So many people I think that they're afraid to approach God
because they think God's going to ask them to do something
that they don't want to do.
Can I just tell you?
I've been walking with the Lord since 1985
and God has never asked me to do something that I don't want to do,
that he hasn't already put it in my heart.
Delight yourself in the Lord.
the Bible says, and he will give you the desires of your heart. In other words, he puts the desire
in your heart. So delight yourself in him. Come boldly before the throne of grace. Don't be timid.
And thirdly, knock. Knock and it will be open to you. All kinds of opportunities.
When I surrendered my life to Jesus and I realized God had called me into it.
to the ministry, I had no idea what that looked like. Honestly, I still don't. I don't know what I want
to be when I grow up. But I didn't know what that looked like. But all of a sudden, as I just
surrendered and said, Lord, I'm yours. He just starts opening doors, an open door here, an open door here,
an opportunity to minister here. Sometimes it was just people that I knew. Sometimes it was family
members. Sometimes it was a co-worker, right? But God will open doors. You just have to be ready.
to go through that door.
You can't say, Lord, use me
and then not have a prayer life,
not have a devotional life,
not be walking with the Lord.
Nothing's going to happen in your life, right?
If you're not surrendered and you're following him,
you're moving forward in your relationship with God.
Nothing's going to happen if you're not asking,
seeking, and knocking.
And I know this verse gets war out.
In fact, my brother even used it for his ministry song, Seek First, right?
Matthew 633.
Seek first the kingdom of God.
All these doors will begin to open.
God, it's like you seeking the Lord is not like knocking loud.
And the Lord's just ready to open the door for you.
To be used by him.
It can be as simple as greeting somebody at the door, right?
going down and helping at the church.
Three guys went over to the building yesterday,
and they were just a blessing, showed up,
and had sweet fellowship.
I got a free lunch.
It's a good deal.
But just be ready.
Be ready for the Lord to open those doors for you.
For everyone who asks, receives,
and he who seeks fines,
and to him who knocks, it will be opened,
It says there in verse 10.
So that's on you.
That's on me.
We have to be doing these things.
Some people are just passive.
Oh, well, if God wants me to have a car,
he'll probably just put one in my driveway.
God wants me to have a job.
Somebody's going to call me.
You know, I'm so needed.
No, you got to get out and knock on doors
if you want a job, right?
Got to seek and ask.
That's how it happens.
Really, Jesus really gets to the point here in verses 11 and 13 where he says, listen,
if a son asks for bread from any father among you, will you give him a stone?
Or if he asked for a fish, will you give him a serpent instead of a fish?
or if he asked for an egg, will you offer him a scorpion?
Now, if the first one is questionable about going to a friend at night, right?
This parable hair, in contrast, is absolutely ridiculous.
I mean, what father would do that?
Well, Victor Marx's father would have, but I don't know if you've heard his testimony
is insane. But any loving father, if you ask for a piece of bread, he's not going to say,
chuck a rock out. Hey, chew on this rock, kid.
So it's so much, and it's about relationship, right? This is a relationship with a friend. The first one,
the second one is a father and a son. It's much more intimate.
it. This is the point that Jesus is getting at. And so no father in their right mind would treat their child that way.
My little grandson asked me, Papa, I want an apple. And so I went and I was, I was frantically looking for an apple because I want to bless this kid because I want him to like me.
right and so i go i go running in i'm going through i'll say so bubba i can't find i can't find an apple
and and so um he goes oh papa i'll take an orange so i go over and i start peeling an orange i look
over and there's this apple right this apple i said hey i found an apple and i peeled it for him
and I put it in a bowl and I served them.
That's what I want for my kids and my grandkids.
That's the kind of love.
You know, it would have been me like saying, oh, towns,
I can't find an apple, but there's a frozen chicken turd out here on the sidewalk,
and I'll chip it up and you can gnaw on that.
What do you think about that?
My wife has chicken crap all over our place.
We do get a lot of eggs, though.
And then Jesus, he gets to the point.
In verse 13.
And he says, if you then, check this out.
If you then being evil, he's talking to his disciples.
He's talking to his apostles.
If you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?
That's the point, right, that Jesus is getting at here.
You guys are evil.
And even as evil as you are, you would not do that to your child.
That is ridiculous.
that is beyond evil to treat them that way.
We never need to doubt God's desire, right, to pour out his spirit on us.
He desires to do that.
Many times the roadblock is us.
It's our heart.
We're not ready for it.
I remember praying, this is a family member.
And I looked at him, I said, listen, God can feel you with this Holy Spirit.
He can deliver you from all this stuff you're doing.
It's all wicked.
I know, because I used to do it with him.
I said, it's all wicked.
And God can deliver you and fill you with this Holy Spirit and use your life mightily.
And he goes, yeah, I don't think I want that.
There's a lot of people like that.
There's so many people like that.
So the problem is in us receiving the Holy Spirit.
It's not God's desire to give it.
It's interesting to me that Jesus at this point should introduce the subject of the Holy Spirit
because what's he talking about?
He's talking about prayer.
Right?
It started back in verse one.
When you pray, say, our father, right?
Takes you clear down through, then gives you these.
these illustrations here and the subject to introduce the subject to the Holy Spirit.
And it's all the disciples fault. They're the one who asked for it, right?
Hey, Lord, teach us how to pray. And then he takes them through the model prayer, the two illustrations,
and he ends up here with the Holy Spirit. And so when you think about prayer in the scriptures that we have
in our laps right now, that the greatest asset and the greatest motivator for prayer is the Holy Spirit.
So first Jesus gives us a model prayer, then he gives two illustrations of prayer, right?
In relationship, one's kind of a distant relationship, the other one's intimate between a father and a son,
teaching us to ask, seek, and knock.
And then he comes around and brings us to the one who has the power to enable us to pray effectively in our lives.
Because how many times, folks, listen, I want you to think about, how many times when you've got this pressure on you, you think, I need to pray, and you don't know what to pray?
You're a loss.
It may be something that's just absolutely overwhelming you.
And you just like, oh, you're just grown.
You don't know how to pray.
You ever have that happen?
Yeah.
A lot.
A lot in my life.
Sometimes you just have a sense.
I need to pray.
Maybe the Lord will put somebody on your heart.
And I've received text.
Man, we've been praying for you.
The Lord just put you on our hearts.
That's the Holy Spirit, right?
Thank you, Jesus.
Please keep listening to the Holy Spirit.
And the Bible teaches us to pray in the Spirit.
Oh.
Oh, where are we going to go with this there, Pastor Scottie?
Where are we going to go with the praying in the spirit thing?
It's kind of a mysterious.
Well, isn't the Holy Spirit kind of mysterious?
You can't see him, right?
But the Bible says we can grieve him.
We can grieve the Holy Spirit.
And we can quench the Holy Spirit.
And we can blaspheme the Holy Spirit.
Ouch, that's a scary one.
It tells us in Romans.
Romans chapter 8, verse 26 and 7, says, likewise, the Spirit also
helps in our weakness. And I hope you realize we're weak when it comes to this prayer thing.
For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the spirit himself makes intercession
for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now he who searches the hearts knows what the
mind of the spirit is because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
So God moves us.
Years ago, Pastor Rick made us go through a book called,
Oh, fresh wind, fresh fire.
And this pastor's daughter had gone off the rails.
And he called the elders and it just called a special prayer meeting just for his daughter.
daughter. They said they came together and all the people could do in unison is grown.
And they prayed for her. And the Lord did a cool deliverance and got a hold of her heart.
But it was the Holy Spirit. It was the spirit groaning through them. And that's why I say sometimes
they just go, oh, help. Please help.
he can interpret that it's a good thing huh that's pretty cool
Paul talks about this and and in excuse me first Corinthians 14 right when you look at
the gifts of the spirit where it says in verse 14 of 1 Corinthians 14 and 15 says for if I
pray in a tongue he's talking about the gift of tongues now he says if I pray in a tongue he says if I
my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. In other words, he doesn't really know what he's praying.
He doesn't understand the language. Some think it's a heavenly language. Some think it's a,
it's a different tongue or a different language in this world. I don't know. That's something I don't
know. But do I believe in the gift of tongues? Absolutely. In fact, I have the gift of tongues.
And it's it's a least of the gifts. So I don't say that boastfully. I'm just saying that it's legit.
right because a lot of people don't think it is but he says so but my understanding is is unfruitful
what is the conclusion then i will pray with the spirit and i will pray with the understanding
i will sing with the spirit and i will also sing with understanding so in this context it's talking
about a prayer language that you can actually sing my sister-in-law sings in a prayer language
and she sounds much better in her prayer language.
But it's your spirit.
And for me, the gift of tongues, that's what I've hardly ever spoke it in an assembly or in front of people.
It's usually when I'm in my closet and I'm groaning and I don't know what to pray,
but I have a release in my spirit and I can pray.
in an unknown time.
I do not know what I'm saying.
But the spirit of God is like magnified in my heart.
Because the Bible says that you're speaking right to God when that happens.
I was in the building yesterday.
I went back after the guys had left and it was dark.
And I mean, darker than the inside of a cow.
It is so dark in that building.
And you can see that just by driving by, right?
Everything's dark.
And I'd shut off all the lights.
Scott, you idiot.
I'd left my phone in there.
So I was going to go a long way around, and I just put my hands up, and I just started
praying in the spirit.
First, you know, my first thought as I'm praying in the spirit is, Lord, don't let me catch
a two before in the forehead.
But I'm praying in the spirit, because in the darkness, I could sense evil.
Right?
In the darkness, I could sense evil.
And I'm just like, oh, ho, I know what this is.
And it's real.
it's a real evil
and a lot of evil things went on in that building
but we're going to redeem it amen
by 2030
but it's powerful
and saying my spirit
praise Paul again emphasized
the essential function of the gift of tongues to communicate to God and not to man.
And God can give you that gift. Have you asked for it?
If you knocked, I said, hey, hey, Lord. I did.
I was in my 20s and Rick said, hey, Scotty, me and Tammy got the gift of tongues.
I said, you did. I said, what did you do? So we asked God, and he gave it to us.
I said, really? Well, I'm coming to your house.
So I went to his house and my wife was there watching some kids and I snuck in this room and I just got on my knees and I said, Lord, I want that gift.
And boom.
Whoa.
This is kind of freaky.
But over the years, it's served me well.
Right?
It's done my heart good.
It helps me because I'm so lame.
I can't come up with a prayer.
on my own.
David Goozick says,
for some, this bypassing of the understanding is undesirable.
They never want to relate to God except by and through their understanding.
And while we value our intellect and understanding,
and while we dedicate ourselves to loving God with all our mind,
we also appreciate the limitations of our understanding.
Or we should anyway.
and thank God for a way to relate to him that goes beyond intellect.
And I'm not smart enough anyway.
But I've heard horrendous stories.
So if you don't know, we're basically,
out West Bible Church has the major influence of Calvert Chapel.
Right.
And Calvert Chapel has the distinctive that they,
a book and everything.
But it's how I grew up in the faith, believing that God's word doesn't change.
I believe in all the gifts of the Spirit.
But a lot of people don't believe that.
And a lot of people are afraid.
They're so afraid of the Holy Spirit.
In fact, I heard this one horrendous story about a warning to people,
you got to be careful about totally opening up yourself to God.
You got to be careful, right?
You got to be careful about totally opening yourself
because some have done that and become demon possessed.
Now, on one such account was a friend of a cousin of an aunt who knew somebody.
So it had no credence whatsoever who had received the gift of tongues and there was someone there
who understood the language and said that they were speaking blasphemies against God.
And that's a fear that some people have of the Holy Spirit.
Can I just, God doesn't work that way.
Isn't that what Jesus just told us?
Here we ask for the Holy Spirit and goes, here, chew on this demon for a while, boy.
Right? That's not how God works.
And obviously these stories are not, but they're repeated in churches.
I heard when I came to Water Springs years ago, a gal said, hey, you got to be careful when
you pray.
Kind of keep it on the download.
Because if you say certain things and then Satan knows about it, then he can attack you.
What?
That's ridiculous.
and yet people believe that.
No, God's a loving father.
Ask and you will receive.
Seek and you will find.
Knock and it will be open done to you.
But Paul was dealing, this is nothing new.
Paul was dealing with this in 1st Corinthians chapter 12 where he gives a list of nine gifts.
But some had believed that when someone spoke in an unknown language that they didn't know,
that they were speaking blasphemies.
And so Paul addresses it, and he says here in verse 3 of chapter 12 of 1st Corinthians,
therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the spirit of God calls Jesus cursed.
And no one can say that Jesus is Lord, listen, except by the Holy Spirit.
Now, some say that the gifts are not for today.
I really struggle with people that would say that.
because aren't they taken away from God's word?
Doesn't the Bible says you don't take anything away or add anything to?
I believe it says that.
More places than one.
Old and New Testament.
So if they say, then the gifts aren't for today.
What gifts?
What gifts are you talking about?
Right?
You go through that list.
The gift of faith?
So the gift of faith is not for today.
Because they're all there together.
So it's like you're digging through God's treasury of gifts and think,
I like that one, yeah.
Right?
Who becomes the authority?
You do.
Right?
That's scary.
And especially if they say they attribute to what you're doing in the spirit and your spiritual gift,
they attribute that to Satan.
That's blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.
When you attribute a work that God is doing to Satan, isn't that what they tried to do with Jesus?
He cast them demons out by the hand of.
Beelzebub.
And that's where he says, right?
Hey, you, a house divided can't stand.
Boy, doesn't that sound like America right now?
A house divided can't stand.
Satan's not going to cast out Satan.
He wants his talons and anyone he can get his hands on.
So what gifts?
What about the gift of prophecy?
I believe my little brother has the gift of prophecy
because when he teaches the word of God
it just comes alive
I pray that I have that gift
the gift of healing the gift of the word of knowledge
the gift of discernment
pick and choose
but just say no
the Bible says they're all relevant for today
for us
we're just too stinking prideful
to humble ourselves and ask for
them. That's the problem. I am not hesitant or scared one bit at all to come to God and say,
Lord Jesus, give me, Holy Spirit, give me all you got. I need all you got. All you can give,
all I, all you entrust me with, I'll take, Lord, please.
And Lord goes, hey, I can work with that.
I can work with humility.
I can work with something who knows they're not all that in a bag of chips.
Psalm 8411 says,
For the Lord God is a son and shield.
The Lord will give grace and glory.
No good thing will be.
he withhold from those who walk up rightly.
Did you see the condition there?
Those who walk up rightly.
Are you seriously going to walk with God?
Because God's not going to pour his gifts out on someone who just says, yeah, whatever.
You get serious.
You get serious about walking with Jesus, right?
You put your sin behind you.
You fight it like you're in a street fight.
You fight it with all that you are.
and chase after Jesus and seek first the kingdom of God
and he's got a whole bunch of gifts he's just ready to pour on you
so ask seek and knock
Ephesion 6 tells us praying always with all prayer and supplication
in the spirit being watchful to this end
with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints
have a prayer life, decide to do it, dedicate to do it. And I promise you, you won't regret it at all.
It's an evil thing to limit the spirit of God. It's an evil thing to limit the spirit of God and what he wants to do.
So if you want the Holy Spirit, then ask. And if you don't, then it's on you.
it's on you
and when life gets crazy
and you're getting your
spiritual heinie kicked all over the place
and maybe
maybe you'll be ready
I know it took that for me
so
I'm going to ask a prayer team to come up now
Buster's going to come up and do a closing song
during this song
if you want to ask for the Holy Spirit, just with boldness,
just come boldly before the throne of grace.
You come up and pray with somebody up here.
I need the Holy Spirit.
I want the Holy Spirit.
I want the gifting that the Holy Spirit has available to me.
Whatever God will give me, I'll take.
Amen?
Let's pray.
Father, thank you for your word.
Thank you, Holy Spirit.
that you're willing to come and reside and be with us and be in us and and fill us.
And you'll continually fill us, Lord, as we seek you and as we yield our hearts and our minds and our
spirits, our bodies to you, Lord.
So have your way.
Holy Spirit, move.
Give gifts to your children.
Lord, as we seek you and as we ask, fill our cup.
Lord, you know that these are troublesome times and you've called us to redeem the time.
And Lord, we can't do it without you without the supernatural indwelling of your Holy Spirit.
So Spirit come, fill us up in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Let's all stand, shall we?
I'm sorry.