SORTING SYMBOLS FROM SUBSTANCE

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SORTING SYMBOLS FROM SUBSTANCE

• John 1415-18 Acts 21-4

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Jesus had promised

• If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16
  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you
  another Counselor to be with you forever 17 the
  Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him,
  because it neither sees him nor knows him. But
  you know him, for he lives with you and will be
  in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans I
  will come to you. Jn 1415-18

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• When the day of Pentecost came, they were all
  together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like
  the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven
  and filled the whole house where they were
  sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of
  fire that separated and came to rest on each of
  them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy
  Spirit and began to speak in other tongues?? as
  the Spirit enabled them. Acts 21-4

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Signs symbols have purpose

• But the sign only points to the real thing.
• Symbols only signify something.

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At the other end of the spectrum are "Results
Evidences"

• They are real and important, but they are
  products of something.
• Somewhere there is essence -- what is it?

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The coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of
Pentecost was accompanied by

• Signs.
• Evidences.
• But let's not miss the Essence of the event!

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RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS
1st

• They were God given

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Signs Symbols of something, but not that
something.

• Wind is used as a sign of God's Spirit.
• Fire was considered by Jews to be a symbol of
  the divine presence.
• Prophetic utterances were associated with the
  Spirit's coming.

Jerusalem
Sinai
Horeb
Carmel
Jordan/baptism
Transfiguration
But these are only signs
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INSIST ON EVIDENCE
2nd

• These must be tangible and noteworthy

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• Powerful proclamation of the Name of Jesus.
• Peter at Pentecost -- 3,000 were added to the
  church.
• 48 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said
  to them...
• 431 After they prayed, the place where they were
  meeting was shaken. And they were all filled
  with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God
  boldly.
• Miraculous powers of healing.
• 31-10 The man crippled from birth at the temple
  gate.
• 512 The apostles performed many miraculous signs
  and wonders among the
  people...
• 515-16 As a result, people brought the sick
  into the streets and laid them on beds and mats
  so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on
  some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered
  also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing
  their sick and those tormented by evil spirits,
  and all of them were healed.
• Purity of Heart.
• God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted
  them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as
  he did to us. He made no distinction between us
  and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.
  -- Acts 158-9

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EXPERIENCE THE ESSENCE
3rd

• God wants to do something wonderful!

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All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit...
Acts 24

• God came!
• He came personally, individually, and fully.
• Not more of Him
• But into more of us

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When the Holy God comes to abide in you
There ought to be some distinctives by which we
can know He has come What signs or evidences
might we look for by which to be sure?

• Sinning is done
• Enabled to live above sin
• Fear is history
• If God loves us, who do we need to be afraid of?
• We dont crave cheep stimulants, destructive
  thrills, selfish power trips, etc.

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Living life as a natural man.

• We so easily settle for the lesser thrills.
• We crave the results and evidences
• But God has the "real thing" for us.

Step up and receive His fullness.