WE HAVE THE SPIRIT OF GOD

Acts 2:17
God has poured out his Spirit on all people. We all have the Spirit of God.

1. I'VE GOT MY MIND MADE UP

Romans 8:5-8
Q. What is your mind set on?

Q. What consumes your thoughts and dominates your mind through the course of the day:
- considering how to surprise and encourage your spouse, or grumbling and complaining about your spouse?
- meditating on your morning Bible study, or criticizing the ministry and the people in it?
- thinking about how and who to reach out to, or are you too caught up in yourself to do that?
- thinking of creative ways to improve your Bible Discussion group, or lusting and entertaining all manner of impure thoughts?

The sinful mind is the mind that is not controlled by the Spirit and is not in step with the Spirit. This mind does not submit to, i.e. obey, God's law, the Bible.

Q. Do you participate in church activities or merely show up? Do you simply agree with what you are taught but then not follow through with obedience?

Q. Whom have you made up your mind to please - the Bible or your boss, your feelings or your faith, the opinion of people or the word of God?

To set your mind on what pleases God, you must be in the word of God daily and be praying at length every day. If you are too busy for that, you will destroy yourself. Make up your mind to let God's Spirit control your mind.


2. I HAVE A DREAM

2 Kings 2:7-18
Elisha had seen the power and the fruit of the Spirit in Elijah's life, so rather than get down or depressed - or go into denial, like the 50 prophets - at Elijah's departure, he had a dream. "Give me a double portion of your spirit," he said, because he had a great dream for what he could do for God if filled with the Spirit of God that had brought such effectiveness to Elijah's life.

We, too, must have a dream - a dream that we will live for, sacrifice for and die for - and beg God every day, "Fill me up with your Spirit."

There are many things that the Spirit brings to us, such as, Acts 13:

- Faith and Fruit
vv. 2-4;44-49 Sent out by the Spirit, and undoubtedly filled with him, Paul and Barnabbas gain boldness and preach with great effect. They have faith and bear fruit.

- Indignation and Intensity
vv.8-10 Paul is indignant about Elymas' sin and confronts him. Later, vv. 38,39, Paul is equally indignant, though he does not employ words as strong as those he reserved for Elymas. Indignation with sin is not about shouting at people. It is about hating the sin and helping the sinner. We need to be indignant and intense about our own sin too.

- Revival and Renewal.
After having a "regular"-size crowd, a congregation, in verse 42,43, a week later, v. 44, "almost the whole city" showed up. What a difference! This is revival. Things can change very quickly and emphatically when we let the Spirit of God fill and lead us.

- Energy and Enthusiasm
vv. 49-52 In face of persecution and their leaders' being expelled, the church is full of joy, brought by the Spirit. With joy comes energy and enthusiasm, which we can all experience, even in tough times.

The first letters of the above, when combined, spell F-I-R-E. When we have a dream and let the Spirit fill us, we will not put out the Spirit's fire, but will fan the Spirit's power into flames in our lives.

Let's go for it! Let the Spirit fill you with awesome, incredible kingdom dreams. Let us be of those who say, "God, I have a dream, so please fill me with a double portion of your Holy Spirit."

We all have the Spirit of God. Let him fill us that he may control our minds and enable us to live out great, godly dreams.