Sermon Notes

22 Jan

UNLIMITED HOLY SPIRIT IN THE GLORIOUS NEW TEMPLE

Unlimited Holy Spirit in the Glorious New Temple

Sunday – 22th January 2023

 

Overview

 

1. Introduction – The Temples mentioned in the Bible

2. The Unlimited Holy Spirit in the More Glorious Temple

3. The Unlimited move of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament paved way for the creation.

4. Unlimited Power and Authority of the Holy Spirit given to the Church

5. The Unlimited Grace of the Holy Spirit

6. The Unlimited Beauty of the Holy Spirit

7. Conclusion

 

Introduction - The Temples mentioned in the Bible

 

This is the message preached by Pr. Anish Mano Stephen.

 

This is the fourth part of a series of messages on “New Temple More Glorious”

 

This year the Lord told us as a church that 2023 will be more glorious for the Church of God. The Lord spoke to us from the book of Haggai

 

I will shake the nations, and their treasures will be brought here. Then the brightness of my glory will fill this temple. All silver and gold belong to me, and I promise that this new temple will be more glorious than the first one. I will also bless this city with peace.

Haggai 2:9 CEV

 

In the previous weeks, we saw the magnificent temples of Jerusalem that were built for the Almighty God. There are only three temples mentioned in the Bible. The first temple, The temple built by King Solomon was made of riches that were handed over to Solomon by King David. And during the time of its dedication, the fire from heaven lit up the sacrifice and the glory filled the Temple of God. The Second Temple was built under the leadership of Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, and of Ezra and Nehemiah. They all worked hard and built the temple. But the second temple was not as magnificent as the first temple. And at this point, God is promising through Prophet Haggai that the Glory will fill this temple and this temple’s Glory will be greater than the former glory. But the prophecy did not get fulfilled at the time of Prophet Haggai. 

 

Now, in the New Testament, on the day of triumphant entry, for the first time, the King of Glory, Jesus Christ himself, was entering the second temple to fulfill the prophecy given to Haggai that the Glory of the latter temple will be greater than the Glory of the former temple. The earlier temple just saw the clouds filling it and the Glory of God was not manifested as a person but here, the real King of Glory was walking into the temple and people did not understand it (Luke 19:41,42). 

 

But the Agape love of God did not forget us, rather, as we read in 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Do you not know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?” He made us the temple and as Ephesians chapters 1 and 2 say, God, united us with Jesus Christ, the King of Glory, and transformed us into a glorious temple. 

 

Unlimited Holy Spirit in the More Glorious Temple

 

And I pray that he would unveil within you the unlimited riches of his glory and favor until supernatural strength floods your innermost being with his divine might and explosive power.

Ephesians 3:16

 

Ephesians Church is pastored, pioneered, imparted, taught, and prophetically driven by Apostle Paul, and where the handkerchief of Paul healed the sick people, and still, Paul is praying for the Church to understand the unlimited Glory which will release the unlimited Holy Spirit. Ephesus was a famous port city, where people from all over the world came for business as well as to worship a goddess named Diana. During the first century, these gentiles did not know Jesus or the church, because all they knew was a foreign God was being preached in their cities and the glory of the goddess Diana was brought down by the ministry of a Jew. And when miracles and wonders began to happen in the city through the church, it is very strange to the people. In that situation, Paul with his anointing, being a glory carrier, pioneers a fantastic church, and the Ephesus church becomes a glory hotspot, where miracles are happening to this Church Apostle Paul is praying that the church should understand the unlimited measure of God.  

 

Ephesians Church is a Revival Church that has a fantastic history mentioned in the book of Revelation. Paul is writing to this church about the unlimited riches of God’s Glory. As we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, as individuals, and as the Body of Christ, Paul says that we have hidden riches inside of us. In ancient Kerala, there were kings who went to wage war, and when they won, they plundered the opponent nation and accumulated all the treasures and wealth, and stored them in their worship places. So, the place of worship becomes the treasure place of most of the riches of the King. This is the exact replica of what the Bible says, where there is Worship, there is Presence, and where is Presence, there is The Glory, and where is the Gory, there are treasures for us. 

 

According to the Word of God, we were sent into the world with one purpose which is to manifest His Kingdom and His Glory. The Church is the Body of Christ and it is the temple where the Glory of God is present, it is not two individual institutions but one body with one purpose. We are built together as living stones by the holy calling of the Almighty God. And to this church, God wants to unveil the unlimited riches of God’s Glory. In the Old Covenant, when the Glory came down, the priests could not stand to do the sanctification. Later, the voice of the Lord came in and told the people to humble themselves, call up a holy fast, and sanctify themselves, so that the Glory will be retained. (2 Chronicles 5,6 and 7). In the Glory realm, a change does not happen when we desire, but we have to flow, offering, sacrificially giving ourselves, and allowing the Lord to change and mould us, and help us to sustain the Glory which we have received. We should not limit the revelation of God’s Glory which we have received, but pray and ask God to open our eyes of understanding to understand the riches of God’s Glory, which is the Unlimited move of the Holy Spirit.

 

Unlimited Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

 

The first time, when there was an unlimited move of the Holy Spirit is recorded in Genesis 1. The creation was the display of the unlimited move of the Holy Spirit. In the creation, there was an atmosphere set for the unlimited move of the Holy Spirit. The Word of God becomes Life when there is an atmosphere for the unlimited move of the Holy Spirit in our life. 

 

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

Genesis 1:2 NKJV

 

The word ‘hovering’ here means, the Spirit of the Lord is waiting for an action to be done. It is the same word used in Matthew 3:16 when Jesus came out of the water, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove and ‘alighting’ upon him. The Greek word used for ‘alighting’ and ‘hovering’ are the exact same words. Jesus set the platform for the Holy Spirit to begin the new covenant ministry as in the Old Covenant, God set the platform for the unlimited move of the Holy Spirit. 

 

Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing. 

Isaiah 40:15

 

The greatness of the Holy Spirit is incomparable. Nations are like a drop in a bucket for Him and v.22 says the inhabitants of the earth are like a grasshopper to Him. He came down. He moved. He initiated and prepared a platform, an atmosphere of the Holy Spirit so that the Unlimited measure of the Holy Spirit will be available to the Glorious Church of Lord Jesus Christ. We should not grieve the Holy Spirit or devalue Him or use the Holy Spirit for anything else other than to manifest the Kingdom of God and the Glory of the Almighty God.

 

Unlimited Power and Authority of the Holy Spirit

 

He does what he pleases with unlimited power and authority,

Psalms 135:6 (TPT)

 

The unlimited Holy Spirit will release unlimited power and authority. So, when we say Holy Spirit is unlimited, it is not the size of the Holy Spirit. It is about what the Holy Spirit will do. Unlimited Holy Spirit means Unlimited Power and Authority. 

 

a. To cast out demons

Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word this is! For with authority and power, He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” 

Luke 4:36 

 

The unlimited power and authority first operated in the ministry of Lord Jesus Christ. And when the Unlimited Power operated through Jesus, it attacked the demonic spirits. When this unlimited power and authority was manifested upon Jesus, no demons could stand against Jesus. 

 

b. To bring souls to Salvation

Unlimited power will bring people to salvation because the primary purpose of the Holy Spirit is to finish the mission that Jesus had started. We also read in the book of Acts of the Apostles that when the Unlimited Power and Authority of the Holy Spirit was in action, many souls were added to the Kingdom of God.

 

c. To heal our body and soul

“Confess and acknowledge how you have offended one another and then pray for one another to be instantly healed, for tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer!”

James 5:16. 

 

Unlimited power is released for healing. But one of the reasons why God is not able to manifest God's glory in our life is because somewhere or the other, we need to confess our sins. And then the Bible says, it releases unlimited healing in our life. Healing is not just for the body. Healing is even for our souls. If we can tune into the voice of the Holy Spirit, he will unleash his tremendous power and our heart, mind, and our soul will be instantly healed.

 

Unlimited Grace of the Holy Spirit

 

So, here is what I’ve learned through it all: leave all your cares and anxieties at the feet of the Lord, and measureless grace will strengthen you.

Psalms 55:22 (TPT)

 

There is unlimited grace when the Holy Spirit is moving in an unlimited way. The other term used for Grace is favor. When we have the unlimited Holy Spirit in us, we will start experiencing favor in all the areas of our life and we will never struggle in our life. The Bible says God's favor was upon Noah, it was with Moses. The Bible again says the favor of God was with Jesus. God’s provision went ahead of them. The church should walk in the favor of God. And also, whenever we have any anxieties or cares, the Bible says that we have to leave it all at the feet of Jesus, the measureless Grace of God will strengthen us. The Church is not to suffer other than for Christ. We are not called to suffer for life, Apostle Paul says that we are more than conquerors (Rom 8:37). Jesus finished everything on the cross, and Jesus said, we will do greater things than what He did. When Paul says that we are more than a conqueror, the real conqueror is Jesus. And because He is the head and we are His body, He will fill all of us with His completeness and His Unlimited Grace will sustain us.

 

Unlimited Beauty of the Holy Spirit

 

They will tell the world of the lavish splendor of your kingdom and preach about your limitless power.

Psalms 145: 11

 

The unlimited Holy Spirit will reveal the unlimited splendor of the kingdom of the Almighty God. When the unlimited Holy Spirit works in our life, unlimited beauty will come into our life. Because in the concept of beauty of the world, we all have limitations. Our real beauty is not our appearance. Our beauty is reflecting the King of Glory in our life. Galatians 5:22 (TPT) says about the fruit of the Holy Spirit which is produced in divine love with His varied expressions. The joy that overflows, the patience that endures, the peace that subdues. It is written to a higher degree in the TPT translation which is showing the unlimited Holy Spirit there. Love, which is divine with varied expressions, the joy that overflows, it is not normal joy. We will always be full of joy, overflowing joy. The peace that subdues. Kindness in action. All these things will happen when we are moving in the unlimited Holy Spirit.

 

Concluding Prayer

 

Lord Jesus, we pray that you will help us to offer our lives as a living sacrifice so that we would be able to host the Unlimited power and the Grace of the Holy Spirit and to be a manifesto of the Glory of God.

In Jesus Name,

Amen.