THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD

SERMON STARTER

 

          It was 1969 and I was 29 years of age.  I felt myself to be a totally broken man. I incurred a work-related ruptured L-5 spinal disc. The pain was excruciating. It broke me physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I was especially spiritually bankrupt. I would roll out of bed at 5:45 am each morning, falling onto the floor. I continued to crawl on all fours into the bathroom. Early morning's hot shower soothed my back so I could stand.

          I was in that broken state when I decided my only path to healing was the Jesus Christ of the Bible I believed and taught as a Sunday School teacher. I sought out people I thought to be authentic believers to help me on my spiritual journey of seeking Jesus with my whole heart. I used what the 12-Step people call today call the Fourth Step. I took a fearless self-inventory of my sins, failures, and defects of character and wrote them all down.

          I then determined that using 1 John 1:9

⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I would confess owning up to God regarding the broken man I had become. I was able to confess my own contribution to the mess I got myself into. I was tired of the artificiality and surface religion of piety I has fallen into. I was determined to find Jesus and Him alone. Early on this journey of discovery for authentic Christianity I found the spiritual truths in today's message.

          In today's sermon I am using the first seven of the nine beatitudes to reveal interesting aspects of the nature of the Spirit of God. Today's sermon is an overview of the Seven Spirits of God.

 

Pastor Phil   <><<

 

 

         

 

January 10th, 2016 - Pastor Phil Roland

Sheepfold Ministries

 

THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD

REVELATION 4:5 - MATTHEW 5:1-12

"Earnestly, prayerfully repenting and seeking more and more of Jesus prepares our hearts for the actual coming of God’s Presence into the circumstances of our lives.  This alone is the seedbed of the revival we seek, long for and need.”                             Pastor Phil Roland <><<

 

⁵ And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.                      Revelation 4:5

The Book of Revelation Cites Four References that God is Spirit:

Rev. 1:4 - John observes “. . .seven spirits before God’s throne.”

Rev. 3:1 - “These are the words of Him who holds the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars.”

Rev. 4:5 - “. . .These are the seven spirits of God.”

Rev. 5:6 - “He had seven horns and seven eyes, these are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.”

 

Eg.  A PRISM = Within the one God there are seven qualities of His nature                              and being.”

 

GOD IS SPIRIT - John 4:24

²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:24 (NKJV)

Spirit = πνεῦμα = "pneu-ma" = Breath, Wind or Blowing

Similie - God is like. . .See John 3

 

THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD ARE FOUND IN THE BEATITUDES:

1.  THE SPIRIT OF POVERTY - Matthew 5:3

³ "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

            a) Believers who embrace Spiritual Poverty

          b) Francis of Assisi - 1182-1226

              "Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words."

               "Lord, Grant that I might not so much seek to be loved as to love."

THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD, CONT. P.2

 

          b) Rich Mullins - Refused Rock Star Status

               Rich only allowed himself a workingman's wage

               Gave the rest of his wealth to the poor

 

2.  THE SPIRIT OF SUFFERING - Matthew 5:4

⁴ Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.

            a) Overt pain-wracked wailing

          b) Use of Tears and Words to release suffering

          c) Healing happens through suffering

          d) No tearless entries into the Kingdom of God

 

3.  THE SPIRIT OF OBEDIENCE - Matthew 5:5

⁵ Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.

            a) Praouse - Picture: a horse submitted to Saddle and Bridle

          "Violence under God's control"

          "Exercising God's strength under His control"

            b) God is looking for Obedience from His kids, before Holiness

 

4.  THE SPIRIT OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS - Matthew 5:6

⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

            a) Americans try to fill themselves with what never satisfies

          b) Morgan Spurlock, Film, "SuperSize Me" added 25 lbs. in 30 days

                Isaiah 55:2-3
            ² Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what

            does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your

            soul delight itself in abundance. ³ Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear,

            and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you--

            The sure mercies of David.

          c) We long for more and more of Jesus in our lives - Psalm 42:1b, 2

                    ¹ . . .As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O

             God. ² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and                      appear before God?

          d) Righteousness = Equity of Character - The character of God

              "Are you the person your dog thinks you are?"

                               

5.  THE SPIRIT OF MERCY  - Matthew 5:7

⁷ Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.

            a) Merciful - "To get inside someone's skin"

          b) Empathy - To sense the situation and feelings of others

          c) Greek concept of compassion - Origin: Visceral organs of the gut

6.  THE SPIRIT OF PURITY- Matthew 5:8

⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

            a) Greek, Katharos, - To Cleanse by emptying out of inward heart

          b) Piety is the external attempts at purity 1 Samuel 16:7b

                    ⁷. . .For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward

             appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

 

THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD, CONT. P.3

 

7.  THE SPIRIT OF COMPLETENESS - Matthew 5:9

⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.

          a) Peacemakers = Reconciling differences between rivaling parties

          b) The Spirit of Peace is also the Spirit of Completeness.          

          c) Completeness is not brot about by individual acts of peacemaking

          d) Peacemaking  is the process of becoming Christ-like

 

WHEN THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD INFLUENCE US. . .

1. WE WILL SEEK MORE AND MORE OF JESUS - Matt. 6:33

³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

2. WE WILL DIE TO SELF- Galatians 2:20

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

3. WE REPENT OF PRIDE AND SPIRITUAL GREED - 1 Cor. 15:31

 “I die every day. I mean that, brothers, just as surely as I glory over  you in

  Christ Jesus our Lord.”

4. WE GROW IN SPIRITUAL MATURITY AND SPIRITUAL DEPTH

          a. We will walk like Jesus

          b.  We will talk like Jesus

          c. We will act like Jesus

It’s not what you do but who you are that counts.”  Pastor Phil 

 

 

 

THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD, TEXTS:

Matthew 5:1-12 (NKJV)
¹ And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.
² Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
³ "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
¹¹ "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
¹² Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revelation 3:14-22

 

¹⁴“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

          These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true      witness, the ruler of God’s creation.

¹⁵I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.

          I wish you were either one or the other!

¹⁶So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am     about to spit you out of my mouth.

¹⁷You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a           thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful,         poor, blind and naked.

¹⁸I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can    cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

¹⁹Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and          repent.
²⁰Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him,      and he with me.

²¹To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.

²²He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the       churches.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD

          The Penn-Ohio Unity Pastors Prayer Fellowship was founded by three pastors in 1994. We saw each other less as competitors for stray sheep and more as brothers and sisters in Christ serving the Chief Shepherd as His servants and under shepherds. Since then we have covenanted to regularly come together to seek God and pray for a God-sent, Holy Spirit-led revival. Every Wednesday morning at 9 am we have assembled in each other's churches and earnestly prayed for one another and for revival.

          Heartfelt, soul-rendering prayer before Almighty God touches His Heart and is keenly felt by Him. This is especially true when we who love Jesus come together in the spirit of unity. Every day we are faced with injustice, human cruelty, betrayal, rejection. . .Our cries to God over what is happening in us and in our nation are heard in God's Throne-Room.

          I am using the first seven of the nine beatitudes to reveal interesting aspects of the nature of the Spirit of God. Today's sermon is an overview of the Seven Spirits of God.

Pastor Phil   <><<