Acts 11 - The Growth of The Word (notes)

Acts 11 - The Growth of The Word

There Are 3 Keys To Unlock The Power Acts:

1. The name of Jesus.
2. The Holy Spirit.
3. The Word of God.

The Early Believers Were successful in spreading revival fires wherever they went because they knew the power of name of Jesus, the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the effect of the Word of God.

Today we will look at the power of the Word of God in the early church.

The Word in Acts

1. Acts 4:31
2. Acts 6:2
3. Acts 6:7
4. Acts 8:14
5. Acts 10:36
6. Acts 11:1
7. Acts 12:24
8. Acts 13:5
9. Acts 13:7
10. Acts 13:26
11. Acts 13:44
12. Acts 13:46
13. Acts 15:7
14. Acts 17:13
15. Acts 18:11
16. Acts 19:20
17. Acts 20:32

The Key Verse To Chapter 11

11 Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God.

The Jewish Believers Criticize Peter for going to the house of a gentile. So Peter tells them what happened to him and to Cornelius.

Peter talks about the vision God gave him and the Word of The Lord given to Him. Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean. This is repeated three times.

Peter tells them that the Holy Spirit told him to go to the Gentile’s house.

Important events

16 Then I thought of the Lord’s words when he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

17 And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?”

18 When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.”

19 Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews.

The Word of God Continued To Grow And Multiply:

25 Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.) 27 During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) 29 So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. 30 This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.

The Church

• Moves its headquarters from Jerusalem to Antioch: 28 one of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) 29 So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. 30 This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.
• Grows when the Word of God is unleashed. Let’s unleash the Word here, now!

Acts 11 - The Growth of The Word

Acts 11 - The Growth of The Word

this message was given on 8-26-12

Acts 10 - The Moving of The Spirit (notes)

Acts 10 - The Moving of The Spirit

In Chapter 10

We find the movement of the Holy Spirit…

• In the lives of two people and two cultures.
• Cornelius and Peter. One a Gentile and the other a Jew.

Being Full of The Spirit:

• Means being full of God. Dunamis or the power to reproduce.
• Is to walk in the fullness of God.
• Is to live under the anointing of the Spirit.
• Is to walk with Jesus in intimate fellowship.
• To be willing be guided and influenced by the Holy Spirit. To break new ground for the Kingdom of God.

What can we learn from a person who is full of the Spirit?

1. They have a deep knowledge of the Word.
2. They have revelation from the Word.
3. They know the heart of God because they pray.
4. They have been set free from the fear of man.
5. They are not intimidated by cultural or ethnic differences.

What We Find Here

• The breakthrough of God in the realm of breaking down wall of differences between cultures, ethnic groups or people groups.
• The way the Holy Spirit works through people who pray and who are kind and compassionate.
• How visions are part of God’s unfolding plan of redemption for people who are hungry for God.

The History of the expansion of the early church is one of the most amazing stories in history because it is the most important part of man’s experience.

The Events

• That shaped the history of the church and of the world.
• In Caesarea a man named Cornelius lived there. He was a Roman Military officer in charge of a hundred Roman Soldiers. Part of the Italian Regiment.
• He and his family were devout and feared God. He was a giving man, helped the needy and was a man of prayer.

One Day

• At the time of prayer (3 in the afternoon) Cornelius has a vision of an angel.
• The angel tells him that his prayers and gifts to the poor did not go unnoticed.
• Go to Joppa and send for a man named Simon Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner.

The Next Day

• As the men were on the way to look for Peter, Peter has an encounter with the Lord. Peter was in prayer when this happened. While in prayer, Peter gets hungry and as they were preparing the meal, he falls into a trance. He sees Heaven open and a sheet is let down to earth. It had all kinds of four footed animals, with reptiles and birds and hears a voice saying, kill and eat. Peter protests, I have never eating anything unclean.
• The message God was giving Peter was that he has being called to a new level of ministry, going to the Gentiles and presenting the Gospel to them.

God

• Has to tell Peter three times and then the sheet was taken back to Heaven. Heaven has visions for us. We just need to stay in touch with the Holy Spirit and God will reveal some amazing things to us.
• Tells Peter that three men were outside looking for him and to go with them. They tell Peter what Cornelius experienced. They spent the night with Peter. The next day they arrive at Caesarea. Cornelius called his family and close friends together. He falls at Peter’s feet but Peter tells him to get up, “I am only a man.”

Peter

• Gives a real encouraging opening statement. Its against the law for Jews to associate with Gentiles but God showed him not to call anyone impure.
• Asked Cornelius why he sent for him. Cornelius tells Peter what happened to him.
• Tells them that God is not show favoritism but accepts from every nation those who fear Him and do what is right.
• Then shares the Gospel with them.

Acts 10:38

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him.

(NIV)

While Peter

Is sharing the Good News something amazing happens. The Holy Spirit falls on them and they spoke in tongues as a result. The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the Spirit had been poured out on Gentiles. Peter then baptized them in water. Peter stayed with them for a few days.

The Holy Spirit

• Moved in the early church in amazing ways and wants to move in amazing ways in our lives today. We need to be hungry for God to move like that today. If we are not hungry for a move of God it will not happen to us. It might happen here but those who aren’t hungry for God will miss out.
• Don’t miss out on what the Spirit has for you be hungry for it and amazing things will happen.

Acts 10 - The Moving of The Spirit

Acts 10 - The Moving of The Spirit this message was given on 8-19-12

Acts 9 - The Purpose of Miracles (notes)

Acts 9 - The Purpose of Miracles

Peter

• Had one of the most amazing healing ministries in the history of the church.
• Continued to grow in grace and in the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
• Not only had a great teaching ministry but moved in mighty signs and wonders and miracles.

What happened in this portion of scripture:

Acts 9:32-41

• First Peter traveled from place to place. He wasn't a tourist, he was ministering to people in all the places he visited. The people in the places that Peter visited were touched by the Spirit of God. Miracles were normal.
• Ends up in Lydda where some believers lived. A man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and bed ridden for 8 years is healed.

What Peter Says

• To Aeneas: “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly. Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord.
• The purpose of Miracles is that God might get the glory and people get the message of salvation and come to the Lord.

Then Peter Goes to Joppa and a believer named Tabitha who had a ministry of helping the poor get sick and dies. They cared for her body and laid in an upper room. When they heard that Peter was in a nearby town they sent two men to ask him if he could come to Joppa. Peter returns with them. The room is filled with widows weeping and showing Peter the coats and clothing Dorcas had made for them. Peter makes all of them leave the room, kneels and prays. He then speaks to her body, “Get up Tabitha,” and she opens her eyes. God raised her from the dead. Peter calls the widows & all the believers and presents her to them alive.

Acts 9:42

The word spread throughout the town and many believed in the Lord. Peter stays a long time in Joppa, lived with Simon, a tanner of hides.

The Role of The Miraculous

• To bring glory to God.
• To bring people to God.

The Role of the miracles in the church has been misunderstood for many generations. The main reason for this is that many who have moved in the miraculous have been either taught false doctrine, had character flaws, mishandled money, practiced all kinds of strange practices or where strange and untouchable.

Jesus never had any of those traits. He taught the most pure doctrine, had the highest integrity, was the most humble and approachable man of all time.

This Does Not

• Stop me from teaching and believing in the ministry of healing and miracles. As a matter of fact we have a prophetic mandate, we must contend for healing and miracles. Whatever happens, God has called the church in various parts of the Word in this hour to contend for miracles.
• The model, the final authority for this is the book of Acts and what Peter experienced.

If It Was Not In the Word of God I would not even mention it. But because the Old & New Testament are filled with examples of miracles and healing and signs and wonders then I will contend for them. I will believe in them and that God desires to move in this realm today.

We Have A Choice Today

• Believe in and contend for miracles.
• Don’t contend for miracles and suffer the consequences for staying in unbelief and apathy.
• I want to contend for & believe in miracles with you and see what God will do!

Acts 9 - The Purpose of Miracles

Acts 9 - The Purpose of Miracles this message was given on 8-12-12

Acts 9 - Paul’s Salvation Experience (notes)

Acts 9 - Paul’s Salvation Experience

Salvation Is the most important event in the life of anyone. There are many terms the church uses, born again, saved, converted, knowing Jesus, becoming a follower of Jesus, What we call it is not as important as to have a genuine salvation experience with Jesus Christ.

What Saul Was Like Before Being Saved:

• 9:1 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers.
• He had an extreme hatred for the followers of the Lord.
• What Saul did was sincere, but he was sincerely wrong!

The Background of One of the Greatest Christians of All Time:

• Acts 8:1 Saul was one of the witnesses and was in agreement with the killing of Stephen.
• Acts 8:3 Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men & women to throw them into prison.
• Saul event went to the high priest & requested letters for the synagogues in Damascus requesting help in arresting Christians.

God Confronts Saul

• 9:3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from Heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting Me?”
• When God says enough or when God wants to stop someone He has all the resources to do so. Saul had no recourse but to submit. Who are you Lord?
• I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.
• The men with Saul were speechless, Saul picked himself up off the ground but when he opened his eyes he was blind.
• Saul is led by the hand to Damascus. He didn’t eat or drink for 3 days.

A Believer

• Named Ananias has a vision and God called him. Yes, Lord, he replied. Go to Straight Street to the house of Judas. Ask for Saul of Tarsus, he is praying to me now. I have shown in a vision of a man named Ananias coming & laying hands on him so he can see.
• Ananias protests, I’ve heard of this guy. God tells him that Saul is a chosen instrument to take my message to the gentiles & to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.

God Says

• That Saul (named Paul) would suffer much for the name of Jesus.
• Ananias goes and lays hands on Saul and tells him that Jesus who appeared to him on the road sent Ananias that Saul might receive his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
• Instantly the scales fell from Saul’s eyes and he regained his sight. Saul is then baptized. Then Saul eats & regains his strength.

Saul

• Stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days.
• Immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God.”
• Amazed all who heard because they had heard that this was the one who was devastating the church.

Saul’s

• Preaching became more and more powerful and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was the Messiah.
• Some of the Jews plotted together to kill Saul. They watched for him day & night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall.

Saul Arrived In Jerusalem and tried to meet with the believers there but they were afraid of him. They didn’t believe he had truly become a believer. But Barnabas brought him to the apostles & told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus & how God spoke to him. He also told them how Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus there.

Saul

• Stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching bodily in the name of Jesus. He also debated with some Greek speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him. So when the believers heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown.
• The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, & Samaria and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.

Acts 9 - Paul’s Salvation Experience

Acts 9 - Paul’s Salvation Experience this message was given on 8-5-12