UNHINDERED
UNHINDERED
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Week 3 - Unhindered Power
Last week we started a new series called UNHINDERED.
We are basing our new series on this scripture…
Acts 28:30-31 NASB
“Paul stayed two full years in his own rented lodging and welcomed all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching things about the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, UNHINDERED.
The very last word of Acts could very well be the first word of faith for all those who believe.
The word UNHINDERED here in the Greek means “freedom, unreservedness, fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, assurance.”
Today, we are going to look at what it means to have UNHINDERED POWER
Power is an interesting thing isn’t it? It’s all around us, it impacts our lives every single day, and yet at the same time - what is it? How do you accurately measure power? Can you get more of it? Can you lose it? And as it pertains to Christians… What exactly does it mean to live UNHINDERED POWER in the Holy Spirit?
As we continue our series UNHINDERED, I’m excited to tackle this idea of UNHINDERED POWER and I’m looking forward to unpacking what on earth UNHINDERED POWER could mean for followers of Jesus. The same Jesus who commanded legions of angels and yet humbled himself to the point of death and humiliation. His power was an otherworldly one, in other words, UNHINDERED POWER. It was something that has never been seen before or after…
The main “power source” of Christians is the Holy Spirit. This, the least understood member of the triune Godhead, also happens to be the one that Jesus felt we needed even more than himself.
In fact in
John 16:7 (ESV) He says, 7Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you..”
How many of you need a helper? How of us need “power” to overcome? Power to break addiction? Power to live an UNHINDERED LIFE?
PRAYER PRECEDES POWER.
It says in Luke 5:16 NLT
16 But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.
Now why did Jesus do this often? We see here in Matthew when the disciples struggle to set a little boy with a demon. Jesus came and rebuked the demon and it came out of him…The disciples asked him why they couldn’t cast it out…His reply?
Matthew 17:21 NKJV
21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
We should follow Jesus’ lead to know that prayer precedes power.
Those of us who long to see God’s UNHINDERED POWER released through us can be inspired to create a strong foundation of prayer and intimacy with God.
This means that we should be taking time to pray, petition and listen.
The word used for ‘power’ is dunamis. Our English has taken the Greek as a root for words related to power such as ‘dynamite.’
1. strength power, ability.
a. Power for performing miracles
b. Moral power and excellence of soul
c. Inherent power, power residing in a thing (person) by virtue of their nature,
When we pray, it is like laying the dynamite in advance, ahead of time.
The UNHINDERED power of the Spirit is ready to be released, but not yet activated. Then when in obedience to God we proclaim, or go, or speak, or offer prayer, it is like lighting the fuse. God’s power is unleashed or UNHINDERED, the works of darkness come crashing down, and Father’s purpose is accomplished!
1 Corinthians 4:20 NLT
20For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.
We see the Early Church doing this after they had just been thrown into the jail…
Acts 4:31 ESV
31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
PURPOSE PROVIDES POWER
When Jesus ascended into heaven He left the disciples with this command dare I say PURPOSE.
Acts 1:8 English Standard Version
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
What is a witness?
In the Greek this word may surprise you.
1. Witness
a. In a legal sense
b. An historical sense
• One who is a spectator of anything
c. In an ethical sense
• Those who after his example have proved the strength and genuineness of their faith in Christ by undergoing a violent death.
Does the American church seem to not walk in power? Could it be that it is no longer a witness for Christ? The church has lost its PURPOSE?
We have turned to fancy lights, cutting edge music, nice buildings, programs, self-help sermons, instead of being witnesses of the resurrection power of the Jesus Christ!
Could it be that the power of the Holy Spirit is connected to the witness of Jesus Christ?
A witness for Jesus can strive in their own strength or thrive in the Spirit’s strength. So, how do we know if we are witnesses empowered by the Holy Spirit?
POWER FOR PERSECUTION
When we pray in humble expectation to receive the Spirit’s fullness. By faith, we confess and repent of sin and embrace our Heavenly Father’s love and forgiveness. The Holy Spirit fills our hearts once we have emptied ourselves of dependence on our gifts, abilities and experiences.
As many of you know, the gospel message isn’t always a welcome one. In fact, there is often great hostility and peril in preaching the saving truth of Christ to others.
On Wed nights, we have studying the Book of Acts. It’s been amazing how the early church faced chapter 4 we begin to see just how much trouble those early disciples were getting themselves into. Peter and John are even instructed by the Jewish leaders at the time to STOP sharing the gospel, but look at how they responded;
Acts 5:27-32 English Standard Version
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
This is not a human response, this is what having the UNHINDERED POWER to share looks like. These “ordinary men” were able to do extraordinary things because of the Holy Spirit in them.
And the crazy part of this is that the same Spirit that enabled Peter and John is also enabling you and I. We’ve also been given power through the Spirit. We also have the strength to share with others and to take the gospel message to the very ends of the earth. We also have the power to stare down persecution, humiliation, and anything else the enemy may use to discourage us from telling others about Jesus.
Will it be easy? No! Will we have difficulty? Yes! But just like the disciples we read about in the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit will also give us the POWER to PERSEVERE as we seek to answer the call or purpose of Christ in our lives.
Everyone suffers at some point or another. Everyone experiences pain, hardship, and adversity. Everyone has trauma. No one is exempt and no one gets a free pass… And if we had the time today we could go around the room and swap stories of suffering, pain, disappointment, trauma, and loss.
The truth is that there are seasons that we don’t have the capacity to work through on our own— We NEED help. We can feel hindered, stunted, and discouraged in our life and faith.
POWER MADE PERFECT
But thanks to the gift of the Holy Spirit, we can experience unhindered access to divine power, strengthening, and the ability to persevere through any situation we face. Not to say that we miraculously transform into superhuman-incredible-hulk type beings, but to say that 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV
9But he said to me,” My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Where do you feel the Spirit leading you today? Where would you like to experience more of the unhindered power, strength, and ability of the Spirit in your life?
To share the gospel with others?
To persevere through difficult seasons and situations?
To love the unlovable?
In the Old Testament the Spirit only showed up on special occasions to specific people for specific times/seasons. But now, through Christ, the Spirit isn’t hindered by times or seasons. The Holy Spirit is available to all who believe.
Prayer precedes power
Purpose provides power
Power for persecution
Power to persevere
Power Made Perfect
Let’s meditate on these powerful words of the Apostle Paul from
Philippians 4:13 NKJV
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
I love the GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION of this verse:
I have the strength to face all the conditions by the POWER that Christ gives me.
Let’s pray together for a greater filling, understanding, and appreciation of this incredible gift that God has freely given to us.