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Of Star Wars Characters and Spiritual Gifts

I love the month of May. For the Star Wars fanatics, May 4th provides an excellent day for puns, weddings, and Yoda costumes. (For the uninitiated: May 4th plays on the famous quote, “May the force [fourth] be with you!”) Now that you’re sufficiently underwhelmed with puns, please indulge another play on a word, but this time from the New Testament.

Romans 1:11 – 12 and Romans 15:13 provide bookends repeatedly utilizing our English word “may.” Romans 1: 11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong – 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” Romans 15: 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul, ever driven to expand the Kingdom, expresses his dependence on and commitment to imparting Spirit gifts to the Christians living in Rome. His faithfulness to Spirit gifts exemplifies to we current Kingdom leaders that our best “life-change” strategy rests in what the Spirit provides to and through humble, strategic, hungry leaders.

With that same heart, we pray the 31 days in May will contain more Spirit movement in and through all our lives. May He manifest His power and gifts during worship services and prayer meetings. May He also express Himself through the people of God as we mingle at graduations, eat Tex-Mex on Cinco De Mayo, connect with mothers on their special day, or interact with Yoda, Darth Vader, and Luke Skywalker impersonators on May the fourth.

Yours for making Kansas an easy place to experience the presence and forgiveness of Jesus,

Supt. Terry L. Yancey

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Network Council

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Summer Camps

We are eager for Summer Camps to begin in just about five weeks! Registration deadlines are below. Please note that we are unable to take “walk ons” this year due to housing constraints.

-Girls Camp (May 31-June 3)

$175 through May 1

-High School Camp (June 5-9)

$240 through May 12

$265 until May 26

-Youth Camp (June 12-16)

$240 through May 12

$265 until May 26

-Middle School Camp (June 19-23)

$240 through May 12

$265 until May 26

-Kids Camp 1 (June 25-28)

$190 through May 19

$210 until June 5

-Kids Camp 2 (June 28-July 1)

$190 through May 19

$210 until June 5

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Pushing Past Tongues … to Power!

A Pentecost Sunday message prepared by Rev. Steven Bishop

Lead Pastor at Generations Church, Andover

(Pentecost Sunday is May 28, 2023)

If you were to ask the average person about Pentecostals today, their answer might astound you.  Whether believers in Jesus or not, responses may well include remarks about “tongue talkers” or “Holy rollers” (literally rolling on the floor) or perhaps comments about being “slain in the Spirit.”  You may hear from some that it’s emotionalism—well, emotionalism does not heal, save, or deliver anyone.  The one thing you likely won’t hear about is the power of Pentecost.  It’s rarely mentioned that Pentecostals walk in authority and power.  Let’s take a look at a few things and highlight what’s on the Lord’s heart.

Where we are standing!

In studying the Book of Acts, we see that when people were filled with the Holy Spirit, they began to speak with other tongues. From this we can conclude that tongues are the initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Other signs follow, but speaking in tongues is the first sign that someone has received the infilling of the Spirit.

The Initial Outpouring

The Day of Pentecost is when the Holy Spirit was first poured out on the Church. The Bible says on that day, “they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4 KJV).

Notice that, at the very moment they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they spoke in tongues.  If it had happened only once, we might think it was a phenomenon that only occurred when the Holy Spirit was first poured out on the Church.  But it happened repeatedly, not just on the Day of Pentecost.

Philip and the Samaritans

In Acts chapter 8, Philip the evangelist went to the city of Samaria and preached Christ.  When the apostles heard the Samaritans had received the Word of God, Peter and John went there and prayed that they would receive the Holy Spirit.  “Then laid they their hands on them,” the Scriptures report, “and they received the Holy Ghost” (Acts 8:17 KJV) 

Someone might say, “Well, it doesn’t say the Samaritans spoke in tongues.  That must mean a person can receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit without speaking in tongues.”  If you read on in chapter 8, you will learn something significant about a fellow named Simon.  Once called “Simon the Sorcerer,” he supposedly had come to believe in Jesus under Philip’s ministry in Samaria.  Let’s find out what happened next.

“And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.’” (Acts 8:18–19 KJV)

If speaking in tongues did not accompany the baptism in the Holy Spirit, how would Simon know the Samaritans received the Holy Ghost?  No, Simon saw something.  There had to be outward evidence for him to know the people were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Transition — What the Father wants

What power was Simon talking about?  Consider these New Testament challenges:

“These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.” (Mark 16:17-18 AMP)  

“Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you.” (Luke 10:19 AMP)

If we continue to teach and preach tongues is some great power and do not remind the disciples of Jesus of the authority—and demonstrate that authority—then maybe we haven’t moved past the initial signs!

If we are not replicating kingdom things, are we really demonstrating the Kingdom to a fallen world?

Questions and thoughts:

Are we so far removed from demonstrations of the Spirit’s power that the Lord hasn’t pricked our hearts to ask why the church is not moving in the power and authority He gave us?

Have we become comfortable with the initial signs and not put a demand on the Kingdom of God to respond to the faith of the church we preach? Are we preaching to the western world like Jesus is Plan A?

Have we conceded to mediocrity vs. miracles?

When will we put ourselves in situations where only a Kingdom response would be the answer?

He died for more than what we are doing!  We have nothing the world really wants because darkness is demonstrating its power daily while we demonstrate God’s power occasionally!

I’m a first-generation Pentecostal preacher who believed and still believes in the power of the Holy Spirit today.  But I rarely see it demonstrated.  I rarely see compassion well up in preachers for the broken and bound!  I feel like we have become so set on not upsetting demons that people feel comfortable sitting in our services Sunday after Sunday because no one wants to get messy and drive them out.  Why?  Because they might disrupt someone’s schedule, making the service go longer than expected.  How about instead of hurrying people home to watch the game, we invite them to stay at church and watch a supernatural display of His power! 

Closing

The Scriptures are clear: They will know them by their love.

“I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love and unselfish concern for one another.” (John 13:34-35 AMP) 

· Do you love them enough to cast out the demons that are stopping them from walking in power?

· Do you love them enough to preach them past tongues to power?

· Do you love Him enough to challenge yourself and ask why you are not seeing the power manifesting in His church?

Either is the Word is lie or we are.

“Certainly not! Let God be found true [as He will be], though every person be found a liar, just as it is written [in Scripture], “That You may be justified in Your words, And prevail when You are judged [by sinful men].” (Romans 3:4 AMP)

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