Where Does The Spirit Lead You?

Matt 4:1

1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

The Spirit of God led him to be tempted of the devil> Why? Was it to see the strength and obedience of Christ?

To tempt his flesh, was it to prove to humanity that Satan can be defeated?

1. Have you ever been lead of the Spirit to do something?

2. Were you tempted of the devil?

3. Did you defeat him or did he defeat you?

Jesus’ ministry didn’t start in the temple it started in the wilderness. He didn’t schedule revivals and meetings people sought after him.

He wasn’t bound to the synagogues to teach but his teaching was in the streets in the mountains at the seashores anywhere that someone would listen.

· He didn’t pick the crowds the crowds sought him out.

· He didn’t pick who he healed he healed those that believed.

· He wasn’t popular with the churches or the Preachers

· He slept where he could he ate what he had.

If Christ chose you to be a follower of his would you follow him?

John the Baptists’ ministry didn’t start in the temple where his father spent a lot of time.

His ministry started in a wilderness.

He wasn’t popular with the religious leaders. But those who were hungry for God sought after him.

The reason for the wilderness experience is to see if mankind is willing to separate himself from family and friends, to choose if God is more important than anything else in your life.

· We were not born again just to go to church we were given power for a much greater task.

· The Holy Ghost wasn’t given to us to shout and dance and to speak in tongues.

· The Spirit of God was given to us to fulfill the will of God.

John the Baptist was called to be a witness to all mankind. He did not lead a life of luxury his life was a wilderness experience. His ministry was to prepare the way of the coming of the Lord.

What is your calling to do?

Matt 3:1-8 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

The Pharisees taught the law, all the dos and don’ts of the law but they were hypocritical in their dedication to God.

Today the calling of God is not inside the church but the church has to go to where the people are just like Jesus did.

We can be like the Pharisees and keep teaching what we should do or we can take what we are taught and reach others.

If you claim to have the Holy Ghost then you should be preparing the way for the coming of the Lord by reaching out to others just like John the Baptist and Jesus did.

Acts 1: 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

This is the same commission John had and Jesus had, the Spirit was to drive the Apostles and the others to take the message of salvation to the lost and tell them about Jesus and they did just that.

Listen to what happened after they received the Holy Ghost:

Acts 2:14-21 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

15 For these are not drunk as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Peter preached and the results of his preaching produced salvation to 3,000 souls that day.

He didn’t send out letters scheduling a revival, he didn’t go to the church only with the message but he took it to the streets.

Witnessing isn’t done in the church this is where we get encouragement and taught how to live for God and we come together to rejoice in what Christ has done for us.

Then we show him how much we appreciate his salvation by sharing the hope of Christ with a lost world.

Matt 22:9-11

9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

Mark 16:15-16

5 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Mark 16:20

And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

The command is to go, will we obey?

They didn’t wait for the people to come to church they went out and they received salvation right where they were.

When people repented and believed the gospel they were baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost right there on the spot. The

Example:

Acts 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch and he baptized him.

39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.