Calvary Christian Center Media: Photos and Video Messages

OUTLINE FOR SUNDAY MESSAGE, 2-1-26

“HOLY GHOST FIRE,”

LK. 3:16 (KJV)

Luke 3:16 (KJV)

¹⁶ John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

The disciples were ordinary men until they received the baptism in the Holy Ghost, Matthew 26:69–75 (KJV): ⁶⁹ Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. ⁷⁰ But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. ⁷¹ And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. ⁷² And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. ⁷³ And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. ⁷⁴ Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. ⁷⁵ And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

Acts 2:14–18 (KJV)

¹⁴ 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 drunken, 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.

John 20:19 (KJV)

¹⁹ Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Acts 17:6 (KJV)

⁶ And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also.

Jesus last words to His disciples before His ascension into Heaven was that they be endued with power, Acts 1:4–11 (KJV):

⁴ And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. ⁵ For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. ⁶ When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? ⁷ And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 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. ⁹ And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. ¹⁰ And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; ¹¹ Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Luke 24:45–53 (KJV)

⁴⁵ Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, ⁴⁶ And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: ⁴⁷ And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ And ye are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

⁵⁰ And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. ⁵¹ And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. ⁵² And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: ⁵³ And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit creates, Ps. 104:30, heals, Rom. 8:11, gives life, Rom. 8:2, casts out devils, Matt. 12:28, convicts of sin, Jn. 16:7-11, redeems, Jn. 3:3-5, resurrects, Rom. 8:9-11, inspires scriptures, 2 Tim. 3:15-17, distributes gifts, 1 Cor. 12:4-11, forms the body of Christ, 1 Cor. 12:13, endues with power, Acts 1:8, changes lives, 1 Cor. 6:11, directs gospel work, Acts 12:1-3, frees from sin, Rom. 8:2, gives victory over sin, Rom. 8:1-13, bears witness, Jn. 15:26, 27, searches the deep things of God, 1 Cor. 2:10-12, brings things to our remembrance and teaches and guides into all truth, Jn. 14: 16, 17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-15; reveals secrets, 1 Cor. 2:10, dwells in Believers, Rom. 8:9, guides in daily problems, Rom. 8:14-16, helps in prayer, Rom. 8:26, washes from sin, sanctifies, justifies, 1 Cor. 6:11, imparts and causes supernatural powers to be manifested through Believers, 1 Cor. 12:1-14:40, imparts love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control, Gal. 5:22, 23, seals men to divine ownership, Eph. 1:13, gives access to God, Eph. 2:18, imparts revelations, Eph. 3:1-11, fills Believers, Eph. 5:18, causes obedience to truth, 1 Pet. 1:22, speaks of Christ and glorifies Him, Jn. 16:13-15, confirms the gospel, Heb. 2:3, 4, and carries on the work of God in the earth, Jn. 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-15; Acts 20:28, He is the author of the new birth and the direct executive of God in all phases of creation and redemption, Gen. 1:2; Jn. 3:3-5; 1 Cor. 6:11; Titus 3:5-7; the preserver of all things, Ps. 104:29,30, and finally, He is God the Holy Spirit, Acts 5:3–4 (KJV): ³ But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? ⁴ Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

1 Corinthians 3:15–17 (KJV)

¹⁵ If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. ¹⁶ Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? ¹⁷ If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (KJV)

¹⁹ What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? ²⁰ For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

2 Corinthians 6:14–18 (KJV)

¹⁴ Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? ¹⁵ And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? ¹⁶ And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. ¹⁷ Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, ¹⁸ And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

WILLIAM SEYMOUR AND THE AZUSA STREET REVIVAL

From 1906-1909 is recorded what has been called the “Azusa Steet Revival,” that the personality most associated with it is a black man named William Seymour. William Seymour was the lightning rod for a Pentecostal renewal that touched practically every Pentecostal denomination such as Church of God in Christ, Church of God, Assembly of God, Pentecostal Holiness Church, Fire-Baptized Holiness Church, the United Holy Church of America, the Pentecostal Free Will Baptist Church, etc. The Azusa Street Pentecost became a worldwide move of the Holy Spirit touching the continent of Europe, also Canada, Sweden, Denmark, England, Germany, France, Chile, Brazil, and Russia, but Las Angeles California, and a black man named William Seymour are synonymous with “The Azusa Steet Revival.”

Another person who was used mightily in the beginning of the Azusa Street revival was Pastor Joseph Smale of the First Baptist Church of Los Angeles. In an excerpt written by Frank Bartleman, who was one of the leaders and the author of “Azusa Street,” he wrote as follows: “A wonderful work of the Spirit has broken out here in Los Angeles, California, preceded by a deep preparatory work of prayer and expectation. Conviction is rapidly spreading among the people, and they are rallying from all over the city to the meetings in Pastor Smale’s church. Already these meetings are beginning to ‘run themselves.’ Souls are being saved all over the house, while the meeting sweeps on unguided by human hands. The tide is rising rapidly, and we are anticipating wonderful things. Soul travail is becoming an important feature of the work, and we are being swept away beyond sectarian barriers. The fear of God is coming upon the people, a very spirit of burning. Sunday night the meeting ran on until the small hours of the next morning. Pastor Smale is prophesying of wonderful things to come. He prophesies the speedy return of the apostolic gifts to the church. Los Angeles is a veritable Jerusalem. Just the place for a mighty work of God to begin. I have been expecting just such a display of divine power for some time. Have felt it might break out any hour. Also that it was liable to come where least expected, that God might get the glory. Pray for a ‘Pentecost.” -F. Bartleman, June 1905.

Sadly though, leaders of Pastor Smale’s church didn’t agree with what was happening. The meetings had run daily in the First Baptist Church for fifteen weeks, Bartleman wrote. It was now September. The officials of the church were tired of the innovations and wanted to return to the old order. He was told to either stop the revival, or get out. He wisely chose the latter. But what an awful position for a church to take, to throw God out. In this same way they later drove the Spirit of God out of the churches in Wales. They tired of His presence, desiring to return to the old, cold, ecclesiastical order. How blind nen are! The most spiritual of Pastor Smale’s members naturally followed him, with a nucleus of other workers who had gathered to him from other sources, during the revival.

Later on in his book “Azusa Street” Frank Bartleman writes, “God found His Moses in the person of Pastor Smale, to lead us to the Jordan crossing. But He chose Pastor Seymour, for our Joshua, to lead us over. In the book “Azusa Street” a poem was included from Evan Roberts as follows: “While the fire of God is falling, while the voice of God is calling, brothers, get the flame. While the torch of God is burning, men’s weak efforts overturning, Christians get the flame. While the Holy Ghost is pleading, human methods superseding, He himself the flame. While the power hard hearts is bending, yield thy own, to Him surrendering, all to get the flame. For the world at last is waking, and beneath His spell is breaking, into living flame. And our glorious Lord is seeking, human hearts, to rouse the sleeping, fired with heavenly flame. If in utter self-surrender, you would work with Christ, remember, you must get the flame. For the sake of bruised and dying, and the lost in darkness lying, we must get the flame. For the sake of Christ in glory, and the spreading of the story, we must get the flame. Oh, my soul, for thy refining, and thy clearer, brighter shining, do not miss the flame. On the Holy Ghost relying, simply trusting and not trying, you will get the flame. Brothers, let us cease our dreaming, and while God’s flood-tide is screaming, we will have the flame.”

WE NEED THE HOLY GHOST

Jesus needed the baptism with the Holy Ghost, Matthew 3:16–17 (KJV): ¹⁶ And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: ¹⁷ And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

The Apostles needed the baptism in power, Acts 2:1-4 (KJV):  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. ³ And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The Apostle Paul needed the Holy Ghost, Acts 9:17 (KJV): ¹⁷ And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Many Christians are weak and defeated and have no power. Jesus said that we would receive power after that the Holy Ghost have come upon us, Acts 1:4–8 (KJV):

⁴ And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. ⁵ For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. ⁶ When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? ⁷ And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 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.

If you’ve got the Holy Ghost then you’ve got power. If you don’t have power then you don’t have the Holy Ghost.