The Touch of God

Scripture: 
“Make no mistake about this. In the last days, God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy.  Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.  In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike— and they will prophesy.” Acts 2:17-18

Observation: 
In Acts 2, after the Holy Spirit comes upon God’s people, there is a dramatic shift. Peter, the disciple who had denied Christ three times just 40 days prior, was now courageously proclaiming the gospel to thousands. But Peter’s reformation was not instant. Yes, all power and authority had been poured out supernaturally by the Holy Spirit, but there was much work to be done. He was still deeply rooted in his own theological ideas and cultural mindsets and battling the tendency to care too much about what others thought. Yet, God keeps working. 
God uses Paul to confront Peter’s “fear of man” by publicly confronting his inconsistent behavior towards the Gentiles, exposing residuals within his heart. We, too, have residuals. We get saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit, but sanctification isn’t immediate. When we receive the Holy Spirit, He empowers us to do mighty things. He comes to dwell in us—to guide, convict, empower and transform. 
So, what stops us from seeing the power in our lives? 
Pastor Steve shared about a time he was struggling financially. They were making enough money, tithing, doing things right, yet the cloud wasn’t lifting. In desperate prayer, God showed Him there was a spirit of poverty over him. He had to come against that thing! If God spoke it and he did nothing about it, he might have remained bound. God wants to pour out blessings on us that we can’t even contain (Malachi 3:10). 
So, what is the thing hindering us from receiving all of Him? 

Application: 
We have a part to play. We must reject the idea that ‘a little dab will do you.’ Instead of adopting a minimal mindset, we need to remember that we are adopted into God’s kingdom. He wants to “pour out” His Spirit upon all people, so His sons and daughters will prophesy, young men will see visions, and old men will dream dreams (Joel 2:28).
Did you know that 1 in 3 big lottery winners end up declaring bankruptcy? Getting a million dollars when you have a poverty mindset won't change anything. That money will dwindle, bringing you back to square one. Wealth doesn’t create stability. Capacity does. Some financial experts say: “The goal isn’t just to get money; it’s to become someone who can keep and steward it.” 
It’s the same with the Holy Spirit. Once we get it, we have to steward it. Look at the prodigal. He wasted all his time, money, and resources, and went back to his father with a poverty mindset. He decided in his mind that he was unworthy of sonship—that he would take the place of a servant. Yet, before he could say it, his father interrupted him, saying ‘bring the best’ and ‘prepare a feast’ (Luke 15:11-24). While the prodigal squandered his inheritance, he did not squander his sonship. 
God will never withhold the gift of the Holy Spirit from anyone who desires Him. And, while we can never squander the Holy Spirit, we are capable of squandering the evidence of Him in our lives by limited capacity, ignored promptings, wasted gifts, or, most impactful, neglected intimacy with God. Pride, fear, unforgiveness, sin, and old mindsets will hinder the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, which, in turn, can affect the whole body of Christ. 
We have the free will to resist or prolong what He is trying to do in and through us. Peter’s concern for man's opinion did not stop the Holy Spirit from moving, but it did hinder him, prolonging the mission. Stifling the Holy Spirit within us will inevitably be a detriment to the atmosphere around us. Pride desensitizes. Fear distorts. Unforgiveness hinders. Sin opposes. This leads to separation from God and even disunity among believers. 
Start by searching your heart: If there is sin, repent. If there is fear, tell it to go! If there is pride, confess it. If there is unforgiveness, let it go. Make room for the Holy Spirit to do all He longs to do. 

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit who longs to dwell in us and work through us. We know He is the source of all other gifts to function properly. We repent and ask you to change our mindset. We are open for you to have Your way in us and in our church. Stir up what You have already put in us and increase our faith to activate the gifts You have already placed within us. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.