The Spirit of The Lord is Upon Us

[Preached by Pastor Kenneth Chin at Campus City Malaysia on 17 February 2017]

The Apostle Paul was someone who didn’t like Jesus and who despised the followers of Jesus. At that time, he was called Saul, and yet to know that Jesus is God. He was convinced that he was doing the right thing for the kingdom of God – threatening and torturing the Christians. When Saul was on the way to Damascus to persecute another church, Jesus met with him. 

Read | Acts 26:14
And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.

Saul thought he was doing God a favour but he was actually kicking against the goads. God allowed Paul to realise that he was persecuting God Himself by that encounter in Damascus. From then on, Paul’s life was totally transformed. Only when we know God, can we truly do great exploits. 

Read | 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Declaring the testimony of God

Paul said he was trembling and came to the people in weakness. Maybe Paul was stuttering when he was preaching or sharing the gospel. It doesn’t take a good looking or eloquent preacher to make God’s message look great. God chooses to use normal people who will get nervous. 

Thus, we need to give each other a break to make mistakes when people serve. Believing that when God has chosen you, you can do what He calls you to do because He loves everyone and He is the Father of all hearts. God can use broken English to heal broken hearts. It’s not about your ability, but your availability.

Determine to know Jesus and His crucifixion

The real thing that changes people’s life is Jesus. 

Paul became so in love with Jesus, that he had no other messages except to share about Christ’s crucifixion and how He died for our sins. When you read the scriptures in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, though we know the “I”s were Paul, let’s read from a first person’s voice. Because it’s amazing if all the “I”s have the vision to reach out to the “you”s in this world.

Demonstration of the Spirit and of power

If we need to be good at anything, be good at projecting Christ. Let’s pick up the mindset of – “I think I can find the reason why I was born, why I was raised here, why I am made this way.” 

Believing that when God has chosen you, you can do what He calls you to do because He loves everyone and He is the Father of all hearts. It’s not good to have a religion but have no power (2 Timothy 3:5). Where Jesus is, there’s the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit always confirms the words of Jesus. 

#decadeoflegacy2030 

Written by Hailey Chung