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This past week, Angela Coon talked with us about the Adventure of Being Spirit-led

Review from Last Week

Definition of Adventure:

Challenge
Action
Unknown
Fear Factor
Uncertainty
Faith
Exciting
Risky
Dangerous
Fun
Anticipation
Cost
Reward
Treasure

Last weeks Challenge:
Throughout the day, consider each “inconvenience” as an opportunity for adventure with God.
Share an inconvenience that you turned into an adventure this past week.

Intro:

The American church as a whole has lost the adventure of being Spirit led.

In OT – animals torn in two as HS came upon and a giant killed with one smooth stone.
Samson – brought the house down
Prophets foretold things to come as far as 900 years in advance with great detail
Elisha called down fire from heaven – rain
In NT – water turned to wine, dead raised to life, blind could see, demons driven out…
Jesus raised from the dead after three days as was Lazarus.
What an adventure – but that’s a lost adventure

Today – we don’t expect such adventure and we don’t get it. Why? We not HS empowered, sensitive, or led. American Christians are too soft – we’ve lost out on the adventure.

Quote for the Adventure of Being Spirit Lead

“In our day heaven and earth are on tiptoe waiting for the emergence of a Spirit-led, Spirit-intoxicated, Spirit-empowered people. All of creation watches expectantly for the springing up of a disciplined, freely gathered, martyr people who know in this life the life and power of the kingdom of God. It has happened before. It can happen again.” - Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline p. 175

Scripture: Luke 19:26 The Message

Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of.
Play it safe and end up holding the bag.

THE ADVENTURE OF FOLLOWING JESUS always includes being Spirit led.

Before Jesus began his official ministry he was baptized in water and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove came upon Him signifying the anointing of the HS.

Luke 3:21 – 22 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Luke 4:1 “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.”

Immediately the Spirit led Him into the desert for forty days of fasting, prayer and temptation

Truth #1 “Being Spirit led can be Dangerous and Problematic”

It can be dangerous and Problematic

Ex: riding a roller coaster – looked like fun, exciting but once I got into the ride I wondered what in the world have I gotten myself into.?

Being Spirit led doesn’t guarantee that all will go well but that the Spirit will be with you, empowering, guiding and helping you through whatever you face on that journey.

Truth #2 Being Spirit Led requires Obedience

Jesus told the disciples “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Wait for the gift – baptism in the Holy Spirit
Sometimes the adventure requires waiting and waiting always requires obedience.

“About to Happen” - Upper Room - expectant
Day of Pentecost – all in one place, one accord – rushing wind, tongues of fire – spoke in tongues as the spirit led them.
Peter stood up and preached – 3000 saved in one day.
Home churches sprung up over night
World was turned upside down by this move of God
What an adventure!!

Truth #3 Being Led by the Spirit Requires Trusting and Risking – being interactive with the Sprit by moving out in faith – without hearing a specific word or seeing more than the next step; just knowing the need.

I Samuel 14:6-7
Jonathan and armour bearer where fighting the Philistines with the army. They were off my themselves. Instead of doing nothing – knowing the job needed to be done.

Jonathan said –“Come let us go hence, perhaps the Lord will be with us.”
Blind faith for the job before us
Moving without knowing more than the need and the desire placed inside of you.

God confused the Philistines and Jonathan and his helper killed twenty men before the rest of them ran away.

Listen to the stirring of God inside – the intense interest, desire, drive or passion and go with it – step out.

What an adventure of risk and faith.

TRUTH #4 BEING LED BY THE SPIRIT REQUIRES STEPPING OUT IN FAITH.

Sometimes being led by the Spirit requires us to step into the water before the water parts. Joshua 3 – Jordan river

Peter – silver and gold – such as I have. Healed the blind man.

We have to start going and he leads us along the way.
We miss out because we don’t hear Him say “come” go”
He’s waiting for us to get in motion and he Inertia –
Seeking for HS requires our mouth to be in motion – praising God. He doesn’t make your tongue start moving – you move it and God takes over.

Truth #4 Being Spirit Led requires Yielding Control

Sought and sought for two years
Analyzed it in brain – needed to understand it
Seeking for wrong reason – badge of arrival. .
Abandonment – I don’t care if I ever speak in tongues I just know that I love you… started speaking in tongues immediately.

Ex: (going white water rafting — stand on the bank, analyzing the river, I don’t care and jump in)
Abandonment and the adventure begins.

Following the Lead of the Holy Spirit has been a great adventure for me…
Used in interpreteing tongues and Prophecy in services – scary – but trust that as I begin with what He has given me already – the rest will come as I speak.
Pray Spirit led – pray just what is needed
This is for all of us – not just a few.
“If you want to walk on the water you’ve got to get out of the boat.” –

Conclusion:

Ex: Indiana Jones –
Always had a treasure to find
Recruited help
Had a map or clues and had to find more.
Always included danger – snakes, rolling stone, shooting, etc.
The danger and risk were worth the treasure – what’s your treasure?

To recapture the adventure of being Spirit led we need to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and be being intoxicated with His presence guiding our life into adventure after adventure day after day.

Luke 19:26 The Message

Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of.
Play it safe and end up holding the bag.