John Hagee - Power You Can't Ignore
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Turn with me to Acts chapter 1, verse 8, as we talk today about the power of the Holy Spirit. We begin this new and exciting series of sermons titled «You Shall Receive Power.» Say that with me: «You shall receive power.» How many of you would like to have unlimited power with God? It’s possible because the Bible says, «Ask, and you shall receive,» which means you have as little or as much of God’s power as you want. How many want the power of God to destroy destructive habits, eliminate fear, take worry and doubt away, and live with the confidence and hope that God has for your future? How many of you would like for that to happen today? The power of the Holy Spirit.
Read with me Acts chapter 1, verse 8. Ready? «But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.» Heavenly Father, we gather in the house of God today to discover the anointing and the power of the Holy Spirit to be released in our lives. In Jesus' name we pray. And all of God’s children said, «Amen, amen.» You may be seated. You have heard the expression that knowledge is power. Albert Einstein created the world-famous equation E= mc ², which produced the atomic bomb. E= mc ² means that all matter has energy and that energy, captured and released, can unleash world-changing power at the speed of light.
That’s what that means. I hold in my hand God’s atomic bomb. The energy and the power of the Holy Spirit that’s released can quickly, in the twinkling of an eye, change your life. The power of the gospel, released under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, can change the world, change America, and change your destiny. The Bible says in Psalm 68:35, «He gives strength and power unto his people.» Romans 13:1 says, «All power comes from God.» Say that with me: «All power comes from God.» Romans 15:13–listen to Paul: «May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace so that you may overflow with hope.» How? By the power of the Holy Spirit.
John 1:12 states, «To as many as believed, to them gave he power to become the sons and daughters of God.» The kingdom of God came with power. The greatest need of the church in America today is the preaching of the word of God under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. What’s in this book? The pulpits of America right now are flooded with timid preachers who are saying things like, «If you’ll repent to some extent, you can be saved to some degree.» Maybe the message from God Almighty is, «The soul that sins shall surely die.» The wages of sin is death; the gift of God is eternal life. Can I get an amen? St. Paul continues the theme of power. He says, «For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes.»
Do you believe? He says, «To the Jew first and to the Greek.» That would mean the Gentiles. The Jewish people had this message long before we ever knew it existed. Don’t ever say that they’re cut off. God Almighty loves the Jewish people with an everlasting love. There are two kinds of power in the Bible: there’s power over people, and then there’s power to serve people. The power over people is to crush, to control, and to conquer. If something in you seeks to control other people, that’s a demon spirit. The Bible calls it the spirit of witchcraft. Intimidation and manipulation that leads to domination is witchcraft. Whether that’s in the government, whether that’s in the church, whether it’s in your marriage, recognize it for what it is and stop it. The second kind of power is the power of the gospel that gives you the power to serve.
Jesus Christ, who was the greatest among all men, He and His disciples arrived at the upper room. They were getting ready for the feast. They all had dirty feet because they had been walking in the dust and dirt of the road. Jesus was the one who washed the feet, not the disciples. Why didn’t they? Because they were concerned about what their image would be in the kingdom that they thought Jesus was going to establish on the earth. How can they rule and reign over other people and bow down to wash feet? But the one who had the greatest strength, the Son of God, knelt on His knees and washed their dirty, stinking feet because He was the only one who had enough power to do the unthinkable task. Do you have the power to do the unlovable task, the unseen task, the unnoticed task, the task that will not get your name printed in the church newsletter?
Serving God in the 21st century demands supernatural power. Demons do not leave because you think positively; they leave because you have the power to drive them out. Mark 16:17 states, «And these signs shall follow them that believe. In my name, they shall cast out demons.» That requires power from God. Diseases do not disappear because you weep with emotion; they disappear because there’s healing power in the word of God. «The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise them up.» Are you or someone in your family facing a deadly disease? Or has someone been critically injured, or is someone overwhelmed by disappointment or depression? Pray for that person under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and they will recover. That’s God’s promise to you.
Do that. Spiritual revival will not come to America while the church lives with compromise and carnality. It will come when the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached under the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. Ritual is replaced with repentance. When hype is replaced with holiness, when ceremony has been replaced with the confession of sin, righteousness exalts a nation. Righteousness exalts a church, but sin is a reproach to any people. Psalm 11 says, «If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?» The foundations of America are being destroyed. The foundations of the American family have been destroyed.
Our nation is suffering from the absentee father. There will never be enough money to replace an absentee father. The foundations of America are being destroyed. Our government is corrupt. Our schools are being corrupted-socialist indoctrination centers. Supernatural power will crush anti- Semitism that now flourishes in America’s colleges and universities. Love is of God, and those who have not love-listen to this-have not God. I want to say that again: love is of God, and those who have not love do not have God. The question is asked, is it ever right to defy the government? And the answer is yes. When the government defies the word of God, we live by the laws of this government. When the government in Washington defies this, we practice this. When the government says you cannot attend church, this book says, «Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.» Power from God empowers you to reach your divine destiny, to be the best you can be, to reach for your highest potential, to conquer the world, the flesh, and the devil, to stand in the winner’s circle as a champion for Christ.
The question is, what would you attempt to do for the Lord if you knew you could not fail? What would you attempt to do in your business if you knew you could not fail? Your thoughts and your dreams are not greater than God’s ability to provide. Nothing is impossible to you. When you really buy into that, you’re liberated from fear, doubt, and anxiety. Fly on the wings of faith to accomplish the impossible. Give the Lord a shout of praise in the house of God! The Bible says, «Unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or imagine.» Let your imagination go as far as it will go. Just for a moment, let your mind escape the prison of your limitations. What can you imagine? What would you dare to attempt with your life? You can do that. God’s power will explode within you, and you will accomplish your spiritual dream, your dream for your life. Nothing is impossible. You have unlimited access to the throne of grace. Use it in Jesus' name. Give the Lord praise!
St. Paul said, «I’m not ashamed of the gospel.» Paul was a Roman citizen. Rome had power over people-power to crush, to conquer, and to control. To the Romans, the death of Jesus on the cross was a testimony of absolute weakness. It was shameful; it was pathetic. To the Romans, it was despicable. Much of the church of Jesus Christ in America is ashamed of the gospel. Jesus Christ said, «I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly.» Abortion destroys life; abortion is murder. Fentanyl drugs that kill-what are we doing about it? Absolutely nothing! This was manufactured in China, sent to Mexico, placed into pill form, and brought across our southern border. What should we do about it? Close the border! That’s what to do about it. Jesus said, «No man can serve two masters.» We must decide to either offend God or offend the world. We are at war with the world, the flesh, and the devil. Compromise is treason in the courts of heaven. The church has watched in silence as America has fallen into this socialist sewer. It’s time for the church of Jesus Christ to wake up, to speak up, to stand up, and to fight the good fight and fight to win and fight now!
Stop whining about how dark it is and turn on the light. We are soldiers in the army of the living God. We have the power of the word, the power of the blood, the power of His name. Arise and do exploits in the name of the Lord Jesus! Consider the power of the Holy Spirit-the benefits the Holy Spirit brings to the life of every believer.
First is powerful witnessing. How many of you witness for Jesus Christ on a regular basis? Acts 1:8 states, «For you shall receive power.» Say that with me: «But you shall receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me.» Notice that the witness is unto Jesus Christ because Christ is the answer. Don’t try to sell people on Cornerstone Church; sell them on Jesus Christ because this is His church.
On the day of Pentecost, 120 were filled with the Spirit. Why were there 120 people there? Because this was an official national prayer in the Jewish faith. You have to have ten people to have a prayer meeting. There are 12 tribes in Israel; 10×12 is 120. So, this is an official national prayer-a gathering of 120 in the upper room. When they were filled with the Spirit, they went into the streets and started witnessing to the thousands of people who were there from all over the world. It was the greatest evangelism explosion since television came out all over the earth.
Secondly, the Holy Spirit brings powerful prayer. Romans 8:26 states, «Likewise, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Holy Spirit Himself, the third person of the Godhead, makes intercession for us.» Listen: «And He,» that means God Almighty who searches the hearts, knows what the mind of the Spirit is because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. When you are praying about something that you don’t know the answer to, you don’t know which way God wants to take you; you are praying about it from the depths of your soul, and the Holy Spirit is your Paraclete-that’s the Bible word. Actually, it means lawyer, but He is your advocate.
He goes to God the Father. The Holy Spirit goes to God the Father and says, «This is what she’s trying to say. This is what he’s trying to say. This is what their problem is.» God the Father brings the answer back. And whether you know it or not, the problem is solved, but it’s coming back from heaven. Sometimes God leaves you hanging on the cliff, but He will always answer prayer. I don’t know why God always answers my big prayers at the last second, but He has never failed me.
Thirdly, the Holy Spirit gives power for teaching you all things. John 14:26 says, «The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you.» The Holy Spirit is the author of the written word of God -that’s the Bible-and He’s the one who comes to help you understand the word of God. It was the Holy Spirit that opened my mind and my eyes to the truth of God’s word concerning Israel and the Jewish people.
For instance, in seminary, I was told to stay away from Romans 9:10–11. Our professor had an earned doctorate degree and was highly touted as a theologian. But why should I not look at Romans 9:10–11? This was Paul’s position paper on the Jewish people, given to him by God the Holy Spirit. Why should I not know what’s in that scripture? I found out very quickly that replacement theology is a false doctrine. Saying that God has replaced the Jewish people with the church is wrong. God has given the Gentiles their day of salvation, but He hasn’t cast the Jewish people off. God loves the Jewish people!
Has God cast away His people? Paul says, «Certainly not! Certainly not!» He says, «I am a Jew, and God is still using me. He’s not done using the Jewish people.» Romans 11:7 teaches that Jewish people were judicially blinded to the identity of Jesus as the Messiah. This was a major discovery for me. Think-this blindness was not their choice; God did it. The Jewish people come to know the Messiah by revelation, by literal appearance; Gentiles come to know Jesus by propagation-that means preaching the word of God.
But remember the conversion of St. Paul, where God knocked him off his horse, and God says, «Why are you persecuting me?» Now Paul was throwing Christians into prison; they were being killed. When Paul called himself a murderer in the Bible, he was a murderer; he used his position to get Christians killed. The conversation ended this way: Paul said, «Who are you, Lord, and what would you have me to do?» Who are you, Lord, and what would you have me to do? Listen, and the Bible records in Acts 9:18–I’m talking about the blindness. «Then Saul, whose name was changed to Paul, arose from the ground, and immediately there fell from his eyes scales.»
Romans 11: the taproot of Judaism-Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob-support the Gentile branches that were grafted into the olive tree. The olive tree represents the combination of Jews and Christians. But there were Christians who got the idea that we’re superior in some way. And Paul said, «Do not boast against the roots.» The roots of that tree are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Fourthly, you need the Holy Spirit’s power for guidance and warning. John 16 states, «When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth and tell you things to come.» Listen to that phrase: «and will tell you things to come.» God the Holy Spirit is God. He knows the future-the two things that the Holy Spirit can bring to you: guidance and warning of things to come.
When I was looking for a property to build this church, it was divine guidance that brought me to this property on a country road covered with rocks and rattlesnakes. There was nothing for miles around here. My human advisors, including the church board, screamed, «No one is ever going to live out here!» Today, this property is priceless. We are here by divine guidance. This is holy ground-this is holy ground!
Fifthly, the Holy Spirit brings to you a warning. The Bible said He will tell you of things to come. When I was pastoring my first church, one Monday morning, as I sat at my desk praying, the message came straight out of heaven by Holy Spirit express: «You will be attacked, but you will not be harmed.» That Wednesday night, as I was teaching my congregation on how Jesus dealt with demons because the movie «The Exorcist» was out, a man walked into my church with a loaded pistol. He walked down the aisle roaring like a lion. We have a recording of this, by the way. When I saw the gun, the message I had received that Monday morning brought peace in a very troubled time. That man walked within ten feet of the pulpit and shot at me six times. He missed every shot by the grace of God.
I encourage you, when you have your prayer and your Bible time before you jump up and start eating tacos, just give the Holy Spirit the chance to chat with you. Get in a place where it’s quiet. Throw the cat out the back door, shut off the television, and listen to what God the Holy Spirit wants to say to you. You’ll be amazed at how quickly some of your problems are going to vanish because He will lead you into all truth. And everything that you have asked for- that you have the right to have in this book-will be yours by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Can we stand together? What I want you to answer is this question: Have you invited the Holy Spirit into your life to guide you through the problems that you’re now facing? Have you invited the Holy Spirit into your life, period? To be your counselor and to be your advisor. The Holy Spirit will not come to you until you invite Him in. So we’re going to pray this prayer, and I want you to just absorb the presence of the Holy Spirit. Will you lift your hands to the throne of grace? Our most gracious heavenly Father, there are people in this room right now that need to receive the Holy Spirit. And those of you who have not, pray this prayer:
Holy Spirit of God, I invite You into my life to be my Paraclete, to be my representative to lead me into all truth, to show me what God wants me to do and what God wants me to become. In Jesus' name, I receive the Holy Spirit now. In Jesus' name, amen.