MOMENTUM

Our good friend Steve was asked to run a men’s group night and the Lord put the key word ‘momentum’ on his heart. He asked us to do a leaflet for him and a funny aspect immediately grabbed our attention – moMENtum!

It’s definitely an action word, meaning ‘force of a moving body; impetus gained from motion.’ A good word in respect of male who are normally considered as ‘men of action’ wanting to be moving ahead in all of life.

But sadly many men feel discouraged and helpless because of circumstances or some spiritual enemy. It can be in the work place, family life, even poor health or lack of vision. Whatever the pressure they’re blocked, they’re motionless and just can’t move ahead.

Steve’s key scripture was 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (GNB): ‘We are often troubled, but not crushed; sometimes in doubt, but never in despair; there are many enemies, but we are never without a friend; and though badly hurt at times, we are not destroyed.’

Paul
Paul was God’s New Testament man of action - no matter what challenges he faced, no matter what or who his enemies, he could write with confidence that he would never be defeated! He had supportive friends and, more importantly, knew the greatest and most faithful of all friends, Jesus, whom he knew would never let him down.

So even when things were difficult, Paul would be fired up in the Holy Spirit and was a force to be reckoned with. Act 9:22 (Message) tells us that even suspicions about his conversion ‘didn't slow Paul down for even a minute. His momentum was up now and he ploughed straight into the opposition, disarming the Damascus Jews and trying to show them that this Jesus was the Messiah.’

What had happened to make him such an impetus? Seven things: He had met the living Christ, been converted, baptised in the Holy Spirit, received a miracle of sight, water baptised, relaxedly ate a hearty meal, mixed in fellowship with the brethren and then swung into ministry action! No holding this guy back - he was a man of momentum!

Note verse19…it tells us that after the meal (he hadn’t eaten or drank for three days) he was ‘strengthened.’ This is enischuō indicating being invigorated, having and exercising force.’

Jesus
Jesus himself was a man of action. Acts 10:38 (Message) is a favourite scripture of ours in respect of his ministry and attitude to life: ‘Jesus arrived from Nazareth, anointed by God with the Holy Spirit, ready for action. He went through the country helping people and healing everyone who was beaten down by the devil. He was able to do all this because God was with him.’

The Jesus kind of ministry is an everyday opportunity ministry wherever/whenever we meet people with needs. But Sunday church can be a special time/place to allow the Holy Spirit to move in his supernatural power. Mark 3:4-6 tells of one such time when Jesus was aware that narrow-minded religious people were ready to oppose his moving in momentum to bless.

The Message version says: ‘He spoke to the people: "What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless?" No one said a word. He looked them in the eye, one after another, angry now, furious at their hard-nosed religion. He said to the man, "Hold out your hand." He held it out - it was as good as new! The Pharisees got out as fast as they could, sputtering…’

Men (and women, of course)
Paul has much to say about Christians whatever age - women too, not just men -  being Spirit-filled people of action and momentum. For example Romans 8:5: ‘Those who trust God's action in them find that God's Spirit is in them - living and breathing God!’

1 Corinthians12:6 speaks of God’s heart in this: ‘God's various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all.’ Paul’s Colossians 3:2 command is clear! ‘Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ - that's where the action is. See things from his perspective.’

This is definitely for every Christian, not church leaders and not just men. Obviously God wants us all to be free – unbound by anything that causes us not to be a man or women of momentum.

No wonder James writes: ‘But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God - the free life! - even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action’ (James 1:25).

Action
This signifies God’s plan for your life. It involves your talents and skills, past and current training, life’s experiences, hopefully your dreams in God, the fulfilment of his promises for you in 2014.

It can begin simply with guys under pressures being helped by the fellowship of Christian mates who understand and want to give a hand in climbing dangerous mountains. Again an encouragement for Paul… Galatians 6:2 ‘Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law.’

This is the law of love - John 13:14 - and it’s the same for women reaching out to encourage and bless other women.

Moving ahead

May we all move ahead this year and in so doing advance the kingdom. It happened in Jesus’ day simply because he moved in the Spirit to help needy people mentally, emotionally and physically – it can happen today too.

‘Jesus used synagogues for meeting places and taught people the truth of God. God's kingdom was his theme - that beginning right now they were under God's government, a good government! He also healed people of their diseases and of the bad effects of their bad lives. Word got around the entire Roman province of Syria. People brought anybody with an ailment, whether mental, emotional, or physical. Jesus healed them, one and all. More and more people came, the momentum gathering’ (Matt. 4:23-25)

Followers of Jesus are people of action – a moving force!

Choices

We recall the first time we visited a big city store, quite a few decades ago. So many floors of quality merchandise with the top one filled with extremely expensive furniture.

Returning to the ground floor via the escalator, we discovered there was yet another floor, one below ground that we’d missed earlier on my way up. The Bargain Basement down the escalator for ‘el cheapo’ deals. But as we went down we realised we had made a wrong choice. That underground cavern was so dismal, hot, airless and stuffy. We couldn’t wait to get out!

We never went down into a store basement again. But the memory came flooding back recently when we found the illustration below! There’s an escalator leading up to brightness, life and safety and one that leads down to the basement, to the danger of an unquenchable fire.

Naturally this icon produces thoughts of heaven and hell – and bright preachers will quickly come up with choice sermons warning about the dangers of ending up ‘down below’ where it is stuffy and airless to say the least.

Choice
Personally we want to highlight the sign – It’s Your Choice. It’s really clear – it’s up to the person standing at the edge to make the right choice. 

Of course any sensible, balanced person would make the correct choice in relation to those escalators! But what about life choices? Sometimes circumstances lead people to make wrong ones. Sometimes the choices themselves seem too hard to make.

The noun ‘choice’ means ‘the act, option or power of choosing.’ Used as an adjective it means ‘carefully selecting the best.’  Used in scripture choice means to make the best selection.

King David, of course, didn’t go shopping as we do today but in Psalm 16:4-5a (Mge), he makes an interesting observation on making the right choice: ‘Don't just go shopping for a god. Gods are not for sale. I swear I'll never treat god-names like brand-names. My choice is you, God, first and only.’

Then in verse 5(b) he adds his astounding discovery: ‘And now I find I'm your choice!’ What an incredible truth to be grasped by all – when we choose God, we then discover that we are truly his!

And because we’re God’s we can call on his help when hard choices have to be made.

Paul’s hard choice
In Philippians 1 Paul speaks of his difficult time in gaol. It seems that he is considering that death – his removal to heaven to be with Jesus – would be the perfect choice. 

He writes in verses 22-23, ‘If I had to choose right now, I hardly know which I'd choose. Hard choice! The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful. Some days I can think of nothing better.’

But Paul turned his thoughts and eyes away from looking down and the difficulties he had as an imprisoned Christian. He looked upward beyond his own problems to something brighter - to serving Jesus for his glory through his responsibility to his fellow-Christians.

In fact his choice was based on his acceptance of a realised truth - ‘Everything happening to me in this gaol only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die. They didn't shut me up; they gave me a pulpit!’ (v20).

No wonder he wrote: ‘But most days, because of what you are going through, I am sure that it's better for me to stick it out here So I plan to be around awhile, companion to you as your growth and joy in this life of trusting God continues’ (v24-25).

Life choices
In our western nations with religious freedom we may never find ourselves in prison for our faith. But life itself repeatedly requires several natural choices. And life can also throw unexpected ‘hard’ challenges and some weird curves at times.

In life we have to make choices that not only affect us but others as well - family, children and friends. Life and Christian service choices such as –

+ Ministry
+ Church
+ Friendships
+ Career
+ Location
+ Vehicles
+ Marriage
+ Health
+ Study
+ Finance.

In all these matters we should make the right – the best – choices. Learning to rely on Jesus helps. Paul gives this advice in verse 27: ‘Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.’

An important aspect of honouring Christ in life choices is to rely on God and the Holy Spirit as Jesus did. Inspiration, guidance and direction from God are repeatedly found through praying. 

Jesus’ examples
Luke 6:12-13 is the classic example. Before Jesus chose his disciples he spent the previous night in prayer obviously getting God’s direction. Sometimes we too might have to think and pray for some time before we feel an assurance within to make certain decisions that will then prove correct and fruitful. 

Then there was that terrible time before Calvary when, as Mark 14:33-34 (Mge) puts it, ‘He plunged into a sinkhole of dreadful agony. He told them (Peter, James and John), "I feel bad enough right now to die. Stay here and keep vigil with me."’ Jesus then prayed so earnestly to the Father and received an incredible strengthening and the ability to make the right choice that pleased God and would lead to victory for humankind.

Whatever decisions we must make in life – small or large, simple or intricate, personal or corporate, as we rely on Jesus and experience more of the reality that God is always there for us, we’ll be confident in making the right choices. And we too can discover an amazing strengthening within. 

Especially if we’re living daily in the light of Proverbs 3: 5-6, ‘Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track.’

The Mystery of Pentecostal 'Tongues'

No mystery really to those baptised in – filled with – the Holy Spirit as described Acts 2!

This Acts 2 infilling, followed immediately by worshipping God in ‘tongues’ (unlearned languages), is regarded by Pentecostals as the initial evidence of having been baptised by the Spirit.

Such an infilling results in believers being fired up and supernaturally enabled to follow and serve Jesus. We also discover being aware of the ability and opportunity to move in the supernatural power of the Spirit… just as Jesus did (Acts 10:38).

Praising God and serving God
But even many Pentecostals still don’t understand that the initial worship tongues of Acts 2 do not require any interpretation as do the operational tongues gifts of 1 Corinthians 12.

Gods amazing gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit himself is granted every time someone accepts Jesus Christ as Saviour (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16). He enters into us, lives within, and is our friend.

(Incidentally... a good reason why Christians shouldn’t contaminate their bodies with drugs, excessive drinking and food, moral rubbish, cigarettes and such! See 1 Cor. 6:19 and 2 Cor. 6:16. Best to obey these scriptures else we offend God who gave us this blessings!)

Discrete from salvation is Jesus’ filling us full with his Spirit and our becoming enabled with the operational power of the manifestation gifts described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12.

When we receive gifts from friends and family, it’s a delight to say, ‘Thank you!’ in appreciating the gift. How foolish it would be to ignore and neglect God's free gift of the Holy Spirit. Especially when Jesus asked Father God odo ensure that this free gift was given to us.

Our role is to accept it, to welcome the Holy Spirit in all his fulness. Unfortunately due to a lack of church teaching and denominational believing, many Christians have been robbed of this incredible deeper experience of living each day as Jesus did…with the knowledge and assurance of spiritual power within to do God’s will and work (Acts 10:38).

This powerful infilling is evidenced by the Acts 2 gift of speaking in tongues. It’s an enabling to worship God and often it leads to singing in a tongue melody. It is a time of personally honouring and glorifying God – as was observed by the visitors from 15 nations who overheard what was going on the now noisy upper room of Acts 2!

As worship our singing rises up to God and doesn’t need to be interpreted. Otherwise some churches wouldn’t finish until 5pm because so much interpretation would be needed!

What is needed is more Spirit-filled Christians – especially leaders – exercising their gift of worshipping tongues. Otherwise Pauls’ urging of Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 aren’t being heeded. Such opportunities in church worship times can result in a spiritual, therapeutical strengthening within!

Gateway to demonstrating God's supernatural
In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul lists nine spiritual gifts available to every Christian. These have been called the ‘manifestation gifts’ as ‘manifest’ relates to ‘demonstration’ or ‘showing forth’ or ‘revelation.’ These are all operational gifts and communication gifts…God communicating his love, power and direction to us.

The tongues mentioned in this list - spoken, sometimes sung - naturally need interpretation to challenge us to move on in God. Hence these tongues and the accompanying gift of interpretation are often called ‘twin gifts’ and, as Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 14, are equal to prophecy.

Some people try to get out of accepting the worship gift of tongues (and therefore don’t enter through the gateway to minister in power - the manifestation gifts - to those in need) by foolishly saying, ‘Oh, I’ll worship God when he causes me to speak in tongues.’

No, he won’t! God won’t force or make us do anything! But he does want us to hunger and thirst for this infilling just like the early church did.

And we know too the other big excuse for not moving in Holy Spirit ways: ‘Why would God operate this way?’

Hey…God is God, he’s the boss, he has his strange ways as Moses, Noah and many others discovered! Can you image Moses querying ‘Why did you turn my rod into a snake, Lord, and my hand to leprosy?’ or Noah querying God with a mocking laugh as he choked and spluttered on, ‘An ark, God? Rain, a flood? What’s an ark? What a flood, what’s rain?’

Rather it’s incredible that God is willing to use any of us humans with all our wrong attitudes, personal agendas and faults, even if it’s to worship in a way where our normally uncontrollable tongue is under his control!

‘Why?’ is not the question! Rather the question should be ‘Can I receive right now, Lord?’ Or ‘Can I be used right now, Lord?’ Or ‘You want to speak (in tongues, even interpret right now, Lord? Okay!’

As for worshipping in tongues…it should happen automatically – we should want to worship God in a deeper more personal way! Moving in any of the operational gifts of the Spirit happens similarly. We sense an opportunity and we take it, boldly believing that because we have the Spirit within, we have something to share that will bless.

Recent example
Here’s an up-to-date example. Sunday was Pentecost Sunday, that special day when worldwide churches of different denominations celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit in their own denominational way.

We happen to be ministering at a growing Baptist church where they really love the Lord and are moving ahead in touching their community. As usual when we finish preaching we delight to pray with people. I (Robert) led by the Holy Spirit, sensed that he wanted to bless by healing someone that had pain and trouble in a particular part of their hip.

Believing that I had clearly heard from him and had something to offer (that is: my prayer as I laid hands on the afflicted person would bring a response from heaven), I boldly indicated the exact area of the hip.

Several people responded and Maureen and I simply did what Jesus would – we ministered caringly and in love, and also in the prophetic and words of knowledge. People were so blessed as release came, as did a few tears and thanks.

Pentecost? It's about more than speaking in tongues - it's about being changed, charged and commissioned: Gods's 3C plan!