No intention to buy in
A friend and I were walking down a street in Honolulu, when we were stopped by a guy who somehow guessed we were tourists. (I can’t imagine how he could tell.) He asked us if we were interested in going to a well-known luau absolutely free. We were already planning on attending this particular luau and it was going to cost quite a bit, so we were interested. All we had to do was attend a time share sales presentation and we would get four tickets. We told him we had no intention of buying a time share. It didn’t matter. Just attend the presentation and the luau was ours.
So, we scheduled it and showed up at the appointed time for the presentation. We made it clear to everyone we had no intention of buying anything. We were ushered back to the salesman who went through his entire spiel. He showed graphs. He had pictures and documentation. He really poured it on.
After about an hour and a half, he took a breath long enough to ask, “So, it looks pretty good, huh? How would you like to buy?” “No, thanks,” we said, “we’re not interested.” “Why not? Obviously you’re interested in buying a time share or else you wouldn’t even be here.” “Well, that’s not true,” we told him. “We just want the free gift.” When he saw that we were a waste of his time, he sent us on our way (with our gift).
Why are you here?
This is where I ask you: Why are you here? What is your interest in learning more about the Holy Spirit? Is it for a long-term commitment that’s going to cost you something, or is it for the gifts?
When it comes to going deeper in things of the Holy Spirit, some people think, “I’ve heard about the gifts of the Spirit, they sound really cool, so I want some of that.” Others are just the opposite, “I’ve heard about the gifts, they kind of scare me, so I’m not interested in the presentation.”
It’s not about the gifts. The gifts are for a purpose. The purpose is transformation.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 (NKJV) 1 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, [in other words, “Go deeper”] just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; 2 for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification:
Your sanctification
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification.” Not “your amusement.” Not “your amazement.” Not “your platform.” Not “your engrandizement.” Not “your sense of supernatural power.” Not “your ability to wow your friends and neighbors.” Not “your division.” Not “your superiority over other people in the church.” Not “your spiritual high.” These things are not the will of God or the purpose of the Holy Spirit’s activity in your life. The purpose is “your sanctification.” You and I are in need of sanctification.
Sanctification is a process of change. It means to make something sacred or pure. It involves, then, taking something that is less sacred or less pure and making it that way. You could also say ‘saint-ify’, to make someone a saint. This word here in the text comes from the Greek word ‘hagiasmos,’ meaning ‘to make holy.’ One of the clearest places to see this in scripture is in
Ephesians 5:25-27:
Ephesians 5:25-27 (NKJV) 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify [‘saint-ify’, make holy] and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Can something, or someone, who is not holy or pure or saintly be made that way? Yes. Can they do it themselves? No. It is a transformation process known as sanctification. This is the will of God – your sanctification; your transformation.
This is why I say that:
Spiritual experience or activity without transformation is carnal spirituality.
If my goal in being filled with the Holy Spirit is to have a prophetic word for someone, and that’s it… If my purpose is to speak in tongues more than someone else… to have special gifts of knowledge or wisdom or healing or miracles without personal transformation, then I have missed the boat entirely. It is first and foremost about my sanctification.
Carpet time
From time to time an emphasis on supernatural manifestations will circulate. I remember years ago a church in Springfield was experiencing incredible things within their youth group. I heard about how they would come together, start praying for each other and many would end up just layed out on the floor. It came to be known as ‘carpet time.’ “We’re having wonderful carpet time.” That’s all well and good, but the important question is: What happens when you get up from the carpet? Are you changed? Are you sanctified? Are you transformed? Do you get up from the carpet, go home and still treat your family harshly? Are you still going on-line looking at pornographic websites? Is there a difference? If not, then so what?
Simon of Samaria
If my reason for ‘going deeper’ isn’t personal transformation, if it is for a supernatural experience or power, then I am no better than Simon, the sorcerer of Samaria (Acts 8:9-24). When he say Peter laying hands on people and those people being filled with the Holy Spirit, he said, “Cool! I want to be able to do that. I’ll pay you for that power.” Peter said, “Man, you don’t get it at all. The Holy Spirit isn’t a trick. And you don’t need to be praying for others, you have your own issues. You are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity. You need transformation yourself.” It has to start inside.
This passage now goes on to describe more fully this work of sanctification or transformation. Let’s pick up now where we left off:
that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. 9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; 11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
Notice how verse eight is a turning point for this entire passage. The verses before talk about personal, inward issues. Verse eight is about God giving us the Holy Spirit. The next verses talk about how we are to act towards others. Keep that progression in mind.
3-D TRANSFORMATION
Let’s take a look at this transformational process.
1. Deal with your hang-ups.
We talked about this two weeks ago. The Holy Spirit is the One who releases us from our hang-ups. I encouraged you to watch the door for temptations; not to entertain the unwanted guests of sin; and to evict long-term habits in your life.
There has always been a super easy way to get around the challenges of dealing with these tough issues: “I can’t.” We just say, “I can’t.” “I can’t live that way. I can’t be holy. I just can’t seem to overcome those things so there is no reason to deal with them.”
We don’t have that excuse anymore.
1 Thessalonians 4:8 (NKJV) 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.
Because of the Holy Spirit, we cannot say that we lack the
- Prompting, or the
- Power for transformation.
The bad news is that God has totally taken away my excuse. Now that I have been given the Holy Spirit, I can’t really say that I don’t know what kind of lifestyle I should live, because He let’s me know (“He will guide you into all truth” John 16:13). I also can’t say I’m unable to live that way, because God has given us His Holy Spirit (“You shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” Acts 1:8).
You have resources to deal with your hang-ups. Will you deal with them?
2. Delight in the Spirit’s work within you.
This sanctification process is a delightful one. It’s not easy, but along the way there are opportunities to take joy in the change that is taking place.
Alarms
Don’t you hate alarms? They are so alarming. I remember laying in bed in my dorm room in college early one morning and the fire alarm went off. These drills were a regular occurrence. Nobody moved. You just bury your head and try to ignore it. After a couple of minutes this morning I did hear someone get out of bed. I could hear their door open, some fumbling around in the hall, and then the muffled sound of an alarm with a pillow held over it.
Unfortunately, we get used to ignoring alarms.
What if every time an alarm goes off in your head because you are about to do something that you know you shouldn’t do (you know what alarm I’m talking about), you make a choice to respond to the Holy Spirit and, using His power, you win the battle? Then, instead of the guilt of another failure you enjoy the delight of the victory of transformation! Alarms become celebrations of victory. Wouldn’t that be great?
Quote from Going Deeper, page 88-89
Delight in the fruit of the Spirit within you.
Delight in His ability to help you restrain the angry words you want to spew at yourself or others.
Delight in the courage He gives you to open up when you want to shut down.
Delight in His ability to reveal the source of the pain that drives your compusions.
Delight in His kindness to expose the lies you’ve believed, and to lead you into freedom.
Delight in His ability to heal the traumas you can’t even remember.
Delight in the energy and perseverance He provides to endure grueling seasons of chronic stress.
Delight in the patience He gives you for others…
Be delighted! His incomparably great power is consistently working in you, dramatically transforming you in ways that will leave His imprint on your generation.
These are things to be delighted about!
3. Decide to be a generation changer.
These verses go from an inward transformation outward to the way we deal with people. It is only after an inward transformation, done by the Holy Spirit, that we can decided to be generation changers. It must start on the inside and then flow to the outside. It’s not all about you, but it needs to start in you.
As He is changing you, He is changing the story that your children, and grandchildren, and great grandchildren will tell. You can’t help it. Your change affects others.
§ Real inner transformation has outward expression.
Jesus told His disciples, “Wait in Jerusalem. You will be filled with the Holy Spirit and then you will be sent out to the rest of the world.” There were about one hundred and twenty of them at that time. (Acts 1:15) On the day of Pentecost, fifty days from the day of Passover when Jesus was crucified, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they became a generation changer. You can be a generation changer, too.
Conclusion
What is the transformation that God wants to do in you first and then through you, by the Holy Spirit?
A friend and I were walking down a street in Honolulu, when we were stopped by a guy who somehow guessed we were tourists. (I can’t imagine how he could tell.) He asked us if we were interested in going to a well-known luau absolutely free. We were already planning on attending this particular luau and it was going to cost quite a bit, so we were interested. All we had to do was attend a time share sales presentation and we would get four tickets. We told him we had no intention of buying a time share. It didn’t matter. Just attend the presentation and the luau was ours.
So, we scheduled it and showed up at the appointed time for the presentation. We made it clear to everyone we had no intention of buying anything. We were ushered back to the salesman who went through his entire spiel. He showed graphs. He had pictures and documentation. He really poured it on.
After about an hour and a half, he took a breath long enough to ask, “So, it looks pretty good, huh? How would you like to buy?” “No, thanks,” we said, “we’re not interested.” “Why not? Obviously you’re interested in buying a time share or else you wouldn’t even be here.” “Well, that’s not true,” we told him. “We just want the free gift.” When he saw that we were a waste of his time, he sent us on our way (with our gift).
Why are you here?
This is where I ask you: Why are you here? What is your interest in learning more about the Holy Spirit? Is it for a long-term commitment that’s going to cost you something, or is it for the gifts?
When it comes to going deeper in things of the Holy Spirit, some people think, “I’ve heard about the gifts of the Spirit, they sound really cool, so I want some of that.” Others are just the opposite, “I’ve heard about the gifts, they kind of scare me, so I’m not interested in the presentation.”
It’s not about the gifts. The gifts are for a purpose. The purpose is transformation.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 (NKJV) 1 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, [in other words, “Go deeper”] just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; 2 for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification:
Your sanctification
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification.” Not “your amusement.” Not “your amazement.” Not “your platform.” Not “your engrandizement.” Not “your sense of supernatural power.” Not “your ability to wow your friends and neighbors.” Not “your division.” Not “your superiority over other people in the church.” Not “your spiritual high.” These things are not the will of God or the purpose of the Holy Spirit’s activity in your life. The purpose is “your sanctification.” You and I are in need of sanctification.
Sanctification is a process of change. It means to make something sacred or pure. It involves, then, taking something that is less sacred or less pure and making it that way. You could also say ‘saint-ify’, to make someone a saint. This word here in the text comes from the Greek word ‘hagiasmos,’ meaning ‘to make holy.’ One of the clearest places to see this in scripture is in
Ephesians 5:25-27:
Ephesians 5:25-27 (NKJV) 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify [‘saint-ify’, make holy] and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Can something, or someone, who is not holy or pure or saintly be made that way? Yes. Can they do it themselves? No. It is a transformation process known as sanctification. This is the will of God – your sanctification; your transformation.
This is why I say that:
Spiritual experience or activity without transformation is carnal spirituality.
If my goal in being filled with the Holy Spirit is to have a prophetic word for someone, and that’s it… If my purpose is to speak in tongues more than someone else… to have special gifts of knowledge or wisdom or healing or miracles without personal transformation, then I have missed the boat entirely. It is first and foremost about my sanctification.
Carpet time
From time to time an emphasis on supernatural manifestations will circulate. I remember years ago a church in Springfield was experiencing incredible things within their youth group. I heard about how they would come together, start praying for each other and many would end up just layed out on the floor. It came to be known as ‘carpet time.’ “We’re having wonderful carpet time.” That’s all well and good, but the important question is: What happens when you get up from the carpet? Are you changed? Are you sanctified? Are you transformed? Do you get up from the carpet, go home and still treat your family harshly? Are you still going on-line looking at pornographic websites? Is there a difference? If not, then so what?
Simon of Samaria
If my reason for ‘going deeper’ isn’t personal transformation, if it is for a supernatural experience or power, then I am no better than Simon, the sorcerer of Samaria (Acts 8:9-24). When he say Peter laying hands on people and those people being filled with the Holy Spirit, he said, “Cool! I want to be able to do that. I’ll pay you for that power.” Peter said, “Man, you don’t get it at all. The Holy Spirit isn’t a trick. And you don’t need to be praying for others, you have your own issues. You are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity. You need transformation yourself.” It has to start inside.
This passage now goes on to describe more fully this work of sanctification or transformation. Let’s pick up now where we left off:
that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. 9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; 11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
Notice how verse eight is a turning point for this entire passage. The verses before talk about personal, inward issues. Verse eight is about God giving us the Holy Spirit. The next verses talk about how we are to act towards others. Keep that progression in mind.
3-D TRANSFORMATION
Let’s take a look at this transformational process.
1. Deal with your hang-ups.
We talked about this two weeks ago. The Holy Spirit is the One who releases us from our hang-ups. I encouraged you to watch the door for temptations; not to entertain the unwanted guests of sin; and to evict long-term habits in your life.
There has always been a super easy way to get around the challenges of dealing with these tough issues: “I can’t.” We just say, “I can’t.” “I can’t live that way. I can’t be holy. I just can’t seem to overcome those things so there is no reason to deal with them.”
We don’t have that excuse anymore.
1 Thessalonians 4:8 (NKJV) 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.
Because of the Holy Spirit, we cannot say that we lack the
- Prompting, or the
- Power for transformation.
The bad news is that God has totally taken away my excuse. Now that I have been given the Holy Spirit, I can’t really say that I don’t know what kind of lifestyle I should live, because He let’s me know (“He will guide you into all truth” John 16:13). I also can’t say I’m unable to live that way, because God has given us His Holy Spirit (“You shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” Acts 1:8).
You have resources to deal with your hang-ups. Will you deal with them?
2. Delight in the Spirit’s work within you.
This sanctification process is a delightful one. It’s not easy, but along the way there are opportunities to take joy in the change that is taking place.
Alarms
Don’t you hate alarms? They are so alarming. I remember laying in bed in my dorm room in college early one morning and the fire alarm went off. These drills were a regular occurrence. Nobody moved. You just bury your head and try to ignore it. After a couple of minutes this morning I did hear someone get out of bed. I could hear their door open, some fumbling around in the hall, and then the muffled sound of an alarm with a pillow held over it.
Unfortunately, we get used to ignoring alarms.
What if every time an alarm goes off in your head because you are about to do something that you know you shouldn’t do (you know what alarm I’m talking about), you make a choice to respond to the Holy Spirit and, using His power, you win the battle? Then, instead of the guilt of another failure you enjoy the delight of the victory of transformation! Alarms become celebrations of victory. Wouldn’t that be great?
Quote from Going Deeper, page 88-89
Delight in the fruit of the Spirit within you.
Delight in His ability to help you restrain the angry words you want to spew at yourself or others.
Delight in the courage He gives you to open up when you want to shut down.
Delight in His ability to reveal the source of the pain that drives your compusions.
Delight in His kindness to expose the lies you’ve believed, and to lead you into freedom.
Delight in His ability to heal the traumas you can’t even remember.
Delight in the energy and perseverance He provides to endure grueling seasons of chronic stress.
Delight in the patience He gives you for others…
Be delighted! His incomparably great power is consistently working in you, dramatically transforming you in ways that will leave His imprint on your generation.
These are things to be delighted about!
3. Decide to be a generation changer.
These verses go from an inward transformation outward to the way we deal with people. It is only after an inward transformation, done by the Holy Spirit, that we can decided to be generation changers. It must start on the inside and then flow to the outside. It’s not all about you, but it needs to start in you.
As He is changing you, He is changing the story that your children, and grandchildren, and great grandchildren will tell. You can’t help it. Your change affects others.
§ Real inner transformation has outward expression.
Jesus told His disciples, “Wait in Jerusalem. You will be filled with the Holy Spirit and then you will be sent out to the rest of the world.” There were about one hundred and twenty of them at that time. (Acts 1:15) On the day of Pentecost, fifty days from the day of Passover when Jesus was crucified, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they became a generation changer. You can be a generation changer, too.
Conclusion
What is the transformation that God wants to do in you first and then through you, by the Holy Spirit?
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