Last week I had the great privilege to speak to a group of amazing youth as a part of TFC Exchange Fest.  I wanted to share with you a little bit about what I shared with them on Thursday night…

• I believe that you are the generation that changes the world. I believe that you are the generation that changes the world. I am expecting you to be the generation that changes that world.
• You are called to greatness. The Lord has given His angels charge of you, He goes before and behind you, He has prepared good works in advance for you to do.
• Are you tired of the things people say about your generation? Are you tired of just getting by? Just hit the lowest mark possible…don’t become addicted to drugs, don’t have sex, stay under the radar…just hit the lowest expectations set?
• I am sick to death of that…of Christ followers settling for barely getting by…

The night before a youth pastor from TFC, Pastor Austin, reminded us to Refuse the Sidelines…to get in the game.

I want you to be world changers, to be who He has called you to be, to believe that He can accomplish his plans and purposes through you, to trust that He has written a beautiful story for you and for you to truly see the miraculous.

For so long adults and leaders have focused on the sidelines…stay away from the edge, don’t fall off in this ditch or that ditch…we have told you how to avoid the sidelines…but Exchange Fest is about teaching you how to a powerful part of the team! How to play your position.

LET’S FOCUS ON THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR LIVES.

I want you to understand that our relationship with God and every aspect of it is dependent on us individually purposefully pursuing the PRESENCE OF GOD.

What we are after is the Presence of God…because when we are in His Presence our perspective, our passion and the degree of our power changes.

Let’s think about people who truly understood the staying in the Presence of God:

• Moses – Would go into the tent of meeting to meet with God and when he would come out even His countenance had changed and his face looked what because he had seen the glory of the Lord
• Joshua – would linger there, he did not leave the tent Exodus 33:11
• Paul – Saw Jesus on the road to Damascus and was never the same
• Samuel – slept in front of the Ark of the Covenant (1Samuel 3:3) What did the Ark of the Covenant represent?

SAMUEL heard the Lord calling His NAME…

CAN YOU HEAR IT!?!

ALL OF US WHO HAVE ACCEPTED CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR, HAVE HEARD THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKING TO OUR HEARTS.

I accepted Jesus when I was 5 years old, because I knew and understood that the Holy Spirit came to live in my heart. I was baptized in water because I knew that was the first step in my relationship with Jesus. But, I understood absolutely nothing about Holy Spirit and, frankly, He was a little weird and spooky to me. I thought that people who spent time focused on the Holy Spirit were super strange and I wanted nothing to do with that. I did not want to be embarrassed.

So, when I was 5 and I accepted Jesus…or you think about when you accepted Christ. HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED TO US…

• Sin separated us from the presence of God. The word tells us that we have all sinned and fallen short of his glory. Thus, the need for a savior. Jesus died for our sins and put us in position to again have relationship with the Father.
• Ephesians 1:13: “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of His glory.”

**So, say you filled a jar and sealed it up…this would represent when you accept Jesus as your Savior, the Holy Spirit lives IN you and you are sealed.

If Jesus is your Savior, you have the Holy Spirit in you. When we accept Jesus as our Savior…then we are given AUTHORITY.

So, after Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected, let me tell what he told is followers…Matthew 28:18 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit.” Then He tells them in Acts 1:4 “Do not leave Jerusalem but wait for the gift my Father promised which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized in water but in a few days, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” And verse 8 says “But you will receive power with the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses.”

So basically, Jesus is saying…I have given you all authority…now go to Jerusalem and wait for the baptism in the Holy Spirit because when He comes on you, you will receive what…. POWER!

THAT IS WHAT I WAS LACKING…POWER.

To be continued…Click here for Part 2!

My love,