September 6, 2026
Preached at Fields of the Wood Bible Park, Murphy, North Carolina
for Worship Service held there by Faith Chapel COGOP, Elllijay, Georgia
Holy Spirit Power 9/6/26
Ephesians 1:15-23
I believe one of the reasons the church in America seems so powerless may have to do with some of the emphasis we put on different scriptural teachings.
So, I want to begin this morning telling you a story about a person who went on a journey called life, actually many people, he wasn't particularly going any place in particular, he just set out on the road before him and he had some good times and he had bad times but he ended up one evening in a dark place, feeling bad, depressed, alone, and as the evening went on the darker it got when “BAME” he had a flat tire.
Now he didn't know how to change that flat tire but as he got out and looked at it, he knew that there were these lug nuts that had to come off. He tried everything he could to get those nuts off with no avail, he tried twisting them with his fingers, he tried and he tried until his hands were sore and bloody. Eventually someone drove up and asked do you need some help?
Why yes, I have a flat tire, and I have to get these lug nuts off. I've been trying everything I know to do but nothing seems to work. The visitor said well it seems like your intentions are good so just keep doing what you're doing I'm sure things will work out.
And so, he kept trying and he kept trying and he kept trying, several other people came by and gave them the same encouraging words and then one came by and said listen, I remember when I got my car there was a book in the car and I kind of remember reading in that book that there's a Jack and a lug wrench mounted somewhere in it. I can't tell you where it is, I don't remember, I’ve never used it, but I'm pretty sure if you’ll look in the book, you'll be able to find a jack and a lug wrench. By the way, I’ll be praying for you, and off they went.
When it seemed things couldn't get any worse another drove up and this time that one got out of the car and asked can I help you? The man explained the problem and all that had happened.
The new visitor said, “Well let's find that book” and they looked through the car and in the glove compartment there was the book and they began to read it. While reading it they began to know, find out all kinds of things about the car they didn’t know, they finally came to the place where the jack and lug wrench were located.
Having located them the visitor proclaimed, “Now you have the POWER,” And they got excited. Dancing and praising God with exuberance, shouting and singing in fact they got so excited they began saying words they didn’t even understand.
As the visitor drove off his shouting words were, “keep up the excitement, remember you’ve got the power, you’ve got the power, you’ve got the power.”
Three weeks went by and someone passed by that spot and saw somebody dancing and shouting and having a good old time, but the flat tire was still on the car.
Turn with me to Ephesians 1:15 15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16 tCease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all kprincipality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Paul prays for the Ephesians to open their eyes to the source of their power. Today I pray for God to open our eyes to the incomparably great power found in Christ!
You and I will never mature spiritually until God's words to us are taken personally as they are written.
It seems that we all have this ability to take God's word and sift it until all that is left is what we like. What is comfortable convenient, easy on our flesh, what is Pleasant.
It seems that somewhere between our ears and our hearts is this sifter that sifts out all the Commandments and all the conviction until all we’re left with is suggestions and blessings and the things that we want to do and the things that feel good.
That's why our churches today are full of spiritual dwarfs that should be and could be men and women of great spiritual stature.
Jesus said the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and life.
He meant if you take them and chew them up and digest them, they will grow you up. They will build His life into you, they will build His character, His anointing His power into you.
Have you ever felt “empowered”? A friend of mine told me of a time when he felt empowered. He had been a lower-level employee with little to no power over his organization or decisions being made when his boss called him into his office.
His boss had only recently taken over the department and told my friend, “I want to make this department the best and in order to do that I need to bring in the best people. But I don’t know the best people out there, you do. Go out there and get them to join our team.”
My friend all of a sudden felt empowered to make things happen for his organization- where he never had before. And he did. He went out and began bringing in some of the very best in the field to join their organization.
That power didn’t come from his position -he was a low-level employee. That power didn’t come from his personality -I would describe him as not particularly charismatic. That power didn’t come from his own power- he had nothing to offer of himself! That power came from above . . . well, his boss.
Today we’re going to talk about POWER but first we’re going talk about being baptized in the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues.
Now, just to be clear, I believe this is scripturally correct and necessary in the life of a Christian and it is certainly something to get excited about, but its purpose is to empower us to be a witness of and for Jesus Christ. If we want to get excited about something let’s get excited about changing tires, witnessing for our Lord.
So, when someone tells us that they are baptized in the Holy Spirit let’s ask them how many people they witnessed to today?
You ask why I should speak in tongues, I’m so glad you asked. I Corinthians 14:4 4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; the word "edify" means to "build up" or "charge up"--much like charging up a battery.
We all need a spiritual charge. All of us at times feel spiritually drained. One of God's ways to charge our spirit is through speaking in tongues.
Speaking in tongues is the most intelligent, perfect language in the universe. It is God's language.
It was Jesus Himself who said that believers would speak in tongues. 17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. [Mark 16:17-18]
Notice they did more than speak in tongues, they did some powerful things.
A believer’s prayer in tongues is a direct prayer to God. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. [1 Corinthians 14:2]
Praying in tongues magnifies God. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify
God.... [Acts 10:46]
Believers should pray in tongues for personal intercession. Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. [Romans 8:26]
Believers should pray in tongues to intercede in behalf of others. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. [Rom. 8:27]
Praying in tongues builds up the believer’s faith. Prayer in tongues is faith food. But ye, beloved building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. [Jude 20]
What an awesome thing God has given His people to use for their blessing and to enable them to be a blessing to others!
To others; the church has taught so much on the gift of tongues that for the most part we’ve missed a major point; it gives us power to witness to OTHERS.
Jesus Said: Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive ppower, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
The last command of Jesus to His followers and His disciples before His Ascension was go to Jerusalem and tarry (wait) for the promise!
Tarry there until you be endued with power from on high.
This was not a suggestion it was a command of the master to every disciple to every follower of the Lord Jesus Christ; the command still stands.
Go to Jerusalem and stay there until you be endued with power from on high.
Jesus needed that enduement of power and He received it in the river Jordan.
If the very begotten Son of God needed that Supernatural enduement of power how much more do we need it?
Out of at least 500 plus people Jesus spoke those words to: only 120 made it to the upper room (that means 380 thought they had a better idea) and bypassed The Upper Room.
You cannot bypass the upper room and get this power. There is no alternative route to the power of God you must go to the upper room and wait until the power comes.
That simply means you must agree with Jesus and never be satisfied until the power of God comes up on you.
To climb up to the upper room means I agree with Jesus and I will obey His Commandments. I will ask, I will wait, I will knock, I will pray, I will hunger and thirst, I will worship, and I will wait until the power comes.
I am pressed in my spirit today to say that the only church that is going to make a difference in this world and an eternal impact for the kingdom of God is the church that has been to the upper room.
Jesus said this is the route to power and you can recalculate all you want and it will never change.
Being baptized in the Holy Spirit is so much more than a personal celebration, after all you didn’t do it God did it) now there’s work to be done.
Eph. 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
There are two thoughts for power in verse 19....(read) the first meaning ultimate power. God is literally almighty! He can raise the dead, heal the sick...and most amazing, use YOU and I to do that! Glory Hallelujah.
The last sentence in verse 19 speaks of another kind of power.... more of an administrating power..... He has absolute authority of ALL things in heaven and on earth...and that includes us!
(reread verse 18…The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,): God is not bound by man’s laws as we know them...we need to open the eyes of our hearts...become enlightened so, we may know the hope of HIs calling!
What verse 19 is telling us is that we SHOULD have power...it is in accordance with HIS power that we are empowered!
“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” — Luke 24:49
Jesus’ final instructions to His disciples before His ascension were centered on a vital promise: the coming of the Holy Spirit. The promise was not optional; it was a divine empowerment designed to prepare them for their mission.
Being endued with power from on high equips believers to live victoriously, witness boldly, and operate in the supernatural.
Many believers attempt to serve God in their own strength, but this scripture reminds us that true effectiveness in ministry and Christian life comes only through the Spirit’s empowerment.
Jesus instructs His disciples to wait, showing that preparation and dependence on God precede power.
Spiritual power is not earned but received. It comes through obedience, patience, and faith in God’s promises.
Those who are endued with power from on high will see transformation in their lives, their spheres of influence, and the lives of those around them.
Today as never before, the Church of the Living God is losing it’s God given power. I think the greatest of all the reasons is we live amongst prayerless, biblically ignorant people.
The Bible teaches that after the Holy Ghost was poured out upon all those that were in the upper room, they went out with great power and authority and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ and saw many wonderful miracles.
It was with power they spoke to people that were possessed and the demons had to leave, it was with power they laid hands upon those that were sick and God healed them, it was with power they preached the Word of God, not compromising and many heard and received the salvation of the Lord.
We live in a day and time where God has not changed, but the people have changed. We also live in a day and time where people neglect their prayer life; and we need a fresh touch of His power and might to blow on us once again to remove all the dust of complacency.
We also live in a day and time where we need the mighty power of the Lord working in us and through us.
The church today to a large degree is powerless because they have bypassed the upper room, they have chosen alternate routes that are easier on the flesh, that don't require waiting or praying or sacrifice or self-denial and what we're left with is a powerless Church, cute but no power.
A form of godliness but denying the power thereof.
120 men and women were filled with the spirit and power, do you know why only a hundred and twenty? (Because only 120 were willing to be emptied)
Emptied of opinions and traditions.
Emptied of self, of Pride.
Emptied of religion.
Emptied of the world.
Emptied of prejudice.
Emptied of carnal expectations.
And as soon as they were emptied (The Spirit came and filled them). That's why we don't have more Spirit filling today.
People aren't willing to be emptied (they're full of pleasure, full of self, full of Pride, full of tradition, full of religion, full of fear, full of preconceived ideas.
Nothing repulses the Lord more than flesh that refuses to die. (Psalms 138:6) The Lord has respect unto the lowly but the proud He knoweth a far-off.
That means the proud stink and He keeps His distance from them.
I will knock, I will pray, I will hunger and thirst, I will worship, and I will wait until the power comes.
You shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come up on you.
We need the power like Elijah; Elijah was a man, just like you and I, but he was one that loved the Lord and stood for what was right. Elijah, had power with God. The Bible says, he prayed and the heavens stopped up and refused to give rain, and he prayed again and the rain fail. He had so much power with the Lord that he prayed and fire fail from heaven and consumed a burnt offering.
Elijah had so much power that God talked with him daily, He knew him personally, he had a right relationship with God. It was who God told to go and speak judgment on Ahab for his turning away from God and working the works of evil. We need that kind of power with God today. Not fear of men, Fear of God.
We need power like Elisha; Elisha was a man that knew how to press in until the answer came. We need to learn how to press in. We so often pray and then expect the answer even before we get up off our knees. Elisha knew how to persist. When Elijah wanted him to stay at Gilgal, Elisha said no, "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee."
When He wanted him to stay at Bethel, Jericho, and Jordan, Elisha said No Elijah I will not leave thee, and through his persistence, as they walked alone and talked a Chariot of fire separated them and Elijah was taken up to heaven and as he was taken up his mantle fell back to earth and Elisha received a double portion of Elijah’s strength or power that he had with the Lord.
It was Elisha that went back and smote the waters with Elijah’s mantle and the waters parted, it was Elisha that the Shunammite woman prepared a bed in the upper part of her and her husband’s house for the prophet to have a place to lay his head and then when her son died, she didn’t dismay, she came to the prophet........., he laid upon the boy and the breath of life came back into his body. That’s the kind of power we need.
It was Elisha, that even after he died, war was going on and a solider was killed and when they didn’t have time to bury him they threw him in an open grave which just happened to be the grave of Elisha and there was so much of God in that man that even after his death when the body of that dead soldier hit his he came back to life. That’s the kind of power we need.
We need power like Paul and Silas; Paul and Silas had so much power that when they came into the city of Philippi, those who wanted to cause problems, and stir up dissention hired a woman of ill repute to follow them and as she follow them she proclaim that these were men of the most high God, and they were telling the truth, and Paul turned and rebuked the devil out of her and then she truly was a follower. Because of that, they were brought before the judge and put into prison, lower parts of the prison, and they had so much power with the Lord they could sing even in the midst of their troubles.
Peter was put in prison one time between two guards after one of his companions was killed and he sleep........
We need power like Peter and John; Who after the resurrection of Jesus went to the Temple at the hour to pray, and they had to pass through the gate called beautiful, seeing a man that was lame from birth begging alms........
I understand preacher, but how do we get this power that you’re talking about?
I’m glad you asked that question. We have to turn from things that is not pleasing to God and please Him! We have to push the plate back and fall upon our face and seek the Lord until the answer comes.
Little five-minute lay me down to sleep prayers is not enough. Praying five, ten, or fifteen minutes or just whenever you get a chance is not enough. We must spend time with the Lord, quality time with Him.
He must come first and foremost in our lives. He desires a people who will worship Him, He desires a people who will be willing to spend time with Him, doing what He wants.
This world around us is looking at us, wondering what in the world we are going to do next. The power and Spirit of the Lord must Be moving in our midst, and when the fire really falls they will come! They will come bringing their sick, they will come bringing their needs and problems, because then they will know that here is where the Lord will meet them and His people will have the power to help them.
Being endued with power from on high is not optional for the believer; it is a promise and a necessity. The Holy Spirit equips, empowers, and transforms every believer to fulfil God’s purpose with boldness, wisdom, and supernatural authority.
Commit to seeking the Holy Spirit earnestly, wait faithfully, and allow His power to flow through you. As you yield to His guidance, your life, your ministry, and influence will bear the mark of heaven’s power.
Let me give you some prayer points.
1. Father, fill me with the Holy Spirit and endue me with power from on high in Jesus’ name.
2. Lord, grant me patience and obedience as I wait for Your divine empowerment in Jesus’ name.
3. Holy Spirit, come and guide me into all truth in Jesus’ name.
4. Father, empower me to boldly testify of Your goodness in Jesus’ name.
5. Lord, manifest Your supernatural power through my life in Jesus’ name.
6. Father, release spiritual gifts in my life for service and edification in Jesus’ name.
7. Lord, transform my life from glory to glory by Your Spirit in Jesus’ name.
8. Holy Spirit, grant me wisdom, understanding, and divine insight in Jesus’ name.
9. Father, let Your power break every limitation in my life in Jesus’ name.
10. Lord, make me a vessel of Your kingdom’s impact in every sphere I enter, in Jesus’ name.
Amen and Amen!