My Spirit, My Responsibility – Brian Houston (guest pastor) – 17/8/2014

Communion:

God doesn’t hold anything against you. So come to Him and don’t hold anything against yourself.

What Jesus has done, that is the report we must believe. He wants us to be well and whole.

By bringing an offering, it is a form of worship. It isn’t compulsory. We give because we worship.

Song:

Rooftops

Tuyo Soy (I AM YOURS- Spanish)

———

Brian Houston (Hillsong) visiting pastor- 2nd service

Let’s always be grateful to God that we are part of something historic in NCC.

1300 people from NCC are flying to Hillsong next year when PP is preaching.

Sermon starts:

This message is called MY SPIRIT, MY RESPONSIBILITY.

Your spirit is the part of u where God resides in the power of HS.

There are so much plans God have for u but if one thing holds u back from doing what God wants to do for u is your inability to rule your spirit.

Prob 25:28 KJV – city broken down without walls when we don’t have rule over our spirit.

Wall is for protection. If broken, we are vulnerable. Open to attacks- Poor choices, emotional roller coasters, vulnerable to anxiety and all kinda of negativity that wants to rule your spirit.

Daniel had an excellent spirit. – See Daniel 6:3 NKJV

Daniel was taken to a place of prominence because he had an excellent spirit.

Ps 51:10 NKJV

David prayed for a right spirit. Believed for it.

V 11,12

Uphold me by Your generous (free, steadfast/ consistent) Spirit.

Want to grow old w a free spirit, part of the answer not part of the problem. Not to be a cranky old man.

A person’s spirit is contagious. When something is not right in the spirit, it comes through and they emanate it.

Prophet spirit is subject to the prophet.

Some people over the years who prophecy but something is not right w the spirit. Eg. Hillsong once had a man who preached grace but his spirit wasn’t right and left the church divisive.

Spirit not right will affect everything we do and all our r/s.

1) Right spirit and obedience.

Obedience is a bible word. Being told what to do. It is even better than sacrifice. There are certain spirits that are unteachable eg. Proud spirit, defensive spirit, arrogant spirit. Teachable spirits have doors open to them.

In the beginning no one heard of Hillsong church. 25y ago, Ps Brian went to Seattle and met this pastor (Casey) whose church was exploding. Ps Brian wanted to learn. The pastor invited him over for three days. A few weeks later, received a letter from him to preach at his conference. The pastor had never even heard him preach but invited him because he liked his spirit. The importance of having the right spirit and being teachable.

The parable of the rich, young ruler… Not easy to tell a young guy what to do, and he is rich and a ruler. Harder still. (Even harder to teach would be an old man). The response of the rich young ruler to Jesus :

Mark 10:21

Jesus looked at him, loved him and said to him to follow Him. Jesus only told the disciples to follow Him so far. Wonder what Jesus had in store for him. The RYR was sorrowful and didn’t receive it. A spirit hindered him from becoming close to Jesus.

Great leaders are teachable. Need the right people to speak into our lives.

Proverbs 1:5 NKJV – We don’t need a whole lot of opinions- opinions confuse. We need WISE COUNSEL. We need people to tell us what we NEED to hear, not what we want to hear.

An unteachable spirit is a person whose spirit has something that is causing him to be blocked from what God has in store for them.

Moses- Jethro saw what was wrong w Moses style of leadership. Exodus 18:17-19 NKJV. Moses heeded his FIL’s advice.

Sometimes we are almost obedient. We take the word of God and adjust it to suit our agenda. That is NOT true obedience.

Saul was instructed to wipe everything evil out and keep nothing alive. But he kept stuff for himself. Samuel spoke to him and Saul got defensive and justified his deeds and reinterpreted what was said. That’s not obedience.

2) Right Spirit and Position/ Promotion

God is the one who opens doors for us. Promotion is from God. Not from E or W. Don’t compare yourself to others. Sad way to hinder what God has for u in your life

Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep for those who weep.

Some pastors weep because of their rejoicing. And some rejoice coz people are weeping. Problem with dealing w other people’s rejoicing or promotion.

Doesn’t matter what people call u. Unless God gives u spiritual authority, it is pointless. Don’t get your esteem from all the wrong things.

2 Co 10:12 NKJV

Be content to live within the grace zone God has given u and it will be amazing how far He can take u. Don’t be like the Corinthians and class yourselves (what I deserve), compare yourself or commend yourself etc. If we want to live based on what we deserve, we will all be in trouble. We live by who Jesus is. Some think they deserve honour… U can’t command honour, earn it.

U will never win if u live life always comparing yourself to others. U always come second.

A good spirit trusts God and watches what He can do.

3) A right spirit and partnership

God puts the right people in our lives. God connections. Not just good connections.

Some people think it is about them but it is about them and the right place and right time and being with the right people God put in your lives.

Acts 13:2 NKJV

Barnabas and Saul- called them together to the work.

Sadly they both went their own ways later. We don’t know what happened to Barnabas after that.

Your connection to the ministry here is not optional. God put u here. Don’t think u can live outside the partnerships God ordain coz those bring fruitfulness. Don’t allow yourself to think too much it is about u but know it is about you and what you are a part of.

When young, he had a youth group. There was a young guitarist who would lead worship and Ps Brian would preach. The youth group explode. Incredible fruit btw him and his worship leaders. God ordained partnerships open doors. Brings blessings beyond what u could ever imagine or do by yourself. Together we are all better.

Don’t be unequally yoked. Doesn’t mean the other person is Christian, it is a God ordained partnership. One thing worse than an unbelieving unbeliever – an unbelieving believer.

Be careful in life that u don’t become the unbelieving believer. Don’t let any dissenting voice allow u to think it is all about u.

4) Right Spirit and failure

Sometimes we win and sometimes we learn. U never lose if u put God first. Amazing how He can use a mistake for His glory. Amazing what your spirit is exposed to during those times of failure.

With the right spirit towards failure u don’t defend or justify or make excuses. Ps Brian rides a motorbike and takes it that if anything happens it is his fault. He rides it thinking – that guy might not be giving way instead of that guy should give way. Accountability. Don’t blame or justify or make excuses. Don’t give others a chance to control your success or failure. Don’t give others the right over your success or failure- bible says don’t be a guarantor. Give if you want to and be generous, but don’t loan or be a guarantor. That’s what a right spirit does.

There used to be a Hillsong Milan. But it failed. We all make mistakes and what is needed is to have a right spirit about it. Build a platform to learn lessons from it and go on to greater things.

5) Right Spirit and Success

Success is a bible word. God told Joshua He would give him good success.

Bad success is built on wrong foundation.

Good success gives God the glory and doesn’t forget where it comes from. Never makes it about themselves.

Some people don’t wear success well.

Give God the glory and u don’t change when it comes to being authentic and real. U change in becoming more like Jesus. U don’t change and become arrogant and cocky.

To God be the glory. Who am I outside of him? He kisses it and it is successful.

We need to surround ourselves w the right people. People who dare to tell us what is wrong. Eg of a king who had many prophets who told him what he wants to hear but only ONE who told him what was needful.

Momentum- sometimes it covers up the cracks. Because of the momentum, u don’t see the foundation has cracks. Then when momentum stops, the faults appear.

Some people who are blessed suddenly have probs giving. Freely you have been given. Freely given. These people want to control the giving. We should give with no strings attached. If u give freely before God blesses u, give freely after as well.

Don’t get too moved by the accolades or the criticism. You are never as good or as bad as what people say you are. Just keep walking in what God wants u to do.

6) Right spirit and sabotage

What could hijack your spirit? When u take on someone’s offense and allow someone to upset u and makes u negative.

Psalm 101:3

I HATE (strong word) the work of those who fall away

Don’t allow bad spirits cling to u and get to u. Some people are cynical, don’t let that get to u.

2 Thess 3:6- Paul said withdraw from those who are disorderly. Withdraw from those who are out of step with your destiny. He is talking about believers too (brothers), withdraw from freeloaders so that they might be admonished.

Why allow someone else’s wrong spirit to affect ur spirit?

Ps Brian met an old friend and when they met he undermined everything in Ps life and was so negative. And Ps Brian knew there and then that that was it btw them.

If u didn’t see it with your own eyes & hear it with your own ears, don’t invent it with your small mind or speak it with your big mouth.

7) Right Spirit and opposition

Jesus said we will have trials but He has victory over them.

Decide nobody can rule our lives in a negative way- be determined and committed to it.

Sometimes we allow opposition in and sometimes offences come but no mature Christian seasoned in God’s Word should live life offended.

Commit to the discipline of overcoming.

Don’t die a cynical and grumpy old person. Be free spirited. Have an expectation of the best and not the worst of people and circumstances.

No matter what people say or do to you, don’t develop a wounded spirit. – something Ps Brian learned in bible college.

It is never about people. We don’t fight against flesh and blood but against the powers and principalities in the spirit realm. If I am gonna fight opposition, remember it is won in the heavenlies.

Everything u need to overcome any offence is found in the Word of God. A right spirit opens doors.

How’s your spirit today?