Empowered for a purpose

Isaiah 6:1-13 (GW) 1 In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a high and lofty throne. The bottom of his robe filled the temple. 2 Angels were standing above him. Each had six wings: With two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They called to each other and said, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory.” 4 Their voices shook the foundations of the doorposts, and the temple filled with smoke. 5 So I said, “Oh, no! I'm doomed. Every word that passes through my lips is sinful. I live among people with sinful lips. I have seen the king, the Lord of Armies!”
6 Then one of the angels flew to me. In his hand was a burning coal that he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7 He touched my mouth with it and said, “This has touched your lips. Your guilt has been taken away, and your sin has been forgiven.” 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom will I send? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me!” 9 And he said, “Go and tell these people, ‘No matter how closely you listen, you'll never understand. No matter how closely you look, you'll never see.' 10 Make these people close-minded. Plug their ears. Shut their eyes. Otherwise, they may see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their minds, and return and be healed.” 11 I asked, “How long, O Lord?” And he replied, “Until the cities lie in ruins with no one living in them, the houses have no people, and the land is completely desolate. 12 The Lord will send his people far away, and a large area in the middle of the land will be abandoned. 13 Even if one out of ten people is left in it, the land will be burned again. When a sacred oak or an oak is cut down, a stump is left. The holy seed will be the land's stump.”
"Who will go for us?" Isa 6:8 NIV

Understand two things:
(1) Borrowed beliefs have no power. You must have a personal encounter with God or your life will have no impact.
• After they'd been filled with the Holy Spirit, we read: "The apostles testified powerfully…and God's great blessing was upon them all" (Ac 4:33 NLT).
(2) Unused power has no value. Isaiah writes: "The posts of the door were shaken…and the house was filled with smoke" (Isa 6:4 NKJV).

• What a mind-blowing experience to have in church! But Isaiah had to leave, go out and perform God's purposes. "I heard the voice of the Lord saying: 'Whom shall I send?'…Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me.' And He said, 'Go, and tell this people'" (Isa 6:8-9 NKJV).

You must spend time in God's presence building a relationship with Him, then carry His word to those hurting around you.
Matthew 17:4-5 (GW) 4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it's good that we're here. If you want, I'll put up three tents here—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when a bright cloud overshadowed them. Then a voice came out of the cloud and said, “This is my Son, whom I love and with whom I am pleased. Listen to him!”

When Jesus took His disciples up the Mount of Transfiguration Peter got so caught up in the experience that he wanted to stay there. "Lord, it is good for us to be here" (Mt 17:4 NIV). But Christ explained that His power is not for storing—but sharing.

Paul wrote: "I will not…speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me" (Ro 15:18 NIV).

Paul didn't glory in what Christ had done for him, but through him.
God has only one reason for filling you with His Spirit, that's to pour you out in service to others.

Jesus said: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach…[and] heal the brokenhearted" (Lk 4:18 NKJV).

You have been empowered for a purpose!Acts 1:3-9 (GW) 3 After his death Jesus showed the apostles a lot of convincing evidence that he was alive. For 40 days he appeared to them and talked with them about the kingdom of God. 4 Once, while he was meeting with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait there for what the Father had promised. Jesus said to them, “I've told you what the Father promises: 5 John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 So when the apostles came together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you're going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 Jesus told them, “You don't need to know about times or periods that the Father has determined by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes to you. Then you will be my witnesses to testify about me in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After he had said this, he was taken to heaven. A cloud hid him so that they could no longer see him.

Preachers, this is why you are called: •
Acts 26:18 (GW) You will open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan's control to God's. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and a share among God's people who are made holy by believing in me.'

BUT I’M NO PREACHER: Matthew 28:16-20 (GW) 16 The eleven disciples went to the mountain in Galilee where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they bowed down in worship, though some had doubts. 18 When Jesus came near, he spoke to them. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach them to do everything I have commanded you. “And remember that I am always with you until the end of time.”