So the outcome of being filled with the spirit, having great meetings, being touched by God, is that your life becomes a clear witness of the reality of Jesus Christ. To become a clear witness of that reality, we've got to live in freedom, and we need express that life. I think that guy that came up to Brydon, and just offered to pay when they were short of money, that to me is a very practical expression of it, something that just - generosity to a complete and utter stranger. So the New Testament Church broke out eventually, on the Day of Pentecost, of course there was a break out, 3,000 people saved. What you've got to realise is, this is the very city in which the founder of Christianity was murdered, was hung on a cross. What an amazing thing to start a church where your founder was murdered. Of all the places you wouldn't want to start, that's the one you wouldn't want to start, and no doubt you'd have a better plan. But Jesus said no, in the place where the problem was the worst, the solution will be the greatest, and so He poured out His spirit, and He sent them out. If you follow through the New Testament, I'll just look at one more verse, then I want to go to where I'm going, in Acts Chapter 8, and you'll see them breaking out.
Now they didn't break out easily. Jerusalem was a very religious city, and the people who lived in it, took on the culture of their day, and they were also reasonably religious, so although there was an outburst of the Holy Spirit, religious confinement or tradition mean they didn't actually do what Jesus said. Notice what He said: You'll receive power from on high, and you'll be witnesses to Me, in Jerusalem. He added more you know - and in Judea and Samaria and the utmost parts of the earth, so Jerusalem, our home city; Judea our region, and Samaria into our nation, and then the nations of the earth. We've got to be reaching into all aspects and so they were a bit reluctant to do that. It's quite interesting to see how God solved the problem of reluctant Christians. Here it is here - and so there was at that time - Chapter 8 - there rose a great persecution against the church. Isn't that nice? And therefore - Verse 4 - those who were scattered went out preaching the word, so God got them all out there eventually didn't He, how about that?
Great difficulty, a great opposition came, and so sometimes the difficulties we have, sometimes the challenges we have, are not challenges because we're advancing the kingdom, but they're challenges to get us out of the comfort zone and get on course, that our life counts in taking territory for Jesus Christ, winning souls, reaching people. So notice there, that those who were scattered - it doesn't say they were anyone important. It just says those that left Jerusalem and went to other parts, everywhere they went, they shared about Jesus Christ, everywhere they went people were won, and even Philip who was a Deacon, a helper in the church, he went out and preached the Gospel, preached about Jesus Christ. He is the one - the message is not about Bay City. The message is not about some great experience. The message is about a person, it's about Jesus Christ.
I want you to have a look with me, I'm going go to where I want to go, which is a scripture the Lord put in my heart. It's found in 2 Samuel, Chapter 5. So the end days, you've got to ask yourself, how is this going to affect me? What's this going to do for me? Where do I get on this? Everyone has got some place we need to break out; so if I asked you the question: when did you last lead someone to the Lord, and it's a long time ago, you need to break out, see? You need to break out. If I ask the question is than an issue or a fear or a thing in your life that's stopping you fulfilling what you know in your heart you're called to do or want to do, then that's nearer to break out. If there's limitations around your life, and you think man, I can't do all I'm supposed to do, that God wants me to do, all I've got in my heart, there's a limitation, it's to break out of it.