[Note: My notes are a little rough this week. Me and Will are still in the process of moving and I don’t have wi-fi to capture images etc. for Mike’s powerful illustrations. Also, something wacky is happening with my text/formatting (might also be the limited internet). I hope most of you got a chance to watch the sermon! I’ll try to add them at a later date.]

Mike Todd’s Introduction

·       The Holy Spirit/the Holy ghost can be considered as taboo in the church

·       There’s no greater resource than the person of the Holy Spirit

·       Today, we’re here to normalize the Holy Spirit

·       Welcome to week 1 of a series we’re calling, “The Upgrade”

How many of you like upgrades? We love free upgrades, i.e. experiencing the highest level of the model you have without having to provide any extra.

In this life of Christ, there’s an upgrade that’s free of charge. When Jesus got up, He left us the Holy Spirit, whom He paid for.

He gave us an upgrade.

You Can’t Be Anchored without the Holy Spirit 

He’s the only God active on Earth today.

Mike wants to empathize with those that got saved 15 years ago and didn’t take the upgrade.

Anecdote: Mike bought a phone for Natalie and for months didn’t give it to her. He has had phones sitting, waiting, and available, and has not received the upgrade. Is this a depiction of the church today? We still haven’t received the Holy Spirit? This week, Mike is going to upgrade the phones. This week, our lives will be upgraded.

Message Title: Why Wouldn’t You Accept The Upgrade?

This is an introspective question – this is a question for you.

Jesus said the Holy Spirit was important. He told His disciples He was leaving, but it would be okay.

He said He would send someone who was their upgrade.

John 14:16-18 New King James Version (NKJV)

16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another [a]Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

Jesus was an example to help us to walk on this Earth. He gave us a picture.

1. The Holy Spirit is Not Just a Power. He is not Just a Presence. The Holy Spirit is a Person.

The Bible never refers to the Holy Spirit as an “it”, so why do we?

You will never develop a personal relationship with somebody that you don’t see as a person.

If you recognize that He is a person, then you will develop a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit.

The problem that most people have is our teaching. God is 3 persons in one – God the father, God the son, and God the Holy Spirit.

We say it, but don’t think about it like that.

People have an idea of who God is, so they “thank God” – but that’s three in one. God the father, God the son, and God the Holy Spirit.

God the father is not more powerful than the Holy Spirit. God the son is not powerful than the Holy Spirit. All of our teaching as children taught about God. We’re taught more about people, like Moses, David, and Abraham and have a better view of these people than the person of the Holy Spirit. It’s one God – three expressions.

Illustration: Let’s think of water. It’s H2O. The ice is still H2O, though it’s in a different form. It’s a different expression of H2O. Dry ice is H2O too, it’s a different expression. It’s still H2O but takes on a completely different form. It’s still God. The power resides in all three of them.

If you want to sum up your Christian life in God the father (the big man upstairs), or what Jesus did at the cross (which was powerful), then you will leave out the most influential part of what’s affecting your life today.

In the beginning, God said, “let us.” He had a board meeting with the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit.

In 7 days, he completed creation. He created Eden as a paradise. The enemy comes in, whispers to Adam and Eve, and they fall out of relationship with God. Jesus would not have been necessary if sin had not entered the world. Instead of God coming down on His throne, He sent Jesus (their big brother). Jesus took the whooping for everybody’s sin. The father’s expression was for 7 days, God the son came to the Earth for 33 years. When He climbed up on the cross, He said, “it is finished.” His part of the plan was complete when He went up on the cross. He told His disciples, don’t worry, He did His part and was about to tag in His partner, the Holy Spirit.

God’s not doing anything else in your life. Jesus is also not coming to Earth to help you do anything. They both ensure that the Holy Spirit shows up. The Holy Spirit is your God power on the Earth.

Same name – but different titles, functions, statuses, and location. It’s God. The Holy Spirit is God.

If you don’t see Him as God, you treat Him as “extra.” You go past his power in your life when you don’t see Him as God.

The Holy Spirit was here from the beginning of time – alpha and omega – He was there too. Tap into His God power to experience God, the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is God. When God said, let us make man, it was a meeting between God, God, and God. God looked at God and said, “God”.  

God is His name.

God the father provided for us – e.g. providing purpose and providing Jesus for us.

God the Father sent Jesus to save us.

The Holy Spirit was sent to help us to live. Do you need help in an area? Your marriage, your business?

Stop calling on the God whose function is not helping you. When you need to talk about provisions, talk to God the father. We will discover things God has already placed eons ago, e.g. diamonds. God, “help me to find out who you created me to be so that I can be the right person in this marriage.” It’s about what He already provided, not what He will provide.

This isn’t about semantics. This is for you to acknowledge the Holy Spirit and to stop treating Him like He’s less than human.

When you don’t know something, you dehumanize it. You make it less personal when you don’t know it.

When you see poverty on TV it doesn’t even compute to you because it’s less personal.

You’ve made the Holy Spirit less personal because you don’t know Him.

God the Holy Spirit is a helper.

God the Father is set apart (Holy); He can’t mix with the sin. He created a perfect Earth and just can’t do sin. Eden is still a place hidden from humans and it’s a space that only Holy is accepted. Nevertheless, He’s a good, good father, and was willing to pay for our sins.

Luke 22:69 says that when Jesus finished His assignment, He was seated in heavenly places as the right hand of the Father.

The Holy Spirit is active. He’s the only God expression who is still active. “Something told me not to go that way and there was an accident on the highway.” God the Father created it, but He’s not down here. God the son is seated. He had 33 years of this ghetto world and is seated. The only God still active on the Earth today is God, the Holy Spirit. He is the only God that is active in every part of every day, of every moment, of every breath that you will take for the rest of your life. He won’t leave you, He will escort you to a heavenly home with Jesus, who saved us, and to the Father who provided for us.

The Holy Spirit is God.

You must recognize the person of the Holy Spirit.

God the Father and the Son are in heaven. The Holy Spirit is here with us on Earth.

The Holy Spirit is a person. Why won’t you allow Him to be God in your life and accept the upgrade?

God Is Our Father That Provides Who Is Set Apart (Holy) In Heaven.

Matthew 6:9 – Our father who art in heaven

Jesus Is Our Savior Who Finished His Assignment And Is Now In Heaven

Luke 22:69 NLT – but from now on the Son of Man will be seated in the place of power at God’s right hand.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

He Is Our Helper, Who Is The Advocate, And He’s Right Here, Right Now, On Earth

He wants to work in your life.

John 14:16-18 New King James Version (NKJV) – 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. 

2. The Holy Spirit isn’t Extra… He’s Essential

He’s not a condiment to your God equation. He’s not ranch. He isn’t sauce, He’s a sirloin. He’s the meal. He’s God.

Mike thought the Holy Spirit was just a feeling at church. A feeling to dance and move. There wasn’t much explanation that the same Holy Spirit was there when you were dancing in church AND when you were looking at pornography, and when you were sending inappropriate DMs, and when you were making the crooked business deal.

He’s not the third wheel in your life, or tagging along with the Father and Jesus trying to get a word in. He said, if you need to know the truth, ask Him.

The Helper for your life is the Holy Spirit.

3. The Holy Spirit is My Help

There’s nothing like knowing who to go to for help.  

At certain levels you just ask for a manager when you know that a particular level can’t actually help you. Side note – be nicer to people about your food.

Anecdote: Mike seriously struggled teaching Bella the word “the.” After the beads of sweat, the pounding on the table, and Mike walking away 6 times, she found out that she needed to go to her mother to help her. It isn’t that Mike couldn’t help her, but her mother was better suited to help. God can help you. Jesus can help you. There is a Holy Spirit that has been fashioned, formed, and suited to help you. You need to know where to go, ask the Holy Spirit.

For your business, for your relationship that has no covenant, ask the Holy Spirit. For God’s will, ask the Holy Spirit.

Many people are trying to get to their purpose, but they step out of the light. Some of you today need to step back into the light. When you start reading your bible, there’s a difference between the wills of God – there’s a general will of God and a specific will of God. Open up the Bible for the steps of what the general will of God is.

What does the Bible say about marriage that gives you the general will of God for relationships? The Bible gives you general characteristics for your business. The Bible shows you how to be married, but not who to marry. If you want to know the specific will of God, then you need the Holy Spirit. He’ll tell you whether or not to leave him alone.

When we come to this life, we’re presented with all kinds of options.

Holy Spirit, “where and I supposed to live?” – if you want exact instructions, you need to listen to the Holy Spirit. “Should I start working on this business?” “Should I get the home?” “What about my platform?” – The Holy Spirit will keep you in the light and keep you from drifting.

The Holy Spirit is speaking to some of you and you’re in somebody else’s lane. You might seem further, but man’s applause is worthless if God’s arms are folded.

“Holy Spirit, what’s the specific will for my life?”

Who would have known that moving faders up and down would produce a future where Mike could give other people jobs?

What if the light doesn’t feel exciting? The Holy Spirit can turn your failures into a testimony that would help millions of people. Only the Holy Spirit would know this.

Places Mike has never been will hear his story because he listened to the Holy Spirit.

Even if it feels like you’re completely in the dark, Mike is asking you to listen to the Holy Spirit through what he’s saying and get back in position so that you can step into the light.

Now when you read your bible, you’ll hear that you need an assembly of believers that you can be around, in connection with people who aren’t like how you used to be. You need to go to church. The Holy Spirit will tell you which of the 50 churches to go to.

Welcome the Holy Spirit if you want to know the specific will of your life.

Mike literally has 10 more pages on sermon 1.

Why wouldn’t you accept the upgrade? Is it because someone said it was weird? Someone abused the term? Or you weren’t taught about it?

This is version 3.0.

Most of us recognize God. We’ve loaded up the operating system of God. We don’t want you to just recognize God 1.0, but to receive God 2.0, which is Jesus, so which is why there’s an opportunity to receive Jesus at the end of every service. God came so that you could have life, and life to the full. The prayer is that you would release God 3.0 – that you would release the Holy Spirit.

It’s Mike’s burden to represent the Holy Spirit to you. What is being revealed will change the trajectory of your life.

Lift your hands and ask the Holy Spirit right now…

“Holy Spirit, I receive you. Holy Spirit, what are you trying to say to me through this message?”

The Holy Spirit will highlight different things for different people.

You may be going through a divorce, abuse, or the best moment of your life and the Holy Spirit might be trying to speak to you. “Holy Spirit, what are you trying to say to me? Make it clear. Show up. I want to accept the upgrade. I want to accept you. I want to know you.”

It doesn’t have to be weird it can be normal and you can walk every day with the Holy Spirit – in the shower ask, “Holy Spirit, what are you trying to say?” On the track, at the airport, when planning your vacation. “You’re welcome here. Every day; every moment.”

You love to hear pastors talk, who are only saying what the Holy Spirit told them. Skip the middle man. God is saying skip the middle man, you no longer need a priest or a prophet, the Holy Spirit is available to speak to you.

God I don’t know how to stop talking mean to my wife…“Holy Spirit help me”

God I don’t know how to stop having sex outside of marriage…“Holy Spirit help me”

This is what you needed – not more money – not more fame or notoriety, or a better situation – you need the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Father, help us through this series to receive God the Holy Spirit. Every blockage, barrier, backwards teaching, doubt, we are praying that like an onion, you would peel back the layers of lies and let us see that you provided God the Father, God our savior, Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is involved in you receiving salvation. The holy Spirit is that “something” that is calling you.

1 Corinthians 12:3 New King James Version (NKJV)

3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

Even though you didn’t fully recognize Him, that’s the Holy Spirit drawing you to Jesus. It’s like that person you always see but don’t know him. He’s been whispering to you since you were a baby. He’s been drawing you since you were 2, 4, and 8, and kept you from danger, seen and unseen and allowed there to be a hedge of protection around you. That was the Holy Spirit.

Today, some of you have seen Him, but now you’re being introduced. The best way to get to know Him is through Jesus.

Today, if you need to give your life to Jesus, the Holy Spirit is with you right now. If you need to receive or give your life back to Jesus to have a real relationship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, today you need to receive Jesus at salvation. Why would you not accept Jesus? Today is the day of your salvation.

This moment took Mike from being a liar, manipulator, addicted to pornography, with bad and wrong things in his heart, but God said if you would just accept and believe what My Son did, by faith, not by works, but by faith, you would be saved, then you get the Holy Spirit, who would lead you into all truth.

On the count of three, if you want to receive Jesus today, shoot your hand up all over the world. This is the thing you should be most proud of. Your name will be written in the lamb’s book of life and for eternity you are saved. 1. You’re making the greatest decision of your life. 2. Mike is so proud of you, but more than that, your name will be written in the lamb’s book of life. 3. Lift your hand up if you desire to accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.

God sees you. The Holy Spirit is right there jumping up and down. Now He gets to talk and walk with you. He can lead you in truth and you’ll listen because of the decision.

Let’s Pray Together: God, thank you for providing Jesus to be my savior. Today, I need a transformation. I believe He lived, He died, and He rose again, with all power, just for me. Today, I surrender my life. Take over; change me; renew me; transform me; I’m yours, in Jesus name, Amen.

·       If you just made that decision you changed your life forever and we’re proud of you

·       Text ‘Saved’ to 828282 for resources to help you

·       Go back and watch sermons like Grace Like a Flood, Relationship Goals, and Planted Not Buried. God, the Holy Spirit is about to start talking to you. He’ll start whispering to you and He’s ready to help you.

·       Let the Holy Spirit speak all week, don’t grieve Him, stifle Him, or dodge Him. If you are committed to the upgrade of your life, accepting the Holy Spirit is the ultimate upgrade. With phones, there’s always be a new one. The Holy Spirit, once released is that there’s no upgrade needed because He’s the ultimate upgrade.

·       When you release the Holy Spirit in your life, He’ll change everything forever.

Why would you not accept the upgrade?

You can still get “Relationship Goals” the book and study guide today for additional support:

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SUMMARY NOTES

·       You Can’t Be Anchored without the Holy Spirit 

·       The Holy Spirit is Not Just a Power. He is not Just a Presence. The Holy Spirit is a Person.

·       God Is Our Father That Provides Who Is Set Apart (Holy) In Heaven.

·       Jesus Is Our Savior Who Finished His Assignment And Is Now In Heaven

·       He Is Our Helper, Who Is The Advocate, And He’s Right Here, Right Now, On Earth

·       The Holy Spirit isn’t Extra… He’s Essential

·       The Holy Spirit is My Help

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