 in Acts chapter 13, we're going to keep our place in Romans chapter 8, and we're going to keep our place in Galatians chapter 5. We're going to have to start passing out bookmarks with Bibles, okay? But it's funny because I was listening to a, I don't listen to a lot of sermons online, but I was listening to a sermon that somebody sent me a couple of days ago, and I listened to part of that sermon, and then you know, you kind of get like suggested sermons along with that. And there was a, I was just thinking of our church and what we would consider like old IFB churches just kind of became very obvious to me. I haven't listened to an old IFB sermon since I was, you know, back in North Dakota at our church there, but this was, it was kind of an interesting title of a sermon, so I listened to about 10 minutes of this sermon, and it's not that it was a bad sermon or anything like that, and I actually did even look up the church after I listened to the sermon. It was an old IFB church. They had the right gospel and everything, but one thing that really stood out to me, and this is the intro before we even get into the sermon tonight, one thing that really stood out to me was how much Bible we use, which how much Bible, you know, like if you go to Verity Baptist Church or you go to First Works or even here, it's like we're just constantly, you know, you're, I mean, you're working during the sermon. You're turning to Bible verse after Bible verse after Bible verse whereas like the sermon I was listening to, it's not that it wasn't interesting, it's just that it was like one common verse in like 15 minutes of just stories and in personal, you know, things like that. It's not that I don't tell stories, but you know, honestly, I don't have that many stories to tell, so I'm glad that I use the Bible as much as we do. But anyway, just if you're wondering, if somebody ever asks you what's different about our church versus another Baptist church, that's a big difference, and that kind of was just reminded of that, just like how much Bible we go to. I mean, especially Wednesday nights, we're just going to really study through the Bible. So Acts chapter 13, that's the first place. So whenever you turn away from that, just keep your place in Acts chapter 13. Acts chapter 13 is Paul's, is the beginning of Paul's first missionary journey, okay? And we're going to get through four whole verses of Acts chapter 13 tonight, and we're going to look at the beginning of this journey, how it started and who is responsible for sending out Paul. All right, who is responsible for sending out Paul and Barnabas in this first very famous missionary journey. And then we'll study what happens in the missionary journey in the coming weeks. Look at verse number one. The Bible says, now, there were in the church that was in Antioch, certain prophets and teachers, as Barnabas and Simeon that was called Niger and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manayan, which had been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch and Saul, as they ministered to the Lord and fasted. So these people are all at the church in Antioch. And as they ministered to the Lord and fasted, this is the church, remember, this was the first church plant when Stephen was killed. Remember, in Acts chapter 7, everyone kind of fled, right? I mean, everyone was kind of in Jerusalem, kind of having a, you know, they're having a good time. Everybody was getting saved. The church, it was like thousands of people were being added to the church. Stephen was killed. Everyone was like, oh man, and like a lot of people fled, and that's what sparked the church, the church plant in Antioch to begin. Look at verse number two. And as they ministered to the Lord and fasted, so now we see kind of the growth of this church, right? Not only are they at church now, but now they're going to be sending people out. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, separate me, Barnabas and Saul, for the work, for the work we're unto, I have called them. And when they fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Celusia, and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. And they began the missionary journey. But the thing that I want to point out, look back at verse number two. The thing that I want to point out tonight, and we're going to talk about, you know, the calling of the Holy Ghost, especially when it comes to the ministry, we'll talk about that in detail tonight as well. But I want to really point out, who's in charge here? I mean, who's leading, who is leading this first missionary journey? Who sends out Paul and Barnabas? Look at, as they minister to the Lord, the Holy Ghost said, separate me, Barnabas and Saul, for the work we're unto, who called them? The Holy Ghost called them. So the Holy Ghost is saying, I have literally called Paul and Barnabas for this missionary journey, and I want you to send them out. And then they prayed, laid their hands on them, and they sent them away. So they being sent forth by, it doesn't say they were sent forth by the church and Antioch, they were sent forth by the Holy Ghost. And what I really want to talk about tonight is, first of all, the Holy Ghost is leading this situation in Acts chapter 13. The Holy Ghost is the one that sparked it, that is leading it. And what I really want to talk to you about tonight is, we believe in the Trinity, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. And I think probably, maybe it's not the case with you, but I think probably the most neglected, maybe the one we talk about the least, person of the Trinity is the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit. And you say, why do you say that? I say because he is the one, he is the one that has the most personal relationship with us. You say, what do you mean? Well, turn to Ephesians chapter 1. Turn to Ephesians chapter 1. So the Holy Spirit is really the one that is the, I guess you could say, the closest to us. If you look at Ephesians chapter 1, I'll read this verse, not every time when I'm out soul-winning, but I'll read this verse many times when I am out soul-winning. And I'll use this verse in this passage. I usually just use one verse, but I use this verse many times. I'll just quote it, but I use this verse to equate the words believe on in John 3.36 to, you know, what does that mean? So I'm not, I'm trying to explain to somebody out soul-winning that believe on doesn't mean I just believe in God. You know, I just, oh, I believe that my wife is sitting right there. No, to believe on means to trust. And Ephesians chapter 1 in verse number 13, it makes this definition for us. Look at verse number 13 of Ephesians 1, but it also talks about the Holy Spirit. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth, what's the word of truth? The gospel of your salvation in whom also that after that ye believed, I mean, that's just such a, there's so much in this verse. It's equating believed to trust. What does, what does it mean to get saved? It means, it doesn't mean I believe Jesus was born and lived. It means I am no longer trusting in myself. I am trusting in what Jesus did. And that's defined for us in verse 13 here. It says in whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed, using those two words synonymously there, and what had happened? So you did trust. You did believe. You did believe on. You did take the trust off yourself and put it on Jesus. Look, you got saved. What happens? Ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. That is just such a great picture there of eternal security. That the Holy Spirit literally seals you. You know, a seal means it keeps it. It keeps it in there together. You know, it keeps your salvation with you. Now look at verse number 14. Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, until the praise, unto the praise of his glory. What verse 14 means, so the Holy Spirit, so when you get saved, I mean, look, this actually happens. When you're at the door and somebody trusts on Jesus, this is happening right before you. And what I'm trying to get you to understand is this is a real thing that happens. Okay? This person that trusts on Jesus is sealed by the Holy Spirit. How are they sealed? Well, verse 14 tells us how they're sealed. Because God gives, it's the earnest of their inheritance. Meaning, if you put an earnest payment down on a house, it's like a down payment. It's like a down payment. You say, how could eternal security even be possible with as sinful and wicked as people are? I mean, being saved doesn't make me like all of a sudden perfect. I'm still, I still have the flesh. I still have the same sin nature. I still, until I decide to walk in the words of the Lord, I mean, the Bible says that I'm saved, but I'm sealed by the Holy Spirit. Look, that's how the eternal security works. It's not through us. It's that God keeps our salvation. How? Because he gave us a down payment of the Holy Spirit. Well, how much Holy Spirit did he give us? Enough to keep you saved. That's all I know. I know that you could have more in you. I know you could be filled with the Holy Spirit. I know that you could be walking in the Spirit to the point where you could literally be filled with the Holy Spirit. I know that you could get more of it in your life. But look, I know that you're sealed by the Holy Spirit and God gave you a down payment of the Holy Spirit and it's enough to keep you saved. Turn to 1 Corinthians 6. I don't know how much that is, but it's enough. It's enough to keep you saved. Look at 1 Corinthians 6. Look, it's a real thing. It's a real thing that's with you now. If you're saved, the Holy Spirit is with you. It is sealing you now. Look at 1 Corinthians 6 and verse 19. Where is it? Is it like, follow me around? Where is the Holy Spirit? Look at verse 19 of 1 Corinthians 6. It says, Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. This is why we don't need a temple anymore, by the way. Which is in you. Which ye have of God and ye are not your own. For you're bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. So you have a body and you have a spirit and at the point you got saved, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit which came into you. The Holy Spirit is literally in you. It literally exists inside your body with your spirit. If you want to think about it that way. Now turn to Romans chapter 8. So look, all that to say this. The Holy Spirit that was leading this situation in Acts chapter 13, that same Holy Spirit is in you. That same Holy Spirit is literally inside you now. You're like, well that's pretty cool. Turn to Romans chapter 8. So what does it do for me? That's the thing, right? You say, okay the Holy Spirit's in me. Well we know that it keeps us saved. It keeps you saved, you're sealed by the Holy Spirit. It's the tool, think of it that way. I mean I hate to use analogies because it'll be wrong at some point. But the point is it's the method that God uses to keep you saved. Think about it that way. But also it does many other things for us. Look at Romans 8, look at verse 26. The Bible says likewise the spirit. This isn't your spirit. This is capital S, the Holy Spirit. Also helpeth our infirmities. This means your problems, your imperfections. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought. So it says the spirit helps you, how? And then it starts talking about prayer. It says for we know not what we should pray for, but the spirit itself make an intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now that's super interesting. Okay that's super interesting right there. And this is the spirit in you. Think about it this way. The spirit in you is like God's ambassador. It's like God's ambassador for our lack of wisdom so to speak. So we get in a situation, we get in a situation in our lives, we get in a situation at work, we get in a situation with our kids, we get in a situation whatever. I mean we get in trouble in our lives where we need to like go to the Lord in prayer in our lives. Hopefully you don't just go to the Lord in prayer when you're in trouble. But we do get in trouble when we need to beseech the Lord. I mean some of the situations in the church is a perfect example. You know we have situations pop up with our brothers and sisters. We want to just go to the Lord in prayer about these things. But the Bible says the Holy Spirit is there as our ambassador. It's really there to make intercession for us. So if we start, you know, we think we need something. Like I said in our prayer series, it's probably best to pray like Lord your will be done, you know, Lord your will be done in this situation. But the Spirit makes intercession for us. So if you're like you're having problems in your life and maybe you're having problems, you know, with bills or something like that and you're like Lord just please help me win the lottery. And the Spirit's like, Lord that's not what he needs. He puts his hand over your face. He says Lord he doesn't need to win the lottery. He needs to learn what your word says, get better at managing his money according to the Bible, whatever. And the Spirit like literally like goes and translates what we actually need to God for us, to God the Father. All right. So the point is that the Holy Spirit in you is understanding your issues real time. The Holy Spirit in you is going through the issues that you are going through in your life and literally making intercession to the Lord for you. That's pretty valuable, I would say. He's really there doing something. Look at verse 27. Look at verse number 27. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is in the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. So I mean if I was a perfect person, this is really the answer right here. If I was just a perfect spiritual person every prayer that I had would match the will of God. But it doesn't because I'm not perfect. I'm a man and I'm a sinner and it's the same with you. But the Spirit makes intercession for us according to what God's will is because they're both God. So they know the mind of each other. Turn to Ephesians chapter 4 and you're going to keep your place in Romans chapter 8. Keep your place in Romans chapter 8. So I mean that's just one thing that the Spirit does for us. So it makes intercession to the Lord on our behalf. Look at Ephesians chapter 4. Now the Spirit that's in us can also be, we can also make the Spirit within us upset. I mean have you ever thought about, look we talk about all kinds of sins here. And the thing is some people have private sins and some people have sins that are very public. Sins that are very drunkenness. The Bible says you'll have red eyes and you'll have all kinds of outward problems. But there's a lot of private sins that people have. But look, the Bible says that there's really no private sins because you're sinning in front of the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit that is within you. So you should always keep that in mind. But look at Ephesians chapter 4 in verse number 30. The Bible says, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, where by what? Where by ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. That is such a great eternal security verse right there too. So that's just a circle that one. Somebody having problems with eternal security, that's another good one. Because here's the thing. Does it say that the Holy Spirit will leave you? Does it say don't stay in sin, don't go back to your old ways or wherever or the Holy Spirit is going to leave you? No, the Holy Spirit is going to be grieved. The Holy Spirit is going to be upset. The Holy Spirit, which Holy Spirit, whereby ye were sealed unto the day, and then you just reemphasize that you're sealed. So even this person that is grieving the Holy Spirit is still sealed by that Holy Spirit. But look, they're making the Holy Spirit in them upset. Can you imagine? You're in sin and the Holy Spirit is always with you. So that's a grieved Holy Spirit right there. Look at verse 31. Then it kind of gives us some examples. It says, let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. These are things that will grieve the Holy Spirit. And instead, look at verse 32, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. So look, you can grieve the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is in us. It can be grieved if we're in sin and we're doing all these things in verse 31. But go back to Romans chapter 8 now. Go back to Romans chapter 8. So the Holy Spirit, it seals us. It keeps us saved. It keeps us saved. It seals us. The Holy Spirit intercedes to God for us. The Holy Spirit will be grieved if we get into sin. The Holy Spirit will be upset about that. But in context of Acts chapter 13, look at Romans 8 and verse 14. You say, why talk about these four verses? Because of this. Look at Romans 8, 14. For as many are as led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Who are the sons of God? Lowercase s. The sons of God are anybody who's saved. So what this verse is saying right here, one of the things, probably the most, aside from sealing you, it's hard to say what's more important than it does. But according to Acts chapter 13, the Holy Spirit was leading that situation. What I'm trying to get you to understand is if you're saved tonight, the Holy Spirit leads you. It doesn't say, it says for as many are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. It says everybody that's saved, the Holy Spirit leads. Now, whether you're following is a whole another situation in itself. But the Bible clearly says that if you are saved, the Holy Spirit is at least trying to lead you. Is at least trying to lead you. So Acts chapter 13 is nothing extraordinary in the Bible. That's just what the Holy Spirit does. The Holy Spirit leads us. You know, the Holy Spirit called Paul and Barnabas to go out and to preach. It called him. Now a lot is made, a lot is made turn to actually 1 Timothy chapter 3. 1 Timothy chapter 3. But the first point is that the Holy Spirit leads you if you're saved. Some people are better followers than others. But the Holy Spirit does lead you if you're saved. Now, let's just look at this idea of him calling Paul and Barnabas. Look, in verse number, let's see, in verse number, he ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost had separate Barnabas and Saul, verse number 2. For the work we're into, I have called them. A lot is made about this call to preach. I've heard some pretty elaborate stories, mostly before I moved to California about this call to preach. Look, I'm telling you tonight, look, it's real. It's real. I think some is more made of it that I think it turns into a fleshly thing. Sometimes, you know, when you hear these stories of, you know, I was standing up at the pulpit and I was 18 years old and I was standing in my chair and this pastor just preached this sermon and, you know, I've never seen anyone actually fall over when I preach. Maybe I'm not that good of a preacher. But you know you hear these stories about and just like the Holy Spirit hit me like a hurricane and I just, I flew back four chairs and I just was laying on the ground going, I'll preach, Lord, I'll be a pastor. Have you heard stories like this? Just these really dramatic stories about this. Look at 1 Timothy chapter 3 and look at verse number 1. Look at 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse number 1. The Bible says this is a true staying. If a man is knocked over by a hurricane, you know, he can be a bishop. The Bible just says if a man desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good work. All I'm trying to get you to understand is that that desire, that desire to go into the ministry should come from the Holy Spirit. That is the call to preach. Look at Galatians chapter 5 and you're going to keep your place in Romans chapter 8. Galatians chapter 5 and you're going to keep your place in Galatians chapter 5 as well. Keep your place in Galatians chapter 5. Don't turn away from there. But the Bible says if a man desires the office of a bishop, you know, a bishop is a pastor. He desires a good work. This is just one example of this. This idea of being called to preach, being called to be a pastor, being called to be an evangelist as Paul and Barnabas were. Look at Galatians chapter 5 in verse number 17. That desire should come from the Spirit, the Holy Spirit. Look at what the Bible says in verse 17 of Galatians chapter 5. It says for the flesh, lusteth against the Spirit. See, this is the problem right here though. So the Spirit is trying to lead you. We know that's for a fact. If you're saved, the Holy Spirit in you, it's his job to lead you. But the Bible says the flesh, lusteth against the Spirit. So the Spirit is trying to lead you this way and your flesh is trying to take you this way. Okay, so that's the first thing that we need to understand. So you say, some people, you look at, you're like, how could the Holy Spirit be leading everybody? Well, it's just some people are just letting their flesh, you know, lead them away from the Spirit. It's not that the Spirit's not, you know, trying to lead them or, you know, what, being grieved if you're going the wrong way, that's leadership. Think about that. You know, somebody in your life that loves you, look, if my children do the wrong thing, if one of my children is growing up and they do the wrong thing and I'm grieved against them and I'm, you know, I'm punishing them and they're getting chastised by me, that is leadership. So even the Holy Spirit being grieved against you when your flesh is pulling you in the wrong direction, that's still leadership. The Holy Spirit is still leading you. It's just, you're not following is the problem. We'll get verse 17 and the rest of it. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit. Oh, here it is. And the Spirit against the flesh. So look, the Spirit's not just laying down here, okay? And that these are contrary to one to another. So this is the answer why you'll see some people just like blasting forward in their Christian life and some people not. Some people are just letting the flesh take control and they're deciding to grieve the Holy Spirit in the look at the end of it. So you cannot do the things that you would. So look, the idea of desiring to be desiring the office of a bishop, it should come from the Holy Spirit. It should not come from the flesh is what I'm trying to get you to understand. So look, the desire for the ministry needs to be from the Spirit. Not the urge to be in charge, not the urge to be the boss. The Bible specifically talks about these things. Right here, turn to 1 Peter chapter 5. The Bible specifically says that a pastor or a spiritual leader in men, you think about this for your families because you are the spiritual leader of your family. So all of this applies to you in your home. Look at 1 Peter chapter 5 in verse number 1. You should be spiritually leading your family from the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Not your desire to be in charge of something. Not your fleshly, I want to have my way. That is a fleshly desire, not a spiritual desire. Look at verse number 1 of 1 Peter 5. The Bible says the elders which are among you, I exhort. He's talking about elders, bishops and pastors. Same thing in the Bible. The elders which are among you, I exhort. Who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that should be revealed. Feed the flock of God which is among you. Taking the oversight thereof. So it says feed them. Feed the flock of God. Take the oversight. What does that mean? That means like watch for them. Not by constraint but willingly. Not for filthy looker but of a ready mind. It's saying don't go and just try to be like this control freak and just like, you know, telling everybody what they need to do just to tell people what to do. It says but willingly. And it says you can't do it for money. It can't be for money but of a ready mind. And then look at verse number three. Neither as being lords over God's heritage but being examples to the flock. Okay and this is where the, you know, the qualifications for a pastor come in and look at it in verse number four. And when the chief shepherd shall appear you shall receive a crown of glory that fadeeth not away. So all a pastor is is the under shepherd until the chief shepherd comes back. But he's not supposed to be lording over God's heritage. This is the guy that just really wants to be the boss so he can just tell people what to do. He's like man I just want to be the boss so bad so I can get my way all the time. I hope that guy never gets to be the boss. And especially, you know, that's a fleshly reason, that's a fleshly desire to want to be a pastor. This is the diatrophies that would just wanted to be in charge so you'd have the preeminence that the Bible says. So you would have, you know, to be able to lording over people. But here's the thing, turn back to 1 Timothy chapter three. And this will prove to you that it would only work being a pastor. You would only be a good pastor if you got that desire from the Holy Spirit. Because look at verse number seven. So this idea of respect, this idea that some people would have, it's usually a younger person that feels this way. You know, like when I get to be the boss or I get to be in charge then people are going to respect me. They'll get that respect. That's not true at all. That's not the case at all because look at 1 Timothy chapter three and look at verse number seven. It must be a desire that comes from the Spirit. Verse number seven, the Bible says moreover, he must have, we're talking about qualifications for a pastor here. He must have a good report of them which are without. This is talking about qualifications before you can be a pastor. The Bible here is saying is that you should already have respect before you are a leader. And if you don't have respect, so going into leadership, just think of it this way, going into leadership to get respect is false because the Bible says a leader will already have respect as one of the qualifications to even get to that leadership position. So look, a pastor and all the pastors that I know, this fits them perfectly. A pastor should have respect. I remember pastor, he meant is just talking about just being a church member at the church that he was at before he became a pastor. And he was at an old IFB church where he didn't necessarily agree with everything but he served faithfully. He was quiet. He was respectful. He got on the program of the pastor and he just, he did everything. He served faithfully. He was at every event and the things that, you know, he didn't agree with, he was quiet about and the things that he did agree with, he just plowed forward on. And he, look, he had a lot of respect for the pastor. He was a respected church member. He was a respected church member. So respect doesn't come with leadership. Respect is a qualification for spiritual leadership. Okay? That's not how you get respect. You should have it already. So a spiritual leader should be led of the Holy Spirit. You think about that, men and your families, a spiritual leader should be led by the Holy Spirit. Not by the Holy Spirit. Not by the Holy Spirit. Not by the Holy Spirit. Not by the Holy Spirit. You should just be led by the Holy Spirit. Not by the desire to be in charge. Not by the desire to lord over God's heritage. None of that. You should just be led by the Holy Spirit. And look, the Holy Spirit will lead you. Go back to Galatians chapter 5. Go back to Galatians chapter 5. Let the Holy Spirit guide you because he will. And I'm telling you, it's a real thing. The Holy Spirit will lead you in your life. Look at Galatians chapter 5 and look at verse number 18. Galatians chapter 5 and verse number 18. Now this is going to match perfectly if you kept your place in Romans chapter 8. This is going to match perfectly with what Romans chapter 8, I believe it was verse 14 said. Look at Galatians 5, 18. It says, but if you be led of the Spirit, you are not under the law. Who's not under the law? Who's not under the law? We're not under the law. Look, if you're not saved, you're under the law. We are not under the law. We are under the blood of Christ. Okay? So the Bible here is just reiterating that we are led of the Spirit if you're saved. Now, verse number 19, now he gets into more detail about how to be good at being led by the Spirit. Look at verse number 19. It says, now the works of the flesh, we already know now that the flesh pulls against the Spirit. The works of the flesh are manifest. That means shown. That means seen. Which are these? Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envoys, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like. Of the which I tell you before, as I've told you in the time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But look at verse 22. It says, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such, there is no law. Now look, the Bible is saying the fruit of the Spirit. So he starts talking about, he's like, here's the works of the flesh right here. It says, here's the fruit of the Spirit. So you say, how do I know if I'm letting the Holy Spirit lead me? Well, do you have the fruit of the Spirit? Do you have joy, love, peace, long suffering, gentleness? I mean, is this how, I mean, is this how you are leading your families? Is this how you are, you are leading? Is this, because this is what will come if you're being led by the Spirit. All those other things will come if you're being led by the flesh. Meekness, temperance, I just like how like, there's this idea that we should just be patient with people. This idea that we should be long suffering with people is just kind of repeated. We should be gentle with people. We should be meek and temperate towards people. Against such there's no law. Look at verse 24. And it says, and they that are Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, now verse 25, if I was going to circle any verse in this whole thing, I should be verse number 25. Verse number 25 is the key right here. It says, if we live in the Spirit, you know what that means? If you're saved, you live in the Spirit. If you are saved, you live in the Spirit. The Spirit lives in you. Whether you are, you are doing the right thing in your life or you're doing the wrong thing in your life, if you are saved, you are living in the Spirit. So he's saying, if you're living in the Spirit, i.e. you're saved, then look, what does he say next? You know, walk in the Spirit. He's saying, look, if the Holy Spirit is in you, this is what he's saying in verse 25, if the Holy Spirit is in you and he's trying to lead you, he's like, just follow him. Just walk in the Spirit. Follow what he's going to be doing. And then look, look what it says in verse 26. Remember all those things I told you about leadership and if you desire to be a pastor so you can be in charge of people or so people will listen to you or whatever. I mean, he's saying, let us not be desirous of Vainglory, provoking one another and being one another. Boy, is that just, that is somebody right there who is being led by the flesh who's getting desires by the flesh right there in verse number 26. But verse 25, he says, you're in the Spirit. The Spirit is in you. Your body's a temple, the Holy Spirit. You have to walk in the Spirit though. That's why he says all the time in Romans, you should do these things. Just let us also walk in the Spirit. Walk in it. Let him lead. Let the Holy Spirit, it's there. It's a tool. I mean, why would you not use it? You know, why would you not follow that leadership? Here's my last point. Turn to Luke chapter 2. Turn to Luke chapter 2. So, all that to say this, Acts chapter 13 is nothing new. You could experience Acts chapter 13. You could have the Holy, look, the Holy Spirit wants to lead you in the right direction. The Holy Spirit wants to lead you. You just have to walk in the Spirit. Which means you have to deny the part that wants to walk the other way, which is the flesh. Okay? But the whole, it's a real thing, folks. It's a real thing. The Holy Spirit literally wants to lead you. It's literally leading you. Just follow him. Walk with him. But look at Luke chapter 14. Here's my last point right here. As the Holy Spirit leads you, you say I'm in. You say I'm in. I'm shutting down the flesh. I'm shutting down the flesh. And I'm going to let the Holy Spirit lead me. And it's going to be great. Well, let me give a couple of disclaimers here. Look at Luke chapter 4 and verse number 1. Because guess what? Guess what? Jesus was led by the Spirit too. Jesus was led by the Spirit too. And Jesus, look at verse number 1 of Luke chapter 4. And Jesus, being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan. And guess what? He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. So Jesus was led by the Spirit. And guess what? Jesus, of course he followed because Jesus was perfect. And he never, you know, went with the flesh. Jesus had the flesh. But unlike us, he never went against the Spirit. So he went with the Spirit into the wilderness. And there was a Ferris wheel there. And it was fun. And there was all kinds of people there that were just wanted to worship him and just like, just pour all kinds of praise on him and everybody respected him. That's not what happened. He followed the Spirit and look at verse number 2. It says, being 40 days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing. And when they were ended he afterward hungered. You think? I mean 40 days he didn't eat anything. So 40 days he's in the desert and he's, look, this is part of what he had to fulfill. I get it. But the point is the Spirit led him to this. The Spirit led him to this. This is what God wanted from him. And he did this. He's in the wilderness. He's being tempted of the devil while he's fasting. He's not eating anything for 40 days. And he's got somebody just sitting there over his shoulder like, hey, you know, you should command all these things to be done. It was a miserable 40 days. It was a miserable 40 days. But he was led by the Spirit there. So all that to say this, the Holy Spirit will lead us to the will of God. The Holy Spirit turned to Luke chapter 2, just a couple of chapters back. The Holy Spirit will lead us to the will of God. It doesn't say that the Holy Spirit will always lead us to great times. You know, maybe you want to go on some great day, but following the Spirit is going to require you to serve the Lord with your life, not serve your flesh with your life. And look, that may lead to temptation. That may lead temptation meaning tribulation. That may lead to persecution. That may lead to hard times in your life. To the point where you're like, why am I listening to this Holy Spirit? The reason you're listening to the Holy Spirit is what we talked about already and God's will are the same. So you just have to remember that. If you're denying the flesh and following the Spirit, even if it doesn't seem like the greatest thing for you at that moment, as long as it's the will of God, that's the important thing. Jesus was led into this terrible situation in the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, but that was God's will. And that to Jesus was all that mattered. Look at Luke chapter 2 and verse 26. Let me this is Simeon. Let me look at turn there myself if I don't have it written down. Luke chapter 2 and verse number 26. So here's another situation of someone being led by the Holy Spirit in verse number 26. And behold there was a 25. Behold there was a man in Jerusalem. His name was Simeon. And the same man was just and devout waiting for the constellation of Israel and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed that he was the Messiah and it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. That's a pretty good promise. So here's this great, this devout man named Simeon and God just happened to make this promise to him that you know what before you die you're going to see the Messiah. I mean just that's amazing. The Messiah hasn't shown up yet according to this guy and he came by the Spirit. Look at what God did in the child Jesus to do for him after the custom of the law. Then took he up in his arms and blessed God. So my point is this, this guy was led by the Spirit too. So the Holy Spirit is going to lead us to the will of God. The Holy Spirit is going to lead us to great things for the kingdom of God. But we have to remember that that may not be interpreted by us as always being a great thing at that moment trying to get you to understand. Okay? As Jesus and Simeon demonstrate. But look you just got to have faith that you just got to decide I want to do the will of God in my life and then the Holy Spirit will just lead you to that. Look all I want to say before I end the sermon tonight is like look folks this is a real thing. This is a real thing. This is how I found myself in the ministry. You know a lot of people will look at my life and say you are really busy I don't know how you handle it I handle it one thing at a time when we moved to California I had zero thought of being a pastor I was just like one thing at a time what's the problem in front of me the problem in front of me is I don't have a church to go to my family doesn't have a church I need to be raising my kids in a proper church so we moved to Verity Baptist Church that was something as I possibly can in this church I helped the pastor I helped the ushers I helped whoever I can wherever I can that was problem number two I learned how to soul wind I become a soul winner and I'm going to try to get as many people and my kids to be soul winners look it was just one thing after another after another pretty soon I was just you know kind of praying we got doing the right things and things were on cruise control and that's where that desire came from and look that was not something I took lightly I prayed about it for months because quite frankly I didn't need I didn't need to be in charge of people that wasn't something I needed to be in my life I didn't need respect I had respect for my friends and my church members and everything I had that they respected me I respected them it's just I prayed to God like God if this is that's what happened to me no hurricane hit me and threw me across a room anywhere I'm sorry if it's not that fantastic of a story but I just prayed to the Lord and just let the Holy Spirit guide me it's really that simple and the Holy Spirit I'm just trying to tell you tonight that I used to be the kind of person 10 years ago that thought when people would speak like well the Lord just led me and the Holy Spirit just led me I wasn't even saved at the time but I'd kind of when you start denying the flesh and you start actually you know doing the things that the Holy Spirit wants you to do you will see God moving in your life and you will see the leadership of the Holy Spirit and I hope you all experience that I hope you all are experiencing that now because look it is that's why I took some time for the first four verses of Acts 13 because it is a very real thing the Holy Spirit is really there he's really sealing you he's really interceding for you and maybe you don't see those intercessions or hear what he's saying to God but I'm telling you you will if you can stop walking after the flesh in your life you will you will experience his leadership in your life and I pray that for everybody in this church everybody that here's a sermon like this it would be a shame for a Christian to have this this great thing inside them and not use it in their life because really I mean what are we here for you know what are we here for we're here for the kingdom of God just and we have someone inside us that is going to show us how this person that person that person can best accomplish the most for God's kingdom use it use the Holy Spirit he leads us and that's what we see in Acts chapter 13 he's leading Paul and he's leading Barnabas let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer