“I live by ‘Go big or go home.’ That’s with everything. It’s like either commit and go for it or don’t do it at all. I apply that to everything. I apply that to relationships. I apply that to like sports. I apply that to everything. That’s what I live by. That’s how I like it.” Paul Walker
“Courage and willingness to just go for it, whether it is a conversation or a spontaneous trip or trying new things that are scary – it is a really attractive quality.” Alanis Morissette
Forward Thinkers, the book of Acts is the first book of the bible after the resurrection of Jesus. We call the resurrection of Jesus, Easter and 40 days after Easter we find the story of Jesus going back to heaven and that day is called Pentecost.
Forward Thinkers, today is that day; Pentecost Sunday and we will open this new series of teaching The GO Series in the book of Acts, the book of action.
Acts 1:8-11New International Version (NIV)
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Forward Thinkers, Jesus assigned angels to ask a question that I think needs to be asked again today: “Why do you stand here looking up into the sky?”
Forward Thinkers, today let’s reshape our thinking. I know you’ve been told to always look up but the reality is, looking up is not your best move this season.
Forward Thinkers, we must look ahead and press our way and Go Forward.
Let’s define GO
Move from one place or point to another (verb)
An attempt at something; I’ll give it a go (noun)
The opposite of Go is to stop, delay, or to quit
Forward Thinkers, this month I will motivate and encourage you to GO Deep, Go Rebuild It, and to Go Take It Back.
There is a point in the Old Testament where God tells the Children of Israel to move forward and stop going around and around in circles. Today I believe God is declaring for the church to focus forward, look ahead and GO.
Looking Up
Forward Thinkers, if you continue to try moving forward while looking up, you will get tripped up and the devil will make an aggressive attempt to keep you down.
Forward Thinkers, another danger to always looking up is it will cause you to stand still and stay stuck in place.
Forward Thinkers, looking up will put you in a position to be distracted away from what’s ahead of you and cause you to get lost as you attempt to move forward.
Looking Back
Forward Thinkers, looking back will eventually cause you to wreck into something and the devil will try to use your collision to force you into giving up.
Forward Thinkers, looking back stops you from going your optimal speed and delays you from reaching your next destination.
Forward Thinkers, the reality is, looking back is a total waste of time because you’ve already been there and seen that. Forward Thinkers, your best days are ahead, not behind.
Forward Thinkers, my best advice for you today is: Look Forward and GO.
Forward Thinkers, declare and claim this as your Green Light Season!
Let’s look at Acts 1:1-2 before we GO and I call this our Preparation Time or Pre-trip Time.
Acts 1:1-2New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
Gas Up
Forward Thinkers, before we GO, we must fill up on the Word of God because we are on a faith trip and we can’t afford to run out of faith this season.
Check Tires
Forward Thinkers, this season we have no time for flats or blow outs—prayer keeps you on the road. We must increase our prayer life if we expect to prevent blow outs along the way.
Check Oil
Forward Thinkers, oil leaks can cause major engine damage and bring everything to a halt. The bible is clear without the Holy Spirit (the oil) we have no true power. Forward Thinkers, don’t leave before checking your oil levels.
Forward Thinkers, Jesus gave them proof He was alive in the next few verses because in order to move forward in faith, we must have confidence in the fact that Jesus is alive and we can do all things through Him.
Forward Thinkers, is there anybody here today that can testify Jesus is alive? Has Jesus revealed himself to anybody in here?
Forward Thinkers, another reason Jesus gave them proof He was alive is because sometimes the road may get rough and dark and the path may look uncertain but we have to keep going in faith knowing Jesus is alive and going with us.
Jesus warns us don’t Go till the Holy Spirit comes:
- Holy Spirit kill my flesh
- Holy Spirit kill my fears
- Holy Spirit kill my foolish ways
Forward Thinkers, in conclusion, once the Holy Spirit showed up, they received power and entered into their Green Light Season. Forward Thinkers, we must seek the presence of the Holy Spirit and GO For It this season.
Go Witness— Forward Thinkers, remember we can witness because we’re winning with the Holy Spirit on our side.
Jerusalem – Forward Thinkers, it’s time to Go to our family and win them over to our Lord and Savior.
Judea – Forward Thinkers, it’s time to Go to our hood (community) and win them over to the Kingdom of God.
Samaria – Forward Thinkers, it’s time to GO to our people (everybody we meet) and win them over by being the light of the world.
Forward Thinkers, it’s time to take the limits off our impact and GO for it all; understanding in Acts 2 on Pentecost Sunday the people received the power to GO change the world and most of the people in the Upper Room had been through some messed up experiences, yet God choose to empower them to GO and today God is calling YOU to GO.
Pastor E. A. Deckard is the Senior Pastor/Founder of the Green House International Church located, in both Houston, Texas, and the Woodlands, Texas. Pastor Deckard is also the Co-Founder of the No More Bloodshed Movement. To contact Pastor Deckard for speaking engagements contact him at pr.ghic@gmail.com, follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Periscope @ Pastor E A Deckard or the church website www.ghic.net