In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of having the right attitude towards giving to the Lord and His work. He mentions the example of the believers in Acts chapter 4 who were of one heart and one mind, willing to share and not cling to their possessions. The speaker also highlights the need to be ready for spiritual experiences by being willing to give up money, time, and endure hardships in the local church. He encourages the audience to study the book of Acts, which has had a profound impact on his own life, and to be bold and passionate in proclaiming the name of Jesus.

Well, God has certainly been ministering to our hearts. How much are you able to contain? You must be full and running over many times. God has been answering prayer. Not only here in the public ministry, but behind the scenes. I want to turn again back to the book of Acts. Being Pentecost Sunday, I would like us to look once again at chapter 2. I saw something here that I had not really grasped before, that I wanted to share with you. Concerning the concern that our God has for the nations of the world. We're going to have a little quick tour of the book of Acts. Because I believe there's a tremendous challenge for every believer from the book of Acts. Our mission vision can greatly increase as we get into this book. We've already looked at Acts chapter 1, verse 8. These are the final words of our Lord Jesus before he ascended into heaven. This verse should be on the heart of every believer. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witness. This is in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. What about those last four words? The ends of the earth. Do you pray for Tibet? Do you pray for Nepal? Do you pray for Bhutan? Do you pray for Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan? When you mention some of these new countries in Central Asia, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, some people think you're talking about some new pizzas. They are so ignorant of the nations of the world. God, in his providence 20 years ago, brought an important book to the church in German and English and many languages. It's probably the most important missionary book in the history of the church. It's called Operation World, or in German, Prayer for the World. This book has prayer requests on every nation in the world. So I've been involved in missionary work 42 years, and have been praying for all the nations of the world for many, many decades. When I went through this book two or three times, each time I took one year to pray through the whole book, 300, 400 pages. The Holy Spirit impacted my life. I don't know if you can still get this book in German, but I urge you to get it from your Christian bookshop. It is the most important missionary book in the history of the church. If you can pray and read English, I'd be happy to send it to you as a gift. Send me a letter or an email. If we are to be biblical people, if we are to allow the Holy Spirit to truly guide us, then we have to face the reality of Acts 1.8. Later on, the Apostle Paul speaks in the book of Romans, chapter 15, verse 20. Another verse that many people do not pay much attention to. In our cafeteria approach to Bible study, we prefer to leave this verse out. For it says, It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation. Isn't that an interesting verse? This is written 2,000 years ago. Paul wants to go to those who are more unreached. And yet today, in 1998, 90% of all missionary work is where the church already exists. And the church is so ignorant of the situation, they keep sending missionaries out to places that don't even need any more missionaries. We're sending missionaries to Brazil. Brazil doesn't need more foreign missionaries. Of course, if someone senses a heavy burden, they must go to Brazil. No matter who they are, then they must go there. But Brazil is one of the most evangelized countries in the world. Brazil is beginning to send out thousands of missionaries. They aren't out there yet. And we need that vision that burned on the heart of the Apostle Paul. And that was expressed by our Lord Jesus Christ before he went to heaven. Now, it's easy to talk about this. We all like to be polite. And so we talk about this. And for 10 or 20 years, leaders have been talking more about the 1040 window. That's 10 degrees north of the equator. You can see it here on my global map. Right across this zone, that is the 1040 window, right around. Normally, I have my big globe. It's about this big. And in rushing to the airport, I apologize. I forgot my globe. And all along that world, I have carried the globe. When I spoke to those 80,000 in the Olympic Stadium in Korea, after we preached, we threw the globe, and it ended up right in the middle of the field. Everybody was watching that big globe. I urge you to get a world map and hang it in your house. Put it over the front of your television set. And begin to pray for the nations of the world. Realizing this pleases God. And even as Christian leaders, it's so easy for us to get caught up in our own ministry. Many, many years ago, as a baby Christian, I saw those words in the book of Philippians chapter 2. Where it spoke about esteeming others better than yourself. And I had a deep experience with the Holy Spirit in which there was a crushing blow to my ego. And I began to esteem other leaders better than myself. I began to esteem other ministries better than OM. And I wrote to the leaders of hundreds of ministries all over the world over a period of many years. And got involved in praying for other ministries. So now I pray for over 500 ministries around the world. So I feel a part of those ministries. And when I hear of this ministry winning people to Jesus, maybe more than we're winning in OM. I say praise God! I'm involved in that ministry. Somebody comes to me and they say, Mr. Verwer, I've been praying about OM and I've been praying about Youth with a Mission. And after hearing you speak, I've decided I'm going to join Youth with a Mission. I say praise God! We are one body. And we have to begin to pray. We have to begin to function in a radical way if that is to be true. I actually did not want to continue speaking here. And I told Nelson, please give the time tonight to someone else. I will stay in my room and pray. I've never been in a place, not very often, where so many preachers. They are falling out of every window. I would rather esteem them. It was such a joy to hear the Malayalam language. Thirty years ago, I preached all over Kerala. I heard that language day and night. I began to dream. It's such a fast language. Such an ingenue! That's how it is. God wants to do a new thing in the body of Christ as we approach the end of this millennium. God is wanting to deal a blow to the self-life. God is wanting to fill us with the Holy Spirit on a daily radical basis. Let us move on to chapter 2 or we will be here until the morning. Now when the Holy Spirit came upon these people, we notice in verse 4 a passage familiar to every Christian. Certainly every Pentecostal Christian. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues. Some people say this is the first time that people really spoke in other tongues. Some say these were unknown tongues. I'm not interested in getting into controversy. But if we read the following verses, we have to accept that at least many of these people were speaking a particular language that was understood by the people represented in this amazing gathering. It says they were amazed and bewildered as they heard people speaking their own language. And then God's inspired word takes valuable space and valuable time now for 2,000 years as people read this. And he gives us a list. What do we need this list for? What does this mean to the average Christian in Germany today? You see, it's very clear. God is concerned about people. These people heard their own language. God loves people. God loves to hear that Malayalam language. God loves to hear that Hindi language. One brother here speaks Hindi. God, of course, especially loves to hear German. And God loves French and God loves Spanish. Look at the list in verse 9. We'll just read it in German. Verse 9 and verse 10 and 11. We live in Mesopotamia and Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, and the province of Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt, in the area of Kyrene in Libya, and immigrants from Rome, Jews and fellow Jews, Cretans and Arabs. We hear them in our languages speak of the great deeds of God. These are groups of people. That's what we've been trying to share during these days. God's concerned for the Afghans. God's concerned for the Iraqis. God's concerned for the Turks. And we know there's Turks living in every part of Germany. How many of you have ever shared about Jesus Christ with one Turkish person who probably lives in your own town? Raise your hand. Not too many hands, but there's a few. Praise the Lord. I love the Turkish people. And now there are second generation Turks. Third generation Turks. They speak fluent German. Now many of them own their own businesses. There are thousands of Germans now who work for Turks. Their boss is Turkish. Some people don't like that. But that's the way the world is. There are Americans in the United States whose company owners and bosses are Japanese. In the United States. It's amazing the changes in the world today. Some people see these as problems. We as God's people see them as opportunities. And some Turks here in Germany have come to know Jesus. And some of our people who once worked in Turkey with OM now are laboring among Turks in Berlin and other parts of Germany. And some of the places referred to in Acts chapter 2 are located in modern Turkey. God is concerned about other people. And we must follow that concern. The Holy Spirit did something very unusual on the day of Pentecost. Let us not take part of the chapter. Let us take all of the chapter by God's power and by God's grace this very night. And then we go on. We looked this morning of course at other verses in chapter 2. Let us go on to chapter 3. We find Peter and John are walking along and they meet a crippled man. Most of us long to be able to see more power in our healing ministry. So many times around the world I have prayed for the sick. And I've seen some people healed. But I have others, if I'm honest with you. And one of the things I appreciated about John Wimber who died just this past year, he had a huge impact on Great Britain. His son also has now died. But John Wimber was very honest about so many people he prayed for. A man so known for his gift in the area of healing. He acknowledged so many he prayed for were not healed. I'm afraid that is also my testimony. My testimony is more difficult. Sometimes I pray for people and they get more ill. So I like to call in some special people to help me. Now Peter and John were about to perform a miracle. And it's good to study this. Because again I believe this exposes the faulty approach to studying the word of God. John and Peter looked at this man and they were able to say in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, verse 6, walk! And they took him by the right hand. He helped him up and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. I'm sure you've all heard sermons on this verse. But what about the little expression just before the miracle? Verse 6. Peter said, silver or gold I do not have. But what I have I give you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Walk! Now, maybe you could introduce me to some people who have that testimony in 1998. Maybe you could take me to the United States and introduce me to somebody like that. I say this before God. Christian leaders are holding on to millions and millions and tens of millions of dollars in jewelry in unnecessary things so none of those people can ever give this testimony as Peter and John gave written in the word of God. Materialism has a powerful impact on people. Materialism has impacted the church in Europe and America and most nations. Materialism has penetrated the communities in Germany, in Europe and almost in the world. And this grip of materialism on Christians is so strong and it is a false theology. And not only that, they in such a strange way will stand before people on television or in a live audience and put more and more pressure on poor people to give more and more of their money for their various programs. Peter and John said silver and gold have I none. Rise up and walk. If we take one truth why do we leave behind another truth? And if this was not a practical reality in my life these 40 years, I would not open my mouth here tonight. Please do not misunderstand me. We cannot say biblically everybody is to be the same as Peter and John. That would be foolish. I cannot say this. I have a few Deutschmarks in my pocket. So if I looked at that person I could not say silver and gold have I none because I have a few Deutschmarks in my pocket. But what we must grasp is the importance of our attitude and that we enjoy giving to the Lord and His work. That we are willing to sell some of our possessions. We cannot take these things with us. We saw that this morning from Acts chapter 2. We find it again in Acts chapter 4 and we need to move on. For Acts chapter 4 in verse 32 we find the believers of one heart and one mind. We found that they were not clinging to their possessions but they were learning to share in the power of the Holy Spirit. Now it's interesting that that paragraph is preceded by verse 31. Another important verse about the Holy Spirit. When they prayed the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the word of God boldly. When I first arrived I met that dear brother who takes people into the streets of Zurich and other places. And he said to me without me asking he said we can get very few of these people to go out into the streets and boldly proclaim the gospel. Yet we read this in God's word that when we're experiencing the Holy Spirit we speak the word of God boldly. This is my burden even for myself to boldly proclaim in personal evangelism or in the streets or on radio and television wherever God opens doors to boldly speak of Jesus. That is a deep significant work of the Holy Spirit. But of course he won't force us. Jesus said if you love me do it. If you love me keep my commandments. Too many people are making the mistake of expecting God to do something that he has told us we must do. Now God has blessed so many of us during these days and we've been filled with his spirit and we've experienced wonderful things. But what about Tuesday morning? Some of us may get to bed late on Monday yet we may have to get up early on Tuesday. Now how is that going to happen? Now that you're a spirit-filled Christian you just prayed the night before Lord wake me up and thrust me forth in the name of Jesus from my bed tomorrow morning. And so you will wake up at 6.30 you will be lifted by the Holy Spirit out of bed and you will be thrust out into the streets and now to your work. I don't think that's going to happen. If that happens in your house would you please make a video and send that to me. I recommend you set your alarm clock and when you wake up it's going to take discipline. It's your job to get out of bed. God has done his part. Now it's your turn. Tuesday morning is your turn to rise up and go forward in obedience to Jesus. Sometimes I have a wonderful time on Sunday goes late into the night when I wake up on Monday a tremendous passion comes over me an overwhelming passion to stay in bed whatever the cost and I need special help to get out of bed and get into the work of God or the work that God has given me. Some people become so super spiritual they are no longer any practical good for anything. They're only good for sitting in meetings. You can bring them to a meeting when you tell them to stand up, they stand up. Tell them to put their hands in the air and they put their hands in the air. Tell them to come forward, they come forward. They go to meetings. They're professional meeting attenders. Praise God for meetings. These are the longest meetings in the history of the planet. But Tuesday is coming. Hallelujah for Sunday. It's Pentecost Day. Some of you have been baptized. Praise God for that. Some of you have had a greater anointing. It's Sunday. We're praising God. We've got this tremendous band. Hallelujah, it's Sunday. But Monday's coming. Tuesday is coming. Back into the battle. Back into the disappointments. Back to the criticisms. Back to the misunderstandings. Back to the hard work to earn a little money to feed your children and take care of your family. I praise the living God. His anointing is not just for preachers. His anointing is not just for Sunday. His anointing is for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Wherever I go, people tell me they pray for me. I have thousands of people that pray for me and I am very grateful. I have had so many people lay hands on me for more anointing. I was in Mexico the summer before last, or last summer. Very large meetings with God's people in Mexico. And after I preached, this was actually a previous summer. I was in Mexico last summer as well. And I speak Spanish. But after the meeting, about 30 pastors gathered around me. They said, Brother, we want to lay hands on you. Many hands on my head, many on my shoulders. They were praying these long prayers. About 40 different hands. Most people have two hands. As they were praying, I was going down. In fact, I have had so many people lay hands on me, now my hair is falling out. But you know what I discovered? Not so many people pray for my wife. My wife is not a public person. She reared three children. She worked as a secretary in the OM office. She's a secretary. She's a very quiet, somewhat quiet, shy person. While I'm out taking hundreds of meetings, she's back, especially when the children were young. She's back with the babies. Changing the nappies. Do you do that in Germany? I know Germany is a land of high technology. Maybe here you just put the baby in some kind of machine. But my wife did most of this work by hand. Can you have the anointing of God when you're doing that? Can you have the anointing of God when you're washing dishes? Or you're cleaning the floor? Or you're washing the clothes? Now in my marriage, we've had many difficulties. One of the difficulties is concerning my socks. Actually, on this trip, I forgot to bring any socks. Every night in the hotel, each night, I'm washing my socks. And I'm making them dry, swinging them over my head. But over the years, there in my house, I had the bad habit of just leaving my socks around. This has caused much difficulty for my wife. And somehow, God gave her the anointing to wash my socks for 38 years! What am I trying to say? I am trying to say with all my heart, the fullness of the Holy Spirit, the anointing of God, is not just for preaching. It's not just for work in the church. It is for every aspect of our life. Amen. Amen. For it is very clear in the book of Colossians, whatever we do, we should do it heartily as unto God. What a powerful teaching. Well, as we move into chapter 5, we have the story of Ananias and Sapphira. One of the greatest challenges in God's Word, to be honest, to be open, to be straight, to be a man, a woman of integrity. So don't say things that you do not mean. Don't make promises that you cannot fulfill. Don't pretend you're giving all your money when you're not giving all your money. And when we see both of these people stricken dead in the Word of God, it is a terrible warning to us. Then as we get to the end of that chapter, we find in verse 40, these apostles, because they would not stop speaking about Jesus, they were beaten, they were being flogged, verse 40. His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go. And what did they do? Again, there's truth here that is so exciting. The apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the name, the name of Jesus. Day after day in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news of Jesus is the Christ. We need people like this in Germany today. We need people on the mission field today who have this kind of reality, this kind of passion, this kind of boldness. And surely the Holy Spirit is wanting to do this in our hearts. Chapter six is famous for the choosing of the seven men to be engaged in practical work in the church. So as it says in verse four, the apostles could give themselves the more prayer and the word. Stephen, a man full of faith. Verse five, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. Then he chose these other men and presented these men, verse six, to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them. And as a result, what does it say in verse seven? The word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased. Even a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. What amazing teaching. The word of God spread. The number of disciples. Would you notice that? Not the number of decisions. In some of our programs we count the decisions. All the research that has been done shows that many who make decisions are not converted. They immediately go back and they do not follow Jesus. That doesn't mean we don't call people to a decision. That means our ultimate goal is to make disciples. Like we're reading about here in the book of Acts. People who walk with Jesus. People who obey Jesus. People who are allowing the direction of the Holy Spirit. One of these men that was chosen was named Stephen. And in the next chapter, one of the longest chapters in the book of Acts, we have Stephen being martyred for the cause of Christ. And even as he's being stoned in verse 59 of chapter seven, he says this prayer, Lord Jesus, verse 59, receive my spirit. He fell on his knees and he cried out. Lord, do not hold this sin against them. When he had said this, he died. He fell asleep. What an amazing example. And Jesus is saying to some of us, come and die. Follow me to Afghanistan. You'll never come back. I prayed with a brother in Belgium. He went to Afghanistan with his wife and two kids. I love that brother. He never came back. He was kidnapped. He was never ever seen again. Jesus says, come and die. Actually, it's only a few that have that Stephen experience. But if we love Jesus, at least in our hearts, as we present everything to him, we're willing to give even our life. That is the biblical commitment of the New Testament. And if we're not even able to give of our money, if we're not even able to give of our time, if we're not willing for a few hardships in the work of our own local church, how can we expect to be ready for this kind of spiritual experience? Brothers and sisters, we cannot take part of God's Word. We can't take just our favorite verses. We've got to take all of it. I'm going to close. We already looked at Acts 13. We already looked at Peter coming out of prison through prayer in Acts chapter 12. You can get all this material on the videocassettes. Audio cassettes. And I pray you'll become a student of the book of Acts. You will never be the same. This book has burned in my heart for 42 years. It has changed my life. It has corrected me. It has humbled me. It has helped me to speak in the power of His Spirit all over the world. Thousands and thousands come to a knowledge of Christ. God can take a weak, struggling, needy character like me when I was 19 and He sent me to Mexico. Then I know He can work through you in greater ways than you have yet imagined. Praise be to God. It's Sunday. We're rejoicing. We've been filled with His Spirit. We've experienced the anointing. Praise God for Sunday. But Monday and Tuesday are coming and we want to see the Holy Spirit empowering us every single day the rest of our life. That is God's biblical plan A revival. Jesus by His Holy Spirit living through you every day, every hour, every moment until we are with Him. Maranatha. Amen.