1. The Evidence Series

2. Acts 1:7-8 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses…”

3. It Ain’t Easy! The Point POWERFUL! BUT

4. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Cor. 10:4-5 (NIV)

5. “…power to demolish strongholds.”  Entrenched Evil: holding humans captive.

6. “…power to demolish strongholds.”  Entrenched Evil: holding humans captive.  Pride: “every lofty thing raised up against…God”

7. “…power to demolish strongholds.”  Entrenched Evil: holding humans captive.  Pride: “every lofty thing raised up against…God”  Self-Sufficiency  Competency: is His Design For Us  Apart From God is the Illusion

8. “…power to demolish strongholds.”  Entrenched Evil: holding humans captive.  Pride: “every lofty thing raised up against…God”  Reinforced By ‘Plausible’ Arguments: “we demolish arguments…” ‘Condoms for Kids!’ ‘Less taxes!’ ‘More taxes!’

9. “…power to demolish strongholds” MEANS: 1. Able to reason with evidence. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God…”

10. “…power to demolish strongholds” MEANS: 1. Able to reason with evidence. 2. Truth that captivates every thought  Capturing the ‘philosopher’ with the Gospel.  Thus destroying the ‘philosophy’ and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ Captive… to Christ Not this- for-that Piercing

11. Length From birth to death Breadth Interests, experience, knowledge Depth Purpose, significance, GOD THIS HURTS THIS HURTS

12. “…power to demolish strongholds” MEANS: 1. Able to reason with evidence. 2. Truth that captivates every thought.  Capturing the ‘philosopher’ with the Gospel. All our knowledge brings us nearer to our ignorance, And all our ignorance brings us nearer to death, But nearness to death no nearer to God. Where is the life we have lost in living? T.S. Elliot, The Rock

13. “…power to demolish strongholds” MEANS: 1. Able to reason with evidence. 2. Truth that captivates every thought.  Capturing the ‘philosopher’ with the Gospel. Complaint against C.S. Lewis “It is most disconcerting to have one's case against Christianity well in hand, only to find that Lewis doesn't give the answers we expect to refute.” Complaint against C.S. Lewis “It is most disconcerting to have one's case against Christianity well in hand, only to find that Lewis doesn't give the answers we expect to refute.”

14. “…power to demolish strongholds” MEANS: 1. Able to reason with evidence. 2. Truth that captivates every thought.  Capturing the ‘philosopher’ with the Gospel. Deep calls to deep… Psalms 42:7

15. “…power to demolish strongholds” MEANS: 1. Able to reason with evidence. 2. Truth that captivates every thought.  Capturing the ‘philosopher’ with the Gospel.

16. “…power to demolish strongholds” MEANS: 1. Able to reason with evidence. Speaking the Truth, with… 2. Truth that captivates every thought. Love Authority: Piercing the Heart

17. “…power to demolish strongholds” MEANS: 1. Able to reason with evidence. Speaking the Truth, with… 2. Truth that captivates every thought. Love Authority: Piercing the Heart How to acquire ‘love authority’? In the BodyEph.4:15

18.  The Holy Spirit engineers this great work. but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses…”

19.  The Holy Spirit engineers this great work.  He has prepared a great harvest “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest!” John 4:35b

20.  The Holy Spirit engineers this great work.  He has prepared a great harvest.  This is His primary work.

21.  The Holy Spirit engineers this great work.  He has prepared a great harvest.  This is His primary work: 1. Convicting the indifferent. John 16:8-11 “…Concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me…”

22.  The Holy Spirit engineers this great work.  He has prepared a great harvest.  This is His primary work: 1. Convicting the indifferent. John 16:8-11 “…Concerning sin…” Our Task The fact of history Folly of unbelief Folly of religion As I walked about the city I could see that you people here are “very religious”. You have altars erected everywhere and I even found one erected to “the unknown god.” I want to talk to you about that God. He is the God in Whom we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:22-23

23.  The Holy Spirit engineers this great work.  He has prepared a great harvest.  This is His primary work: 1. Convicting the indifferent. 2. Convincing the troubled. John 16:8-11 “…and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me…” How can a righteous God permit this kind of activity?

24.  The Holy Spirit engineers this great work.  He has prepared a great harvest.  This is His primary work: 1. Convicting the indifferent. 2. Convincing the troubled. 3. Comforting the defeated. John 16:8-11 “…and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.”

25.  The Holy Spirit engineers this great work.  He has prepared a great harvest.  This is His primary work: 1. Convicting the indifferent. 2. Convincing the troubled. 3. Comforting the defeated. The only people you will ever witness to.

26. 1. Convicting the indifferent. 2. Convincing the troubled. 3. Comforting the defeated. Evidence Love Authority By: