You know we’re living in a time when the gay pride movement, the alphabet group—they keep adding letters, pluses and minuses, I don’t know, whatever—but here’s the reality, in our society today and especially in Christendom, people almost act like homosexuality, because it’s receiving so much attention, is some kind of a special sin that carries with it a reproach.  Probably, in many people’s minds, there’s the thought that there’s going to be even greater judgments for these.  I want you to know something, that homosexuality carries the same death penalty as adultery; amen?  The severest of all consequences and judgments.  And the Bible says, if we’ve “looketh on a woman to lust after her” (Matthew 5:28), we’ve committed adultery.  Now I’m not saying this for our thinking, except to illuminate us for how to minister in this environment properly.

So, when we’re out in society and this topic comes up, whether we’re talking to a person that’s a homosexual or we’re talking about the ideology in and of itself, or whether it’s among Christians, we need to be ready to help people understand that this is no special sin.  Let’s take a survey of our own lives; amen?  I may not be a homosexual but I’m a gossip, a slanderer, I have unforgiveness in my heart, I’m full of pride.

So, what is the real issue?  I’m talking about sharing the gospel with signs and wonders.  Not just preaching the plan of redemption but showing the power and the consequences of true regeneration, of what salvation brings.  The word sozo means wholeness; doesn’t it?  It means to be made whole: spirit, soul and body.  Soteriology is the study of salvation.  And so, we realize it’s not just for the spirit, it’s for our minds, it’s for our bodies.

But in this hour—John, Chapter 16, verse 8—we’re talking about the work of the Holy Spirit, and it said, “when the Holy Spirit comes, I’m going to depart.  The Holy Spirit’s going to come to fulfill and take My place.  I’m going to go to the right hand of the Father and ever live to make intercession for you.”  What a cool thing happening here.  Not only are we now being indwelt and empowered by the Holy Ghost, but we got a double whammy.  The power now is in us and Jesus is at the Father’s right hand making intercession for us that we would have boldness, that we would use wisdom, that we would know the presence of the Holy Spirit.  It’s nice to know that He’s ever living to make intercession, but we need to understand what He’s interceding about.  He’s interceding about us going out and doing His work; amen?  It’s not about you getting a raise.  It’s not about you getting a better home.  “The things that I did shall you do and ‘greater works than these’ shall you do because I’ve gone to the Father.  Which means I’ve sent the Holy Spirit” (John 14:12).  And He’s going to come and dwell within you.

It says, and when He’s come, verse 8, “He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment.”  There’s only one sin that’s going to make these people go to hell—and it’s in this verse (John 16:9)— “because they believe not on me.”  There’s no other way of salvation.  All these other fake religions, pseudo religions, whether they’re humanly or demonically inspired, every one of them is a lie; amen?  The Scripture’s clear.  God said, “There are no other gods, no, not even one.  I, the Lord, stand sovereign.  Everything that exists I spoke into being.”  And here we are, resting in that great omnipotence, that power of God.  Beloved, is anything too hard for the Lord?  Can I share something with you, as we think about miracles—is anything too hard for the Lord?