One Moment Can Change Everything
Life can be completely transformed through a single, powerful encounter with God. Unlike going through the motions of religious routine, a true God encounter involves the Holy Spirit speaking directly to your heart and calling you to something greater than yourself. According to Ephesians 3:20, God can accomplish infinitely more than we could ever ask or imagine through His mighty power working within us.
To position ourselves for these divine encounters, we must first learn to listen and have faith. Proverbs 29:18 reminds us that without divine guidance, people run wild, but those who follow God's direction find joy. This requires stopping long enough to tune into the Holy Spirit's voice, as that one word from God can change everything. Additionally, we need to be led and empowered by the Holy Spirit, following Jesus' example from Luke 4 where He was both full of and led by the Spirit throughout His ministry.
When Jesus declared His mission in the synagogue, reading from Isaiah about bringing good news to the poor and freedom to the oppressed, it marked the beginning of an acceleration in God's kingdom work. Miracles followed everywhere He went because He operated in the Holy Spirit's power. Today, believers receive this same power through Acts 1:8, where Jesus promises that we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. The key is seeking God's presence consistently through prayer and worship, being open to dreams that require divine intervention rather than settling for safe, comfortable faith that doesn't require God to show up.
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Have you ever wondered if your life could be completely different with just one encounter with God? The truth is, one moment with the living God has the power to transform everything about your trajectory, your purpose, and your destiny. This isn't about religious routine or going through the motions — it's about a genuine, life-altering encounter with the Holy Spirit that propels you into your divine calling.
What Does It Mean to Have a God Encounter?
A God encounter isn't just going through the motions of religious practice. It's that moment when the Holy Spirit speaks directly to your heart and calls you to something greater than yourself. These encounters are not reserved for pastors or missionaries — they're available to every believer who positions themselves to receive them.
Consider this powerful truth from Ephesians 3:20: God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. This means God's capability in your life is tied to the power He's placed within you. Your one moment with God could unlock a lifetime of immeasurable impact.
How Do We Position Ourselves for Divine Encounters?
Listen and Have Faith
The first step is learning to hear God's voice. Proverbs 29:18 tells us that where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom's instruction. Without divine direction, we wander aimlessly. But when we tune in to the Holy Spirit's frequency, one word from God can redirect our entire lives.
Are you stopping long enough to listen? In our busy world, the still small voice of God often gets drowned out by noise, notifications, and the never-ending demands of daily life. But those who cultivate a listening heart are the ones who experience those transformative encounters.
Be Led and Empowered by the Holy Spirit
Look at Jesus' example in Luke 4:1-2: Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Notice two things: Jesus was FULL of the Spirit, and He was LED by the Spirit. Both are essential. Being filled isn't enough — we must also yield to the Spirit's leading, even when it takes us into uncomfortable or unexpected places.
What Happens When Jesus Declares His Mission?
In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus stood in the synagogue and read from Isaiah: The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
This declaration wasn't just a mission statement — it was a proclamation of the kingdom breaking into human history. And miracles followed everywhere He went because He operated entirely in the Holy Spirit's power. The same anointing that rested on Jesus is available to you today.
How Does the Holy Spirit Empower Us Today?
The Promise of Power
In Acts 1:8, Jesus gives us the blueprint for Spirit-empowered living: 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. This power isn't for a select few — it's for every believer who hungers for it.
The Breath of God
After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and breathed on them saying, Receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:22). This intimate act was a foretaste of Pentecost — God breathing His very life and power into His people. Just as He breathed life into Adam in the garden, He breathes purpose and power into us today.
What Kind of Dreams Is God Giving You?
When God gives you a vision, it will always be bigger than your natural ability to achieve. That's by design. God gives us dreams that require His intervention so that when they come to pass, there's no doubt about who made it happen.
What dream have you been dismissing as too big, too impossible, or too far out of reach? That might be exactly the dream God wants to bring to life through your one transformative encounter with Him.
How Do We Seek His Presence?
The key to transformation is seeking God's presence consistently, not just in crisis moments. This means building a lifestyle of worship, prayer, and surrender. It means showing up even when you don't feel like it, trusting that God honors those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
Don't settle for safe faith — the kind that never requires God to show up. Instead, step into the uncomfortable, the unknown, the seemingly impossible. That's where encounters happen. That's where one moment changes everything.
Life Application: This week, set aside intentional time to seek God's presence. Ask Him to speak to you, to show you the dreams He has for your life, and to fill you afresh with His Holy Spirit. Be open to the unexpected — your one encounter with God could be just around the corner.
Reflection Questions:
1. When was the last time you truly encountered God in a personal and transformative way?
2. What areas of your life have you been trying to manage in your own strength rather than surrendering to the Holy Spirit's leading?
3. What dreams or visions has God placed in your heart that you've been afraid to pursue?
4. How can you cultivate a more consistent practice of seeking God's presence this week?
Remember: One moment with God can change everything. Position yourself for that encounter today.
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A discussion guide for this sermon can be found here.
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God does Great things. So today the title of the message is, and hello to everyone at home. One moment can change everything. Do you know that? One moment can change everything.
One moment with God can change your life. And what I'm really going on about today is, is that we can just go through the motions or we can have an encounter with the living God. And everything about us can change. Our trajectory can change. When I was a 15, 16 year old, I was going to tell you my age at a place called McEwen's Store.
Some of the older crew here, like me, are laughing and going, I know McEwen stores. McEwens were bought out by Bunnings. So I was a casual at the time. And looking back, I realized that I got caught up with a bunch of people there that wanted to do the basics, the bare minimum, go, why would we do any more? And I got kind of caught in that.
And that's not my upbringing. But I'd go to work, I'd go, oh, here we go. Just try and dodge working and do with the bare minimum until someone grabbed me. One of the leaders in the church said, you know what? I see something on your life.
You could be quite extraordinary at this. And I had an encounter with this guy, his name was Phil Graham. And it changed my life. I ended up getting into the management team, a cadet, became like a manager through that and just had a heart for business. Because that one encounter changed me from just going through the motions to, hey, there's something going on here.
But let me tell you, one moment, one encounter, one word from Jesus Christ will change your life to the most extraordinary. You won't believe what he can do if you allow him in. So let me go back a bit. Go back 10 years. I was at that time part of the youth team.
I was a youth pastor, young adults pastor in the church. And part of my role was looking after a cafe we had at the time. It was a great role. And it was after a camp. We had a camp called Camp no Fear.
And there's about 275 young people after the camp, at the camp reunion. And I can remember being at the back of the control box and I'm watching the team. Awesome volunteers like this play. They were worship leading songs. The kids would go on fire.
The team were connecting with all the kids. It was just amazing. And I'm at the back and I'm going, God, have you ever got this moment where you don't even realize you're talking to the Holy Spirit and you're just there with him and the Holy. I'm like, how good's this? How good's this team?
Ah, this is beautiful, God. And the Holy Spirit goes, your time's up. I need you to start a new thing. That one moment, that one word, that one encounter at that moment changed my life again. I went and told the team, and about 18 months later, I left.
And then for three months, I didn't have a position to go to. I just knew the Lord said, said, you're going to be starting something new. It's such a significant moment. After three months, I'm going, where, God? Where?
And I was opening houses on a Sunday, on a Saturday morning for a real estate agent. I was marking business diplomas online. And I was also in a school two days a week with my counseling background, doing some counseling at one of the high schools. And I'm going, but God, you called me. And out.
Long story short, I met with Ian Krutoff, went to Hastings Church and started there with my wife. Adrian hadn't arrived at that stage yet, and we'd started, and there was about 20, 30 people in the church at the time. I can remember, with my wife going. And we just knew that it was the church, the Holy Spirit was speaking. It was very powerful.
We got a word in that three months because I was almost thinking, I'm going to go back to business, business. Because that was a real hunger for me back in the day before I met the Lord. See, I met the Lord at 30, never met him before, never had that encounter. So I was very business minded and financially focused until I met him. And then everything did change.
But I went to Hastings and then I caught up with Adrian about six months later, and we had a conversation. And in that conversation, all we kept talking about was Jesus and vision and what Jesus was going to do. And we just felt that God was in it. Then we fast forward. I didn't know this when I left the church, and for three months nothing was happening.
What's happened since then? Six churches. Hastings is on fire. I've gone to Casey. God's just moved.
And it all started from one encounter, one moment, one period with God where he gave me a word and I couldn't shake it. Have you ever had a word that you can't shake? Let's go to Scripture. Ephesians 3:20 says this. Now, glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us, is able to do far more than we could ever dare to ask or even dream of, infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or Hopes.
Come on. Do you understand that? That God can do so much more than you can ever imagine? I had no idea when I came to Hastings Church what he was about to do. He was about to do so much more than I could imagine.
I didn't know. But I was just following God because that one moment, that one word, I'm telling you to go and listen and do. And extraordinary things have happened. He's so good. He's so good.
So my first thought for you is this. Hear and have faith. If you listen to God and you tune into him and you listen to the Holy Spirit, that one moment, that one word, that one encounter can change everything. But are you stopping? Are you listening?
Proverbs 29:18 says this. This is a great scripture where there is no vision. Do you have vision for your life? Has the Lord given you vision, A dream? People perish.
Are you going through the motions or has he grabbed a hold of you, where you go, I've got this holy discontent. I just, just can't shake it. He's spoken to me. I know what he's called me to do. I don't want to just go through the motions.
I'm sold out for him. I've got this vision. Have you got that? Because he wants that for you. Where are you going?
What are you chasing? What is your God given purpose this morning? Because I'm telling you, if he grabs a hold of you, you. You'll never be the same. It's beautiful and it's exciting and it's amazing.
So do you have a God dream? Have you had that God moment?
Maybe you're sitting here and saying, frank, I'm literally hanging on. I've got no dream. I am so bruised and bad. I'm exhausted. I'm so glad you're here this morning because I believe God can change that circumstance and encounter with him, that he can heal, move, open doors that you can't even imagine.
So if you're here, have that posture and that openness, go, all right, God, that one moment, that one word, that one time with you where you can turn that around. Or maybe you've got a dream. That's such a safe dream. It's a dream. Well, I'm going to do this for the Lord.
But you don't even need him to turn up. You can just do that. It's safe. And maybe you've always played it a bit safe where God say, no, no, there's more in you. There's greater things in you.
Come on, do you trust me? Do you know, the glory of my God, who is mighty power at work within us and able to do far more than we could ever dare to ask or dream, stepping into that infinitely beyond your highest prayers, desires, thoughts or hopes. Do you get that? He can do it through you. Or maybe you've got the wrong dream.
As a 20 year old man, I came from a European background. It was, make money, son, get yourself set up. My parents were immigrants into this country who didn't have money, but they were beautiful. But they wanted so much more for me. So that was instilled in me.
Make money, make money, make money. And I was climbing that ladder. I was working 7 days a week, I'm not kidding, 12 hour days. I owned my own house at 27, no mortgage paid for, not spending time with my wife because I was just obsessed. Wrong ladder.
Then God turned up. As a 30 year old, I didn't go to church, didn't know God was brought up in a home to respect God. But it wasn't till I was 30, I was invited to a baptism service and I had a radical encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. And my life changed, totally changed. He grabbed a hold of my heart, I went.
It was like business dropped off me instantly. So I just want to follow him, whatever that looks like. I couldn't even tell you what it was. I just wanted more of him. I was obsessed.
My family were going, what happened to you? Jesus happened to me. And it was beautiful and it was amazing and I couldn't shake it. Come on, what's the dream? Is it a God dream?
See, when God gives you a God dream, it is bigger than you can do on your own. It's something where you go, if you don't turn up, Lord, this ain't gonna happen. I went to connect and the Lord said to me, you're gonna have 500. And I'm going, well, I can't do that. You better turn up, Lord.
And I can remember saying it to the church, we're gonna have 500. And they're all going, some clapping and some are going, yeah, we'll see, see, we'll see. But God's on it and we're at 400. Now God's moving, he's got to go way beyond 500. Pastor Deep is going to me, why is your faith so small, Pastor Frank?
And I love that about him. He's going, come on, there's more, come on. Do you have a vision? Do you have faith? When God speaks in that moment, he will change your life.
I'm Imploring you to go, lord, give me a word. It is beautiful, it's profound. When he does Hebrews 11:1. We know this scripture well, but I've got the amplified. I just love this.
Now. Faith, faith in the New Testament, whenever you see Jesus do a miracle, it's accompanied around faith. How's your faith going? Oh, yeah, don't have that. I've seen it time and time again, and I've had times when I've fallen on my knees and going, of course you turned up, Lord, I've done that with the church building.
I've gone, how's this possibly going to happen in this economic time? And then it happens and I fall on my knees and I go, of course you've done it. God, you're amazing. He's so good. Now, faith is the assurance when you get that word, you go, I can't shake this.
Oh, boy, this is exciting. But how? The title deed, it's done. You've got it. Confirmation.
It's going to happen, of things hoped for, divinely guaranteed. He's saying, it's gonna happen now. I just need you, I've chosen you. Go do it. Go do it.
And the evidence of things not seen hasn't happened yet, but it's gonna happen. It's like Pastor Adrian goes, we're gonna get to 10,000. Everyone here knows that's gonna happen. We can't wait. It's so exciting, the conviction of the reality, the faith that comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses.
It's this knowing. Because one moment, one encounter, one word from the Holy Spirit of God, from Jesus Christ, and it changes everything.
So how, how do we do that? How do we get that moment? How do we go, lord, here is my life, Take it, do what you want to do. How do we do it? We look at the.
At the life of Jesus and you see these incredible, beautiful rhythm of Jesus. Let's go to this incredible intimate picture of Jesus in Luke 3, 21, 22.
And it starts with this. When all the people were being baptized.
Who's been to a baptism? They're beautiful, aren't they? It's so sacred and holy. And you go, wow, look at Jesus changing lives.
And it says, Jesus is baptized too. Where am I going with this? Let's follow Jesus, Jesus. Let's follow the Jesus way. So baptized, if you haven't been water baptized, come on, that's your next step.
It's a powerful step. And when we take a step for God, when he nudges us he goes, right next. Next thing. It's powerful. And as he was praying.
Come on. Are you a prayer? Are you believing? Are you believing? Are you stepping into prayer?
Are you seeking him? Are you thanking him? Are you spending time with him? And heaven was opened. Come on.
There's an open heaven ready for you. Are you listening? Are you tuning in? And the Holy Spirit descended on him. Are you seeking Holy Spirit?
Jesus going, Holy Spirit, come, come. And the voice from heaven. You are my son, whom I love. With you. I'm well pleased.
This is an extraordinary picture. Can you imagine being there, of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit together? Oh, my goodness. That is so beautiful. And here's the gold.
We're all invited in to go spend time with him, seek him. Oh, don't miss it. Because we can just go through the motions and just go, oh, yeah, but life and problems. Don't do that. He's calling you for so much more.
Then we go to Luke 4:1:2. Straight after that, Jesus again. So Holy Spirit's. Come on. Full of the Holy Spirit.
Come on, church. We need to be full of the Holy Spirit. I'm going to give you an opportunity tonight. Left the Jordan and was led. Come on.
We've got to be led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Where for 40 days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days. And at the end of them, he was hungry. Come on.
What season are you in? Do you need a breakthrough? Does your faith need to come alive? Or maybe you're on fire or you're sensing a breakthrough. Someone you know needs a breakthrough.
It's no surprise to me that we've gone from 350 since we fasted at Casey to over 400 and we've got a church building because everyone jumped on board. Come on. If you need something, maybe you need to start fasting a bit and go. You know, I'm believing I'm going to choose you, Lord. I just want you.
More than anything, I need this breakthrough. He moves. It's powerful. And that was. The 40 days was a time of preparation for his earthly ministry.
So my second thought is this. Be led and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It sounds so simple, but it will change your life. Led by the Holy Spirit, not by your own works, but by the Holy Spirit. Yes, we do what we're called to do, but we fill up with him and we go.
Yes, Holy Spirit, I will go. I will do what you say. Let's go to the next scripture. Because one encounter, one moment, one word. Word.
It Will change your life. If you have a God encounter, you'll never be the same.
Luke 4, 14, 20. Let's read this together. Then Jesus went back to Galilee. Come on. Again.
In the power of the Holy Spirit. Come on, let's listen, let's watch. Let's see how Jesus did it. And the news about him spread throughout the entire region. You see, when the Holy Spirit's moving, he starts taking territory.
People start seeing him. Lives start changing. Miracles start happening. When the Holy Spirit moves church. And he began teaching in their synagogues and was praised and glorified by all.
So he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read. Jesus went to church regularly went to church. He's modeled that as well. We need each other.
We need community. Two or more gather faith turns up. The new person that walks in the door today goes, oh, these people are on fire. They're different. They're full of hope.
They're believing. They love this God. I want to love this God. It's powerful. The scroll, the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him.
He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written. This is a scroll that had been read out on a consistent basis over 700 years about the coming Messiah. It was handed to Jesus, but suddenly it was different. It was powerful. Something was about to shift and change.
The spirit of the Lord is upon me. The Messiah. He's going. I am he. Can you imagine being there?
It's me. Because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to announce release, pardon, forgiveness to the captives and recovery of the sight to the blind, the spiritually blind, those like me, me at 30 that had never realized that he was God Almighty, to set those who were oppressed downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy. And my voice is struggling. So I'm going to have a drink.
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord, the day when salvation and the favor of God abounds greatly, I should say. Then he rolled up the scroll, having stopped in the middle of the verse, gave it back to the tendon, and sat down to teach. And the eyes of all those in the synagogue were attentively fixed on him. Mic drop moment. What just happened?
The kingdom was about to accelerate, and we're called to be a part of of it. He began speaking to them. Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing and in your presence.
My son Joel bought Carol and I a Holiday to Queensland for Carol's birthday. Very generous flight accommodation, and this place has got an amazing pool. But anybody here that knows Joel, we go, that's so generous, Joel. Thank you. He goes, yeah, and I'm coming.
We go, no worries, Joel. That's great. Awesome. No, it is awesome. But Carol and I every morning would go and have a swim because there was no one there.
And then we'd go and have like, a sauna or a steam room and just kind of chill and relax. And then one afternoon, we raced. We raced. I raced down. She goes, I'll have to go for a swim.
I said, no worries. Let me see if there's anyone in the pool. I went down. I go, there's no one in the pool, Carol. She goes, great, let's go.
We went back down. By the time we got ready and we went back down, it was packed. It was packed. I don't want to go in there now. We love people, so I don't want to go in now.
But I said, let's just wait. Let's just chill. It's comfortable. We're on the lounges. Let's just do that.
But something happened. Extraordinary thing happened, and I love watching people, right? Started raining, but Queensland raining, bucketing. And everyone goes, oh, my good. In the pool.
They're all went, it's raining. Let's get out. And they all got out, and they're racing under the veranda, and they're all like this. And I looked at Carol. I go, if we go in, we're gonna get wet.
Let's go in. So we dived in the pool, and we loved it. And the rain's pouring down. You know what? I just think too many of us go through life.
We're not in the pool. We've jumped out of the pool. We need to jump back in the pool. And we need the Holy Spirit, Spirit pouring down on us and having him move. Let's get back in the pool.
Get back in the pool. Don't miss out.
So what happens after that? Scripture? Jesus kicks off his ministry and miracles start happening. Everywhere he goes, crowds follow. He starts changing lives through the power of the Holy Spirit.
And he's obviously awesome power. The blind gain sight. The crippled start walking. Lazarus is resurrected. Little girl gets resurrected.
A woman bleeding gets healed. Storms get silenced when people freak out. 5,000 people get fed. When there seems like there's no way, we see him transform Zacchaeus life. Zacchaeus was a guy that was hated.
He was a tax collector. His own people couldn't Stand him because he was taking taxes off them. He was also skimming off the top. And then he was giving it to the Romans as well. He was not a nice guy in their eyes.
And they're going, why are you going to him, Jesus? And then he transforms him totally turns his life around. And we see him become a generous man. And Jesus goes, because I've come to save and seek the Lord lost the Jesus way. He starts moving.
And then we see him disciple people, disciple Peter. And he rebukes Peter. Then he tells Peter, you're on this rock. I'm going to build my church. Then Peter goes missing on him, denies him.
Then Jesus grabs him again and says, jesus, do you love me? Do you love me? After the resurrection, do you love me? And restores him. Come on.
Maybe you're there and you've walked away. He's going, do you love me, Me? I've got great things for you. I can do miracles for you. He's so good.
He was recommissioned. So then we see a little bit further on. If we watch Jesus again, he's teaching them, it's near before he's about to go to the cross. And he says this to his disciples. They're very truly, I tell you, can you imagine being with Jesus for three years?
He goes, but very truly, I tell you, it is for your good that I'm going away. What are you talking about? You're our best friend. You're our teacher, you're our Lord. Unless I go away, the advocate, the Holy Spirit, the comfort, the standby will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send him to you. They're like, what? What are you talking about? And then we know Jesus gets crucified for us. Thank you, Jesus, for that miracle.
Then he gets resurrected. Death has no sting.
But there's more. He doesn't want you just to get saved. He doesn't want you just to know him. He wants to transform your life. He wants to grab your life.
He wants to do something supernatural with life. He wants you to become who he created you to become. And it's one moment, one encounter, one word with him can change everything. If I can get the worship team up, please. How good is the worship team, by the way?
Amazing. John 20, verses 22 to 23. This is after Jesus is resurrected. So we see the picture of Jesus at baptism, intimate with Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Filled with the Holy Spirit.
Yeah. We see him going to the desert to prepare and hang out with the Father and prepare for what was about to come the miracles that would change the world, change destiny, change our destinies. He's still doing it. And then we see him declare it is now, now that the kingdom's going to accelerate.
And then here with his disciples, this is just after he was resurrected. He doesn't walk through doors. Come on, we've got to lift our faith. He's amazing. He just walks in and appears.
And then he breathed on them. He breathed on them. He said, receive the Holy Spirit.
Why did he do that?
He chose ordinary men and breathed on them. And something extraordinary happened. There was a supernatural exchange and faith started rising, miracles started happening.
And he says, if you forgive anyone's sin, they are forgiven.
So imparting authority. And if you do not forgive them, they're not forgiven.
This third point will change your life. And you've probably heard it before, if you can catch this, it'll change your life. So we've got to listen and hear. We've got to be led and filled.
But it starts with seeking his presence. Got to seek his presence and he's beautiful. He's life changing. You seek his presence, you might be feeling flat and you'll get, I love you. You might be through a really dark time.
Hang in there, I've got this.
And sometimes there can be even silence. And that's just keep going, keep digging in.
And then other times you'll go, bang, I'm about to do this. And look out, come on, look out. I was an 18 month Christian. 18 month old Christian, as raw. As raw.
Probably read half the Bible only at one day. He just said, you're going to be a pastor, you're called. Didn't make sense, but I knew that. I knew that I knew and I couldn't shake it. And for the next eight years of growing and reading and serving and loving the Lord changed my life.
Because when he calls you, you can't let it go. But are you open? Are you ready for him to, to call you? Because he'll do extraordinary things through you. What's the patches calling you to see?
Let me go over that again. Three years ago, Casey, my wife and I went there from 10 years prior, laughing on our bed. Six months in at Hastings going, what have we done? Because we left the church with good friends that was doing really well and it was comfortable for me in my role, probably not the senior pastor, but for me to pursuing the call of God because he spoke. And can I say if he's speaking to you and I pray he's going to speak to you today that you go, yes, Lord, whatever you want, Lord.
And if it's something that it doesn't make sense and it's too big, Lord, you better turn up. You better turn up to Casey three years ago with a church of faithful people to go tell them this 500.
Tell them you're in here with them for the long vault. Tell them that I'm going to do great things.
Then my wife and I are walking down the beach of Kilcundah and the church had grown a little bit. And then I just looked at my wife and I said, carol, Carol, there's a church here. I know there's a connect church here. I can feel it. God's telling me.
And, you know, a year later, we've got a church in Bass coast planted out of Casey. It's a miracle. It's a miracle. And people are getting saved in that church. The kingdom is growing.
It's amazing church. It's a big deal.
And then, of course, we've got our own church building now.
We've got a problem there. We don't have enough parking. So we've coined the phrase kingdom parking. And kingdom parking is you park where it's not comfortable for you, like in our car park. You go park on the road somewhere and leave space for new folk or people that need to be able to get in the place.
We coin it, we coined it and everyone's doing it now. They're the of part parking up the streets to create space for more people to come in because they're hungry and they want God to move. And they're loving it, and they're amazing. Acts 1:8. Seeking his presence.
Listen to the rhythm and the wisdom of this scripture. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.
And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. How? It's a big vision. It's a big call. You're a part of it.
Don't switch off. Right? We go, oh, yeah, no, no. It makes me uncomfortable. Don't.
It's not uncomfortable if you do it the way the scripture says. And the scripture says this. First receive the Holy Spirit.
Because when you receive the Holy Spirit, you're no longer doing it in your own strength. You're doing it through the power of God. And then it says, and receive the power. So you get filled by his power and then go. And then go, can I get everyone to stand, please?
Let's seek his presence.
I can't be hungry for you But I can tell you, the more hungry you are, the more he'll pour out on you. The more open you are, the more surrendered you are. He will move and maybe you're in that position where you. You go, Frank, there's nothing in the tank. Then you come before him.
Surrender. Go. I've got nothing in the tank. That's you. I'm going to pray right now.
Holy Spirit. Come, come. Move those mountains. Move those obstacles. Pour out your spirit.
Pour out your spirit, Lord. Pour out your way.
Go to the those places where there is pain or healing needed or exhaustion. Holy Spirit, I pray for my brothers and sisters that are in that season, Lord, It's too small. Holy Spirit, I pray for those that have been playing it safe. That's not a criticism, that is just. There's so much more he's got for you.
Oh, Lord, we pray right now for each and every person that is getting stirred for more and more and more in you. God. We're being called to do great things. Not live an ordinary life, but live an extraordinary life. Lord.
Father. We need you to turn up, Lord, the wrong ladder. Lord. Redirect. Stir them up.
Put a word in for you. Come on, if that's you, Lord. What are you saying to me, Holy Spirit? Come on, my life. What are you saying to me, Holy Spirit?
Just you and him. Ask him. Ask him. Pour out, Holy Spirit. Pour out.
Pour out. I'm really feeling strong in the spirit. That some of you going, yeah, but that's not me. Yes, it is you. Every single one of you are his child.
He loves you. He's for you. He's for you. Come on, Holy Spirit. What do you got for me?
Holy Spirit, Pour out. Pour out and ask him. Holy Spirit, come. Come into my life.
Our Holy Spirit. Jesus. Jesus did breathe Holy Spirit on everyone here and now. Power. Power.
Holy Spirit. Pour out your power. Come on, receive it, Holy Spirit. Power. Holy Spirit.
Power. Holy Spirit. Power. I don't want to live an ordinary life. I'm called to live a life filled by the Spirit of God, by God Almighty.
My life is his life. My destiny is his destiny. I will give you glory. Lord. Send me.
Maybe you've had a dream, a God dream, and it's died. Has people said, not you or you've gone, not me, or you've never had one.
I challenge you. Open your hearts now.
He's so good. Oh, it can change your life. One moment, one word, one encounter. He's done it over and over and over. I wasn't brought up in church and he grabbed me and said, come on, go.
And I'm nothing special, but he is. Holy Spirit. Pour out right now. I pray for dreams. I pray for visions.
I pray for greater thinking and belief in you that you are able to. To do far more than we could possibly conceive. God, that you are greater, that you can move mountains that can't be moved. Put God dreams. And I pray for pastors.
I pray for mighty mums and dads. I pray for relationships to be restored. I pray for businesses to explode. I pray for people to be witnesses of God Almighty. I pray for miracles.
Miracles. Pour them out, Lord. Pour them out. Pour them out, Lord. Pour them out.
Pour them out, God.
Let's get hungry. Let's get hungry. Hungry. Get hungry.
Come on. He's no. He's no ordinary God. Oh, he's so good. He will grab your life.
He will change your life. He will do miracles. The power of God. Pour out. Pour out.
Sturmy Holy Spirit. Fire. Not my works. Your presence. Your power.
Your. Your will. Send me. Open my ears, oh, Lord, I want more. I want more.
I want more. I want more.
Of you.
And every person. Let's close our eyes for a moment, Because what Frank's just shared is. He shared a Holy Spirit invitation. It's a Holy Spirit invitation to you from God himself.
See, Jesus said, come and follow me. Come and follow me. And when you follow Jesus, your life does not stay the same.
I made a determination when I was a kid. I said, if I'm going to follow Jesus, I'm not going to live the life that I would have led without him. Some of us are leading the same sort of lives that we would have lived if we didn't have Jesus. But he said, I called you to a different life. I've called you to a life of faith, a life full of my spirit.
A life that looks different and transformed. And it's a bit of a risk. And it doesn't look like the world looks. It looks. It looks like someone who follows Jesus with all their heart.
It looks like different decisions, different life, a different holiness, a different kind of faith, a different kind of love.
And so there's an invitation from the Holy Spirit today to every one of us, because he's not interested in just building a great church. He's interested in his church becoming Holy Ghost. People that go into the world and make disciples and change the world for him. So here's what we're going to do. If you say, lord, that's me, that's me.
I might have been in church all my life. I might have been here for the first time. But that's me, God. I want to be a follower of Christ. I want you to change me.
I want you to use me to change the world, to change my family, to change my kids, to change their destinies, to change a generation. Then I want you to lift your hand out to the Lord. Lift your hands out to the Lord. He's not looking for half hearted. He's looking for sold out.
People who say yes. People who say yes. And I know I'm part of a church of people who are saying yes to Jesus. Yes to Jesus. Oh, brothers and sisters, he's going to change your life.
He's going to change, change your family. He's going to change your future. He's going to redeem the things the enemy stolen from you. The Lord is going to pour back into your life. The Lord is going to redeem, restore, set on fire in the name of Jesus Christ.
And his people are going to rise and his people are going to conquer. And his people are going to love in Jesus name. And so Holy Spirit, right now, receive from him. Say, Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit. Fill me, Lord.
Maybe you don't know the Lord Jesus. You've been far away from him. Say in your heart right now, say, jesus, forgive me. Be my Lord and Savior. I will follow you.
Say, holy Spirit, fill me, oh Lord, I need you right all over this place. Some of you have just walked into church in the last week, the last couple of months, and the Holy Spirit's got a hold of your life and he's saying, I've got a different trajectory for your life. You've been hungry for it. You've known it's the Lord who's been drawing you. And he's speaking to you right now.
He's saying, I've been calling you, I've been drawing. That's why you're here. Say yes. All you have to do is say yes to the Lord. Say yes.
Jesus changed my life. Yeah. I say yes to you, Lord. I say yes to you, Lord. I'm gonna seek you.
I'm getting serious now, Lord. It's not about height, it's not about a bit of music. It's about a moment in the presence of the one true God. So Holy Spirit, here we are, Mighty men and women of God. Rising up.
I see it sold out to you. Transformed in character, transformed from the inside out. And then we go change the world for Jesus. Rise up, woman of faith. God's speaking to People.
And he's saying to you right now, come on, the world's put you in a box and said you're like this and your circumstance and you've said it about yourself. But the Lord says something different of you. He says, rise up, mighty woman of God. Rise up, mighty woman of God. This is your time to shine.
This is your time to serve me. This is your time to speak faith and declare things that are not as though they are.
In my soul. That's our prayer today. God, I want more of you God, I want more of you God, I want more of you God, I want more of you Set up fire down in my soul that I can't contain, that I can't control I want more that's my pray God, set up fire down in my soul.
I want more Set a fire Set a fire down in my soul that I can't contain, that I can't control I want more of you One more time Set a fire Set a fire down in my soul that I can't contain, that I can't control I want more of you guys I want more of you God oh, that's my desire Lord I want more of you God.
I want more of you God oh, I want more Lord I want more I want more of you God.
The Lord I pray.
Let us walk out with your presence, God, going before us.
Receive of the presence of God. And as you walk out of these doors, as you walk out of your home, out of your car from listening online today, I pray in the name of Jesus that you would walk in his presence knowing the Holy Spirit is with you and for you. And he's called you to be a changed, transformed, new creation in Christ.
So watch what he does. Believe in faith. He's doing a new work. He's doing a new work. He's doing a new work.
He's doing you in your family, in your future. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. All God's people said Amen. Amen. Let's give Frank a hand for a brilliant word today.
Hey, if you gave your life to Jesus today and rededicated your life, we got a Bible we want to give you. Go over to my right, you'll see a sign saying Bibles over by the right there. We'd love to give you a free Bible, help you in your walk with God. God bless you, church. Have a great rest of the day.
Young adults tonight. Come on fire.
Sa.
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What does it mean to have a "God encounter"?
Ps Frank described it in this sermon as moving beyond going through the motions of religion to a genuine moment where the Holy Spirit connects with you personally and changes your direction. Just as Jesus' baptism was a defining moment where heaven opened and the Father spoke, God desires those same life-changing moments with each of us.
What if I feel like I've been going through the motions and my faith feels empty?
That's exactly what this message addresses. Ps Frank spoke about his own seasons of doing the bare minimum — and God calling him out of that into something greater. He used the picture of jumping back into a pool during a rainstorm: don't hold back from what God has for you. It's never too late for your "one moment."
I'm exhausted and feel like I have no direction in life. Is church really for someone like me?
Absolutely. Ps Frank spoke directly to people who are "bruised, exhausted, and hanging on." This sermon is an invitation — not a demand. Jesus said "come and follow me," and that invitation is extended to you exactly where you are, whether you're in Frankston, Cranbourne, Mornington, Rosebud, Hastings, or Grantville.
What role does the Holy Spirit play? Do I need to understand it before I come to church?
You don't need to understand it before you come — you just need to be open. Ps Frank's message pointed to Acts 1:8, where Jesus promises power through the Holy Spirit for every believer. At Connect, you're welcome to explore this at your own pace in a warm and accepting environment.
Can God really use someone like me? I don't have a religious background.
Yes! Ps Frank shared from Proverbs 29:18 that God wants to give every person vision and purpose. He also referenced Ephesians 3:20 — that God is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine. Your background doesn't disqualify you. God's plan for you is bigger than you think.
How do prayer and worship actually help me connect with God?
Ps Frank pointed to Jesus' baptism as the picture — when Jesus was seeking and praying, heaven opened and the Holy Spirit moved. Prayer and worship aren't rituals; they're how we position ourselves for those life-changing God moments. Connect's Sunday services are designed to create space for exactly that.
I've tried church before and it felt irrelevant to my life. What makes Connect different?
Ps Frank's approach is practical and personal — drawing on real-life stories and grounding every message in Scripture. The goal isn't religion; it's a genuine encounter with God that transforms how you live. If you're in the Frankston, Mornington Peninsula, or South Gippsland region, we'd love for you to come and experience it for yourself.
Does Connect Christian Church have something for my whole family?
Yes — Connect has ministry for all ages, including kids and youth. Ps Frank actually mentioned the Connect Kids team during this very sermon, describing the joy of seeing children encounter God. Whether you're a family in Cranbourne, Hastings, or Rosebud, there's a place for every member of your family.
What does it look like to follow Jesus? Does my life have to change completely?
The closing of this sermon addressed that directly. Following Jesus is a different kind of life — one of faith, purpose, and Holy Spirit power rather than just going through the motions. It's a life that looks genuinely different because it's shaped by God's calling on you, not just the world around you.
How do I take a next step toward Connect Christian Church?
The best first step is to visit connectcc.com.au to find service times and a location near you — we have churches across Frankston, Cranbourne, Mornington, Rosebud, Hastings, and Grantville. If this sermon stirred something in you — that sense that "one moment can change everything" — we'd love to be part of your story.
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Ephesians 3:20
"Now glory be to God who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of — infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes." (TLB)
→ Read Ephesians 3:20 on Bible.com
Proverbs 29:18
"Where there is no vision, the people perish." (KJV)
→ Read Proverbs 29:18 on Bible.com
Hebrews 11:1
"Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality — faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]." (AMP)
→ Read Hebrews 11:1 on Bible.com
Luke 3:21–22
"When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.'" (NIV)
→ Read Luke 3:21–22 on Bible.com
Luke 4:1–2
"Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry." (NIV)
→ Read Luke 4:1–2 on Bible.com
Luke 4:18
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free." (NIV)
Acts 1:8
"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." (NIV)