July 20, 2025 | FICC Sunday

July 20, 2025 | FICC Sunday Message: The Quickening Power of God - Pastor Chuck Kennedy
Ps 143:11 Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.

The quickening power of God

Quicken means to make alive, to restore to life, endue with new or greater powers of life, increase of life

Only God can do this, it is a work of the Holy Spirit

Man can do nothing to earn it or obtain it, other than to exercise faith in Jesus substitutionary work

Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

The word “life” in this verse is the Greek word quicken

We are quickened to be made right with God, by the work of God, not by anything we do other than believe

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

The basics:

Jesus purchased us by His perfect substitutionary sacrifice

He did it all, years ago

We did nothing, we cannot add to it nor take away from it

It is done, finished, it is perfect and complete

1Cor 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

“made alive” is the Greek word quicken

In Christ shall all be quickened

1Cor 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Life is in the quickening power of God

How do we obtain this quickening?

We cannot buy it, we cannot earn it, we cannot work for it

Quickening is a work of the Holy Spirit

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

2Cor 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

“giveth life” is the Greek word for quicken

The Spirit quickens

Jesus died in His flesh for us

But was quickened by the Spirit

1Pet 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

What does this all mean?

Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

The same Spirit, power, Life that raised Jesus from the dead

Now lives in us and where there was death, now there is life

Again, it is nothing we can earn, work for, try hard enough, or purchase ourselves

Jesus did it and we activate by faith

The promised Holy Spirit has been poured out on mankind

The quickening Spirit of God, the power of God, the Life of God

People are trying to be saved by working good works

People are trying to get healed by trying to do good works and gain enough favor that God will have mercy on them and heal them

People are chasing the benefits, not the source

The Holy Spirit’s job is to reveal or illuminate spiritual things to us

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Prov 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

We must light the candle by the quickening of the Spirit

1Cor 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

1Cor 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

1Cor 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

1Cor 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Could there be more power in knowledge than in physical strength or ability

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

So many are trying to get their freedom by doing things

They want to be healed desperately

They want to be saved

The same grace that saves is the same grace that healed

We must allow the Holy Spirit to reveal or illuminate us inwardly to the truth of the perfect complete and finished work of Jesus

When that truth is revealed ot us, the quickening power of God is activated

We are freed from whatever death was working in us

The way it works

Jesus accomplished His perfect work of redemption for us

We hear the Word and respond in faith

This produces a corresponding action

We believe it is done, finished, already accomplished

The candle of our spirit gets lit by the quickening power of the Holy Spirit

Something happens supernaturally, something changes internally

The light has been turned on and we see it is done

No need to try for it anymore no need to fear or worry IF it will be done any longer

We see it as done, finished perfect complete

Jesus did it already

That knowledge, illumination, quickens by revelation the Holy Ghost power in me to receive my salvation, my healing, my provision

I do nothing, He did it all

I stop chasing healing or any other benefit of God

I rest in it

Matt 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

Matt 11:26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.

Matt 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

Matt 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matt 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Matt 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.