Something More Series

End Times

Something More

As we approach the end of our End Times Series, I’d like to look at our need for something more to be able to survive and thrive in these troublous times.

When the Jewish priests and Levites approached John the Baptist as he went around baptizing and preaching repentance because the Kingdom of Heaven was shortly to take place, they asked, “Who are you, and by what authority are you doing these things?”

John replied, “I’m not who you think I am. I’m not the Messiah, nor am I Elijah or that prophet (specking of Moses). Instead, I’m the one Isaiah spoke about, a voice crying in the wilderness saying, “Make straight the way of the Lord.”

And to their question as to why he was baptizing unto repentance, he said, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11 NKJV)

The Apostle John, in his gospel account speaks of this same encounter, but he states that in Jesus we have not only received His fullness, but additional grace as one blessing after another.

“And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.” (John 1:16 NKJV)

This is what those who come into the saving knowledge and faith of Jesus Christ can expect. This is what those who become born again can expect and receive, that is, all the fullness of Jesus Christ Himself.

But even more than that, we’ve been given a special measure of grace, that is, grace stacked upon grace. What this means is that a person can expect to receive this fullness on an ever-increasing degree.

The word fullness means that which fills completely, that is, the sum total that’s possible. In the context of our passage it means the sum total of all that is in God that resides in Jesus. Think about that.

The Apostle Paul said, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” (Colossians 2:9-10 NKJV)

Of this fullness we receive grace upon grace, that is, an over abundance will be ours. Jesus said that out of the heart of every believer flow rivers of living waters. (We looked at this river this past Sunday in our message entitled, “God’s River of Life.”)

Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:38 NKJV)

But then John added, “By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.” (John 7:39a NKJV)

And so this over abundance, this promise of a river of living water that flows from a believer’s life, is the Holy Sprit. But the fullness, that which fills completely and over the top is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the subsequent fillings thereafter.

You see, we need this something more in our lives, not only to survive and thrive, but if we’re ever going to make an impact upon this present generation.

Further, if God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, then let me make this observation, that if we’re not receiving what He has made possible, then we may very well be insulting Him in the process. And in so doing we’re becoming content with far less than what God intended.

What Restricts the Fullness?

1. Unbelief

We have to believe God’s promises, and that His promises are available for us today as they were for those when it was written.

But it was because of the people’s unbelief that they were prohibited from entering into the Promised Land (Hebrews 3:14-19). And it was the people’s unbelief in Nazareth that kept Jesus from doing many mighty works (Matthew 13:58).

Paul said that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). And we are also told in Hebrews 11:6 that without faith it’s impossible to please God.

And so, when we doubt God’s word, especially when it comes to the promises of the Holy Spirit, we’ll miss out on God’s fullness for our lives.

2. Experiences Trumping Scripture

One of the greatest dangers of missing all that God has for us, all the fullness in an ever-increasing measure is the danger of understanding the Scriptures based upon our experiences. This is a real danger, because we should be basing our experiences in light of the Scriptures.

And the danger is that when we interpret the Scriptures in light of our experiences that is usually when we begin to claim things that either go beyond the Scriptures, or contrary to them.