Extreme Resources Series

How to Change Your World – Part 3

October 28, 2001

INTRODUCTION

Show clip from Star Wars where Luke is being taught how to use the Force.

Obviously, that was a scene from “Star Wars.” Obi Wan Kenobi is preparing Luke Skywalker for his life mission as a Jedi knight. He isn’t going to send Luke out on assignment unprepared. He shows him the resource that is available to him. Something called “The Force.” A mysterious, cosmic energy that he can tap into – when he surrenders to the Force, great things happen – things he would be unable to do on his own power – potential to defeat the dark ruling strongholds of the universe. The Force is something Luke can’t see, which makes Han Solo skeptical that it even exists. Luke just has to trust that it is there. That’s just fantasy – in real life, God gives us a resource that is even better.

God has called followers of Jesus Christ to be world-changers. A mighty tall order. He doesn’t send us out on the mission unequipped.

Ephesians 5:18 says…

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18)

God wants me to have extreme, world-changing resources through the power of the Holy Spirit.

TRANSITION: If this is to happen, I have to understand three facts. FACT #1…

I. If I am a believer, I already have the Holy Spirit.

Some might read Ephesians 5:18 and conclude that Paul was saying the Ephesian Christians didn’t have the Holy Spirit.

Acts 19 says Paul visited Ephesus and the believers there received the Holy Spirit after they were baptized.

Further, Ephesians Chapter 1:13-14 says…

And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. (NLT)

NIV says – you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)

The Holy Spirit comes to live inside us at conversion. That is, when we become Christians – when we embrace a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. We receive the Holy Spirit when our old self dies and is buried with Jesus, and through faith in Jesus, God raises us up to a new life. When that happens, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside us.

That’s why shortly after Jesus died and went to heaven, the Apostle Peter in Acts chapter 2 could stand up before a huge crowd in Jerusalem and say with confidence, Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the Holy Spirit.

Peter knew that these people who placed their faith in Jesus would not be left empty-handed, so to speak. He knew God would place the Holy Spirit in them.

And we have that same assurance. When Jesus saves us, He puts the Holy Spirit inside us.

Romans 8:9 says…If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

All who belong to Christ have the Spirit.

The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives inside you!

Christians have the Holy Spirit.

TRANSITION: If I am to have the extreme, world-changing resources through the power of the Holy Spirit, I need to understand FACT #2…

II. I am to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

In Ephesians 5:18 Paul says those exact words, “Be filled with the Spirit.”

The emphasis of this command is being filled again and again. When Paul says, “Be filled,” he uses a present tense imperative, which means “Keep on being filled.” Again and again.

This is no one-time activity, as though we can be filled with the Spirit at a point in time and we’re done with forever and ever, Amen. No, this is a daily re-filling. Keep on being filled.

(Object lesson)

When we think of being filled, a picture that may come to mind is a glass – half empty or half full, depending on our outlook. We say this glass needs to be filled.

So when we hear the command to be filled with the Spirit, we may conclude, “I must be only ½ full of the Spirit, so fill me up!”

(Fill glass to the rim with grape juice)

But this is not an accurate picture. Let me explain why. The Holy Spirit is a person, not a thing. He is God, who exists as three persons in one being – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – the Trinity.

If we’re Christians, we already have all of the Spirit there is to get. He can’t be divided into 1/4s, 1/3s, or ½s. We either have all of Him living inside, or we don’t have Him at all. It’s that simple.