Pursue Kingdom Teaching: Becoming Spirit filled and empowered by The Holy Spirit
Thesis: The Holy Spirit takes an active role in the life of the believer filling them and empowering them to do the work of the Kingdom of God.
Quote: Jim Cymbala from book “Spirit Rising-” “A church without the Holy Spirit will produce a Spiritless Church filled with Spiritless people who have no power to change the world, the culture or themselves. A Spiritless church will become political and deceived when the Spirit is absent or ignored! “
Scripture: Matthew 7:7 Jesus said, “Ask, Seek, Knock”
7“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
This promise by Jesus is also relevant to receiving the power and presence of the Holy Spirit!
Personal Illustration of asking – seeking - knocking:
The School of the Holy Spirit!
? When I first became a Christian, I had a hunger to read the Bible from cover to cover. To study it and to dig deeper so I could grow spiritually. I had actually prayed and asked the Holy Spirit to teach me the truth of God’s Word and show me things in the spiritual realm. The Scripture verse which echoed in my heart and mind was 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” I wanted to know the Word of God – I wanted to know the Word of God because I wanted to know God more personally! I wanted to open to the Holy Spirit to teach me! And guess what the Holy Spirit started teaching me!
? As I studied the Bible I picked up a book by Salem Kirban’s called, “Satan’s Angels exposed.” I no longer have the book - I most likely gave it away to someone in journey - so I thought let’s see if I can get another copy. So, I went on the internet - I was shocked that the book is out of print and still in demand so it’s selling for between $80-100 dollars on ebay and amazon. So needless to say, I did not buy one to show you – far too expensive for a visual - but here is a picture of the book the Holy Spirit used to take me to His school of learning and growing spiritually:
o Show the power point!
? Some of the subjects and topics covered in the book were:
• Jehovah Witness
• Mormons
• Moonies
• Rosicrucian
• Occult
• Satanism
Scripture:
John 14:15-18:
15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
John 14: 26:
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
Acts 1:4-5: 4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Introduction:
Question: Why did Jesus send the Holy Spirit to us Christians? John tells us why!
Answer: So that we could “Be Christ Like” and be empowered to “Do the work of the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Listen carefully the Holy Spirit was not just given to us to be Christ like but to also do the work of the Kingdom like Jesus did! Please hear this you cannot do the work of the Kingdom without the Holy Spirit’s empowerment!
Call to action: So, it is time to get to work for the Kingdom of Heaven and be empowered to see our culture transformed one person at a time.
Jesus promised us the Holy Spirit and He kept that promise in Acts 2 and that promise is still for today. His promise is to empower you and the church to do the work of the Kingdom and to connect with you personally!
Quote: The Holy Spirit is not a teaching to be studied; No, He is the 3rd person of the trinity to be experienced in power and in person! Yes, you can know the Holy Spirit personally!
Quote: Randy states, “Understanding His power and work in our lives is of vital importance if we desire to live the Christian lives that Jesus has made available to us. The Holy Spirit does not exclusively belong to ivory-tower theologians; he is not a mere doctrine to be studied, but a divine person to be experienced and known.”
Clark, Randy (2015-01-20). The Essential Guide to the Power of the Holy Spirit: God's Miraculous Gifts at Work Today (Kindle Locations 139-144). Destiny Image, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
Can you imagine experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit? Have you ever read stories about Great Awakenings and revival meetings were the Holy Spirit shows up in power and in presence?
Let me share a story with you!
Charles Finney – the father of American Revival (Part of 2nd great Awakening) story from http://menwhosawrevival.blogspot.com/p/charles-finney.html
Early in his ministry he met a believer named Daniel Nash. This man was a great man of prayer and he joined Finney. As Finney would preach, Nash would go to nearby house and pray and the result was a work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those listening to Finney.
Everywhere Finney went revival followed. Estimates of those saved through his preaching range from 100,000 to as many as 500,000.
He was accused of letting down the dignity of the pulpit and criticized for not preaching like the other ministers did. He answered, "Show me the fruits of your ministry, and if they so far exceed mine as to give me evidence that you have found a more excellent way, I will adopt your views."
It did not matter how wicked the place was for Finney he would go preach and revival would follow. He had heard about a wicked village and decided to go there and preach.
Finney says the most amazing display of God's power in his life came one day as he went to visit a cotton factory at New York Mills, a small town near Utica, New York. Prior to his visit to the factory, more than 500 converts were reported saved in the short time he had been in Utica.
Unusual conversions were reported. A Proud, disbelieving school teacher came to make light of what was happening to her friends who had been saved, when she too was suddenly convicted of her lost condition. Not long afterwards, she married a Mr. Guilick, who became a missionary to the Sandwich Islands, where God used them both mightily.
Everyone in the area had heard what was going on and the people were divided. A great number of those against the meeting were openly opposing it.
As Finney walked into the Cotton Mill, one of the opponents of the meeting, a young lady employee, saw him. Looking at her co employee, she began to laugh. Some writers say she made a cynical remark about Finney and his meeting. In a spirit of prayer, Charles Finney simply looked at this young lady without saying a word. As he kept looking at her, being grieved by her criticism, the lady stopped working as she had broken her thread. She became so upset that she couldn't repair the thread and start again. The Spirit of God mightily convicted her of her sin to the point that she began to weep. Soon her companions were convicted and began to weep. A chain reaction occurred as hundreds began to be overcome by their lost condition.
The factory owner, seeing this, was deeply moved himself and said. "Stop the mill, and let the people attend to religion, for it is far more important that our souls be saved than the factory run. "All the workers were assembled in a very large room and Finney said,"...a more powerful meeting I scarcely ever attended. "Within a few days nearly every employee was saved (some accounts say all were saved. Several authors say there were 3,000 employees in this factory.
Could you imagine being a part of something like this?
As I have studied the Holy Spirit and observed the work of the Holy Spirit. I continue to be amazed at this 3rd person of the Trinity.
We all need the Holy Spirit - All of us do – we need Him in a new fresh way in our life. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to you and I so that we would not be spiritual orphans but discipled, taught and empowered by the H.S.!
T.S. - As we study the involvement of the Holy Spirit through Church History and the lives of the people of the Bible - It is important for you to notice that if we eliminate the Holy Spirit from our lives and churches we will also eliminate all the following things the Holy Spirit is, and does for you and I.
1. The Holy Spirit’s empowerment and involvement in Acts!
a. We see him birthing of the Church. The Holy Spirit empowered the disciples of Jesus to do the work of the Kingdom of God.
i. Acts 8:4-25: Philip in Samaria
1. 4Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. 6When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. 8So there was great joy in that city. 9Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is the divine power known as the Great Power.” 11They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 12But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. 14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” 24Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” 25When they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.
ii. Philip filled with the Holy Spirit and on the run because of persecution heads to Samaria.
1. He boldly proclaimed Jesus – the crowd listened but they also saw a demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit – this caused them to take notice - it says, “When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did – they paid close attention to His message – his words.”
2. People were delivered from demon spirits.
3. People who were paralytics and cripples were healed.
a. Share stories from Azusa Street Revival.
4. As a result of Philips preaching and speaking of Jesus along with signs and wonders from the Holy Spirit the city was filled with great joy!
a. Revival – the out pouring of the Holy Spirit brought great joy to this city and region!
iii. Even Simon the sorcerer was impacted – he was one who use to astonish this city with his great power (note this power is from the dark side). He had a crowd who followed him because of his magic and yet the power of the Holy Spirit eclipsed his.
1. But Philip won this crowd over with truth and a demonstration of the Power of the Holy Spirit.
2. Simon loses his following because of all the miracles and the words of Philip.
3. Simon therefore believes and is baptized along with many others by Philip!
a. Now note this is what we call revival in a city!
b. This revival fire and stories filtered all the way back to the apostle’s so they sent Peter and John to verify that the rumors were true.
iv. Enter Peter and John into Samaria and they pray for the believers again – what wait a minute I thought they were already saved – note they were – listen to what they say – “Do you want more of the Holy Spirit? “
1. Vs. 15-16: “When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.”
2. Notice: Peter places his hand on them and they receive the Holy Spirit!
3. Notice something happened to these believers because Simon wants to buy this ability to fill people with the Holy Spirit!
4. Peter rebukes him for trying to buy the gift of the Holy Spirit!
5. He then tells him you may have repented – got baptized but your heart is still not right – because you think you can buy God’s Spirit!
6. He tells him to repent and Simon does and we hear nothing else of the man.
a. Bill Bright on the Holy Spirit:
i. We are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith. How did you become a Christian? By faith. "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast." "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him." You receive Christ by faith. You live by faith. Everything you receive from God, from the moment of your spiritual birth until you die, is by faith. Do you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit? You can be filled right now, by faith.
b. Bill Bright shares an Illustration of Faith
i. Let me illustrate. Suppose that you want to cash a check for a hundred dollars. Would you go to the bank where you have several thousand dollars on deposit, place the check on the counter, get down on your knees, and beg, "Oh, please, Miss Teller, cash my check?" No, that is not the way you cash a check. You simply go in faith, place the check on the counter, and you wait for the money which is already yours. Then you thank the teller and go on your way. Millions of Christians are begging God, as I once did, for something which is readily available -- just waiting to be appropriated by faith. They are seeking some kind of emotional experience, not realizing that such an attitude on their part is an insult to God -- a denial of faith. But faith is the only way you can please God.
7. The point of this story is to show you and I today that Baptism brings eternal life but there is more from the Lord if you want it – it’s called the baptism – the immersion of the Holy Spirit in your life so you can do the work of the Kingdom of Heaven and be empowered to follow truth, and live in connection with the power of the Holy Spirit daily.
a. You cannot buy it – you get it by faith – it is a gift from God sent through Jesus Christ.
b. You can look at other texts and see in Acts 2:1-4; Acts 8:5-7; Acts 10:44; Acts 19:1-2 and Acts 9 this about the empowerment and immersion of the Holy Spirit:
i. In all 5 instances the baptism of the Holy Spirit is distinct from conversion.
ii. In all 5 instances it is distinct from Water Baptism.
iii. In all 3 out of the 5 instances laying on of hands is used for people to receive the Holy Spirit.
iv. In all 5 instances there is a visible sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit – 4 out of 5 reveal the sign to be speaking in tongues as the evidence – Yet, in our scenario something was visible because Simon saw it but it does not state what the sign was.
v. See Chart in power point!
T.S. - Just read through the book of Acts and you can see how the Holy Spirit empowered ordinary men and women to do the work of the Kingdom of Heaven and birth the church. But the Holy Spirit did not stop there he has been empowering people all the way up to the present day and filling them with His presence and truth.
2. The Holy Spirit’s empowerment continues throughout Church history
a. Randy Clark enlightens us on how the church fathers viewed the Holy Spirit:
i. CALVIN AND OTHER HISTORIC LEADERS ON SIGNS, WONDERS, AND MIRACLES:
1. Many Reformed sensationists fail to mention that John Calvin’s approach to the charismata was not one of complete withdrawal. According to church historian Dr. Vinson Synan, Calvin maintained a unique perspective on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, explaining “that they (the gifts) fell into disuse in the churches because of a ‘lack of faith.’” Calvin “never forbade their use or felt that they should be forbidden. Moreover, because of his extended attention to the Third Person of the Trinity in his writings, he has been called the ‘theologian of the Holy Spirit’ among reformers.”
2. John Huss believed that dreams are a means of supernatural communication from God. The Bohemian Brethren experienced signs and wonders through the middle of the sixteenth century.
3. Martin Luther himself believed in the continued power of prayer to deliver people who were demonized and prayer’s effectiveness to heal the sick. He prayed to heal both Philipp Melanchthon and Friedrich Myconius, both of whom were healed from death’s door through Luther’s prayers. Luther also spoke by the Spirit what Charismatics today would call prophecies, and many of them were fulfilled. Johannes Mathesius, one of Luther’s earliest biographers, wrote that “with many sure prophecies he confirmed his doctrine.”
4. History reveals that the Scottish Covenanters and John Knox experienced gifts of the Holy Spirit as well. He also reminds us, “We cannot ignore the accounts of early Scottish reformers during the time of John Knox in Scotland who experienced the gift of prophecy” (Page 45).
a. Clark, Randy (2015-01-20). The Essential Guide to the Power of the Holy Spirit: God's Miraculous Gifts at Work Today (Kindle Locations 271-294). Destiny Image, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
5. Randy adds, “Augustine, writing in the fifth century, believed prophecy was still a gift the church was experiencing during his time. He considered prophecy to be “a free manifestation of the Holy Spirit by which some people receive a communicable intelligence of truths connected with our salvation but impervious to any natural understanding” (Page 61).
6. Randy adds, “Interestingly enough, notable preacher and pastor, Charles Spurgeon, was known for his ministry of healing prayer. In fact, sometimes during Spurgeon’s sermons he would give information about someone’s sin that today in the Charismatic movement would be considered a “Word of Knowledge.” (Page 45)
b. Powerful encounters with the Holy Spirit occurred during the First and Second Great Awakenings under George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, Charles Finney and many other notable revivalists.
i. The Great awakening – report from Christian History magazine:
1. People falling under the power -shaking- tongues-prophecy-salvations in mass!
2. The Great Awakening was a religious revival that impacted the English colonies in America during the 1730s and 1740s. The movement came at a time when the idea of secular rationalism was being emphasized, and passion for religion had grown stale. ... The result was a renewed dedication to Jesus.
ii. 2nd Great Awakening
1. The Second Great Awakening, which spread religion through revivals and emotional preaching, sparked a number of reform movements. Revivals were a key part of the movement and attracted hundreds of converts to new Protestant denominations. The Methodist Church used circuit riders to reach people in frontier locations. The Second Great Awakening led to a period of antebellum social reform and an emphasis on salvation by institutions. The outpouring of religious fervor and revival began in Kentucky and Tennessee in the 1790s and early 1800s among the Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists. The awakening brought comfort in the face of uncertainty as a result of the socio-political changes in America.
iii. Charles Parham – Kansas (Seymour was his pupil)
1. Parham prayed to receive this baptism in the Holy Spirit (a work of grace separate from conversion). In the ensuing revival, Parham and many of the students reported being baptized in the Spirit, thus forming an elite band of endtime missionaries (“the bride of Christ”), equipped with the “Bible evidence” of speaking in tongues, and empowered to evangelize the world before the imminent premillennial return of Christ. Although this experience sparked the beginning of the Pentecostal movement, discouragement soon followed. Parham’s ministry, however, rebounded. As his restorationist “Apostolic Faith” movement grew in the Midwest, he opened a Bible school in Houston, Texas, in 1905. There he influenced William J. Seymour, future leader of the significant 1906 Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles, California.
iv. Azusa Street – William Seymour – La Revival - tongues, conviction, healings!
1. The Azusa Street Revival was a historic revival meeting that took place in Los Angeles, California.[1] It was led by William J. Seymour, an African-American preacher. The revival began on April 9, 1906, and continued until roughly 1915. On the night of April 9, 1906, Seymour and seven men were waiting on God on Bonnie Brae Street, "when suddenly, as though hit by a bolt of lightning, they were knocked from their chairs to the floor," and the other seven men began to speak in tongues and shout out loud praising God. The news quickly spread; the city was stirred; crowds gathered; and a few days later Seymour himself received the Holy Spirit; services were moved outside to accommodate the crowds who came from all around; people fell down under the power of God as they approached; people were baptized in the Holy Spirit and the sick were healed and sinners received salvation.[2
c. Many have ridiculed the manifestations which occurred in these meetings and mocked them as being unscriptural but this is not the case if you search through the Scriptures:
i. Randy Clark shares with us: Powerful encounters with the Holy Spirit, which are sometimes marked by some of the manifestations ridiculed and mocked by critics, result in the very things one considers to be “lasting fruit.” Though manifestations, such as falling “under the power” of the Holy Spirit, have been considered controversial, theologians confirm their presence throughout the halls of Scripture.
1. Dr. Gary Greig catalogues the manifestations and phenomenon of the Bible as follows, and the presence of God’s Spirit in power and glory may be marked in Scripture by the following references:
a. Shaking or trembling—Exodus 19: 16; 1 Chronicles 16: 30; Ezra 9: 4; Psalm 2: 11; 96: 9; 114: 7; 119: 120; Isaiah 66: 5; Jeremiah 5: 22, 23: 9; Daniel 10: 10-11; Matthew 28: 4; Acts 7: 32; Hebrews 12: 21.
b. Falling over—Genesis 17: 3; 1 Kings 8: 11; Ezekiel 1: 28, 3: 23; Daniel 8: 17-18, 10: 9; John 18: 6; Acts 9: 4; 26: 14; 1 Corinthians 14: 25; Revelation 1: 17.
c. Intoxicated state of mind—Acts 2: 4, 13, 15; Ephesians 5: 18; cf. 1 Samuel 1: 12-17; 19: 23.
d. Bodily writhing and distortion under the influence of a demon—Mark 1: 21-26; 9: 26; Luke 8: 28.
e. Laughing, shouting, or weeping—Genesis 17: 17; 24 Ezra 3: 13 (“ rejoicing,” which certainly included laughter and shouting, is so loud that it is heard “far away” from Jerusalem—that must have been pretty loud!); Nehemiah 8: 6, 9 (weeping in the midst of worship and praise), 12: 43; Psalm 126: 2; Proverbs 14: 13; Acts 14: 10 (Greek literally “[ Paul] said with a loud voice”).
f. Prolonged exuberant praise—Luke 1: 41-42 (Elizabeth, “filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke out in a loud voice”), 46-55, 64, 68-79; 5: 25; 17: 15; Acts 3: 8-10.
g. Feeling energy, electricity, or heat—Mark 5: 29-30 (see also Matthew 9: 22; Luke 8: 44, 46-47); Luke 6: 19; cf. Colossians 1: 29 (where energeia, “working, energy” 25 is coupled in the text with dunamis “power”); Judges 14: 6, 19, 15: 14; 1 Samuel 10: 6, 10: 10. 26
h. Feeling deep peace—Romans 14: 17; 15: 13; 1 Corinthians 14: 33; Philippians 4: 5-7.
i. Visible radiance seen on the face or around the head— Acts 2: 3-4 (tongues of fire); 6: 15; 7: 55 (Stephen filled with the Spirit had a radiant face); 27 and compare that with 2 Corinthians 3: 7, 13, 17-18 and Exodus 34: 29 (the radiance of Moses face is from the “Lord who is the Spirit”).
j. Trance-like state—Acts 10: 10; 22: 17.
k. Groaning or inarticulate sounds—Romans 8: 26.
2. These phenomena, which may accompany the presence of God’s Spirit, are not only attested to in Scripture, but they are also attested to in early Judaism and early, post-biblical Christian tradition.
a. Clark, Randy (2015-01-20). The Essential Guide to the Power of the Holy Spirit: God's Miraculous Gifts at Work Today (Kindle Locations 570-590). Destiny Image, Inc. Kindle Edition.
T.S. – Throughout Church History many church leaders have embraced the Holy Spirit and His empowerment for service within the Kingdom of Heaven and also embraced the gifts of Holy Spirit. We just need to make sure we discern what a genuine move of the Holy Spirit looks like from Scripture.
3. What are the distinguishing marks of a work of the Holy Spirit?
a. Jonathan Edwards in his classic writings notes 5 questions he should ask to discern the work of the Holy Spirit in any situation.
i. Does the work exalt the true Christ?
1. I John 4:2-3
a. Randy notes, “One of the hallmarks of false teaching is that it manipulates and distorts the truth about Jesus.”
ii. Does it oppose worldliness?
1. 1 John 4:4-5
a. When the Holy Spirit moves in a person life it will convict people of sin to bring holiness to the forefront. He will cause them to do the fruit of the Spirit in their lives and be Christ like in character and deed.
iii. Does it point people to the Scriptures?
1. 1 John 4:6
a. The Holy Spirit will point people to Scripture not away from it.
b. Randy Clark says it like this, “Does the work lead to a Christian worldview based upon the Bible or to a non-Christian worldview that diverges from the Bible?” (Page 143).
iv. Does it elevate the truth?
1. I John 4:5, 7
a. Clark states it this way, “Biblical truth should lead us into experiences with the Holy Spirit, and these encounters will produce an increased love for both God and people.” (Page 153).
b. He adds, “Doctrine and experience are not at odds with each other, as if one had to pick either doctrine or experience” (Page 153).
v. Does it produce love for God and others?
1. I John 4:7
a. A genuine Holy Spirit revival will help us Love the Lord more and love each other more!
b. These questions were drawn by him from 1 John 4:2-8:
i. 1Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 4You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. 7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1. The above from Randy Clark page 116-119
T.S. – We need to test a move to make sure it is of the Holy Spirit with Scripture and also look at our hearts to see if there is anything hindering us from being filled up with God’s Holy Spirit!
4. What could hinder a person from receiving the Holy Spirit?
a. Bill Bright states the following:
i. Though you are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith and faith alone, it is important to recognize that several factors contribute to preparing your heart for the filling of the Spirit.
1. First, you must desire to live a life that will please the Lord. You have the promise of our Savior, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
2. Second, be willing to surrender your life totally and irrevocably to our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul admonishes in Romans 12:1, 2: "I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will."
3. Third, confess every known sin which the Holy Spirit calls to your remembrance and experience the cleansing and forgiveness which God promises in 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."…
b. I add a fourth thing which hinders a person from being Spirit filled “Believing lies!”
i. 2 Timothy 4:1-5: 1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
ii. This passage shows what also will hinder a connection to the Holy Spirit – Believing lies!
1. When we buy into lies we reject the truth
2. We are told in this passage that in the last day’s people will want to be lied too, people claiming to be Christians will not desire truth but instead lies that make them feel good about their sin.
a. You will face this in your life – you will be lied too – you will want to be lied too – so you feel good about your sin – but the Holy Spirit will never tell you what you want to hear – he will lead you to truth – why – because believing in lies will lead you to bondage not freedom.
iii. 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
1. Scripture is “God-breathed” – the breath of God – the work and manifestation of the Holy Spirit teaches us, rebukes us, corrects us, and trains us to be in right standing with God.
a. This is the role and the work of the Holy Spirit today! It’s not – you can do and believe whatever you want and God will still bless you and allow you entrance to heaven. You have to be directed by the Holy Spirit!
i. You have to follow truth!
ii. Repent when you sin!
iii. Believe what is true and biblical!
iv. The Holy Spirit is the best Teacher!
1. Share your story of the school of the Holy Spirit!
2. The revelation of truth when I first got saved.
3. Urban Coalition and all the divine moments of spiritual teaching.
b. John 14:26: But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
c. 1 Corinthians 2:13: This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
c. We must not allow lies to keep us from being immersed in the Holy Spirit – being filled with the Holy Spirit – if we choose the path of lies and deception we will not have room for the Holy Spirit – If we fill our life with lies – then there is no room for the Holy Spirit.
i. You must embrace the truth if you want filled with the Holy Spirit!
ii. You must reject the lies of this world if you want the Holy Spirit!
Conclusion:
The Holy Spirit’s immersion – filling up – being consumed with Him is a continual experience – not a 1 time deal and then you are in! It’s a daily process we must seek after – we must hunger for His Spirits presence and root out anything that hinders it in our life.
Ephesians 5:17-20:
17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,
20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Bill Bright states, “Being Filled Happens Over and Over! Being filled with the Holy Spirit, however, is not a once-and-for-all experience. There are many fillings, as is made clear in Ephesians 5:18.”
What do we need to know from this message today?
We all need the Holy Spirit and His indwelling power! All of us! So that we can be Christ like and empowered to do the work of the Kingdom of Heaven. We need to be honest with ourselves and evaluate if we are really Spirit filled!
Why do we need to know this?
We need to know that we cannot x the Holy Spirit out of the Church or our lives if we do then we become Spiritless churches and Spiritless Christians. This result is powerless churches and powerless Christians. Throughout history church leaders embraced the Holy Spirit and saw God revive their culture.
What do we need to do from hearing this message?
We need to be filled with the Spirit, like the apostles in Acts 2- We need to be empowered by the Spirit like the church in Acts was. We need to be guided by the Holy Spirit to truth in our world filled with deception. We need to step out in the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and use the gifts he has given us!
Why do we need to do this?
We need to allow the Holy Spirit to fill us – live in us so that we have right standing in the presence of God! We need the Holy Spirit to “Be Christ Like” and we need the Holy Spirit “To do the work of the Kingdom of Heaven – to do the Holy Spirit stuff that changes people’s hearts and lives.”
Activation Call: Prayer for people to be filled with the Holy Spirit – to see and experience the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
