Priority of Holy Spirit Fullness
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND POWER
1. Jesus’ Ascension - His Final Words – Preparation & Provision for Power – Acts 1:1-11
• Wait for the Promise of the Father… You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit soon… (v.4-5)
• John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.
• You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…. Power to be witnesses…
o The "dunamis" (miracle working) power of the Holy Spirit
• The same power manifested thru Jesus' ministry - God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. ~ Acts 10:38
• The same power which enabled Jesus' followers in the early church - And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
~ Acts 4:33
GOD'S POWER IS ESSENTIAL
1. It is characteristic of the Kingdom of God
• For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. ~ 1Corinthians 4:20
• Spiritual leadership has always been concerned for God's people - "to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man. . . that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
~ Ephesians 3:16,19
2. God's power is necessary to accomplish God's purposes in and thru our lives -
• Power for service & witness (Acts 1:8, 10:38)
• Power for spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:12, 2Corinthians 10:3-5)
• Power for overflow, ministry, & advancing the Kingdom of God (John 7:37-39)
• Power for ability - God given ability to accomplish God's commands (John 5:15, Philippians.4:13).
ELIMINATING 'POWER OUTAGES'
1. God's directive - Be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) {present imperative form of verb}
• Also rightly translated, "Keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit" or "Be continually being filled. . ."
• Not a just a 'one-time' historical occurrence, but a continual availability. (Acts 4:8, 13:9)
2. Be filled with the Holy Spirit
• And do not be drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ~ Ephesians 5:18-20
3. The Promise of the Father, the baptism and power of the Holy Spirit is for all who believe in Jesus Christ.
• For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call. ~ Acts 2:32-38
4. Live and walk in the Spirit, in faithful obedience
• If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. ~ Galatians 5:25
o It is impossible to keep filled with the Holy Spirit and walk in willful disobedience.
• And do not grieve (to cause sorrow, make sad) the Holy Spirit of God… ~ Ephesians 4:3
• Do not quench (stifle, extinguish, snuff out) the Spirit. ~ 1Thessalonians 5:19
