Filled with the Spirit

TEXT: Ephesians 5:1-20

vs. 18 — And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Introduction

Being Filled is not the Same as Experiencing the Fullness of the Spirit

"To know the love of Christ" ... is a required ingredient to be "filled with all the fullness of God."

Ephesians 3:19 — and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the Fullness of God.

1.There is a Fullness

2. There is a Filling

Luke 24:32 and they said one to another did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened us the scriptures?

This filling we are discussing is not to confused with the empowerment of God for service or the Spirit coming Upon, but the Spirit abiding within.

The Spirit Came Upon (power, ability for service and witness)

God has used many people mightily, by sending His Spirit upon them. The Spirit of God comes upon a person with PURPOSE.

Genesis 1:2 — And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Numbers 24:2 — And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.

Judges 3:9,10 — 9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. 10 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.

Judges 6:34 — But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.

Judges 16:20 — And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.

Acts 1:8 — But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Luke 10:20 — Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

3. There must be an emptying (EMPTYING OF SELF)

Pr 27:17 ¶ Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

There are rich opportunities for the filling of the Spirit of God in our interactions with each other. Handling conflicts and disagreements within the church body according to the Scripture.

Mt 5:23-24 — Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Mr 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Our Tone

1 Timothy 5:1 — Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;

Entrapment is Un-Christlike

Job 6:24-27 — Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred. 25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove? 26 Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind? 27 Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.

You act toward your friend as hunters do toward wild beasts. They dig a pit and cover it over to conceal it, and the hunted animal falls into it. So you endeavor to entrap your friend. Jeremiah faced this treatement:

Jeremiah 18:20 &mdahs; Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.

And ...

ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATION: Ye would cast lots upon the fatherless, and make merchandise of your friend.

PERNICIOUS WORDS: having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way:

ORPHAN: a solitary person in distress; as well as, an orphan or one desolate (forsaken, abandoned)

Thoughts to Develop

Conflict: our doctrines of sin and grace greatly influence our spirit when dealing with conflicts with people.

Our beliefs concerning how God accomplishes his work of salvation and sanctification in the individual.

My experiences are not necessarily normative or to be expected as so.

Disfellowship... When ? Lessed are the peacemakers

Reconcile to God , others to others, others with yourself

Genuine concerns and conflicting concerns

Honesty should be the only policy regarding our commitment to the truth.

Willingness to Let wheat and tares grow together. What limits are there to this?

Willingness to bear a reproach in order to help someone.

Know your place ... Bro sis son father mother friend

Judgment in where the breakdown in relationships are. And act as it is and not what I think it should.

Not my desire but God's glory in every situation.

Words wound.take up for each other.

Compromise....

The Sealing and Earnest of the Holy Spirit

2 Corinthians 1:22 — Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Ephesians 1:13 — In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

2 Corinthians 5:5 — Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

Acts 8:14-16 ¶ Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: 15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

1. A Seal

2 Corinthians 1:22a — Who hath also sealed us …

DEFINITION: to stamp with a signet or private mark for security or preservation

1 John 3:24 — And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Ephesians 4:30 — And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

2. An Earnest

Ephesians 1:14 — Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

DEFINITION: earnest--the first installment paid as a pledge that the rest will follow

Acts 19:1-6 — 2 … Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? …

Baptism of the Spirit (=immersion, poured out, falled upon, given) (initial experience)

Mt 3:11 — I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

The baptism is the initial experience of this awakening to the glory reality of Christ.

No essential difference between early church and us. They could KNOW if they were filled or not. Did you receive the Holy Ghost? This BAPTISM is a definite experience that the individual can and does know whether or not they have received this BAPTISM.

Acts 19:2 — He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

Acts 1:5 — For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

Biblical Ingredients of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost

Before we consider some testimonies of being Baptized with the Spirit, let us consider the Biblical ingredients of this experience.

The Baptism of the Spirit of God includes an experience of AWAKENING to the glory and reality of God.

Connected with the hearing of the Gospel for the first time a well as a deepening of the revelation of Jesus.

Testiomnies of Baptisms with the Spirit

When measuring our spiritual progress it is much simpler to assess what we HAVE experienced versus what we HAVEN'T experienced.

It is important to remind ourselves that not every interacting with the Spirit of God is necessarily to be universally applied, but we must first consider each experience within its own context.

John 3:8 — The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Let's consider these testimonies keeping in mind the Scriptures in the previous section.

Filling of the Spirit

D.L. MOODY: “We all need it [the filling of the Holy Spirit] together, and let us not rest day nor night until we possess it; if that is the uppermost thought in our hearts, God will give it to us if we just hunger and thirst for it and say, ‘God helping me, I will not rest until endued with power from on high.'”

Mt 7:7 — Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Giving and Receiving

Galatians 3:2 — This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Acts 5:32 —

Luke 11:13 — If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

An Abiding Presence

1 John 3:20-24 — For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 23 ¶ And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Conclusion -- Desire

This filling:

  1. Gives authority power ability (for service and witness, absolute necessity) not just advocates but witnesses.

1 cor. 2:4 not words of mens wisdom but demonstration of power

  1. Essential for a Christian quality in our life. Filled with Spirit. To bear the fruit.

What are we filled with.

Ephesians 5:

Revival is the pouring out of God's Spirit. Pray for revival.

Make us a mighty flame for Christ.

Revision #13
Created 31 July 2022 18:50:10 by Stephen Reynolds Jr
Updated 11 September 2022 13:38:48 by Stephen Reynolds Jr