July 13, 2008

What We Believe
About the Holy Spirit's Work in the World, the Church and the Believer, pt. 3
Steve Lane

A. Introduction/Review

* This is where we are and therefore where you are if you are a part of this body.
* A central work of the Holy Spirit is to manifest the active presence of God in the world. This is impossible unless the individuals of the body are truly Spirit controlled.
* Spirit filled
* John 7: 38 - 39 "Streams of living water will flow from within"
* The Holy Spirit Reveals
* He guides and directs God?s people
* He Provides a Godlike atmosphere when He manifest His presence
* The Holy Spirit sometimes gives stronger or weaker evidence of the presence of God and His blessing according to our response to Him

Without being Spirit filled; Pride and lack of love -- Both from the root of pleasing self.

B. Baptism in or by the Spirit, and being filled with the Spirit

Filled used interchangeably

Baptized:
John 1: 33
Acts 1: 5
Acts 10: 47
Acts 11: 16
1 Corinthians 12: 13

Filled:
Acts 2: 4
Acts 4: 8
Acts 4: 31
Acts 13: 9
Ephesians 5: 18

At salvation:
Romans 8: 9
Ephesians 1: 13 - 14
Ephesians 4: 5
2 Corinthians 1: 22
Colossians 1: 27
John chapters 14 - 16

Received, sealed and baptized, but not filled.
C. The one thing needed

"The one thing needed for the church in its search for spiritual excellence is to be filled with the Spirit of God"
-Andrew Murray

Matthew 13: 44
Be willing to sacrifice everything to get it (The pearl of great price).

Acts 4: 31 - 37
Acts 5: 1 - 11
This was the attitude of the early church

Andrew Murray makes six main points to emphasis the "one thing needed."
The will of God for every one of His children is that they live entirely and unceasingly under the control of the Holy Spirit.
John 1:33 Revelation 2:4 John 12: 24 - 25
Without being filled with the Spirit, it is impossible for an individual Christian or a church to ever live or work as God desires.
Acts 2:42 Acts 4:31 - 33 John 15: 5
In the life and experience of Christians, this blessing is little used and little searched for.
God wants to give us this blessing, and in our faith we may expect it with confidence.
The self life and the world hinder and usurp the place Christ ought to occupy.
We cannot be filled with the Spirit until we are prepared to yield ourselves?
D. Conclusion

It seems as though God hides Himself, desiring His people to really desire Him
Acts 1:14 Acts 13:2
The church was praying and fasting
Are we, by the power of the Holy Spirit, consistently manifesting the presence of God?
Habakkuk 2:3
Are we ready to live Spirit filled lives? Do we desire it like a pearl?