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THE FILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Acts 2:1-4; Ephesians 5:18-21; Colossians 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:1
Bob Bonner
March 21, 2010
For the past two messages, we have been examining what some would consider the secret to enjoying the meaningful, vibrant Christian life that God has intended for all those who have put their confidence in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. This secret to living a purposeful life is not based upon surrounding circumstances. It is something that transcends personal strengths, weaknesses, successes, and failures. It is based upon experiencing the control of the Holy Spirit over one’s life.
Many who claim to be Christians are moral people who attend church on a regular basis, yet they wrestle with unbelief, struggle with their past failures, and allow depression, frustration, and despair to control their lives. It is not uncommon for their lives to be dominated by guilt, shame, jealousy, or a deep sense of aimlessness. You might be one of those people.
This morning, we want to review not only the secret to enjoying the spiritual life that God intends for the Christian, but how a Christian who may be struggling with life can discover the way back home to enjoying an intimate relationship with the Lord, regardless of past or present circumstances.
Let’s begin by rereading a couple of passages we looked at last time and then reviewing what we learned from those passages. I would encourage you to keep both of these passages open, because we will come back to them later. Let’s look together at Ephesians 5:18 and Colossians 3:16. In Ephesians, we read:
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with
the Spirit, 19speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20always
giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God,
even the Father; 21and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.
Then, in Colossians 3:16-17, we read:
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching
and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17Whatever you do in
word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through
Him to God the Father.”
The first occasion that we read about a person being “filled with the Holy Spirit” is in Acts 2:1-4. Although that is an illustration of what took place when someone was “filled with the Spirit,” Acts 2:1-4 does not define what it means. As we noted last time, the clearest Biblical definition we have of what it means to “be filled with the Spirit” is found in Ephesians 5:18. We concluded from our study last time that to “be filled with the Holy Spirit” is a continuous command. It is an ongoing exhortation that is better translated “keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit.” What this command meant was to willingly obey, submit to, be controlled by, directed by, or empowered by the Holy Spirit.
The obvious reason for this exhortation is that submitting oneself to the control or the direction of the Holy Spirit is not the normal manner in which human beings have lived their lives for the past 10,000 years. Typically, as a result of the Fall and what the Bible calls the “flesh,” that is, our propensity to live independently from God, we don’t like taking orders or instructions from anyone, including God. Each of us enjoys being the captain of our own ship, even if it means that foolishly we might sail our lives into life-threatening circumstances. Understanding this, the Apostle Paul teaches us that we must continually seek to submit to the direction and leading of the Holy Spirit.
But that raises the question, “How can we know for sure what the Holy Spirit would have us to do in certain situations?” Last time we showed you from Colossians 3:16 that the best way to know how to submit to the Holy Spirit’s leading is to become an avid student of God’s Word. When we know what God’s Word teaches, then we can willingly submit to it and thus enjoy the working of God’s supernatural power to transform our lives and to lead us.
And this leads me to where we left off last time. What prevents a Christian from enjoying God’s supernatural power that enables us to find victory over sin in our lives? What is it that does not permit us to experience God’s ongoing transforming work? What is it that prohibits us from being used in a mighty way by God? What keeps us from finding God’s contentment and joy, regardless of our circumstances? Last time we pointed out three hindrances to enjoying God’s presence working in and through us.
The first is that many Christians are not students of God’s Word. As a result of their refusing to take seriously the reading and studying of God’s Word, Christians are ignorant of what the Word of Gods says concerning His directions for their lives. How else can one explain so much of the drifting away from God without awareness or accountability? As a result of their ignorance, they live their lives in such a way that they stand in opposition to God’s will. For whatever reason, when we stand in opposition to God’s will we cannot experience His presence and power leading our lives.
Secondly, we noted that to refuse outright to obey God as His Word instructs us, to live in outright rebellion against God, will not only remove His blessing but will prohibit His supernatural power from working in and through our lives. Along with that, we will lose that sense of being in close fellowship with God. We will pray and have no confidence that God hears us. We will read His Word and find it dull, boring, and meaningless; whereas before, understanding His Word was a delight.
A third cause of not experiencing God’s supernatural power to change our lives and to work through us is much more subtle but just as crippling when it comes to knowing and experiencing God’s closeness. Too often, we know what God wants us to do and we want to do it for even good reasons. But rather than asking by faith for God to enable us to fulfill His will, we depend upon our own abilities, our education, our knowledge of God’s Word, our strengths, our human giftedness, or our past ways of doing things for the Lord--anything but humbly depending upon and seeking the Lord’s enablement so that He would work through us and in us as we desire to do His will. When we fail to seek His enablement to do His will and step out in our own strength to do it, the result is failure.
If God knew that we could successfully change our lives or accomplish His will apart from His enablement, He would never have sent His Holy Spirit to permanently dwell in our lives. He not only knows that we can’t change ourselves and that we are inadequate in ourselves to pull off anything supernatural, but He wants us to intentionally depend upon Him and to work in concert with Him to do His will. That’s why He calls us to rely on His Spirit as we step out in faith to do His will.
Probably one of the most picturesque examples that demonstrates stepping out in dependence upon God to do His will comes from the Old Testament. God told Joshua that he was to lead the children of Israel across the flooded waters of the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Joshua knew what he was to do, but he also knew that if he didn’t put His faith in God, the mighty flood waters of the Jordan would not part. Hence, it was only after Joshua, trusting in God to work, stepped into the water that the waters parted. Similarly, as we intentionally trust and depend upon the Lord to work in and through us and then step out in faith, He then does miraculous things through us.
Learning how to live the Spirit-filled life in all areas is a life-long work. There will be days and times that we walk in the Spirit, empowered by God; and there will be moments when we forget and revert back to our old ways. Once again, that’s why the exhortation in Ephesians 5:18 is to “keep on being filled or controlled by the Spirit.” It is a lesson that is continuously learned over time. And furthermore, when we don’t live this way, it is only loving and helpful for others to come along side and ask us, “Have you really been depending upon the Lord in this matter?” All of us, including myself, fail to walk continuously in the Spirit. This is one area that we need to encourage each other in in our walks with Christ.
This leads to our next point for this morning. How do we know when we are living the Spirit-filled, Spirit-controlled life? I’m going to quickly list for you six evidences or manifestations living the Spirit-controlled life, five of which come from Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3. The very first evidence that one is seeking to live the Spirit-filled life we have already referred to. In Colossians 3:16 we noted that such a person chooses to “dwell richly in God’s Word.” That is a reference to taking seriously, by evidence of the investment of your own time, the intentional study of God’s Word.
These verses reveal evidence that someone is Spirit filled. Ephesians 5:19 says, “Speaking to one another in hymns.” In 5:21 it reads, “Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” Then in Colossians 3:16 we read, “With all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another.” And in verse 17, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” What do those verses have in common? They are all directives for the members of a local church to be involved serving the local church family. Hence, another obvious evidence that the Holy Spirit is in control of our lives is that we are involved in service and ministry in the local church.
There is no reason or excuse for those of you who claim that this is your church home to not be taking on some responsibility of service that demonstrates we are your church family. I fully understand that many of you have taken on some outstanding ministries outside of the church, and that is fantastic. But that does not alleviate or excuse you from pulling your weight here “at home.” Look at your own home: what wise parent, roommate, or spouse would allow any child or member of the household to live at home and be fed there, only to excuse them from being part of the family through serving the family? Even my two-year-old grandchildren are taught to clear their dishes as a manner of helping out in the home. Home is not just where you live or worship. Home is where you serve.
There are several acts of service to this church family that you who are busy during the week with other outside ministries can take over once a month while you are here at church: working the PowerPoint for music, working the sound board, being greeter and usher, working in the nursery, helping to set up for communion, helping to set up for an all-church meal once a quarter, and so much more. There is no reason for you to slip in and out and not give of yourself through personal measured ministry. Not to do so is a sign of spiritual irresponsibility. If my 88-year-old father can get up early every Sunday morning and limp to church to be a greeter, so can you!
Another evidence of one who is being controlled by the Spirit is their adoration for God through music. Both Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 reference our family’s joint adoration of God through “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord.” If you don’t know the spiritual condition of a church, just listen to the people sing. Singing is a dead giveaway. Dead churches don’t sing; they just kind of stand there and mumble. Note that I didn’t say that people have to sing well or even loudly, but heartfelt singing represents thankfulness and adoration to God, the One who rescued us from ourselves and granted to us by His mercy the opportunity to enjoy Him forever.
Closely related to this is another manifestation of being submitted to and living in dependence upon the Spirit. In Ephesians 5:20 and twice in Colossians 3:16, 17 it is mentioned that Spirit-filled saints give thanks.
Another manifestation of one who is submitted to the Holy Sprit is that he or she turns away from self-centeredness or the making of personal preferences a priority over the unity of the church family. Paul writes in Ephesians 5:21, “Be subject [or submit yourselves] to one another in the fear of Christ.” We will not take the time this morning to track down all of the verses in the New Testament that speak of this problem of self-centeredness and Christians within the local church family not being willing to submit to one another in the fear of Christ. Suffice it to say that selfish Christians have been the most divisive factor in the local church, bar none.
Being submitted to others means that you submit your well-being to other people. You are concerned with other people. You are thinking of other people not just yourself, your view point, choice, interpretation, expectations, or rights.
When church family members make their personal preferences mandatory for fellowship, then only divisiveness results. If they don’t get their way, they make a stink and typically depart, leaving many others with a hole their hearts because of the absence of a family member. When that happens, those unfilled, self-centered Christians can expect God’s discipline in their lives until they repent.
Another reference to one who is being controlled by the Spirit is not mentioned in our text but is found in Galatians 5:22–23. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Would those who work and live close to you say that this fruit is evident in your life?
It’s not enough for you to personally know how to live the Spirit-controlled, Spirit-filled life. As members of the body of Christ who care about each other, we need to know how to help other Christians understand what it takes to experience the ongoing control and empowerment of the Spirit. To help you with that, I am going to show you how to use a tool that has been around for at least fifty years. It was originally developed, I believe, by the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, Dr. Bill Bright. If you would like a free copy of this, you can pick one up after the service.
But first I want you to see the Scriptural basis for this tool. Look with me at 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:1. As we read these verses, I will highlight for you three different types of individuals mentioned here and then show you a diagram that will help you to not only explain to the lost person how to get saved, but help a Christian who doesn’t understand how to live the Spirit-filled life.
1 Corinthians 2:14-3:1 reads:
14But a natural man [a reference to an unsaved person] does not accept the
things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot
understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15But he who is
spiritual [that’s a Spirit-filled Christian] appraises all things, yet he himself
is appraised by no one. 16For who has known the mind of the Lord, that
he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. 1And I, brethren,
could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, [literally
in the original language, “carnal Christians”] as to infants in Christ.
In that text, there are three different groups of people that make up all of humanity. Every human being falls into one of these groups. Let’s look at each one. I’m going to draw three circles. Each circle represents a person’s life. Inside each circle there is this symbol for a chair. This chair represents the driver’s seat or control center of a person’s life. It represents who is in charge or has been given the authority to run this person’s life.
With this first circle, we want to consider the life of the “natural man” or that person who has not put his or her trust in Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior. To demonstrate this, we are going to place this symbol of the cross outside the circle. Having this cross outside the circle does not mean that the person necessarily hates God. This person could be in this church right now. He may know about God, but this person has never humbled himself before God to admit his need for a savior to forgive him of his sin and to become the master of his life. To help show this, we are putting the letter “S” in the driver’s seat or the throne or the chair. This signifies that he is the boss of his life.
Having said all of this, this person could be a raunchy, disgusting God-hater, or he could be a relatively moral and religious person who likes people and likes to be liked by people. He could even be the president of a local service club that is active in the community or a member of the school board or on a curriculum committee. But He has never turned his life over to Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
All the dots inside this circle represent the individual’s interests: hobbies, significant relationships with others, work, money matters, the clubs he may be a part of, retirement plans, health issues, plans to go to college, and so on. As you can tell, oftentimes individuals don’t see the relationship or order that these different interests have with one another. Hence, as he moves through life, his life does not have a sense of purpose or order. Instead, his life might be characterized by a great deal of conflict, frustration, and even depression. Because of money matters, his plans for college or buying that dreamed-of new car are not falling into place. Because of some of his commitments to his hobbies, the necessary time needed to build into important relationships is not there and those relationships are falling by the wayside. Because he enjoys eating and drinking too much, his health is beginning to suffer. All of these things add up to stress and worry. And with all of that, joy and meaning in life is not there. That’s pretty much life without God bringing order and meaning to it.
The second person mentioned in this passage is the “spiritual man” or the Spirit-filled Christian. As you can see, Jesus is not just in his life as his Savior, but this person has voluntarily entrusted the directorship of his life to Jesus. In effect, Jesus is his master or Lord, and he is a servant. As a result of submitting all of his interests to the Lord’s direction, the Lord has brought about order, direction, and meaning to his life. In turn, he is excited about getting to know God better, so he enjoys reading God’s Word. In addition, he looks forward to talking to Jesus about everything that is going on in his life. Furthermore, he’s so excited about what the Lord has been doing in his life that he even freely speaks of the Lord’s goodness to others. When difficulties come, he entrusts them to the Lord. Overall, joy, peace, kindness, patience, and a desire to love and serve others are traits that his friends see. In Biblical terms, his life is bearing good fruit.
The third circle in appearance looks just like the first as far as how this person’s life is presently functioning. The only difference is that this person is a Christian, yet Jesus is not running his life. He is running his own life. He is either doing so out of ignorance, because no one has ever explained to him how the Spirit God can make a huge difference in his life, or he is knowingly living in rebellion. Either way for him, whereas once God’s love for him seemed real, it now feels distant. His spiritual life might best be described as an up and down experience. He wants to do what is right but cannot. Out of discouragement or disbelief, he no longer reads his Bible, and attending worship with other Christians is becoming less of a priority. He spends very little, if any, time in concentrated prayer. Guilt, worry, aimlessness, and maybe a critical spirit begin to dominate his life.
These are three distinct patterns of life. Only the spirit-filled life is the one our loving God has desired for us to experience. If I know that a person is a Christian, see signs of their not being spirit filled, and know they are struggling with life, I will tell them, “I think I might know why your life feels so useless at this point. Will you allow me to show you what I think is going on?” More often than not, they respond, “Sure.” At that point, I only show them the second and third circle. After explaining these two circles, I will typically ask the person, “Which of these two circles best describes your life today?” Typically, they will point to the circle with Jesus not on the throne. Then I ask them, “Which circle would you like to represent your life?” They typically point to the one that reflects order, purpose, and direction.
At that point I ask them just a few questions. “Are there any areas in your life in which you are knowingly living in disobedience to God?” If they say, “Yes,” then I remind them of 1 John 1:9, which says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I encourage them to ask God to forgive them for sin and for not allowing Him to be the boss of their life. I encourage them to turn away from or stop doing that which is wrong. Then I encourage them to verbally tell God, “I give you the right to run my life. Help me to understand what it is that you would have me to do, as I continue to read your Word.” Based on Galatians 5:16, if they desire to walk by the Spirit, they can do so from that moment on. After that, I encourage them to get in the Word, to join me or others in a Bible study so that we can learn about how God desires to lead our lives from His Word. I also let them know that there will probably come times when they drift off to do their own thing and not even know it. In other words, they take over the driver seat of their lives rather than allow Christ to be the Lord of their lives. When they first become aware that they, not Jesus, are running their lives, they must keep short accounts with God. They must confess their wrong doing, turn away from it, and once again submit their life to the rule of Christ. In addition, I encourage them that the more they learn to walk in the Spirit, the more balance, order, and meaning will come to their lives, and frustration will not rule.
Now, if I’m not sure if the person is a Christian, I only show them the first two circles, asking the same questions as I did before: “Which circle best describes your life today?” “Which circle would you like to represent your life?” If they admit to the first circle, then I explain how to entrust their lives to Jesus Christ as the Savior and Lord and ask if they would like to ask Jesus to forgive them for their sin and to come into their lives to take control.
If the person who I don’t think is a Christian says that neither circle represents their life at the moment, then I show the person the third circle and proceed as I described earlier. I have to tell you that we have one member in our church who thought he was saved, but was living a carnal life. I knew he was not saved from some other things he had said. But he still told me he wanted Jesus Christ to be the Lord of his life. Without telling him, I lead him in a prayer of commitment to Christ. Later, I had to instruct him in what it meant to lead a spirit-filled life. Only then did it dawn on him, as he told, me, “I wasn’t saved back then! And you knew it! And you led me in a commitment to Christ prayer.” I admitted as much. At which time we both grinned and praised God.
Give an example of what you feel is the best indicator that you are living the Spirit-controlled life.
Have you ever explained to another Christian how to live the Spirit-controlled life? Do you know of any Christian that God might be leading you to speak to concerning how they can experience the Spirit-controlled life?
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