The Need To Be Continually Filled With The Holy Spirit

All right, I want to talk to you this morning about an extremely important topic for any church,

but I think especially for our church, and that is the need to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit.

The need to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit.

I think being part of a church plant, it has, it is, and it will bring things to the surface, okay?

Because there's not a whole lot of places to hide when you're in a church this size.

And there's not a lot of other people to do stuff, so it puts weight on all of us.

And so the combination of the proximity and the weight brings things to the surface, right?

That's a, as they'd say in the coding world, that's a feature, not a bug, okay?

That's a good thing.

That's a good thing that our proximity brings things to the surface,

and the level of shared responsibility brings things to the surface.

But really, when it comes down to it, you don't need a church plant for that.

You have life for that.

And life itself brings things to the surface.

At some point in time, all of us is faced, just like Judah was saying before we took of the Lord's table.

We get to that place where there's nothing left of us.

We get to that place where our work is not sufficient.

Our energy is not enough.

Our strength doesn't last, right?

And the question is, what do you do in that moment?

Where do you go in that moment?

This last week was a particularly heavy week.

It's been a while since I've had a week like this, but, you know, sometimes they come.

And all in the same day, got one message on my phone about someone who we'd been walking with in church discipline

and just seeing someone what looked like good fruit and growing.

And he messaged to say that he had been actually lying to us and he was in secret sin and it was way worse than he had said.

And on top of that, he started doing some other sins that he shouldn't have been doing.

So I was like, okay, that's really heavy, but, you know, we'll deal with this.

I think it was less than a half hour later, got another message from another person who we'd been walking with,

confessing something in the darkness that was not exposed as far as sexual sin.

I thought, oh, wow, okay, that's two in a row.

And then a few hours later, I got a third message from another guy about some stuff,

some pretty egregious sins that had come up.

And three in one day.

And it was right in the midst of a lot of good things that were happening,

a lot of things that God was doing.

And clearly the devil was attacking.

I think there's been a lot of spiritual battle this last week,

but I've been reminded of where to go.

Because in those moments, you're tired, you're weary, you're upset, you're frustrated,

you feel like you're depleted.

And the question is, where do you go?

And I really, I think, was focused because I've been studying this,

so it was providential, to go to the Holy Spirit.

And I actually, we're in the past, a week like this,

I would have been probably battling discouragement all week.

It was pretty much a one-day thing, and it didn't even last a whole day.

Because I went to the Holy Spirit.

And they said, I need to be filled by you.

So when these things happen, the question is, where do you go?

Okay, when you're weak, and you're lacking power, where do you go?

Do you feel like in that moment, you have to consume entertainment so that you feel like you're in control?

That's one of the reasons we gravitate towards entertainment, or even the entertainment,

you could call it, I guess, of adult entertainment, of pornography and such,

is because in those things, we have control.

And you have to be aware that when you feel like you're losing control because you're feeling powerless,

you'll be tempted to certain things that give you the semblance or the illusion of control.

Okay?

If you're not going to God.

When you can't continue, when you have a lack of perseverance, where do you go?

Where do you go?

And you feel like, I can't keep doing this.

I can't do this.

I don't have the will or the energy or the strength to keep going.

In those moments, where do you go?

Where do you go?

When you start, but you don't continue, or you say, I just can't do this,

or you cancel on things or don't show up to things that you committed to because you feel like,

I just can't.

I just can't.

Is that what you do?

Do you cancel?

Do you give up?

Where do you go?

Or do you go to the Holy Spirit?

When you're in sin and you're lacking pleasure, where do you go?

You feel like your pleasure tank, so to speak, is on empty.

It's low.

You're not feeling like you're enjoying much of anything.

Where do you gravitate towards?

John Piper said, sin is what you do when you're not satisfied in God.

Okay?

He said, spiritually satisfied people sin less.

Really, that lack of pleasure is a lack of joy in God.

But if your mind is distorted as to what you really want, you go drinking from cisterns that are broken.

You go drinking from things that are never enough because that's not ultimately what you want.

And then the devil in your flesh say, you just need more of it.

You just need more.

You just need more sensuality.

You just need more carnal pleasure.

The issue isn't what you're going to.

The issue is, you don't have enough of it.

And of course, that's a lie.

Where do you go in that moment?

Do you go to God?

Do you cry out to God and say, I must find joy in you?

When you're lonely, you're lacking a sense of presence.

You feel like you're just kind of going through your life with no one else by your side.

Maybe it's because you're single.

Maybe it's because you're married and you're feeling disconnected from your spouse.

Maybe it's because your friend group is changing or your friends are changing.

You're changing.

You don't know who's changing, but you're feeling lonely.

You're feeling maybe that you have convictions that other people don't have.

You have this sense of loneliness, this lack of presence.

You feel alone.

Where do you go?

Where do you go?

When you're out of order, when you're lacking priorities, okay?

Do you escape from that then?

You feel overwhelmed because your whole life's crashing in on you.

It's like, I never feel like I'm getting ahead.

I never feel like I have enough time.

I never feel like I go to bed doing the things I want to do.

I go to bed feeling like I was busy, but I don't really believe that I did what I was supposed to do.

And it just starts, this oppressive weight starts crashing in on you.

And you're feeling it on a regular basis.

And it just feels like the responsibilities won't end.

Where do you go?

Where do you go?

Do you go to God?

Or do you try to escape and quasi rest in the wrong things?

When you're afraid, when you're lacking boldness, when you're anxious, where do you go?

Where do you go?

Do you avoid those things that you're afraid of?

When you know you're supposed to share the gospel, but you're afraid, do you avoid?

When you know that there's things that God would have you to do and to take responsibility for, but you're anxious about them?

Do you avoid them?

Or do you go to God and say, God, I need your strength.

I need your power.

I need your boldness.

When you're empty, you're feeling like you're lacking a sense of fullness.

Like you just don't have enough in the tank.

Where do you go?

Do you fill up with other things?

With food?

With drink?

With entertainment?

With isolated fruitless consumption?

Where do you go?

Or do you go to God and say, God, fill me up.

I want to be filled by you.

You see, a lot of times when we go through life or in particular thinking about this church plant, you look at different people.

And you think, oh, some people, they can handle a lot.

But the question is why?

Those people you see who can handle a lot, you know why they can handle a lot?

If it's truly handling a lot?

Because they're filled with the Spirit.

Some people get burnt out.

Why?

Because they've not been continually filled with the Spirit.

Some people in leadership, they end up lowering the standard of leadership because they've not been continually filled with the Spirit.

Right?

They stay in leadership, but because they're not dependent and being filled continually by the Holy Spirit, rather than going to God or getting out of leadership, they stay in leadership and lower the standard to where they're at.

Some people avoid responsibility and leadership altogether because they have no category for the filling of the Spirit.

And so they have to choose a life of less responsibility and less demand.

Now, that's my take on it.

And I think it's right.

You might have other takes on it, but I want you to ask the question if they're a lie.

We can make all kinds of excuses and say, oh, no, they can handle a lot because of their personality.

They can handle a lot because they're stationed in life.

What if that's not true?

What if it's actually that the people who can handle a lot and stay steady and stay faithful are actually broken, weak people like you and I who have just been filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit?

What if people who are burnt out, what if the only cause isn't just that they're doing too much or the wrong things because those are possible, but actually that a lot of people who are actually trying to do the right thing are burnt out because they went to the wrong place?

They're not filled with the Holy Spirit.

They're not empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Yes, they love God.

Yes, they're Christians.

They have the Holy Spirit because no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit, but they're not empowered by the Holy Spirit or they were empowered by the Holy Spirit.

And since then, they have not continually been filled.

Where are you at in this?

Where are you at in this?

Where do you stand with this topic?

Ephesians 5, 15 to 21.

Ephesians 5, 15 to 21.

It says,

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil.

Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.

That's a command of God right there.

Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.

Why would they put those two together?

Essentially, getting drunk on wine is where we would go instead of going to the Holy Spirit.

Getting a sense of escape or pleasure or getting a sense of feeling like I don't have to deal with these things.

Rather, a sense of false comfort.

Right?

Rather than going to the Holy Spirit, your comforter, to be comforted, to be empowered, to be filled.

Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.

Give thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Jesus said in Matthew 22, 29,

He tells the Sadducees that they're wrong.

And He tells them they're wrong because of two reasons.

One is a reason we're probably fairly familiar with.

One that we've maybe even pointed out to people.

One is maybe a wrong that we don't think about as much or don't point out as much.

But let's remember, Jesus is pointing this out.

He's saying that these are two ways to be wrong.

Matthew 22, 29, Jesus answering the Sadducees says,

You are wrong.

He says because.

What is the reason they are wrong?

Because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.

So two reasons.

First one is the one we would be familiar with, right?

You're wrong because you don't know the Scriptures.

Well, yeah, I get that, right?

I mean, I've told other people maybe they're wrong.

Maybe bring a little bit of correction.

Like, I don't think you understand the Scriptures or you know the Scriptures there.

Let me inform you of what you don't know.

That's the obvious one, right?

But when was the last time you have thought that you or somebody else was wrong

because they didn't know the power of God?

Have you ever been convicted of not knowing the Scriptures?

Probably.

And when that happens, what do you do?

If you think, Oh, man, I don't know the Scriptures the way I should.

Or in this particular instance, I was off.

I didn't know what God's will was.

I didn't know what God's truth was.

I didn't know what God wanted in this situation.

And then I went to the Scriptures or someone pointed me to the Scriptures.

And so, you know, and if you feel like you're wrong, you say,

Well, I'm going to go figure out what the right thing is in the Scriptures.

I'm going to study the Scriptures.

What about when you're wrong because you don't know the power of God?

What do you do then?

You need to go to the Holy Spirit and receive the power of God.

You need to go to God and say, Jesus baptized me with your Spirit.

Fill me with your Spirit.

Okay?

There's two ways to be wrong.

It's not just not knowing the Scriptures.

And this is very convenient for people who are cessationists.

They get rid of one of the other ways that God says you can be wrong.

This is God speaking.

He said you can be wrong because you don't know the power of God.

Let me ask you a question.

I want you to be honest with yourself.

Do you know the power of God?

Do you know it?

Some of you know the Scriptures really well.

Do you know the power of God as well as you know the Scriptures?

Or are you in error?

Are you wrong because you don't know the power of God?

You could quote chapter and verse.

You know how to maybe preach a sermon or instruct some other people, give counsel.

You know how to get a new church plan up and running.

But let me ask an extremely important question.

Do you know the power of God?

If you don't, you're wrong.

You're dead wrong.

Well, come on, man.

I know the Scriptures.

I've been a Christian for a long time.

I don't care what does the Scriptures say.

He said they were wrong because they didn't know the power of God.

If you're wrong because you don't know the power of God, where are you going to go?

Maybe some of us need to repent this morning.

Maybe some of us need to go to God and say,

God, I have been wrong for a long time.

I have not known the power of God.

I have done my Christian walk in every other way but in the power of God.

And I just thought it was not the best.

I never actually thought of it as sin.

I never ever thought of it as not being right or being wrong.

Jesus said you're wrong because you neither know the Scriptures nor the power of God.

This is not something we can pass over.

This is not just something we say, well, that's for the charismatic.

So that's for, you know, those people.

You know, my friend who's like, that's all they talk about.

You know, that person.

I'm more of a, you know, more holistic, nuanced kind of person.

Maybe you just make an excuse for being wrong.

You have to know the power of God.

You have to know the power of God.

Paul knew the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2, 4 to 5.

When speaking to the Corinthians, he said,

My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom.

You might think, oh, guys, plant a church in Corinth.

Of course, what they need is plausible words of wisdom.

That's what they need, right?

And he comes to them and says,

My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom.

But actually, what they were in is in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

Demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

Why?

So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Do you see why this is so important?

We don't want to get people through these doors and get people into our lives as a church

so that they can have more rest in the wisdom of man.

But if all you do is come with plausible words of wisdom,

but you don't have a demonstration of the Spirit and power, you don't know the power of God,

the end result is that people don't,

their faith rests in the wisdom of men, not in the power of God.

That's not what we want.

We're aiming to have a people whose faith rests in the power of God.

How do you do that?

You have to have a demonstration.

You have to have a demonstration.

You need a demonstration of the Spirit and power.

And this is what Paul did.

And I'd say, well, that's Paul.

I mean, I ain't no Paul.

Right.

You ain't no Paul.

But the same Spirit that lived in Paul is the same Spirit that lives in you.

Do I need to say that again?

The same Spirit that lived in Paul, let's add another one, that raised Christ from the dead, lives in you.

So why can't we have a demonstration of the Spirit and power?

We most certainly can.

Do you believe that this morning?

Do you believe that?

1 Corinthians 4, a couple chapters later, verses 19 through 20,

Paul says, I'll come to you soon if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people, but their power.

Speaking of these people who are dogging on Paul, saying he's not really an apostle.

They're like, we're the super apostles.

We're the real apostles.

He says, okay.

When I get there, I'm going to find out not the talk of these arrogant people.

I don't care about the talk of these arrogant people.

I'm actually looking to see if there's any power.

For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk, but in power.

Kingdom of God doesn't consist in talk, but in power.

You know, people like to talk more than ever before.

And I'll have people, I'll give them counsel.

Had someone the other day, gave them counsel in the midst of what seems extremely obvious,

I think, to anyone from the outside, that this person's life is a mess.

And whatever he's doing is not accomplishing that which would bring about the fruit of the spirit

and the fruit of a life, a godly life.

And so I gave him counsel, which I believe is godly counsel,

in which I have seen bear fruit in a lot of people's lives with powerful results.

And I got this verbal diarrhea pushback about pop psychology and brain stuff and all this thing.

That's just like, listen, if you study pop psychology

and that leads you to God in a way that gives you the fruit of the spirit,

then praise God.

But if you have a bunch of talk that has no power, I will not praise God for that.

Okay?

That's not okay.

If your talk is just talk and there's no power.

Like if you have talk, but there's power with it, okay, I'm thinking,

maybe this is the kingdom of God.

But when all it is is talk, when all it is is talk but no power,

well, it's this and it's this book I read and it's this study that happened

and this video I watched on YouTube and this new preacher that I've been listening to.

And you keep talking about this.

You're always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.

You have a form of godliness, but you deny the power.

You basically, what you're doing is it's just talk.

And I don't care about talk.

And neither does Paul because Paul says,

he then brings the definition of the kingdom of God, one of them.

And he says, the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

So if we're talking kingdoms, that talk better have power

or that's not the kind of talk we're talking about.

But it rolls right off the tongue.

And it's very easy to tell other people like these guys.

They're saying, Paul, Paul, you're not so great.

You're not such a big deal.

And he said, hey, at the end of the day, I'm not going to argue with these guys.

I'm looking for one thing.

He goes, I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people, but their power.

Where's the power?

Where's the power?

Jesus said, you're an error.

You don't know the power of God.

Paul says, I don't care about their talk.

I want to know where there's power.

Paul says in 2 Timothy 3, verses 4 through 5,

2 Timothy 3:4–5

he's speaking of the end times.

He says, these people will be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

Having the appearance of godliness but denying its power.

And then he says, avoid such people.

Avoid such people.

Now, I hope I'm making a point here by just bringing,

and it's not my point, I'm just bringing up scriptures here.

But are you seeing a pattern here?

He's saying that if there's no power in these people,

they have the appearance, which I'm assuming meant that there's some talk there.

They have the look of it.

Maybe they're church-going folk.

They go through the motions.

They're the kind of people that somewhat blend into the church culture.

But he's saying there's one thing they're lacking,

and this is one that you should be looking to in such a way that if it's not there,

you should go so extreme that you should actually avoid such people.

What is it?

They have the appearance of godliness, but they are denying its power.

The appearance of godliness but denying the power.

Are you seeing how the Bible delineates between what we most often say is,

oh, yeah, that person's a Christian.

Are they?

Are they?

Where's the power?

Where's the power?

Oh, that's just some Christians.

No, no, no.

That is Christians.

That is Christianity.

He's saying if you have some kind of appearance of godliness,

but you're denying the power,

you should avoid such people.

These people are lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

The reason they don't have any power is because they're not going to God to get their pleasure.

They're going to the world to get their pleasure.

And so they have a form of godliness.

They kind of look the part, but they deny the power.

In the quote-unquote, and I use that extremely intentionally,

quote-unquote churches are filled with people like this.

That's why the vast majority of Christians are not,

or professing Christians, are not in fact Christians.

When you just ask simple questions like,

do you believe that Jesus is the only way?

Do you believe that Jesus is God?

Do you believe that the Bible is the word of God?

God, all of a sudden, the numbers of people who profess to be Christians drops 90%.

And I guarantee those people who do not believe that Jesus is the son of God,

who do not believe that Jesus is the only way,

and who do not believe that the Bible is the word of God,

you better believe they're going to have a form of godliness that denies the power.

This cannot be in Christ's church.

Do you hear me on this?

This is non-negotiable.

We can't just go through the motions and have a nice Sunday service

and do life together, enjoy food, enjoy different things in life without power.

Powerless living is not an option in the church.

Paul goes so far as to say, avoid such people.

We must have power.

And I know, because I talk to you, and I hear you,

and I talk to my wife who's talking to maybe some of the ladies about going through your day

and all this stuff.

I know that every single one of us hits those times where we lack what?

Power.

Where do you go?

Where do you go?

Are you okay with it?

Are you fine with it?

Do you just chalk it up as, well, it's just a bad day,

just a bad week, just a bad month, just a bad year?

I don't know.

Or do you say, this is unacceptable.

I'm a Christian.

I'm a follower of Jesus.

Jesus came to do something.

He came to baptize us with power.

Colossians 1, 28-29, Paul says,

Him we proclaim, speaking of Christ,

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,

that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

And then he says this,

For this I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me.

So he's struggling.

He's wrestling, not with his own energy,

not with his own strength,

with Christ's energy.

And it's not just a little drip of it.

It's not just a little flash in the pan.

No.

That He powerfully works within me.

Okay?

Do you trust God for that?

When you get up and you're thinking,

Oh my gosh.

Kids were up all night.

I got to go to work today.

I got to manage a home today.

I'm supposed to get together with so-and-so today.

I was supposed to get this done today.

I got nothing left.

What do you do?

Do you struggle in your energy?

Do you struggle in your energy?

Or do you struggle with all His energy

that He powerfully works within you?

Do you believe that?

Do you believe for Christianity like that?

Do you believe that?

Listen, I'm not talking about some charismatic,

superficial, hallelujah Christianity.

Okay?

I'm not talking about, again,

the charismatic form without the power.

I've seen that.

I've seen it.

I've seen the charismatic form without the power

and I've seen the charismatic form

with demonic power.

And they called it the power of God.

Okay?

I've seen it.

I've experienced it.

I don't want to have anything to do with that.

But I most definitely want to have something to do

with the charismatic power of God.

I just don't want the phony baloney old-time religion.

I want the real deal.

I want the real deal.

I want His power energizing me

as I go about my day.

Energizing me as I try to preach to everyone

and see them become mature in Christ.

That's what I need.

That's what I want.

Do you want that?

Do you need that?

Don't say you want it

and don't say you need it

if instead of going to God,

you're going somewhere else.

Prove it.

Prove it with your actions.

The Bible says that to repent

and to prove your repentance by your actions.

Okay?

That's what the Bible teaches.

Repentance and wisdom,

the Bible says,

is proved true by her actions.

Okay?

So we can say it all we want,

but where do we go in those times?

It's easy to go there

when we're singing songs on a Sunday morning.

We got everybody up here leading us in song.

It's easy to go to Christ then.

Right?

It's easy to go to Christ.

It's a prayer meeting.

It's easy to go to Christ

when everybody else is doing it.

What about when you're not feeling it?

What about when you're all alone?

What about when your day's not going well?

What about when it feels like

everything is against you

and the earth feels like

it's subjected to futility?

It is.

Then where do you go?

Do you take the edge off

with something else,

with something sinful,

with something socially accepted,

but a civilian affair

that keeps you outside of the battle?

Where do you go?

Let's look at the plain reading of Scripture.

Just the plain reading of Scripture.

We don't need to get complicated here.

It starts with the promise

to be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

All three synoptic Gospels

and the Gospel of John.

All four Gospels.

They all include this.

John the Baptist.

He's the guy.

Isaiah was prophesied about him.

He said,

this is the guy

who's going to make straight

the pass for the Lord.

He's going to prepare

the way for Jesus.

Right?

He comes.

He baptizes with water.

And when they come to him

and he's talking to them,

he begins to tell them

of the one he is pointing to.

He begins to tell them

of the one that he is preparing

the way for.

And he says the same thing

in all these Gospels.

They all documented the same thing.

And it's significant.

Matthew 3.11.

I'll read all of them.

Matthew 3.11.

I baptize you with water

for repentance,

John the Baptist.

But he who is coming after me

is mightier than I,

whose sandals I am not worthy

to carry.

He will baptize you

with the Holy Spirit

and with fire.

So again, baptism.

We're talking like John the Baptist.

People are coming out

to the Jordan River

and they are being immersed

in water.

Okay?

And then he's saying,

using the same language,

they're being baptized

by being immersed

in this river.

He's then used

the same language

to say,

oh, but there's coming

someone else

who will baptize you

in the Holy Spirit.

You'll be immersed

in the Holy Spirit.

Mark 1.8.

I have baptized you

with water,

but he will baptize you

with the Holy Spirit.

He's making the comparison.

You see how I'm dunking

these people in the water?

You're going to be immersed

in the Holy Spirit

by Jesus.

Luke 3.16.

John answered them all,

saying,

I baptize you with water,

but he who is mightier

than I is coming.

The strap of whose sandals

I am not worthy

to untie.

He will baptize you

with the Holy Spirit

and fired.

John 1.33.

I myself did not know him,

but he who sent me

to baptize with water

said to me,

he on whom you see

the Spirit descend

and remain,

this is he

who does what?

Who baptizes

with the Holy Spirit.

Acts,

before I get to that,

one more comment.

clearly this is something

that's for us.

Clearly this is something

that marks what Jesus does.

We have a lot of things

we think of

when we think of Jesus.

We think he does this,

he does that,

all these things.

When you think of Jesus,

how often do you think of him

as the one who baptizes

with the Holy Spirit?

Who immerses people

with the Holy Spirit?

I'm not talking about

immersing you with a feeling.

I'm not talking about

immersing you with some

invisible force.

I'm not talking about

being immersed in an emotion,

although emotions

can accompany it

and often do.

I'm talking about

a promise to be immersed

in the person

of God himself,

the third person

of the Trinity.

We're talking about God.

He's literally saying,

I mean,

the implications of this,

it's kind of like,

just picture him.

Guys,

do you understand

what's going on here?

I'm baptizing you

with some created thing

called water.

You get wet with it,

you get soaked with it,

it's water.

There's nothing magic

about water.

Everybody knows about water.

There's nothing

really even more common

than water.

Like,

it's got to be one of those

common things on the earth.

Most of the earth is water.

Most of your body is water.

If you want to talk about

the base level commonality,

he's literally saying,

I'm baptizing you

with water.

Now,

as you think about that,

let me take from the common

to the supernatural

and remind you,

there is one coming,

his name is Jesus,

and he will baptize you

with God himself.

You will be soaked,

immersed

with God.

Do you think of that?

When you think of Jesus

and you think,

oh,

I'm going to pray right now

and there's a little,

you know,

crust in your eyes

and you can barely read

the pages of your Bible

because you're not quite up yet

and the coffee hasn't,

you know,

worked its effects yet

and you're thinking,

I've got to do my time

with the Lord

and pray this morning.

Do you think,

I'm going to the one

who baptizes

with the Holy Spirit?

Do you believe that?

Do you think like that?

John the Baptist

is telling us,

listen,

you have to think like this.

This is,

this is not some side thing

about Jesus.

This is what the guy

who was preparing the way,

I mean,

there's barely anything

that John the Baptist says,

right?

He's not documented

in the scriptures

as saying much,

right?

There's not much in there.

But this is the guy

who Isaiah prophesied

is the guy

to make way

for the guy,

like for the,

for the Messiah.

So you'd think

what he has to say

about him

is probably

pretty significant.

It's probably

pretty important.

What does

John the Baptist,

the forerunner,

the one prophesied

by Isaiah,

what is the one thing

he says about Jesus?

He says,

he will baptize

in the Holy Spirit.

Is this not important?

It's important.

It's important.

Now,

just to get

our terminology right

when we look

at the Bible,

it's important to know

that baptism

in the Holy Spirit

and filling

of the Holy Spirit

are synonymous.

The greatest example,

this is Acts 1,

Acts 1:5

verse 5.

Jesus says,

John baptized with water,

but you will be baptized

with the Holy Spirit

not many days from now.

Okay?

So he's getting

more specific.

He's quoting

what John said,

but then he puts

a time frame on.

He says,

hey,

this is coming

and it's coming

not many days from now.

Well,

what was not many days

from now?

Pentecost,

right?

So if we go to then

where it talks

about Pentecost,

it says,

when the day of Pentecost

had arrived,

Acts chapter 2,

Acts 2 · chapter mention

they were all together

in one place.

Suddenly a sound

like that of a violent

rushing wind

came from heaven

and it filled

the whole house

where they were staying.

They saw tongues

like flames of fire

that separated

and rested

on each of them

and then it says,

then they were all

filled

with the Holy Spirit

and began to speak

in different tongues

as the Spirit

enabled them.

Now,

wait a second.

Acts 1 verse 5,

Acts 1:5

Jesus said,

you will be baptized

with the Holy Spirit.

So you'd think then

that Acts chapter 2,

Acts 2 · chapter mention

when that happens,

they would say,

and they were baptized

in the Holy Spirit.

That's not the language

it uses.

Acts chapter 2 verse 4

Acts 2:4

says they were all

filled with the Holy Spirit.

Are those two different things?

No,

it's the same thing.

They're describing

the same event

with two different words

but it's the same thing.

Okay?

So you can use those

synonymously.

You don't have to seek

like these separate experiences.

Just know God wants

to immerse you

on the outside

and fill you on the inside.

I think he's basically

just saying like,

let's get everything.

You know,

like,

we're going to immerse you

on the outside

and we're going to fill you

on the inside.

That's what the Holy Spirit does.

Okay?

And one of the biggest obstacles

of this

is when people think,

oh,

you know,

there's kind of three views

that either,

well,

that's only at conversion

that you get filled

with the Spirit

and never again.

Which I think is one

of the biggest hindrances

to this.

Others say it's at conversion

but there's subsequent fillings

which is similar

to what the view

I would have

and what I'm teaching

right now.

But the third one

is what I would view

and I believe

is what the Bible teaches

and I'm going to show you

is that it's after conversion

and then there's

multiple subsequent fillings.

Now,

that doesn't mean

you don't have the Holy Spirit

when you get saved.

Romans 8 verse 9 says

Romans 8:9

anyone who does not

have the Spirit of Christ

does not belong to Him.

So,

let's make this totally clear.

If you don't have the Spirit,

you don't belong to Jesus.

So,

I'm not saying

that when you get saved

you don't have the Spirit.

You most definitely

have the Spirit

because otherwise

you don't belong to Him.

And He said

in 1 Corinthians 12,

3,

no one can say

Jesus is Lord

except by

the Holy Spirit.

Okay?

But,

just because you have the Spirit

doesn't mean

you are filled

or empowered

with the Spirit.

And that is

a subsequent thing

you will see

in multiple instances.

First one,

Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

The disciples

were Christians.

They were believers.

They were converted

before Pentecost.

This was a subsequent filling,

a subsequent baptism.

Jesus called them His

before

the Antioch

came.

There's multiple instances

of Jesus describing them

in ways that you'd say

that's most definitely

describing Christians.

Second,

Acts chapter 8

Acts 8:4–18

verses 4 through 18.

The Samaritans were saved

before they received

the Holy Spirit.

I'll read it.

Now those who were scattered

went about preaching the Word.

This is Acts chapter 8 verse 4.

Acts 8:4

Now those who were scattered

went about preaching the Word.

Philip went down

to the city of Samaria

and proclaimed to them

the Christ.

And the crowds with one accord

paid attention to what was

being said by Philip

when they heard him

and saw the signs

that he did.

For unclean spirits

cried out with a loud voice,

came out of many

who had them

and many who were paralyzed

or lame were healed.

So there was much joy

in that city.

But there was a man

named Simon

who had previously

practiced magic

in that city

and amazed the people

of Samaria

saying that he himself

was somebody great.

They all paid attention

to him from the least

to the greatest

saying this man

is the power of God

that is called great.

And they paid attention

to him because

for a long time

he had amazed them

with his magic.

Verse 12.

But when they believed

Philip as he preached

good news about

the kingdom of God

in the name of Jesus Christ

they were baptized

both men and women.

Okay?

So pause there.

These guys

were converted.

Right?

They heard the good news.

They heard the gospel

of the kingdom

in the name of Jesus Christ

and then they got baptized.

You only get baptized

if you're a Christian.

Right?

So these guys

are saved.

Even Simon himself

believed

and after being baptized

he continued with Philip

and seeing signs

and great miracles

performed

he was amazed.

Now when the apostles

at Jerusalem

heard that Samaria

had received

the word of God

they sent to them

Peter and John.

So this is clearly

afterwards

because they're

hearing

in another city

with no cars

you know

no mass transportation

that hey

some people in Samaria

got saved.

So let's send

Peter and John

to them

who came down

verse 15

and prayed for them

that they might receive

the Holy Spirit

for he had not yet

fallen on any of them

but they had only

been baptized

in the name

of the Lord Jesus.

Then they laid

their hands on them

and they received

the Holy Spirit.

Read the plain text

of the scripture.

Could it be any more

obvious than that?

Clearly

these people were saved

had not been filled

with the Spirit.

They send Peter and John

they lay hands on them

it says

specifically

the Spirit

had not fallen on them

but then they lay

their hands on them

and then they received

the Holy Spirit.

Clearly

this was a post

salvation

experience.

Clearly.

Third example

Acts chapter 9

Acts 9 · chapter mention

the chapter after

speaking of Paul

verse 17

to 19

Paul was converted

before he was filled

with the Holy Spirit.

He's on the road

to Damascus

he gets knocked

off his

whatever

it was a horse

or meal

whatever he's on

he gets knocked down

Jesus

confronts him

and

Paul gets converted

and then in

verse

17

Ananias

departed

and entered

the house

and laying

his hands

on him

he said

brother Saul

the Lord Jesus

who appeared

to you on the road

by which you came

has sent me

so that you may

regain your sight

and

be filled

with the Holy Spirit.

He came to

show him

he needs to get

filled with the Spirit.

This is clearly

after he was converted.

Fourth example

last one

Acts chapter 19

Acts 19 · chapter mention

1-7

We got 12

Ephesian men here

and they believed

before the Holy Spirit

came on them.

Verse 1

It happened

that while Apollos

was at Corinth

Paul passed

through the inland

country

and came to Ephesus

There he found

some

disciples

and he said

to them

Did you receive

the Holy Spirit

when you believed?

Funny question

to ask

if you don't

get the Spirit

or

it's a funny

question to ask

if it happens

at the same time

then why would you ask?

Did you receive

the Holy Spirit

when you believed?

If the Holy Spirit

if you're filled

with the Holy Spirit

when you believed

that's a dumb question

okay

Did you receive

the Holy Spirit

when you believed?

And they said

No

We have not

even heard

that there is

the Holy Spirit

and he said

Into what then

were you baptized?

They said

into John's baptism

Paul said

John baptized

with the baptism

of repentance

telling people

to believe

in the one

who has come

after him

that is Jesus

On hearing this

they were baptized

in the name

of the Lord Jesus

okay

so

getting a little

correction there

getting the full story

there

they get baptized

again

but this time

in the name

of the Lord Jesus

then after that

Paul lays his hands

on them

the Holy Spirit

came on them

and they began

speaking in tongues

and prophesying

there are about

twelve men in all

so after they're saved

they

have hands

laid on them

the Holy Spirit

comes on them

and they began

speaking in tongues

and prophesying

Martin Lloyd-Jones

once wrote

There is nothing

I'm convinced

that so quenches

the Spirit

as the teaching

which identifies

the baptism

of the Holy Spirit

with regeneration

or new birth

he says

you got it all

well if you have

got it all

I simply ask

in the name of God

why are you

as you are

if you've got it all

why are you

so unlike

New Testament Christians

you got it all

got it at your conversion

well where is it

I ask

in the same way

I would ask

what I was asking

before

where's the power

where's the power

we have to think

biblically about this

you have to think

in biblical language

and you're praying

you're trying to get

in faith about this

think in the language

of the Bible

the Bible says

the Holy Spirit

was poured out

think of water

being poured out

from above

the Holy Spirit

is poured out

speaks of the Holy Spirit

falling

so the Holy Spirit

is poured out

the Holy Spirit

falls on us

those then

who the Holy Spirit

falls on

are baptized

so poured out

falling

and then immersed

in the Holy Spirit

while you're being

immersed

you're also

being filled

so it's not just

that you're being

soaked and immersed

on the outside

you're being filled

on the inside

or as it says

in John chapter 7

John 7 · chapter mention

and 1 Corinthians 12

you're drinking

of the Spirit

so you're drinking

in that which is

falling on you

being poured out

on you

which you're being

baptized into

you're also now

being filled with

and drinking

of the Spirit

and rivers of the Spirit

are flowing

out of your heart

and which you could

say then

is your mouth

speaking

because the mouth

speaks

according to Luke

Luke 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6

from the overflow

of your heart

this is why

they would speak

in tongues

and prophesy

spirits being poured

out

spirit is falling

it's hitting them

in such a way

that they are

immersed in it

baptized in it

they are drinking

of the Spirit

and they are filled

with the Spirit

and then out of their heart

rivers of living water

are flowing

which he's speaking

of as the Spirit

which then come

out of your mouth

which is why

they would worship God

and why they would

speak in tongues

and why they would

prophesy

because that's what

happens

when you are filled

with the Spirit

and when you are

filled with the joy

of the Spirit

do you think of it

in that language

again that's all

that's not

none of that's my

language

that's Acts 2

it's Acts 10

that's all those

verses in the Gospels

it's John 7

1 Corinthians 12

Luke 6

this is all Bible

language

it's all Bible

language

build your faith

with it

what is the evidence

of it

how do you know

this is an important

point

Acts 2

33

being therefore

exalted

at the right hand

of God

and having received

from the Father

the promise

of the Holy Spirit

he has poured out

this

that you yourselves

are

seeing

and hearing

okay

this whole thing

of not knowing

whether you've been

filled with the Spirit

it doesn't make

any sense

biblically

when people got

filled with the Spirit

it was definitive

it wasn't a question

it wasn't

I don't know

don't know if I've been

filled

you don't hear any of

that in the Bible

that language

about the Holy Spirit

and infilling

does not exist

in the Bible

if you don't know

you probably haven't

been filled

or you don't understand

what it looks like

to be filled

okay

because

there's something

demonstrable

you see

a difference

you hear

a difference

something is there

to confirm it

now sometimes

it's tongues

doesn't always

have to be tongues

it was at Pentecost

was in multiple

other times

okay

but not everybody

has to speak

in tongues

sometimes it's prophecy

Joel 2

says when

I will pour out

my spirit

and when I pour

out my spirit

one of the things

that will show

is that people

will prophesy

I was telling someone

the other day

when I was a younger

man

I went to

kind of a missions trip

to Juarez

in El Paso

Texas

and we had

an all night

prayer meeting

one night there

and God poured

out his spirit

on us

so that a group

of us

who were only

supposed to

take one shift

ended up

staying up

the whole night

and prophesying

over every group

that came in

I've never

experienced

anything like that

since

all I can say

and I have no

explanation for it

because I'm not

prophetically gifted

even

but I prophesied

over people

all night

that night

and so did

all the other

people in that

group

what was it

it was an outpouring

of the Holy Spirit

it was

it was awesome

it was so fun

what was that

that was

there was evidence

we were crying out

for God to pour

to the spirit

he did

and then we

prophesied

all night

okay

the evidence

is also power

gifts

Luke 24

49

Jesus said

stay in the city

until you are

clothed with power

from on high

he said

I'm sending you

the promise

of my father

upon you

stay there

until you

are clothed

with power

okay

Acts 1 verse 8

Acts 1:8

you will receive

this power

when the Holy Spirit

has come upon you

you will receive power

stay there

until you are

clothed with power

you might say

well yeah

I have been

filled with the spirit

do you have power

no

you have not been

baptized with the spirit

filled with the spirit

you will notice power

power to do things

you couldn't do before

you will notice

and that can manifest

in multiple ways

okay

one of the

very specific ways

that it manifests

is in boldness

Peter denied Christ

gets filled with the spirit

and then what does he do

gets very bold

like wait

like night and day

like is this the same guy

isn't it the guy

who was denying

at the fire

now this guy's preaching

that we killed

the author of life

that's the same guy

same guy

one was filled

with the spirit

one was not

okay

Acts

uh

Acts 1

it says when he

confronted the people

that day

in Acts 4

it says Peter

filled with the

Holy Spirit

how they know

he's filled with the spirit

because of how bold

he was speaking

in fact everyone

noticed

in verse 13

chapter 4

it says

when they saw

the boldness

of Peter

and John

and perceived

that they were

uneducated

common men

they were astonished

and they recognized

that they had been

with Jesus

Acts 4

31

when they had prayed

the place in which

they were gathered

together was shaken

and they were all

filled with the Holy Spirit

and continued to speak

the word of God

with

boldness

another evidence

that you become

his witnesses

Acts 1

Acts 1:8

verse 8

when the Holy Spirit

comes on you

you will be my witnesses

you will witness

on behalf of Jesus

you will have boldness

to preach the gospel

you will testify

of the greatness of Jesus

and you won't be afraid

another example

Acts 13

52

the disciples

were filled with joy

and with the Holy Spirit

accompanying the filling

of the Holy Spirit

is joy

talked to a couple

people this week

they said

a few people

this last week

they said

I have to confess

my Christianity

has been one

that has not had joy

said you need to be

filled with the Spirit

when you are filled

with the Spirit

you are filled with joy

Romans 15

13

says

may the God of hope

fill you with all joy

and peace

in believing

so that by the power

of the Holy Spirit

you may abound in hope

one of the ways

this power manifests

in your life

is that you abound

in hope

so much so

that you have joy

that's what abounding

in hope is

abounding in hope

is when God's power

overcomes all the power

of your negativity

and your bad experiences

and all your hurts

and all your life

that's gone wrong

the power of the Holy Spirit

gives you abounding hope

which manifests itself

in joy

and that joy

is power

because

Nehemiah 8.10

says the joy of the Lord

is your strength

lastly

one of the evidences

of being filled with the Spirit

is your countenance changes

when Stephen got filled

with the Spirit

they said his face

looks like the face

of an angel

sometimes you can actually

see a difference in people

you don't look the same

you don't look the same

what happened to you

I think I got filled

with the Spirit

you get filled with the Spirit

so many different ways

I've gotten filled with the Spirit

worshipping the Lord

many often times

I've worshipped the Lord

and I get filled up

I feel the Spirit

reading a biography

of D.L. Moody

I got filled with the Spirit

at an all night prayer meeting

and started prophesying

like I said

I've gotten filled

with the Spirit

in my car

driving alone

and started speaking in tongues

for the first time

on a trip to Walmart

right

like that's the first time

I spoke in tongues

there's no place

this is for everybody

he said

this is for

it's for you

it's for your children

for all who are far off

and everyone

whom the Lord our God

calls to himself

Acts chapter 2

Acts 2 · chapter mention

this is for everyone

this can happen anywhere

so what do you do

last thing

I'm wrapping this up here

hang with me

what do you do

if you're saying

Josh you're right

I lack power

Josh you're right

I need to be filled

Josh I'm hearing you

I hear what you're saying

I'm convicted

I go everywhere else

but I don't go for the

I don't go to the Holy Spirit

but I want to

I want to show you

what you do

the Bible's very clear

on this

okay

four things

number one

you thirst

you gotta thirst

okay

God wants to fill up

the thirsty people

this is John chapter 7

John 7 · chapter mention

Jesus stood up

and cried out

if anyone thirsts

let him come to me

and drink

and he says this

as he was speaking

of the spirit

from rivers of living water

would flow out of them

you gotta thirst

you gotta

you gotta say

God I need you

I need you

like this other stuff

isn't enough

I need you God

I'm thirsty

it ain't doing it

it ain't cutting it

I can't keep going

like this

God I'm thirsty

I need you

number two

if you're thirsty

then you do what you do

when you're thirsty

you ask for drink

you ask

okay

when he speaks

in Luke chapter 11

Luke 11 · chapter mention

he says

I tell you

ask

and it'll be given to you

seek

and you will find

knock

and it'll be open to you

for everyone who asks

receives

the one who seeks

finds

the one who knocks

will be open

what father

on father's day

listen

what father among you

if his son asks for a fish

will instead of a fish

give him a servant

a serpent

or if he asks for an egg

will give him a scorpion

if you then

who are evil

know how to give good gifts

to your children

how much more

will the heavenly father

give the holy spirit

to those who ask

why did he throw that in there

he wasn't talking about

the holy spirit

I love that he did

because do you ever go to God

thinking oh he's not going

to give me a spirit

I don't deserve a spirit

I did too many things wrong

this that or the other

I'm not good enough

I'm not like so and so

I'm not a charismatic personality

you come up with all the excuses

why he's not going to give you

the spirit

and then Luke 11 13 says

if you know how to give good gifts

to your children

how much you know

if you read your father's day

card from someone

and they thanked you

and you think

oh yeah

I give good gifts

to my kids

if you give good gifts

to your kids

how much more

will the heavenly father

give the holy spirit

to those who ask him

you gotta ask

you gotta ask

when you're in that place

do you ask

number three

you gotta believe

when you ask

Galatians 3 2-6

says let me ask you this

did you receive the spirit

by works of the law

or by hearing with faith

are you so foolish

having begun by the spirit

are you now being perfected

by the flesh

did you suffer so many things

in vain

if indeed it was in vain

does he who supplies