John 1:32-33/ Acts 19/ Ephesians 4:30
Introduction: The Holy Spirit is not simply a creed or doctrine to be learned. Throughout the New Testament the Holy Spirit is God; a person to be experienced.
I. Two Views of being filled with the Spirit:
- With Salvation: (conversion-initiation)
A common view among Christians is that baptism in the Spirit is an unconscious event that comes to every believer when they place their faith in Christ.
- Key verses: I Corinthians 12:13, Romans 8:9
- After Salvation:
While we have the Spirit in us as Christians, Jesus invites us to experience being filled with the Spirit.
- Key verses: John 20:27, Acts 1:8, 2:4, 19:1-3
II. Signs of being Filled with the Spirit
- Boldness (Acts 4:31)
- Fire (Matthew 3:11) – which represents power, illumination, purification
- Speaking in other tongues
III. Speaking in Tongues (an excursus)
- Three types: gift of languages (Acts 2:4)
Personal prayer language (Acts 14:2,4)
In public setting, accompanied by interpretation (Acts 14:13) - Why Tongues?
- Speaking directly to God
- One is built up
- The tongue is yielded to God (James 3:7)
The Holy Spirit will never force, never coerce, manipulate or takeover; do something against your will.
Questions:
- Does a person need to speak in tongues to be filled with the Spirit? No. However, since it is mentioned 5x in the book of Acts, and affirmed by Paul in I Corinthians 14, one should remain open.
- How do I know if I’m faking it? Tongues are Spirit-enabled (Acts 2:4)
Other important manifestations of the Spirit’s infilling
- love (Romans 5:5)
- weeping / laughter
- falling out
Beware of “strange fire” (misuses – abuses)
– Who is it pointing to? Are people exalting the gift above the Giver.
– Any attachment to salvation (not a Christian unless you speak in tongues)
– Used as a benchmark of spirituality (ie. FULL GOSPEL/vs “others who are NOT” )
Because it’s been misused, doesn’t mean we should not seek to be filled with the HOLY SPIRIT.
Being baptized in the Spirit is not a one-time event – it is ongoing experience – in Acts 2 they were filled.It happened again in Acts 4 (see Ephesians 5:20)
IV. The Holy Spirit as a DOVE.
- Remained on Jesus (John 1:32-33)
- While the Holy Spirit will never leave us (John 14:16), sometimes we can feel as if the Spirit is not present with us.
WHY?
- The dove is a shy and sensitive bird. The Holy Spirit is a thousand times more sensitive than a turtle dove.
- The Holy Spirit is easily grieved
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30, ESV).
How we can grieve the Spirit (Ephesians 4:31)
- bitterness
- anger and rage
- clamor and slander
- malice and ill will
- any sexual immorality (Ephesians 5:1-7)
- greed
Whenever we engage in any of the above behaviors, a distance is created between us and Holy Spirit.
“Aim at heaven and you will get the earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.”-CS Lewis
V. How to be Filled with the Spirit
– Yearn for it
– Ask for it (Luke 11:13)
– Receive it