BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

　

I bring you good news: the Spirit is alive in the Church. The Spirit is here now in our midst.

I bring you good news: It is the plan and promise of God that all those who believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior are to be filled with the Spirit.

I bring you sad news: The plan and promise of God has not been believed, accepted and entered into by many who claim to follow Jesus.

I bring you sad news: Many people are filled with a secular, worldly spirit rather than the Holy Spirit; many are led by the evil spirit, rather than by the Spirit who is God.

I bring you good news: This weekend the Father desires to pour out his Spirit upon us in a fresh and new way as in a new Pentecost in fulfillment of his plan and promise.

1) Plan and Promise of God: Procreation of a new people

2) Presence: Identity and Intimacy

3) Power

4) Protection

5) Purification

6) Perception

7) Praise

8) Prodding

9) Provision

10 Public

11 Produce Gal. 5:22 (fruits of the Spirit)

12 Proclamation

1) What is the Plan of God for us? What is the promise of God for us?

"In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters." Gen.1:1-2

"ruah elohim"-the vivifying power of God breathe over the void and all things were created.

"God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them." Gen 1:27

"The Lord God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being" Gen 2:7

From the beginning God, who is Spirit, created our ancestors in his image and likeness and poured his Spirit within them so that they could share life with him; to live in union with him in a community of love.

"I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees. you shall live in the land I gave your fathers; you shall be my people and I will be your God." Ez 36:26-28

God wants us again to share life with him through the gift of his Spirit so that we can be a people in relationship to him.

The Vision of the dry bones (Ez. 37). It wasn't until Ezekiel prophesied: "Thus says the Lord God: From the four winds come, O spirit and breathe into these slain that they may come to life"(9)did they come alive and stood upright, a vast army. "Thus says the Lord...I will put my spirit in you that you may live."(14)

Jesus said: "No one can enter into God's kingdom without being begotten of water and Spirit." Jn 3:5

God's plan and promise is to recreate the face of the earth through the death/resurrection of Jesus and the anointing of the Spirit: the gift of salvation and the gift of sanctification. To restore us to our rightful inheritance and to be a people totally covenanted to him--a people reflecting his love and life. We can not become the people of God on our own--"not by might, not by power but the Spirit of God"

WHO?

Mary was filled with the Spirit and conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit the Son of the Most High, Jesus.

Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and confirmed the word of the Angel to Mary.

John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb. He leapt for joy at the greeting of Mary to Elizabeth.

Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit blessed God and prophesied about the role of his new-born son.

The Spirit descended upon Jesus while in prayer after the Jordan experience. Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, then returned from the Jordan and was conducted by the Spirit into the desert.

On Pentecost all who were gathered in the Upper Room were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:4 After the cure of the cripple at the temple gate, Peter and John were arrested and interrogated by the Sanhedrin. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit boldly proclaimed that the man was healed by Jesus of Nazareth. Acts 4:8 After the release of Peter and John the community prayed for a greater manifestation of God's power. "The place where they were gathered shook as they prayed. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God's word with confidence." Acts 4:31

Because Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, acknowledged Jesus in glory, he becomes the first martyr. Acts 7:55

Ananias, because of a vision from the Lord, entered the house of Saul and laid hands on him and said: "Saul, my brother, I have been sent by the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the way here, to help you recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Acts 9:17

Barnabas "encouraged (the community in Antioch) to remain firm in their commitment to the Lord, since he himself was a good man filled with the Holy Spirit and faith." Acts 11:23-24

When Paul and Barnabas are expelled from Antioch in Pisidia, "the disciples could not but be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit." Acts 13:52

The plan and promise of God is salvation through Jesus and sanctification and service through the Holy Spirit.

2) PRESENCE: Identity and Intimacy (Rm 8:11; 14-17)

Story: "Where is the dwelling of God? This was the question with which the Rabbi surprised a number of learned men who happened to be visiting him. They laughed at him: "What a thing to ask! Is not the whole world full of his glory?" Then he answered his own question: "God dwells wherever we let him in!"

"On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood up and cried out: 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to me; let him drink who believes in me. Scripture has it: From within him rivers of living water shall flow.'" John 7:37

"I will ask the Father and he will give you another Paraclete--to be with you always:...you can recognize him because he remains with you and will be within you." John 14:16-17

"Anyone who loves me will be true to my word, and my Father will love him; we will come to him and make our dwelling place with him." Jn 14:23

"The love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been give to us." Ro 5:5

"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will bring your mortal bodies to life also, through his Spirit dwelling in you. "Rom 8:11 It is not enough to just physically be alive; we need to be animated by the Spirit of God to really live.

"Are you not aware that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?...For the temple of God is holy, and you are that temple." 1 Co 3:16-17

"God sent forth his Son...to deliver from the law those who were subjected to it, so that we might receive our status as adopted sons. The proof that you are sons is the fact that God has sent forth into our hearts the spirit of his Son which cries out 'Abba'....And the fact that you are a son makes you an heir, by God's design." Gal 4: 4-7

Begins in Baptism; the indwelling presence of God; presence leading to ultimate union (Jn 17) We are called to become more and more conscious of the indwelling presence of the Spirit and to respond by embracing that gift.

Look at the transformation in the life of the disciples after Pentecost, in the life of Paul after his conversion experience.

3) POWER: Witness with Signs and wonders as our credentials.

"Jesus returned in the power of the Holy Spirit to Galilee. He was

teaching in their synagogues, and all were loud in his praise." Lk 4:14-15

In his discourse to Cornelius, Peter said: "I take it you know...of the way God anointed (Jesus) with the Holy Spirit and power." Acts 10:38

"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes down on you; then you are to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, yes, even to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

"Simon observed that it was through the laying on of hands that the apostles conferred the Spirit,...'Give me that power too, so that if I place my hands on anyone he will receive the Holy Spirit.'" Acts 8:18-19

4) PROTECTION: Zechariah 2:9,12

Peter is detained in prison. He was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with double chains, while guards kept watch at the door. Suddenly an angel appeared to him and told him to get up. The chains dropped from his wrists. The angel leads Peter out to freedom. Acts 12:5ff

Paul and Silas are imprisoned in Philippi. While they were praying and singing hymns to God, a severe earthquake occurred; the doors open and chains were released. Acts 16

On journey to Rome, Paul is shipwrecked on Malta. Paul had just fed the fire with a bundle of brushwood he had collected, when a poisonous snake bit him on the hand. But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. Acts 28 Recall the words of Jesus: "Signs like these will accompany those who professed their faith...they will be able to handle serpents, they will be able to drink deadly poison without harm." Mk 16: 17-18

Does not mean that no harm will ever come upon us. Rather, that God will protect us as we do his will. Don't be afraid.

5) PURIFICATION:

"You should live in accord with the spirit and you will not yield to the cravings of the flesh. The flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh; the two are directly opposed." Gal 5:16-17

"But you are not in the flesh; you are in the spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, while the spirit lives because of justice...If you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the spirit you put to death the evil deeds of the body, you will live." Rom 8:9-10,13

Because of the presence of the Spirit we choose to deal with sin in our lives. We want to be holy as the Lord is holy. The Spirit is like a refiner's fire.

6) PERCEPTION:

"There is a certain wisdom which we express among the spiritually mature. It is not a wisdom of this age...no, what we utter is God's wisdom...God has revealed this wisdom to us through the Spirit. The Spirit scrutinizes all matters, even the deep things of God...No one knows what lies at the depths of God but the Spirit of God. The Spirit we have received is not the world's spirit but God's Spirit, helping us to recognize the gifts he has given us. We speak of these, not in words of human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, thus interpreting spiritual things in spiritual terms... The spiritual man, on the other hand, can appraise everything....'For who has known the mind o the Lord so as to instruct him?' But we have the mind of Christ." 1 Cor. 2:6ff

The Spirit becomes a light for our journey. The Spirit gifts us so that our judgment will be based on the revelation of God and the will of God for us. 1Cor 2:10-13

7) PRAISE

Story: White preacher visited his black brethren in the same denomination and shared Sunday worship. Afterwards, he shook his head in bewilderment; "I don't understand it," he said. "Compared to your people, my church is a corpse. And yet we preach the same gospel you do; we profess the same creed. I have good people. What makes the difference?" "I'll tell you," said his black brother. "Our gospel is the same but it's like two porterhouse steaks. You keep yours in the deep-freeze. Ours is on fire."

"Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said: 'I offer you praise, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because what you have hidden from the learned and the clever you have revealed to the merest children." Lk 10:21

"All were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to express themselves in foreign tongues and make bold proclamations as the Spirit prompted them." Acts 2:4

After Pentecost: With exultant and sincere hearts they took their meals in common, praising God and winning the approval of all the people. Acts 2:46-47

Filled with the Spirit we can more easily worship in Spirit and in truth, authentic praise and thanksgiving to God. Spontaneous response to the love of God manifested through the Spirit. Spirit is like the pilot which when the burner is turned on brings about spontaneous combustion.

St. Augustine: "Our thoughts in this present life should turn on the praise of God, because it is in praising God that we shall rejoice forever in the life to come; and no one can be ready for the next life unless he trains himself for it now. So we praise God during our earthly life....But see that you praise comes from your whole being; in other words, see that you praise God not with your lips and voices alone, but with your mind, your lives and all your actions." (Discourse on the psalms)

8) PRODDING:

Story: One day a small boy was flying his kite in weather so foggy that only the long string was visible, shooting up into the gray midst. A passerby teased him a little, saying, "You can't even see the kite. How do you know it's there?" The boy replied quickly, "I can feel it pull." The Spirit pulls on our hearts and directs us on our journey.

The deacon Philip was on journey from Jerusalem to Gaza and the Spirit said to Philip: "Go and catch up with that carriage." Acts 8:29

Peter in Joppa had a vision. "Peter was still pondering the vision when the Spirit said to him: 'There are two men in search of you. Go downstairs and set out with them unhesitatingly, for it is I who sent them." Acts 10:19-20

"Agabus was inspired o stand up and proclaim that there was going to be a severe famine all over the world." Acts 11:28

" Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit; he stared at Elymas (the magician) and exclaimed: 'You are an impostor and a thoroughgoing fraud, you son of Satan and enemy of all that is right...For a time you shall be blind, unable so much as to see the sun.'" Acts 13:9,11

"Paul and Silas traveled through Phrygia and Galatian territory because they had been prevented by the Holy Spirit from preaching the message in the province of Asia." Acts 16:6

"Under the Spirit's prompting, the disciples in Tyre tried to tell Paul that he should not go up to Jerusalem; but to no purpose." Acts 21:4

"On one occasion, while (the church at Antioch) were engaged in the liturgy of the Lord and were fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke to them; 'Set apart Barnabas and Saul for me to do the work for which I have called them.'" Acts 13:2

At the Council of Jerusalem the apostles said: "It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and ours too, not to lay one you any burden beyond that which is strictly necessary..." Acts 15:28

Paul addressed the presbyters of Ephesus: "I am on my way to Jerusalem, compelled by the Spirit and not knowing what will happen to me there--except that the Holy Spirit has been warning me from city to city that chains and hardships await me." Acts 20:22-23

"Since we live by the spirit, let us follow the spirit's lead." Gal. 5:25

9) PROVISION:

"When men take you off into custody, do not worry beforehand about what to say. In that hour, say what you are inspired to say. It will not be yourselves speaking but the Holy Spirit." Mk 13:11

If you, with all your sins, know how to give your children good things, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him." Lk 11:13

"The Paraclete, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will instruct you in everything and remind you of all that I told you." John 14:26

"When he comes, however, being the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth." John 16:13

10) PUBLIC

11) PRODUCE GAL. 5:22

12) PROCLAMATION