Power To ChangeThe Holy Spirit Filling the Believer

Part Four

The Holy Spirit Controls UsThe Holy Spirit Controls Us

Acts 4:23-31 Page 928 in pew Bibles

Acts 4:23-31

23. After they were released, they went to their own fellowship and reported all that the • chief priests and the elders had said to them.

24. When they heard this, they raised their voices to God unanimously and said, “Master, You are the One who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them.

25 You said through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David Your servant: Why did the Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot futile things?plot futile things?

26 The kings of the earth took their The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers assembled stand, and the rulers assembled together against the Lord and together against the Lord and against His Messiah.against His Messiah.

27 “For, in fact, in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, assembled together against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed,

28. to do whatever Your hand and Your plan had predestined to take place.

29.And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that Your slaves may speak Your message with complete boldness,

30.while You stretch out Your hand for healing, signs, and wonders to be performed through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

31. When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak God’s message with boldness.

What Does it Mean to be

“Filled”?

To be consumed by and under the control of

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To be Consumed by and Under the Control of

• Acts 2:13 “But some sneered and said, ‘They’re full of new wine!’”

• Acts 5:3 “Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds from the field?’”

• Acts 5:17-18 “…those who belonged to the party of the • Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. So they arrested the apostles and put them in the city jail.” 1 . >

To be Consumed by and Under the Control of

• Acts 13:45 “But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to oppose what Paul was saying by insulting him.”

• Acts 19:28 “When they had heard this, they were filled with rage and began to cry out, ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’”

• Acts 19:29 “So the city was filled with confusion; and they rushed all together into the amphitheater…”1 >

To be Consumed by and Under the Control of

“And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 13:52

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To be Filled with the Spirit

Is to be consumed by the Holy Spirit and under His control

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A. W. Tozer“I am talking about His coming and

possessing the full body and mind and life and being, taking over the entire

personality, directly but gently making it His, so that we may become a habitation of God in the Spirit.”

There is one baptism, but many

fillings

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• Romans 8:9 “You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”

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All Christians are Indwelt by the Spirit

All Christians Have Been Baptized by the Spirit

• 1st Corinthians 12:13 “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”

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Scofield Note

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The New Testament distinguishes between having the Spirit, which is true of all

believers, and being filled with the Spirit, which is the

believer’s privilege and duty.

“One baptism, many fillings."

• The Jerusalem Christians received the Holy Spirit in Act 2:4– Acts 2:1-4 “When the day of

Pentecost had arrived, 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. And tongues, like flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them. Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…”2 >

Case Study 1

• The Jerusalem Christians received the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:4. But…– The same people are said filled

with the Spirit in Acts 4:31– Acts 4:31 “When they had

prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak God’s message with boldness.”

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Case Study 1

• Acts 9:17 “So Ananias left and entered the house. Then he placed his hands on him and said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’”

• Acts 13:9 “Then Saul—also called Paul—filled with the Holy Spirit…”

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Case Study 2

How to Be Filled with the Spirit

A. W. Tozer1. Present Yourself to God in

Complete Surrender– Romans 12:1 “…Present your bodies

as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship”

– “God cannot fill what He cannot have”2. Ask

– Luke 11:13 “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 Him?”

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How to Be Filled with the Spirit

3. Be Willingly Obedient– Acts 5:32 “…the Holy Spirit

whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

4. Trust God in Faith for it– Galatians 3:2 “Did you receive

the Spirit by the works of the law or by hearing with faith?”

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Ephesians 5:18

• Ephesians 5:18 “And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless actions, but be filled with the Spirit”

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Ephesians 5:18

• A Comparison: – Being Filled with the Spirit is like

being drunk with wine, in that something else is controlling you.

• A Contrast: – Being drunk is a bad kind of

control resulting in bad things– Being filled with the Spirit results

in good things4 >

Ephesians 5:18

• A Continuous Experience– Literally, “Be ye being filled”– An experience that will have to be

repeated• A Command to Obey

– It is just as wrong not to be filled with the Spirit as it is to be drunk with wine

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