Embracing the Holy Spirit: A Call to Transformation
Summary
The sermon begins with the pastor emphasizing the crucial role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. Drawing from Jesus' teachings in John chapters 14-16, the pastor highlights the Holy Spirit's role in convicting the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. The pastor then explains the purpose of the invitation that follows the preaching of the gospel, expressing a conviction to give the church family an opportunity to respond to the message. The pastor encourages the congregation not to quench the Holy Spirit but to be obedient and allow the Spirit to fill their lives.
The pastor continues by emphasizing the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit. The congregation is invited to pray and seek the filling of the Spirit, with the pastor offering to pray with or for anyone who desires it. The pastor also mentions the significance of the cross and surrendering one's life to God. The pastor then focuses on the concept of being filled with the Holy Spirit, explaining that being filled with the Spirit means to be consumed by or controlled by God's presence. He draws a comparison between being filled with the Spirit and being drunk with wine, stating that just as one is controlled or consumed by wine when drunk, believers should instead be controlled or consumed by the Holy Spirit.
The pastor then emphasizes the importance of listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. He shares that God will break our legs metaphorically if we refuse to listen to the Holy Spirit's guidance. The pastor challenges those who have been walking with Jesus for a long time to examine if any complacency has settled in their faith and encourages them to be filled with the Holy Spirit once again. The pastor emphasizes that being filled with the Holy Spirit should result in a transformed life, marked by gratitude, humility, and encouragement towards others.
The pastor then discusses the concept of being controlled by God. He explains that the Apostle Paul contrasts being drunk with wine, which leads to debauchery, with being filled with the Spirit. The pastor encourages the congregation to faithfully walk in the latter option, being filled with the Spirit and allowing God to guide their lives. The pastor concludes by emphasizing the importance of Christ followers being filled with the Holy Spirit, explaining that being filled with the Spirit is a command, but it is a work done by God, not by us.
Finally, the pastor discusses how we hinder the filling of the Holy Spirit in our lives. He identifies three ways in which we hinder the Spirit: choosing sin instead of righteousness, quenching or disregarding the prompting of the Spirit, and grieving the Spirit by ignoring His repeated prompting. The pastor concludes by urging the congregation to submit themselves fully to God and worship Him because they belong to Him.
Key Takeaways:
- The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in the life of a believer, convicting the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. It is essential for believers to recognize and rely on the Holy Spirit in their lives. ([12:45])
- Being filled with the Holy Spirit means being consumed by or controlled by God's presence. This filling should result in a transformed life, marked by gratitude, humility, and encouragement towards others. ([24:30])
- The Apostle Paul contrasts being drunk with wine, which leads to debauchery, with being filled with the Spirit. Believers should strive to be under the control of God through the Holy Spirit, allowing God to guide their lives. ([36:15])
- Being filled with the Spirit is a command, but it is a work done by God, not by us. It is available to everyone who belongs to God and should radiate a noticeable difference because God is in them. ([48:50])
- Believers can hinder the filling of the Holy Spirit in their lives by choosing sin instead of righteousness, quenching or disregarding the prompting of the Spirit, and grieving the Spirit by ignoring His repeated prompting. It is important for believers to submit themselves fully to God and worship Him because they belong to Him. ([59:20])
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Ephesians 5:15-21: "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 Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving 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."
2. John 14:16-17: "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you."
3. John 16:7-8, 13-15: "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment... When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."
Observation Questions:
1. What are the specific instructions given in Ephesians 5:15-21 about how believers should live their lives?
2. In John 14:16-17, what are the characteristics of the Helper that Jesus promises to send?
3. According to John 16:7-8, 13-15, what are the roles of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Ephesians 5:15-21 contrast being filled with the Spirit to being drunk with wine? What does this imply about the effects of being filled with the Spirit?
2. In John 14:16-17, how does the promise of the Holy Spirit as a Helper relate to the believer's relationship with God?
3. Based on John 16:7-8, 13-15, how does the Holy Spirit guide believers into truth and convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment?
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your daily walk. Are there areas where you are not walking wisely as Ephesians 5:15-21 instructs? What specific steps can you take to align your walk with these instructions?
2. How have you experienced the Holy Spirit as a Helper in your life as described in John 14:16-17? Share a specific instance and how it impacted your faith.
3. In what ways have you felt the Holy Spirit convicting you of sin, righteousness, or judgment as described in John 16:7-8, 13-15? How did you respond and what changes can you make moving forward?
4. Reflect on the concept of being filled with the Spirit. Can you identify a specific area in your life where you need to surrender control to the Holy Spirit? What steps can you take to do so?
5. Are there ways in which you might be hindering the filling of the Holy Spirit in your life? How can you address these hindrances?
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing the Conviction of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit plays a pivotal role in the believer's life, convicting the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. It is essential to recognize and rely on the Holy Spirit's guidance and conviction in our lives. This divine influence is not just a suggestion, but a crucial aspect of our spiritual journey. ([12:45])
Bible Passage: John 16:8 - "When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment."
Reflection: How have you experienced the conviction of the Holy Spirit in your life recently? Can you identify a specific instance where you felt the Holy Spirit guiding you towards righteousness?
Day 2: Consumed by God's Presence
Being filled with the Holy Spirit means being consumed by or controlled by God's presence. This divine filling should result in a transformed life, marked by gratitude, humility, and encouragement towards others. It's not just about feeling God's presence, but allowing it to permeate every aspect of our lives. ([24:30])
Bible Passage: Ephesians 5:18 - "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit."
Reflection: What does being 'consumed by God's presence' look like in your daily life? Can you identify one area of your life that needs more of God's presence?
Day 3: Guided by the Spirit
The Apostle Paul contrasts being drunk with wine, which leads to debauchery, with being filled with the Spirit. As believers, we should strive to be under the control of God through the Holy Spirit, allowing God to guide our lives. This is not a passive process, but an active surrender to God's will. ([36:15])
Bible Passage: Galatians 5:25 - "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."
Reflection: How can you better align your actions with the guidance of the Holy Spirit today? Can you think of a specific decision you need to make where you could seek the Spirit's guidance?
Day 4: A Command, Not a Choice
Being filled with the Spirit is a command, not a choice. It is a work done by God, not by us. It is available to everyone who belongs to God and should radiate a noticeable difference because God is in them. This is not about earning God's favor, but about living in the fullness of His love. ([48:50])
Bible Passage: 1 Corinthians 6:19 - "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own."
Reflection: How does understanding being filled with the Spirit as a command change your perspective? What steps can you take today to live in the fullness of God's love?
Day 5: Hindering the Holy Spirit
Believers can hinder the filling of the Holy Spirit in their lives by choosing sin instead of righteousness, quenching or disregarding the prompting of the Spirit, and grieving the Spirit by ignoring His repeated prompting. It is important to submit ourselves fully to God and worship Him because we belong to Him. This is not about perfection, but about obedience and surrender. ([59:20])
Bible Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:19 - "Do not quench the Spirit."
Reflection: Can you identify a specific way in which you might be hindering the Holy Spirit in your life? What is one step you can take today to submit more fully to God?
Quotes
1. "The holy spirit is entirely necessary for the Christ follower to live a faithful Christian Life." [00:34]
2. "Paul gives this specific command for Christ's followers to be filled with the spirit and the word filled here is an interesting word in the original language it means to be consumed by or to be controlled by someone or something hence the reason why Paul Compares with being drunk with wine to being filled with the spirit because one is controlled or consumed or under the influence of in this case wine in a negative sense." [07:01]
3. "That feeling you have in your gut, that's not me, that's the spirit of God. That thought you're holding on to in your head, that wrestling that's happening in your heart, that's not me, that's the Holy Spirit of God." [38:28]
4. "When our bucket is filled up, we are filled with the spirit and it is spilling out one of the ways in which it will reveal itself is in our humility toward others." [26:48]
5. "Jesus explains that the Holy Spirit is the fuel that fills and empowers God's church, and it could be said of us today that what fills you is what fuels you." [03:26]
6. "God will break our legs and I've never seen him gently break anyone's legs when they refuse to listen to the Holy Spirit's prompting all along the way. But either way you bend your knee or he breaks your legs, you're going down because he loves you and he wants good for you." [34:45]
7. "Christ followers are to be filled...this is a work done by God, not done by us...it's available to everyone all of the time." [14:35]
8. "To be filled with the spirit is to be controlled by God...there is something different about us and that difference is God in us." [17:10]
9. "If the Holy Spirit is lighting you up but you are choosing to put that out, you are extinguishing His prompting in your life." [32:18]
10. "Our sin makes God sad. It grieves Him. What grieves the Holy Spirit of God is when we actively choose sin instead of submission to Him." [30:12]
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