Empowered by the Spirit: Living a Transformed Life

Summary

Today, we gathered as a people called out of darkness into God’s marvelous light, grateful for the daily mercies and the gift of the Holy Spirit. We lifted up the needs of our community, our leaders, our nation, and the world, asking God to move powerfully in every situation. As we entered into worship, we recognized that all our efforts, prayers, and ministries are only fruitful when empowered by the Spirit. The heart of our reflection centered on the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the early church, transforming ordinary men and women into bold witnesses who turned the world upside down.

The Christian life is impossible without the power of the Holy Spirit. Just as technology is useless unless plugged into its power source, so too is our faith lifeless unless we are connected to God’s Spirit. The early church’s effectiveness was not due to their own strength or wisdom, but because they were ignited from within by the Spirit of God. Today, many believers and churches lack this power, often because of confusion, division, or fear surrounding the work of the Holy Spirit. Some emphasize doctrine and teaching, while others focus on signs and wonders, but the call is to be balanced—embracing both the truth of God’s Word and the dynamic presence of the Spirit.

Wind and fire at Pentecost symbolized God’s presence and guidance. The Spirit is with us before conversion, in us at new birth, and upon us to empower us for service. The gifts of the Spirit are not badges of honor or toys, but tools for building up the church and witnessing to the world. While some gifts, like tongues, have been sources of controversy and even abuse, Scripture calls us to neither reject nor idolize them, but to seek the fullness of the Spirit in accordance with God’s Word.

The only true sign of being filled with the Spirit is a transformed life—a life that becomes a joyful, bold witness to Jesus Christ. God’s command is to be filled with the Spirit, and the way to receive is simply to ask, with a deep and consuming desire. We have as much of God as we truly want. The invitation is open: to move beyond mediocrity, to hunger for more of God, and to allow the Holy Spirit to fill and empower us for the work and witness to which we are called.

Key Takeaways

- The Power Source of the Christian Life
Just as even the most advanced technology is useless without being plugged in, so too is our faith powerless without the Holy Spirit. The difference between a life of struggle and a life of effortless fruitfulness is not our effort, but our connection to God’s Spirit. The early church’s world-changing impact was not due to their own abilities, but because they were “plugged in” to the power of God. [26:51]

- The Balanced Life: Word and Spirit
There is a tendency in the church to divide into camps—those who emphasize doctrine and those who pursue spiritual gifts. Yet, true spiritual maturity is found in holding both together: a deep grounding in Scripture and an openness to the Spirit’s empowering presence. The gifts of the Spirit are not for self-exaltation, but for building up the church and fulfilling God’s mission in the world. [29:48]

- The Spirit’s Presence: With, In, and Upon
Scripture reveals that the Holy Spirit is with us before we believe, in us when we are born again, and upon us to empower us for service. Pentecost marked a new era where the Spirit is not only present but remains with believers as a permanent inheritance. This threefold relationship is the foundation for a life that is both secure in God’s love and bold in God’s mission. [34:20]

- Discernment: Experience in Light of Scripture
Personal experiences, whether dramatic or mundane, must always be interpreted in the light of God’s Word. It is easy to be swayed by excesses or to become cynical and quench the Spirit, but both extremes miss God’s best. The call is to seek all that God has for us, neither going beyond nor settling for less than what Scripture promises. [41:17]

- The Invitation: Ask and Be Filled
Receiving the fullness of the Holy Spirit is not about following a formula or achieving a spiritual status, but about a sincere, consuming desire for more of God. Jesus promised that the Father gives the Spirit to those who ask. The measure of God’s presence in our lives is directly related to our hunger and willingness to receive; we have as much of God as we truly want. [46:42]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - Opening Prayer and Thanksgiving
[02:10] - Prayers for the Community and World
[07:50] - Blessing Church Leaders and New Pastor
[10:00] - Confession and Preparation for Worship
[13:00] - Children’s Blessing and Dismissal
[17:47] - Multilingual Scripture Reading (Acts 2)
[21:00] - Prayer for Illumination
[26:51] - The Power Plugged Into the Spirit
[29:48] - The Church’s Division Over the Spirit
[34:20] - Wind, Fire, and the Spirit’s Presence
[37:05] - Gifts of the Spirit: Use and Abuse
[41:17] - Discernment: Experience and Scripture
[44:27] - How to Receive the Holy Spirit
[46:42] - The True Sign: A Transformed Witness
[49:21] - The Challenge: Have You Experienced the Fullness?
[51:33] - Invitation to Respond and Prayer
[56:55] - The Nicene Creed and Communion
[01:08:39] - Closing Prayers and Benediction

Study Guide

Small Group Bible Study Guide: The Power and Presence of the Holy Spirit

---

### Bible Reading

- Acts 2:1-13 (The coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost)
- Luke 11:11-13 (“How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”)
- 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…”)

---

### Observation Questions

1. In Acts 2, what are the signs that accompany the coming of the Holy Spirit, and how do the people respond?
2. According to the sermon, what are the three ways the Holy Spirit is present in a believer’s life? ([34:20])
3. What does Jesus promise about the Holy Spirit in Luke 11:11-13, and what does this reveal about God’s heart for his children?
4. The sermon mentions that the gifts of the Spirit are not “badges of honor or toys, but tools for building up the church.” What examples from Acts 2 or the sermon support this? ([29:48])

---

### Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon compares living the Christian life without the Holy Spirit to using technology that isn’t plugged in. What does this analogy suggest about the source of spiritual power and effectiveness? ([26:51])
2. Why do you think the early church was able to “turn the world upside down,” and what role did the Holy Spirit play in that transformation? ([26:51])
3. The sermon discusses division in the church over the Holy Spirit’s work. What dangers are there in either rejecting or idolizing spiritual gifts? ([29:48])
4. According to the sermon, what is the true sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit, and how does this differ from some common expectations? ([46:42])

---

### Application Questions

1. The sermon says, “We have as much of God as we truly want.” What does your current hunger for God look like? Are there areas where you feel spiritually “unplugged”? What would it look like to ask God for more of his Spirit this week? ([46:42])
2. Have you ever experienced confusion, fear, or division around the topic of the Holy Spirit or spiritual gifts? How has that affected your openness to the Spirit’s work in your life? ([29:48])
3. The gifts of the Spirit are described as “tools for building up the church and witnessing to the world.” Is there a gift or ability you sense God has given you that you haven’t been using? What’s one step you could take to use it for God’s purposes? ([29:48])
4. The sermon warns against both excess and neglect regarding spiritual experiences. How do you personally discern whether something is truly from God? Are there practices or people who help you test your experiences against Scripture? ([41:17])
5. The only true sign of being filled with the Spirit, according to the sermon, is a transformed life—a life that becomes a joyful, bold witness to Jesus. In what ways do you see (or not see) this transformation in your own life? ([46:42])
6. The invitation is to “move beyond mediocrity, to hunger for more of God.” What is one area of your faith or life where you feel stuck in mediocrity? What would it look like to invite the Holy Spirit into that area? ([46:42])
7. The sermon says, “Ask and be filled.” Take a moment to pray as a group or individually, asking God to fill you afresh with his Spirit. What do you sense God might want to do in and through you if you were more open to his presence and power? ([44:27])

---

Close in prayer, asking for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit and for boldness to be witnesses for Jesus in your daily lives.

Devotional

Day 1: The Power and Necessity of the Holy Spirit
Just as the most advanced technology is useless without being plugged into a power source, so too is the Christian life impossible without the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. Many believers attempt to live out their faith in their own strength, but true transformation and effectiveness come only when we are connected to the Spirit, who enables us to live as witnesses for Christ. The early church turned the world upside down not by their own efforts, but by being filled and ignited by the Spirit of God. Today, the church often lacks this power because of a lack of dependence on the Holy Spirit, and we are called to seek a deeper reliance on Him for both passion and purpose. [29:48]

Acts 1:8 (ESV)
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Reflection: In what area of your life are you trying to serve God in your own strength instead of relying on the Holy Spirit’s power? How can you intentionally invite the Spirit to empower you today?


Day 2: The Holy Spirit’s Presence: With, In, and Upon Us
The Holy Spirit works in three distinct ways in the life of a believer: He is with us before we come to faith, convicting us of sin and drawing us to God; He is in us when we are born again, sealing us as God’s children and restoring our relationship with the Father; and He comes upon us to empower us for service and witness. Unlike in the Old Testament, where the Spirit would come and go, Pentecost marked the moment when the Spirit became a permanent inheritance for all believers, guaranteeing our identity and empowering us to fulfill God’s purposes. [34:20]

Romans 8:15-16 (ESV)
"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God."

Reflection: How have you experienced the Holy Spirit’s presence in your life—convicting, indwelling, or empowering? Which aspect do you most need to embrace or seek today?


Day 3: Discernment: Interpreting Experience by Scripture
It is easy to let personal experience or tradition shape our beliefs about the Holy Spirit, but we are called to interpret our experiences in the light of Scripture, not the other way around. Both excess and neglect can lead us astray—either by going beyond what the Bible teaches or by settling for less than God intends. God commands us to be filled with the Spirit, and if we are not, it is often because we are living beneath our privileges as His children. We must seek a balanced, scriptural approach, desiring all that God has for us without quenching or misusing the Spirit. [41:17]

Ephesians 5:18 (ESV)
"And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit."

Reflection: Are there ways you have let personal experience or fear of excess limit your openness to the Holy Spirit? What would it look like to pursue a biblically balanced fullness of the Spirit?


Day 4: The Gift of the Spirit Is for Those Who Ask
Receiving the fullness of the Holy Spirit is not about following a formula or ritual, but about earnestly desiring and simply asking God for His Spirit. Jesus assures us that the Father delights to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask, and the degree to which we are filled often matches the intensity of our desire. God has more for us than mediocrity; He wants us to live empowered, transformed lives, and the only requirement is a genuine hunger and willingness to receive. [44:27]

Luke 11:11-13 (ESV)
"What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him 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 him!"

Reflection: What is holding you back from asking God for a greater filling of His Spirit? Will you take time today to earnestly ask and open your heart to receive?


Day 5: The True Sign of the Spirit: A Transformed, Witnessing Life
The ultimate evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit is not a particular gift or outward sign, but a life that is transformed into a joyful, bold witness for Jesus Christ. When the Spirit fills us, we become living billboards of God’s grace and glory, and our lives naturally point others to Him. The early church did not need to announce their Spirit-filled status—it was obvious by their power and witness. God’s desire is to make us into people who reflect Christ to the world, and this transformation is available to all who yield to the Spirit. [46:42]

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Reflection: In what ways does your life reflect the fruit and witness of the Holy Spirit? What is one step you can take today to allow the Spirit to make you a clearer sign of God’s grace to those around you?

Quotes

After Pentecost, when the early believers were plugged in to God's power, finally, we're told that they turned their world upside down for Christ. Well, it's obvious that the church today is not turning the world upside down for Christ. Instead, the church is being turned upside down by the world. Clearly, we don't have the power, passion, or results the early church enjoyed. And the difference, I believe, can be summed up in our lack of dependence upon the Holy Spirit. [00:29:48] (00:00:34 seconds) Edit Clip

If you look throughout scripture, there are three ways that the Holy Spirit shows up in a person's life. He can be with you, in you, or upon you. Prior to our conversion, the spirit is with us. He is convicting us of sin, our own sinfulness, of righteousness, that God is holy, and of judgment. We need help. That's what the Holy Spirit's job is before we come to know him. [00:35:10] (00:00:27 seconds) Edit Clip

The Holy Spirit, in fact, is the earnest or the down payment or the guarantee of our inheritance in Christ Jesus. Amen? The Holy Spirit is the proof that we're children of God. That's why we cry out, Abba, Father. And so the spirit comes. He's with us. He's in us. And he's upon us, empowering us. [00:36:34] (00:00:27 seconds) Edit Clip

But on the other end, we can also be satisfied with less than what God has in store for you. You might see some of these excesses and be tempted to throw the baby out with the bathwater. But that could be quenching the Holy Spirit. And I don't want to be guilty of that. [00:43:39] (00:00:17 seconds) Edit Clip

But what Jesus said, what scripture says is one thing, ask. Luke 11, 11, which of you fathers, if your son asked for a fish, will you give him a snake instead? Or if he asked for an egg, will you give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask? [00:46:23] (00:00:34 seconds) Edit Clip

In fact, I would argue that the only sign of an individual being filled with the Holy Spirit is that their lives become a joyful witness of Jesus Christ. Jesus said it. Go to Jerusalem, wait there until you receive the Holy Spirit, and I will make you witnesses. He didn't say you will witness. He said, I'm going to transform you so that you become a witness. You become a billboard, a sign of God's grace and God's glory. [00:48:22] (00:00:30 seconds) Edit Clip

You think about the early church. No one needed to ask if they were filled with the Holy Spirit. It was pretty evident. Power is evident. Jesus said, when the comforter has come, he will bear witness of me. And then he said, again in Acts, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses. [00:49:00] (00:00:22 seconds) Edit Clip

I want to urge you to release this power into your life today. Your life will be transformed, and you will receive the same power that Peter, and James, and John, and Mary, and the others used to turn their world upside down. I can promise you that when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will never be the same again. But it's your choice. You have as much of God as you actually want. [00:50:34] (00:00:30 seconds) Edit Clip