Empowered Living: Surrendering to the Holy Spirit

Worship is more than just singing songs or giving financially; it’s about recognizing the presence and work of God in every part of our lives. Even when life is chaotic, we can declare “it is well with my soul” because of who God is, not because of our circumstances. One of the greatest gifts God has given us is the Holy Spirit, who comes to live inside every believer at the moment of surrender to Jesus. This is not a temporary arrangement—when the Holy Spirit enters our lives, He never leaves. This indwelling is the fulfillment of God’s promise, transforming our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh, making us new from the inside out.

The Holy Spirit’s presence is not just a theological concept; it’s a daily reality. He is our guarantee of salvation, our source of power, and the One who enables us to live the Christian life and carry out the ministry God has called us to. The Christian life is impossible to live in our own strength, but with the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to love, serve, and witness in ways we never could on our own. The Spirit gives gifts as He wills, sometimes surprising us with new abilities or courage for the moment.

However, being filled with the Spirit is not a one-time event. While the Spirit never leaves, our experience of His fullness can fluctuate. We can be “full” and overflowing, or we can run dry through neglect, sin, or simply the demands of life. The key is not to ask for more of the Spirit, but to surrender more of ourselves to Him. The more space we make in our lives—by removing sin, spending time in the Word, praying, obeying, and abiding—the more He fills us, overflows from us, and impacts those around us.

Staying filled with the Spirit is a daily pursuit. It requires intentional time in Scripture, honest prayer, obedience to God’s leading, and a lifestyle of abiding in Christ. When we do this, we not only experience personal transformation, but we become vessels through which God’s power and love flow to others. The Spirit’s filling is meant to equip us for both living and serving, so that the gospel can reach our city, our region, and the ends of the earth.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The Holy Spirit’s indwelling is God’s unbreakable promise to every believer. When we surrender to Jesus, the Spirit comes to live in us permanently, marking us as God’s own and guaranteeing our future inheritance. This is not something we can lose or forfeit; it is the foundation of our assurance and identity in Christ. [50:06]
• 2. The fullness of the Spirit is not about getting more of Him, but about Him getting more of us. Our level of spiritual filling is directly related to our willingness to surrender—letting go of sin, distractions, and self-will so that the Spirit can fill every part of our lives. True spiritual power comes from daily, ongoing surrender, not from striving or religious effort. [60:43]
• 3. The Spirit empowers us for both holy living and effective ministry. The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, and more—are not the result of our own effort, but the evidence of the Spirit’s work in us. Likewise, the Spirit gives us gifts and courage to serve, witness, and minister in ways that go beyond our natural abilities. [65:16]
• 4. Spiritual dryness is often the result of neglect, unconfessed sin, or the pressures of life. Just as a cup loses water through evaporation or is emptied by being poured out, we can lose our sense of fullness if we do not regularly seek God, confess sin, and make space for the Spirit. The solution is not to work harder, but to return to the basics: time in the Word, prayer, obedience, and abiding in Christ. [74:05]
• 5. The Spirit’s overflow in our lives is meant to impact others and advance God’s kingdom. When we are filled, the Spirit not only transforms us but also uses us to encourage, serve, and witness to those around us. Our filling is not just for our benefit, but so that the gospel can reach our city and beyond, as we become living witnesses of Christ’s power and love. [77:25]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [40:06] - Three Elements of Worship
• [41:02] - Honoring God’s Word and Prayer
• [42:07] - Preparing Our Hearts for the Spirit
• [43:49] - Jesus’ Promise of the Holy Spirit
• [44:58] - What It Means to Be Baptized with the Spirit
• [45:46] - The Spirit’s Indwelling: In and With Us
• [47:36] - New Heart, New Spirit: Ezekiel’s Prophecy
• [49:14] - The Spirit as Our Seal and Guarantee
• [51:26] - The One-Time Baptism of the Spirit
• [54:34] - Old Covenant vs. New Covenant: The Spirit’s Role
• [56:22] - The Spirit’s Filling in the New Covenant
• [58:14] - Continual Filling: Surrender and Growth
• [61:33] - The Spirit’s Power and Gifts
• [65:16] - Overflowing to Others
• [71:59] - Removing Sin and Making Space
• [74:05] - Spiritual Dryness and Renewal
• [75:22] - Staying Filled: Word, Prayer, Obedience, Abiding
• [77:25] - Living Filled and Empowered
• [79:37] - Responding to the Spirit’s Call

Bible Reading

Acts 1:4-8 (ESV) — > And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
> So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
> He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
> 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.”

Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV) — > In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

John 14:15-17 (ESV) — > “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 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.”

Observation Questions

1. According to Acts 1:4-5, what did Jesus tell his disciples to wait for in Jerusalem?
2. In Ephesians 1:13-14, what does Paul say the Holy Spirit does for believers?
3. What is the difference between the Holy Spirit being “with” the disciples and “in” them, as described in John 14:17?
4. The sermon described the Holy Spirit as a “guarantee” and a “seal” for believers. What does this mean, based on the passages and the message? [[50:06]]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus told the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit before starting their ministry? What does this say about our own ability to serve God in our own strength? [[44:58]]
2. The sermon said the Holy Spirit never leaves a believer, but our experience of his fullness can change. What are some reasons this might happen, according to the message? [[58:14]]
3. The message talked about the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant regarding the Holy Spirit. How does the Spirit’s role in our lives today differ from what believers experienced before Jesus? [[54:34]]
4. The pastor said, “The fullness of the Spirit is not about getting more of Him, but about Him getting more of us.” What does this mean in practical terms? [[01:00:43]]

Application Questions

1. The sermon said that spiritual dryness can come from neglect, unconfessed sin, or just the pressures of life. Looking at your own life, which of these do you most relate to right now? What is one step you could take this week to make space for the Holy Spirit to fill you again? [[01:14:05]]
2. The message emphasized that the Holy Spirit empowers us to live the Christian life and to serve others. Is there an area of your life or ministry where you feel you are trying to do things in your own strength? What would it look like to surrender that area to the Spirit? [[01:05:16]]
3. The pastor gave the example of a cup being filled and sometimes running dry. When was the last time you felt “full” of the Spirit? What was different about your habits or focus during that time? [[01:13:30]]
4. The sermon said that the Spirit gives gifts and courage as He wills, sometimes surprising us. Have you ever experienced a moment where you felt the Spirit gave you a new ability or boldness? What happened? [[01:01:33]]
5. The message challenged us to remove sin and distractions to make more room for the Spirit. Is there a specific sin or distraction you sense God is asking you to let go of? What support or accountability do you need to take that step? [[01:11:59]]
6. The pastor said that being filled with the Spirit is a daily pursuit, involving time in the Word, prayer, obedience, and abiding in Christ. Which of these practices is hardest for you to maintain? What is one practical way you could grow in that area this week? [[01:15:22]]
7. The sermon ended by saying the Spirit’s overflow in our lives is meant to impact others and advance God’s kingdom. Who in your life could be impacted if you were living more “filled” with the Spirit? How can you intentionally encourage or serve them this week? [[01:17:25]]