The Holy Spirit. Understanding & Expectancy

Transcription

1 The Holy Spirit Understanding & Expectancy

2 This Session is About: Getting our lives ready for what God wants to do in us by His Spirit Realizing the Holy Spirit has an agenda for each one of us His plan is to do something

3 Will you begin this session with: a wide open heart? a willingness to learn & explore? a readiness to discover what you don t know?

4 What We Will Cover I. Our Understanding of the Holy Spirit who He is, how He works II. Expectancy Without Agenda ways that we can encounter Him

5 Teaching Notes: It s impossible to cover everything about the Holy Spirit in one session! See additional notes in folder on The Role & Ministry of the Spirit in the Life of the Believer, and the story of Finney s baptism in the Spirit.

6 Either we believe that God the Holy Spirit is alive and well today - or our Trinity is merely God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Bible -R.T. Kendall, Holy Fire, p. 44

7 The Holy Spirit is God s agent on earth, yet he is the least understood, least preached about, and least discussed member of the Trinity. And that is sad. Because without him, our spiritual lives will always become a dry, mechanical struggle. - Jim Cymbala, Spirit Rising, p.17

8 My Personal Story - New Life Radical Conversion - The Spirit powerfully arriving inside; immediate change -Like many others, I knew the Spirit had come into my life

9 A. Who Is The Holy Spirit? He is God (Gen. 1:2, Eph. 4:30, Acts 5:3-4) - not a force, not an angel, not a created spirit He is co-equal with Father & Son in Trinity He can be worshipped, loved, obeyed

10 He is a person with person-qualities He is involved: Creation, Redemption, Restoration He is sent from the Father & Son (Jesus ascended to heaven and sent the Spirit to continue)

11 He reveals Jesus and testifies about Him (His primary ministry) The Bible draws a lot of attention to Him and His ministry

12 B. The Spirit s First Work in Us Creates new life - Salvation New Birth - Regeneration Comes to indwell the Believer

13 New Life / Regeneration *John 3:5-8 - born from above *Romans 8:15,16 - adopts us (Ephesians 1:13,14 - deposit of Holy Spirit Titus 3:5 saved = re-birth through Holy Spirit)

14 All True Christians Have the Spirit Spirit indwells you at salvation Believers have all of the Spirit - not a portion of Him - the Spirit does not come to us in degrees

15 At New Life / Regeneration: You can bear fruit of the Spirit You have a new nature, and are a new creation / new identity (2 Cor. 5:17) You are sealed by the Spirit (Eph. 1:13,14)

16 If you re A Believer You Have The Spirit!

17 Affirmation Moment: Say to yourself, out loud, that because you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you do have the Spirit living in you. Rest in this truth.

18 However You can be born of the Holy Spirit and still not be filled with the Holy Spirit. That is part of His second work in us.

19 C. The Spirit s Second Work In Us The baptism of the Holy Spirit.

20 Baptism Of The Spirit Seen in the Scriptures as a pattern in which God gives His people who already have new life & regeneration another encounter with His Spirit that launches them into a life of ongoing fullness and capacity.

21 Baptism Of The Spirit Baptism means - dip, plunge, immerse, submerge, completely drenched Baptism - idea of initiation, or first encounter, or marking a change from one era to another

22 Baptism Of The Spirit John 20: 21,22 - Disciples first reception of Holy Spirit (Regeneration) -Luke 24:39 - expect more -Acts 1:4,5 - expect more -Acts 1:8 - expect more

23 Luke 24:49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.

24 Acts 1:4,5 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.

25 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

26 Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

27 Baptism Of The Spirit The event and occasion happened. Acts 2:1-4 the Baptism of the Spirit on the Disciples Joel 2: 28,29 - fulfilled that day Acts 2:38,39 - offered to all

28 Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

29 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

30 Baptism Of The Spirit *Think of Baptism as the first experience of an on-going life of being filled with the Spirit. *Baptism & Filled They are inter-changeable terms, but helpful to use both. (Acts 1:5,2:4)

31 Baptism of the Spirit It s about: being clothed with power being given a greater capacity being anointed by God from above a real, not imagined, experience

32 The disciples were baptized with the Spirit. They were soaked and drenched by the Spirit of God. This is not a ho-hum experience. This is something significant, dramatic, and life changing.

33 This is a wind that blows and changes the landscape of their lives and ultimately the lives of countless hoards through their Spirit-saturated influence. -Rob Reimer, River Dwellers, pg. 24

34 Baptism Of The Spirit Seen also in Paul s teachings -Ephesians 3:14-19 Greek (aorist tense) - a defined, completed event, not progressive or ongoing. Something that happened and was completely done.

35 Ephesians 3:14-19 Result of the Spirit s strengthening? Christ fully occupies your whole inner life; settles into all the rooms You receive power to grasp God s love You are filled to the measure with the fullness of God

36 My Own Story Age 20, Vancouver Island

37 Perspective There are two distinct works of the Holy Spirit seen in the New Testament: 1. New Life/ Regeneration 2. Baptism/Filling, which leads to ongoing Fillings

38 Baptism Of The Spirit: Six Scriptural Signs (see packet) 1. Power 4. Boldness 2. Prophecy 5. Identify 3. Praise, love, & joy 6. Tongues (for some)

39 The Baptism or Filling of the Spirit is what enables us to do the works of Jesus Its about a real epowerment

40 Video Holy Ghost Movie- India

41 Baptism Of The Spirit What s your story? Have you encountered the Holy Spirit in this way? A yes/no moment. Many have not. It is God s provision and plan for you.

42 Re-Cap - Holy Spirit: Regeneration - Spirit in you (for you) Baptism/Filling Spirit on you (for others)

43 A Look At Tongues Three of the six Acts moments of the Holy Spirit coming upon people mention that they spoke in tongues: Acts 2:4, Acts 10:46, Acts 19:6

44 We see then, that while Tongues is one legitimate evidence of the Holy Spirit for some people, biblically it cannot be said to be an experience that all believers must have as evidence they have been Baptized/Filled.

45 However, we do believe Tongues is a good, and useful gift of the Holy Spirit for the church in all ages.

46 My Own Story

47 But There s More! God calls us to further, ongoing encounters and fillings by the Spirit. We are to have life-long encounters with the Spirit, who is given without measure/limit. (John 3:34)

48 Ongoing Fillings of the Spirit Acts 4:31 same people filled Peter s numerous fillings Acts 2:4, 4:8, 4:31, Paul s numerous fillings Acts 9:17-19, 13:9, etc.

49 The Ongoing Filling Of The Spirit Ephesians 5:18 (to those filled) A command to keep on being filled, ongoing Passive Mood, i.e., you don t fill yourself continue to be filled

50 Ask Ourselves How often should I seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit? And, do I really want to be filled with him? Praying for people and nothing happens?

51 What Are Ongoing Fillings For? Increase in a Believer s: power boldness anointing for serving possibility of new gifts perpetual personal renewal

52 Often, God Fills Us When we re hungry, seeking, desiring, and wanting more of Him When His work for us requires a greater anointing

53 My Own Story Coming back from a conference

54 Baptism / Filling Of The Spirit Biblically, laying on of hands is quite often associated with this. You will have opportunity to receive this if you want.

55 We are not encouraging you to seek for an experience or manifestation We are encouraging you to seek for Jesus, and let Him fill you and meet you.

56 How Can I Be Baptized With The Holy Spirit? 1. Expect/believe you can be (Acts 1:8) 2. Desire/want to have the Spirit (John 7:37-39)

57 3. Ask (Luke 11:11-13) 4. Wait (Acts 1:4) 5. Yield/surrender whole life (Rom. 12:1,2; Rom. 8:5) 6. Obey (Acts 5:32)

58 II. Expectancy So, where is your expectation level? It s not enough to know about the Holy Spirit. The revelation of who the Spirit is has been given to you so you may also encounter the Spirit as people did in the Scriptures.

59 II. Expectancy Without Agenda This is about being surrendered; not trying to get the Spirit Being open to more Letting go of control Trusting the Father s ways

60 Expectancy Without Agenda Avoid putting limits or demands on God Realize He wants to go deeper Holy Spirit is like a River (Ezek. 47) -you cannot get wet on the banks

61 Expectancy Without Agenda It s time for some of us to get over our fears of the Holy Spirit. Don t let bad experiences or stories hold you back Check your resistance levels. How open are you to more of God filling your life?

62 Expectancy Without Agenda You can have as much of God as you want, and as much as your willing to pay a price for. -Rob Reimer

63 Response Time Requires your authenticity. Don t fake anything. Don t miss a moment that might be life changing. You re here because you re hungry!

64 Responses: Reflection Repentance Surrender Readiness for more

65 Take time now, for opening up your heart and seeking the Father for what He wants to do. You will have opportunity tomorrow to have laying on of hands for Filling of the Spirit