EPHESIANS OUTLINE #34 of 35

The subject of the Holy Spirit is of extreme importance. Each Os us need His presence and power; without Him it would be utterly impossible to live the Christian life.

I. Filling of Spirit an Indispensable Refinement

A. The only possible way to be godly is to be filled

1. You can be regenerated, baptized and sealed by the Holy Spirit and yet not be filled with Spirit

2. This assertion can be demonstrated from the Word of God

(a) The Corinthians were baptized by the Spirit (I Cor. 12:13) They were indwelt by the Spirit

(I Cor. 6:19) But they remained carnal Christians unable to bear anything other than the milk of the word.

(I Cor. 3:1-3)

(b) The Galatians had also been baptized into Christ; God had placed His Spirit into their hearts. Despite this they were turning away from the true gospel and seeking perfection in the flesh. This caused Paul to fear that he had worked in vain on their behalf. (Gal. 1:6, 4:6, 3:27)

(e) Both of these cases document the fact that God is unable to fully accomplish His work in us apart from the fullness of the Spirit.

II. Early Disciples were all Filled

A. Book of Acts teaches us that this was the normal experience of the Early Church

1. When it came to choosing deacons they looked for men who were filled with the Spirit (Acts 6:3)

2. It was also the experience of the ordinary believer who had no office. You remember the 120 were also filled with the Spirit (Act. 2:4)

B. You do no have to be great in the eyes of mem for the greater part of believers who have this experience are entirely unknown to us

1. Even newly converted people can have this experience

(a) You remember Saul of Tarsus was filled with the Spirit three days after his conversion (Acts. 9:17)

(b) It is clear that Eph. 5:18 is for all ages and includes all those who are His children

III. What Must We do to be Filled

We must confess our sins and allow the blood of Jesus to cleanse us

1. The spirit only fills and takes control when He is no longer grieved or stifled in our lives

2. We must allow the Lord to search our conscience and bring to light those hidden things of darkness

(a) Maybe there is a debt that is unpaid. You must make restitution before blessing comes

(b) Maybe there is an apology that needs to be made

(d) Things such as worry, resentment, jealousy, a critical spirit, etc.

B. What about those spiritual duties I have neglected

1. Time in God's Word - Prayerlessness - our lack of concern for those who are lost.

2. We must face the fact that these things are sin

(a) If we are to receive the fullness of the Spirit we must be honest with God about these matters

(b) Before we ever ask God to fill us we must first ask Him to search our hearts and bring to light anything that displeases Him (Psalm 139:23-24)

C. We Must Desire and Seek His Fullness

1. Jesus dead; if any man thirst let him come unto me and drink (John 7:37)

(a) Many believer have so little thirst for spiritual matters.

(b) There seems to be a sense of satisfaction with their state of spiritual development

(c) Some think that all that is necessary is to be born again. They forget the new birth is but the entrance into this new life. It is not an end but a beginning.

(d) A man racked by thirst will do anything to quench it

(e) The fullness of the Spirit is given only to those who really thirst

(f) As long as a person feels no need to be filled with the Spirit, if you feel you can get along quite well as a Christian without it you will never experience or know God's fullness.

D. We Must Yield Ourselves Unreservedly to God

1. Some would like to yield themselves into God's hands but they find reasons for not doing so.

(a) I have so many things that bind me, habits which I can't seem to break, how can I be useful to God?

(b) God does not expect us to purify ourselves, nor does He expect us to expel by our efforts that which hinder his work in us.

(d) According to Romans 12:1-2 - We can be renovated

D. We Must Believe That He will Fill Us

1. Because many Christians fail to complete this fourth stage, they have never received this fullness

(a) We must fulfill the other requirements and then believe that He has filled us with His Spirit

(b) After we pray for His fullness we must lay hold by faith and receive that which we ask.

(d) We must receive the Holy Spirit, we must grasp God's promise by an act of faith.

2.Jesus said - If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink (John 7:37)

3. Usually unbelief rests upon two points:

(a) We f&el it ~5 impossible for God to fill me with the Holy Spirit. We are limiting God's power by saying that this was for great people of past - not me.

(b) Having confessed, having yielded ourselves to the Lord we refuse to believe He has filled us with His Spirit because we do not feel it.

(d) If we persevere in faith this power will be revealed through us, though in the form of his choosing

E. The Fullness of the Spirit Does Not Imply Perfection

1. Many think it impossible to be instantaneously filled, they feel it takes a lifetime to attain it.

2. This would be true if the fact of being filled with the Spirit implied perfection.

(a) This is not so, it is the desire of the Spirit to fill us in order to lead us through stages of spiritual growth to perfection.

(b) The Holy Spirit wants to fill you today to the measure of our capacity to receive Him.

3. Peter is a Striking Example

(a) Twice we see him filled with the Spirit (Acts 2:4, 4:8)

(b) Consequent to this experience God reveals to Him that he is full of Judaic pride (Acts 10:10-16)

(c) Later He compromises his convictions through fear of his Jewish brothers. Paul had to sharply rebuke him. (Gal. 2:11-14)

(d) This confirms the fact that though filled with the Spirit can still sin.

IV. Results of the Spirit Filled Life

A. Spiritual Power (Acts 1:8)

1.. Power to effectively witness for Christ and as a result many will be saved (John R. Rice- How Great Soul Winners were filled -Page 16)

2. Power to face persecution and trial

(a) If Steven died praying for his executions it was because he was filled with Spirit (Acts 7)

(b) Don't you feel the need for this power to witness and the power to endure your trials victoriously

B. Inner Satisfaction (John 4:14, 6:35, 10:10)