Preparation for the Spirit Filled Life

Eph. 5:18,    John 14:16-26, 16:5-14

I: “Be Filled with the Spirit.”
1. How long would you let your Pastor or a Member stay drunk on wine before you took action as a Church?
2. Yet we will all go on from year to year disregarding the other commandment that we be filled with the Holy Spirit.
3. It is the birthright and privilege of every Christian to be filled with the Spirit.
4. The Spirit Filled life is the only answer to the question, what made the difference in the Apostles?

II: God Demands A Clean Vessel:
1. “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Eph. 4:30
2. He is the Spirit of Truth: You cannot lie and expect him to fill your heart. John 4:17
3. He is the Spirit of Faith: He can’t fill a heart that is full of unbelief, distrust, worry, or cumbered about many things.
4. He is the Spirit of Holiness: He will not dwell among dirt and filth in the heart. Rom. 1:4
5. He is the Spirit of Wisdom. Where one willfully remains ignorant of Gods will and is satisfied to be foolish the Holy Spirit will not fill. Eph. 1:17
6. He is the Spirit of Power, Love, and a sound mind. He will not fill a heart that is powerless, loveless, or without discipline.
7. He is the Spirit of Life. He can’t fill a heart that is dead with formality, tradition, and prejudice, a Spirit filled heart won’t produce a dead-pan face. Rom. 8:2

III: The Method of Cleansing. “The Blood of Jesus Christ His Son, Cleanseth Us from All Sin.” John 1:7
1. The Holy Spirit will point to the place that needs cleaning.
2. God will accept no substitute for confession.
3. Different kinds of confession.
a. Some sins need to be confessed only to God. Psalm 51:4
b. Some sins need to be confessed to individuals against whom we have sinned. Jas. 5:16.
c. A public confession when the whole church has been wronged. Josh. 7:19-25.

“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and Spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” Cor. 2 7:1

Posted by on Aug 4, 2011