I. The command carried out.
A. There are a series of commands presented in the N.T. which if followed will
evidence a Spirit-filled life.
1. I John 3:24, "and he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him,
and hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us."
a. Every believer then has the privilege given him to live in the Spirit. Yet be
careful to observe this is proportionate to a believer "keeping his commandments." For
"he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him."
b. Similarly in I John 4:13, "Hereby know we that we dwell in him, because he hath
give us of his Spirit." Now again note, "He hath given us of his Spirit." As we keep
His commandments to the church and then also permit Him to produce His fuit in and
through us, we are seen to "live in the Spirit."
c. Once more see it in Galatians 3:2-3, "This only would I learn of you, received ye
the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish?
Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" Now, as there is no
doubt as to when we received the Holy Spirit, it was when we heard and believed the
gospel, so there is no doubt how we are made perfect or mature. (See II Tim 3:16-17)
Never-the-less, our being made perfect, mature, is dependant upon our being "filled
with the Spirit."
2. Secondly, we are exhorted to "walk in the Spirit." Hear it, "If we live in the
Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Gal 5:25). Galatians 5:16 added this, "Walk
in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." Be sure to see the
believer's walk is outlined in detail in the Holy Scriptures therefore to "walk in the
Spirit" is certainly not to walk according to our own impulses or by whatever we feel
led to do. Rather the Word bears testimony of all saved men that, "Thy word is a lamp
unto my feet, and a light upon my path" (Ps 119:133). Jeremiah was inspired to write,
"it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jer 10:23). But thank God, "the
steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord" (Ps 37:23). It is an incontrovertible
truth that to "walk in the Spirit" is to "walk by the word of God." Now there is
nothing strange nor mysterious about this and it leaves no room for fleshly
imaginations but it is the only way one can live or walk in the Spirit.
3. Thirdly, we are taught to "pray in the Spirit." "Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and
supplication for all saints" (Eph 6:18).
a. The correct formula for "praying in the Spirit" is given in John 15:7, "If ye abide
in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto
you."
b. The first in order then, you must be saved and "in him."
c. Second, you must have the Word of God regarding the subject for which you are
praying hidden and abiding in you.
d. Prayer always must be based upon the promises of God or offered up according to the
will of God.
e. Thus to "pray in the Spirit" does not involve an experience of tongues, neither
does it have to do with great emotional feelings and etc. It merely has to do with
knowing what God's Word teaches and then praying accordingly.
4. Fourthly, we have the command to "worship in the Sprit." a. Jesus taught the woman
at Jacob's well in John 4 that "true worshipers shall worship the Father in Spirit and
in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that
worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth" (Jn 4:23-24).
b. Paul added, "We are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice
in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh" (Phil 3:3).
c. Again we are impressed with the fact our worship, in order to be "of the Spirit,"
must be offered in exact agreement with "the truth," which according to John 17:17 is
the Word of God. Thus it is not the wild and wooly experiences of the so-called
charismatics. That is 100 percent fleshly and none of it has to do with the Holy
Spirit.
5. Finally, Colossians 1:8 speaks of "your lvoe in the Spirit." However, love is not a
natural or fleshly activity. Rather it is "the fruit of the Spirit" (Gal 5:22). Jesus
said, "this is my commandment that ye love . . . . as I have loved" (Jn 15:12). Paul
told the church "ye are taught of God to love" (I Thess 4:9). All men of honest minds
will ahve to admit that each of these five things said to be "in the Spirit" are the
results of knowing and then following the Word of God itself.
II. Exactly how then is one "filled with the Holy Spirit?"
A. It is not merely to be "filled with the Word of God." One could memorize many
Scriptures and still not be 'filled with the Spirit. Thus it is written, "knowledge
puffeth up, but love edifieth" (I Cor 8:1). Still, one certainly cannot be "filled
with the Spirit" and at the same time be ignorant of the Word.
B. In I Thessalonians 2:13 Paul commended those saints for the manner in which they
received the Word. He said they "received it not as the word of men, but as it is in
truth the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." Now here
is the difference. These not only knew the words but allowed them to "effectually
work" in their lives to the glory of God. That is being filled with the spirit.
C. Colossians 3:16 encourages us to "let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all
wisdom." It is not enough to merely memorize Scripture. Rather we are to yield
ourselves to the Holy Spirit in order that He may produce in and through us that which
the Word teaches. When this happens, the Word is seen to dwell richly in us and it is
then we are indeed "filled with the Spirit."
D. How marvelous that "we have the mind of Christ" (I Cor 2:16). How did we get it?
"God hath revealed it in words . . . . which the Holy Spirit teacheth." Peter
concluded therefore, "If any man speeak, let him speak as the oracles of God" (I Pet
4:11). May we influence men today to learn "not to go beyond that which is written" (I
Cor 4:6)(ASV) knowing that "it throughly furnishes us unto all good works" (II Tim
3:16-17). JM
A. There are a series of commands presented in the N.T. which if followed will
evidence a Spirit-filled life.
1. I John 3:24, "and he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him,
and hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us."
a. Every believer then has the privilege given him to live in the Spirit. Yet be
careful to observe this is proportionate to a believer "keeping his commandments." For
"he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him."
b. Similarly in I John 4:13, "Hereby know we that we dwell in him, because he hath
give us of his Spirit." Now again note, "He hath given us of his Spirit." As we keep
His commandments to the church and then also permit Him to produce His fuit in and
through us, we are seen to "live in the Spirit."
c. Once more see it in Galatians 3:2-3, "This only would I learn of you, received ye
the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish?
Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" Now, as there is no
doubt as to when we received the Holy Spirit, it was when we heard and believed the
gospel, so there is no doubt how we are made perfect or mature. (See II Tim 3:16-17)
Never-the-less, our being made perfect, mature, is dependant upon our being "filled
with the Spirit."
2. Secondly, we are exhorted to "walk in the Spirit." Hear it, "If we live in the
Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Gal 5:25). Galatians 5:16 added this, "Walk
in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." Be sure to see the
believer's walk is outlined in detail in the Holy Scriptures therefore to "walk in the
Spirit" is certainly not to walk according to our own impulses or by whatever we feel
led to do. Rather the Word bears testimony of all saved men that, "Thy word is a lamp
unto my feet, and a light upon my path" (Ps 119:133). Jeremiah was inspired to write,
"it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jer 10:23). But thank God, "the
steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord" (Ps 37:23). It is an incontrovertible
truth that to "walk in the Spirit" is to "walk by the word of God." Now there is
nothing strange nor mysterious about this and it leaves no room for fleshly
imaginations but it is the only way one can live or walk in the Spirit.
3. Thirdly, we are taught to "pray in the Spirit." "Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and
supplication for all saints" (Eph 6:18).
a. The correct formula for "praying in the Spirit" is given in John 15:7, "If ye abide
in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto
you."
b. The first in order then, you must be saved and "in him."
c. Second, you must have the Word of God regarding the subject for which you are
praying hidden and abiding in you.
d. Prayer always must be based upon the promises of God or offered up according to the
will of God.
e. Thus to "pray in the Spirit" does not involve an experience of tongues, neither
does it have to do with great emotional feelings and etc. It merely has to do with
knowing what God's Word teaches and then praying accordingly.
4. Fourthly, we have the command to "worship in the Sprit." a. Jesus taught the woman
at Jacob's well in John 4 that "true worshipers shall worship the Father in Spirit and
in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that
worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth" (Jn 4:23-24).
b. Paul added, "We are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice
in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh" (Phil 3:3).
c. Again we are impressed with the fact our worship, in order to be "of the Spirit,"
must be offered in exact agreement with "the truth," which according to John 17:17 is
the Word of God. Thus it is not the wild and wooly experiences of the so-called
charismatics. That is 100 percent fleshly and none of it has to do with the Holy
Spirit.
5. Finally, Colossians 1:8 speaks of "your lvoe in the Spirit." However, love is not a
natural or fleshly activity. Rather it is "the fruit of the Spirit" (Gal 5:22). Jesus
said, "this is my commandment that ye love . . . . as I have loved" (Jn 15:12). Paul
told the church "ye are taught of God to love" (I Thess 4:9). All men of honest minds
will ahve to admit that each of these five things said to be "in the Spirit" are the
results of knowing and then following the Word of God itself.
II. Exactly how then is one "filled with the Holy Spirit?"
A. It is not merely to be "filled with the Word of God." One could memorize many
Scriptures and still not be 'filled with the Spirit. Thus it is written, "knowledge
puffeth up, but love edifieth" (I Cor 8:1). Still, one certainly cannot be "filled
with the Spirit" and at the same time be ignorant of the Word.
B. In I Thessalonians 2:13 Paul commended those saints for the manner in which they
received the Word. He said they "received it not as the word of men, but as it is in
truth the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." Now here
is the difference. These not only knew the words but allowed them to "effectually
work" in their lives to the glory of God. That is being filled with the spirit.
C. Colossians 3:16 encourages us to "let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all
wisdom." It is not enough to merely memorize Scripture. Rather we are to yield
ourselves to the Holy Spirit in order that He may produce in and through us that which
the Word teaches. When this happens, the Word is seen to dwell richly in us and it is
then we are indeed "filled with the Spirit."
D. How marvelous that "we have the mind of Christ" (I Cor 2:16). How did we get it?
"God hath revealed it in words . . . . which the Holy Spirit teacheth." Peter
concluded therefore, "If any man speeak, let him speak as the oracles of God" (I Pet
4:11). May we influence men today to learn "not to go beyond that which is written" (I
Cor 4:6)(ASV) knowing that "it throughly furnishes us unto all good works" (II Tim
3:16-17). JM
| Chapter 30 Table of Contents Back to Home Page Send us E-Mail Church Phone - (254) 865-6924 |
Website design by
Laura Slack
Copyright © 2007
Gateway Baptist
Church
All Rights Reserved
Laura Slack
Copyright © 2007
Gateway Baptist
Church
All Rights Reserved
| Gateway Baptist Church Independent Unaffiliated Separated Soul-Winning KJV "It Does Make A Difference What You Believe". |
| Be Filled with the Holy Spirit Ephesians 5:18 CHAPTER 29 By John C. Morgan |