Grace Community Church
Big Idea: God wants His people to be continually filled with the Spirit so that we radiate Christ to those who are around us; but just like receiving Christ, God waits for us to ask.
Colossians 1:9 (NIV)
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives...
Ephesians 5:18 (NLT)
Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:8 (NLT)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Being Filled With The Holy Spirit:
1. Brings wisdom & understanding to our lives.
Colossians 1:9 (NIV)
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives...
Being Filled With The Holy Spirit:
1. Brings wisdom & understanding to our lives.
2. Enables us to truly bear fruit & grow spiritually, which pleases God.
Colossians 1:10 (NIV)
...so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God...
John 15:8 (NLT)
When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
Being Filled With The Holy Spirit:
1. Brings wisdom & understanding to our lives.
2. Enables us to truly bear fruit & grow spiritually, which pleases God.
3. Strengthens us and gives us the power to live a changed life (with endurance, patience, joy and gratitude).
Colossians 1:11-12 (NIV)
11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.
Being Filled With The Holy Spirit:
1. Brings wisdom & understanding to our lives.
2. Enables us to truly bear fruit & grow spiritually, which pleases God.
3. Strengthens us and gives us the power to live a changed life (with endurance, patience, joy and gratitude).
4. Gives us the power to be a witness to others about Christ, which literally changes lives.
Acts 1:8 (NLT)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
How can I be filled with the Spirit?
1. I have to have received the Spirit, by accepting Jesus as the Savior and center of my life.
Acts 2:36-38 (NLT)
36 “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”
37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
How can I be filled with the Spirit?
1. I have to have received the Spirit, by accepting Jesus as the Savior and center of my life.
2. I come with a deep desire; I have to want it.
Matthew 5:6 (NLT)
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NLT)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
How can I be filled with the Spirit?
1. I have to have received the Spirit, by accepting Jesus as the Savior and center of my life.
2. I come with a deep desire; I have to want it.
3. I confess my sins, without reservation.
Psalm 66:17-20 (NLT)
17 I cried out to him for help,
praising him as I spoke.
18 If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
19 But God did listen!
He paid attention to my prayer.
20 Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer
or withdraw his unfailing love from me.
1 John 1:9; 3:21-22 (NLT)
9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
21 Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.
How can I be filled with the Spirit?
1. I have to have received the Spirit, by accepting Jesus as the Savior and center of my life.
2. I come with a deep desire; I have to want it.
3. I confess my sins, without reservation.
4. I show God a desire to surrender my life totally to God.
Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
2 Galatians 2:17-20 (NLT)
17 But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
How can I be filled with the Spirit?
1. I have to have received the Spirit, by accepting Jesus as the Savior and center of my life.
2. I come with a deep desire; I have to want it.
3. I confess my sins, without reservation.
4. I show God a desire to surrender my life totally to God.
5. I simply pray and ask for God to fill me.
Matthew 7:7-12 (NLT)
7 Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. 12 Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.
James 4:2-3 (NLT)
2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
1 John 5:14-15 (NLT)
14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.
GRACE PRAYER FOR THE WEEK:
God, I don't just want to receive Your Spirit, I want to live a life filled and overflowing by Your Spirit - God, fill me with your Spirit.
When I unknowingly drift through my life without knowing how starved I am - God, fill me with your Spirit.
Forgive me, Lord, for not seeking You. Forgive me for assuming that my hungry life is normal and doing nothing about it - God, fill me with your Spirit.
When I am surrounded by your people, help me to be bold and radiate Christ to those around me - God, fill me with your Spirit.
God I long to live a life of joy, filled with Your power as a true experience; not just fleeting feelings - God, fill me with your Spirit.
Lord, I surrender my life to You. I surrender the things that I use to fill my life with that aren't of You - God, fill me with your Spirit.
God dwell in me. Help me to feel genuine feelings of your Holy Spirit at work in my life - God, fill me with your Spirit. Amen.
For My Personal Time With God This Week:
[#1] Review the 4 things in the sermon notes above that happens as a result of our being filled with the Spirit. Which of these things do you want the most? How badly do you want them?
[#2] Read through the Scriptures above in the sermon notes attached to the 5 steps to being filled with the Spirit. Read them carefully, and open up your heart to God.
[#3] Consider praying this prayer, that Bill Bright once prayed: “Dear Father, I need You. I hunger and thirst for a more vital relationship with You. I admit that I have been in control of my life. As a result, I have sinned against You. Thank You for forgiving my sins through Christ's death on the cross for me. I now confess and turn from my sins and surrender the control of my life to the Lord Jesus. By faith I invite You to fill me with the Holy Spirit as You commanded me to be filled. You promised to fill me if I ask according to Your will. I pray this in the authority of the name of Jesus Christ. To demonstrate my faith, I now thank You for filling me with Your Holy Spirit and for taking control of my life. Amen.”