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THE WAY TO FREEDOM (MODULE 3)

FILL THE HOUSE

FILL THE HOUSE. Step 1 was to shut the house and close any entry points that had been left open. Step 2 was to protect the house from any external spiritual influence. And the next step is to FILL THE HOUSE so the house can stay safe and stay protected. We have spent time removing spirits from our lives and now it's time to replace them with the Holy Spirit.

According to the Australian government and Australian police, the most common time for break-ins to happen is in the middle of the day. Why is that? Because this is the time when the house is empty. In the same way, we are most vulnerable when our house is empty. When there is no security system, when there is no safeguard, when there is no presence, our lives become more exposed and vulnerable to attack.

And this is why the Holy Spirit is so important in our lives. The Holy Spirit helps us identify when there is an attack on our lives, the Holy Spirit empowers us to stand firm against the attack of the enemy, and the Holy Spirit enables us with the tools to fight against the enemy to see victory in our lives. So we are going to look at 2 different areas regarding the Holy Spirit: first of all, WHY we need the Holy Spirit (the benefits of the Spirit) and then secondly HOW we receive the Holy Spirit (the Baptism of the Spirit).

WHY WE NEED THE SPIRIT (THE BENEFITS)

PRESENCE (John 14:16-17): Firstly, we need the presence of God in our lives. It’s in His presence that we find everything we need. In a time when loneliness is one of the greatest struggles, God offers you a relationship. In a time when the world is so disconnected, God offers you connection. He is not a God who is distant, but He is a God who is present. He is with us in every season, every trial, every valley and every mountain top.

PEACE ((John 14:26-27): Secondly, we need His peace. Depression and anxiety are on the rise all across the earth. The suicide rates are getting higher, and the average age is getting younger. There can be so much turmoil and trouble everywhere we turn. Now more than ever we need God’s peace. And it is a peace like no other. In fact, in Philippians 4:6-7 we are reminded that God gives us a peace that transcends all understanding. It doesn't make sense in the natural, but He gives us unspeakable joy, illogical grace and unfathomable peace.

POWER (Acts 1:8): Finally, and importantly, we need His power. Jesus says you will receive POWER when the Spirit comes upon you to be my witness in the world. We need God’s power to be effective witnesses in our world. To effectively minister to people, love people, lead people, and serve people, we need God’s power. We cannot do what we are called to do in our own strength, but when the Spirit of God gets in our lives, we can do far more than we can think or imagine. As Zechariah 4:6 reminds us, it's not by might, nor by power, but by my SPIRIT says the Lord. Not in our own strength, but in His. Because when I am weak, then He is strong.

HOW WE RECEIVE THE SPIRIT (THE BAPTISM)

There are two types of works that we receive from the Holy Spirit. The TRANSFORMATION of the Spirit and the POWER of the Spirit. We receive the ‘Transformation’ of the Spirit at the moment of salvation. When we accept Christ into our hearts and make Jesus the Lord of our lives, we instantly receive his transforming work, we are made new, born again, regenerated, redeemed and changed. We receive the ‘Power’ of the Spirit when we are baptized or filled with the Spirit. This is not a one-off moment but something that can and should take place regularly in our lives. In John 20 we see Jesus breathe on the disciples and they receive the Spirit of God. In that moment they are transformed and changed from the inside out. However, in Acts 2 we see an outpouring of the Spirit of God and the disciples are baptized in the Spirit. They begin speaking in tongues and are filled with the Spirit and from there, they go out and change the world. The transforming work of the spirit changes us, but the power we receive changes others. That is why these 2 separate works that we receive are life-changing and also key to living a life of freedom. So how do we receive the Power of the Spirit and how can we be baptized in the Spirit?

WE ASK: Luke 11:13 reminds us to ask God for the Holy Spirit, in fact, the promise there, is that God will give the Spirit to those who ask Him. To fulfil the mission and the purpose that God has for us, we need His Spirit. And so we ask God to fill us. We must desire the Spirit of God. Interestingly, God desires to fill you. His heart is to move in and through your life, not only to set you free but to bring freedom to those around you.

WE SPEAK: Speaking in tongues is a spirit-led practice that we see found in the New Testament generally after someone has been filled with the Spirit. In fact, speaking in tongues is encouraged by the Apostle Paul who says that not only should we desire to speak in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:5) but Paul states that he speaks in tongues more than anyone (1 Corinthians 14:18). Paul highlights that speaking in tongues may seem confusing as it is something not understood by man (1 Corinthians 14:2), however, tongues is important as it edifies and strengthens our Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:4). I have personally found that speaking in tongues allows me to tap into the spiritual realm at a new level. Speaking in tongues connects my spirit to the Spirit of God in a way that is beyond what is natural. So, if speaking in tongues strengthens us, if it is encouraged by the apostles and if it allows us to tap into something that is beyond us, why wouldn't we want to?

It's time to fill your life with the Holy Spirit. Allow Him to lead you, guide you, transform you and fill you. The only way to live in freedom is to live by the Spirit because where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM.