WEBVTT 00:00:02.700 --> 00:00:03.032 Thank you. 00:00:03.032 --> 00:00:04.099 Isaac. 00:00:04.099 --> 00:00:06.799 Good morning Valley View. 00:00:06.799 --> 00:00:09.266 It's great to be with you while we're continuing our series. 00:00:09.266 --> 00:00:13.132 We just have a couple of weeks left in our series on knowing God is loving God. 00:00:13.132 --> 00:00:15.233 We're talking about theology. 00:00:15.233 --> 00:00:17.132 How do we, what do we believe about God? 00:00:17.132 --> 00:00:20.199 What do we know about him that shapes the way we live our life? 00:00:20.199 --> 00:00:25.399 That's what shapes the way we live with others and understand our relationship to others. 00:00:25.399 --> 00:00:27.100 Last week, we looked at the Holy Spirit. 00:00:27.100 --> 00:00:28.632 Who is he? What does he do? 00:00:28.632 --> 00:00:32.533 This week we're talking about how do we live a life full of the Holy Spirit? 00:00:32.533 --> 00:00:34.533 Being filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:00:34.533 --> 00:00:38.399 Every Christian has the Holy Spirit in them. 00:00:38.399 --> 00:00:41.100 But yet, how can we experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit? 00:00:41.100 --> 00:00:52.000 In the midweek update this week, I wrote about renting an e-bike and forgetting to turn on the battery, which makes it actually harder to ride the bike because it's heavier and slower as a result. 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:55.200 I had the battery there with me the whole time. 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:59.566 Finally figured out to turn it on and it was amazing. The difference. 00:00:59.566 --> 00:01:03.665 And I think many Christians live with the Holy Spirit in their life, but they're not accessing him. 00:01:03.665 --> 00:01:04.933 They're not leaning on him. 00:01:04.933 --> 00:01:10.200 They're not experiencing the fullness of what it means to live in the filling the fullness of the Holy Spirit. 00:01:10.200 --> 00:01:13.632 And so we're going to talk today about what that means. 00:01:13.632 --> 00:01:15.900 What does it mean to be filled with the spirit? 00:01:15.900 --> 00:01:18.799 What are some of the results of being filled with the spirit? 00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:25.066 We'll look at four of those, and then we'll talk about four ways how we can be filled with the spirit. 00:01:25.066 --> 00:01:26.099 How does that happen? 00:01:26.099 --> 00:01:27.533 What does that look like? 00:01:27.533 --> 00:01:28.200 What does it mean? 00:01:29.266 --> 00:01:38.033 All of this is important because of the statement I laid out last week, and it's in your notes near the top of your notes, the key to your spiritual life. 00:01:38.033 --> 00:01:47.400 In fact, it says the key to the power in your spiritual life is your dependence upon your commitment to your connection to the Holy Spirit. 00:01:47.865 --> 00:01:55.132 If you want to live a power filled Christian life experience in the fullness of all he has for you, you've got to be connected to the Holy Spirit. 00:01:55.132 --> 00:02:03.132 That's why it's so important that we know who he is, what it means to lean on him, what it means to walk in the fullness of the spirit. 00:02:03.165 --> 00:02:09.000 And so today we're going to look at a key passage in Ephesians chapter five, where it speaks specifically to this. 00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:14.733 And of course, we could look across all of Scripture to get a full picture of what it means to be filled with the spirit. 00:02:14.733 --> 00:02:18.133 But this passage speaks to it very directly. 00:02:18.133 --> 00:02:20.265 And so we're going to read from Ephesians chapter five. 00:02:20.265 --> 00:02:23.133 If you have a church Bible, I think that's on page 919. 00:02:23.133 --> 00:02:24.233 You want to turn there. 00:02:25.699 --> 00:02:28.699 And Ephesians chapter five speaks to a number of things. 00:02:28.699 --> 00:02:31.733 It's famous for the section on marriage. 00:02:32.265 --> 00:02:37.300 But prior to that it sets this idea up by focusing on being filled with the spirit. 00:02:37.300 --> 00:02:41.633 And so I'm going to read from verses 15 down to 21. 00:02:41.633 --> 00:02:44.500 And if you would stand with me together, let's do that again. 00:02:44.500 --> 00:02:51.765 As I'm reading the Word of God and you're following along in your copy of the scriptures, Ephesians chapter five, verse 15. 00:02:54.665 --> 00:03:05.966 Look carefully, then, how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 00:03:05.966 --> 00:03:36.066 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is, and do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:03:36.133 --> 00:03:39.699 Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. 00:03:39.699 --> 00:03:41.199 God, thank you for your word. 00:03:41.199 --> 00:03:43.866 Help our hearts to be open to hearing from you. 00:03:43.866 --> 00:03:46.099 May we walk in the fullness. 00:03:46.099 --> 00:03:50.032 May we walk filled with the spirit today. We love you. Amen. 00:03:50.032 --> 00:03:53.032 You can be seated. 00:03:54.233 --> 00:03:56.566 Ephesians chapter five has a lot going on. 00:03:56.566 --> 00:03:58.233 There's a lot of commands in this section. 00:03:58.233 --> 00:04:03.265 And, you know, in our study of Ephesians that the first half of the Ephesians is be the second half is do. 00:04:03.265 --> 00:04:07.032 The second half has something like 40 commands, the first half has one. 00:04:07.032 --> 00:04:14.832 And in chapter five we see already, if you had read over the chapter prior to this in verse two, walk in love in verse eight, walk as children of the light. 00:04:14.832 --> 00:04:16.632 And here we see in verse 15. 00:04:16.632 --> 00:04:17.733 Walk carefully. 00:04:17.733 --> 00:04:18.932 Be careful how you walk. 00:04:18.932 --> 00:04:19.966 Pay attention. 00:04:19.966 --> 00:04:22.665 Be mindful of life around you. 00:04:22.665 --> 00:04:31.665 All this builds up to this big command right in verse 18 that says, two sides to it do not be drunk with wine. 00:04:31.665 --> 00:04:34.565 Instead, be filled with the spirit. 00:04:34.565 --> 00:04:37.233 In contrast, be filled with the spirit. 00:04:38.665 --> 00:04:46.199 Now this is a powerful pair to put together because obviously Scripture speaks to the reality that being drunk with wine is a sin. 00:04:46.199 --> 00:04:47.932 Scripture is clear don't do that. 00:04:47.932 --> 00:04:55.399 Now it's also clear it's not a sin just to drink alcohol, but to be drunk with wine is not God's best. 00:04:55.399 --> 00:04:56.233 It's not his plan. 00:04:56.233 --> 00:05:00.333 And the command here is clearly don't be drunk with wine or anything else. 00:05:00.333 --> 00:05:02.100 By the way, there's not an exception clause. 00:05:02.100 --> 00:05:04.565 I wasn't drunk on wine, I was drunk on whiskey. 00:05:04.565 --> 00:05:06.233 Bible doesn’t talk about that. 00:05:06.233 --> 00:05:08.699 No, no, no, you understand it. 00:05:08.699 --> 00:05:11.699 Speaking alcohol in general. 00:05:11.766 --> 00:05:15.000 But this passage isn't primarily about being drunk. 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:16.500 Yeah. It's there, it's clear. 00:05:16.500 --> 00:05:20.733 But the point is not to unpack the realities and the negativities of alcohol. 00:05:20.733 --> 00:05:25.500 The point is to set up the contrast to walking in the spirit. 00:05:25.500 --> 00:05:31.500 The difference between being drunk with wine and the contrast to that, and being filled with the spirit. 00:05:32.466 --> 00:05:40.199 And this all leads up to just a very general, basic definition of what it means to be filled with the spirit. 00:05:40.199 --> 00:05:45.165 At the bottom line, you can just say it means to be controlled and empowered by the spirit. 00:05:45.165 --> 00:05:57.165 If you are filled with the spirit, you're controlled and empowered by the spirit, and this is separate from or builds upon the idea of being baptized in the spirit. 00:05:57.165 --> 00:06:04.665 And the little diversion here, I believe, I believe Scripture teaches that all Christians already have the spirit in their life. 00:06:04.665 --> 00:06:06.600 There's not like I become a Christian. 00:06:06.600 --> 00:06:08.865 I accept Christ, and later I have to get the spirit. 00:06:08.865 --> 00:06:12.300 No scripture is pretty clear and I've listed out a few verses here 00:06:12.300 --> 00:06:13.333 19. 00:06:13.333 --> 00:06:15.800 You're baptized in the name of the father, son, and Holy Spirit. 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:18.766 13 you're baptized into one spirit. 00:06:18.766 --> 00:06:22.000 13 you've been sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit. 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:23.632 Those who know Christ have the spirit. 00:06:23.632 --> 00:06:28.199 But again, do we always walk in the fullness of the spirit filled up with the spirit? 00:06:28.199 --> 00:06:30.833 All that the spirit offers in guiding and directing us? 00:06:30.833 --> 00:06:33.399 Well, no, of course we don't. 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:38.100 That's what makes this picture of drunkenness so powerful. 00:06:39.065 --> 00:06:42.533 Because to be full of the spirit means I'm controlled and empowered. 00:06:42.533 --> 00:06:50.100 And of course, if you're full of alcohol, you're controlled and empowered by alcohol. 00:06:50.100 --> 00:06:50.699 Alcohol. 00:06:50.699 --> 00:06:53.699 Some have called it liquid courage. 00:06:53.932 --> 00:06:57.100 You find a brand new power to do things you might not have tried before. 00:06:57.100 --> 00:07:02.865 You might take on someone twice your size even though you're barely standing, barely walking, barely functioning. 00:07:02.865 --> 00:07:05.533 But now all of a sudden, I'm emboldened. 00:07:05.533 --> 00:07:08.266 I found some new source of strength. 00:07:08.266 --> 00:07:13.233 I act ways I wouldn't normally because the alcohol has taken over me. 00:07:14.033 --> 00:07:16.365 And of course, the same is true of the spirit. 00:07:16.365 --> 00:07:18.699 Of course, alcohol does it negatively. 00:07:18.699 --> 00:07:20.333 Alcohol is a depressant. 00:07:20.333 --> 00:07:22.865 Alcohol seeks to deaden your senses. 00:07:22.865 --> 00:07:27.000 Alcohol is an escape from reality and the spirit is the opposite of that. 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:30.132 If you are filled with the spirit, though, you act different than you normally would have. 00:07:30.132 --> 00:07:35.132 You have a fresh power in your life to do the things you might not normally consider for Christ’s glory. 00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:43.766 The spirit overtakes you in that way and fills you up when you're walking in the spirit. 00:07:43.766 --> 00:07:49.865 The contrast here that he sets up is very powerful. 00:07:50.766 --> 00:07:54.500 Now, what does this look like if you are filled with the spirit? 00:07:54.500 --> 00:07:57.432 And we could look at a lot of aspects of Scripture. 00:07:57.432 --> 00:07:59.800 There's places like the fruit of the spirit in Galatians five. 00:07:59.800 --> 00:08:01.500 That's something we could look at. 00:08:01.500 --> 00:08:14.100 But right here, after the command to be filled with the spirit and the contrast with being filled with alcohol, right here we have there's four verbs that follow this as a follow up. 00:08:14.100 --> 00:08:15.033 Here's what this looks like. 00:08:15.033 --> 00:08:17.132 Here are the results of being filled with the spirit. 00:08:17.132 --> 00:08:19.500 Here's some of what your life will manifest. 00:08:19.500 --> 00:08:23.800 Here's some of the ways you will act if you are controlled by the spirit rather than the flesh. 00:08:24.932 --> 00:08:28.600 So just look here at verse 15 first or verse 19. 00:08:29.399 --> 00:08:30.266 We'll go back to 18. 00:08:30.266 --> 00:08:32.365 Do not be drunk with wine, for that is debauchery. 00:08:32.365 --> 00:08:36.633 That is sin, that is dissipation some translations say, but be filled with the spirit. 00:08:36.633 --> 00:08:48.566 And then we have four following verbs, or participles if you want the fancy grammatical term for all of the English, English majors out there, and we have these in a row and they all support this verb of being filled with the spirit. 00:08:48.566 --> 00:08:54.166 So verse 19 says, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. 00:08:54.166 --> 00:08:58.265 So the first result I put here in your notes of what it means when you are filled with the spirit. 00:08:58.265 --> 00:09:00.100 How does this play out in your life? 00:09:00.100 --> 00:09:02.399 It's grace filled words with one another. 00:09:04.432 --> 00:09:08.700 When you're walking in the power of the spirit, you give grace filled words to one another. 00:09:08.700 --> 00:09:12.100 Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs in your conversation. 00:09:12.100 --> 00:09:19.799 And even if you're not singing to one another, behind your words are the grace of spiritual songs, of spiritual words. 00:09:20.299 --> 00:09:21.399 You know, just prior to this, 00:09:21.399 --> 00:09:26.166 29, he addresses this directly. 00:09:26.166 --> 00:09:29.966 What should our speech look like if you are filled with the spirit? 00:09:29.966 --> 00:09:40.700 Verse 29, let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as good for building up as fits the occasion that it may gave give grace to those who hear. 00:09:40.700 --> 00:09:45.765 That's the kind of person I want to be around whose words are fit for the occasion that are building up. 00:09:45.765 --> 00:09:53.633 And even if they're hard words, by the way, hard words can be meant to tear down or meant to build up. 00:09:53.633 --> 00:09:55.600 And you know the difference. 00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:57.166 Are you there to cut someone down? 00:09:57.166 --> 00:09:57.765 Are you there? 00:09:57.765 --> 00:09:59.399 Even if you've got to say something hard? 00:09:59.399 --> 00:10:02.399 It's ultimately for their good. 00:10:02.500 --> 00:10:04.265 Let that be at the core of our words. 00:10:04.265 --> 00:10:11.100 He goes on to say in verse 30, do not grieve the Holy Spirit, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 00:10:11.100 --> 00:10:19.265 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 00:10:19.265 --> 00:10:27.466 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you. 00:10:28.033 --> 00:10:32.033 These are some of the aspects of what your speech should look like with one another. 00:10:32.033 --> 00:10:34.133 How you address one another. 00:10:34.133 --> 00:10:39.432 At its core should be kindness, generosity, building up for edification. 00:10:41.133 --> 00:10:43.932 So that's one of the ways one of the results of being filled with the spirit. 00:10:43.932 --> 00:10:44.966 How it looks like in your life. 00:10:44.966 --> 00:10:49.265 The second one here back in Ephesians five, look at verse the second half of verse 19. 00:10:49.265 --> 00:10:51.899 We had addressing one another, but then the next part. 00:10:51.899 --> 00:10:57.765 Singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart. 00:10:58.265 --> 00:11:02.100 I think this speaks to the inward mindset of the heart. 00:11:02.100 --> 00:11:04.566 What is the status, the state of your heart? 00:11:04.566 --> 00:11:12.232 Well, we wrote in your notes is that you should have an attitude of praise and dependence in all that you do. 00:11:12.232 --> 00:11:16.666 The attitude should be one of praise to God. Glory to God. 00:11:16.666 --> 00:11:20.932 Dependence on him and all that you do from the core of your heart. 00:11:22.899 --> 00:11:31.533 And of course, we all know there are times where you don't feel that way, but we're talking about when you are full of the spirit, when the spirit isn't controlling and empowering you. 00:11:31.533 --> 00:11:47.666 One of the results of that is to be full of praise toward God, focused on his greatness and glory, mindful of how great he is, thinking of how wonderful he is, and that being at the core of your heart and who you are. 00:11:47.799 --> 00:11:52.500 A third way, a third result of being filled with the spirit then goes to verse 20. 00:11:52.500 --> 00:11:53.932 So we have addressing one another. 00:11:53.932 --> 00:11:55.166 Singing in your heart. 00:11:55.166 --> 00:11:57.200 And then verse 20. 00:11:57.200 --> 00:12:04.466 Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:12:04.466 --> 00:12:13.200 Number three, we should be living a life full of gratitude, living a life governed by a thankful heart. 00:12:13.966 --> 00:12:19.666 There should be an attitude of gratefulness and gratitude rather than an attitude of complaint. 00:12:21.299 --> 00:12:22.899 And look, I'll be the first to confess to this. 00:12:22.899 --> 00:12:28.100 I think many times the tendency, especially in traffic, is to immediately go to complaining. 00:12:28.100 --> 00:12:29.332 Why is life so hard? 00:12:29.332 --> 00:12:32.232 Why does everybody hate me? 00:12:32.232 --> 00:12:34.533 Why won't everybody get out of the way and off the road? 00:12:34.533 --> 00:12:36.332 Why did anybody else want to drive today? 00:12:36.332 --> 00:12:38.066 How dare they ruin my life? 00:12:38.066 --> 00:12:42.566 You know, it's immediately a tendency to go to complaining rather than. 00:12:42.566 --> 00:12:45.666 Thank you, God that I have a car that's working today. 00:12:45.666 --> 00:12:48.365 Even if I'm sitting still, it's still running. 00:12:48.365 --> 00:12:52.200 Thank you God that I can drive somewhere I didn't have to walk or catch a bus. 00:12:52.200 --> 00:12:54.000 I got a car. Thank you. 00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:55.765 Yeah, maybe it's slower than normal. 00:12:55.765 --> 00:12:56.365 That's okay. 00:12:57.365 --> 00:13:00.200 Maybe you have some plan for me in the midst of this. 00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:01.966 How can I be attuned to what you're doing? 00:13:01.966 --> 00:13:10.232 How can I walk in gratitude instead of choosing complaint and negativity and assuming the worst, that God has the worst plan for you in life. 00:13:10.232 --> 00:13:11.832 No, walk in gratitude. 00:13:11.832 --> 00:13:15.466 When you're full of the spirit, it's easier to walk in gratitude. 00:13:15.466 --> 00:13:31.533 And then number four, verse 21, another sign that you're full of the spirit is that you are submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ, joyfully submitting especially to spiritual authorities in your life. 00:13:31.899 --> 00:13:34.232 If you're full of the spirit, there's an eagerness. 00:13:34.232 --> 00:13:42.832 There's a desire to be ready to follow the spiritual direction of people you admire and respect in your life. 00:13:44.832 --> 00:13:47.966 There's a sense that I need others to speak into my life. 00:13:47.966 --> 00:13:53.365 I want their direction and guidance rather than a resistance to that. 00:13:53.365 --> 00:14:02.765 And of course, look, I know there have been abuses in churches of leaders who call themselves spiritual and then abuse others emotionally, spiritually, even physically. 00:14:02.765 --> 00:14:03.600 Okay. I know that. 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:18.600 So obviously it takes great wisdom to know how to apply this, but there should be an attitude in our heart that says, God, I submit my life to you, and I know there are people who know you better, and I want to follow them and what they say as well. 00:14:18.932 --> 00:14:20.799 When the elders come to me. 00:14:20.799 --> 00:14:25.000 So our church is led by a team of elders, not just by one person. 00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:27.066 I'm not ultimately in charge of the church. 00:14:27.066 --> 00:14:31.399 Obviously, I have a big say in our direction, but it's a team of elders that work together. 00:14:31.399 --> 00:14:38.166 We have a chairman that is ultimately most responsible for the church, and you vote to affirm those elders that come on to this team. 00:14:38.166 --> 00:14:41.832 They rotate every three years or are renewed every three years. 00:14:41.832 --> 00:14:51.600 We usually do that around October when we invite on new elders, but when they come to me and say, John, here's something we want you to work on for the church, we feel like this is an area where we need to focus. 00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:55.865 I don't immediately say, well, how dare you tell me what to do? 00:14:56.299 --> 00:14:58.232 Who do you think you are giving me direction? 00:14:58.232 --> 00:15:01.133 I'm the pastor. 00:15:01.133 --> 00:15:05.732 No. Actually, in fact, you know, my attitude is it's-- thank you. 00:15:05.732 --> 00:15:14.100 Thank you that you care about this church that you're looking for the direction of this church, that you're looking out for, areas where we need to work and grow. 00:15:14.100 --> 00:15:15.232 I can't see everything. 00:15:15.232 --> 00:15:16.966 The the staff can't see everything. 00:15:16.966 --> 00:15:18.899 We need other people to be mindful of it. 00:15:18.899 --> 00:15:24.299 People we trust, people who are invested in the church and care deeply, who've been here their whole life aren't going anywhere. 00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:27.332 Thank you. 00:15:27.332 --> 00:15:29.399 Yes, please. Let's work together. 00:15:29.399 --> 00:15:39.365 Let's move forward in this, there should be an attitude that delights in the opportunity to submit to one another. 00:15:39.365 --> 00:15:47.399 But the key phrase there is out of reverence for Christ, I can do that with him, because I know ultimately there their job is to submit to Christ. 00:15:47.399 --> 00:15:48.466 First and foremost. 00:15:48.466 --> 00:15:52.700 They're not just on some personal power trip and certainly that happens. 00:15:52.700 --> 00:15:56.500 And that takes wisdom to know how to navigate that. 00:15:57.932 --> 00:16:00.166 But that's one of the results of being filled with the spirit. 00:16:00.166 --> 00:16:06.232 God, thank you that there are other people in this world that I can walk with, that I can lean on, and that will pour into me. 00:16:06.232 --> 00:16:08.899 Help me to have an attitude that delights in that. 00:16:10.799 --> 00:16:11.066 All right. 00:16:11.066 --> 00:16:12.232 So that's some of what it looks like. 00:16:12.232 --> 00:16:13.932 Again, that's not everything we see in Scripture. 00:16:13.932 --> 00:16:19.232 Again, we're going to walk through the fruit of the spirit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. 00:16:19.232 --> 00:16:21.932 We could walk through all those we can spend forever just on love. 00:16:21.932 --> 00:16:24.066 For instance, what does it mean to love one another? 00:16:24.066 --> 00:16:26.365 How do we do that well, in the fullness of the spirit? 00:16:26.365 --> 00:16:33.600 But here in this passage, we see those specific results of being filled with the spirit. 00:16:33.832 --> 00:16:36.832 Okay, now how do we how do we do that? 00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:39.600 How do you live your life full of the spirit? 00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:41.765 It's not always easy. 00:16:41.765 --> 00:16:43.100 What do we do? 00:16:43.100 --> 00:16:44.466 Here's the phrase we're going to look at today. 00:16:44.466 --> 00:16:48.765 It's the word-- It takes “care ” to be full of the spirit. 00:16:49.365 --> 00:16:54.299 We're going to unpack that word “care.” You could say it takes intentionality. 00:16:54.299 --> 00:16:56.265 It takes attentiveness. 00:16:56.265 --> 00:16:58.466 You've got to be mindful, attuned. 00:16:58.466 --> 00:16:59.399 You've got to care about it. 00:17:00.633 --> 00:17:10.465 And here's a good contrast, I think when you think about going back to do not be drunk with wine, what does it take for someone to stay drunk? 00:17:11.232 --> 00:17:14.133 You got to keep drinking, right? 00:17:14.133 --> 00:17:15.232 It's pretty straightforward. 00:17:15.232 --> 00:17:19.932 So what does it take to be filled with the spirit on an ongoing basis? 00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:23.099 Well, part of that is what we're going to unpack. 00:17:23.099 --> 00:17:24.599 But it's a constant activity. 00:17:24.599 --> 00:17:27.165 It's an ongoing activity. 00:17:27.165 --> 00:17:28.299 Okay. You got married. 00:17:28.299 --> 00:17:32.400 If you're married, you got married on your wedding day and you didn't say, I'm all good. 00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:33.365 It's all done now. 00:17:33.365 --> 00:17:36.299 I found this person. We're good. 00:17:36.299 --> 00:17:37.000 You might have. 00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:39.599 That's not the right mindset, though. 00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:40.266 To stay. 00:17:40.266 --> 00:17:42.200 You want to grow in your relationship. 00:17:42.200 --> 00:17:43.232 You want to stay connected. 00:17:43.232 --> 00:17:45.299 That takes daily effort, right? 00:17:45.299 --> 00:17:46.900 That takes constant activity. 00:17:46.900 --> 00:17:54.532 We've got to be sure to talk, connect, go on dates, go on getaways, go through marriage material together, connect and grow in that. 00:17:54.532 --> 00:17:56.932 And that takes constant ongoing effort. 00:17:56.932 --> 00:18:05.566 And so when we're talking about being filled with the spirit, baptism of the spirit was a one time thing. That occurred when you came to know Christ, and the Holy Spirit came into you. 00:18:05.566 --> 00:18:09.032 But the filling of the spirit is a daily activity and ongoing activity. 00:18:09.032 --> 00:18:24.400 In fact, Bill Bright, who I think has written more helpful material on the Holy Spirit probably than anyone, and at the end I'm going to offer up I'm going to have copies of a lesson he wrote, a seven day lesson on how you can learn more about being filled with the spirit. 00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:28.900 He would pray every morning, God, would you fill me with your Holy Spirit? 00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:31.432 Every morning a key part of his prayer time. 00:18:31.432 --> 00:18:33.232 Fill me with your Holy Spirit. 00:18:33.232 --> 00:18:37.799 I need the fullness of your spirit today more than ever. And this was a guy. 00:18:37.799 --> 00:18:44.900 If you've heard of Campus Crusade for Christ, I mean God used him to really build the largest missions organization in the history of the world. 00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:50.932 And still praying fill me with your spirit today. 00:18:51.266 --> 00:18:54.900 So it's an ongoing activity that takes “care.” So let's look at each of these letters. 00:18:54.900 --> 00:18:55.532 Letter C 00:18:55.532 --> 00:19:01.500 confess and repent. 00:19:01.500 --> 00:19:06.865 So in any relationship, sin causes a barrier in the relationship. 00:19:07.766 --> 00:19:09.232 It makes it hard to connect. 00:19:09.232 --> 00:19:13.965 If I've offended you, if I've hurt you, there's going to be a distance in our relationship. 00:19:13.965 --> 00:19:19.965 We've got to confess and repent and work through that to reconnect. 00:19:19.965 --> 00:19:26.432 And the same is true in our relationship with God, and the same is true if we want to be able to hear from the Holy Spirit in our life. 00:19:26.432 --> 00:19:29.333 Going back to Bill Bright, he talked about this as spiritual breathing. 00:19:29.333 --> 00:19:30.732 I love this idea. 00:19:30.732 --> 00:19:32.700 It's eye opening for many people. 00:19:32.700 --> 00:19:36.865 He calls confession spiritual breathing, meaning confession is breathing out. 00:19:36.865 --> 00:19:38.732 I breathe out the sin in my life. 00:19:39.732 --> 00:19:41.599 God, would you forgive me? 00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:44.965 First, recognize that I have this sin in my life. 00:19:44.965 --> 00:19:47.566 I confess it, I acknowledge it. 00:19:47.566 --> 00:19:49.099 And by the way, we do that for us. 00:19:49.099 --> 00:19:50.865 He already knows. 00:19:50.865 --> 00:19:52.500 It's not like. Really? 00:19:52.500 --> 00:19:55.365 Wow, John, I'm so glad you finally shared your anger problem with me. 00:19:55.365 --> 00:19:56.133 I had no idea. 00:19:56.133 --> 00:20:02.566 No, he knows we confess it to acknowledge it ourselves and admit it because we've been denying it. 00:20:02.566 --> 00:20:07.200 We've been trying to hide it, push it down, keep it out of the view of anyone else. 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:08.232 So first we confess. 00:20:08.232 --> 00:20:10.900 We admit, Lord, I know this is in my life. 00:20:10.900 --> 00:20:12.599 The sin is in my life. 00:20:12.599 --> 00:20:15.500 We repent. I'm sorry. 00:20:15.500 --> 00:20:15.732 Okay. 00:20:15.732 --> 00:20:18.299 You can acknowledge something and not be sorry for it, right? Yeah. 00:20:18.299 --> 00:20:20.099 That sins there, but I'm okay with it. 00:20:20.099 --> 00:20:22.200 No no, no. Confess and repent. 00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:22.932 I'm sorry. 00:20:24.465 --> 00:20:26.400 That's the breathing out. 00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:30.133 But the breathing in is breathe in his forgiveness. 00:20:30.133 --> 00:20:31.665 8-9 talks about this. 00:20:31.665 --> 00:20:36.032 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 00:20:36.032 --> 00:20:45.432 You confess and repent, he will forgive you, and many confess and repent and then feel like, well, he could never forgive me for that and walk in the guilt and shame of that the rest of their life. 00:20:45.432 --> 00:20:47.200 No, he will forgive you. 00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:50.200 He does forgive you. 00:20:50.266 --> 00:20:56.099 Confess, repent, breathe out the sin, breathe in the forgiveness, and walk in the joy of that forgiveness. 00:20:56.099 --> 00:20:58.665 And that has to be an ongoing activity in life. 00:20:58.665 --> 00:21:01.365 You don't just do that once. 00:21:01.365 --> 00:21:04.099 Any time sin comes up in your life, confess, repent. 00:21:04.099 --> 00:21:08.500 Receive forgiveness day after day, moment by moment. 00:21:10.232 --> 00:21:15.333 That's what increases our connection to the Holy Spirit, our dependence on the Holy Spirit. 00:21:15.333 --> 00:21:17.400 So that's the letter C. 00:21:17.400 --> 00:21:19.932 Now look at the letter A, 00:21:19.932 --> 00:21:25.932 letter A under “care;” Abide in Christ. 00:21:25.932 --> 00:21:28.865 5 is a great passage for that. 00:21:28.865 --> 00:21:32.700 All of John 15 is about the vine and the branch, and how we stay connected. 00:21:32.700 --> 00:21:35.266 In fact, he says, abide in me. 00:21:35.266 --> 00:21:37.000 Apart from me you can do nothing. 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:41.732 The word abide can also be translated remain in me, stay in me. 00:21:43.633 --> 00:21:48.633 For a vine or a branch to grow, it's got to stay connected to the vine. 00:21:48.633 --> 00:21:52.500 And the stronger the connection, the better the growth. 00:21:54.799 --> 00:21:57.700 We want to continue to stay connected to Christ. 00:21:57.700 --> 00:21:59.700 Abide in him. 00:21:59.700 --> 00:22:01.299 Remain in him. 00:22:01.299 --> 00:22:02.700 Walk with him. 00:22:02.700 --> 00:22:05.732 And that's an again, an ongoing daily activity. 00:22:05.732 --> 00:22:13.932 That's where you build in your quiet times, where you're regularly meeting with him, studying his word, praying every day, multiple times a day. 00:22:13.932 --> 00:22:20.700 You're in fellowship with other believers who will speak truth into your life and encourage you and point you to Christ. 00:22:20.700 --> 00:22:27.500 You're faithful and regular in your church attendance and activities, and even in serving and those who serve regularly. 00:22:27.500 --> 00:22:30.633 You know, I've watched God work in my own life because of the way I need. 00:22:30.633 --> 00:22:36.000 I'm called to serve when I have to step up and serve, I feel the presence of His Spirit in fresh, new ways. 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:40.000 I've got to depend on him more than normal. 00:22:40.566 --> 00:22:44.465 But we want to remain connected to him and it's an ongoing activity. 00:22:44.465 --> 00:22:46.266 Confess. Repent. 00:22:46.266 --> 00:22:47.465 Spiritual breathe. 00:22:47.465 --> 00:22:58.432 Abide in him and then look at letter R, respect God's law, respect God's law. 00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:00.266 Psalm 119. 00:23:00.266 --> 00:23:11.532 You could read through that whole section. It's incredibly long chapter in the Bible, but there's a number of places in there where he talks about delighting in God's law. 00:23:11.732 --> 00:23:14.266 It's a joy to keep your commands. 00:23:14.266 --> 00:23:16.133 Psalm 119 nine through 11. 00:23:16.133 --> 00:23:17.766 How does a young man keep his way pure? 00:23:17.766 --> 00:23:19.200 By living according to your word. 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:20.865 Do not let me stray from your commands. 00:23:20.865 --> 00:23:24.032 I've hidden your word in my heart so that I might not sin against you. 00:23:24.032 --> 00:23:26.299 You see the delight, you see the joy. 00:23:26.299 --> 00:23:31.365 You see the the willingness, the eagerness to follow God's commands. 00:23:31.365 --> 00:23:39.432 And the more that we seek to align with what Scripture teaches, the more likely you are to hear from the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit in your life. 00:23:41.633 --> 00:23:48.365 There's a story a marriage counselor tells him, it’s Emerson Eggerichs in his book of a title I've forgotten. 00:23:48.365 --> 00:23:56.333 He talks about the story of a couple he was doing marriage mentoring with, and they came to him and said, listen, we really have been praying. 00:23:56.333 --> 00:23:58.500 We've been desiring they weren't married yet. 00:23:58.500 --> 00:24:02.566 We've been designed deeply to hear from God's direction in our life. 00:24:02.566 --> 00:24:06.165 We want to know what is his will, what is his will for our future together. 00:24:06.165 --> 00:24:10.066 And it feels like we're not hearing from him at all. 00:24:10.633 --> 00:24:14.400 And so Emerson says, well, are you sleeping together? 00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:17.700 And the room gets real quiet and they look at each other awkwardly. 00:24:17.700 --> 00:24:20.700 We weren't expecting that question today. 00:24:21.700 --> 00:24:24.432 Well, yeah, we are, he said. 00:24:24.432 --> 00:24:25.266 Well, let's turn to first 00:24:25.266 --> 00:24:27.365 13, 00:24:27.365 --> 00:24:32.099 3 where it says, this is the will of the Lord, that you abstain from sexual immorality. 00:24:33.965 --> 00:24:45.732 If you are willingly, outwardly, continually going against God's clear, direct commands in Scripture, don't expect to hear from him. 00:24:46.165 --> 00:24:52.000 That's like corrosion on the battery terminal or it's blocking the connection. 00:24:52.365 --> 00:24:54.633 You got to clean that off for it to work well. 00:24:54.633 --> 00:25:00.099 And the sin the directly going against God's clear commands. 00:25:00.099 --> 00:25:02.032 It's blocking that connection to the Holy Spirit. 00:25:02.032 --> 00:25:04.400 It's hard to have a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. 00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:10.932 It's hard to hear from him when he's been clear and you're just ignoring his clear commands. 00:25:11.099 --> 00:25:14.099 And look, I know. 00:25:14.965 --> 00:25:18.266 I know we all have areas of struggle. 00:25:19.133 --> 00:25:25.665 This isn't to heap guilt on anyone for where you are, the decisions you've made, whether that's in your sexual life or in the area of addiction. 00:25:25.665 --> 00:25:27.000 As we've already mentioned. 00:25:27.000 --> 00:25:36.865 Okay, I know it's we all have struggles, and our hope here today is not just a heap shame and guilt on you, but to give you a vision for a new path forward. 00:25:36.865 --> 00:25:39.299 You don't have to stay where you are spiritually. 00:25:39.299 --> 00:25:40.165 Come as you are. 00:25:40.165 --> 00:25:41.665 We say that all the time. Come on. 00:25:41.665 --> 00:25:42.865 But you don't have to stay there. 00:25:43.833 --> 00:25:47.665 We all want to grow and experience the fullness of all the Holy Spirit has for us. 00:25:47.665 --> 00:25:48.432 That's why you're here. 00:25:48.432 --> 00:25:50.700 You wouldn't be here otherwise. 00:25:50.700 --> 00:25:54.599 You want to know God, what do you have for me in a fresh, new way? 00:25:54.599 --> 00:25:57.766 I want to experience life abundantly. 00:25:59.365 --> 00:26:02.900 Start by respecting his commands, keeping his commands. 00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:04.133 And it won't always be easy. 00:26:04.133 --> 00:26:07.932 Sometimes it means really hard choices in life. 00:26:08.099 --> 00:26:10.500 But I'm telling you, he will honor those. 00:26:10.500 --> 00:26:12.365 And that will open the pathway for you. 00:26:12.365 --> 00:26:14.032 Experiencing the fullness of the Holy Spirit. 00:26:14.032 --> 00:26:14.799 Hearing from him. 00:26:14.799 --> 00:26:18.900 It will increase your sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. 00:26:18.900 --> 00:26:21.900 And then lastly, letter E. 00:26:22.299 --> 00:26:25.299 Engage in evangelism with boldness. 00:26:25.766 --> 00:26:30.833 This is again another one from Bill Bright and he is really big on it. 00:26:30.833 --> 00:26:32.766 It wasn't just Bill Bright, it was Jesus as well. 00:26:32.766 --> 00:26:36.532 By the way, with some of the last words he gave to his disciples in Matthew 28. 00:26:36.532 --> 00:26:41.333 Go into all the world, make disciples, teach them, baptize them. 00:26:41.766 --> 00:26:45.965 8 he says, you will receive power. 00:26:47.465 --> 00:26:51.833 This is one of the main byproducts and results of the Holy Spirit. 00:26:51.833 --> 00:26:57.965 Experiencing the fullness of the Holy Spirit in your life is the power to evangelize, the power to witness. 00:26:57.965 --> 00:27:06.000 You see Him in Acts four talk about they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak the Word of God with all boldness. 00:27:07.299 --> 00:27:08.400 And you've experienced this. 00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:11.400 You've known this. 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:17.766 When you're walking in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, there have been people that you have been terrified to talk with about your faith. 00:27:19.566 --> 00:27:26.232 But when you're full of the Holy Spirit, there have been times where you've sensed I can still move forward. 00:27:27.165 --> 00:27:41.965 I had a friend I grew up with here and in college kind of went his own way, and later in college we got reconnected and he's and I knew I needed to talk to him about my faith and had become so deeply important to me. 00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:47.299 But I was terrified of bringing it up. 00:27:47.299 --> 00:27:56.965 And I prayed and I prayed and I prayed, and I knew that the Holy Spirit was giving me the power, the boldness to bring it up and use wisdom. 00:27:56.965 --> 00:27:59.200 Be aware of a good sense of timing. 00:27:59.200 --> 00:28:03.532 Boldness doesn't just mean rapid fire machine gun all the time, right? 00:28:03.532 --> 00:28:07.200 Boldness may mean waiting in fact, waiting for the right moment. 00:28:08.465 --> 00:28:12.066 But there's an eagerness, there's an urgency, there's an excitement. 00:28:12.066 --> 00:28:13.032 And the right time came. 00:28:13.032 --> 00:28:17.333 And I said, listen, man, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about. 00:28:17.465 --> 00:28:17.965 And you know what? 00:28:17.965 --> 00:28:26.032 It didn't go as well as I had hoped, but I felt like I was walking forward in the boldness of the spirit, in the confidence of the spirit. 00:28:26.032 --> 00:28:28.665 And you never know how God is going to use that in their life. 00:28:28.665 --> 00:28:31.099 You never know. 00:28:31.099 --> 00:28:38.032 Campus Crusade used to say all the time, it takes something like ten times for someone to hear the gospel before they even start to move towards it. 00:28:38.032 --> 00:28:39.200 You know, that's an average. 00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:44.465 Sometimes it's the first time, sometimes it's hundreds of times, but you don't know where you are in that process. 00:28:44.465 --> 00:28:46.066 You may be the very first person. 00:28:46.066 --> 00:28:47.299 You may be the last. 00:28:47.299 --> 00:28:49.000 Ultimately, it's Christ that gets the credit. 00:28:51.865 --> 00:29:05.232 So the hope today, as we look at His word and as we think about what does it mean to walk in the fullness of the spirit is that we can be attentive, we can walk with care and experience all that he has for us.