For every one that asks receives, and he that seeks finds, and to him that knocks it shall be opened!
I.INTRODUCTION
- There is a sincere hunger these days in the hearts of many believers for holiness, for overcoming power, for a closer relationship with the Lord, etc… There is a sense of helplessness and desperate need.
- We long and pray for the “Spirit-filled Life” that is possible for true Christians.
- Many are tired of sub-standard Christians living.
- GOOD NEWS! Acts 1:8 – is for today!… Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8)
- Ephesians 5:18 – Be filled with the Spirit! (The Spirit-filled Life)
- “GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT” Part 1 (This a series of messages – the “Holy Spirit” is a huge topic. This is only the beginning, as we consider together Scriptures that help us to come to know the Holy Spirit better.
- These teachings can help us experience Spirit-filled, Spirit-led lives.
- This is an important, foundational doctrine of the Church. Try to follow along carefully – we are heading somewhere with it…
- Acts 2:38-39 – Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
- Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
- Romans 8:11 –
II.THE LIFE OF JESUS
- Luke 1:31,35 – 31 …behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call His name JESUS. 35 … the HOLY SPIRIT shall come upon you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God (JESUS).
- Luke 2:40,52 – … the child grew, and became strong IN SPIRIT… and Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man
- Luke 2:21,22 – Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and HOLY SPIRIT descended … and a voice came from heaven which said, You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.
- Luke 4:1 – And Jesus being FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT… was led by the SPIRIT into the wilderness.
- Luke 4:14-20 – 14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the SPIRIT to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. 15 And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. …18 “The SPIRIT OF THE LORD is upon Me, because HE has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor; HE has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” …21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” - Acts 10:38 – …God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the HOLY SPIRIT and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
- John 6:33 – It is the SPIRIT who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are SPIRIT, and they are life.
III.BEING FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
- John 7:37-39 – 37 …Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the SPIRIT, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the HOLY SPIRIT was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
- Acts 1:4-5 – And being assembled together with them,
- He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for THE PROMISE of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT not many days from now.”
- Acts 2:4 – 4 And they were all FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
- Ephesians 5:18-19 – …BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord…
IV.FOUNDATIONAL DOCTRINE
- Acts 2:38-39 – (3 parts of the foundation)
- 1) Repent 2) Be baptized 3) Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit
- I Timothy 6:19 – Laying up for themselves a GOOD FOUNDATION for the future, so that they may take hold of the LIFE which is LIFE INDEED.
- Built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets
- Ephesian 2:19-22 – …you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the FOUNDATION of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
- A new beginning – a firm foundation
- Psalm 11:3 – If the FOUNDATIONS are destroyed, what can the righteous do?
- Ephesians 2:20 – …having been built on the FOUNDATION of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
- Matthew 7:24-25 – …whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
- The Only Foundation
- Confirmed over and over in the New Testament –
- The ministry of Jesus
- The Disciples
- Believers at Samaria
- 4) Paul
- 5) Cornelius and company
- 6) Disciples at Ephesus
V.UNDERSTANDING THE HOLY SPIRIT – WHO HE IS
- Part of the Godhead – same today as ever
- THE PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
- “HE” – The Holy Spirit is spoken of as a person
- Matthew 28:18-20 – 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the HOLY SPIRIT, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
- John 14:18,26 – I will not leave you orphans; I WILL COME TO YOU… the Helper, THE HOLY SPIRIT, whom the Father will send in My name, HE will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
- John 14:15-18 – …I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that HE may abide with you forever— 17 the SPIRIT of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees HIM nor knows HIM; but you know HIM, for HE dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
VI.BLESSINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
- Power – Zechariah 4:8; Acts 1:8; Micah 3:8
- Transformation – 2 Corinthians 3:17-18
- Communion – 2 Corinthians 13:14
- Boldness
- Fruitfulness
VII.CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD
- Genesis 1:26 – God said, “Let US make man in OUR IMAGE, according to OUR likeness.
- Colossians 1:15 – He is the IMAGE of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
- Colossians 1:27 – To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory.
- Romans 8:29 – For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the IMAGE of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
- The Holy Spirit is God with us
VIII.EMPOWERMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
- He empowers us to live a holy life and do ministry
IX.FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
- Galatians 5:22-23 – … the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.
- Ephesians 5:9 – …(for the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth)…
X.THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
- Acts 1:4 – …wait for THE PROMISE of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;
- Fulfilled Acts 2:1-39 – 4) They were all FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT… 38) Repent and be baptized, everyone of you… and you shall RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. This promise is unto you and to your children, and to ALL THAT ARE AFAR OFF, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
XI.RECEIVING THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT / (BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
- After they received the gift of the Holy Spirit they took the message of salvation through Christ to a lost and dying world!
- “HOW CAN I OBEY GOD’S COMMAND TO RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?”
- This promise is for you Acts 2:39 – For the PROMISE [of the Holy Spirit] is to and for YOU and your children, and to and for all that are far away, [even] to and for as many as the Lord our God invites and bids to come to Himself. (AMP)
- Joel 2:28-29 – “And it shall come to pass afterward that I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.
- A complete Foundation
- Warnings / encouragements
- Knowing God – the Godhead / John 17:3
- John 16:13,14 – …when HE, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for HE will not speak on His own authority, but whatever HE hears HE will speak; and HE will tell you things to come. 14 HE will glorify Me, for HE will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
- Luke 11:9-13 – …I say unto you, ASK, and it shall be given you; SEEK, and you shall find; KNOCK and it shall be opened unto you. 10) For every one that asks receives, and he that seeks finds, and to him that knocks it shall be opened… If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, HOW MUCH MORE shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ASK Him.
- Romans 8:11 – …if the SPIRIT of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through HIS SPIRIT who dwells in you.
XII.PRAYER / PRAISE
- Song: Spirit of the Living God
1 Pedro 1:1-5 – Mula kay Pedro, isang apostol ni Jesu-Cristo—
Sa mga hinirang ng Diyos na nakikipamayan sa mga lalawigan ng Ponto, Galacia, Capadocia, Asia, at Bitinia. 2 Kayo’y pinili ng Diyos Ama ayon sa kanyang layunin sa mula’t mula pa at pinabanal ng Espiritu Santo, upang maging masunurin kay Jesu-Cristo at nilinis sa pamamagitan ng kanyang dugo. Sumagana nawa sa inyo ang kagandahang-loob at kapayapaan. 3 Purihin natin ang Diyos at Ama ng ating Panginoong Jesu-Cristo. Dahil sa laki ng habag niya sa atin, tayo’y binigyan niya ng isang panibagong buhay sa pamamagitan ng muling pagkabuhay ni Jesu-Cristo. Ito ang nagbigay sa atin ng isang buháy na pag-asa 4 na magmamana tayo ng kayamanang di masisira, walang kapintasan, at di kukupas na inihanda ng Diyos sa langit para sa inyo. 5 Sa pamamagitan ng inyong pananampalataya, iniingatan kayo ng kapangyarihan ng Diyos habang hinihintay ninyo ang kaligtasang nakahandang ihayag sa katapusan ng panahon.