THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 3 “RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT” – AUGUST 21, 2022

I. God’s will – … Be FILLED with the Holy Spirit – Ephesians 5:18

• Ephesians 5:18 – …do not be unwise, BUT understand what THE WILL OF THE LORD is. ^18 … be FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT…
• God is a Spirit – we must worship in spirit and truth – (John 4:23-24)
  • Without the HOLY SPIRIT, true worship is not possible.
  • As God’s HOLY SPIRIT moves upon us, our spirits pray and worship.
  • Our words of praise and worship are part of the fruit our lives are to bring forth.
  • Hebrews 13:15 – …by Him (Jesus) let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

II. Acts 2:38-39 (Review) – THE ONLY FOUNDATION

• 1)“Repent”
• 2) “Be baptized”
• 3) “Receive the GIFT of the HOLY SPIRIT”
  • The ONLY FOUNDATION properly laid in the lives of new believers, to enable them to become holy temples of God, filled with His Spirit. We see it in:  1) The ministry of Jesus 2) The Disciples 3) Believers at Samaria 4) Paul 5) Cornelius and company 6) Disciples at Ephesus
  • A COMPLETE FOUNDATION – Do not be robbed of the blessing of a complete foundation for your Christian life by thinking that God is pouring out His Spirit on just a select few… The Bible teaches God’s command to “RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT”…

III. RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT – 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.
• After they received the gift of the Holy Spirit they took the message of salvation through Christ to a lost and dying world!

IV. BIRTHDAY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH / The Day of Pentecost

• Acts 2:4 – And they were ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

V. OTHER TIMES OF OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

• Samaria – Acts 8
• Paul – Acts 9

VI. A MEASURE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT…  FULLNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

• All believers have THE HOLY SPIRIT from the time of conversion to Christ, as they receive Christ as Savior. All who have repented, and accepted Jesus as Savior do have a MEASURE OF THE SPIRIT. They are “born of the Spirit” – John 3:8. However, all believers do not enjoy the FULLNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• As a Christian grows, obeying the SPIRIT, and yielding to Him, more of his life will be indwelt by the Spirit. The INDWELLING of the Holy Spirit must not be confused with the INFILLING of the Holy Spirit – that OUTPOURING of the Holy Spirit that God gives us for victorious, holy living, and powerful witnessing.
• THE SPIRIT WAS NOT GIVEN BY MEASURE TO JESUS / His purpose for the church
  • John 3:34 – For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God: for God gives not the SPIRIT by measure unto him.
  • Jesus imparts THE OVERFLOWING GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT upon His Church (BELIEVERS)!
  • John 7:37-39 – …out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” .. this He spoke concerning the SPIRIT, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the HOLY SPIRIT was not yet given,

VII. UNDERSTANDING MORE ABOUT THE ‘INFILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT” – “RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT”. (p 92-102 – The Only Foundation by Graham Truscott)

• When the Bible speaks of receiving “the gift of the Holy Spirit” or being “filled with the Spirit,” it means coming to Christ for power.
• “The gift of the Holy Spirit”/ baptism with the Holy Spirit” or “fullness of the Holy Spirit” – we shouldn’t let terminology hide the blessings of the Sprit-filled life God wants us to enjoy.  It is not just correct terms we need – it is essential that we build our lives on the “only foundation”!
• WHEN WE ARE BORN AGAIN, we are “born anew” (John 3:3); “born of the Spirit” (John 3:8); “converted” (Matthew 18:3); “saved” (John 10:9); believing” – (Mark 16:16); “repent and turn to God” (Acts 26:20; letting Jesus “come in” to our heart (Revelation 3:20); “receiving Christ “ – (John 13:20; John 1:12).
• Receiving the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT is described as: being “baptized with the Holy Spirit” – (Matthew 3:11; Acts 1:5); being “filled with the Spirit” (Acts 2:4; Ephesians 5:18); receiving “the gift of the Holy Spirit” – (Acts 2:38); God giving the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32; Acts 8:18); “receiving the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:15; 10:47); the Holy Spirit “falling” on the believer (Acts 8:16; 10:44; 11:15); the Holy Spirit “coming” on the believer (Acts 19:6);  the Spirit being “poured” upon the believers – (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17,18; 10:45); being “clothed” with the power of the Holy Spirit – (Luke 24:49)… These terms reveal the INFILLING WITH POWER which is the promise of God the Father to all His children. It has to do with the supernatural enduement with power from on high.
• The terms “baptized with the Spirit”; “Baptized in the Spirit”; and filled with the Spirit may all be used to describe the first infilling with the Holy Spirit of the believer, who has already trusted in Christ for salvation. It is the initial infilling. After the baptism with the Spirit, the term “filled with the Spirit” (not “baptized with the Spirit” is used. For example, Peter was first filled, or baptized with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). However, Acts 4:8 – “Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit” Describes one of his subsequent fillings.
• Important definitions:
• To “receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” or be “baptized with, or in the Holy Spirit” is the initial in-filling of the believer’s life with the Holy Spirit, after personal salvation has been received.
• The “fullness of the Holy Spirit” is the living of a continuously Spirit-filled life, by being constantly filled with the Holy Spirit, after the initial Baptism of the Holy Spirit has been

VIII. DOCTRINE OF BAPTISMS

• The doctrine of baptisms
  • Hebrews 6:2 – (more than one baptism). The “doctrine of baptisms” together with “repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God” is listed among the first principles of the “word of the beginning of the doctrine of Christ. These are some of the first steps.

IX. BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT (Cont)

• In the Bible – “baptism with the Spirit” is used in all four Gospels and the book of Acts to describe the “gift of the Holy Spirit”. It must be of great importance for God to speak to us so clearly about it like this.
• WHEN? Do we receive the baptism, or Fullness of the Holy Spirit at conversion? The Biblical answer is “no”… the disciples didn’t, Paul didn’t, the Samaritans didn’t, the Ephesians didn’t… nobody did! In each example given us in the Bible, the “gift” or “baptism” of the Holy Spirit was always received as a subsequent work of God’s Spirit, distinct from initial faith in Christ for salvation.

X. BIBLICAL SIGNS / THE SIGN & THE SIGN EXAMINED (p 101-129 – The Only Foundation by Graham Truscott)

• Mark 16:17 – these signs will follow those who believe…they will speak with new tongues;
• Acts 2:22 – Jesus.. approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you…
• Hebrew 2:4 – God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His own will.

XI. THE SIGN TODAY

• The Lord filled His followers with the Holy Spirit, and confirmed He had done so with a sign – they spoke in tongues. Christians all over the world are re-discovering the blessing, benefit, assurance, this powerful sign of God brings to the spirit-filled believer.
• We can enjoy God’s fullness. Let’s receive the testimony of the Bible, and act upon it.
• Matthew 18:16 – (Every word may be confirmed by the evidence of 2 or 3 witness)
• There are 6 witnesses (and there are more) all teaching us the same thing about the sign of having received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
• He Who confirmed the promise of the Holy Spirit with the sign of speaking in tongues in the New Testament has not changed.

XII. HOW HE COMES

• When the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, He is like Jesus – it is the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we fully yield to Him as Lord we will know His gracious movings and true manifestations of the Holy Spirit. (we don’t need to be fearful of the Holy Spirit.)
• The disciples did the speaking… “They” spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance.
• He seeks those who are yielded completely to Him – believers who will speak as He gives the utterance.
• It necessitates an act of faith

XIII. BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

• Be submerged, immersed, baptized, filled, controlled by the HOLY SPIRIT – soul, mind, spirit, body, hands, tongue, lips, voice – your all!

XIV. EVIDENCES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

• POWER
  • Acts 1:8 – …receive POWER
  • Luke 24:49 – … until you be endued with POWER…
  • “POWER from on high” is the evidence of a true baptism, and daily fillings with the Holy Spirit.
  • A life that witnesses of Christ, in all His miraculous power and wonderful beauty is one of the evidences of a Spirit-filled life.
• GUIDANCE
  • We must be led by God Himself. This guidance is available by the power of His Holy Spirit. He guides his children by filling them, and leading them by His Spirit.

XV.CONCLUSION – THE “GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT” IS A WONDERFUL GIFT!

• Hunger & thirst satisfied
• Holiness
• Overcoming power
• Comfort
• Closer relationship
• Renewal / Restoration
• Revelation 22:17 – the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

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.