Subject: More Benefits to Being Spirit Filled
by Rick Welborne
John 14:26 (NKJV)
26 But 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.
26 But 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.
--Last week at the end of chapter 14 we again see Jesus telling the disciples that Holy Spirit is coming…He will teach you all things and He will bring things back to your mind He told you.
--I truly believe Holy Spirit is our answer to having the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:12-16 (NLT)
12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.
14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.
15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others.
16 For, “Who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.
12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.
14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.
15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others.
16 For, “Who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.
--Remember again that scriptures we not written in chapters and verses, so as we get to chapter 15 this is a continuation of what Jesus was telling us…He was speaking about Holy Spirit. Hear what He says:
John 15:1-8 (NLT)
1 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.
2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.
3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.
4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.
7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!
8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
1 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.
2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.
3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.
4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.
7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!
8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
1. We must abide in Jesus by Holy Spirit to produce much fruit.
--Chapter 14 He introduces us to Holy Spirit and then in 15 tells us that because of this connection with Holy Spirit that our lives will be productive.
--I get amused when I say over and over that I want supernatural Holy Spirit growth in Life Church and people offer ideas of growth that have nothing to do with Holy Spirit.
--If you dared to take Holy Spirit out of the book of Acts you would not have the exciting book that is there.
A. Without Holy Spirit you would not have supernatural empowerment…Day of Pentecost.
B. Without Holy Spirit you would not have supernatural preaching…Peter standing before the multitude.
C. Without Holy Spirit you would not have the supernatural healings…like the man at the Gate Beautiful.
D. Without Holy Spirit you would not have the apostles with discerning spirits…Ananias and Sapphira.
E. Without Holy Spirit you would not have the Gentiles being welcomed into God’s Kingdom…as with Cornelius and his household.
--I could go on and on but you get my point…Holy Spirit was responsible for the miracles and for the supernatural growth in the early church.
--So what’s your point, Pastor Rick? Great question: Unless we abide in Christ or remain in Christ through the power of Holy Spirit we will not bear the fruit He wants us to bear.
--Without this abiding Presence of Holy Spirit we will not be able to grow to 1000 plus, at least, the way they did in the book of Acts…God was adding to the church and then, multiplying.
--Some churches are growing because of a seeker sensitive attitude which means they water down the gospel and send Holy Spirit to a back room…What about being sensitive to seeking Him!
1 John 4:13 (NKJV)
13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
--So this is key, Jesus is going away, and He wants His disciples to abide in or to remain in Him…How can they do that separate from Holy Spirit…the easy answer is that they can’t. Again keep this in context:
John 15:4-8 (NLT)
4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.
7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!
8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.
7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!
8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
2. We must abide in Jesus by Holy Spirit to be able to love each other.
John 15:9-13 (NLT)
9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.
10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!
12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.
13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.
10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!
12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.
13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
--Your greatest motivation to live a pure and holy life will not come thru some incredible willpower that you can muster up when temptation comes.
--Your greatest motivation to abstain from sin will be from loving Christ and remaining or abiding in that love through Holy Spirit.
--Jesus tells us to love one another the same way He loved us…evidently Jesus had not met some of us and seen how unlovable we can be…some people are just rude and nasty…talking about Christians.
--How can we muster up this love for each other…separate from Holy Spirit I do not believe that it is possible.
Romans 5:5-6 (BBE)
5 And hope does not put to shame; because our hearts are full of the love of God through the Holy Spirit which is given to us.
6 For when we were still without strength, at the right time Christ gave his life for evil-doers.
5 And hope does not put to shame; because our hearts are full of the love of God through the Holy Spirit which is given to us.
6 For when we were still without strength, at the right time Christ gave his life for evil-doers.
--Remember how we talked about bearing much fruit for Christ and how staying connected to Jesus thru Holy Spirit could help us…the same is true with love and other attributes that we need…last week I shared:
Galatians 5:22-26 (NKJV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
--What is Paul saying here…He is saying that what comes out of being filled with Holy Spirit power and abiding in Holy Spirit are these things: is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control.
gentleness, self-control.
--Right before Paul speaks of the humility of Christ…he tells us how we also need to be humble toward one another thru His Spirit:
Philippians 2:1-5 (NKJV)
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…
--Wow, Pastor Rick, you make it sound like that having Holy Spirit in our lives is so important to having love for each other and being fruitful for God’s Kingdom…exactly.
Question to me: Pastor, I feel that my life has been effective and that God has used me in wonderful ways…do I really need this experience of the baptism in the Holy Spirit?
Answer: I believe you are born again, I believe you have been used by God in wonderful ways, and I know Holy Spirit came in you at salvation, but if the baptism in the Holy Spirit is biblical and available, why wouldn’t you want Him? Why wouldn’t you want more of God in your life? Thank God for the fruit you have been bearing but just imagine bearing more fruit than you thought possible? I personally want more!
3. We must abide in Jesus by Holy Spirit to be living testimonies for Christ.
John 15:26-27 (NKJV)
26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
--I love the fact that Holy Spirit is also called the Spirit of truth who proceeds from or is sent by the Father.
John 8:31-32 (NKJV)
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
--If it is the truth that will make people free wouldn’t it behoove us to be filled with the Spirit of truth.
--The problem with sharing Christ with lost people is the reality of them being deceived by living a lifestyle that is not good or that is destructive. They need to see and know the truth.
--We cannot in ourselves unveil what their condition is apart from the presence of Holy Spirit. What if we pray in the Holy Spirit? What if Holy Spirit gives a word of knowledge, wisdom, or discernment?
--Truth is revealed and they are set free because the Spirit of God is flowing thru us…again this verse.
Acts 1:8 (NKJV)
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
--Here is a beautiful scriptural example of how Holy Spirit works in leading people to Christ…to the truth!
Acts 8:26-31 (NKJV)
26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert.
27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,
28 was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot."
30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
31 And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.
26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert.
27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,
28 was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot."
30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
31 And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.
--What if Phillip had not been sensitive to Holy Spirit…I love his response when the Spirit spoke to him…
Phillip ran to the man to share Christ.
--Oh, that we would do the same.
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