Lordship is Fullness of Holy Spirit Lesson Seven — E.A. Johnston

The Christian Life Requires Power from Above

We are in our series on the Lordship of Christ in the life of the believer in today's message friends. I'm sure be very Gripping to you for it's on the fullness of the Holy Spirit. I submit to you friends That the Christian life is impossible to live on human terms.

The glare of the world the pull of the flesh and Satan's devices are too overwhelming for us and we will fail. Every time we try to live the Christian life in the flesh. We need power from above to live above the world and sin.

The Command to Be Filled and Walk in the Spirit

That power from above comes from the fullness of the Holy Spirit in a life lived beneath the discipline of the Holy Spirit. How to have this fullness of the Holy Spirit is our topic today friends. In Ephesians 5 18 we read the Apostle Paul's exhortation to Holy live him and be not drunk with wine.

Wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit. This is the personal prerogative be filled with the Spirit and then we see the personal application over in Galatians 5 16 which states. This I say then walk in the Spirit and you should not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

We are either walking in the flesh and falling on our face and sin. Or we're walking in the power of the enabling Holy Spirit, which gives us the grace to live above sin. Allow me to distinguish friends between Having the Holy Spirit in conversion and having the fullness of the Holy Spirit for empowerment for life.

Conversion and the Fullness of the Spirit

Listen friends. We received the Holy Spirit at the time of our conversion. But we must understand the meaning of the fullness of the Holy Spirit. It is possible for the Holy Spirit to be present Without being president to be dormant Without being dominant and to be resident without reigning.

Quenching and Grieving the Holy Spirit

We are told that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead and as a divine person He can be quenched or grieved by sin. We see in first Thessalonians 519. Quench not the spirit. When a believer does not allow the Holy Spirit control Over our actions and we do what we know is wrong we suppress or quench the spirit and.

Likewise, we can actually grieve the Holy Spirit of God by our sinful behavior. In Ephesians 430. Paul tells us and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. Whereby you're sealed on to the day of redemption.

To grieve the Holy Spirit is to act in a sinful manner. For instance, we can grieve him by telling a lie or falling into sexual sin. We are instructed by the Apostle Paul and Ephesians 511. To stay on our guard against sin and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them.

Sin as a Satanic Sidelining

Satan wants to sideline us in our service to God. Much like a injured athlete can be sidelined through an injury from playing the game. If Satan can sideline us through sin We can both quench the Holy Spirit's influence in our life and grieve him by our sin.

Receiving the Spirit Through Surrender

Regarding this fullness of the Holy Spirit. I like what RA Torrey once said he said. We can have as much of the Holy Spirit. We want so long as he can have as much of us as he wants. To better understand friends the teaching of the fullness of the Spirit in the life of a believer.

We must bear in mind that when sin is exposed and self is executed the Holy Spirit can fill to overflowing and anoint with authority and power. In regard to our receiving the Holy Spirit it can be understood like this.

Once Filled, Many Fillings

Once filled many fillings. Listen friends. We are leaky buckets. I Never forget what? Dr. Stephen Offord shared with me one day in his office. I was waiting for him and he came into his office exhausted and he slumped into his chair.

And he looked at me and he said Give me a minute brother to recover myself. I must recover myself for I have just finished preaching and virtue has left me. The image that Immediately came to my mind was when Jesus was being thronged by the crowd and the woman With the bleeding disorder touched the hem of his garment and she was instantly healed.

But Jesus looked about and Consternation and said who touched me. For I feel virtue has left me. Let me ask you a brother preacher. When you preach does virtue leave you or are you counting just on your? personality to get you through.

Daily Surrender to Christ's Lordship

The fullness of the Holy Spirit is a daily surrender to the Lordship of Christ In our lives as we rely entirely on him to give us power from above. To live for him down here in John 15 5 Jesus declares for without me you can do nothing and it's true friends.

That means nothing worthwhile for eternity and his glory. We need his power from above. Let us pray. Amen.