The Eternal Spirit the Fullness of the Holy Spirit — Willie Mullan

The Eternal Spirit and Being Filled by Faith

We're turning to our subject this evening and you can see from your notes that we're at number 12 this week. We have 11 weeks behind us 11 weeks that I've preached for you to you for over an hour sometimes nearly an hour and a half each evening so that we have easily chalked up about 15 hours preaching on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit or the eternal spirit.

And remember we're not halfway through the doctrine yet quite a lot to come. And so it's good to know that you are following this. And others have been sending in for notes and all that sort of thing.

Now last week we looked at being constantly being filled with the spirit. That's how it should read being constantly being filled. And we found out that that meant this that by faith we must let go of many things and let God be constantly filling us.

That's the idea. Yes this is something that we must claim by faith. God longs to do this for you. God loves to do this for you. And you must claim this by faith. I want to go on to the other side of that doctrine this evening.

Emptying Ourselves to Be Filled With the Spirit

I want to talk to you about being constantly being emptied of certain things that you might be filled. And I want to do this very carefully now first of all I want to point out tonight that there are some things that ordinary humans black or white or red or yellow or learned or illiterate or kings and paupers are saved or unsaved.

There are certain things that ordinary humans can do against the Holy Ghost. I know that's debated. You know I know I'm jumping in from the high springboard when I say that. You see I know that folks come to argue with me and they say you believe that the Holy Ghost is God.

I do of course. And we have proved this in this meeting when Peter said to Ananias and Sapphira why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost. Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God. So Peter proved that the Holy Ghost was God.

And just because we can prove the eternality because the spirit is called the eternal spirit just because we can prove the eternality and the deity and the personality of the spirit. There are people who come round and say well if he's God then men can't do anything against him.

That's the argument. What would you say to him. Well you see I just say this. The men that argue with me I say you know you're forgetting that this is the dispensation of the spirit. And the comforter has come now.

He has come to indwell believers see this body of mine. Well at this moment whether you think it or not it is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in me. I am indwelt young man sitting here just now saved in Sunday night.

And the moment that he bowed with me and called on God and on the Lord to save him. At that moment he was indwelt by the Spirit of God when he believed he was sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Now I want to tell you that he's come to indwell believers to do a work.

He's come to teach us. He's come to order our lives. He's come to govern us. He's come to guide us. Oh but we can quench what he's trying to do. This book talks about quench not the spirit. And you see the Holy Ghost has come to indwell believers that through them he might bring the light of the glorious gospel to them that sit in darkness.

But remember that men sitting in darkness can resist the Holy Ghost. Now that's where the big argument comes in cause there are ultra Calvinists that don't believe that they can resist the Holy Ghost.

Well we'll see this evening now. But you see men and women saved and unsaved cannot only resist and quench the spirit. But I want to tell you this evening that we can grieve the Holy Ghost. And that word grieves a mighty word.

It means that you can bring pain to the Spirit of God. It means that you can bring sorrow to the Spirit of God. Now all that is making the argument bigger. We've got to really do it properly. So we're going to look at resisting the Spirit just for a moment.

And then we'll go on to look at quenching the Spirit. And then of course the most of our time must be taken up with grieving the Spirit because certain things must be emptied out of us if we're to be filled and if they're not emptied out then then we shall go on grieving the Spirit.

Stephen Full of Faith and Power

Shall we come to the Acts of the Apostles and we're at chapter 6 please the Acts of the Apostles and we're at the sixth chapter and we'll commence reading at verse 8 the Acts of the Apostles chapter 6.

Verse 8 I'm Stephen this is one of these great men in the early church and Stephen full of faith and power and I want you to see the word full there in all its clarity because this man was so constantly being filled that the Spirit of God using the hand of look the doctor writing here can say I'm Stephen full of faith and power did great wonders and miracles among the people and of course you know if you're going to be a vessel for God meet for the Master's use and the Holy Ghost is going to be continually filling you so that we can use the word full then I can tell you the journey is going to be rough so I've got a whole lot of folk who seem to get the idea that if you could just be filled with the Holy Ghost continually then the sky would be blue and the wind would never blow in your face and the devil would never get near you.

I'm afraid it's the very opposite I'm afraid of that I think there's a whole lot of yarns told about blessing that folks are not led to face at all now I want you to see this here's this man we're in verse 8 and Stephen full of faith and power did great wonders and miracles among the people then just like that then there arose certain of the synagogue which is called the synagogue of the Libertines and Cyrenians and Alexandrians and of them of Cilicia and of Asia disputing with Stephen.

Curse of God's going to use you or the devil has to get an army somewhere and in this world of ours he's no bother getting an army. A lot of them as there is of the devil hanging around waiting for the job so here they're coming to dispute with Stephen.

Verse 10 and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he speak but the people who come to argue with me about resisting the Holy Ghost they immediately come to this and they say and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he speak and I have to sometimes take them to a Greek lexicon to let them know that the word resist here and the word resisting the Holy Ghost are two different words and they're only twice in the Bible.

There's one of them here and there's one of them you'll see in the moment with the two different words. This word that's here is usually translated withstand of course resist and withstands the same thing.

These people were not able to stand up against Stephen. You see although the devil has emissaries and they come around and they dispute and they argue and they try to twist doctrines I think that if a man is filled and continually being filled with the Spirit of God then the Spirit of God will use the word of God against the enemies of God and they will not be able to withstand him.

Because if they can't withstand you they'll do something else. Then verse 11 it's there again. Then they suborned men which said we have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses. Of course that was a lie.

They'll tell lies on you of course and against God. You would know that Stephen continually being filled by the Spirit of God never speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God. You would know that.

But the enemy doesn't mind saying things about your character. Now I want you to get this bit. They go a bit further sometimes and they stirred up the people. Want you to get the people because they went round the ordinary people.

This is what the preacher has to fight all the time. Because those boys go around the people doing the devil's work. Doesn't last me any sleep of course. I'm too long at this game. And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes.

Get people and elders and scribes into your mind. And came upon him and caught him and brought him to the council. Now that's the old Jewish council. Every mayor said that it was the most venerable and the most authoritative council on this earth.

And I believe it was. It had 71 members. They sat in a house circle in the temple at Jerusalem. And let me tell you if you were brought before them to stand in the midst of this semicircle. Your life was in danger because these men had power to take your life.

And so these boys couldn't handle Stephen. And so they brought him to the council. They were determined to take his life and let me tell you they did. Let me get that bit over to you before we go any further.

You know it says here and set up false witnesses which said this man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against the holy place and the law. You see they they talk about him speaking blasphemy against Moses and against God and against the holy place and against the law.

For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. And all that sat in the council looking steadfastly in him saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

You can see this fellow sitting absolutely calm and collected. His face is shining. They don't distress him. He's filled with the Holy Ghost. Now the high priest who sat in the midst of this council. Remember this council is made up of 22 priests from the temple there on that side there.

And 22 Jewish lawyers there. Boys who knew Jewish law inside out. And the rest of the 71 is made up of elders of Israel. Old fellows with long beards. Wizards. And among them scholars. You remember that Gamaliel was there.

If you just let your mind flip back see chapter 5 there for a moment. When they brought the apostles before this crowd on one occasion. Says verse 27 of chapter 5. And when they had brought them and set them before the council.

And the high priest asked them. The apostles stood in the midst of this semicircle. Saying did not we strictly command you that you should not teach in this land. And behold you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine.

And intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said we ought to obey God rather than men. The God of all fathers raised up Jesus whom he slew and hanged on a tree.

Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a savior. For to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things. And so also and so is also the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him.

When they heard that they were cut to the heart and took counsel to slay them. And you see this 71 get in their heads together. Say we're not going to come these fellows down. We'll have to take their life.

Taken counsel to slay them. Then stood there up one in the council a Pharisee named Gamaliel. A doctor of the law. Hard in reputation. They were Hebrew scholars and scholars of this and that and the other.

So this is the crowd that's there. I want you to get the crowd and try and to paint it as we go along. And this is the crowd that looks on Stephen. He's alone on this day. And chapter 7 begins like this.

Then said the high priest. Are these things so? Oh he's the sort of boss in there. He wants to know now. Stephen makes his answer and what an answer it is. And he said men, brethren, and fathers. Because I think if you're filled with the Holy Ghost you have manners.

I think that sometimes you know young fellows who are zealous and who want to make a stand. I'm afraid they don't do things wisely. But if you're filled with the Holy Ghost you'll take your time. It will cost you nothing to recognize your elders at any time.

Or anywhere. Learn that you know. So he just said men, brethren, fathers. Now he begins at that second verse and he goes right through the whole chapter. And can I say this to some of our young men here who are aiming to be preachers one day.

He has no book in his hand. He has certainly no known notes. And he went through the complete history of Israel. From Abraham was called right to the very moment when they took Christ and put him on the cross.

He's able to stand here and hold the crowd and do it. Because he was filled with the Holy Ghost. And he lets them see how often they had rebelled in the years gone by. Almost everywhere. Right through the wilderness.

In every department of the history. They were nothing but a bunch of rebels against God. And he very well done this. And then when we come a way down to 51. We're at verse 51 because I don't want to take up the whole defense he made.

He looked at this 71 and he knows what this means for him. He said ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears do always resist the Holy Ghost. As did your fathers. No argument about it. What does it mean?

Those who come to argue with me they say well what does it mean? I think you can see this. Don't you see this? Here's what he said. Ye stiff-necked. You don't need an expositor to tell you what stiff-neckedness is.

It's just a fellow that's absolutely set in his stubbornness. And on this occasion set in their stubbornness against the truth. I've seen people stubborn against the truth. But they were not only stiff-necked.

It says ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears. And you know what circumcision is? It's cutting off the flesh. And we don't need to go into that in this meeting. And it's a picture of the old flesh that's in every one of us being dealt with by death.

They were stubborn in their ways and the flesh had taken over their hearts and their ears. Listen to God. So this is what it is you know. It's the old flesh taking command of a fellow. And he being set in his stubbornness he resists every movement of the spirit towards bringing him light to the Holy Ghost.

Don't you forget it can be done alright. Yes. And I'll tell you it goes a bit further. Because when people get to this stage where they resist the Holy Ghost. He even went on at verse 52 to say which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?

And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the just one. Of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers. He wasn't soft this lad. You're not soft you know when you're filled with the spirit.

You just don't go about like a pansy. You know you talk up and be counted you know. Say things you know that upset people you murderers. Yes he talked out loud you know. And you'll find this. Verse 54 when they heard these things they were cut to the heart and they gnashed to the end of their teeth.

I think you've got that haven't you? You see this crowd resisted the spirit of God. Let's go back again till I do this properly for you. See chapter 6 in verse 10. I think you can see who resisted the spirit.

The scholars. All called scholars. Scribes, the council, the priests. When did they resist the spirit? See chapter 6 and verse 10. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he speak.

When the exposition of the truth of God left them without a word to say they resisted this. Oh yes I was talking to a man today. He tries to tell me that you can be lost again. I said all right let's have a look at this.

Here are two words. Perfected forever. By that one offering on the cross Christ has perfected me forever. I say to him and to his eyes. What is perfect? You know he's stubborn. I can I can almost see this.

He says I don't know I said you're a liar. You should get locked up somewhere. There's something wrong with your mentality. Perfected means perfected. And forever means forever. There is no argument. The trouble is with the stiff-necked clowns who won't receive the truth.

That's the trouble. I've seen it all over and over again you know. Yes you see when the exposition of the truth of God left them without a word to say. You know they resisted the spirit and gnashed on him with their teeth.

You see chapter 6 and verse 15. And all that sat in the council looking steadfastly in him saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. When the expression of the servant of God left them without a word to say.

They resisted the spirit. Sometimes your very attitude you know leaves them without a word to say. See chapter 7. Look at verse 51 where we were. You see the moment that this man stood before the 71 of them and said he's stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears.

You do always resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did. That's what he had been preaching to them. You see when the accusation of the man of God leaves them without a word to say. They'll resist this you know.

See 7 and 54. When they had these things they were cut to the heart. You know when the conviction of the Spirit of God leaves them without a word to say. Only thing they can do is take your life. You see the last see this last verse down here 7 and 55 or nearly the last verse says but he being full of the Holy Ghost.

There it is. Looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing. When the revelation of the Christ of God has left them without a word to say. They resist. I don't want to waste the whole night on this thing.

Quenching the Spirit Through Unyieldedness

Let's just do a moment or two on quench not the spirit. You see this word quench. Let's go way over and find it over here. It's in 1st Thessalonians and it's in 1st Thessalonians chapter 5. What a wonderful chapter this is.

Paul's writing to these saints of Thessalonica. They're not long saved these fellows and he's trying to teach them and that chapter 5 and verse 12 he said this and we beseech you brethren to know them which labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you.

You know it's a great thing when you get to learn God's order in God's house. You see there are some whom God has placed as shepherds of the flock as elders in the assembly. Yes you've got to know them.

That's what Paul says to know them which labor among you and are over you in the Lord. Nobody wants to be a pope over you or anything like that. We're not talking about popery. We're talking about men that God has placed in the assembly.

Elders, bishops if you like, shepherds if you like. A place there and you ought to know them. You know it's a terrible thing when the sheep begin to feed the shepherds instead of the shepherds feeding the sheep.

Things will go all haywire if we get to that stage you know. I've seen this you know too long. And he goes a little bit further and to esteem them very highly in love for the works sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

Now we exalt you brethren. Warn them that are unruly. Yes you know sometimes I've got to take somebody aside and put my arm around them and be as nice as I can and say listen you, you're not going on the way you are.

Not allowed to do it. It's what we're here for not just to carry on the meetings you know. You're working for God. When you get outside the truth and start to practice things that I think the devil's in, I'll have a go with you.

And if you won't listen to this book, we'll see you'll be out on the street. Not ruin the assembly. That's one thing sure. That's what we're here all about. It's an assembly. It's not a picture house you know.

The flock has to be cared for. And a little loving will soon live in the whole lump. It takes a tight man to do this. We've got a woman to do it in Belfast tonight. She'll have a bit of bother at it. Verse 14.

Now we exalt you brethren. Warn them that are unruly. Comfort the feeble minded. We'll always have feeble minded folk in the assembly you know. Try to comfort them. Support the weak. Be patient to a dull.

See that none render evil for evil unto any man. Ever follow that which is good both among yourselves and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks for this is the will of God concerning you.

Quench not the spirit. Oh they just come out like bullets out of a gun. Why he's trying to train the assembly just how they should go about things. You see when we use this word quench in our ordinary talk in everyday language.

We talk about quenching the flames of some fire. Fire begin putting water on it. Well we're not thinking like that when we're talking about quenching the spirit. That's what somebody said to me once. You know he's God.

You just can't blot him out. Well we know that quite well. He's the third person of the Trinity. We know he will not be blotted out. But you see he may come to some life and enter in and start to talk to you about what he wants you to do.

Where he wants you to go. What he wants you to be. And if you say no. You see it's it's the unwillingness of the flesh saying no to the Lord the Spirit. That's quenching. Because you've got to get to the place in life where you're looking into the face of the Lord and saying I'll be what you want me to be.

And I'll do what you want me to do. And I'll go where you want me to go. And I'll say what you want me to say. You see it's yieldedness that's needed. I think you can see this. We don't want to spend the time on this.

We want this meeting to be profitable. Now let's go over to Ephesians chapter 4. The letter to the Ephesians. And I think you can see there is a sense in which men can resist the Holy Ghost. And there is a sense in which servants and saints can quench the Spirit of God.

You can just say no I'm not going. Alan Edpath told me this himself. We have preached together sitting in a little back room. He said you know well I come to these big meetings and you know this is only my second best.

When I was saved you know I can remember God talking to me in the bedroom about going to India. I was a missionary and I should have gone and I said no that's it gone isn't it. So he gets God's second best for the rest of his days.

Just make sure you don't say no to the Lord. I think you can see this without me buttering it out that there is a sense in which you can see if people can resist the Holy Ghost. They don't want the truth.

God says that he will send people in this world of ours strong delusion that they might be damned because they receive not the love of the truth. I could take you to places you know if you preach the truth you'd never be allowed into the street again never mind into the place.

They don't want the truth. Yes and I know that it's possible for servants of the Lord, saints born again quench the Spirit of God. And you're a man and I believe the Lord was opening up the way before him right into the service of the Lord.

His wife wouldn't let him go. So I could tell you a whole lot of things. I want to talk to you that Ephesians chapter 4 Paul's writing to these saints who got gloriously saved when he went to Ephesus with the gospel.

One of these chapters he said at that time you were without Christ and he brought Christ to them and many of them were saved. And when they were saved when he believed he said he was sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.

And then in this chapter he says in verse 30 And ungrieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you're sealed unto the day of redemption. I want you to get that because I think you have got this now that there is a sense in which ordinary men resist the Spirit of God that's trying to bring truth to them.

And I think that you can see that even the servants of the Lord can quench the Spirit of God when they say no I'm not doing, not going that way. Now here's something else that ordinary humans can do. Believers born again indwelt by the Spirit they can grieve.

Grieving the Holy Spirit Through Sin

And this is a mighty word this here. One of the best translators I suppose in the country was an old Quaker called Dr. Williams. And he translated this phrase I'm pain not Spirit of God. As you know the Spirit that is within us he's the Holy Spirit.

When we were doing the titles I sort of stressed this for you. He's the Holy and you can grieve him. Gives him pain when the saints that he indwells go on doing things he doesn't want them to do. He tries to empty certain things out of them so that he might fill them with love and joy and peace and long-suffering and gentleness and goodness and faith and meekness and temperance.

But if he's going to fill them with these things then of course he's got to empty them of a lot of things. I think you can see this phrase and grieve not that's the bit we want to hold on to. I want you to see the title the Holy Spirit of God.

And I want you to get this little bit whereby ye are sealed. And I want you to get sealed on to. You know every believer in this building just now born again doesn't make a matter how long ago it happened.

It may you may be only born again last night like our young sister here when John led her to the Savior. Well at that moment she was sealed. The stamp of the Spirit was put upon her. You know what the seal is don't you?

Well that's a work that the Spirit does the moment you're saved you're sealed. Now not only what he does but for how long it's going to last. You're sealed on to the day of redemption. There is no chance of being lost again.

You see the day of redemption is when Jesus Christ will come to the air. And the saints that are here will rise to meet him. And those who have died will be brought back from the grave. And we shall meet him in the air and we shall be like him.

Well we're sealed until the day of redemption. There's no dropping us half way. We're not at that bit this evening. I'm only pointing it out. Sealed on to. Want to talk to you about grieving. About paining.

One of the translators translated bringing sorrow to the Spirit of God. Now you'll notice that the phrase begins with the word and. That's a conjunction that's here. Yes and I want you to see all the things that's joined to it.

You see you have to go back up the chapter a bit and we've got to verse 25 because that's where the whole paragraph begins. Paul says wherefore. This is the sort of summing up the whole thing up. In verse 25 he says wherefore putting away lying.

Speak every man truth with his neighbor for we are members one of another. Now you see on truthfulness it will pain the Spirit of God. Somebody said to me once why did Paul write this to these believers.

Do believers tell lies? Yes they do. There's a whole crowd of them do nothing else but tell lies. There's a crowd of businessmen who are believers tell lies all the time. He's the Spirit of God. Spirit of God is inside.

Don't let me say the Spirit of God. Let me say the Holy Spirit of God. I can't stand to not tell a lie over a counter. It's the Holy Spirit of God. He's pained. Got to get this out of this fellow. He's going to be filled with no use of talking about being filled with your telling lies every day.

At all. I think I told you once you know I walked into a big firm one day. The old director you know he just bypassed everybody in the firm. Put his arm round me. Oh Willie how you doing? Hug me up you know in front of the customers and all the rest.

Where you preaching now? So after I got all this hugging up. He said to me what are you looking for? I said I'm looking for a wee table. I want a wee table it'll fold up I can just take it out and put by the fire and put my books on it.

He says I'll weave the thing for you. Here it is. There it is. Lovely little table it was. I said what's that cost me? He says that's five nineteen and six. Put us four nineteen and six for you. That's what we bought.

I said let us sit there. I'll take a walk around the store. I'll come back and see you. Go around the store and meet the manager. This was the director that was hugging me. The manager doesn't know him.

He says Willie how you doing? Good fellow. Runs a meeting and it's a first-class one. Yes I'm doing well. He said what are you talking to the old man about? I said I'm buying a table off him. A wee table up there.

He says give me it for four nineteen and six. It was five nineteen and six. He says he's a liar. He says the thing cost him three nineteen and six. Are you sure? He says yes. Say you fade away. Go you away.

Doctor it's all funny. You know what's the use of me fiddling about? He says we know this by. You're an old hypocrite. That's what you are. Because I just learned the table cost three nineteen and six.

You charged me four nineteen and six. You're trying to blow my head off. You're giving me a quid. What are you trying to rob me for? You're both a liar and a robber. He says the Holy Ghost must be fed up of you.

Is this the way we go? Used of God like this. You know this untruthfulness will have to go. When I started work first you know. I was saved forty four years ago. Started work two or three years later.

An old Dixon of Dixon's nursery. Hallmark fame roses. He says you start that clock at seven in the morning. Work from seven in the morning to six at night in those days. But I learned you know in those two days that if you're going out to work you're going out to work for Christ.

Remember looking at this. As unto Christ. You're doing it as unto Christ. He says Lord I've got I've got to stamp this clock for you. Not for Dixon. Never late in my life. I was at the gate before they had the gate open.

I never stamped that clock once. Under ten minutes to seven. And to work for Christ. You know I can see these men. There were seventy men in this big rose field. You're digging roses here. They didn't start at seven.

They got some fellow one week and some fellow next week to punch all the numbers when he came. He stood at the clock for long enough punching all the numbers. Yes. Some of them never turned up to dinner time.

Yes. I'll tell you this friend. I can see them you know. I was the only fellow who was working here. But I was working for the Lord. I was digging with a spade you know. Digging roses. And here's some of the brethren and some of the Baptists.

Weak clicks of their own. Standing with their Bibles or arguing about things. Arguing about elders and deacons. And stealing the masters time. Telling lies. Pretending to start at seven. When they had never.

It's a lie you know. Don't think the Holy Ghost is going to use you. He needs to talk to you instead of talking through you. It's untruthfulness we'll have to go. Must get this out of us. And you see the next verse.

Verse 26 says be ye angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. That's a real one isn't it. Because you know that's ungraciousness. You know it's so easy for us to be ungracious in the home.

And you can be angry about something you know. I want to say there's a man here who's never lost his temper with a wife. And if you got up I'd say get down you hypocrite. You see we all do it. There's times when I've got first up with a wee woman.

And walked into the other room in a huff. You know what a huff is don't you. Some of you know what a huff is for weeks never mind for a half an hour. Well it needs to stop you know. This always came to my mind.