Luke 3:21-23; 4:1-12
Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit Luke4:1…
Jesus didn’t just go into the wilderness; He went on a 5 stage spiritual journey
Infancy; childhood; youth; adult & ultimately His purpose
Luke 4:1-18; 1 John 2:12-16; 1 Corinthians 13:11; 1 Peter 2:2
Childhood Stage
Begins we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us up
Simultaneously, God begins to heal us from the old self-love with His concept of forgiveness
2 Major Challenges:
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We must come to understand that we can be filled with the Holy Spirit today
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We must realize how to be filled by Him in our daily lives
Jesus showed us how to overcome challenge # 1
By the time he returned from the Jordan River, He was Spirit filled
He had plenty of time to commune with the Spirit & be filled by Him, before returning to Galilee
Remember the number one purpose of the Spirit in the earth is to commune with us in our single most important relationship with God
Being filled with the Spirit is the direct result of daily communing with Him
Communion with the H.S. allows you to develop a relationship with Him which leads to the following states:
Friendship, fellowship, companionship, ownership, leadership, and partnership
Practically speaking, to be filed with the H.S. means to be under His influence & control
Greek word for full in Luke 4:1 is pleres
An adjective describing the completed stet of being filled to the point of under His control
Root Greek Word for the process of being filled is pleho
Means to be full of to fulfill
Both words are used by Paul in Eph 5:18…
“do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit”
Greek word for filled in this passage is plerousthe
Means to continually fill to the top, and make full
An ever present tense verb, representing a continual action that never stops
Why Should we Be Filled With the Holy Spirit
MAIN REASON: WE ARE COMMANDED!
Paul emphatically commands all believers to be filled with the H.S. – Eph 5:18…
Translated into the imperative mood & in a plural number
Meaning it still applies today, in the active voice & passive voice
The H.S. is active in the filling process * we are passive in the receiving process
ANOTHER REASON: IF WE DON’T RECEIVE THE H.S. WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE WE WILL SABOTAGE OUR OPPORTUNITY TO BE FILLW BY HIM
Everyone who claims to be a believer is commanded to be filled with the H.S.
This command can be proven by Sound Doctrine:
Bible-Answer – Eph 5:18
Bible-Mate – Acts 13:52
Bible-Example – Luke 4:1
Bible-New Self Love – Acts 2:1ff
Four Measures Theory
An analogy that is used to describe why we should NOT be filled with the H.S. today
Argues that there are 4 measures of being filled with the H.S. in the New Testament:
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Boundless Measure – John 3:34 – Jesus
This theory argues that Jesus received the full measure of the H.S. & he was the only one who received this unlimited measure
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Baptismal Measure – Apostles
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The Laying on of Hands Measure –Apostles
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Ordinary Measure – Received at the Remission of Sins
The theory is flawed for 5 reasons:
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We cannot divide the H.S., who is a person, into four parts
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The Greek word for measure means “an instrument for measuring, a vessel for determining the quantity of things, a ruler of measuring, & a standard for judging
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Meaning that Jesus is our standard for measuring & judging how we receive the H.S.
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John 3:34-35, Jesus is the standard for how we receive the H.S. in these last days
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In context, John 3:34 refers to the Old Testament prophets who received the H.S. for limited amounts of time/purposes. (Jesus was filled with the H.S. & left us an example of how we should)
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All apostles agree that Jesus is the standard for what we should do in the Christian life
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Heb 12:2; Phil 2:5; 1 Pet 1:21; 2 Pet 1:3
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We should adopt the beliefs, values & attitudes of Jesus when we receive the H.S. today
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Is the Holy Spirit Still Being Poured Out Today?
Ever since God created Niagra Falls, it has been pouring water over the falls
Similarly, ever since God established the church on Pentecost, He has been pouring His Spirit on those who obey Him – Acts 2:32-42…
The Bible introduces Pouring of the H.S. as the same experience as being filled with the H.S. & is often referred to by man as baptizing of the H.S.
Luke 3:21-22…
The Greek word for descended means “to come down upon, to fall down upon, or to go down upon
For this to happen, the H.S. had to be poured out by someone & that someone was God
Since this is our example, we can conclude that the way we are filled today, is by the Him being poured upon us in the same way He was poured upon Jesus
Joel 2:28…
Zech 12:10…
Luke Acts 2:38-40…
When the notion of be filled with the H.S. is introduced by man, it is referred to as baptism of the H.S.
Matt 3:11; Acts 11:15-16; Acts 1:5; Luke 24:49…
Conclusion: Anytime we talk about the pouring, being filled, or baptism of the H.S. we are speaking of the same thing
Pouring Out is Used 4 Times In the New Testament
First, Peter quoted Joel in Acts 2:28 – Began by God on human spirits in the NT
Second, Acts 2:32-33… – the new age of baptism – Jesus commanded them not to leave Acts 1:4-8…
Third, Acts 10:44-45… – See also 4:32; 13;52; 18:5-6; 1 Cor 12:13
Fourth, Titus 3:5-6… – Paul proved the H.S. pouring continued after Pentecost
Joel 2:28; Acts 2:16-17; 11:16…– Peter said the gift/promise would be given to all
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Baptism means “immersion or submersion”
Thus baptism of the H.S. means to be immersed by the H.S.
Not an individual act, but collective act of God on all believers who obey His word – 1 Cor 12:13; Acts 8:36-38…
Firstly, God introduced on the day of Pentecost, in a one time, ongoing act of pouring out the H.S. upon the Jews
Secondly, God extended the same ongoing act upon the Gentiles & continues today to those baptized in water for the remission of sins & who continue to receive the H.S. by obeying God’s Word
Acts 2:37-38…
Notice the extension of the promise
Joel’s prophecy also declared where baptism of the H.S. would begin – Acts 2:17…
Heb 1:1-2… -The last days starts with the coming of Jesus & ends with His return
God will be pouring out His spirit until Jesus comes to those who obey His word & are baptized – Acts 5:32…
Just as the crucifixion of Jesus was a one-time event & His blood is still cleansing believers of their sins
Baptism of the H.S. is still filling believers – 1 John 1:7; Rom 3:25; 5:6-9; Eph 1:7; Col 1:14…
Jesus’ crucifixion was prophesied & fulfilled in one ongoing event starting at Pentecost
Baptism of the H.S. was prophesied & is still being fulfilled in one ongoing event
Zech 12:10; Joel 2:28; Acts 2:28; 2:32-33;
One Baptism
There are 4 types of baptism mentioned in the New Testament
Water
Holy Spirit
Fire
Suffering
Christ spoke of two of these (Suffering – which only Jesus experienced & Fire – which was the threat of Hell’s fire)
Eph 4:5… Paul says there is but one
It is the water baptism of Eph 5:25-26…
Baptism in Eph 4:5 means “immersion by the washing of water” which agrees with the washing of water Paul talks about in Eph 5:25-26
Jesus commanded men to administer water baptism in the great commission – Matt 28:18-20; Acts 8:36-38…
Holy Spirit baptism has always been administered by God
Was the Holy Spirit’s Baptism Different for the Apostles?
YES!
The apostles had a different purpose in life than we do today
They received the baptism of the H.S. to create, confirm, establish God’s Word & the church of Christ
Anointed them with power they needed to fulfill their unique purpose
No one today has that purpose
There are no more living apostles of Jesus today
The Holy Spirit empowers us according to the purpose of God
Apostles were ordained by God to be eye witnesses of Jesus’ & His resurrection – Mark 16:16-20; Heb 2:1-4…
When their purpose was complete, the power they needed ended with them – Heb 2:1-4; 1 Cor 13:8-13…
Paul is very clear & direct:
A time will come in the future, when prophesies will fail, tongues cease, & supernatural knowledge will vanish away
WHEN?
When the perfect comes
The partial gifts will go away and the permanent will come of faith, hope & love & remain
Paul wrote this near the infancy of the church & today those partial gifts of prophecy, tongues & supernatural knowledge have ceased; the permanent gifts live forever
Does this mean the H.S. stopped doing miracles & cannot do miracles today?
Paul told the Galatians, years after Pentecost, they were foolish for believing the H.S. could not still do miracles – Gal 3:1-5…
God can still do what & when He wants today, but we must have faith, hope & love to believe in miracles
If we have faith, hope & love in God, nothing is impossible – 1 John 4:7-8; Luke 1:37; 18:27; Matt 17:20; 19:26; Heb 11:6; Mark 11:22-24…
We don’t need the same power the H.S. gave the apostles, all we need if the power that faith, hope & love gives us in the Holy Spirit –Eph 3:16-20…
