Summary.
(A) One cannot live a successful saved life without the Holy Spirit indwelling the person because the Holy Spirit is the one to give the necessary power to live a holy life. He is the helper Jesus promised to leave to the believers so that they can be helped to live, successfully, a holy live (Acts 1:8; John 14:26).
1. The Holy Ghost is God: Acts 5:3-4; 2 Cor. 3:17; 1 Cor. 3:16-19; 2 Cor .6:19.
2. God dwells in His people (Church, Temple) through the Holy Spirit:John 14:15-17; 1 Cor. 3:16-17; 1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 2:19-22.
3. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth: John 14:16-17; John 14:26.
4. The Holy Spirit is given to the obedient children of God :Acts 2: 38-39; Acts 5:32; John 7:39.
5. The Holy Spirit guides the people of God into all the truth: John 16: 13; John 14:26; 1 John 2:27.
6. He gives the spiritual gifts to the Church of God: 1 Cor. 12:8-11.
8. It is a necessity to be filled with the Holy Spirit :John 16:13; Romans 8:9.
(a) He disables carnality in the a believer, if the believer will be humble and submissive to Him : Matt. 3:11; Acts 15: 8-9; Rom. 8:13; Rom. 15:16. This submission (dying to self, or consecration) is to be on a daily and continuous basis.
(b). He sheds the love of God into the hearts of believers: Romans 5:1-5.
(c). He gives the power to the believers to be effective witnesses of Christ: Acts 1:8.
(d). He is the seal (mark, evidence) of God in the believers : Eph. 1:13; Eph. 4:30.
(e). He perfects the unity of the believers: Acts 4:31-33; Galatians 3:28.
(f). He leads the believers according to the will of God: Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:16-18.
(B) Therefore, to be sure you are filled with the Holy Ghost, let me see that you do all that you do according to what the Word of God says. I can only be convinced by the fruit of holiness in your life. If I do not see that, then I will know that you are not filled with the Holy Ghost.
(B). Baptism with the Holy Spirit: Matt. 3:11; Acts 1:5; Acts 19:1-6.
(a) What does it mean, and what is it? It is being so filled with God and His power that only Godliness is seen in one’s life at all times: Gal. 5:22-24; Eph. 5:18-21.
(b) It was commanded by God : Romans 8: 9; Acts 1:5,8; John 20:22; John 16:13.
(c) It was promised: Matt. 3:11; John 14:16-17, 26; Luke 24:49.
(d) It is received after the forgiveness of sins:
(i) The Holy Spirit is only given to those who have spiritual life :
Acts 19:1-2; Ephesians 1:13; Acts 8:5-17.
(ii) He only dwells in those who are holy: 1 Cor. 3:16-17.
(iii) He dwells only in those who are obedient: Acts 5:32
(e). There is evidence of Holy Spirit baptism: 2 Cor. 4:6-7; 2 Cor. 13:5.
(i) The Holy Spirit Himself is the witness: Heb. 10:14-16; Romans 8:15-16.
(ii) Power to live a holy life at all times in one’s life: Acts 1:8; Acts 10:37-38; Romans 8:11-14.
(iii) Overflowing of the fruit of the Spirit is a very good evidence that one is filled with the Holy Spirit: Gal. 5:22-25; Col. 3:12-17; Romans 14:17; Romans 15:13.
(iv) Spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit to do a work for the glory of God and for the edification of the Church of God: Mat. 28:19-20; Mark 17:17-18; Rom. 12:6-8;
1 Cor. 12:4-11, 28-31; Gal. 1:11-16.
Work Sheet: The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
1. Acts 5:3 says Ananias lied to the ____________________________ . Acts 5:4 says Ananias lied to _________ . Therefore the Holy Spirit is here identified as __________.
- John 16:13-14: “Howbeit (nevertheless), when ______ , the Spirit of truth is come, _______ will guide you into all truth; for ______ shall not speak of ________________ but whatsoever ______ shall hear, that shall _____ speak; and _____ will shew you things to come. _____ shall glorify Me; for _____ shall receive of Mine, and shall shew it unto you.” In these two verses, did Christ speak of the Holy Spirit as a Person, or as an “influence” or as an “it” or as a “force”?_________. Is the Holy Ghost a living Person or a non-living thing or power (John 16:7-9)? ___________________ Do you believe God?_________.
3. Please complete this MATCHING problem:
| 1) _____ The Holy Spirit gives new birth (“regeneration”) as new life to a person the moment he receives Christ as his Savior. | A. 1 Corinthians 12:13 |
| 2) _____ By one Spirit, all believers were baptized into the body of Christ and became members of the Church of God. | B. John 3:5; Titus 3:5 |
| 3) _____ The Holy Spirit indwells (lives inside) each and every believer. | C. Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30 |
| 4) _____ The Holy Spirit is the Seal whereby each believer is sealed by God unto the day of redemption. | D. 2 Timothy 1:14;1 Cor. 6:19-20 |
5). If a person does not have the Holy Spirit, is he really a Christian? (does he really belong to Christ)? ________ (see Romans 8:9).
6). Who is the believer’s Perfect Teacher (John 16:13; 1 John 2:20; 2:27; 1 Corinthians 2:9-14)? ___________________________________________
7). It is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be constantly F________ W_______ T_______ S_______________ (Ephesians 5:18) so that the F____________ of the S___________________ (Galatians 5:22-23) will be manifested and displayed, the result being that Christ will be glorified (John 16:14) and the believer will become more and more Christ-like (2 Corinthians 3:18).
8). Without the Holy Spirit, it is not possible to have _______________ to serve God (Acts 1:5; Luke 24:49).
9). When a person if full of the Holy Ghost, what will be seen in his or her life (Gala.5:22-24; Col. 3:12-16; Eph. 5:9)? ___________________________________
10). Does the fruit of the Spirit have to appear only when one is in the services with the other members of the church or only when one is in company with the believers (Mat. 5:13-16; Col. 3:14-17)? ________________________________.
11). What did Jesus mean by: “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me” (Mat.15:8)? _________________________________________________________. This state of things describes the people of today who claim to be saved but in their lives, they do not let Christ show the life He lives in them through the Holy Spirit who would give them power to act, think, and do whatever they do always. We know that the person is a Christian because the person lives as _______________(Gal. 2:20; 1 Thes. 5:10).
12). When we are full of the Holy Ghost our actions, words, and thoughts will always be seen as those of__________ __________(2 Cor. 3:3; Rom. 13:14; Gal. 3:27).
13). God as a Spirit, wants to dwell in us so that He may give us the power to overcome the _________________of the _________________(Eph.5:16).
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“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Mat. 3:11).
“For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” (Acts 1:5).
“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Rom 8:9).
“Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49). “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
“Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?” (Acts 19:2).
“If so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4:21-24).
God tells us in Galatians 5:16: …” Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”. Walking in the Spirit is the life of true saint of God. It is not an ambition to achieve, unless one is not entirely saved. It is the actual way a true Christian lives, talks, and thinks. Stephen is described as “a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 6:5). People could see his life and experience the power and influence of God in his life which proved that he was full of the Holy Ghost. In fact Stephen was able to see the glory of God as he was about to be transferred to heaven: “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55). If we can be that close to God, then at the very end of our life, we can be sure to hear the Lord say: “…..enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Mat.25:23). Such Godliness is only possible when we allow God to own our whole being to do with us as He pleases (1 Cor. 6:19-20; Rom. 14:8). This is only possible when we are filled with the Holy Ghost (Eph.5:18).
Read Acts 1:4,5,8; Luke 24:49; John 16:16,26 and Rom. 8:9. Is it the will of God that all believers receive the Holy Ghost? ________________________________.
“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:13-14). Apart from the physical death, what other death is referred to in the above verse? (Eph. 2:1-3,5; Col 2:13).__________ ___________. Could we be living in the world as human beings live and yet be spiritually dead in the eyes of God (1 Tim. 5:6) _______________________. Are you alive in the eyes of God or are you a dead person while living in the world (John 5:24; John 3:16; John 11:25-26)__________ ____________________Why ___________________
How is a true Christian, who has the life of God, known by other saints of God (Mat. 7:16-18; Eph. 5:9; Gal.5:22-25)_______________________________________.
Baptism into the Body of Christ and the Filling with the Holy Spirit.
A Comparison and A Contrast
| THE BAPTISM | THE FILLING |
| Definition: The Baptism by the Spirit is that work of God whereby the believer is immersed into Jesus Christ and into His body which is the church (1 Cor. 12:13 and Gal. 3:27). | Definition: The Filling with the Spirit is that act of God whereby He moves into, indwells, leads and enables the believer who is yielded and dependent and fit for the Master’s use (Ephesians 5:18). |
| The BAPTISM by the Spirit into the Body of Christ is presented as a fact to be believed and lived (1 Cor. 12:13,25-26; Gal. 3:27). | The FILLING is presented as a command to be obeyed ( Acts 1:5,8; Eph. 5:18). |
| Every true believer has had this baptism as it is an integral part of son ship in God’s family.(1 Corinthians 12:13-”ALL” and see Galatians 3:26-27). | Not every believer is filled with the Spirit (though this is God’s will for him–see Eph. 5:17). Any who refuses to go on to be filled with the Spirit loses salvation. |
| The believer is never commanded to be baptized into the Body of Christ by the Spirit nor is he commanded to seek this baptism. | The believer is commanded to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18 and compare Galatians 5:16). |
| PAST TENSE USED: “For by one Spirit were (aorist passive indicative) we all baptized into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13) IT’S DONE! | PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE USED: “Keep filled (present, passive imperative) with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18).(ONCE HE HAS COME IN, LET HIM STAY THERE CONTINUOUSLY)! |
| It is done once a person is saved, and can only be undone through the willful sin of the person, which causes the rejection of the person by God as the sinner is spud out. | The believer who is not filled needs to be filled., AND IF ONE BACKSLIDES AND REPENTS AGAIN, HE NEEDS TO GET BACK TO BE FILLED YET AGAIN. |
| It relates to a believer’s standing and position in Christ. | It relates to a believer’s walk and his or her fellowship with the Lord. |
| THE RESULT: The believer is placed into Jesus Christ and into His body the moment he trusts Christ as Saviour (1 Cor. 12:13). As a result the believer is “in Christ” (2 Cor. 5:17) and in His church (Acts 2:47). | THE RESULT: The believer is controlled and empowered by God for testimony (bearing witness to Christ and manifesting His life) and service, after the believer has been given the necessary gifts and qualifications. (Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 28). |
| The Condition: In order to be baptized by the Spirit into the Body of Christ, the unsaved person must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31 and see Galatians 3:26-27). | The Condition: In order to be filled with the Spirit the believer must confess and forsake all known sin (1 John 1:9), and totally give self and all to God to be owned and used fully and fully controlled by God ( Gal. 5:16;1 Thes. 5:19). |
| The Baptism involves POSITION. The baptized person has a brand new position. He is “IN CHRIST” (2 Corinthians 5:17 and Romans 8:1). | The Filling involves indwelling by God (2 Cor. 6:16; 1 Cor. 3:16-17) and receiving POWER: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost [Spirit] is come upon you” (Acts 1:8 and see Acts 4:31,33). |
| Being baptized into the body by the Spirit is something each and every true believer has undergone. | Spirit filling is something that each and every believer needs and must have to continue being a Christian (Rom. 8:9; John 14:26). |
| Spirit baptism relates to a person’s salvation. It is one of the many salvation blessings that is found in Christ (Eph. 1:3 and compare Eph. 4:5). | Spirit filling relates to a person’s walk and fellowship with the Lord in time. The “spiritual” believer is the believer who consistently is filled with the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23; 6:1). |
| A believer can be spued out of the Body by Christ if he sins willfully (John 13:27; 2 Tim. 4:10; Heb. 6:4-6; Rev.3:16) | A believer can be “un-filled” due to sin in his life, refusal to yield to God’s control or by placing confidence in self rather than placing all confidence in Christ. |
