The Filling of the Holy Spirit

Becoming Like Jesus (Romans 8) Sermon 5 of 5

April 22, 1990

Romans 8:9 " ... if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him."

Introduction:

Defining Sanctification

We may scripturally define the "sanctified life" as Belonging to God, and as Becoming Like Jesus. But we may also define sanctification as Being Filled with the Holy Spirit.

We can understand the concept of belonging to God. We can even understand becoming (more and more) like Jesus Christ. But what does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit?

Somehow this seems to mean many different things to different groups or individuals. Like the blind men and the elephant, all too often we seize on some facet of truth and make it the controlling emphasis of our thought on this matter of critical importance.

We emphasize the gifts of the Spirit and we compare and contrast them to the fruit of the Spirit. We debate about the manifestations of the Spirit, and we discuss heatedly about the baptism and the infilling of the Spirit. These are all vital and important topics.

But in the meantime very little is said about the Spirit Himself. And for good reason— for not too much is known about this mysterious Person of the Godhead.

I. WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

One way to grasp the truth about the Holy Spirit is to see what the Bible calls Him, or more particularly what He is called right here in this chapter. He is called:
[verse 2] The Spirit of life [verse 9] The Spirit of God [verse 9] The Spirit of Christ [verse 11] The Spirit of Him Who raised Jesus from the dead [verse 14] The Spirit of God [verse 15] The Spirit of Adoption
The Holy Spirit is MYSTERY. God is always Holy Mystery. But this is particularly true of the Third Person of the Trinity.
(Revelation 4:5 Speaks of the "seven Spirits of God," and describes them as lamps of fire burning before the Throne. But the Glorified Savior is described as a Lion and as a Lamb; both of these mysteries of faith are Persons of the Godhead, and not to be lightly treated in our minds and imagination, but rather, reverently worshiped.)
We can be sure that the Holy Spirit is like Jesus. Jesus called Him "another Comforter." The Holy Spirit is God in the normal living of Christian faith.
1. He IS power for extraordinary manifestation; and
2. He is ENABLING for special assignments large and small. But most of all, and best of all,
3. He is also A COMPANION IN DAY BY DAY LIVING.
4. The Holy Spirit comes to make JESUS real. He comes to glorify Jesus.

[Illustration: Mildred Bangs Wyncoop tells of a student rising to his feet in a college chapel to say, "I've found something better than the Lordship of Jesus! I have found the Spirit!" And she goes on to say, that is NOT what the scriptures say!]

What DO the scriptures say? (John 16:13 But when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth. for He will not speak of Himself, but what He hears, He will speak. And He will show you things to come. He shall glorify ME; for He shall take of Mine and disclose it to you. ) The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Jesus. But what does the Spirit DO in our lives?

II. WHAT DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT DO IN OUR SANCTIFICATION?

Romans 8 tells us a number of practical things about the Spirit's ministry to us:
1. (verse 2) As the Spirit of life, HE SETS US FREE in Christ Jesus FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH.
2. (verse 5 and 9) As the Spirit of God (context) HE ENABLES BELIEVERS TO SET THEIR MINDS ON THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT. This can also be coupled with (verse 13): ...by the Spirit (we) are PUTTING TO DEATH THE DEEDS OF THE FLESH.
3. (verse 11) As the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead, HE ASSURES US OF ETERNAL LIFE.
4. (verse 16) As the Spirit of adoption, HE BEARS WITNESS WITH OUR SPIRITS THAT WE ARE GOD'S CHILDREN. He brings ASSURANCE!
5. (verse 26) HE HELPS US IN OUR WEAKNESS. [If we have any!]
6. (verse 26 & 27) HE MAKES INTERCESSION FOR US; He helps us pray, or He actually prays FOR us.
How does this translate, practically?:
[A 'SUB-SERMON' HERE, using the outline REAL WORLD, REAL PEOPLE, REAL POWER:]
1. REAL WORLD! THE SPIRIT KEEPS OUR FAITH SWEET AND PURE IN THIS REAL WORLD. Many kinds of faith would seem to work under ideal conditions, or textbook situations. But conditions are never ideal. (Verse 22) "For we know that THE WHOLE CREATION GROANS AND SUFFERS PAINS OF CHILDBIRTH TOGETHER UNTIL NOW." We have to live in a groaning, suffering world. [WORLD OF "FUZZY GRAYS!']
  The freedom and the assurance of the Spirit help the Spirit-filled Christian to find it increasingly possible to live with life as it really is (the paradox of reality:) (verses 23) Even the Spirit-filled Christians groan as we await the fullness of glory.
  In other words, we can have a child-like faith that is not childish. The mature, Spirit-filled Christian knows groaning which cannot be uttered; but he or she also knows that the Spirit is there to make intercession.
  What does it mean to hear: "Blessed are the poor in Spirit (Matthew 5)" and at the same time hear "You are complete in Christ, seated with Him in power (Colossians 2:10, 3:1)"? or how can we reconcile "God is Sovereign: His Will MUST be done" and at the same time "You and I have Free Will: We are 'Free Moral Agents.'"??
  Part of this mature child-likeness will ponder the imponderable questions, like: "Why do the righteous suffer?" and "What about the billions who will never hear of Jesus Christ before they die?"
2. REAL PEOPLE! THE SPIRIT HELPS US TO BE REAL PEOPLE. The Spirit helps us IN our weakness and infirmity. Some preaching I have heard seems to say that the Spirit-filled Christian doesn't HAVE any weakness any more. The Spirit is POWER— so any weakness indicates a moral lack.
  But verse 26 indicates clearly both weakness AND ignorance. But it tells us that the Spirit will HELP the one, and INTERCEDE for the other.
  Our natural tendency is to cover up our failures. Certainly there is no virtue is parading them before one another. But God wants us to be REAL.
  [Illustration: Someone ought to write a story about a community where everyone wore masks every time they came together in order to fit a special edition of a Script they all revered.
  They were subtle masks— almost always smiling— and they fit well, most of the time. But as these people lived together the masks didn't grow along with the problems of everyday living. And when the real people emerged from behind the masks, no one in the fellowship knew who these people really were— and they didn't even recognize themselves— for there was confusion as to which was mask and which was real— or if there even was a real ... is such a story a possibility for someone to write?]
  Beyond the normal and necessary courtesies of politeness, we need to learn to live without sham. [Not everyone wants a full organ recital when they say, "How are you?"!!] Somehow we need to come to see that God loves us in spite of our faults and weakness. If we dare to open up to Him, He will HELP us in our weakness. If we don't have any weakness, we don't need any help! If we know HOW to pray all the time, we may not need the Holy Spirit to groan for us!
  Somehow I am certain: God wants us to be REAL!
3. REAL POWER! THE SPIRIT LEADS US INTO THE MINISTRY OF COMPLETENESS. Remember, the ministry of completeness reflects a basic concept of God. (Verse 31) If God is for us (NO ONE) can be against us!
  Somewhere in the backs of our minds we have hidden something that we heard somewhere in Sunday School class— that God made all the beautiful things like the sun, moon and stars, but then God was lonely. So out of His loneliness and need God said, "I will make man so that I can have fellowship!"
  That may sound nice— but it isn't true. And it is very dangerous. GOD COULD NEVER LACK ANYTHING! It sounds nice to say "God has no hands but our hands!" and there is an element— a paradox— of truth in that statement of God's "need."
  But we need to remember that God the Lord is GOD! God is Sovereign! God is complete!
  And when His Spirit dwells in us, we share in His love and His completeness! So when we serve and minister, it is not with the idea of building goodness, or earning merit, or even seeking to save our own souls, but rather we must give and serve from LOVE, like God!
  The Spirit leads us, in all our weakness and ignorance, to serve in the power of God's might, and in the clarity of His will, and in the provision of His power. (Verse 31-32) What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?"

III. HOW MAY YOU AND I BE SANCTIFIED WHOLLY ?

MAKE SURE THAT WE BELONG TO GOD. (Consecrate)
Objects can be consecrated without their consent. People need to give themselves. If there are hindrances or other claims on your life, this claim will supersede. (Romans 12:1,2)
MAKE IT OUR AIM TO BE LIKE JESUS. (Ask, Seek, Knock)
Different people will tell you different things about being filled with the Spirit. But there is nothing higher than being like Jesus. Ask God to bring that to pass in your life and you can be certain that you are asking according to His will (Philippians 2:5)
WE MUST GET FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND STAY FILLED.
(Romans 12:1, Luke 11:13, Ephesians 5:18) It isn't hard to be sanctified when you are ready to say "YES" to God! The thing is to STAY filled— day by day! To "be BEING filled!"

PRAYER: Help us dare to ASK for what we need!

#38 EH Come, Holy Spirit