FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT
Acts 2:1-13
The Spirit is promised (1:5)
God keeps His promises.
The Spirit fills believers (2:1-4)
The Spirit dwells with you, but has He filled you?
Baptism with the Spirit - refers to the initial pouring out of the Holy Spirit in a new way around the time of Pentecost in which every believer participates in through faith.
Indwelling of the Spirit - describes the permanent presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer.
Filling with the Sprit - refers to time(s) when the Spirit’s power and presence is expressed in increasing measure in the life of a believer for the purpose of living more like Christ and accomplishing more for Christ.
The effect of the Spirit is obvious (5-11)
The Spirit dwells with you. Can you (or others) see Him in you?
The Spirit’s work can be accepted or rejected (12-13)
The Spirit dwells with you. Do you want Him to fill you?
How to be filled with the Holy Spirit:
ASK God to fill you with the Spirit. (Luke 11:13)
OPEN your life through confession, submission, obedience. (Eph. 5:8)
WAIT to be filled with the Spirit in God’s timing and in God’s way. (Ps. 130:5-6)
The Spirit is given to you. Are you given to Him?
Discussion Guide
Open Up:
Who was the person that simply their presence made your team or group better? What was it about them?
Before this message what had been your understanding of “baptism in the Holy Spirit?” What about “filling of the Holy Spirit?”
Have you known people who have claimed to have been baptized in the Holy Spirit or filled with the Holy Spirit? How would they describe it?
Dig In:
Have you ever had an event(s) of a large step of growth in your Christian walk? Describe the experience.
In what ways have you experienced the Holy Spirit’s work in your life?
Read the following passages and describe the effect of the filling of the Holy Spirit: Acts 2:4; 4:31; 7:55; 9:17; 11:24; 13:9-12, 52.
How many times in the previous passages did the filling of the Spirit serve to advance the mission of God and the gospel?
Live Out:
If we were to ask your spouse, coworkers, and friends, would they be able to give examples of the Spirit’s work in your life?
List three names of people you know in the places you live, work, and play who do not yet follow Jesus and need to see the work of the Spirit.
Do you plan to pursue being filled with the Spirit in a more significant way this week / month / year? List which of the steps of being filled with the Spirit you plan to work on this week. What will you do to accomplish this? How can we as a group support you in this?
PRAY for the Spirit to reveal to you what you need to confess / yield / pursue in order to be open to His filling.
PRAY together to the Spirit to fill us!