Filled with the Holy Spirit - #1 - There's More

Filled with the Holy Spirit – #1 – There’s More

Text: John 20:22, Luke 24:49

What is the “Promise of the Father? The Holy Spirit.
Endued = clothed – NIV “until you have been clothed with”
I want to note here that Jesus didn’t say, “until you speak in tongues, or until you shake, look drunk, or fall down. Etc. But until you are “clothed with power.”

Why make this point? Growing up in a Pentecostal church I was taught that the evidence of the infilling, or baptism in the Holy Spirit was tongues.
If you spoke in tongues, you had it. If no tongues, keep seeking.
At this season of life I don’t believe “tongues” is the defining evidence.
Tongues can be evidence, but I have come to see scripture differently than when I grew up with that teaching. I believe God is a diverse God!
And much like when you study the methods Jesus used when he healed people, how a person receives the Holy Spirit can be different every time.
I think tongues is an evidence, but I don’t think Luke in writing the book of Acts was trying to pin that down for us.

Jn. 20:22 When Jesus breathed on them, what did they receive? The Holy Spirit. But this wasn’t the baptism in the Holy Spirit – that took place in Acts 2.
This is one of my supporting scriptures that says when you ask Jesus in your heart and are born again, you receive the Holy Spirit.
But there is another receiving of the Holy Spirit that is more. There’s More!

The people Jesus breathed on received the Holy Spirit that is clear, but not the baptism of the Holy Spirit until Acts 2.
Acts 1:5 baptized = immerse, submerge (not question you are wet).

Acts 2:1-4

In Acts 4, Peter & John were arrested and the Sanhedrin ordered them not to preach Jesus an more, they threatened them and let them go.
When they went back to the group of Christians and told them what had happened. As a result, they began to pray. Acts 4:23-31

Note v.31 “they were all filled the with the Holy Spirit.” But I thought they had already been filled in Acts 2? THATS MY POINT? THERE’S MORE!!!

Eph.5:15-18 What is the will of the Lord? Be filled with the Spirit.
Ver.18 The wording in the Greek is saying this is not a one time happening, but an ongoing filling. If you could translate this in exact wording it would be something like, “be you being filled with….” I can and should be filled again and again.

The people I believe are the hardest to get to be hungry for more of God are people who have been in church for years.
People who have had incredible encounters with God.
They already bought the T-shirt.

Heidi Baker – baptized at age 16, after giving herself to being a missionary, and almost being burnt out, then went to Toronto and was baptized again with new manifestations, a year later, another encounter with more power….
THERES MORE!

What you receive is not indicated by what you manifest after you receive.
Don’t be sidelined, distracted by that being your focus.
Whether you speak in tongues, or operate in healing others, or have a gift to win people to Jesus is not the point.
Let’s remove the pressure, the distraction of getting what I expect, or want, and place my focus on the Giver – on God.

Our God encounters usually changes our view, our belief in what God can and will do.
Our experiences usually change our theology - about healing, about gifts, about the moving of the Spirit.
If we already have a theology about healing, yet haven’t seen anything happen when we pray for people, what do we tend to do? Stop praying for healing.
To me that says what? I believe in my head that God heals, but in my heart where I think faith begins, I don’t.

We NEED and encounter with God – with the Holy Sirit – to awaken me to truth.
If we don’t know there is more, what do we do with all this? We stay where you are and have good church on Sunday.
I think until my shadow heals the sick, there’s more!