Walk Filled
John 18:15-18: Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest, but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in.Then the slave-girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not also one of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not."
Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself.
Acts 2:14-24: But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: "Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:
'AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,' God says, THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;
EVEN ON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT And they shall prophesy.
AND I WILL GRANT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW, BLOOD, AND FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE.
THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME. AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.'
"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know--this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power."
by Study-Leader @ 11:57 AM
1 Comments:
Peter's stand in Acts 2:14 resulted from a dramatic change which took place in his life in Acts 2:1-4. As you can see, it made a big difference in his boldness, compared to how he acted when Jesus was arrested (despite his bold words in Matthew 26:35).
The difference was the empowerment of God's own Spirit in his life. Though we may not experience the dramatic scene the disciples did at Pentecost, the same Holy Spirit comes to live in us when we trust Christ and receive Him as our Savior.
"And because you are sons," says Galatians 4:6, "God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying 'Abba, Father.'"
We are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in us...and anyone who is His _HAS_ the Spirit of Christ, Romans 8:9 says. This is why Jesus, in His talk with Nicodemus, talks about being "born of the Spirit" and compares it to a move of the wind--we know it by its effects, but can't tell where it comes from or where it goes. We have received Christ by grace, through faith, by no effort of our own, but by a renouncement of our efforts' value or effectiveness in making us acceptable to God. (See Ephesians 2:8-9) By Jesus' work of redemption, He justified us before God..but not only that. He didn't just give us a clean slate, He gave us all the rights of children of the King. He became sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God by Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
One of these rights is the right to at least an "earnest" (down-payment) of our inheritance, which is the SEAL of the Holy Spirit living in our bodies as His Temple. (2 Corinthians 1:22, 5:5; Ephesians 1:13, 4:30; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16) His Spirit gives us assurance that we are the children of God:
“But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” (Romans 8:10-16)
Just as we don't look for a dramatic experience, we don't look for a special "feeling" or an emotion. That may come--but you will at some times lose the feelings--but not the seal of the Holy Spirit. He has been given to you as a gift (Acts 2:38) when you received Christ. Knowing all things to occur from the very beginning of creation, God does not give a gift and then take it back: His gifts are irrevocable (Romans 11:29) By one Spirit we are ALL baptized into one body. (1 Corinthians 12:13)
The command, in Ephesians 5:18, is a different matter. It concerns being "filled with the Spirit," a condition often used to describe the Apostles. This is something we need to seek, something we need to prepare ourselves for by deliberately identifying with Christ, considering ourselves, that is, our sinful nature, "put to death" on the cross with HIm. (See Romans 6:1-14)
This is not done by working ourselves up in our own energy, but by simply asking in faith, knowing this is a command of God He intended for us to be able to obey, and knowing that He gives good gifts to those who ask Him. "As you have therefore received Christ, so walk in Him," Colossians 2:6 says.
Several resulting characteristics of being filled with the Holy Spirit follow the command in Ephesians 5:18, which I've made into the acrostic "MELODIOUS":
M - Motivated by vision for serving God (Acts 7:55, Romans 8:18, 1 John 3:2, Gal. 6:9)
E - Exultant in our unshakable relationship with God through Jesus (Acts 13:52, Luke 10:20,
Philippians 4:4)
L - Loving perseveringly through challenging circumstances (Romans 5:1-5)
O - Opposing discouragement through melodious praise (Ephesians 5:19)
and reflection on the virtuous (Philippians 4:8)
D - Daring to proclaim Christ against opposition (Acts 4:8,31)
I - Integrity: marked by honesty in attitudes and dealings (Acts 5:3, 6:3)
O - Obliged to be thankful for how God engineers our circusmtances (Romans 8:28-29;
Philippians 4:11-13, Ephesians 5:20, 1 Thessalonians 5:18)
U - Understanding of God's will (Ephesians 5:15-17)
S - Submissive to one another after the example of Christ (Ephesians 5:21-32;
Philippians 2:5-11)
To which I would add the following key passage:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22, 23
Please carefully look at our page at http://www.ichristianlife.com/site/PageServer?pagename=icl_learn_spirit_guide for more great information on being filled with the Holy Spirit!
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