Assignment for appointment #7: The Spirit Filled Life

1. Take notes on the Sunday sermon.

2. Read Ephesians.
3. Read and study this chapter.
4. Memorize Romans 1:16 and 1 Peter 3:15.
5. Have regular quiet times.
6. Memorize the names of the books in the Old Testament, from Genesis to Proverbs.

Appointment #7

The Spirit-Filled Life

The Holy Spirit dwells in every believer. The Holy Spirit causes us to be "born again" and
empowers us to live a Christ-centered life. We cannot, through our own efforts lead a Christ-
centered life. We must ask, trust, and depend on the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us through our
journeys as Christians. This is called the Spirit-filled life. We need to be filled with the Holy
Spirit in order to grew in the four areas of Christ-ruled life--the word of God, prayer, fellowship,
and witnessing.

1. What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit?

The word "filled" actually means to be directed and empowered by the Spirit Since the Holy
Spirit came to glorify Christ (John 16:14) and is the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9), to be filled
with the Spirit is to be filled with or abiding in Christ. To abide in Christ is to live in
dependence upon Him, recognizing that it is His life, His wisdom, His resources, His strength
and His ability operating through you, which enable you to live according to His will. Christ
lives in us and expresses His life through us by the power of His Spirit: this is one of the most
important truths of the Word. Jesus does not want you to live the Christian life. He wants to live
the Christian life through you.

(1) Ephesians 5:18 contrasts being filled with the Spirit with to getting drunk on wine. What
kind of state is it to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
To be filled with the Spirit does not mean to be in a mystical state. Nor does it mean to be in an
emotionally dry or highly intellectual state. The outward manifestation differs according to each
person. Regardless, each person who claims to walk with Christ must be filled with the Holy
Spirit-this leads to victorious Christian living.

2. Who gives the fullness of the Spirit.

You may pray and desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit. If so, it is important to realize that the
fullness of the Spirit comes only through the triune God-Father Son, and Holy Spirit.

How were the disciples filled with the Spirit in John 20:22?

In Acts 8:17, what did the two apostles do for the Samaritans to receive the Holy Spirit?

What did Peter do in Acts 10:44?

We should never underestimate God's work nor overemphasize people's role in the Spirit-filled
life.

3. Why do you need to be filled with the Holy Spirit?

We cannot help sinning as long as we are in this world with our flesh even if we believe in Jesus
Christ and have begun a new life (1 John 1:8). That's why apostle Paul cried out, "What a
wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:23-24)

How is this conflict described in Galatians 5:17?

The natural human can sometimes overcome this conflict with conscientious thoughts or ethical
actions. However. in our own power alone, we will fail spiritually. Our old selves cannot win
this conflict because of our fleshly desires.

What does Romans 8:9-10, 13-14 teach Christians have to do in order to win over this conflict?
* the Holy Spirit = the Spirit of God = the Spirit of Christ

4. How can one be filled with the Holy Spirit?

From the moment of spiritual birth, the Christian is indwelt by the Spirit at all times (Romans
8:16. 1 Corinthians 12:3). Then our faith grows in proportion to how much we submit to the
Holy Spirit in our heart and everyday life. Though all Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit,
not all Christians are filled with the Holy Spirit. We "receive" the Holy Spirit when we are
saved, and when we allow ourselves to be controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit-this is
the process of sanctification. Being filled with the Spirit is not a once-and-for-all experience. It
is a continual experience in the life of Christians. The following shows the steps of being filled
with the Ho1.y Spirit.

(1) Ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit.

Remember that we are filled with the Spirit by faith alone However, true prayer is one way of
expressing your faith The following is a suggested prayer:

"Dear Father, I need you. I acknowledge that I have been in control of my life, and that, as a
result. 1 have sinned against You. I thank You that You have forgiven my sins through Christ's
death on the cross. I now invite Christ to take control of the throne of my life. Cleanse my heart
and fill me with the Holy Spirit. You promise me these things in Your Word if I were to ask in
faith. As an expression of my faith. 1 now thank You for taking control of my life and filling me
with the Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus I pray Amen "

Does this prater express the desire of your heart? If so, you can bow in prayer and trust God to
fill you with the Spirit.

(2) Confess your sins and cleanse yourself,

If you take the control of the throne of your own life, it is an act of disobedience. When we have
done so, we need to confess our sins. Then He forgives us of our sins and cleanses us from all
unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Confessing means acknowledging our sins before God, and
believing that they have been forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the Cross, and
living our lives according to His will.

There is no need to fall into self-pity in your own spiritual examination. Thus should never
happen. If you thirst for His righteousness and confess all your known sins, God, according to
His promises, will forgive you and fill you with the Holy Spirit.
(3) Live by faith.
Faith is another word for trust. Having faith in God means trusting Him and relying upon Him.
It's easy to trust and have faith in Him when everything is going well in our lives, but it's also
important for us to express that same trust and faith during the low moments of our lives; Let's
live by faith during the highs and lows, the joys and sorrow, and the victories and defeats.

Giving thanks under all circumstances demonstrates your faith in Him. You are saying, "God, I
trust You."

5. What is the result of being filled with the Spirit?

(1) Christ's "characteristics are revealed in us in everyday life.
The fruits of the Spirit recorded in Galatians 5:22-23 are also Christ's characteristics. Memorize
them and write them here.

(2) We can share the Gospel with boldness.

How was the Lord's promise of filling with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) accomplished in the early
church? (Acts 4:31)

(3) Different gifts are revealed according to His needs.

What happened when the early church was filled with the Holy Spirit? (Acts 2:4)

God gives different gifts according to His grace when He fills us with the Holy Spirit (Romans
12:6-8. 1 Cohnthians 12:4-11). With thanksgiving, we need to use them for the Lord's glory and
for the edification of the church.

6. When can we be filled with the Holy Spirit?

God is eager to fill us with the Holy Spirit when we are ready to receive Him. The baptism of
the Holy Spirit is a one time event, but the work of the Holy Spirit is a continual process.
(1) the first time (Acts 1:5)
(2) the continuation (Ephesians 5:18)