Pentecost
Pentecost, 8 June 2025
Pentecost
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
June 8, 2025
Acts 2
Big Idea: The events of Acts 2 transformed the world by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-4
What is your favorite holiday? Our calendar is filled with religious holidays like Palm Sunday and Passover. We have national holidays like President’s Day and Veteran’s Day. There are “Hallmark” holidays like Secretary’s Day and Groundhog Day. Each is a day to remember, celebrate, and/or appreciate. While Christmas and Easter get most of the attention, Pentecost belongs in the same conversation, a day commemorating the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
One of the hardest things in life is saying goodbye to those we love. It may be the result of an extended vacation, a relocation, or a death. I can only imagine the horror of the disciples on Good Friday as they watched their rabbi crucified, their hopes dashed, their loss unbearable. Of course, he told them he would die, though they didn’t understand. Easter undid their grief and pain, but Jesus would leave them again on a day known as Ascension Sunday, recognized on May 29 this year. This was all part of God’s plan, of course. Jesus said,
“If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth…I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you…Because I live, you also will live. (John 14:15-19)
Two chapters later, John records these words of Jesus:
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. (John 16:7-11)
Dr. Luke recorded Jesus’ prophecy concerning the Holy Spirit in the first chapter of Acts.
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6)
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. (Acts 1:7)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
This is one of my favorite scriptures. It not only announces the coming of the Holy Spirit, it offers a glimpse at the trajectory of the early Church. Jesus says after the Holy Spirit comes, his friends will be his witnesses not only in Jerusalem, but in Judea and Samaria and the ends of the earth. It’s worth noting “witnesses” in the original Greek language is martus, also defined as martyr. Indeed, it is generally believed that the twelve disciples would all become martyrs except for…John, who would be boiled in hot oil!
Although Acts was not written to us, it is certainly for us. When I think about the flow of the gospel in the first century, I envision a similar expansion of the gospel from College First as we love, equip, and send. Where do we send? Across the street and around the world, from Findlay to Finland and everywhere in between. Contextualizing Acts 1:8 might look something like this:
Jerusalem: our home, College First Church of God
Judea: our community
Samaria: the Great Lakes Conference
Ends of the earth: our broader denominational family, the Churches of God, General Conference with ministry in about a dozen countries outside of the USA
Church family, the Holy Spirit has come on us. We are God’s witnesses and even martyrs here and around the world. We’re part of a global movement changing the world one life at a time! What a privilege. What a joy! What meaning and purpose.
If you give, serve, or pray, you’re a part of this movement, the Kingdom of God. Thank you!
In Acts 1:8, Jesus prophesied what would happen in Acts 2, the day of Pentecost.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. (Acts 2:1-3)
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:4)
You may know the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11. God confused the language of the whole world as people were trying to build a tower reaching to the heavens. Acts 2 was a reversal of the Tower of Babel. Reading on…
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. (Acts 2:5-6)
What a miracle! The Holy Spirit shows up, there’s the sound of a violent wind, they saw what seemed to be tongues of fire, people from around the world hear people declaring the wonders of God in their native tongue, and the people are “utterly amazed.”
Peter then preaches a bold sermon, calling people to repentance. The result?
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (Acts 2:41)
The miracle of tongues captivates the crowd, but Peter’s preaching results in repentance, fulfilled prophecy (Joel 2, Psalm 16, 110), and baptisms. Many see this as the launch of the Church. 3000 people joined in one day! I’d call that revival! But this is only the beginning.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)
This wasn’t the first Pentecost. It (Shavuot) was already on the Jewish calendar as a celebration of the wheat harvest and the giving of the Law at Sinai. But in Acts 2, we see a new covenant formed as the Spirit is poured out on all believers.
Throughout Acts, the Spirit continues to empower the Church with gifts, fruit, and miracles. Some Christians believe certain spiritual gifts have ceased. But in the Churches of God, General Conference…
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is God.
We believe the Holy Spirit has always been engaged in God’s work.
We believe the Holy Spirit revealed himself in a new way on the day of Pentecost.
We believe the Holy Spirit can be known and experienced.
We believe the Holy Spirit endows the followers of Christ with the unity of the Spirit.
We believe the Holy Spirit enables believers to grow spiritually.
We believe the filling of the Holy Spirit is ongoing, present, and active in the lives of believers.
We believe the Holy Spirit dispenses spiritual gifts for the building up of the Church.
We believe the fruit of the Spirit is the essential evidence of a believer’s filling with the Holy Spirit.
So What?
After spending years saving up for a cruise, a man was delighted to board the massive ship, eager to enjoy the views, the entertainment, and fellow passengers. He met several friends throughout the voyage. At the end of the journey, he was asked why he disappeared during the meals.
“I packed peanut butter, jelly, and bread to eat. I could barely afford the cruise. I could never afford the extravagant food on the cruise,” he said.
His friends replied, “All the food is included!” He missed the benefits that were his all along.
In a similar way, many Christians who receive Jesus are unaware of the infilling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is included!
The Holy Spirit is not an abstract force or a ghost. He is a Person—God Himself—moving among us. Like the wind, we can’t control the Spirit, but we can follow His lead.
Today, I’m praying for more love, more power, more of the Holy Spirit in my life—and in the life of College First. I’m not interested in “playing church,” entertaining, or impressing. I want to be part of a Spirit-filled movement that makes disciples of all nations.
“Go and make disciples... baptizing them... teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19–20)
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
June 8, 2025
Acts 2
Big Idea: The events of Acts 2 transformed the world by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-4
What is your favorite holiday? Our calendar is filled with religious holidays like Palm Sunday and Passover. We have national holidays like President’s Day and Veteran’s Day. There are “Hallmark” holidays like Secretary’s Day and Groundhog Day. Each is a day to remember, celebrate, and/or appreciate. While Christmas and Easter get most of the attention, Pentecost belongs in the same conversation, a day commemorating the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
One of the hardest things in life is saying goodbye to those we love. It may be the result of an extended vacation, a relocation, or a death. I can only imagine the horror of the disciples on Good Friday as they watched their rabbi crucified, their hopes dashed, their loss unbearable. Of course, he told them he would die, though they didn’t understand. Easter undid their grief and pain, but Jesus would leave them again on a day known as Ascension Sunday, recognized on May 29 this year. This was all part of God’s plan, of course. Jesus said,
“If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth…I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you…Because I live, you also will live. (John 14:15-19)
Two chapters later, John records these words of Jesus:
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. (John 16:7-11)
Dr. Luke recorded Jesus’ prophecy concerning the Holy Spirit in the first chapter of Acts.
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6)
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. (Acts 1:7)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
This is one of my favorite scriptures. It not only announces the coming of the Holy Spirit, it offers a glimpse at the trajectory of the early Church. Jesus says after the Holy Spirit comes, his friends will be his witnesses not only in Jerusalem, but in Judea and Samaria and the ends of the earth. It’s worth noting “witnesses” in the original Greek language is martus, also defined as martyr. Indeed, it is generally believed that the twelve disciples would all become martyrs except for…John, who would be boiled in hot oil!
Although Acts was not written to us, it is certainly for us. When I think about the flow of the gospel in the first century, I envision a similar expansion of the gospel from College First as we love, equip, and send. Where do we send? Across the street and around the world, from Findlay to Finland and everywhere in between. Contextualizing Acts 1:8 might look something like this:
Jerusalem: our home, College First Church of God
Judea: our community
Samaria: the Great Lakes Conference
Ends of the earth: our broader denominational family, the Churches of God, General Conference with ministry in about a dozen countries outside of the USA
Church family, the Holy Spirit has come on us. We are God’s witnesses and even martyrs here and around the world. We’re part of a global movement changing the world one life at a time! What a privilege. What a joy! What meaning and purpose.
If you give, serve, or pray, you’re a part of this movement, the Kingdom of God. Thank you!
In Acts 1:8, Jesus prophesied what would happen in Acts 2, the day of Pentecost.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. (Acts 2:1-3)
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:4)
You may know the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11. God confused the language of the whole world as people were trying to build a tower reaching to the heavens. Acts 2 was a reversal of the Tower of Babel. Reading on…
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. (Acts 2:5-6)
What a miracle! The Holy Spirit shows up, there’s the sound of a violent wind, they saw what seemed to be tongues of fire, people from around the world hear people declaring the wonders of God in their native tongue, and the people are “utterly amazed.”
Peter then preaches a bold sermon, calling people to repentance. The result?
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (Acts 2:41)
The miracle of tongues captivates the crowd, but Peter’s preaching results in repentance, fulfilled prophecy (Joel 2, Psalm 16, 110), and baptisms. Many see this as the launch of the Church. 3000 people joined in one day! I’d call that revival! But this is only the beginning.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)
This wasn’t the first Pentecost. It (Shavuot) was already on the Jewish calendar as a celebration of the wheat harvest and the giving of the Law at Sinai. But in Acts 2, we see a new covenant formed as the Spirit is poured out on all believers.
Throughout Acts, the Spirit continues to empower the Church with gifts, fruit, and miracles. Some Christians believe certain spiritual gifts have ceased. But in the Churches of God, General Conference…
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is God.
We believe the Holy Spirit has always been engaged in God’s work.
We believe the Holy Spirit revealed himself in a new way on the day of Pentecost.
We believe the Holy Spirit can be known and experienced.
We believe the Holy Spirit endows the followers of Christ with the unity of the Spirit.
We believe the Holy Spirit enables believers to grow spiritually.
We believe the filling of the Holy Spirit is ongoing, present, and active in the lives of believers.
We believe the Holy Spirit dispenses spiritual gifts for the building up of the Church.
We believe the fruit of the Spirit is the essential evidence of a believer’s filling with the Holy Spirit.
So What?
After spending years saving up for a cruise, a man was delighted to board the massive ship, eager to enjoy the views, the entertainment, and fellow passengers. He met several friends throughout the voyage. At the end of the journey, he was asked why he disappeared during the meals.
“I packed peanut butter, jelly, and bread to eat. I could barely afford the cruise. I could never afford the extravagant food on the cruise,” he said.
His friends replied, “All the food is included!” He missed the benefits that were his all along.
In a similar way, many Christians who receive Jesus are unaware of the infilling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is included!
The Holy Spirit is not an abstract force or a ghost. He is a Person—God Himself—moving among us. Like the wind, we can’t control the Spirit, but we can follow His lead.
Today, I’m praying for more love, more power, more of the Holy Spirit in my life—and in the life of College First. I’m not interested in “playing church,” entertaining, or impressing. I want to be part of a Spirit-filled movement that makes disciples of all nations.
“Go and make disciples... baptizing them... teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19–20)
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
How Can I Be Filled With The Holy Spirit? 12 June 2011
17 06 11 Filed in: Sermons | The Holy Spirit
Big Idea: Being filled is a vital but not automatic experience that must be done continually. In Pentecost Sunday, we will look at what happened in Acts 2 and how we can experience the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Today we celebrate Pentecost, a tremendously significant day reported in the second chapter of Acts.
Last week we began our creatively titled series “The Holy Spirit” with a look at who the Holy Spirit is. We said that He is not a ghost, but a Person, God, one third of the Trinity, one God in three Persons. We saw, too, how Jesus said it was better for Him to leave and give us the Holy Spirit than for Him to stay on earth, so He ascended into heaven and promised the Holy Spirit. The Spirit arrived in a big way in Acts 2.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. – Acts 2:1-4
This is quite possibly the most popular passage of Scripture among charismatics and Pentecostals. These groups are often known for signs and wonders and miracles in their midst, something that should not surprise us since Jesus did them and said that we would do even greater things.
So why doesn’t the Church in USAmerica look more like the New Testament? Why are so few people doing “the stuff,” to quote John Wimber from last Sunday? Why aren’t people flocking here on Sunday mornings to get healed and set free from addictions and bondage?
Great questions!!!
Scio family, I can’t find a biblical answer to that question! How many of you want more of God? Really!
Have you ever been on a cruise? There was a man who wanted to go on a cruise in the worst way. He had heard about the wonderful experiences of others aboard ships and spent years saving up every possible penny in order to purchase a ticket. When the big day arrived, he proudly boarded the boat and waved goodbye to those less-fortunate people on the dock as the ship headed to sea.
Over the course of the cruise, he got acquainted with a man in a nearby cabin. After several days, the neighbor finally asked why his friend was never seen in the dining room during meals. The man replied, “I cannot afford the extravagant food on the ship so I eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in my room that I packed in my luggage.”
“My dear friend, all of the food is included with your cruise ticket!” the neighbor replied in disbelief. “It has been available to you all week!”
Friends, if you have surrender your life to Jesus Christ, you get the Holy Spirit, too. He is included!
So why do so many Christ-followers live such miserable lives? They have not been filled with the Holy Spirit!
Last week we looked at Luke 11:11-13
“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
It says that our Father in heaven will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.
How are we filled with the Holy Spirit? We must ask.
Jesus’ brother James said once,
You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. - James 4:2
So all we have to do is ask and the Holy Spirit will bring us gourmet meals, heal all of our diseases, enable us to do miracles, and we all live happily ever after? Not quite
The late Bill Bright, the founder of the international group Campus Crusade for Christ, called the process of being filled with the Holy Spirit “spiritual breathing.”
It begins with exhaling—repenting of our sins and getting the junk out. This is where we confess our sins, acknowledge that we have wronged God and possibly others, and commit to a new way of righteous, holy living.
Confess your sin -- agree with God concerning your sin and thank Him for His forgiveness of it, according to 1 John 1:9 and Hebrews 10:1-25. Confession involves repentance - a change in attitude and action.
Have you ever grabbed a drinking glass from the shelf only to discover that it was filled with junk inside? What do you do? You grab another glass!
I think God is much the same way. When He wants to show His power, I think He often looks for those that are truly seeking Him and His holiness. Understand, we’re not perfect, but because Jesus is, we can be forgiven and stand righteous before a holy God. When we agree with God that we have sinned, turn away from our sin, and follow Jesus it is called repentance and it delights the heart of God and brings us back into right relationship with Him.
The next step—inhaling—is simply to ask the Holy Spirit to come. Ask to be filled. When a glass is filled with dirty water, there’s no room for the pure stuff. When we receive the cleansing of Jesus, we make room for the Holy Spirit to come and fill us.
Inhaling is when we surrender the control of our lives to Christ, and appropriate (receive) the fullness of the Holy Spirit by faith. We must trust that He now directs and empowers us; according to the command of Ephesians 5:18 and the promise of 1 John 5:14, 15.
Spiritual breathing and being filled with the Holy Spirit is not just some fun thing to please ourselves. The second part of James 4 says
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Being filled with the Spirit is a blessing for us, but ultimately it’s about Jesus and bringing honor and glory to Him. Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus (5:18)
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Drunkenness was the besetting sin of the ancient world, but this is not a verse about wine. A drunk man is possessed by alcohol.The Holy Spirit should possess the believer, a divine intoxication. This isn’t emotionalism but a dynamic life that looks like Jesus, the ultimate human who was filled with the Spirit continually.
The Holy Spirit is given at the time of conversion when a person makes Jesus their LORD and Savior.
I love these words from John Piper:
“What we should seek is that God pour His Spirit out upon us so completely that we are filled with joy, victorious over sin, and bold to witness. And the ways He brings us to that fullness are probably as varied as people are. It may come in a tumultuous experience of ecstasy and tongues. It may come through a tumultuous experience of ecstasy and no tongues. It may come through a crisis of suffering when you abandon yourself totally to God. Or it may come gradually through a steady diet of God's word and prayer and fellowship and worship and service. However it comes, our first experience of the fullness of the Spirit is only the beginning of a life-long battle to stay filled with the Spirit.”
This word “filled” is not something that is done once, but the Greek verb means to continually be done. It’s like breathing. You don’t say, “I don’t need to breathe today because I breathed last week!” You constantly breathe and in the same way we are to constantly be spiritually breathing and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Years ago my pastor, Roger Schweigert, demonstrated it this way: when you put Nesquik powder in milk, it needs to be stirred. If it sinks to the bottom, it doesn’t consume the milk despite its presence. The Holy Spirit is a bit like chocolate powder! When you get Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit. Having something doesn’t mean that you are filled with it, though. We need to stir it up to allow it to permeate our entire being, and we need to keep stirring—every day—repenting of our sins and asking the Spirit to fill us.
This will enable you to walk in the Spirit. It doesn’t mean you’ll be perfect. You may fall like a child as you’re learning to walk, but you are to get up and try again.
What happens when you’re filled with the Holy Spirit? The next verse says
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Ephesians 5:19-20
The fundamental meaning of being filled with the Spirit is being filled with joy that comes from God and overflows in song. Luke wrote in Acts 13:52,
The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
One of the core values of our denomination, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, says
Without The Holy Spirit’s Empowerment, We Can Accomplish Nothing
The Apostle Paul said, My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power (1 Corinthians 2:4–5).
This is the fiber of our being as believers and the sixth of our Alliance core values.
In addition to joy and empowerment, when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will receive gifts and fruit, two things that we will look at the next two weeks.
Until then, I invite you to get out of your cruise ship cabin and get down to the dining room. Repent and be filled with the Holy Spirit. He is in your life waiting to be activated. If we all commit ourselves to spiritual breathing as much as physical breathing, I believe our church will begin to look a lot more like the New Testament and we’ll begin to see God show up in unexpected and wonderful ways to bring His Kingdom from heaven to earth.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Today we celebrate Pentecost, a tremendously significant day reported in the second chapter of Acts.
Last week we began our creatively titled series “The Holy Spirit” with a look at who the Holy Spirit is. We said that He is not a ghost, but a Person, God, one third of the Trinity, one God in three Persons. We saw, too, how Jesus said it was better for Him to leave and give us the Holy Spirit than for Him to stay on earth, so He ascended into heaven and promised the Holy Spirit. The Spirit arrived in a big way in Acts 2.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. – Acts 2:1-4
This is quite possibly the most popular passage of Scripture among charismatics and Pentecostals. These groups are often known for signs and wonders and miracles in their midst, something that should not surprise us since Jesus did them and said that we would do even greater things.
So why doesn’t the Church in USAmerica look more like the New Testament? Why are so few people doing “the stuff,” to quote John Wimber from last Sunday? Why aren’t people flocking here on Sunday mornings to get healed and set free from addictions and bondage?
Great questions!!!
Scio family, I can’t find a biblical answer to that question! How many of you want more of God? Really!
Have you ever been on a cruise? There was a man who wanted to go on a cruise in the worst way. He had heard about the wonderful experiences of others aboard ships and spent years saving up every possible penny in order to purchase a ticket. When the big day arrived, he proudly boarded the boat and waved goodbye to those less-fortunate people on the dock as the ship headed to sea.
Over the course of the cruise, he got acquainted with a man in a nearby cabin. After several days, the neighbor finally asked why his friend was never seen in the dining room during meals. The man replied, “I cannot afford the extravagant food on the ship so I eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in my room that I packed in my luggage.”
“My dear friend, all of the food is included with your cruise ticket!” the neighbor replied in disbelief. “It has been available to you all week!”
Friends, if you have surrender your life to Jesus Christ, you get the Holy Spirit, too. He is included!
So why do so many Christ-followers live such miserable lives? They have not been filled with the Holy Spirit!
Last week we looked at Luke 11:11-13
“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
It says that our Father in heaven will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.
How are we filled with the Holy Spirit? We must ask.
Jesus’ brother James said once,
You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. - James 4:2
So all we have to do is ask and the Holy Spirit will bring us gourmet meals, heal all of our diseases, enable us to do miracles, and we all live happily ever after? Not quite
The late Bill Bright, the founder of the international group Campus Crusade for Christ, called the process of being filled with the Holy Spirit “spiritual breathing.”
It begins with exhaling—repenting of our sins and getting the junk out. This is where we confess our sins, acknowledge that we have wronged God and possibly others, and commit to a new way of righteous, holy living.
Confess your sin -- agree with God concerning your sin and thank Him for His forgiveness of it, according to 1 John 1:9 and Hebrews 10:1-25. Confession involves repentance - a change in attitude and action.
Have you ever grabbed a drinking glass from the shelf only to discover that it was filled with junk inside? What do you do? You grab another glass!
I think God is much the same way. When He wants to show His power, I think He often looks for those that are truly seeking Him and His holiness. Understand, we’re not perfect, but because Jesus is, we can be forgiven and stand righteous before a holy God. When we agree with God that we have sinned, turn away from our sin, and follow Jesus it is called repentance and it delights the heart of God and brings us back into right relationship with Him.
The next step—inhaling—is simply to ask the Holy Spirit to come. Ask to be filled. When a glass is filled with dirty water, there’s no room for the pure stuff. When we receive the cleansing of Jesus, we make room for the Holy Spirit to come and fill us.
Inhaling is when we surrender the control of our lives to Christ, and appropriate (receive) the fullness of the Holy Spirit by faith. We must trust that He now directs and empowers us; according to the command of Ephesians 5:18 and the promise of 1 John 5:14, 15.
Spiritual breathing and being filled with the Holy Spirit is not just some fun thing to please ourselves. The second part of James 4 says
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Being filled with the Spirit is a blessing for us, but ultimately it’s about Jesus and bringing honor and glory to Him. Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus (5:18)
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Drunkenness was the besetting sin of the ancient world, but this is not a verse about wine. A drunk man is possessed by alcohol.The Holy Spirit should possess the believer, a divine intoxication. This isn’t emotionalism but a dynamic life that looks like Jesus, the ultimate human who was filled with the Spirit continually.
The Holy Spirit is given at the time of conversion when a person makes Jesus their LORD and Savior.
I love these words from John Piper:
“What we should seek is that God pour His Spirit out upon us so completely that we are filled with joy, victorious over sin, and bold to witness. And the ways He brings us to that fullness are probably as varied as people are. It may come in a tumultuous experience of ecstasy and tongues. It may come through a tumultuous experience of ecstasy and no tongues. It may come through a crisis of suffering when you abandon yourself totally to God. Or it may come gradually through a steady diet of God's word and prayer and fellowship and worship and service. However it comes, our first experience of the fullness of the Spirit is only the beginning of a life-long battle to stay filled with the Spirit.”
This word “filled” is not something that is done once, but the Greek verb means to continually be done. It’s like breathing. You don’t say, “I don’t need to breathe today because I breathed last week!” You constantly breathe and in the same way we are to constantly be spiritually breathing and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Years ago my pastor, Roger Schweigert, demonstrated it this way: when you put Nesquik powder in milk, it needs to be stirred. If it sinks to the bottom, it doesn’t consume the milk despite its presence. The Holy Spirit is a bit like chocolate powder! When you get Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit. Having something doesn’t mean that you are filled with it, though. We need to stir it up to allow it to permeate our entire being, and we need to keep stirring—every day—repenting of our sins and asking the Spirit to fill us.
This will enable you to walk in the Spirit. It doesn’t mean you’ll be perfect. You may fall like a child as you’re learning to walk, but you are to get up and try again.
What happens when you’re filled with the Holy Spirit? The next verse says
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Ephesians 5:19-20
The fundamental meaning of being filled with the Spirit is being filled with joy that comes from God and overflows in song. Luke wrote in Acts 13:52,
The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
One of the core values of our denomination, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, says
Without The Holy Spirit’s Empowerment, We Can Accomplish Nothing
The Apostle Paul said, My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power (1 Corinthians 2:4–5).
This is the fiber of our being as believers and the sixth of our Alliance core values.
In addition to joy and empowerment, when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will receive gifts and fruit, two things that we will look at the next two weeks.
Until then, I invite you to get out of your cruise ship cabin and get down to the dining room. Repent and be filled with the Holy Spirit. He is in your life waiting to be activated. If we all commit ourselves to spiritual breathing as much as physical breathing, I believe our church will begin to look a lot more like the New Testament and we’ll begin to see God show up in unexpected and wonderful ways to bring His Kingdom from heaven to earth.
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