Also known as "Why The Church Has No Power". This is part of an original presentation from the great American evangelist Charles Finney. I have slightly modified it and added scripture references to support the points.
YOU MAY HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT
- Because God has promised to give the Spirit to those who ask (Luke 11:5-13)
- God has commanded you to have the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). If God has commanded it, it stands to reason that it must be possible to attain it.
THE TWO FILLINGS OF THE SPIRIT
- The scriptures give us the example of two levels of receiving the Spirit. The first can be seen in John 20:22-23. Here Jesus breathed on the disciples and told them to receive the Holy Spirit. He followed that up by saying whoever's sins you forgive, they are forgiven, but whoever's sins you retain, they are retained. This is equivalent to the receiving of the Spirit that all believers might enjoy when they first come to faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and their personal Savior.
- The second example is the outpouring of the power (dunamis, meaning the power to do anything) of the Spirit that is seen in Acts 2:1-4. It was foretold by Jesus prior to His ascension in Acts 1:8. In chapter two, we see the power (dunamis in Greek) falls in the form of cloven tongues of fire and with the sound of a mighty rushing wind.
- So we see two levels of Holy Spirit power. The first, the giving of new life through the breath of Jesus Christ, includes the power to forgive sins of others or hold sins to the account of others. The second brings gifts of power for the good of the Body of Christ (the Church) and the fulfiling of the will of God, later separated into several categories in 1 Corinthians 12:1-13.
FILLING OF THE SPIRIT
1- May happen more than once (Acts 2;4, 4:31)
2- Happens that you may have joy (Eph. 5:19-20)
3- Happens to enable you to serve (Acts 6:3, 11:22-24)
4- Happens that you may have the power to be a witness (Acts 1:8, 2:4-7)
5- Prepares you for the hour of persecution (Acts 7:54-60)
6- That you may walk/live in the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:16-26)
7- That you may be led by the Spirit (Rom. 8:14)
WHAT'S REQUIRED FOR FILLING OF THE SPIRIT?
1- Desire filling
2- Ask
3- Believe
IT'S YOUR DUTY TO BE SPIRIT- FILLED
1- Because you have a promise of it
2- Because God has commanded it
3- It's essential to your growth
4- It's as important as your sanctification
5- It's necessary for your to do good works
6- If you don't have it, you dishonor God, disgrace the church
WHY MANY DON'T HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT
The simple answer here is sin. The New Testament gives many lists of sins, and they can be found in 1 Cor. 6:9-10, Gal. 5:16-21, Eph. 5:3-5, Col. 3:8-9, 1 Tim. 6:9-10, 2 Tim. 3:2-4, Titus 3:3 and Rev. 21:8 just to list a few. Let me encourage the reader that when in prayer, take time to confess your specific sins. The confession of being a sinner is not the same as the confession of specific sins. This allows the Holy Spirit to work in power for our forgiveness and to free us from the power of these sins.
1- This may happen because you live a hypocritical life (as in having an insincere prayer life, or dishonest interactions with others)
2- Levity, foolishness and joking quench the Spirit (Mark 7:22, Eph. 5:4)
3- Pride (1 Tim. 3:6, 1 John 2:16)
4- Worldly-minded. Entranced by the love of land, goods, money, etc. (Gal. 5:17, 1 John 2:16)
5- Failure to confess and forsake sins, often the result of making a general confession withouth acknowledging specific sins, or without a desire for repentance. (Matt. 18:23-35)
6- Neglect of duties - like a lack of prayer, lack of commitment of time and resources, or failure to do what God asks.
7- Resistance to the Holy Spirit.
8- Lack of desire - Remember the parable of the "Pearl of Great Price" in Matt. 13:45-46.
9- Failure to pray and/or act when your prayers are answered.
WE SHOULD SEEK THE SPIRIT BECAUSE
1- We disobey God's command by not seeking or having.
2- It inhibits or eliminates our ability to do good.
3- We are led to sin when we walk without the Holy Spirit.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF HAVING THE HOLY SPIRIT
1- You will be called eccentric, and you will probably deserve it! You might even be called crazy. (Acts 2:13)
2- You will feel sorrow at the state of the church, society and the world. You will feel grief, perhaps even over the state of ministry.
3- You will be opposed in service, often by those within the church. (Matt. 24:10-12, 2 Tim. 4:2-4, 10)
4- You will have conflict with Satan. (Eph. 6:11-12)
5- You will have great conflict with the flesh.
6- You will have peace with God. (John 14:27, Phil. 4:7)
7- You will have peace of conscience.
8- You will be very useful to the Kingdom of God, no matter your circumstances. (1 Cor. 12:4-11, 1 Pet. 4:10)
9- You will not be pained and offended when others (the church) speaks out against you.
10-You will wise for using means for the conversion of sinners. (Col. 4:6, 1 Pet. 3:15)
11-You will be calm in affliction. (Matt. 5:10-12, James 1:2-4, 12)
12-You will be prepared to die. (Rom. 8:36, 2 Cor. 4:11)
CONSEQUENCES OF NOT BEING FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
1- You will have doubts about your faith.
2, You will doubt the power of prayer.
3- Those who have the Spirit may cause you to stumble.
4- You will walk in agreement with carnally minded persons.
5- You will fear fanaticism.
6- You will be disturbed by measures used in revivals.
7- You will be a reproach to religion
8- You will not know much about the Bible.
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| Charles Finney |
YOU MAY HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT
- Because God has promised to give the Spirit to those who ask (Luke 11:5-13)
- God has commanded you to have the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). If God has commanded it, it stands to reason that it must be possible to attain it.
THE TWO FILLINGS OF THE SPIRIT
- The scriptures give us the example of two levels of receiving the Spirit. The first can be seen in John 20:22-23. Here Jesus breathed on the disciples and told them to receive the Holy Spirit. He followed that up by saying whoever's sins you forgive, they are forgiven, but whoever's sins you retain, they are retained. This is equivalent to the receiving of the Spirit that all believers might enjoy when they first come to faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and their personal Savior.
- The second example is the outpouring of the power (dunamis, meaning the power to do anything) of the Spirit that is seen in Acts 2:1-4. It was foretold by Jesus prior to His ascension in Acts 1:8. In chapter two, we see the power (dunamis in Greek) falls in the form of cloven tongues of fire and with the sound of a mighty rushing wind.
- So we see two levels of Holy Spirit power. The first, the giving of new life through the breath of Jesus Christ, includes the power to forgive sins of others or hold sins to the account of others. The second brings gifts of power for the good of the Body of Christ (the Church) and the fulfiling of the will of God, later separated into several categories in 1 Corinthians 12:1-13.
FILLING OF THE SPIRIT
1- May happen more than once (Acts 2;4, 4:31)
2- Happens that you may have joy (Eph. 5:19-20)
3- Happens to enable you to serve (Acts 6:3, 11:22-24)
4- Happens that you may have the power to be a witness (Acts 1:8, 2:4-7)
5- Prepares you for the hour of persecution (Acts 7:54-60)
6- That you may walk/live in the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:16-26)
7- That you may be led by the Spirit (Rom. 8:14)
WHAT'S REQUIRED FOR FILLING OF THE SPIRIT?
1- Desire filling
2- Ask
3- Believe
IT'S YOUR DUTY TO BE SPIRIT- FILLED
1- Because you have a promise of it
2- Because God has commanded it
3- It's essential to your growth
4- It's as important as your sanctification
5- It's necessary for your to do good works
6- If you don't have it, you dishonor God, disgrace the church
WHY MANY DON'T HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT
The simple answer here is sin. The New Testament gives many lists of sins, and they can be found in 1 Cor. 6:9-10, Gal. 5:16-21, Eph. 5:3-5, Col. 3:8-9, 1 Tim. 6:9-10, 2 Tim. 3:2-4, Titus 3:3 and Rev. 21:8 just to list a few. Let me encourage the reader that when in prayer, take time to confess your specific sins. The confession of being a sinner is not the same as the confession of specific sins. This allows the Holy Spirit to work in power for our forgiveness and to free us from the power of these sins.
1- This may happen because you live a hypocritical life (as in having an insincere prayer life, or dishonest interactions with others)
2- Levity, foolishness and joking quench the Spirit (Mark 7:22, Eph. 5:4)
3- Pride (1 Tim. 3:6, 1 John 2:16)
4- Worldly-minded. Entranced by the love of land, goods, money, etc. (Gal. 5:17, 1 John 2:16)
5- Failure to confess and forsake sins, often the result of making a general confession withouth acknowledging specific sins, or without a desire for repentance. (Matt. 18:23-35)
6- Neglect of duties - like a lack of prayer, lack of commitment of time and resources, or failure to do what God asks.
7- Resistance to the Holy Spirit.
8- Lack of desire - Remember the parable of the "Pearl of Great Price" in Matt. 13:45-46.
9- Failure to pray and/or act when your prayers are answered.
WE SHOULD SEEK THE SPIRIT BECAUSE
1- We disobey God's command by not seeking or having.
2- It inhibits or eliminates our ability to do good.
3- We are led to sin when we walk without the Holy Spirit.
1- You will be called eccentric, and you will probably deserve it! You might even be called crazy. (Acts 2:13)
2- You will feel sorrow at the state of the church, society and the world. You will feel grief, perhaps even over the state of ministry.
3- You will be opposed in service, often by those within the church. (Matt. 24:10-12, 2 Tim. 4:2-4, 10)
4- You will have conflict with Satan. (Eph. 6:11-12)
5- You will have great conflict with the flesh.
6- You will have peace with God. (John 14:27, Phil. 4:7)
7- You will have peace of conscience.
8- You will be very useful to the Kingdom of God, no matter your circumstances. (1 Cor. 12:4-11, 1 Pet. 4:10)
9- You will not be pained and offended when others (the church) speaks out against you.
10-You will wise for using means for the conversion of sinners. (Col. 4:6, 1 Pet. 3:15)
11-You will be calm in affliction. (Matt. 5:10-12, James 1:2-4, 12)
12-You will be prepared to die. (Rom. 8:36, 2 Cor. 4:11)
CONSEQUENCES OF NOT BEING FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
1- You will have doubts about your faith.
2, You will doubt the power of prayer.
3- Those who have the Spirit may cause you to stumble.
4- You will walk in agreement with carnally minded persons.
5- You will fear fanaticism.
6- You will be disturbed by measures used in revivals.
7- You will be a reproach to religion
8- You will not know much about the Bible.
