ADG 3: Being Filled With
The Holy Spirit

Look Back

Let’s take a few minutes to share the experiences we have had this week sharing the Four Spiritual Laws or something from your personal study of the Bible, or from the TBS lesson.

Objectives

At the end of this lesson, we should be able to:

State why it is important to be filled with the Holy Spirit in order to live the victorious Christian life.
Explain how they can be sure they are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Explain how to pray in faith to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Handle three problem areas in sharing the Four Spiritual Laws.

Look Up

Bible Study

Read Romans 7:15-25.

15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Romans 7:15-25

Have you ever felt like that?

These statements were from the Apostle Paul when he’s describing his life before he learned how to live the victorious Christian life. Today, in our lesson we’re going to look at how to change from a life of defeat to a life of victory. Let’s look at the three kinds of people Paul described in I Corinthians 2 & 3.

Natural Man

Spiritual Man

Carnal Man

Three Kinds of people:

1. 1 Corinthians 2:14 – Natural Man

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:14, NIV

a. Does this person know Christ as his Savior?

b. Where is Christ in relation to the natural man?

You will notice a chair in each circle. In each life, there is a throne or control point (driver’s seat) and whoever sits on the throne is the boss of the life. Either Christ or self is on the throne.

c. Who is controlling the life of a natural man? (Ephesians 2:3)

All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

Ephesians 2:3, NIV

2. 1 Corinthians 2:15, 16 – Spiritual Man

15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:15-16, NIV

a. Who is in control of his life?

b. Therefore, what is this person’s attitude toward Christ? (2 Corinthians 5:14, 15)

14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15, NIV

c. What things describe the spiritual man in Galatians 5:22-23?

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

d. Who is the source of these qualities?

3. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 – Carnal Man

The word “carnal” means he trusts in his own efforts to live the Christian life.

Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?

1 Corinthians 3:1-3

a. Does this person have Christ as his Savior?

NOTE: In 1 Corinthians 3:1, Paul calls these people “brethren” meaning they are Christians. 1 Corinthians 1:3, Paul says he is writing to Christians. (Additional reference: 1 Corinthians 3:16)

b. Where is Christ in relation to this person’s life?

The carnal Christian is defeated because he trusts in his own efforts to live the Christian life. One becomes carnal when he refuses to confess his sins and knowingly takes control of his life.

Let’s review the passage written by the apostle Paul to describe what it is like when a Christian relies on his own strength to live the Christian life.

4. Romans 7:14-25 — The Frustrating Life of Self- Effort

14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Romans 7:14-25

a. What was Paul’s attitude toward obeying God in verse 18, 19?

b. Why doesn’t he succeed? (verses 14, 17, 20)

This frustrating life of self-effort is further described in Galatians 5:16, 17. Let’s look at Galatians 5:16, 17.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

Galatians 5:16-17, NIV

c. What two forces are in opposition to one another in the life of a Christian (v. 17)?

d. According to verse 16, how can we keep ourselves from carrying out the desires of the flesh (sinful nature)?

The solution is further discussed in Ephesians 5:18.

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit

Ephesians 5:18, NIV

e. Ephesians 5:18 — What specific command is given us in this verse? Be filled with the Holy Spirit.

To be filled with the Spirit means to be directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit in such a way that we can live as He wants us to live.

When a person receives Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to indwell or live in him. Although the Holy Spirit lives within every Christian, He only fills those who let Him. (Romans 8:9 and 1 Corinthians 12:13 show that the Holy Spirit lives in every Christian.)

We are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith, as an act of our wills. As we allow the Holy Spirit to direct us and empower our lives we will overcome the desires of the flesh. The filling of the Holy Spirit is a moment- by- moment, day- by- day experience. The verb, “be filled”, means in the original language, “to be continually filled.”

Ephesians 5:18 told us of His specific command for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Since it is God’s will for us to be filled with the Spirit let us then consider how we can do that.

Application (What does it mean to me?)

How to be filled with the Holy Spirit:

1. You must sincerely desire to be directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied.”

Matthew 5:6

2. Confess your sins

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”

1 John 1:9

What are some areas of sin that could keep a Christian from being filled with the Spirit? Lying, anger, cheating, immorality.

God will not fill a dirty vessel; through confession we become clean. Confession is agreeing with God concerning our sin, thanking Him for His forgiveness because of Christ’s death on the cross, and repenting (turning away from our sin and turning toward God). As we discussed in the previous lesson, God has already forgiven us; but as we confess our sins, we experience anew what He has already done for us on the cross.

3. Present every area of your life to God.

“I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship”

Romans 12:1

Why do you think it is important to present every area of your life to God before He will fill you with His Spirit?

Because to be filled with the Holy Spirit requires us to yield to the direction and control of the Holy Spirit.

4. By faith, claim the fullness of the Holy Spirit. According to:

His command — Ephesians 5:18

His promise — 1 John 5:14, 15

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit

Ephesians 5:18

14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

1 John 5:14-15

a. According to this passage (I John 5:14, 15) when we pray according to His will, what will He do?

b. If we were to pray in faith to be filled with the Holy Spirit, how could we be confident that God would answer our prayer?

c. We are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith alone. Prayer is one way of expressing faith.

I would like to share with you a suggested prayer that many people have used to express faith in God’s command and promise.

5. You can express your faith through prayer.

“Dear Father, I need you. I acknowledge that I have been in control of my life and that as a result, I have sinned against You. I thank You that You have forgiven my sins through Christ’s death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to again take control of the throne of my life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as you command me to be filled, and as you promised in Your Word that You would do if I asked in faith. I pray this in the name of Jesus. As an expression of my faith, I now thank You for taking control of my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? If it does, I would like to give you an opportunity to pray that prayer in a minute.

Remember, we said in order to be filled we need to confess any known sin in our lives and present every area of our lives to Christ. Let’s have a moment of silent prayer to do that now.

Now that you have asked God to fill you, consider how you can know you are filled.

In 1 John 5:14-15 God promises that if we ask anything according to His will He will do it. He cannot lie. You can know that you are filled, not on the basis of feelings, but on the trustworthiness of God.

Look Forward

Training

How to Handle Different Responses While Sharing the Four Spiritual Laws.

Assignments and Reminders

Read the material “Have You Made the Wonderful Discovery of the Spirit-Filled Life?" before our next meeting.
Complete Lesson 2 and Lesson 3 of Ten Basic Steps to Christian Maturity Introduction.
Share the Four Spiritual Laws with another person, using our training on “How to Handle Different Responses.”

Click here to begin ADG 4: Walking in the Spirit.

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ADG 3: Being Filled With The Holy Spirit