No Vacancy!

Why Do I Need to be Filled with the Holy Spirit?

  1. To Fulfill the Purpose of God and the Stewardship of Your Ministry Calling.  

Luke 4:1-2,13-19, “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry…13 And so when the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.

14 And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding region. 15 And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all. 16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to Him. And He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He anointed Me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent Me to proclaim release to captives,

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set free those who are oppressed,

19 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

  • Living in a State of Readiness & Expectation Under the Leadership of the Holy Spirit
  • “Full” is an Adjective, therefore, this points to ‘state of being’ or ‘disposition’ ; a measure that can’t be increased. “Thoroughly PERMEATED”; He could not get “more” of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was ‘fully occupied or possessed with the Holy Spirit’ for the season of wilderness training and temptation before His public ministry was inaugurated.
  • Being “full” means to have No more room or capacity/space for anything or anyone else;
  • John 1:14: Jesus “full of grace and truth”
  • Deacons/ Stephen ( Acts 6:3,5,8); “full of the Holy Spirit, full of faith” ; a qualification for servanthood/ministry; suggests a ‘maturity’ necessary for leadership
  • Negative: full of wrath, anger, rage, deceit
  • The born-again, blood washed believer is ‘full of the Holy Spirit’; All Christians have the person of the Holy Spirit dwelling in them through the new birth. 

QUESTION: What steps of obedience do I need to take to place myself in a ‘state of readiness’ to fulfill my calling? What is the difference between being “filled” with the Holy Spirit and living/walking in the “power” of the Holy Spirit?  

  1. To Complete and Execute the Immediate Task In Front of Me

Acts 13:4-12

4 “So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper. 6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him, 10 and said, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? 11 Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.”

  • “Filled with the Holy Spirit” (Aorist;participle; passive) the syntax and grammar suggest Paul “had just been filled with the Holy Spirit” at that particular moment or point in time. 
  • The missional mindset is to press through all barriers, disruptions  and opposition. 
  • God’s Spirit can fill us instantly to deal with problems when we are doing His work His way.

QUESTION:  What task am I immediately facing that I need to ask the Holy Spirit to fill me in order to glorify God?

  1. To Be Conformed to the Likeness of Jesus Christ…Resist & Overcome Evil in My Walk with the Lord in this Fallen World & Change the Narrative from Negativity to Rejoicing , Victory and Thanksgiving

Ephesians 5: 15-21: Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

  • “Be continually being filled with the Spirit “ (verb,present, participle, passive) We can’t fill ourselves but we can receive and ask and wait in prayer believing His promises to fill us with His Spirit to saturate and influence our motives, minds, words  and works.
  • Individual Lifestyle that builds character (fruit of the Spirit, Gal.5:22 )and releases gifts of the Spirit (I Cor.12-14)
  • Carefulness & Wisdom (v15)
  • Efficiency and Sense of Timing and Divine Appointments (vv16-17)
  • Sobriety (v18)
  • Environment of Celebration Marked by Gratitude & Humility (vv20-21)

QUESTION:  Where am I being careless or even wreckless in my attitude or behavior that is counter productive to becoming a man of God?

  1. To Partner with the Body of Jesus Christ in Joyful Obedience

Acts 13:48-52: “When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51 But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”

  • “Continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (Imperfect, indicative , passive/middle); Syntax and grammar reveals that the Gentile Christians in Pisidian Antioch were living together and were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit on multiple occasions over an indefinite  period of time.
  • “Disciples”; Followers of Jesus get Filled as they seek to obey His commands
  • Corporate Lifestyle or Corporate Culture developed at a community level

QUESTION: How can I adjust myself to be a more dynamic brother/sister in the Lord?

No Vacancy!

Why Do I Need to be Filled with the Holy Spirit?

  1. To Fulfill the Purpose of God and the Stewardship of Your Ministry Calling.  

Luke 4:1-2,13-19, “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry…13 And so when the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.

14 And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding region. 15 And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all. 16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to Him. And He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He anointed Me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent Me to proclaim release to captives,

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set free those who are oppressed,

19 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

  • Living in a State of Readiness & Expectation Under the Leadership of the Holy Spirit
  • “Full” is an Adjective, therefore, this points to ‘state of being’ or ‘disposition’ ; a measure that can’t be increased. “Thoroughly PERMEATED”; He could not get “more” of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was ‘fully occupied or possessed with the Holy Spirit’ for the season of wilderness training and temptation before His public ministry was inaugurated.
  • Being “full” means to have No more room or capacity/space for anything or anyone else;
  • John 1:14: Jesus “full of grace and truth”
  • Deacons/ Stephen ( Acts 6:3,5,8); “full of the Holy Spirit, full of faith” ; a qualification for servanthood/ministry; suggests a ‘maturity’ necessary for leadership
  • Negative: full of wrath, anger, rage, deceit
  • The born-again, blood washed believer is ‘full of the Holy Spirit’; All Christians have the person of the Holy Spirit dwelling in them through the new birth. 

QUESTION: What steps of obedience do I need to take to place myself in a ‘state of readiness’ to fulfill my calling? What is the difference between being “filled” with the Holy Spirit and living/walking in the “power” of the Holy Spirit?  

  1. To Complete and Execute the Immediate Task In Front of Me

Acts 13:4-12

4 “So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper. 6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him, 10 and said, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? 11 Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.”

  • “Filled with the Holy Spirit” (Aorist;participle; passive) the syntax and grammar suggest Paul “had just been filled with the Holy Spirit” at that particular moment or point in time. 
  • The missional mindset is to press through all barriers, disruptions  and opposition. 
  • God’s Spirit can fill us instantly to deal with problems when we are doing His work His way.

QUESTION:  What task am I immediately facing that I need to ask the Holy Spirit to fill me in order to glorify God?

  1. To Be Conformed to the Likeness of Jesus Christ…Resist & Overcome Evil in My Walk with the Lord in this Fallen World & Change the Narrative from Negativity to Rejoicing , Victory and Thanksgiving

Ephesians 5: 15-21: Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

  • “Be continually being filled with the Spirit “ (verb,present, participle, passive) We can’t fill ourselves but we can receive and ask and wait in prayer believing His promises to fill us with His Spirit to saturate and influence our motives, minds, words  and works.
  • Individual Lifestyle that builds character (fruit of the Spirit, Gal.5:22 )and releases gifts of the Spirit (I Cor.12-14)
  • Carefulness & Wisdom (v15)
  • Efficiency and Sense of Timing and Divine Appointments (vv16-17)
  • Sobriety (v18)
  • Environment of Celebration Marked by Gratitude & Humility (vv20-21)

QUESTION:  Where am I being careless or even wreckless in my attitude or behavior that is counter productive to becoming a man of God?

  1. To Partner with the Body of Jesus Christ in Joyful Obedience

Acts 13:48-52: “When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51 But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”

  • “Continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (Imperfect, indicative , passive/middle); Syntax and grammar reveals that the Gentile Christians in Pisidian Antioch were living together and were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit on multiple occasions over an indefinite  period of time.
  • “Disciples”; Followers of Jesus get Filled as they seek to obey His commands
  • Corporate Lifestyle or Corporate Culture developed at a community level

QUESTION: How can I adjust myself to be a more dynamic brother/sister in the Lord?

Habakkuk & The 3-D Matrix of Spiritual Warfare

Hercules Fighting Antaeus (1634), by Francisco de Zurbarán

The Greek mythological character Antaeus (gk.,antao,opponent, ‘to oppose, to face off, Anti), was the offspring of Gaia & Poseidon, he was a huge wrestler and every time he threw his opponent down to earth he got stronger. However, Hercules defeated him with a crushing bear hug, not allowing Antaeus to get him on the ground.

Habakkuk, not a mythological Titan, was called the ‘ardent embracer of God , the wrestler. Some scholars date his work around 606B.C., because he is foretelling the invasion of Judah by the Babylonians. His prophetic calling, Journey and words became the cornerstone of the New Testament doctrine of justification by faith, “as for the proud one his soul is not right, but the just shall live by faith” (Hab.2:4; Rom.1:17; Gal.3:11; Heb.10:36-38). In addition, Habakkuk’s word launched the necessary Protestant Reformation when Martin Luther read Romans 1:17 which slew the “monster of uncertainty” which fed upon a salvation built on works rather than by grace through faith alone.

Habakkuk , saw all the violence, lawlessness, iniquity, perversion, strife and wickedness flourish and unchecked in his day (Hab.1-11). He wrestled in antiquity (and we must wrestle with today) with the great philosophical and theological question of ‘theodicy’ or “why is there evil if there is a God who is good and all powerful in moral authority and justice?” He took his complaint to God and wrestled with the LORD (Habakkuk 1:12-2:4). Eventually, his complaints—about the seeming inactivity of God’s justice and the proliferation of evil—were quelled into a posture of trust and faith in God in the midst of a flood of evil, destruction and death. God’s warfare, God’s holiness and God’s goodness can tame the most angry, timid or unruly heart producing a quiet spirit of deep humility and trust in the heat of the battle (Hab.2:20;3:16). Our messianic silence forged in the place of watchfulness (Hab.2:1) and intercession (Hab.3:1) can defeat the arrogant boisterous, mocking shouts, advancements and celebrations of our spiritual enemies. The full-throated prayer life of Jesus in secret before the Father was the ‘golden-silence’ of faith that disarmed principalities and power in earthly and heavenly places (1 Peter 2:23). God has , is and will exercise His justice of grace and wrath in His way and in His time. In the mean time, we must bring his justice through the gospel of the kingdom to the broken-hearted, the prisoners of sin and shame , the poor and marginalized!

God the Father seeks worship-warriors, who know when to speak and when to be silent in a humble attentive “submissive” spirit. The Father supplies ‘grace’ to the humble, who in their brokenness and contrition surrender to Him who works “all things” together for good which triumphs over evil. We must wage war in word and deed!

We wage war or struggle or wrestle on three different levels as followers of Christ. This spiritual warfare is kind of like 3-D Chess. We war against the world, our flesh and the devil.  The better we are at wrestling with God and ourselves in submission and humility, the more triumphant we live when dealing with spiritual wickedness. John, the beloved, taught “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” It stands to reason, our first focus must be on knowing Christ above us, through us and in us!

 Know God, know yourself and know your enemy.

  1. We wrestle with God… The Most High God  seeks to subdue us for His purpose. Jacob wrestled with God (God wrestled with Jacob) all night at the River Jabbok and was transformed in name and character. Wrestling with God releases a new name and future for us through weakness and humility.  Daniel wrestled with God in Babylon concerning the captivity of His people and the restoration of all things.  Paul wrestled with God to remove a “thorn in his flesh”. Also Paul, wrestled with the incongruity between his mind and his will and his actions (Romans 7). In Paul’s case, God’s will prevailed not with healing but with grace and power through weakness and limitation.  Peter said, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, casting all your anxiety upon Him for He cares for you.”  The love of God is the most powerful weapon formed by God to subdue our pride, our vices, our unbelief  and our fear in order to release His grace. 

 Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak…So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” (Genesis 22:24,30)

  • The Call to Character:  Glorification of the Believer: We are transformed from “glory to glory” into the likeness of Son of God (Rom.8:29) by total surrender to the firm hand of God that changes us spirit, soul and body (2 Cor. 3:17-18). 
  1. We wrestle with our sinful nature: This the backdrop of Romans 7, which ends,  “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.  Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…” (Rom.7:24-8:1).  Not unlike the necessity to get dressed everyday, we must daily “put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make now provision for the flesh in regards to its lusts” (Rom.13:14). 
  • The Call to Purpose Driven Life of Service: The Sanctification of the Believer; this progressive process is what “sets us apart” to be Spirit-driven to serve others through self-mortification.
  1. We wrestle against the kingdom of darkness: We must not be empty-headed when it comes to our knowledge of the schemes of Satan. He takes advantage of ‘ignorance’. The devil is the ‘god of this world’ but He is not God Almighty, nor the Creator-Redeemer of all things.  We must respect evil powers, for even Michael, the great warring angel, said “The Lord rebuke” you when dealing with the body of Moses (Jude 8-9). Our appeal against darkness is first and foremost always an appeal to the Father and His kingdom will, authority and power. We are commanded by the Apostle Paul  to do everything we can (which is to first seek God and deny ourselves) to stand against evil in acts of obedience. This obedience to Christ and the gospel  will inevitably  bring some level of backlash, opposition, persecution and suffering. We are to “put on the full armor of God” and take up the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word to win this battle (Eph.6:10-17). 

Matthew Henry (1662-1714) was a 17th and early 18th Century minister of the Gospel in England

  • The Call to Victory: The influential enthusiastic believer seeks to both preserve, enhance and advance the victory of Jesus Christ against the kingdom of darkness. Similiar to the example of Jesus in the wilderness, with the direct aid of the Holy Scriptures these private and public victories transform the fullness of the Spirit into the “power of the Spirit” (Luke 4:1,14). 

A New Year Paradigm for 2025

    Below is a kernel of truth which emerged while reflecting on 2024 and looking ahead to 2025 on New Year’s Eve. May the Father of Lord Jesus Christ help us yield afresh to the Holy Spirit, who passionately seeks to transform us into the like-character of the Son of God to a greater depth in 2025:

    There is a glory that can follow success and a glory that can follow failure. The “glory of God” is found in seeking him in both triumph and adversity. We are called to be transformed from “glory to glory” (2 Cor.3:17-18). The Christian’s call is clustered around the continuous growth in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ to combat callousness and complacency (2 Peter 3:18). The enemy of “glorifying God” in our beliefs, our behavior and our affections is passivity. Our past failures or limitations can become to daunting to overcome; or our successes lull us into a slumber of a prideful contentment.

    The Father’s grace is what enables us to progress in holy purpose, which is allowing the entire person to be apprehended by God for greater works in and through us to benefit those around us.

    In 2025, will we press on to know the LORD and make him known? I believe each of us will! Stop at the New Year, get in a quiet place of humility and look and listen for Jesus to speak deep into your heart. This “pause” may take an hour, a day or a week, but it will set the pace for a new season of the pursuit of God and fruitfulness!

    Let’s Stop and Go!

    You’re My Best Friend

    The friendship Barnabas displayed to Paul reveals many ways we can become friends to those around us. Jesus Himself taught “friendship” is the highest call to love. Please read the Scripture references for meditation and prayer and application!

    Barnabas: Steps to Becoming a Friend of God

    1. A Friend of God is a “born-again” citizen of heaven. (Acts 4:36)
    2. A Friend of God lays everything at the feet of Jesus. (Act.4:37)
    3. A Friend of God protects His family and friends. (Acts 9:23-25)
    4. A Friend of God opens doors for you to be involved in the work of God. (Acts 9:26-27)
    5. A Friend of God focuses on grace more than failure. (Acts 11:22-24)
    6. A Friend of God finds you when you get lost. (Acts 11:25-26)
    7. A Friend of God has compassion for the poor and can be trusted with money.(Acts 11:30)
    8. A Friend of God finishes the job given to him/her. (Acts 12:25)
    9. A Friend of God is constantly seeking God first. (Acts 13:1-4)
    10. A Friend of God feels the pain of others and heals them. (Acts 13:50;14:19-20; 2 Cor.1:3-7)
    11. A Friend of God keeps moving forward with joy. (Acts 13:51-52)
    12. A Friend of God sticks close to you in difficult times. (Acts 14:22)
    13. A Friend of God can stay on mission even in the midst of disagreement. (Acts 15:37-39)
    14. A Friend of God is always open to reconciliation and restoration of broken relationships. (Philemon 24; 2 Timothy 4:11)
    15. A Friend of God Believes God and His Word/Promises (James 4:23)