Filling of the Spirit --- What is it?

[skypair]

Grandpa was Evangelist John R. Rice. He never pastored at Bellevue, but he preached there on occasion I'm sure. He only pastored in Texas, where he started 11 churches, and Wheaton IL, where he started another church.

He believed very strongly in the necessity of the power of the Holy Spirit for service and preached on it often with titles such as, "How Jesus Our Pattern Was Filled With the Spirit." Here is a link where you can buy this sermon in pamphlet form (only 60 cents!) as well as other books on the Holy Spirit by John R. Rice and others, including How to Obtain Fullness of Power, by R. A. Torrey, and Holy Spirit Power by Spurgeon: http://www.swordofthelord.com/osb/showitem.cfm?Category=149

Right, My wife reminded me it was R.G. Lee I was thinking of.

I read many of Rice's sermons in "Sword of the Lord" when I subscribed, though. Thanks for the website.

Interesting about laying on hands, too. Kinda Acts 6:1-7, eh?

skypair

 

[skypair]

Skypair, this one of the most important questions I've ever been asked in the ministry.

Hope my question wasn't like telling the pitcher in a big game that he has a "no-hitter" going. :laugh:

But I do believe that having asked for the filling of the Spirit, I am usually filled with the Spirit when I declare the gospel.

Good point! I was thinking about the times I have done so and how many ways in the course of doing so that the Spirit would lead me into seeing the need and even the passages that would help.

skypair

 

[Brother Bob]

Sometimes I have felt completely on my own in the pulpit, and felt that I had done no good whatsoever and go home with a "down" feeling. (Thank God, not too often), I have wondered "have I done something" or is the congregation just not "praying'.


BBob,

 

[John of Japan]

Right, My wife reminded me it was R.G. Lee I was thinking of.

I read many of Rice's sermons in "Sword of the Lord" when I subscribed, though. Thanks for the website.

Interesting about laying on hands, too. Kinda Acts 6:1-7, eh?

skypair

You know what, I've been thinking about it and remembered something. When I was a 7th grader in 1965, my Dad was pastoring Southside Baptist in Millington, TN. He was fired by the church for his troubles (the biggest problem was letting a black sailor from the air base come), and then for awhile we went to Bellevue in Memphis while Dad looked for his next pastorate--which he took in Wisconsin, to get away from those Southerners, I guess. So Dad probably preached there too at one time or another, and I went there for a short while as a boy. :type:

 

[John of Japan]

Sometimes I have felt completely on my own in the pulpit, and felt that I had done no good whatsoever and go home with a "down" feeling. (Thank God, not too often), I have wondered "have I done something" or is the congregation just not "praying'.


BBob,

I know that exact feeling. But then sometimes that's when the Lord does the most through us, amen? It's the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

 

[Salamander]

Sometimes I have felt completely on my own in the pulpit, and felt that I had done no good whatsoever and go home with a "down" feeling. (Thank God, not too often), I have wondered "have I done something" or is the congregation just not "praying'.


BBob,

Many times it is our own fault of entering the puplpit without God "on us", but also the congregation can be so uninterested and even critical of the speaker that the Holy Ghost is so grieved that nothing is accomplished, well, except that the word of God will not return unto Him void.

That is, the word will either accomplish what God sent it out to do, or it will accomplish that it will be held against the hearers it was intended to change.

I preach to our little group with grea LIBERTY! But other times I can discern in other groups they are not really ready to listen and that can make it hard to preach.

Being filled with the Spirit definitely requires the word of God, but it also comes when one is engulfed by His presence and all his anxieties are diminished to nothing.

I can remember driving down the road when it seemed God was right beside me. I don't want God to be my co-pilot, so I pulled over and let Him DRIVE! (not literally, but it got so good that I didn't need to be trying to operate a vehicle shouting, laughing, with both hands raised to the roof, and tears streaming down my face!!!
:godisgood:

 

[Brother Bob]

Many times it is our own fault of entering the puplpit without God "on us", but also the congregation can be so uninterested and even critical of the speaker that the Holy Ghost is so grieved that nothing is accomplished, well, except that the word of God will not return unto Him void.

That is, the word will either accomplish what God sent it out to do, or it will accomplish that it will be held against the hearers it was intended to change.

I preach to our little group with grea LIBERTY! But other times I can discern in other groups they are not really ready to listen and that can make it hard to preach.

Being filled with the Spirit definitely requires the word of God, but it also comes when one is engulfed by His presence and all his anxieties are diminished to nothing.

I can remember driving down the road when it seemed God was right beside me. I don't want God to be my co-pilot, so I pulled over and let Him DRIVE! (not literally, but it got so good that I didn't need to be trying to operate a vehicle shouting, laughing, with both hands raised to the roof, and tears streaming down my face!!!
:godisgood:

Especially when a scripture is "opened" up to you and cause you to wonder why you could not see it before, knowing it came right from God. Yes, I know the feeling and have shed a many joyous tear.

BBob,

 

[TCGreek]

I think it can be about either one or both. One may desire the filling of the Holy Spirit (who already indwells the believer, as you'll agree, so it is not about receiving the Spirit) for the purpose of serving God, or one may want deeply to serve God and be filled for that purpose. It's not about having the right doctrine of the Holy Spirit.

I agree that it is not about the right doctrine on the Spirit before a person is filled. It is primarily a desire to serve God.

What it is not about is anything selfish, of course. It's not about being filled with the Spirit to be a great preacher or build a big church or writing best sellers. It's about God accomplishing His purposes through us. So Spirit-filled Philip (Acts 6:3) preached to great crowds in Samaria, but then was led by the Spirit off into the desert to win one Ethiopian.

Well, today's preachers need to hear this.

Exactly. I agree 100%. I once had some people from a "latter rain" church try to steal my members. So I sat down with them and my folk and we studied the Bible about the matter. At one point God led me to ask, "Acts mentions the baptism of the Holy Spirit eight times. How many times do you think tongues occurred?" The wife thought five or six, but it was only two! (I haven't checked this, just going by memory now.) She was amazed and disappointed.

Well, I'm sure that once the scriptural sank in, she would have given her approval.

A clean vessel is needed, yes. However, there are cases in the OT where God of His own will for His own purposes gave power to vessels that were not always clean, such as Samson. But I think in the NT age the vessel must be clean.

Maybe that's why the usual OT term (except for Bezaleel in Ex. 31:3 and 35:31) is not "filled with the Spirit." I believe that when the Holy Spirit began to indwell believers, from that time a clean vessel became needed.

Even King Saul had the Spirit on him and prophesied.

But this side of the cross is different with respect to the Spirit. I do agree.

 

[TCGreek]

Hope my question wasn't like telling the pitcher in a big game that he has a "no-hitter" going. :laugh:

Good point! I was thinking about the times I have done so and how many ways in the course of doing so that the Spirit would lead me into seeing the need and even the passages that would help.

skypair

Here's the rub for me: We all ask for the Spirit guidance interpretation of Scripture, yet we all come out differently at times.

So much so that some are:

Pretrib
Midtrib
Postrib

If you get my drift.

 

[DHK]

DHK, so what is your view on the filling of the Spirit?

I believe that the filling of the Holy Spirit is a command given to every believer and not just to confined to preachers or those in full-time ministry. It is the enablement of the Holy Spirit to speak the Word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31), and to live a life as a powerful witness for Him in all that we do.

Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

The command is in the present continuous. "Be ye continually filled with the Holy Spirit." It is not just for the pulpit. It is for all the time. It is to be continuously yielded to the Holy Spirit, in obedience to the commands of Christ and His Word. Time spent in the Word and Prayer can help us do that.

Every revival in history has come as a result of prayer. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Our society lacks the prayer warriors of yesteryears, when churches would hold all night prayer meetings.

Paul contrasts being filled with the Holy Spirit with "be not drunk with wine." When a man is drunk with wine or any alcoholic beverage, what happens? He does things and says things that he otherwise would never do or say. The wine controls him. He is controlled by an outside force.
In like manner a person who is filled with the Holy Spirit should be so controlled by that "outside force" that he will say things and do things that he normally would never do. He will speak the Word with boldness. He will not be shy to witness publicly even if others are going to be watching. He will lose that sense "shyness" in public places, and not be afraid to talk to others. He may even be willing to do some street preaching.

This is what Jesus meant when He said:
Mark 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

If we are filled with the Holy Spirit there is no question about our willingness to lose our life, our reputation, for the sake of Christ.

 

[TCGreek]

I believe that the filling of the Holy Spirit is a command given to every believer and not just to confined to preachers or those in full-time ministry. It is the enablement of the Holy Spirit to speak the Word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31), and to live a life as a powerful witness for Him in all that we do.

I quite agree with this.

Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

The command is in the present continuous. "Be ye continually filled with the Holy Spirit." It is not just for the pulpit. It is for all the time. It is to be continuously yielded to the Holy Spirit, in obedience to the commands of Christ and His Word. Time spent in the Word and Prayer can help us do that.

Sometimes we give the impression that the filling of the Spirit is only for pulpit ministry.

Every revival in history has come as a result of prayer. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Our society lacks the prayer warriors of yesteryears, when churches would hold all night prayer meetings.

Yeah, church history does attests to this.

Paul contrasts being filled with the Holy Spirit with "be not drunk with wine." When a man is drunk with wine or any alcoholic beverage, what happens? He does things and says things that he otherwise would never do or say. The wine controls him. He is controlled by an outside force.
In like manner a person who is filled with the Holy Spirit should be so controlled by that "outside force" that he will say things and do things that he normally would never do. He will speak the Word with boldness. He will not be shy to witness publicly even if others are going to be watching. He will lose that sense "shyness" in public places, and not be afraid to talk to others. He may even be willing to do some street preaching.

This is what Jesus meant when He said:
Mark 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

If we are filled with the Holy Spirit there is no question about our willingness to lose our life, our reputation, for the sake of Christ.

I quite agree.

 

[skypair]

Sometimes I have felt completely on my own in the pulpit, and felt that I had done no good whatsoever and go home with a "down" feeling. (Thank God, not too often), I have wondered "have I done something" or is the congregation just not "praying'.

God give you a double blessing, Bob! I've felt that way with my wife OFTEN!!

You guys are out there week after week and I just pray and keep praying for you here at BB especially!! It's a hard "job," isn't it. And I think about so many other things you have to be to your congregation. I can't wait to see you in heaven -- all of you guys! :godisgood:

skypair

 

[skypair]

You know what, I've been thinking about it and remembered something. When I was a 7th grader in 1965, my Dad was pastoring Southside Baptist in Millington, TN. He was fired by the church for his troubles (the biggest problem was letting a black sailor from the air base come), and then for awhile we went to Bellevue in Memphis while Dad looked for his next pastorate--which he took in Wisconsin, to get away from those Southerners, I guess. So Dad probably preached there too at one time or another, and I went there for a short while as a boy. :type:

Bless you, too, John! I know exactly what you are talking about!

Different church in Memphis but same situation! Broadway Baptist, Dr Bobby Moore, 1978. I was in the bus ministry (2nd largest bus ministry in the US of A) and one "bus pastor" had been bringing a mixed race couple to church who wanted join. Well, it was "pastor's policy" to find blacks a "good black church" to join. NOBODY knew this until it "exploded" in our faces!! Their bus pastor, who brought in 2 buses on Sundays, IMMEDIATELY quit (talk about your "Obama" confrontatations!).

I was totally non-plussed! I visited a church in Memphis that had "changed" and, God bless 'em, there is a financial "hook" there. But that is just WRONG!! I believe that God led me out of the situation, PTL! I feel so guilty of that situation and as a result, I cannot empathize with Obama at all!!

And I can really understand your father's situation. O, me! thanks, John for that testimony. Though I had reached some of the most spiritual days of my life, they were also the sadest days of my life there at the end.

skypair

 

[skypair]

I can remember driving down the road when it seemed God was right beside me. I don't want God to be my co-pilot, so I pulled over and let Him DRIVE! (not literally, but it got so good that I didn't need to be trying to operate a vehicle shouting, laughing, with both hands raised to the roof, and tears streaming down my face!!!QUOTE] Sounds "Pentecostal" but same here!!

And, in fact, I can remember one time getting really angry while I was driving and thinking how really "out of control" my spirit was! EVERY time you get angry, you lose your capacity for rational thinking.

skypair

 

[skypair]

Here's the rub for me: We all ask for the Spirit guidance interpretation of Scripture, yet we all come out differently at times.

So much so that some are:

Pretrib
Midtrib
Postrib

If you get my drift.

I do! It is clearly an issue of who really hears the Spirit and who is hearing men. Same as wondering if you are really saved. Ever had that doubt? Yeah -- same here. :thumbs: But WHAT DOES GOD'S WORD PROMISE?

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." It can't get any more explicit, can it? Regardless of how you got there, the issue is TRUST in Christ. You either do or you don't.

skypair

 

[skypair]

John,

What I meant by "nonplused" was that Dr Moore had been teaching that God couldn't do anything with sinful Christians -- yet we were seeing people saved every week! How was God blessing this SINFUL ministry if what pastor preached was true???

So what I decided pertaining to this thread is that God works sometimes in spite of what we feel our spiritual state is.

skypair

 

[TCGreek]

I do! It is clearly an issue of who really hears the Spirit and who is hearing men.
skypair

Or the differences, though not heretical, are evidence of limitations, which will all be removed at the eschaton (1 Cor 13).

 

[John of Japan]

John,

What I meant by "nonplused" was that Dr Moore had been teaching that God couldn't do anything with sinful Christians -- yet we were seeing people saved every week! How was God blessing this SINFUL ministry if what pastor preached was true???

So what I decided pertaining to this thread is that God works sometimes in spite of what we feel our spiritual state is.

skypair

Amen! Some of the greatest blessings of ministry have been in times of personal problems and distress.

I do believe that in the NT age God will not use someone who is knowingly in continual sin. But He often uses foolish things, weak things, base things, despised things and nothings to do His purposes (1 Cor. 1:27-29)!

 

[John of Japan]

Here is a sermon on the fullness of the Holy Spirit preached by John R. Rice in 1945.

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Book...d Sermons/Dr John Rice/fullness_of_spirit.htm

 

[JerryL]

Well, yep, "Grandpa" is what I called him growing up, sitting on his lap at age 4 and being asked, "Johnny, what do you want to be when you grow up?" And I compromised and said, "A cowboy preacher."

Maybe we are long lost cousins? :thumbs: