025 - Filled With the Holy Spirit #1 - Don Gossett

[00:00:00] And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

[00:00:06] This is Don Gossett sharing with you one of the most exciting truths that I know about and that's to being filled with the Holy Spirit.

[00:00:13] The Bible tells us we receive Jesus as Savior by asking Him into our hearts and confessing Him as Lord. The Holy Spirit comes to live inside us.

[00:00:22] The first Corinthians 12 3 tells us we cannot even ask or accept Jesus as Lord but by the Holy Spirit.

[00:00:31] For where he says, Wherefore I give you to understand that no man speaking in the Spirit of God or by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost.

[00:00:45] In other words, when we receive Jesus, the Holy Spirit indwells us. And the Bible says the Holy Spirit is a comforter, counselor, helper, intercessor, advocate, strengthener, standby, and the Spirit of truth who will live in us forever.

[00:01:02] What more can we need? Well, some people are children of God, born of the Spirit of God but have not experienced being filled with the evidence of speaking in tongues,

[00:01:12] filled according to the Bible in Acts 2 4, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

[00:01:24] To experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit by receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, all someone needs to do is just submit to the Lord and ask Him to give you this mighty gift.

[00:01:36] And believe, thank God, that He is giving it to you and receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

[00:01:42] We should know that we can have a desire to speak words of a language other than our own, and we can lift our voices up and praise God by these words of the other language to God.

[00:01:56] Now, there are two functions of the Holy Spirit. One is for the indwelling of the believer, and the other is for the outpouring to help others.

[00:02:04] The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is for our benefit as individuals.

[00:02:09] The Holy Spirit dwells in us to do something for us, to make us become what God intended us to be.

[00:02:15] Through developing into the fullness of the indwelling Spirit, we learn to operate in one of the workings of the Lord and working in cooperation with our Lord Jesus Christ.

[00:02:27] He will work in us in the very nature through the nine fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

[00:02:39] It's the indwelling Holy Spirit that brings the fruit of the Spirit to maturity in our recreated human spirits.

[00:02:46] And once we are established in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the fullness comes as an overflowing, an outpouring that reaches out to others.

[00:02:55] The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is for the benefit of others to bring them into the fullness of action in the Holy Spirit.

[00:03:03] Now, we learn from Acts 1-8 that when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we shall be endued with power from on high.

[00:03:10] This power is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit from us to bless others through the manifestation of the Spirit.

[00:03:18] They're called the gifts of the Spirit.

[00:03:20] We call them words of wisdom, word of knowledge, the gift of faith, the gifts of healing, the working of miracles,

[00:03:28] the gift of prophecy, the discerning of spirits, diverse kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.

[00:03:35] I've just shared with you from 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verses 8 through 10.

[00:03:39] Now, many people in the body of Christ have looked for the manifestation of the Spirit,

[00:03:45] the outpouring to the work of the Holy Spirit inside them.

[00:03:48] And He doesn't work this way.

[00:03:50] The work of the Holy Spirit in dwelling us enables us to be renewed continually

[00:03:55] in the power that can come forth to manifest the Spirit to bless others.

[00:03:59] That's the purpose of being filled with the Holy Spirit, not just for our personal blessing only,

[00:04:04] but to be a blessing to others.

[00:04:06] And thank God I recall when I received the mighty baptism of the Holy Spirit,

[00:04:12] I was endued with an ability I'd never known before,

[00:04:15] and I began to go to jails, to rescue missions, to street corners, and even to public parks.

[00:04:23] And there I would share the love of Christ with people who needed Him, and it was a great delight.

[00:04:28] And so it's a wonderful thing to know we have the power of the Holy Spirit within us,

[00:04:34] enable us to be a blessing to others.

[00:04:36] Now, there are people who do not have the fullness of the Holy Spirit,

[00:04:40] where they're speaking in tongues, but they know the Spirit of God.

[00:04:44] And how much more should we, people who consider ourselves Holy Ghost people,

[00:04:49] we should have the well of life flowing, springing up within us.

[00:04:54] Our flesh should not rule us, whether we know it or not,

[00:04:57] your mind and emotions have a voice too.

[00:05:00] And God wants us to get into His Word to renew our minds

[00:05:04] and change our pattern of thinking with the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

[00:05:08] We need to renew our minds by the Word of God, by the Spirit of God,

[00:05:12] so we can recognize the difference between the Spirit of God moving

[00:05:16] and our emotions reacting to what we're not reacting.

[00:05:20] Otherwise, we can get caught up in the trap of letting our emotions get so involved

[00:05:26] when the Spirit moves that something within ourselves just wants to keep on moving and going.

[00:05:33] Now, when that happens, the Spirit of God is not operating.

[00:05:36] It's just the result of the flesh.

[00:05:38] The Spirit of God may be moving through just quietness,

[00:05:43] but a great deal gets accomplished in a quiet time with Him.

[00:05:47] We need to develop the Spirit, the Holy Spirit within us,

[00:05:52] so we can recognize His flow and go with it.

[00:05:55] Now, many of you wonder what to maintain and how you maintain the Spirit-filled life,

[00:06:01] so I want to share with you on this subject.

[00:06:04] One of the keys to developing and ministering the Holy Spirit-fullness

[00:06:09] is found in Ephesians 5, verses 15-21.

[00:06:14] Listen to these words.

[00:06:16] See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

[00:06:22] redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

[00:06:25] Wherefore, be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

[00:06:30] And be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit,

[00:06:36] speaking yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

[00:06:40] singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

[00:06:43] giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father,

[00:06:47] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

[00:06:50] submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

[00:06:54] Now, the direction of these verses is written to each of us,

[00:06:57] as if our names were written there.

[00:07:00] These are seven instructions.

[00:07:03] Are black and white.

[00:07:04] Redeem the time.

[00:07:05] Understand the will of the Lord.

[00:07:08] Be filled with the Spirit, not drunk with wine.

[00:07:11] Speak to yourself in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.

[00:07:14] Make melody in your heart to the Lord.

[00:07:17] Give thanks always for all things,

[00:07:19] for this is the will of God concerning you.

[00:07:22] And submit yourself unto the Lord,

[00:07:25] and submit yourself one to another in the fear of God.

[00:07:28] So this statement, redeeming the time,

[00:07:31] depends upon the fulfillment of the other six instructions,

[00:07:35] and understanding what the will of the Lord depends on,

[00:07:37] being filled with the Spirit.

[00:07:39] We understand the will of the Lord after being filled

[00:07:41] by speaking to ourselves,

[00:07:44] singing and giving thanks to the Lord,

[00:07:45] and submitting to Him.

[00:07:46] And when the Lord,

[00:07:48] and what the Lord does,

[00:07:50] in the third instruction here in Ephesians 5,

[00:07:53] is to be not drunk with the natural juice,

[00:07:56] but to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

[00:07:58] And now some of the characteristics of a drinking person,

[00:08:01] a drunkard,

[00:08:02] will show up as a similarity

[00:08:05] to somewhat being really baptized in the Holy Spirit.

[00:08:08] I grew up in the home of a drunkard,

[00:08:11] an alcoholic father,

[00:08:12] who and I saw many of these undesirable qualities

[00:08:16] revealed just by drunkenness.

[00:08:19] Well, in the power of the Holy Spirit,

[00:08:21] getting drunk with the natural juices is not our problem.

[00:08:25] We are immersed and filled with the mighty Holy Spirit baptism.

[00:08:29] And we don't have to worry about tomorrow,

[00:08:32] no burdens or cares,

[00:08:33] if we really cast our cares upon the Lord.

[00:08:36] And the Spirit of the Lord,

[00:08:38] who casts His cares on the Lord,

[00:08:40] can truly be carefree.

[00:08:42] I love this statement.

[00:08:44] If the Son, therefore, has made you free,

[00:08:46] you shall be free indeed.

[00:08:49] And if you cast all your cares upon the Lord

[00:08:52] because He cares for you,

[00:08:54] you can say,

[00:08:55] by the grace of God,

[00:08:56] I'm carefree.

[00:08:58] Hallelujah.

[00:08:59] Now, I recall in those days

[00:09:01] when my father owned a tavern

[00:09:03] and I'd be around those drunkards

[00:09:05] there in my dad's tavern

[00:09:08] and you'd discover that these persons

[00:09:10] would manifest such unusual optimism

[00:09:14] and they were not necessarily concerned

[00:09:17] about anything else

[00:09:18] but just having a great time.

[00:09:20] Well, we Christians

[00:09:22] who have never drunk of the Spirit of God

[00:09:25] are apt to keep ourselves so rigid,

[00:09:27] so perfect,

[00:09:27] so exact that when it comes to the praising God,

[00:09:32] we'll look around to see who's watching us

[00:09:34] and we're unable to really praise freely.

[00:09:38] Now, this verse here,

[00:09:40] be filled with the Spirit,

[00:09:42] would better be translated by the phrase,

[00:09:44] be constantly in the process of being filled.

[00:09:48] The first outward evidence

[00:09:50] is speaking in languages

[00:09:51] as the initial outpouring

[00:09:53] of the Holy Spirit of the Law.

[00:09:54] These are supernatural languages

[00:09:57] given by the Holy Spirit through us

[00:10:00] and so being filled with the Holy Spirit

[00:10:02] and never speaking in tongues

[00:10:04] after initial evidence

[00:10:05] is like taking a drink

[00:10:07] then thinking you never need to drink water again.

[00:10:11] You have to keep on drinking.

[00:10:13] It's a daily process

[00:10:15] to satisfy the thirst of your spirit,

[00:10:18] to sustain the Spirit,

[00:10:19] enable Him to be manifest through you.

[00:10:22] Now, receiving the Holy Spirit

[00:10:24] is not like getting a smallpox shot.

[00:10:27] If you don't use your prayer language,

[00:10:29] you lose the awareness of the Holy Spirit,

[00:10:32] you lose the conscience of Him,

[00:10:34] and you lose the power that comes

[00:10:36] with the Holy Spirit operating through us.

[00:10:39] All through the book of Acts,

[00:10:41] it mentions the apostles

[00:10:42] were being filled with the Spirit.

[00:10:44] This does not mean that they are getting

[00:10:46] the initial evidence over and over,

[00:10:48] but they constantly kept drinking

[00:10:50] and the filling was ongoing process.

[00:10:53] Now, how did they do that?

[00:10:55] Well, the next three verses reveal that

[00:10:58] in Ephesians 5, 19 through 21,

[00:11:00] it tells us how

[00:11:02] to keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit.

[00:11:05] You see, the fullness of the Spirit of God

[00:11:07] can be maintained,

[00:11:09] as Scripture says here,

[00:11:10] by singing,

[00:11:11] giving thanks,

[00:11:12] and submitting.

[00:11:13] The order of those is very important

[00:11:15] and not an accident,

[00:11:17] exhorting us to speak to ourselves

[00:11:19] in a Bible pattern.

[00:11:21] David did it.

[00:11:22] The Bible says

[00:11:23] he encouraged himself in the Lord,

[00:11:25] and if you don't encourage yourself

[00:11:27] many times,

[00:11:29] there is no one else around to do it.

[00:11:32] So speak to yourself in other tongues,

[00:11:34] and that will give you the capacity

[00:11:36] to sing a new song.

[00:11:37] The next step,

[00:11:39] God is the author of the new song.

[00:11:41] It's a testimony in the mouth

[00:11:43] of two or three witnesses

[00:11:45] that take up the Scripture references,

[00:11:47] it says here.

[00:11:48] In Psalm 40,

[00:11:49] I cried to the Lord,

[00:11:51] and He heard me

[00:11:52] and brought me out of the miry clay,

[00:11:53] out of the deep pit,

[00:11:55] and set my feet upon a rock,

[00:11:57] and He's put a new song in my mouth,

[00:11:59] even praise to our God.

[00:12:01] Now, this word new

[00:12:02] in the Greek means fresh.

[00:12:04] When God wants to do

[00:12:05] something in our hearts

[00:12:07] in a vital way,

[00:12:08] it's a fresh manifestation

[00:12:09] of the Spirit.

[00:12:10] I say a fresh basis.

[00:12:12] The Scripture songs

[00:12:14] we sing today

[00:12:15] are usually fresh.

[00:12:16] They are not saying anything

[00:12:18] that has not been before.

[00:12:20] The Bible says

[00:12:21] there's nothing new under the sun,

[00:12:22] but they are all fresh.

[00:12:24] So what we sing

[00:12:25] on the Spirit of the moment

[00:12:27] by the Spirit of God

[00:12:28] is fresh

[00:12:28] because it's what the Spirit

[00:12:30] is prompting us

[00:12:31] to declare in that instant.

[00:12:33] In the first part

[00:12:34] of Ephesians 5, 19,

[00:12:36] we are speaking to ourselves.

[00:12:38] That's when we begin

[00:12:38] to speak to God.

[00:12:40] So there are songs

[00:12:41] written not to bless us,

[00:12:43] but to worship and praise

[00:12:44] the Lord and Savior.

[00:12:46] Sometimes you may start out

[00:12:48] by speaking yourself

[00:12:49] and sing yourself,

[00:12:51] writing the victory,

[00:12:52] singing and making melody

[00:12:53] unto the Lord.

[00:12:55] Hallelujah.

[00:12:56] I discover I take times

[00:12:57] when I was just devoted

[00:12:59] half an hour or so

[00:13:00] doing nothing

[00:13:01] but singing praises.

[00:13:03] And it's always beautiful

[00:13:04] how the Spirit

[00:13:05] manifests Himself.

[00:13:06] I think it would be appropriate

[00:13:07] right now for you and me

[00:13:09] to praise the Lord.

[00:13:11] Let's say,

[00:13:12] Praise You, Lord,

[00:13:13] and say it five times.

[00:13:15] Praise You, Lord.

[00:13:16] Praise You, Lord.

[00:13:19] Praise You, Lord.

[00:13:21] Praise You, Lord.

[00:13:23] Praise You, Lord.

[00:13:25] Hallelujah.

[00:13:26] Thank you.