Lamps, Light, and Spirit-Filled Living

The Book of Acts is the continued work of Jesus through His people by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:4-5

4 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Revelation 1:4-14

4 To the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne”.

“12 after turning I saw seven golden lampstands; 13 and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and wrapped around the chest with a golden sash. 14 His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire.

Isaiah 11:1-2

Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him,
The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Zechariah 4:6

“Not by might nor by power, but by My spirit.”

Acts 2:1-4

1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly a noise like a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And tongues that looked like fire appeared to them, distributing themselves, and a tongue rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with different tongues, as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out.

David Guzik, Enduring Word on Acts 2 The disciples declared the praises of God, thanking Him with all their might in unknown tongues. The gathered crowd merely overheard what the disciples exuberantly declared to God.

The First Work of the Newly Lit, Spirit-Filled Church Was to Illuminate the Work of the Great High Priest

Acts 2:12-21

12 And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others were jeering and saying, “They are full of sweet wine!”

14 But Peter, taking his stand with the other eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, know this, and pay attention to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you assume, since it is only the third hour of the day; 16 but this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:

17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
‘That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
And your young men will see visions,
And your old men will have dreams;
18 And even on My male and female servants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days,
And they will prophesy.
19 And I will display wonders in the sky above
And signs on the earth below,
Blood, fire, and vapor of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned into darkness
And the moon into blood,
Before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21 And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

3 Lenses of a Spirit-Filled Life:

What does being filled with the Holy Spirit change about how and what we see?

Galatians 5:25

If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit as well.

CLARIFIERS:

1. The Holy Spirit is a gift to be received.
2. The Holy Spirit is a person to honor and submit to.

Galatians 5:25

If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit as well.

1. We Honor God at work in Ourselves:

His Spirit dwells in us

2. We Honor God at work in Others:

We are living stones

3. We Honor God at work in the World:

We are a royal priesthood

1 Peter 2:9

“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

We are filled so that the continued work of Jesus can happen through His people by the power of the Holy Spirit

Isaiah 11:1-4

Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him,
The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And He will delight in the fear of the Lord,
And He will not judge by what His eyes see,
Nor make decisions by what His ears hear;
But with righteousness He will judge the poor,
And decide with fairness for the humble of the earth.

Isaiah 11:9

For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea.

Where are you being filled?

Where are you burning?

Additional Resources:

• Foundations - The Holy Spirit

• Discipleship Class - A Place to Dwell

• Discipleship Class - Gifts of the Spirit