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Kingdom of Right Relationships

Part 4: Loving God the Holy Spirit

Matthew 22:34-40; Philippians 2:13; Ephesians 5:18

 

Introduction:

A.   Living in Four Relationships

1.    Whoever you are, wherever you live, whatever your values or philosophy of life, you can’t escape the necessity of living in four relationships.

2.    Each person must relate in some way

a)   to God

b)   to himself

c)    to the significant others in his life (those with whom he lives and works intimately) and

d)   to the world (everyone outside his immediate sphere).

3.    The good news of the gospel is that Jesus Christ can enter into a human life and redeem it in all four of these dimensions or relationships.

 

B.   The Most Important Relationship

1.    The most basic and important relationship is the one which exists between a human being and God.

2.    There are three dimensions of this love:

a)   Love of God the Father

b)   Love of God the Son

c)    Love of God the Holy Spirit

3.    We show our love for each of them differently even though they are One!

4.    We do this because we relate to each person in the Trinity differently!

 

C.  The Commandment - Matthew 22:37-38

1.    Scribe: “Which is the great commandment in the law?”

2.    Christ’s answer was powerful.

3.    “Love the Lord your God.”

4.    Love God as your very own God, a personal relationship, not a distant relationship.

5.    This is the greatest of all commandments.

6.    Is it possible to command somebody to love?

7.    Yes, love is an act of the will: we choose to relate to God no matter how we may feel.

 

D.  An All-encompassing Love- Matthew 22:37-38

1.    Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.”

a)   A person’s total being must be involved in loving God.

b)   Nothing must be held back because God holds nothing back when He loves us.

2.    The total personhood of each individual is to be involved in the fulfillment of this commandment.

3.    Take each of these components and meditate on how to express your love.

a)   “Heart” refers primarily to our emotional response.

b)    “Soul” includes the willful, decision-making part of us.

c)    “Mind” refers to the reasoning component of our love for God.

 

E.   Agape Love – Romans 5:5, Galatians 5:22-23

1.    Romans 5:5 - 5Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

2.    Galatians 5:22-23 - 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

a)   Again, the word for “love” here is the distinctive Christian word - agapao.

b)   Agapao is totally unselfish love, a love of which human beings are capable only with the help of the Holy Spirit

c)   It is love which desires only the highest good for its object.

3.    How do we love the Holy Spirit with this kind of love if that love is part of the fruit of the Spirit and it is the Holy Spirit that brings that love into our hearts to begin with?

 

I.      Loving God the Father

A.   The Father’s Highest Good - John 17:1-5

B.   Have Faith - Trust Him! - Hebrews 11:6

C.  Worship Him - John 4:23-24

D.  Enjoy Him - Psalm73:25

E.   Obey Him - 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3

F.   Be Holy (1 Peter 1:15-16)

G.  Love Others – 1 John 4:20

 

II.    Loving God the Son

A.   The Son’s Highest Good – Philippians 2:9-11

1.    Philippians 2:9- 11 9Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

a)   Exalt His name above every name.

b)   Bow your knee to Him and worship Him

c)   Confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

B.   Thank Him – Luke 17:11-19

C.  Serve Others in Humility - John 13:1-5

D.  Keep His Commandments – John 14:15

E.   Lay down your life for Christ - John 15:13-15; 12:3

F.   Have faith and believe that Jesus came forth from God - John 16:27-28

G.  Feed His Lambs/Sheep and Follow Him - John 21:15-17, 19

H.   Look Forward to His Return – 2 Timothy 4:8; Revelation 22:17, 20

 

III.  Loving God the Holy Spirit

A.   The Person of the Holy Spirit

1.    A Definite Person.

a)   The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force or influence.

b)   He is a definite person—just as you and I are definite persons.

2.    A Divine Person

a)   A personal member of the tri-unity (Trinity) of God.

b)   He is co-equal, co-existent, and co-eternal with God the Father and God the Son.

c)   Each is a Person and has a personality.

3.    A Dynamic Person

a)   He possesses the full power of the All-powerful God.

b)   He is possesses the full knowledge and wisdom of the All-knowing, All-wise God.

4.    A Delightful Person.

a)   He is as loving (and as Holy) as God the Father and God the Son.

b)   He is a perfect gentleman and will do nothing to embarrass you.

c)   He is pictured in the Bible as gentle and sensitive to moral and spiritual things.

5.    This is the person Who wants to fill your life, and He will do so with your agreement, cooperation and permission.

 

B.  The Spirit’s Highest Good – Philippians 2:13

1.    The highest good we can do for God the Father is to glorify His name.

2.    The highest good we can do for God the Son is to exalt His name, to bow your knee to Him and worship Him, to confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father!

3.    What is the highest good we can do for the Holy Spirit?

a)   Romans 8:9-11 - 9But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

b)   1 Corinthians 2:9-12 - 9But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

c)   1 Corinthians 6:19 - 19Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

d)   Philippians 2:13 - 13for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

4.    The highest good we can do for the Holy Spirit is to allow Him to do His work in our lives!

 

C.  Do Not Resist the Spirit – Acts 6:10; 7:51

Acts 6:10 10And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

Acts 7:51 51“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you

1.    Romans 5:5 - 5Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

a)   The word for “love” is agapao, totally unselfish love, a love of which human beings are capable only with the help of the Holy Spirit.

b)   God’s Spirit helps us love him as we ought.

2.    The transforming power of the Holy Spirit at salvation produces a new will, desire, and attitude deep within the person that can best be described as love for God.

3.    When you resist the Spirit, you prevent God’s power from working in your heart.

4.    How then, do we resist the Spirit of God?

a)   By quenching the Spirit

b)   By grieving the Spirit

 

D.  Do Not Quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19)

1.    1 Thessalonians 5:19 19Do not quench the Spirit

2.    The command to “quench not the Spirit” is surrounded by a series of positive commands.

3.    Quenching the Spirit is to not do what the Spirit prompts you to do.

4.    The Holy Spirit is always working in the life of the believer to lead him to do God’s will.

5.    The believer quenches the Spirit’s work by

a)   ignoring Him,

b)   neglecting Him,

c)   disobeying Him, or by

d)   procrastinating.

 

E.   Do Not Grieve the Spirit - Ephesians 4:30

1.    Ephesians 4:30 30Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

2.    The command to “grieve not the Spirit” is surrounded by a series of negative commands.

3.    Grieving the Spirit is to do what the Holy Spirit tells you not to do!

a)   To grieve means to cause Him pain, to sadden Him by what you do.

b)   The Holy Spirit is pure, holy, and righteous.

4.    We grieve the Spirit when we...

a)   allow impure things to come into our life.

b)   behave immorally.

c)   act unjustly.

d)   allow or participate in anything contrary to the nature of the Holy Spirit.

 

F.   Be Filled with the Holy Spirit – Ephesians 5:18; John 12:3

1.    Ephesians 5:18         “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit.”

2.    The Greek word used here (pleroo; the ‘e’ is pronounced with a long ‘a’ sound) is used in John 12:3 to describe the result of Mary’s breaking of the alabaster flask of costly perfume to pour it on the feet of Jesus.

a)   The text says, “The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”

b)   The fragrance filled every nook and cranny of the house.

c)   In the same way, our lives are to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

3.    We need to consider the conditions for being filled with the Holy Spirit.

a)   The command in the text indicates that the fullness of the Holy Spirit is not automatic.

b)   Certain conditions must be met before the individual believer is filled with the Holy Spirit.

c)   These conditions are Scriptural and fall into two categories, suggested conditions and stated conditions.

 

IV. How to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit

A.   The General Conditions for Being Filled

1.    You must acknowledge the need to be filled, and realize that God wants to fill you.

a)   If He has commanded you to be filled, He is intensely interested in your fullness.

b)   God knows that we cannot fulfill any responsibility we have as Christians, or serve Him according to His will, unless we are filled with the Holy Spirit.

2.    You must check your motive for seeking the fullness.

a)   Many Christians seek only the experience of their own pleasure instead of the pleasure of God.

3.    You must confess and repent of all known sin.

a)   He is the Holy Spirit and has a definite bias against sin and un-holiness.

b)   Psalm 66:18 says, “If I regard (give favorable place to) iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”

c)   Confession and repentance of sin will allow for the fullness of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

d)   God is faithful and just to cleanse us of all unrighteousness when we confess and repent of our sin. 1 John 1:9

4.    Ask God to fill you and trust Him to do it!

 

B.  The Specific Conditions for Being Filled - John 7:37-39

John 7:37-39 explains both the requirements for being filled with the Spirit, and the results of the fullness in a believer’s life.

“37On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

1.    “If anyone thirsts”

a)   Step number one in Jesus’ conditions is that there must be in the believer’s life a consuming recognition of need for the fullness of the Spirit.

(1) There must be a dominating thirst for Christ, His Truth, His Life, His service, etc.

(2) Now, there is a big difference between emptiness and thirst.

(3) The cup in the kitchen may be empty on the shelf, but it is never thirsty for the coffee that may soon fill it.

(4) The gasoline tank of your automobile may be empty but it is not thirsty for gasoline.

(5) No lost person is thirsty (though he is certainly empty) for the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and tragically, the same is true of multitudes of professing Christians.

b)   Before we leave the “thirst” condition, let me tell you that the verb translated “thirst” is a present active subjunctive Greek verb.

(1) The present tense means that it continually applies.

(2) The active voice means that you have a very specific role to play in this - the thirst is your responsibility.

(3) The subjunctive mood is the mood of potential.

(4) It clearly reveals that this is not an automatic occurrence in your life.

(5) This thirst is potential and the fullness of the Spirit is conditional, so this thirst is not to be taken for granted.

2.    “Let him come to Me”

a)   Jesus is always the focus of the Holy Spirit’s fullness.

(1) The Holy Spirit never focuses on Himself.

(2) In John 16:14-15 Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, 14He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

b)   The word “come” in John 7:37 is a present active imperative verb.

(1) It is a command to keep on coming to Jesus Christ.

3.     “Let him come to Me and drink”

a)   We must approach Christ, and receive His gift of the Spirit’s fullness.

b)   Charles Howard, evangelist and Bible teacher of a past generation, often said, “We are to drink, not just gargle. We are to drink, not just sip a taste.”

c)   “Keep on drinking,” the text says.

d)   Thus, there must be a constant reception of the Spirit’s fullness in each of our lives.

 

C.  How do we know that we really love The Holy Spirit?

1.    There will be results from being filled with the Holy Spirit

a)   There will be a flow from your life to others!

(1) The quickest way to abort the filling is to cease to seek and find and use outlets for the Spirit’s flow.

(a) Sea of Galilee vs. The Dead Sea!

(b) If He cannot flow out to produce fruit, He will quickly cease to flow in to fill.

(2) The flow of the Holy Spirit will produce rivers of living water.

(a) “Living” water is distinguished in the Bible from still, stagnant, stinking water.

(b) What a word to describe the Holy Spirit’s impact—everything lives where He freely fills (Ezekiel 47).

(3) It is rivers of living water - not “trickles,” or “brooks,” or “rivulets,” or “streams” of living water.

(4) It is not even a “river,” but rivers.

(5) Jesus Christ intends a gigantic flow of His life through each of His children.

(6) It is obvious that Jesus Christ intends that this flow extend “OUT”—to “the uttermost part of the earth.”

(7) This is what characterizes the life of one filled with the Holy Spirit - fullness, freshness and fruitfulness.

2.    You will walk in the Spirt and there the Fruit of the Spirit will be in your life -  Galatians 5:22-25

a)   22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

3.    You will see God at work in your life- Acts 13:2-4

a)   2As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. 4So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

4.    If you are loving God the Holy Spirit with all your heart, soul, and mind, then you will allow Him to do His mighty work of God’s will in and through your life and God will be pleased!

a)   How do you know God is pleased?

b)   In the movie Chariots of Fire, Eric Liddell says to his sister Jenny when she questions the time he spends training for the Olympics instead of working at the mission, “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure.”

c)   When you please God in your life, you will know it! You will feel His pleasure!

d)   When the Holy Spirit is at work in your life, He points others toward Jesus so they can worship Him and call Jesus Lord, He works to do God’s will, it is for God’s pleasure and it always glorifies God the Father.

e)   I can assure you, you will know this when it happens!

 

 

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