The Pour || Holy Spirit-Filled

Written By East Gate

The Pour || Holy Spirit Filled 

We need the Spirit of God to do the work of God

Pentecost Sunday || National Baptism Day

Acts 8:26-40

The Necessary Gift to the Disciples: 

Today is Pentecost Sunday. The day we celebrate when the disciples of Jesus were baptized with the Holy Spirit. This day is so significant for us as followers of Christ because the Word of God teaches us that if we want to be followers of Christ and live like He lived we need the Spirit of God. We need the Spirit of God to do the work of God. 

Jesus taught this to His disciples and He made it a big deal. They NEEDED to be filled and baptized with the Holy Spirit:

  1. John 16:7-8 || 7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate[a] won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

    1. The Son needed to be glorified for the Holy Spirit to be released. John 7:39

  2. John 20:22 || 19 That Sunday evening[b] the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. 20 As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! 21 Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. (indwelling of the Spirit) 

    1. They received the same Holy Spirit that was in Jesus; the same Spirit that empowered and enabled all His words and works. “The breathing upon them was meant to convey the impression that His very own Spirit was imparted to them.” (Dods)

    2. Jesus kept His promise. The Son was glorified and on Resurrection Sunday He appears to the disciples and fills them with His very Spirit 

    3. He did not delay!

  3. Acts 1:4-5 || 4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with[b] water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

    1. There was more! They were commanded not to leave Jerusalem until they were baptized!

    2. They needed the baptism of the Spirit (fully immersed in His power!)

  4. Acts 2:1-4 ||  On the day of Pentecost[a] all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages,[b] as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. 

    1. Baptism of the Spirit (Immersion of His Spirit)

    2. The believers receive the presence and power of the Spirit

    3. The Spirit of Christ is poured out on the church allowing them to experience the fullness of the Spirit!

These passages show just how necessary and vital the Holy Spirit is to the life of the believer. 

  1. Both being filled and baptized with the Spirit of God 

  2. And it is for a purpose!

The Holy Spirit fills you and baptizes you so that you can be empowered to fulfill the works Christ has planned for you long ago! (Ephesians 2:10)  The Holy Spirit is necessary to operate in the POWER of Christ. Jesus said “greater things we would do!” (John 14:12) If we want to operate in the greater things, in miracles, signs and wonders. In the dead raised, the leaper cleansed, the demonized delivered, the sick healed with must be filled and baptized in the Spirit of God! 

The Spirit of God wants you to operate in His power today! 

How do I know? 

Let’s look at what the early church did. They were filled and baptized and they didn't keep the Holy Spirit to themselves, but as they went preaching the gospel they ensured that the new believers were saved, water baptized and Holy Spirit-filled + baptized. 

Acts 19 || While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers.[a] 2 “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked. And they replied, “The baptism of John.” 4 Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.” 5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues[b] and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

  1. Jesus modeled for us a life full of the Spirit 

    1. Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…”

    2. Matt 3:16 “he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.”

    3. Acts 1:2 “until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.”

    4. Significantly, Jesus did this through the Holy Spirit. This was the resurrected, glorified Lord Jesus Christ, risen with all authority and sovereignty. Yet He still chose to not rely on His own resources (as it were), but relied on the power and the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Here at EG, we say it this way: 

We are PRESENCE DRIVEN

Holy Spirit is God Himself living in us. He transforms us, guides us, and empowers us to supernaturally impact our surroundings. Holy Spirit still speaks today. We follow wherever and whenever He leads. We are Spirit-led and unashamed.

Are you Spirit-filled and Baptized in the Spirit? 

3 Signs You are Spirit-filled and Baptized in the Spirit: 

If someone doesn’t seem to know if they have the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in their life, it’s fair to assume that they don’t have it. If you have it, you should know it. “Give a man an electric shock, and I warrant you he will know it; but if he has the Holy Ghost, he will know it much more.” (Spurgeon) This isn’t something to hope about; we can know – one can know they are filled with the Holy Spirit. 

Acts 8:26-40 || Phillip relied on the Spirit of the Lord to tell him where to go, what to do and what to say. 

1.The Spirit of God leads You! 

    • You let Him speak into every area of your life

    • The Spirit told Philip where to go and what to do!

      1. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Gal 5:25

    • Being Spirit-led isn’t overly spiritual, it's a sign of surrender to His leadership in every aspect of your life!

    • Practical Advice: 

    • Train yourself to rely on Him!

      1. Connect with Him daily 

      2. EG CONNECT 

      3. Ministry to plan to teach you how to hear, connect and obey the Spirit!

    • Inquire of the Lord 

      1. Like David (1 Sam 30:8) 

  • David gets into trouble when He stops inquiring 

  • Bathsheba 

  • Census 

  • Remain sensitive/aware of the Spirit 

    1. Walk step and step with Him 

    2. Speak to Him throughout the day

    3. Stay connected to His Spirit!

2.Holy Spirit Empowers us to live like Christ!

    • Helps and teaches  

    • But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:26

    • Philip knew what question to ask and was empowered to preach the gospel!

      1. The Spirit was teaching Philip and helping him in that moment! Bringing to remembrance all that he has heard from Christ. 

    • Philip looked more like Christ as He was led by the Spirit of God!

    • Practical Advice:

      1. When you sense the Spirit leading you, obey!

      2. “...don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” Mark 13:11

      3. “Open your mouth wide and I will fill it!” Ps 81:10 

3.We experience the Power of God!

    • You are experiencing His power 

    • The Ethiopian is saved! (Miraculous: He removes the veil so we can see rightly!) 

    • Philip is transported to the next place he was meant to go!

    • Holy Spirit is the power source! 

    • If we want to experience the POWER of God in our lives, we need His Spirit. 

    • Practical Advice: STEP OUT IN FAITH. HEAR, CONNECT AND OBEY HIS LEADING. 

Some of you are filled and baptized, but not obeying His leading! It’s like a light switch. The power source is in you, you just gotta flip the switch you experience/see the power!


Ministry Moment: We Need the Spirit of God to the Work of God!

Just like Philip we must rely on the Spirit of the Lord to tell us where to go, what to do and what to say. 

If you want His Spirit: 

  1. Receive Jesus as Lord and Savior 

  2. Ask the Father to fill you with His Spirit 

  3. Ask the Father to baptize you in His Spirit 

Move from your strength to His Strength: 

  1. Repent for operating in your own strength & commit to operating in His strength 

  2. Spirit-led and unashamed 

Additional Resources:

  1. Good Morning Holy Spirit by Benny Hinn 

  2. The Forgotten God by Francis Chan 

  3. Inquiring of the Lord Sermon by Jasmine Weiler 

East Gate
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