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Lordship is Fullness of Holy Spirit Lesson Seven
E.A. Johnston
0:00
0:00 6:50
E.A. Johnston

Lordship is Fullness of Holy Spirit Lesson Seven

E.A. Johnston · 6:50

E.A. Johnston teaches that true Christian living requires daily surrender to Christ's lordship and being filled with the empowering fullness of the Holy Spirit.
In this teaching sermon, E.A. Johnston explores the vital role of the Holy Spirit's fullness in the believer's life. He emphasizes that true Christian living requires daily surrender to Christ's lordship and reliance on the Spirit's empowering presence. Drawing from scripture and practical illustrations, Johnston challenges believers to move beyond mere conversion experience to a dynamic, Spirit-filled walk that overcomes sin and empowers service for God.

Full Transcript

We are in our series on the Lordship of Christ in the life of the believer in today's message friends I'm sure be very Gripping to you for it's on the fullness of the Holy Spirit. I submit to you friends That the Christian life is impossible to live on human terms declare the world the pull of the flesh and Satan's devices are too overwhelming for us and we will fail Every time we try to live the Christian life in the flesh We need power from above to live above the world and sin that power from above comes from the fullness of the Holy Spirit in a life lived beneath the discipline of the Holy Spirit How to have this fullness of the Holy Spirit is our topic today friends in Ephesians 5 18 we read the Apostle Paul's exhortation to Holy live him and be not drunk with wine Wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit this is the personal prerogative be filled with the Spirit and then we see the personal application over in Galatians 5 16 which states This I say then walk in the Spirit and you should not fulfill the lust of the flesh We are either walking in the flesh and falling on our face and sin We're walking in the power of the enabling Holy Spirit, which gives us the grace to live above sin Allow me to distinguish friends between Having the Holy Spirit in conversion and having the fullness of the Holy Spirit for empowerment for life Listen friends. We received the Holy Spirit at the time of our conversion But we must understand the meaning of the fullness of the Holy Spirit It is possible for the Holy Spirit to be present Without being president to be dormant Without being dominant and to be resident without reigning We are told that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead and as a divine person He can be quenched or grieved by sin.

We see in first Thessalonians 519 quench not the spirit When a believer does not allow the Holy Spirit control Over our actions and we do what we know is wrong we suppress or quench the spirit and Likewise, we can actually grieve the Holy Spirit of God by our sinful behavior in Ephesians 430 Paul tells us and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God Whereby you're sealed on to the day of redemption To grieve the Holy Spirit is to act in a sinful manner For instance, we can grieve him by telling a lie or falling into sexual sin we are instructed by the Apostle Paul and Ephesians 511 To stay on our guard against sin and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them Satan wants to sideline us in our service to God Much like a injured athlete can be sidelined through an injury from playing the game If Satan can sideline us through sin We can both quench the Holy Spirit's influence in our life and grieve him by our sin Regarding this fullness of the Holy Spirit. I like what RA Torrey once said he said We can have as much of the Holy Spirit We want so long as he can have as much of us as he wants To better understand friends the teaching of the fullness of the Spirit in the life of a believer We must bear in mind that when sin is exposed and self is executed the Holy Spirit can fill to overflowing and anoint with authority and power In regard to our receiving the Holy Spirit it can be understood like this Once filled many fillings Listen friends. We are leaky buckets.

I Never forget what? Dr. Stephen Offord shared with me one day in his office I was waiting for him and he came into his office exhausted and he slumped into his chair And he looked at me and he said Give me a minute brother to recover myself I must recover myself for I have just finished preaching and virtue has left me the image that Immediately came to my mind was when Jesus was being thronged by the crowd and the woman With the bleeding disorder touched the hem of his garment and she was instantly healed but Jesus looked about and Consternation and said who touched me for I feel virtue has left me Let me ask you a brother preacher When you preach does virtue leave you or are you counting just on your? personality to get you through The fullness of the Holy Spirit is a daily surrender to the Lordship of Christ In our lives as we rely entirely on him to give us power from above To live for him down here in John 15 5 Jesus declares for without me you can do nothing and it's true friends. That means nothing worthwhile for eternity and his glory We need his power from above. Let us pray You

Sermon Outline

  1. I
    • Christian life impossible on human terms
    • Need power from above through Holy Spirit fullness
    • Exhortation to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)
  2. II
    • Distinction between receiving Holy Spirit at conversion and fullness for empowerment
    • Holy Spirit can be present but not dominant
    • Quenching and grieving the Holy Spirit through sin
  3. III
    • Sin sidelines believers like an injured athlete
    • Necessity of daily surrender to Christ's lordship
    • Power from above enables victorious Christian living
  4. IV
    • Illustration of virtue leaving after preaching
    • Need for continual filling as believers are 'leaky buckets'
    • Dependence on Christ for all spiritual power (John 15:5)

Key Quotes

“The Christian life is impossible to live on human terms; the pull of the flesh and Satan's devices are too overwhelming for us.” — E.A. Johnston
“It is possible for the Holy Spirit to be present without being president, to be dormant without being dominant, and to be resident without reigning.” — E.A. Johnston
“We can have as much of the Holy Spirit we want so long as he can have as much of us as he wants.” — E.A. Johnston

Application Points

  • Regularly examine your life for sin that quenches or grieves the Holy Spirit and confess it promptly.
  • Commit daily to surrender your will to Christ's lordship to experience the Spirit's fullness and power.
  • Depend on the Holy Spirit rather than your own strength to live a victorious Christian life.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
Being filled with the Holy Spirit means living under His control and empowerment daily, not just having the Spirit present at conversion.
Can a believer quench or grieve the Holy Spirit?
Yes, believers can quench or grieve the Holy Spirit by sinning and resisting His influence in their lives.
Why is the fullness of the Holy Spirit necessary for Christian living?
Because the Christian life cannot be lived successfully by human effort alone; the Spirit's power enables believers to overcome sin and live for God.
How can I maintain the fullness of the Holy Spirit?
By daily surrendering to Christ's lordship, confessing sin, and yielding to the Spirit's guidance and power.
What happens if I rely on my own strength instead of the Holy Spirit?
You will likely fail to live a victorious Christian life and fall into sin, as human strength alone is insufficient.

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