Empty To Be Filled (Video)

Filled with the spirit you see many of us want to be filled. I want to be filled with God's power I want to have God's passion. I want to have direction, but you have to be empty to be filled It's something that goes counter cultural in our culture We promote pride and being lifted up and climbing climbing the corporate ladder of success And it's all about me where God's Word says to go up. You must first go down Empty to be filled and then tomorrow I'm talking about a different message actually the Empowerment empowered by the Spirit that tonight is empty to be filled tomorrow is being empowered by the Holy Spirit How does one receive that baptism of the Spirit the fire of the Spirit the unction of the Spirit? I don't care what you call it. The key is do you have it? Do you have it because as we go into the times that America is going into it will be Absolutely critical for you to be filled with the Spirit filled with truth filled with wisdom filled with discernment But the basic premise of tonight is this I don't know if this is good English But it's a good truth the more emptiness you give God the more full of him you will be so the more empty that you are of Yourself the more of God you can take in because there's less of you and more of him Now it's an interesting topic because there has to be a healthy tension because the Bible talks about and Paul talks about Discipline right Paul says I discipline my body. I bring it under Subjection and I there's there's a self-control. There's a discipline there and but on the other hand of the the spectrum here We have dependence. I am totally dependent upon God or I will fail and so are you correct? but there's a tension what they call a healthy tension between dependence on God and Discipline there they call this God's working in me But he also calls me to do certain things and one of those things is to empty Myself to humble myself and the best verse for this is Matthew 5 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Notice that key phrase there blessed are the poor in Spirit now, it's a big distinction right here because many people forget the last part and they just say blessed are the poor and Roman-catholicism taught this many years ago and that's where a lot of the the poverty movement came from in the Monasteries and things like that that were really not biblical because we don't see God blessing the poor We see him blessing the poor in heart because you can be poor and prideful. Amen Been there done that have a t-shirt. So it's not poverty of financial poverty. It's Spiritual poverty God, I am poor in spirit Now, of course, we know blessed are the poor among you and that we're supposed to help for those help those who are in need And but what he's talking about here is poor in Spirit and I don't believe it's an accident that it's at the beginning of the beatitudes Many of you know what the beatitudes is Jesus gave this powerful sermon on being meek and humble and blessed are the poor in spirit and and Blessed are you and all men persecute you and say things the evil things about you and blessed are you but at the B at the very beginning of the beatitudes He says blessed are the poor in spirit poverty of spirit There's there's something in you that says God I'm dependent upon you because we live in a culture that is all about self right now Don't we? self-assured self-reliant self-sufficient self-absorbed Self-determined Self-righteous, I looked up the word self in front of all these other words. There's hundreds of them. Can you believe it? self self selfie Selfie, let's take another one. I bet that one doesn't look good Let's take another one. I'm not smiling. Let's take another one. My hair is messed up. Let's it's selfie self self self-fulfillment self-gratification self-exaltation and God says if you want to go up you better come down if you want to humble if you humble yourself I will exalt you I promote you poor of spirit is a desperate need today Now in studying this there is one word with self in front of it that I like you curious what that is self checkout I Love self checkout because you can get in and you can get out but the majority of the other words are focused on exalting self and self-righteousness and self-absorbed and Self-determined and and it's all about self and it is self evident in our culture today that we need God Basically, I can do nothing on my own That is poverty of spirit and many people Sometimes youth pastors or young pastors ask me Shane. How do you prepare for the messages? What what exactly do you do? and I say why you get on your knees for about an hour and you worship and you pray and you seek God and you Break before him and you ask him to empty Empty your heart of all that is in the in you that is not of him and often they'll say well No, really, what do you do? I know that that's that's the key that this this being desperate for more of God is so important that David Ravenhill in his book surviving the anointing and I would recommend that it's called surviving the anointing Did you know that only one out of ten pastors actually make it through to age 65 and stay in the ministry? most Christians fall by the wayside there there there there's there's Destruction and and detours to destiny everywhere we go and at the beginning of the book the very first chapter He says the number one need among Christians, especially Christian leaders is dependency on God Because when I am weak He is strong It's a self-dependent Lord. I can't do anything with you. You don't just say it to say it you actually mean it I recognize that he holds the very breath that I breathe in the palm of his hands. He owns all of my ways He told the king that in the book of Daniel as well He says you have not glorified me, even though I own all of your ways Many of you know that we have a ministry in the hospital homes And I think it was about five years ago. I met a man. He's passed away since then actually at animal Valley Hospital I was able to baptize him there and Talked to him before he passed away there. He was what they would call a quadriplegic Was only able to move His head and look and I remember that one of the first times I visited him and read the Bible to him I got a call a few weeks later that he wanted to give his life to the Lord and I I came back to the Hospital, but I just I just left there and I just cried in my car because it was so it was so impactful for me to See that he was sitting there and he said can I have some water? And I'm like, I'm sure you can have some water. I don't care And he actually meant for me to grab the cup hold the cup Position the straw so he could just drink water And I thought of that image that is self That is not self-dependence. That is dependence on God that picture we're just it's really that word is a beggar blessed are the beggars blessed are those who who just Lord I just it's like you ever see those people who they're really the real beggars that They just can't that you see these in third these people in third world countries on the side of the street there But they can't unless somebody gives them something they will die and that's our condition before God Lord I am dependent upon you to keep my marriage together. I'm dependent upon you to help me finish strong I'm dependent upon you to get me through this sermon. I'm dependent upon you Lord to get me through my workplace God We are dependent on you. Let me make a national proclamation that our nation is Dependent upon God as we go into the next election as we go into all kinds of chaos God We are dependent upon you You are our only hope unless you move unless you protect unless you bring revival unless you begin to awaken our nation God, we are lost. We are destitute without you. Oh God the Spirit of the Living God. Would you move among us? Would you awaken your people? Would you secure would you bring peace and reconciliation God? We are lost without you and even though I'm a fan of the Constitution You'll see in there often or the early writings of the founding fathers. They would say Self governing Self governing that's why America has been blessed and that's why She will continue to be blessed. I believe as long as we follow God, it's not that we are self-governing we are allowing God to govern self that God is the Foundation of our Republic that God is the foundation of our families and of our marriages Yes art. There is a terrible past and in many different areas, but overall it was a nation that wanted to honor God The Holy Spirit wants God's will Myself wants my will same with yours. The Holy Spirit wants God's way But the self inside of us wants my way So as I'm talking about this this point of weakness I want to just bring your attention to 2nd Corinthians 12 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 I'm going to be all over the place on this one So I might skip around a little bit and I just want to encourage you listen to last week's message Did pastor Abram do a great job or what? That was an incredible message on finishing the race I know I was encouraged to listen to that if you weren't here But 2nd Corinthians 12 Paul had an incredible counter encounter with God We don't know exactly but he was taken up he saw things that that people have not seen before He experienced the glory of God and I I thought of Moses when he said God show me your glory I think it's okay. I still pray that sometimes I don't tell my conservative friends because they might think I'm a little too charismatic But I pray Lord show me your glory. Show me the fire of the Holy Spirit I want to I want to just have your presence and your power. I want to walk in that God Show me your glory. Show me who you are Show me what your name is your Bible says your name is holy that you are holy and God show me who you are that's splendor and Paul encountered God and Then it says therefore in order to keep me from becoming Conceited some people say some theologians say that Paul was wanting not to look to Get in other words, he didn't want the people to elevate him too much, but I don't see that here I see that Paul is saying in order to keep me from being prideful being Conceited any one of you any of you know when God starts to move in your life. Sometimes you can become prideful. Oh It's silent. We know Lord keep me humble as God begins to elevate one of the one of the hardest things you will ever find is when God begins Elevate it's important that you stay humble that you stay broken before him So Paul says in order that I would not become prideful and conceited. I was given a thorn in my flesh a messenger of Satan to torment me Wow That doesn't sound too appealing does it? But that word their torment could also be harassed I was given a thorn in my flesh a messenger of Satan to harass me to keep me humble and Nobody knows exactly what this was and I'm glad we don't because we would say well, that's what Paul dealt with I guess it doesn't affect me. But because of this we can it can relate to all of us. There is sometimes Something in us that God allows and I believe a messenger of Satan could be demonic opposition That's often what a messenger of Satan would be but also and I'm going to talk about this more tomorrow morning I'm really unpacked this a lot more tomorrow morning, but I want to share a little bit with you because it could also be Persecution when people are persecuting you what we don't know exactly what it is, but God allowed something He allowed a difficult situation He allowed a bad habit maybe that pulls you down a lust that batters you a physical problem that depresses you Something sometimes is allowed by God. Remember John God said have you considered my servant Job? I Prayed Lord don't ever say have you considered my servant Shane? Don't I don't want to go there I don't want the enemy that kind of attack on my life, but there God sometimes will allow Satan to be able to give be given some type of Influence in your life or some type of temptation that will come in and it's not to defeat you It's actually to humble you so this messenger of Satan this issue, whatever it is We don't know what it is was given to Paul that would keep him humble And it goes on to say that Paul says I prayed three times three times God take this away How many of you can relate to that? I know there's people here for prayed a hundred times Lord take this away. God. Take this away. I don't want a lust like this. I don't want to struggle with this I don't want to do Lord Would you please take this away and you can hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit saying son and daughter? My grace is sufficient I will give you the grace and the fortitude and the strength to say no to that temptation as a matter of fact No temptation has overtaken you but what is common to man? But God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able but with the temptation Will provide the way of escape that you may be able to bear it to endure it So often God will use things that are difficult and and and things that you struggle with He'll use that to keep you low and and and humble and not high and lift it up And can you imagine if we got if we were able to conquer all of our struggles? That'd be me like like me saying hey guys, I know a lot of you struggle with things I I know how that feels. That was me many years ago, but I don't struggle with anything anymore I just walk on water. I just God visits me every night and I just Just have the this the feeling of the Holy Spirit all day long. I never get upset. I never get angry anymore I haven't been depressed and since 1998 and I know you will get through it. How prideful can see to what a person become? So some of these things are allowed into our life even physical problems things that God allows that keep us dependent and broken and humbled before him and It's short. My point is when I am weak, I am Strong when you are weak, you are strong now if we allow that weakness to turn into Excuses and we continue in sin. That's not being count. That's actually being counterproductive The the idea here is Paul says I'm getting I'm getting attacked in this area I'm getting tempted in this area, but Lord in my weakness now In other words, I'm not strong enough to overcome this. Amen That's what young adults and teenagers haven't found out yet, but it'll happen later. They understand it. Okay God, you're on the throne I'm not I cannot overcome this in my own strength God when I am weak that I am strong Paul would say Where's his strength come from the power of the Holy Spirit's and again, I'm excited to just unpack this a little bit more tomorrow But then my whole point tonight was empty to be filled I want you leaving here remembering the way to go up is to go down You want the power of God in your life humble yourself? Apologize to your spouse Apologize to your your children get real with God and confess that sin Repent of that besetting sin that continues to take you down and humble yourself under the mighty hand of God in due time He will exalt you Humility is bold confidence and a faithful God We see our weaknesses and we turn to God rather than make Excuses I can tell often when someone is prideful. I've been there. I struggle with this So do you when we begin to make excuses? Well, yeah, I know but You don't know what I'm going through. Yes. I know I need to work on that. But here comes the buts and They and these excuses begin To prevent us from changing, you know, a lot of Christians never change They stay stuck in that mode of defeat. They've got something they work on They know they need to work on it whether it's I mean, how long is the list how many people here tonight? that's how long the list is everything from anger to lust to control to Manipulating to backbiting slander gossip Everything is outlined in Scripture people struggle with and if you don't repent of that and say this is wrong I cannot continue but you continue to make excuses You will not change because that's pride preventing the work of the Holy Spirit from coming into your heart and into your life to work How many of you here have heard me talk about revival Revival is our only hope and I'm not talking about weird things. I'm not talking about camp meetings. I'm not I'm talking about when God resuscitates his church when he performs CPR on the majority of Christians in America when he revives them and I talk a lot about revival But did you know that poor in spirit is going to be what ushers it in when God brings revival? Whether it's a church a community That that that that spirit of revival that sense of awakening when he begins to awaken his people It's poor. It's those who are poor of spirit that usher us in Those who are humble those who are praying those who are worshiping and they're seeking God and they're there that poor in spirit It what is what God that brings revival because God says I hear the cries of my children I hear that weeping. I hear that poverty of spirit I hear that brokenness and I must I demand it but scripture demands that God answers that broken and contrite heart I've got a proof text for the naysayers Isaiah The prophet Isaiah says for thus says the high and lofty one. I love that language in the King James Isaiah says for thus says the high and lofty one basically thus sayeth the Lord who inhabits in turn Eternity whose name is holy his very name is holy And that's why when they that those angels cried out and they shook Holy holy holy is the name of our God in those enormous pillars on the temple They would shake and the foundation would shake at the name of God and holiness is his name. Holy. Holy. Holy is our God He said I dwell in a high and holy place with him who is prideful No, I dwell in a high and holy place with him who has a Contrite and broken heart a humble spirit. What do I do thus sayeth the Lord? I revived the spirit of the humble and I revived the heart of the contrite ones God says I'm looking for humility you humble yourself before me and I will exalt you. I will promote you I will fill you with my spirit empty yourself of yourself and you will be filled There's another book. I want to recommend. I've recommended it before and you can find it. I believe online It's called they found the secret. They found the secret. Don't worry It's not a book Oprah would recommend. This is a solid book about biographies of Christian leaders Have you heard of Adonai Judson or Hudson Taylor? John Bunyan Amy Carmichael Oswald Chambers DL Moody those types of leaders John Wesley possibly Whitfield is in there I'm not sure but this book this book is so important because All of these people may the majority of them it talks about how they were Christians But they were basically dead to the things of God They didn't have a passion for his word Oswald Chambers was on the verge of depression if you've ever read His utmost for my highest one of the highest selling devotions of all time. You're probably wondering. How did that happen? How did he almost want to quit seminary? He was so depressed. He had no desire for God DL Moody Nobody even knew of DL Moody He was just as prideful man wanting to build his name in Chicago and you hear of all that. Nobody knew of them until Until they humbled themselves Until they emptied themselves of themselves of self DL Moody said Lord, I'm in the ministry because of my name not yours. I repent in the Spirit of God fell upon him Oswald Chambers said God I need all of you I'm trying to trying to seek after education and I need you in the Spirit of God fell upon him Adonai a Jetson realized he cannot do missions in his own strength and he said God I give you all of me I am desperate. I am poor in spirit and the Spirit of God fell upon him and It's consistent throughout church history poor in spirit. God revives those who are spiritually cold Are you spiritually cold tonight? I can guarantee you can leave fired up with the Spirit of God deal with that issue that he's confronting Convicting you on deal with that sin that he is confronting and convicting you on deal with it Leave it here tonight and say God. I want to be emptied of myself Emptied of pride and self-righteousness God. I want to leave you're filled with your spirits And it says he dwells God dwells his presence his power his anointing Dwells in the believer who is of a broken heart and a contrite spirits Now I did something. I normally don't do But I'm gonna do it. Anyway, you ready? I Grabbed an excerpt from tomorrow morning, and I'm gonna share with you right now I added it early this morning, and I'm asking the question tomorrow. I'm gonna ask it to you as well Are you resisting the Holy Spirit in this area? Are you resisting the Holy Spirit? And you know what I find Ironic many times throughout church throughout. I'm sorry threat not church history But my history being a Christian is there's a lot of talk of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Have you heard that before? Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit I mean we could get in even to how you can only blasphemy God and that proves the triune nature of God that the Trinity is Doctrinally sound that the Holy Spirit is God, but I'm not going there with that You could also say the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is Rejecting the conviction of the Holy Spirit and then as a result rejecting Jesus Christ. Amen. That's applicable But do you know something interesting? I found this out about ten years ago as I'm reading about the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Do you know what the context is? the context of that phrase is Jesus was healing people and They said you're not they said the Pharisee said to Jesus. You're not doing the works of God You're doing the works of Satan So they were attributing the works of God to the works of Satan Jesus said you are blaspheming the Holy Spirit So the context really I think is relevant to a lot of people. We have to be careful in this area Are we? Attributing a mighty move of God's Spirit to the work of Satan Are we not open to the work of the Holy Spirit because we've seen someone act weird on YouTube Are we not open to the Holy Spirit because we've seen some weird churches do weird things and we say oh, that's not of God That's blasphemy. That's weird. Be careful Be very careful. I want to share with you three things happening when the Holy Spirit is really moving Are you ready for this? Sit down buckle up and hold on one of my favorite topics the power of the Holy Spirit apart from salvation This is my favorite topic Do you want to know why? because when he ignites you with the power of the Spirit when he fills you with the Spirit when you have boldness and unction in the Word of God comes alive when you begin to fall on your face at home and begin to pray and you begin to worship and pour out your heart to God and the Holy Spirit is moving Holy Spirit. You're a welcome in this place Holy Spirit come now and move among your people. That is the Spirit of God Moving and convicting and drawing that as a power of God evident in the life of someone filled with the Spirit It's the dire need today. That's the difference between a living Vibrant church and a church that looks like a cemetery. You know the church that looks like a cemetery, right? Come on in let's get seated Brother Bill has a few announcements this morning Then we're gonna do a few songs of worship I got my sermon down to 20 minutes and the fat the the ladies boutique has a potluck Afterwards and we're just gonna eat as much as we can and just just get through the day and get home because we said we Went to church Isn't that sad Three things happening when the Holy Spirit is really moving number one. There is powerful Worship now, I'm not talking about volume or music per se But there's a desire to worship when the Holy Spirit is moving in your heart moving in your life moving in the church There is a desire for worship. I want to be at worship mornings. I want to be at worship evenings I want to be a prayer meetings. I want to why because the Holy Spirit is Drawing me to these things if there's no desire for these things you have to wonder is the Holy Spirit really moving in your heart and in your life because there's always a desire for prayer and worship And number two people act differently Now I don't mean weird Because I think the Holy Spirit has been given a bad name in many churches because of weirdness You don't act weird Often when the Holy Spirit is moving you are broken before him. You are at the altar I remember I preach at church services where you can hear cries throughout the Congregation and one service would flow into the next and you felt the tangible presence of the atmosphere of the living God There's a there's a difference. There's your position differently. You're you're in deep repentance. You're not bored there's a there's God working in your heart and then number three This always happens happens comfortable Christians become uncomfortable when the Holy Spirit is moving You Know those people I don't like I don't like to get out of my comfort zone but the Holy Spirit draws us out of our comfort zone and The modern-day Pharisee in us will say this that is Satan chain all of that weirdness That is Satan that worship is too emotional. They sang that song for 15 minutes My goodness, don't you know, they're only about four minutes long Why do they just sing that song over going that brainwashing no, sir, that's worship That's worship when you're worshiping you think the angels get bored after four minutes But see that's the Pharisee in us. That's not of God. That's a that's demonic. That's demonic that worship It's oh, it's to this it's to that. It's it's demonic No, it's not you're blaspheming the work of the Holy Spirit because of an arrogant prideful heart The Pharisee must repent before Almighty God be careful be careful Just because you're not engaged and filled the Spirit doesn't mean that others aren't I've noticed I've noticed that this doctrine of the fire of the Spirit the baptism of the Spirit the filling of the Spirit the Whatever you want to call it. You better have it. I've noticed this this doctrine upsets people When they don't have it When they like lack the fire and they lack the passion of God and maybe I should clarify for the theologians out there when I talk about the baptism of the Holy Spirit You'll hear that word a lot in charismatic circles and and sometimes in conservative churches if they're brave enough to step on those In that area, but all it is in the Bible at least is being baptized into the body of Christ You're you're all baptized into the body of Christ but there are subsequent subsequent feelings of the Holy Spirit and Paul being Filled with the Holy Spirit and Peter being filled with the Holy Spirit and Jesus came out of the wilderness filled with the Holy Spirit empowered by the Holy Spirit the unction of the Holy Spirit the authority of the Holy Spirit the power of The Holy Spirit is the dire need in the churches today. That's why I love what RA Torrey said I don't care if you get the theological term just right and have the power But I don't want to have I'm sorry. I want to have the power and I have the theological term just right. I want that power I don't know exactly what the wording is When you experience the power of God, but there is unction. There is boldness. There is authority So I want to ask you tonight Have you been rejecting this mighty filling of the Holy Spirit because it doesn't fit in your box of comfortable? Christianity, you know comfortable Christianity is right neat and tidy and in order This is not that tidy up show on HGTV. Whatever her name is Marie Kondo or whatever it is This is not this is a church of the Living God things sometimes get messy Sometimes they get loud because things are happening Think about the early church Think about the early church blind people cry out son of David son of David have mercy on me They said be quiet be quiet. No son of David have mercy on me and Jesus will begin to heal There was a demonic man who thrashed about and 2,000 demons came out and went into pigs and they ran down the hill Thousands thousands shouted to Peter on that day. What must we do to be saved? That's the church of the Living God. It's alive blind beggars leopards prostitutes All of them were in an uproar because they were being set free from sin and death Then what happened when the day of Pentecost had fully come They were all of one accord in an upper room and the Holy Spirit of God fell in that place And I often wonder how many of you would be embarrassed to be there on the day of Pentecost. I Know there are many Christians who would be embarrassed to be there on the day of Pentecost Oh, no, all these guys speaking in tongues Being excited and in a prayer meeting for 10 down. No, no, no, that's not my cup of tea We'd be embarrassed to experience the power of God When the day of Pentecost had fully came they experienced the power of God and I believe you can have a personal Pentecost Does your does your life resemble a cemetery or does it resemble a life? That is expecting God to move So God will revive those who are spiritually cold if that is you tonight you can change that And I do believe that baptism baptism helps in this area because it's a it's a step of obedience To be baptized and to make that public profession of faith if you've never done that I want to encourage you to do that We're also having them tomorrow after the 11 a.m. Service, but they've got the the baptismal here. The water is heated It could ask God Lord. Do you want me to take that step and make this commitment genuine? And then the closing point here is the Holy Spirit Revives those who are spiritually dead That's the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said nobody comes to the Father except through the Son There's a conviction. There's a drawing of the Holy Spirit. So I don't know who's listening to this I don't know who's listening to this later. I don't know who's here tonight But I are you resisting the the Holy Spirit the conviction of the Holy Spirit Shane? How do I know because you don't like what I'm saying? How many times you've ever heard me say that if you don't like what I'm saying? It's because you need to hear what I'm saying the Holy Spirit is Convicting and drawing you come to God all your week and heavy laden and cry out to him and the self says no I am self-sustaining. I am Self-sufficient. I am self righteous and I don't need God But the Holy Spirit calls and convicts and you know the famous verse pride cometh before a fall Pride cometh before a fall. Do you know what the the probably the right word on that is actually in the Hebrew language That word fall is pride cometh before destruction Paul pride comes before destruction before a man is judged on that day of judgment before he stands before God his prideful arrogant hard hard stood there and he shaked his little fist at God and said I will not I am the captain of my own ship. I am the master of my own destiny. I am Self-righteous, I am Self-absorbed. I know what I'm doing. I am the God of my own life. How dare you call me to repentance? How dare you call me to bow my knee to Jesus Christ? That's why they say pride cometh before your destruction Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and repent of your sin The poor in spirit will inherit the kingdom of heaven. Is that interesting the kingdom of heaven? It's funny the key the key to the kingdom of heaven I think about this often when you look how many of you have little kids or grandkids Jesus said come to me or come to God with childlike faith Is that so precious? You can tell the kids come here come here look what I have I found a bunny rabbit and they'll believe you Or look the moon. I can touch the moon. I can almost just what really daddy really my Childlike faith see there's no there's no pride there That's it's a humble childlike heart that says mommy daddy. I trust you. You will take care of me I need you childlike faith that cries out and says God I'm lost without you that's the only way to get to the father's through the son with childlike faith and humility and poor in spirit that acknowledges before man that says I am lost without God and then once you Receive that conviction you receive that salvation Will you begin to sing like many of us amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me? I was lost but now I found I was blind, but now I see blind Spiritually and then your eyes are opened up and you see what is so important to the kingdom of God So my challenge is to two groups the modern-day Pharisee The arrogant Christian you think you know it all Listen, I'm not I'm not here beating you up. I've been in that camp and I can slip right back into that camp very easily self-righteousness comes in Knowledge comes in knowledge puffs up Oh, I've read commentaries and I've read systematic theology and I know what God's Word says and blah blah blah blah blah and I realize God's not real concerned with How much I know even though that is so important he's concerned with the condition of our heart So if you've been prideful and self-righteous, I want to call you to repentance tonight Say God, I'm gonna be I want to be empty to be filled. My anger has got the best of me My controlling attitude my manipulation my gossip my lusts my appetites Lord I tell everyone else what your word says, but I don't apply it to my own life. I Rule my house with a rod of iron, but I have no gentleness and humility Lord. Would you take that from me? I humble myself to you tonight. I'm talking to you out there If you're convicted in this area Please do not leave here in that same state Empty yourself to be filled to spirit and even consider getting baptized if you haven't done that before It's a step of obedience. I just know in my own life that happened I got baptized in in 2000 20 years ago, and I fought it for about six months Nope. Nope. I don't need to do that. I'm 30 years old. No, no, no, no, that won't look that'll look weird I why am I getting baptized at 30? I've been a Christian a while. I know a backslip. Nope. No, I'm not doing that I'm no, I'm not doing that and I just said, you know, he can't guys not gonna be quiet guys I go that's why Spurgeon called the Holy Spirit the hound of heaven He lets the Holy Spirit loose and it keeps convicting you and convicting you and then of course what I just closed with I want to encourage those who have been dead to God dead spiritually dead. You're bankrupt You don't have a relationship with him. I want to encourage you tonight Do not leave here with with a question mark in this area of whether you know God or not no, for sure the Bible says if you confess with your mouth and Believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and repent of your sin. God says I see that brokenness. I see that humility I see that you are poor in spirit, and I will come and draw you out