"Filled to Overflow" – The Power and Purpose of Being Spirit-Filled

Focus: The baptism of the Holy Ghost and living a Spirit-filled life.

Recap of last week

Filled to Overflow – The Power and Purpose of Being Spirit-Filled

Main Scripture Focus

• Acts 1:8 “8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

• Ephesians 5:18 – “Be filled with the Spirit…”

Prayer

1. Introduction

Objective: To understand what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit, why it's essential for the believer, and how to walk in continual overflow.

Icebreaker/Opening Question: When you hear the phrase “Spirit-filled,” what comes to mind? Have you experienced it personally?

Acts 2:1–4 “1 On the day of Pentecost 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, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”

Why?

Genesis 11:1–9 “1 At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words. 2 As the people migrated to the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there. 3 They began saying to each other, “Let’s make bricks and harden them with fire.” (In this region bricks were used instead of stone, and tar was used for mortar.) 4 Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.” 5 But the Lord came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. 6 “Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! 7 Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.” 8 In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is…”

My Testimony

Ephesians 5:18 “18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,”

Give you Boldness

To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be energized and controlled by the third person of the Godhead in such a way that under the acknowledged lordship of Jesus Christ the full presence and power of God are experienced.

The difference between the indwelling and the infilling.

This indwelling occurs when we first believe. It does not occur twenty years later but rather when you are born again. Romans 5:5 “5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” 2 Timothy 2:4 “4 Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.”

Once you are in the Army of the Lord, do you jump back out to do civilian stuff? In other words once you are in, you are in. Once you are have the Spirit dwelling in you, do you now go out and do worldly things. Hot or cold

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit occurs one time. It is once for all. When Jesus Christ comes into your life as your Lord and Savior, His Spirit takes up permanent residence in you.

Once you say yes to the Lord and then what?

New Living Translation Chapter 14

15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is for all believers. Simply claiming to be a Christian does not necessarily mean you are a Christian Matthew 7:21 “21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.”

1 Corinthians 6:17–20 “17 But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. 18 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

When God put His Holy Spirit of promise in you, He put Him there until the redemption of the purchased possession. That means a born again person is permanently indwelt!

One Body with Many Parts

1 Corinthians 12:12–13 “12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.”

1. The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

Definition: The permanent presence of the Holy Spirit inside a believer from the moment of salvation.

When it happens: At the moment you receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Purpose: To regenerate, seal, guide, and sanctify the believer.

Scripture:

Ephesians 1:13–14 “13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.”

KJV says

King James Version Chapter 1

ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise

Romans 8:9 – “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”

Key Truth: Every Christian has the Holy Spirit dwelling in them.

2. The Infilling (or Baptism) of the Holy Spirit

Definition: The empowering and overflowing work of the Spirit that enables boldness, spiritual gifts, and supernatural living.

When it happens: After salvation; can be a distinct and repeated experience.

Purpose: To give power for service, witness, prayer, and holy living.

Scripture:

Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you...”

Ephesians 5:18 “18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,” (present tense = ongoing)

What happens when you get drunk?

You drink a lot.

But instead of filling yourself with wine, fill yourself with the Holy Spirit.

Key Truth: Not all Christians are walking in the fullness of the Spirit—they must seek and yield to His infilling.

| | **Indwelling** | **Infilling** |

| ------------- | ------------------------------------ | -------------------------------- |

| **Timing** | At salvation | After salvation (can be ongoing) |

| **Purpose** | To regenerate, seal, guide, and sanctify the believer; Salvation, identity, sanctification | To give power for service, witness, prayer, and holy living. Empowerment, gifts, boldness |

| **Frequency** | One-time, permanent | Can be repeated and renewed |

| **Location** | Holy Spirit lives *in* you | Holy Spirit flows *through* you |

| **Key Word** | **Residence** | **Overflow** |

2. Key Definitions

Filled with the Spirit: To be empowered, guided, and controlled by the Holy Spirit, resulting in boldness, spiritual gifts, and fruit.

Overflow: A lifestyle where the power, joy, love, and presence of the Spirit are evident and spill into every area of your life and those around you.

3. The Purpose of Being Spirit-Filled

a. Empowerment to Witness • Acts 4:27–31 “27 “In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. 28 But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. 29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.”

• Being filled gives boldness, not just knowledge.

b. Equipping for Service • 1 Corinthians 12:7–11 – Spiritual gifts (wisdom, healing, prophecy, tongues, etc.) are released for the good of the body.

c. Enhancing Worship & Prayer • Romans 8:26–27 – The Spirit helps in our weakness and intercedes for us. • Jude 1:20 – "Building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Ghost."

d. Exhibiting the Fruit of the Spirit • Galatians 5:22–23 – Love, joy, peace... These are results of a life filled with and led by the Spirit.

4. How to Be Filled with the Spirit

a. Ask in Faith • Luke 11:13 – The Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask.

b. Yield and Surrender • Romans 12:1–2 – Present your body as a living sacrifice. • Let go of control and allow the Spirit to lead you.

c. Stay Clean and Repentant • Acts 3:19 – “Repent… so times of refreshing may come.” • Sin clogs the flow of the Spirit. Repentance re-opens the channel.

d. Continue Being Filled • Ephesians 5:18 – “Be filled” (Greek: present continuous – “keep on being filled”)

5. Evidence of a Spirit-Filled Life

• Overflowing joy (Acts 13:52 “52 And the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” ) • Speaking in tongues (Acts 2:4, Acts 10:44–46 “44 Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. 45 The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. 46 For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked,” ) • Prophecy and boldness (Acts 19:6 “6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.” ) • Powerful worship and prayer (Ephesians 5:19–20 “19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” ) • Holy living (Galatians 5:16 “16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” )

Reflection Questions

1. Have you been filled with the Holy Ghost since you believed? (Acts 19:2)

2. What areas of your life need the Spirit’s power the most?

3. Are you living in overflow or just running on empty?

Closing Prayer

“Holy Spirit, fill me afresh. Overflow in my heart, my mind, my words, and my actions. Empower me to walk in boldness, love, and truth. Let my life be a vessel for your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Optional Extras

• Activation Moment: Lay hands and pray for those desiring to be filled. • Homework: Journal your prayer life and pay attention to Holy Spirit nudges during the week. • Song Suggestion: Fill Me Up by Tasha Cobbs or Holy Spirit by Jesus Culture

Dear Lord Jesus,

I believe that You are the Son of God. I believe that You came to Earth. You lived and You died on the cross.

You shed Your blood. They buried You and for three days You remained in the grave, but on the third day God raised You from the dead, and today You are alive forever more.

Jesus I believe this and I receive You as my Lord, and as my Savior. I ask that You forgive me of my sins and with that I thank You Lord for forgiving me of all my sins.

Thank you Lord for saving me. Right Now I Am Saved