Titus 3 Part 5

Titus 3 Part 5

Titus 3:6

Two of my favorite sermons.

Ministry of Failure

Deut 8:1-3

That sermon taught this young preach boy that there are powerful lesson in life’s failures.

I don’t have to be perfect to be a preacher/pastor.

What I must be is faithful. (I don’t have to be perfect in that).

It is my favorite sermon to preach.

Fresh Oil

Jack Hyles in the 80’s

It was about how God anoints us with fresh oil.

It is about renewal and fresh starts.

I have never tried to preach that sermon.

But the lesson it taught me was powerful.

It’s what is before us today.

This is not the jar of baby food sermon today.

This is T-bone steak sermon.

Anointing

What does that mean?

Verse 6 says this:

Titus 3:6 (NLT) — 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Titus 3:6 NLT

He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Fresh Oil

The sermon Fresh Oil was based Psalms 92:10

Psalm 92:10 (ESV) — 10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil.

Psalm 92:10 ESV

But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil.

If you remember Samuel, the prophet had anointed David as a young teenager.

The passage in Psalms is David asking God to renew his soul.

It’s a powerful message that all of us get weary.

It’s also a powerful message about how God works in our lives.

How God equips us for ministry.

The Purpose of Anointing

The anointing with oil was a symbol of endowment (sign of empowerment) with the Spirit of God.

Anointing with oil represented the conferring of God’s Spirit upon a person for the duties of their office.

Here’s an illustration.

Baseball Glove

When a player gets a brand-new baseball glove, it’s stiff and hard to use.

What do you do? Rub oil into it.

The oil softens it, makes it useable, makes it effective, shapes it for its purpose.

Without oil, the glove exists — but it can’t function properly.

The Holy Spirit is the oil in lives.

The Holy Spirit’s anointing softens us, shapes us, and makes us usable in God’s hands.

Without the Spirit, we may be saved — but we’re stiff and ineffective.

Oil doesn’t change what the glove is!

It releases what it was made to do.

Gives it the POWER to do the task.

That’s what the Holy Spirit does for a believer.

The Power of the Holy Spirit

Pouring out.

Truth: Jesus Christ is the One who pours out the Holy Spirit so richly upon us.

Without Jesus there would be no anointing.

When a person believes in Jesus Christ, Christ puts His Spirit into the new believer.

But Christ also pours out the Holy Spirit on the believer daily.

This pouring out arouses within us the desire to serve Christ day by day.

It is the fresh oil renewal we need.

“All the behavior of a believer and all the words of a believer and all the worship of a believer are powerless without the power of the Holy Spirit.”

“It does not matter how high his position, how appealing his profession, how attractive his appearance, how consistent his worship—his life is powerless without the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.”

John 6:63 (NLT) — 63 The (Holy) Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

John 6:63 NLT

The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

When we tell God we are not going to do something. God begins to pour His Holy Spirit into our lives.

Be filled

Ephesians 5:18 (GW) — 18 Don’t get drunk on wine, which leads to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Spirit

Ephesians 5:18 NLT

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,

Getting drunk with wine is a metaphor.

It’s not the focus of the verse.

Be filled with the Holy Spirit is the focus.  

Don’t fill your life with useless junk.

Fill it with the treasures of heaven

“Being filled with the Spirit means giving Him freedom to occupy every part of your life, guiding and controlling you so His power works through you fruitfully.”

This even goes beyond our actions.

It affects our attitudes our thoughts our motives.

Making it Practical.

Understand What “Filled” Means

The word filled does not mean getting more of the Spirit.

It’s about Him getting more of you.

Just as alcohol controls a drunk person. The Spirit should control you.

Being filled with the Spirit is living under the influence and control of the Holy Spirit.

It Is a Command, Not an Option

You were saved once.

You must be filled continually.

Yesterday’s filling will not sustain today’s battles.

We Are Filled by Surrender, Not Striving

We want control

You cannot be Spirit-filled while:

Holding onto sin

Resisting conviction

Running your own life

We Are Filled Through the Word of God

Colossians 3:16 (MEV) — 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…

Colossians 3:16 MEV

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…

If you want the Spirit controlling your life, fill your life with Scripture.

Evidence of a Spirit-Filled Life

There is joy in the heart.

Worship in the mouth.

Gratitude in the spirit.

Humility in relationships.

The real evidence is a transformed life.

Practical Daily Prayer

“Holy Spirit, I surrender this day to You. Fill my mind, control my words, guide my steps, and produce Christ in me today.”