The Gift of Grace through the Holy Spirit II

Genesis 1:1-2 (NIV) 

     In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. [2] Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Numbers 11:16-17, 26, 29 (NIV) 

     The Lord said to Moses: "Bring me seventy of Israel's elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. [17] I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone… However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the Tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. ..But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!"

Joel 2:28-29 (NIV) 

     "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.  Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

Ezekiel 36:25-27 (NIV) 

    I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. [26] I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. [27] And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Acts 2:1-4 (NIV) 

    When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. [2] Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. [3] They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. [4] All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

1.     The promise of the Holy Spirit in the OT and fully revealed in the NT is given to all who call Him to comfort, empower, guide and transform us

The Holy Spirit makes Jesus and the gift of grace very present and real in our lives

John 16:14 (NLT) 

     He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV) 

     But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…

1 Cor. 12:7-11 (NIV) 

     Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

John 20:22 (NIV) 

And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

2.     The Holy Spirit not only makes Jesus and grace real, but supernaturally empowers us to live victoriously through His fruits and gifts

2 Cor. 1:21-22 (NIV) 

     He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Ephes. 1:14 (NLT) 

     The Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us everything he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God.

The receiving / indwelling of the Spirit occurs at the moment of conversion. The filling of the Spirit is an ongoing process in the Christian life.

3.     So how do we receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit? Just ask by faith, the same way we asked to receive our salvation

1. Be still in the presence of God until we become so aware of His presence and desire to restore and empower you
2. Repent by taking full responsibility for our sins
3. Receive and accept His total forgiveness, like a river rushing over you and taking every bit of sin away
4. Ask, accept, and receive by faith, His Holy Spirit to indwell you - "Fill me with Your Holy Spirit Lord!"
5. Ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to produce and fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit to do what is supernatural.  Ask for a renewed heart transformation and a new love for God.
6.  Just keep receiving while in the presence of God until our spiritual tank becomes full