SERMON OUTLINE: The Holy Spirit and the Believer

I.        Read the text, Acts 2:1-13

II.     The coming of the Holy Spirit

A.     The disciples receive the Holy Spirit

B.     The promise is for “all mankind” or “he who believes as the Scripture said”

John 7:37-39 “...If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

C.     The greater fulfillment of Acts 1:8

1.       Disciples received

2.       Jews received (Acts 2:37-39)

3.       Samaritans received (Acts 8:14-17)

4.       Gentiles received (Acts 10:44-47, 11:15-18)

D.     When? At the time of repentance and belief.

Ephesians 1:12-13 “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.”

III.   Evidence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life

A.     Not works

B.     Not a charismatic experience

C.     Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such things there is no law.”

IV.  The enabling ministry of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life

A.     Prayer and the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 2:18 “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”

Romans 8:26-27 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

B.     The Bible and the Holy Spirit

1 John 2:27 “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”

1 Corinthians 2:10-12 “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man whish is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, no the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”

C.     Witnessing and the Holy Spirit will empower us for witnessing (Acts 1:8)

Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

V.     In order to be filled

A.     The Spirit and the Word of God Ephesians 5:18 and Colossians 3:16

Ephesians 5:18-19 “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord”

Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

B.     Quench not, 1 Thessalonians 5:19 this sin involves no doing that which the Holy Spirit would have us do. It is putting out a fire

1 Thessalonians 5:19 “Quench not the Spirit.”

C.     Grieve not, Ephesians 4:30 this sin involves doing that which the Holy Spirit would not have us do

Ephesians 4:30 “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

D.     Confession and repentance

1 John 1:7-9 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

This confession is absolutely vital, for while Christ’s blood will cleanse us from all sins, it will not cleanse us from a single excuse.

God does not demand golden vessels, nor does he require silver ones, but he must have clean ones. Thus the union with the Spirit is so strong that nothing can break it, but the communion with the Spirit is so fragile that the smallest sin can shatter it. (Willmington’s, p. 659)

Dr. H. L. Willmington, Willmington’s Guide to the Bible, Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1981.