Sermon Central
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Fragrance Of The Father V Series
Contributed by Richard Wafford on Apr 13, 2005 (message contributor)
Summary: A.B. Simpson in his book: “A Larger Christian LifeIt is the completeness of the filling, which constitutes the very essence of the perfect blessing. A fountain half full will never become a spring. A river half full will never become a waterpower. A heart
Fragrance of the Father Part 5
Script.
Ephesians 5:18 (NIV) be filled with the Spirit.
10Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
Introduction:
A.B. Simpson in his book “A Larger Christian Life” talks about this particular verse.
The emphatic word in both these verses is “filled.” It is the Greek plaroo, which means to fill full, so full that there will be no room left empty. This is the thought, which, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, we desire to impress in this message. It does not mean to have a measure of the Holy Spirit, and to know a good deal of Christ, but to be wholly filled with, and possessed by, the Holy Ghost, and utterly lost in the life and fullness of Jesus. It is the completeness of the filling which constitutes the very essence of the perfect blessing. A fountain half full will never become a spring. A river half full will never become a waterpower. A heart half filled will never know “the peace which passeth all understanding” and the power which flows from the inmost being, as “rivers of living water.”
I. Faith is seeing the Heart of God:
1. John 14:12 - John 14:14 (NIV)
12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.
14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
2. Now A.W Tozer says that faith is the gaze of the heart at God it is but the raising of our inward eyes to meet the all-seeing eyes of God.
3. In essence our spiritual eyes.
4. This is hard for us to comprehend because we are so use to the physical realm; the spiritual never enters the picture.
5. A spirit-filled person can see God anywhere because that persons mind is set to love and obey him. Paraphrase from A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God ,pg 95.
6. Only the totally committed will see God with the soul of their being.
7. In sin we were blind to the ways of God and the way back to God in a personal intimate way.
8. Isaiah 42:16 I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.
9. Blind people have a tendency to learn ways by repetition.
10. They always go the same way.
11. They have a routine that they follow religiously for fear of getting hurt.
12. Those that are Spirit filled will trust in God for everything.
13. Allow God to lead them and guide into paths of righteousness.
14. The more we die out to self the more room we make for Jesus.
15. When we have died out to self, died out to the big “I” in our lives.
16. To be able to say like Jesus in his most trying hour not my will but your will be done.
17. You know who started using the big “I” don’t you?
18. Ever since he started using it he began enticing others to use it as well.
19. In this particular chapter In Isaiah chapter 14 there is a parallel between the King of Babylon and Lucifer or Satan.
20. Follow with me.
21. Isaiah 14:3 - 4
3On the day the LORD gives you relief from suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage, 4you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon:
22. When the King of Babylon has fallen you will say this taunt against him.
23. Isaiah 14:12 - 15 (NIV)
12 How you have fallen from heaven, (KJV-has Lucifer) O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”15 But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.
