Sermon Central
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The Fullness Of God
Contributed by Chris Jordan on May 17, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: God wants us to be filled to overflowing with His fullness! Let’s hunger and thirst for more of Him in our lives! Taste and see that the Lord is GOOD!
SUPERNATURAL #6: OVERFLOWING WITH THE FULLNESS OF GOD
OPENING TEXT: “And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.” (Acts 5:12-16).
Here is an amazing story in the Bible of someone who was filled to overflowing with the fullness of God. He was so full of God’s presence that it overflowed onto sick people in the streets who were healed!
How can WE be filled to overflowing with the fullness of God?
PETER’S TEACHING:
Words of wisdom from someone who was filled with God!
“Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” (1 Peter 2:1-3).
1. OUT with the bad: Get rid of SIN (lay aside all malice, deceit, etc. (One of the reasons we’re not hungry for more of God is because we’re so full with things of the world!) Did your parents ever say, “Don’t eat junk before dinner, you’ll ruin your appetite!”
2. IN with the good: Desire the pure milk of the WORD (the result = we will grow)
3. OUR MOTIVATION: We will never be hungry for more of God until we begin to TASTE of His goodness!
“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him.” (Ps. 34:8).
There’s more to Christianity than just following the rules & trying to ‘be good’! It’s about having a vibrant relationship with God where we TASTE of His goodness!
JESUS’ TEACHING:
“And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst… I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world… From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
(John 6:35,51,66-69).
HOW DO WE GET FILLED TO OVERFLOWING WITH THE FULLNESS OF GOD?
1. GET HUNGRY AND THIRSTY FOR MORE OF GOD!
“Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled.” (Luke 6:21).
“For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring.” (Isaiah 44:3).
ILLUSTRATION:
A great dessert my wife makes is called "The Blueberry." Once you’ve tasted it, you’ll want more and more! Once you taste God’s goodness, you’ll be hungry for MORE!
2. FEAST ON THE WORD OF GOD!
“How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth.” (Ps. 119:103).
“The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63).
“’Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4).
God’s Word is FOOD and nourishment for our spirits! It’s good eating!
3. DRINK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me… out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit.” (John 7:37-39a).
The Holy Spirit is REFRESHING WATER to our spirits!
4. MEDITATE ON GOD’S LOVE:
"May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love. That you may have the power to grasp with all the saints the experience of that love… That you may know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!" (Eph. 3:17b-19, Amplified).
