Encounter!
Receive Christ’s Freedom
SESSION 8
LIVING IN VICTORY
THE FILLLING
OF THE SPIRIT
Who is Holy Spirit?
• He’s the third person of the trinity
• The Holy Spirit has all the attributes of a
person (1 Corinthians 2:11 (knowledge); 1
Corinthians 12:11 (will); Romans 8:27
(mind); Romans 15:30 (love); Nehemiah
9:20 (instruction) and Ephesians 4:30
(grief). Like a person, the Holy Spirit helps,
searches and guides.
Who is the promise of the
Spirit for?
• The promise (the gift of the Spirit) is for you
and your children and for all who are far off—
for all whom the Lord our God will call (Acts
2:39).
• The Spirit was promised to all those who
believe in Jesus (John 7:37-39)
• Every Christian is born of the Spirit (John 3:3)
and has the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9).
Who is the promise of the Spirit
for?
• Not every Christian is filled with the Spirit
(Ephesians 5:18).
• The example of a Pilot Light.
Who is the promise of the
Spirit for?
• In the last days, God says, “I will pour out my
Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters
will prophesy, your young men will see
visions, your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women, I
will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they
will prophesy” (Acts 2:17-18).
Don’t get caught up in
terminology (e.g., Baptism or
Filling)
• All Christians can come together under the
banner of eagerly desiring the Spirit’s
fullness, even though not all believers
label that experience in the same way.
Don’t get caught up in
terminology (e.g., Baptism or
Filling)
• Points in common:
– All Christians have the Spirit by virtue of being
born again.
– All Christians should regularly experience a
Spirit-filled life, walk in the Spirit, depend on
the Spirit’s power in our behavior and witness,
and be open to experiences from God’s Spirit
subsequent to conversion.
The Spirit empowers us to
serve
• The Spirit is given to regenerate us and
make us new creatures (1 Corinthians
12:13; Ephesians 1:13-14)
• The manifestation of the Spirit is given so
that we might have power to testify about
Christ and perform signs and wonders that
support His Word (Acts 2:4-11, 31; 5:1216...)
The Spirit empowers us to
serve
• Jesus said, “...As the Father has sent me, I
am sending you." And with that he
breathed on them and said, "Receive the
Holy Spirit” (John 20:21-22).
No need to doubt God’s
promise
• No need to Doubt.
– He will give the Spirit to those who ask
• No need to fear
– He desires the best for you.
• Even if you feel inadequate, you must
remember that the promise of the Spirit is
a gift.
How do we receive the Holy
Spirit?
• Thirst (John 7:37, Rev. 22:17). If you are
not thirsty, you can ask for a thirst.
• Come! Jesus said, “On the last and
greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and
said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty,
let him come to me and drink. Whoever
believes in me, as the Scripture has said,
streams of living water will flow from
within him" (John 7:37-39)
How do we receive the Holy
Spirit?
• Ask. Jesus said, “So I say to you: Ask and
it will be given to you…. Which of you
fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give
him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an
egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then,
though you are evil, know how to give
good gifts to your children, how much
more will your Father in heaven give the
Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke
11:11-13).
The Spirit manifests Himself
in different ways
• Some have an overwhelming sense of
God’s love (Romans 5:5; Eph. 3:14-20)
• Some speak in tongues (Acts 8:16-18; “For
they heard them speaking in tongues 
and
praising God”(Acts 10:46).
• All should be empowered to serve (Acts
6:3-5,10).
Ministry time
(alone and as a group)
• Take some time alone, asking God to fill you
with His Spirit
• The pastor (s)/key leader (s) asks everyone
to repeat a prayer out loud to be filled with
the Holy Spirit
• Encounter leader (s) go around and lays
hands on each person, asking the Holy Spirit
to fill each person (another option is to ask
everyone to come forward).
LIVING IN THE SPIRIT
Being filled with the Spirit is
an ongoing experience
• Keep being Filled (Continuous Tense,
Ephesians 5:18)
• Peter was Filled Repeatedly with the Spirit
(Acts 2:4; 4:8; 4:31)
– Maybe he leaked!
No turning back
• Getting set free is easy.
• Staying set free is harder!
• To a healed paralytic, Jesus said: “See,
you are well again. Stop sinning or
something worse may happen to you.”
(John 5:14)
• To the woman caught in adultery: “Then
neither do I condemn you. Go now and
leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11)
Realize that you have an
enemy who hates you
• “The thief comes only to steal and kill and
destroy; I have come that they may have
life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
• Satan wants to steal your joy and ruin your
life. You must stay close to Jesus.
Hate sin
• To fear the LORD is to hate evil. (Proverbs
8:13)
• Hate evil, love good. (Amos 5:15)
• Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
(Romans 12:9)
• Develop a hatred toward evil (e.g., greed,
lust, resentment, etc.) because Satan uses
these things to destroy you and the ones
you love.
• “As for me and my house, we will serve the
Lord”(Joshua 24:15).
Submit to God
• Have you determined that you want Christ
to rule every area of your life (finances,
family, career, thoughts & actions)? If not,
do that today!
Devote yourselves to prayer
• “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful
and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may
open a door for our message, so that we may
proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in
chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I
should” (Colossians 4:2-4)
• Make sure you have a daily quiet time where you
read the Bible, pray, and listen to God.
• Quiet time versus praying without ceasing
Devote yourselves to prayer
Quiet Time
Pray without
Ceasing
Receive God’s fullness Maintain God’s
Study God’s Word
fullness
Wait on God
Remember God’s
Pray about particular
Word
matters
Walk with God
Pray moment by
moment
Ministry time (reflection and
groups of two)
• Where are you most easily tempted or
sidetracked?
• What do you need to hate to avoid the trap of
these temptations?
• Pray: Lord, I choose obedience to you in every
area and every decision in my life.
• Pray for your ministry partner to remain
victorious after this retreat and to remain faithful
to God in daily prayer and devotions