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Glad to have you here. Thanks for coming. You know, that was a great video on Derek (the olympic athlete), I'm gonna preach today on the spirit filled life. And there's a great parallel just as Derek's father came alongside of him to help him finish his race, you know, God has given to us a heavenly partner. And that is called the Holy Spirit who lives and dwells within every child of God to be our daily partner. He has been called alongside of us, to help us and to enable us. And so he is our partner, just as the Father is the partner to the family. The Holy Spirit is our partner. And I'm going to speak on that today. So I invite you to turn with me to Ephesians chapter five, and verse 18. When you get there, we'll stop for a moment and we will have a word of prayer. All right, so Ephesians five, and verse 18, is our text. Let's pray together. Lord, we just want to say thank you for this opportunity that we can gather together on this great day, Lord, thank you for bringing in your people. Thank You that we could be here that we can worship you with Psalm and hymn and spiritual song. And Lord Jesus, we want to say thank You to You that many years ago, You left the glories of heaven and came and died upon a cruel cross. But we thank You today that you're not on that cross, nor are you in that tomb. It is empty, but You are sitting right on the right hand of God and the throne on high. And we thank You that as You went up sitting in that place of victory that you sent down to us, the Holy Spirit, and Holy Spirit, we're thankful for your presence. And we ask that you would do what only you can do. Would you take your inspiration and illuminate your truth to our heart that today, we might see what we ought to see, that we might then be what we ought to be than our life, in part, in every part would bring to You glory and honor and praise. And we'll be careful to give you thanks for all that's done. We ask your blessing now, in Jesus name, Amen. 

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Heard the story of an old farmer that had a dry, parched piece of land. And one day he struck oil. And overnight, he became richer than old Elon Musk. And with all the money, he only desired really one thing in life, he wanted to have a brand new, shiny, powerful luxury car. So he took a lot of $1,000 bills down to the dealership, and there, he bought his dream car. And every morning, he would get up and he would drive that powerful shiny car around town. And his driving habits were a little bit to be desired. Because you see, instead of concentrating on the road, sometimes he would turn to his left, and he would talk to people on the street. Other times, he would turn to the right, and he would do the exact same thing. Sometimes he would stand up, and he would turn around, and he would engage people in conversation behind him. But his driving habits didn't seem to bother anybody. Because you see attached to the front bumper of that brand new, shiny, powerful car, were two horses pulling that car alive. But you know, I say that to say this, that there are many people today, many Christians today who, you know, in their Christian life, they're just like that old farmer. They're unaware of the unbelievable power that's available to them. And you know, this lack of power that has gripped the lives of so many people, has convinced people believers that they cannot enjoy consistent victory over the power and the pull of sin. This lack of power that has gripped the lives of God's people has convinced them that they should not expect miraculous answers to their prayers or they, you know, should not expect God to speak to them and guide them and direct them. Or, you know, this, this lack of power has convinced so many that this world in which we live cannot be reached. And yet for others this lack this obvious lack of power has left them discontented with their spiritual condition, tired of going to the spiritual motions, weary of giving lip service to truth, that doesn't seem to be impacting and changing their lives. And maybe that's where you find yourself today. You know, maybe you feel like you're spinning your spiritual wheels. Maybe you feel like you're going two steps forward, but spiritually, you wind up taking three steps back. Maybe today you struggle with a particular sin and you just can't seem to find victory. Or maybe you hunger for a deeper and more intimate walk with God or or maybe you just want your Christian life to be real. You want God to be real to you. Or maybe you want to see a greater commitment in your life or in the lives of your family, your friends, maybe your small group or your church. Or maybe you just sense that there's some thing missing in your Christian life, this lack of power seems to have gripped your walk, your work, your witness, and even your worship. 

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Now, if this is true of you, then you need to tap in that unbelievable power that's available to you. And that power is the power of the Holy Spirit. I heard the story of two men who were on vacation together. And they came to one of the seven wonders of the world than Niagara Falls in upstate New York in the United States. And one man had been there before and says, Come here, let me show you the greatest unused power in all the world. And he took them to the base of the waterfall. And then as they looked up, they saw that massive amount of water flowing over that precipice. And he said, There it is, he said, there is the greatest unused power and all the world stren look at him says, No, he tapped his chest. He said, The Greatest unused power in all the world is the power of the Holy Spirit who lives and dwells within you. And friends, I think there's truth to that. In fact, I think that one of the greatest needs that we have as a church today is to know experientially the power of the indwelling, Holy Spirit. In fact, you know that at the very moment of your salvation, the very moment you ask Jesus Christ to be your Savior. And what I mean by that is the very moment you recognize yourself as a sinner. And you realize that Jesus alone could save you from your sin, you realize, I can't wash away my own sin, I cannot work my way to heaven, that I'm a sinner. And I have fallen short of God's standard when you recognize that, but then you realize that Jesus alone came and died for your sin, and then you by faith, trust Him, you repent of your sin, and you placed your trust in Jesus, at that very moment. At that very moment of your salvation, the very moment you recognize yourself as a sinner, and you trust Jesus to be your Savior. The Bible says that all of your sin, past, present and future are forgiven. You are then resurrected as a new creation in Christ Jesus. And then the Bible reminds us at that very moment, the Spirit of the Living God comes to live within. 

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That's why Paul said to us, in Romans eight and verse nine, he said that if we have not the Spirit of Christ, we are none of His. You see, every single child of God is permanently and immediately indwelled by the Spirit of God at that moment of salvation. If you're a Christian today, the Spirit of God lives within you, and I want you to know something. That's what we call a hallelujah moment. Are you with me? Hey, listen, as he believer think about this, when you trusted Christ as your Savior, not only did He forgive you of your sin, past, present, and future, but He made you are a new creation, you are not who you used to be. You are a new creation, and then he has placed the Spirit of God within you. And He's given you the Word of God to enable you to do what the Word says. Are you following? Are you sure? That's a hallelujah moment. All right. So we are in dwelt with the Spirit of God. And please know that the Holy Spirit doesn't live within you, because he had no better place to go.

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He lives within you on purpose, he lives within you, to enable you to do what God through His Word has asked you to do, and to be the person that God wants you to be. So the Spirit of God lives within every single child of God. Now, although the Spirit of God lived within every single child of God, not every Christian is empowered by that indwelling Holy Spirit. Did you catch that? All the Spirit of God lives within you, not every child of God is empowered by that indwelling Holy Spirit. And if we think about it, we know that's true. For example, why does one person have an unquenchable joy in the midst of sorrow? And another doesn't? Why does one Christian have overflowing love in spite of being personally attacked, and another doesn't? Why does one believer constantly and continually see victory over the power of the pull of sin? And another doesn't? You see why does one person see miraculous answers to their prayers? And another doesn't? Why does? Why is it that one person can stand and speak and people can sense the presence and the power of God? And another person stands in speaks? And they don't? The answer is because although every single child of God is in dwelt with the Spirit of God, not every single child of God is empowered by that indwelling Spirit, yet the power of the Holy Spirit is available to all. And Paul speaks of that available power in our passage here in Ephesians five and verse 18, when he says, Be not drunk with wine, but rather be filled with the Holy Spirit. And when Paul said to us, in that great passage be filled with the Spirit of God, he was given us a command. And I think that this is without a doubt one of the greatest, and one of the most encouraging commands in Scripture. Because the fact that it's a command reminds us that being filled with being empowered by the Holy Spirit is God's desire. And yet it also reminds us that the power of that Holy Spirit is available to us, because God would not give us a command that we could not obey. And interesting in this passage, there are two commands. 

Now the first command is Do not be drunk with wine command, by the way, and the second command is, but rather be filled with the Spirit. Now, these are in the same verse, and they remind us that in the eyes of God, it is as sinful for us to be drunk with wine as it is for us not to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Are you with me? That makes it pretty serious, right? Let me let me say it this way, would it bother you today? If I came in here drunk with wine? You can answer me that's okay. Coming here, staggering, you know, walking around slurring my words, you know, I can't speak coherently enough with a bother you? Yeah. Would you get up and walk out? Absolutely. You can say that, yeah, I don't care who you are, I'm leaving. I'm sure the elders would come grab me by the elbows and usher me out and have a long, hard talk with me in the morning for sure, right. But you realize, in the eyes of God, it would be as wrong for me to stand and attempt to preach to you being drunk with wine as it would be not being filled with the Spirit. And what's true of me is true of you. Because this is not just a command for me, this is a command for, for us. So He commands it, alright, he commanded. And by the way, that makes this a very serious command. All right, it's makes it a very serious command. In fact, being filled and being powered to the spirit is a choice that we make, to choice this is a man can choose to be drunk or sober. You can choose to be filled or not filled, reminding us with that thought in mind, that there's no excuse then for living a spiritually weak, defeated Christian life. Are you with me? This is a command. This is God's desires, you know, and it's a choice that we make, we can choose to be filled or not filled. I mean, we are either living in the flesh, or we are living in the spirit who's controlling your life. If you're not yield to the Spirits power, then you're living in your own energy and your own strength. And God takes no pleasure in that. So this is a choice that we make. So there's no excuse for living in spiritual weakness. So let's ask this text a question. I want us to get a little bit of an understanding this passage, because it's important. If we're not living a spiritual life, then we're not doing right. We're not living in victory, we will not be the people God wants us to be, we will not be doing what God desires we to do. So let's take a moment. And let's ask that little phrase be filled with the Spirit some questions, all right, just for clarity. Because if we don't understand what it means, and how can we live, a spirit filled life? So question number one is this. Why are we commanded to live a spirit filled life? Why did Paul under the inspiration, the Holy Spirit, why did God by the way, why did God the Holy Spirit is his his his inspiration? Why did he make this a command? Because there's no power for Christian living. Apart from being filled with the Spirit. There is no power for living the Christian life apart from the filling of the Holy Spirit. Let me give an example. Do you remember our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Do you realize that everything that he did in his public ministry He did as his spirit filled man? Remember your theology and Philippians chapter two? The Bible tells us that Jesus left the glories of heaven, and he came to this earth. And he took the form of a man. And he lived his life in the power and the enablement of the Holy Spirit. He set aside the free exercises of his attributes, he didn't cease being God, certainly not. But he just chose not to, to live as God, he chose to live as a man filled with and under the control of the Holy Spirit, and in everything that he did in his public ministry He did as a spirit filled man. That's why Jesus could say to us in John 14 and verse 12, that the works that I do these works, you shall also do, and yet greater works than these shall you do, because I go to be with my father. And the idea is this. You see, Jesus was saying that one day, I'm gonna go to the Father, but when I go up, the Spirit of God is going to come down. And when he comes down, he's going to indwell you as he indwelt me, and he'll enable you just as he enabled me. Are you with me? Hey, it means then that the spirit that was in Jesus, that same Spirit is in you, and he can enable you to live the life that Jesus Christ lived. 

Now, of course, maybe some exceptions. I don't understand the trends. figuration and there may be a few other things, but I'm talking about we can manifest his character. We can demonstrate His love, we can know his power and pushing back the gates of hell. Are you with me? All right. I'm glad you're vocal. I'll tell you a secret. You're better than the first service. Took a while. Maybe it's earlier than I don't know, maybe maybe you've had more coffee in your system now than they did right. Here's another verse. Listen to this. First John two in verse six. John said, we are to walk as Jesus walked. I remember the first time I heard this verse, I was a young believer sitting in church and I heard a pastor say, We're gonna walk as Jesus walked, I thought to myself, I can't walk as Jesus walked, I'm not Jesus. It was only later in life, I thought, I realized, wait a minute. Jesus left heaven, he set aside the free exercise of his attributes, he chose to live as a man filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, I can walk as Jesus walked. Why, because I have the very same Spirit. The Spirit of God that lived in dwelled within Jesus is the very same spirit that lives within us. In fact, everything that he did in his public ministry He did as a spirit filled man. In fact, his life is summed up our Lord's life is summed up in these words, and asked him in verse 38, when the Bible says, that now God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with power, and Jesus went about doing good and healing all who are oppressed to the devil, because God, God, the Holy Spirit was with him. And the spirit that was with Jesus is the very same spirit that is with you. That's what we call a hallelujah moment. And you can shatter hallelujah. If you want to, okay, I'm not twisting your arm, right? But hey, freedom, this is exciting. If I was a younger man, I would run around the building and just shout hallelujah. I'm just kidding. I wouldn't do that. This is this is a great truth. And if Jesus did everything he did in the power of the Holy Spirit, then how much more do we need the power of the Spirit of God upon our life to do what God's called us to do? Can I take this a step farther? Okay, thank you. That's Permission granted. So if I go over time, I can blame it on you, Pastor Jason, not my fault, right? I'm just kidding. But I want you to get so here it is. Your the disciples did not. nor could they begin their public ministry until they were filled with the Spirit.

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And humanly speaking, I mean, they had it all. I mean, these men, the 12 apostles, these men, I mean, three and a half years, they traveled with the Lord. I mean, they knew their spiritual essence, they were spiritually educated. That chapter one since they spent 40 days studying the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, they traveled with the Lord, not only do they hear him and learn from him, but they watch him do ministry, these men were ready to reach the world. And I can imagine when Jesus said to them, Go, therefore and make disciples, they said, Lord, Sign me up. I'm ready, you know, but Jesus says, Wait, you're not ready. I want to go to Jerusalem, I want you to wait. And I can imagine them scratching their head said, Lord, I'm waiting for what? And then he would put x one in verse eight, you shall receive power when the Holy Ghost has come upon you, then you shall be My witnesses were in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth. They could not begin their ministry, and they'll they were empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit. And when did that happen? 10 days later, x two and verse four says that they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Now the evidence of that filling, Peter stood up and he preached the gospel, and 3000 people were saved. The Church of Jesus Christ had its birth, and at that very moment, the evangelization of the world began. But notice what preceded it was the fact that they had to be filled with and controlled by the Spirit of the Living God. And their ministry went forward in that power. Now if these men did not, nor could they begin their public ministry until they were filled with the Spirit. How much more do we need that same power upon our life to do what God has called us to do? 

Friends, every person God has ever used, has lived into the power of the Holy Spirit. Remember, in Acts six and verse three, when the church was looking for some new leadership, we're told and that they chose seven men and one of the qualifications they needed to be filled with the Spirit. When the church in Jerusalem was looking for a new pastor. in Antioch, they chose Barnabas, and the Bible says one of the reasons is because he was full of the Holy Spirit, because everything that we do that is not done in the power and the enabling of the Spirit of God is spiritually and eternally profitless. That's why the Bible says to us in John six and verse 63, it's the Spirit that gives life, the flesh profits, nothing. You see, if we are trying to live the Christian life and our own energy and our own strength, friends, we come up empty, we can't do it. You see, it's a spiritual life isn't a physical life, it's not a life that's to be lived. Nor is it a life, that's one in our own energy, in our own strength. We don't push back the gates of hell, you know, in our own wisdom, we don't keep the devil you see from getting a foothold in our life, simply because we're smarter than he is. That's why the Spirit of God lives within you see, the Spirit of God takes the Word of God. And He enables us to do it. Remember, the Bible is his inspiration. Are you with me? And he takes his inspiration. And He enables us to do what God has called us to do. You see, if all we think we need the Bible, we just need the Bible. By the way, we do need the Bible. But we need the Spirit of God to enable us to do what God has called us to do. Friends, we cannot stand against the flesh, the devil in the world, and our own energy and our own strength, he just can't do it. That's why you take two steps forward, and you wind up taking three steps backwards. That's why we spin our spiritual world, we're trying to, you know, fight the devil and our own wisdom, our own energy, and our own strength,

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to Spirit that gives life. The flesh profits nothing. In fact, I'll take it just a step farther. It's important to know that God never accept anything that we do independent of him. The only thing that God accepts is what we do, in dependence upon him or what he does through us. Now, let

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me give an example of what I mean. Remember that great story in Genesis chapter 22. Abraham was told by God, he says, I want you to take your son, your only son, Isaac, they're taken to Mount Moriah, and offer him there as a sacrifice to me. Have you ever noticed in reading those words? Why God called Isaac, Abraham's only son? Did he have an older brother? QUESTION He did, right? What was his name? Ishmael? Right. So why didn't God reject Ishmael? not acknowledge Ishmael, but called Isaac, Abraham's only son. The answer is simple is because Ishmael was Abraham's work done independent of God. Remember, God made Abraham a promise, you're gonna have a son. And I can imagine Abraham saying, I'm gonna have a son Are you so happy in year after year after year after year? No son. So Abraham, you'll be in a man of action, he took matters into his own hands, and he went into his handmaiden, Hagar, and does produce the son by the name of Ishmael. And that was Abraham's work done independent of God, and God rejected Ishmael. That's a picture of the flesh. But God accepted Isaac. Why? Because his he Isaac was God's work done in cooperation with Abraham, and a teaches us a very important spiritual principle, that God only accepts what he does through us. You see, it's living in cooperation with God. And for us, it's God, the Holy Spirit who lives within us as we choose to depend upon him. He enables us to live the life he's asked us to live. Listen to what Jesus said in John 15, in verse five great words. Jesus says, apart from me, he says, You can do nothing. And the idea there is apart from me, you can do nothing of eternal value.

You see, if we are living our Christian life, in our own energy and our own strength, he's simply reminding us then all of our energy, no matter how good our motives may be, they're going to be spiritually and they're going to be totally worthless. Why? Because you see, you were not saved to live this life, your Christian life on your own. Remember, God saved you and he washed away all of your sin, past, present, and future. At the same moment, he raised you as a new creation in Christ Jesus, you are not who you used to be, you're a new creation, you are brand new. And then not only did he he wash away your sin and raise you as a new creation, He placed within you the spirit of the living God, the Spirit that was in Jesus Christ, that same Spirit lives in you. And then he gave you the Word of God to direct your life and he gave you the Spirit of God to enable you to follow that direction. Do you see God's plan? That's a hallelujah moment. Hey, listen, if you're a Christian, I mean, you've come to that point where you realize I'm a sinner, and I cannot save myself and praise God for grace. Grace, or God's unmerited favor poured out on you even though you don't need you don't deserve it and you could never earn it. Grace, you know, and that grace has washed away my sin, that grace has inhabited you with the Spirit of God, that grace has made you a new creation, that grace has given you the Word of God. And God has given you the Spirit of God so he can do what he calls and commands you to do. So you can be the person that God wants you to be and do what God wants you to do.

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Because you can't do it in your own energy, and your own strength. So let's ask another question. All right. We're looking for clarity. Number two, what does it mean then to be spirit filled? What's it mean to live a spiritual life?

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Okay, I get it. I can't live this Christian life in my own energy in my own strength. So what does it mean? Well, it's interesting in Ephesians, five and verse 18, the word filled means to be controlled. By solid means it means to be controlled by. That's interesting. There is a parallel in Ephesians five and verse 18. Remember, he says, Be not drunk with wine, but rather be filled with the Holy Spirit? Is he when a man is drunk with wine he's under the control of and he's empowered by his alcohol. And as a result, his life has radically changed, right? His life has radically changed. I mean, you can take, you can take a man who may be shy, he may be reserved, he may be very timid, you know, the kind of guy that you know, he doesn't talk to you unless he's asked a question. And then he answers with those one word answers. Yes. No, never looked at you in the eye. But you get a little alcohol in the system. And what happens? Yeah, you know, because you've seen it, right. I mean, his life has radically changed. All of a sudden, his shy, timid and reserved man becomes as bold as a lion. I mean, sometimes he's talking, he's joking. He's whistling at the girls, and oftentimes picking a fight with the biggest guy around, only to regret it in the morning. It's like those two drunk men I once heard of that, went into a building and one of the drunk man said to his drunk, buddy, he said, Hey, do you think I can jump out the window and fly around the building? Well, the next day is buddy visited him in the hospital. And there he was, you know, two broken arms and two broken legs. He looks up at his buddy, he said, Why did you let me do it? This friend looked at me said at the time, I thought you could? Why does a drunk man operate that way? Because you see, when they're under the control of their alcohol, they're empowered by their alcohol. And the alcohol radically changed them. And yet, in the very same way, as believers, when we are filled with the Spirit, we are controlled by and we are empowered by the Holy Spirit, and our life is radically changed. 

You might ask the question, well, what kind of radical changes is the spirit bring into the life of a Spirit filled believer? Well, may I just say, very simply, he brings power. You see, there's divine enabling when we are living under the control and the influence of the Holy Spirit, He enables us He empowers us to do what God wants us to do. So we might then be what God wants us to be. Some years ago, I read a book by a man by the name of Kyle Idleman. Good little book called Not a fan. A great little premise. You know, Jesus, you know, we're not like concert goers, you know, waving our hand phones in the air at Jesus says he's performing on stage. We're not fans. We're to be followers, right? But in that book, he tells a story, that one day he asked his Facebook friends this question, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He said, fill in the blanks. In other words, he says, having been filled with a spirit, how have you seen his power manifest through your life? And here's what he said. He said, within an hour, he had 100 responses. Here are those 100 responses? I'm kidding. But here are some of those 100 responses. Are you with me? We're together. Okay, here they are. He said by the power of the Holy Spirit. One person said, I finally forgave my dad. Another said, by the power of the Holy Spirit, I have forgiven my ex husband for his infidelity. Another set by the power of the Holy Spirit, I lost 150 pounds and I quit smoking. Another set by the power of the Holy Spirit, I have overcome my drug addiction. Another set I've overcome my gambling addiction, another set by the power of Holy Spirit, I've overcome my sex addiction. Another set by the power of the Holy Spirit, I've overcome my shopping addiction, my eating disorder, by the pile Holy Spirit, I have been sober. They say for over four years, another said about the power of the Holy Spirit and my marriage was saved. Now they're sent by the power of the Holy Spirit was able to raise my special needs shell, even as a single mother, another said about the power of the Holy Spirit. We conceive after being told that it would never happened. Another said by the power of the Holy Spirit. I found peace when my husband passed away, and I thought my life was over. Another said by the power of the Holy Spirit. I remarried my ex husband after a long and nasty divorce. And friends, those are some of the radical changes that the Holy Spirit brings in the life of a person who yields themselves to the spirits control, the Spirit of God is there to radically change your life. And see when we yield to his control, he brings power. He brings divine enablement, there's power to forgive. There's power to overcome, there's power to love, there's power to be the very people that God wants you to be. So you and I might do what God wants us to do. Now all the power of the Holy Spirit is available to all. Only a few people experience the power and the divine enabling of a spirit filled life. And yet that power is available to all. 

So that brings us to our last question, how then can we be filled with the Holy Spirit? Now this is where the rubber meets the road. From this point backwards was all just groundwork All right, but this is this is what's important for us how then can we live a spirit filled life, I'm just gonna give it two thoughts, we can certainly add a few more, such as maybe confession of sin, which paves the way but I'm just gonna give it two very simple thoughts. Number one, to be filled with and enabled and empowered by the Spirit of God begins with an honest acknowledgement of our own weakness, and honored acknowledgement of our own weakness. Do you know the most dreaded question is on a job interview? It's that question, right? Hey, what is your greatest weakness? Well, how do you answer that in a job interview? The answer is you don't because if you do, you probably wouldn't get the job. You know, imagine sitting down, you know, and they asked you, hey, what's what's your greatest weakness? And you say, Well, my greatest weakness is, I'm a procrastinator, or I'm never on time, or I just can't seem to get along with my colleagues. Hey, listen, a that's a sure way not to get the job. But you don't want to answer that question. You have to say something. So what do you say? Well, good thing is we live in an age we live in a day where, you know, we have websites that will help us navigate that question. Such as monsters.com. Right? And here's what they said about that question being asked when you're asked a question, you know, what's your greatest weakness they say this number one, disguise your weakness for strength. disguise it, you know, don't say what your weakness is disguise it. And they said, Maybe you should say something like this. You know, I'm such a perfectionist that I sometimes expect too much out of myself and others, or, you know, I work so hard that sometimes my life can be a little out of balance, cleverly said, right? They went on to say, or maybe you need to minimize your weakness by explaining how you have already overcome it. For example, they said, Maybe you should say something like this, I can be very task oriented. But I have learned that working with people is the most effective way to accomplish the goal. Or they say, Hey, maybe share a real weakness, but make sure it's totally irrelevant to the position you're applying for. For example, if you're applying for an accounting job, you better not say you're not a detail person. Decimal points still mean something. Right? For you, accountants out there, and business owners and managers, right? They're all important, right? But maybe you should say something like this, I tend to be injury prone on the basketball court. Clever, okay. But then they sum it up and said, Well, whatever you do, find a way around the question. But whatever you do, do not acknowledge your real weakness. Now that may be great in securing a job, but it will hinder you from living a spirit filled life, because you see the greatest backdrop for God to display his power is through your weakness. That's why Paul said this. And second Corinthians chapter 12. He said, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest upon me. Both that I have no problems and hey, I can't Lord, I cannot live the life that you've asked me to live, Lord, I can't do what you've asked me to do. Lord, I can't be that person that you want me to be. Because you see, that's the beginning of God begin displaying his power in your life, enabling you to live the life that he has asked you to live. Lord, I can't but you can. He went on to say that's why for Christ's sake. He says I delight in weakness. I delight in it for when I am weak. He says then I am and the idea there is I am made strong. So it's coming to God and saying, Lord, I can't. But Lord, I know that you can. You know, maybe you're here today, let me just pause from and say, you know, maybe you're here today and, and maybe you're not a believer. And you're listening to this message and you're thinking, what does this message have to do with me? But maybe you're sitting there thinking, you know, I know, you know, you know that you're a sinner. And you know that your sin has separated you from God, and you know that Jesus Christ could wash away your sin, he could give you everlasting life if you repented and believed. But you don't want to make that decision. Because your mind says this.

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If I made that decision, if I trusted Christ to be my savior, I know he could wash away my sin. I knew he'd give me new life. But my problem and my fear is I could never live the Christian life. I could never live, I can never do what God asked me to do. I could never give up, I could never make that change. I just couldn't live the Christian life. Or maybe you're thinking, you know, I've seen a lot of Christians who claim to be Christians, and they, they're hallelujah on Sunday morning, but they live like the devil, you know, the rest of the week, and I don't want to be like them. And therefore I'm going to listen, but I'm not going to make that decision, and wants you to know something. The very moment you ask Jesus Christ, to be your savior, known as a wash away your sin, but not only does he make you a new creation in Christ, Jesus, but he dropped the Spirit of God within you to enable you to live the life he asked you to live. Because I want you to know this, God never asked you to do something without giving you the power to do it. He never gives you a command to obey without giving you the power to obey that command. He never reveals a lifestyle to forsake without giving you the power to forsake that lifestyle, the power of the Spirit is even available to you. So you need to make that choice to believe in Jesus Christ, and then yield yourself the spirit and let him bring life and not just life eternal, but an abundant life right now. That's a hallelujah moment. But you see, for all of us, it's first acknowledging our weakness. But then lastly, is this. We need them to come once we've acknowledged our weakness, we need to come to Him. And we need to simply in faith, ask. Just ask Jesus put it this way, in Luke 11, and verse 13. He says, If you'd be an evil, know how to get good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them? That asked, He's not asking us here to ask for his person. He's asking us to ask for his power. We know that grammatically. Just ask, just ask for the power of God that will enable you to do what God wants you to do. Just simply ask, okay, just ask. I remember reading a story about a little boy that was playing in a sandbox. And his father was watching his son out the window, and a little boy is trying to lift the rock out of the sandbox, and he couldn't do it. And so one day, he just sat down on the edge of the sandbox, put his head in his hands, a little bit dejected, and the heart of the Father went out to his son put his arm around his son and said, Son, can't you lift that rock out of the sandbox? A little boy looked at his father and says, No, Daddy, I can't do it. The father said, Son have used all of the strength that's available to you. And he says, Yes, daddy, I've used all the strength is available to me, and I just can't do it. And the father says, Son, you haven't yet asked me? Is he available? That little boy was the strength of his father. And all he needed to do was ask, Jesus is reminding us the very same thing available to you is the power of the Holy Spirit. And all you need to do is ask. And friends I believe that one of the reasons so many of God's people live subnormal Christian life, why we take two steps forward, and we want them taken three steps back is because we do not by faith, invite the Spirit of God into our daily conduct. We don't invite the Spirit of God into our daily conflicts. We don't invite the Spirit of God into our daily conversations. Are you with me? You see when sin comes knocking upon the door of your life, tempting you to do what you know you should not do we need to at that moment begin to appropriate his power and his visit, and his and his provision. And we look up to heaven and say, Your Holiness, Lord, and because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of holiness, He will enable you he'll strengthen you to keep that door of temptation closed. We just don't invite the Spirit of God into our conflicts in the moment of our struggle. Are you with me? That's the spirit for life he his struggle with a lying or a gossiping tongue. Then invite the Holy Spirit into your conversation. Look up to heaven with the eye of faith and say your truth, Lord, and because the Holy Spirit is a spirit of truth, he will enable you to speak truthful. If you struggle with unbelief, the hustle and bustle of life, the law and less of the age is constantly you know, chipping away at your faith and at times you struggle It was time to struggle lift up, that I have faith and say your faith, Lord. And because the Bible says the Holy Spirit is a spirit of faith, he will strengthen your faith so you won't fail. We need to by faith, invite Him into our struggles, invite Him into our conflict, invite Him into our life, invite Him into our into our situations and circumstances, moment by moment, situation by situation, circumstance by circumstance. You need God's mind upon a certain matter. He's studied, you've made your lists. You've thought about it, but just can't seem to make that decision. Then cast the eye into heaven and say, Your wisdom, Lord, because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of wisdom, God will give you the wisdom that you need to make the decision that you need to make. And once you've made that decision, then you go forward believing he's given you what you've asked for, because the Bible says the Holy Spirit is a spirit of wisdom, and he'll give you the wisdom that you need. You see, that's the victorious Christian life. 

That's an abundant Christian life of John chapter 10 And verse 10. Do you see if you lack discipline in your Christian life, I mean, there are things that you want to do, but you just don't have the strength to do it. I mean, you start something and it stops. You just need discipline to cast that gaze into heaven and say, Lord, your discipline, and he'll strengthen you why? Because the Bible says he is a spirit of discipline, and he will enable you to do what you know, God wants you to do you see believer there's power available to you. There's power, there's power to forgive those who have hurt you. There's power to overcome your struggles in your addictions. There's power to love your friends, and even your enemies. There's power to restore your struggling marriage or your broken relationships. You see, there's power to be the person that God wants you to be. So you might then do what God wants you to do so that your life from beginning to end before Jesus comes again, might stand in absolute obedience and victory before God there's power available to you, will you acknowledge your weakness and begin inviting the Spirit of God to enable you in every area of your life. Your conflicts when sin knocks at the door of your life, you can't just run. You need to ask the spirit to enable you to run to keep that door of temptation closed, and invite him into your conflicts, invite him in your conversations, and invite Him into your conduct your conversations, your conflicts, and you can begin to live a power filled life power is available to you look up but that I have faith and in faith ask. Let's pray together, shall we? 

Lord, I just want to say thank you. For this little phrase, be filled with the Spirit. Holy Spirit, I ask that you would take your word. And illumine it’s truth to our hearts. God help us to see what we ought to see. That we might then be able to be what we ought to be and do what you want us to do. So I pray, Lord, for Your people that they would live a spirit filled life, may we acknowledge our weakness, and by faith choose to depend upon you for your victory, for your life, Lord, we pray that we might not just have life, but we might have that life more abundantly. So take your word speak we pray, and we ask it in Jesus name. Amen. God bless the church.