FBCPS
Sermons, teachings, and podcasts from First Baptist Church in Powder Springs, Georgia.
FBCPS
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit | John 14:12 · Galatians 5:16 · Romans 8:14 · Ephesians 5:18 · 1 Corinthians 12:13
What if the greatest power in the universe wasn't just available to you, but actually lived within you? This transformative message kicks off our "Greater Things" series with a profound exploration of the Holy Spirit—not as some mysterious force or impersonal power, but as the fully divine person of God who indwells every believer.
Pastor Chip challenges the common misconception of treating the Holy Spirit as the "third wheel" of the Trinity, revealing instead how God's Spirit empowers supernatural living that goes beyond what we could accomplish on our own. Through a compelling breakdown of four ways to experience the Spirit more deeply, he unpacks a spiritual progression that starts with baptism by the Spirit at salvation and culminates in walking by the Spirit daily.
The teaching introduces key Greek terms that illuminate what it means to be Spirit-filled: "peripeteo" (walking throughout life making spiritual progress), "ago" (being guided and directed), and "plerao" (continually being filled to overflow). Using relatable illustrations—from a toddler needing guidance on wilderness hikes to a backyard splash pad that both fills and overflows—he demonstrates why "God inside you is better than God beside you."
Most powerfully, this message reframes our understanding of spiritual living. Instead of asking how much of the Spirit we have, perhaps we should ask how much of us the Spirit has. The Holy Spirit functions as our divine GPS, guiding us through life's complexities when no one else has ever lived our unique journey before. Through worship, prayer, community, and Scripture engagement, we position ourselves for continual filling that not only transforms us but overflows to impact others.
Ready to experience the "greater things" Jesus promised? Discover how the baptism, filling, leading, and walking of the Spirit can revolutionize your life and empower you for kingdom impact beyond what you've imagined possible.
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Joseph, you truly are a hometown hero, brother. What an unbelievable story. Every time I hear it, I'm just amazed how God has used your life to rescue so many others in the best part of your life, that God himself has rescued you through his son, jesus Christ, and he has saved you and he has redeemed you, and we're just so thankful for your testimony, for your story, and we just want to say thank you to all of our first responders in the room law enforcement, our fire department, our 911, our EMS. If that is you, would you mind standing there in this time so we can celebrate you and we can appreciate you as well. We just want to say thank you in the way that we want to appreciate you today, not only through this recognition here this morning, but we have a specially made challenge coin just for you, with all of our first responder emblems. On the back and on the front is the First Baptist Church, powder Springs logo, just so you know you have a church who loves you, you have a church who is praying for you, you have a church who's behind you and you have a church who supports you, because you are the ones, every day in our community, putting your lives on the line for us, for our protection and for our good. And this is just our small way of saying thank you, if you don't mind. Just right after the service at our Next Step station will be those challenge coins, all of our first responders. You can just take one of those Next Step cards and the way you get the coin just put your name on the card, your email, your phone number on the back. We'd love to know where you have served and which station or which area that you're a part of, because we, as Pastor James said, we weren't able to take cookies, but maybe there's some places that we weren't able to go and bless and we would love to go and bless them as well. And also, this morning we just want to remember those that have fallen during duty, in the line of duty, and we think about right now the family of David Rose, dekalb County police officer, who responded to a call of an active shooter at Emory University, cdc, just a month ago now, and as he rushed to the scene, that it cost him his life, because he is one of our hometown heroes and I wanna remember him, pray for his family and pray for all of those who you know that have lost their lives on the front lines for out for us as well. Let's pray, heavenly Father. We love you. God, we just wanna say thank you for all of our first responders. God, thank you for the way that you use our law enforcement, thank you for the way you use our fire department, our 911, our EMS. God, thank you for these men and women who put their lives on the line. God, for our protection and for the good of our community and our society. And, lord, we just think about David Rose and his family. God, we think about all the other families of others that they have lost their lives for our protection as well. And God, we just wanna pray for all of those families. God, we pray for their comfort.
Speaker 1:God, we pray for all of our first responders. Father, we pray for their comfort. God, we pray for all of our first responders. Father, we pray for their protection. God, we pray that you would bless them, as they are such a blessing to us. And God, they would know that we love them, that we support them, but most of all, like Joseph, that they would know that you love them and God. Only you can rescue and save their lives. God, we ask all these things in the name of Jesus and we pray all these things in his name, and all God's people said amen. Joseph, you can use the steps over there one more time. For all of our first responders this morning, amen. We'll also just wanna remind you, as it is first responder Sunday, I wanna remind you as well that today is our last day for deacon nominations, and so if you read 1 Timothy, chapter 3, and look at the qualifications of a deacon and you think of men in our church who meet those qualifications, we are receiving those deacon nominations now, and today is the last day for that Hope.
Speaker 1:You enjoyed some college football yesterday. Everybody played a cupcake yesterday, so still got a little cupcake on your face. If you're Florida, you got cupcake all over your face and man, what a day that was and a lot of fun to watch. And some NFL today Falcons are playing the Bucs. So rise up, let's go.
Speaker 1:We are starting a brand new series this morning, a series on the Holy Spirit that we are calling Greater Things. Everybody say Greater Things. It is so important that you understand the Holy Spirit in your life. You know, often in life you hear the Holy Spirit talked about and we refer to him as the third person of the Trinity, because the Trinity of God is God the Father, god the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a person of God within the Trinity. There are three persons of God within the Trinity, but yet we worship one God. Everybody say one God. The Holy Spirit is the third person, but often we treat him as the third will right.
Speaker 1:Often we think of the Holy Spirit as though he is just a force, or maybe he's just the power of God or just the arm of God, rather than he is a full person of God, he in of himself, the spirit of God in the Trinity of God. I've even heard others try to explain the Trinity, try to explain the Holy Spirit, as though that God only existed in different forms, in different ways throughout history, such as some people would say that God existed as Father in the Old Testament, as Son in the New Testament and as Spirit in the church age. But the Bible knows nothing of that kind of language. I'm here to tell you this morning some good news is that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He always has been Father, he always has been Son, he always has been Holy Spirit and he always will be. Can I get an amen? And some people call the Holy Spirit the Holy Ghost, so it really scares the kids. So stop that. Stop that right now.
Speaker 1:And also, I want you to know that your Christian life, often the Christian life, goes like this and it's a beautiful thing the Christian life is there is often a day in your life that you come to understand God as your father, that God is your creator, and the next you come to understand Jesus as your Lord and Jesus as your savior, and then often, the Holy Spirit. Then you come to understand the Holy Spirit as the one who indwells you, the Holy Spirit as the one who fills you and the Holy Spirit as the one who empowers you. And that's what this series through the month of September is designed to be so that you can understand the Holy Spirit in you as you are saved, if you are saved, and if you're not saved yet, if you haven't given your life to Jesus, how he wants to place his Holy Spirit in you, I want you to see on the screen what Jesus said. Jesus said you will do even greater things now that I am going back to the Father. Why did Jesus say that? Jesus said that you would do greater things. When he was on earth, he ascended to his Father because in Acts 2.33, the Bible says that he sent his spirit upon his disciples. He sent his spirit upon his people. Now don't get it wrong. Right what. Jesus did not mean that you would do bigger things. Jesus did not mean you would do more powerful things or better things. We can't do bigger, more powerful, better things than Jesus. Jesus is saying that you will be able to influence more people because back in that day he got to influence hundreds and thousands who lived around him, that he traveled to, minister to. But today there are some 8 billion people on planet earth that we get to spread the gospel to and to give them the name of Jesus. And so here's what we're saying is that Jesus I'm sorry, god inside you is better than God beside you. We're saying Jesus was saying, you know, when he went to be at the right hand of his father, the reason that it is better that he poured out his Holy Spirit into you, into his disciples, is because God inside us is better than God beside us.
Speaker 1:So this morning, our first sermon in our series on the Holy Spirit. We're going to talk about the baptism of the Holy Spirit in your life. Everybody say baptism, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You know, sometimes you don't know how good it is until you got it. Sometimes you don't know how awesome it is until you got it. Sometimes you don't know how awesome it is until you try it right? I remember when I tried coffee for my first time and I was a late bloomer, I was 28 years old I took a swig of that coffee and I thought where has this been all of my life? That's why I now call a cup of coffee a cup of the Holy Spirit. And I'm telling you it was like how did I make it in my life without this beautiful word called caffeination?
Speaker 1:And for you in life, when you get saved, and for those of you that are saved, for those of you that have given your life to Jesus, you know what I'm talking about you finally get the Holy Spirit in your life from giving your life to Jesus and you start to wonder how did I ever make it, how did I ever live one day, how did I ever make one decision, how did I go through what I was going through without the Holy Spirit, because here are 10 things that the Holy Spirit does for you, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Number one the Holy Spirit empowers you unto living rightly. Number two the Spirit produces the fruit of Jesus in you. Number three the Spirit guides you in your life. Number four the Spirit gives you victory over sin. Number five the Spirit assures you of your salvation. Number six the Spirit comforts you from your hurt and your pain. Number seven the Holy Spirit illuminates you in God's words so that you understand it. Number eight the Spirit unites you in Jesus. Number nine the Spirit equips you for good work, for his ministry. And number 10, the Spirit glorifies Jesus in your life. Put your hands together one more time for the Holy Spirit right now, for who he is and for what he does.
Speaker 1:So this morning, here's what I want to preach to you. I want to preach to you this morning four ways that you can experience the Holy Spirit deeper in your life, because I believe that we were created, that you were made to be filled with the Holy Spirit, but there are often things that we, that I don't understand about the Holy Spirit, that I've got to dive deep into the Holy Spirit, but there are often things that we, that I don't understand about the Holy Spirit, that I've got to dive deep into God's word. So I just want to show you a part of my study as we are starting off this series on the Holy Spirit and, just spoiler alert, I want to preach it backwards. In other words, I want to show you four steps, but I'm going to start with the last step and I'm going to work our way to the first step so you can see where each step is leading to or where each step comes from. You with me, if you're with me, say yeah, here we go.
Speaker 1:Number one experiencing the Holy Spirit in your life. Number one is be walking by the Spirit. Everybody say walk, be walking by the Spirit. Everybody say walk, be walking by the Spirit. Here's what I love is that the Apostle Paul here in Galatians, chapter 5, verse 16, he says but I say and the Apostle Paul was nobody special except for the fact the Holy Spirit called him to preach to these churches and to and to write sections and books of the word of God. God just chose him to do special things, just like you and just like me. We're not special people. God just calls us. He chooses us to do special things for his will, for his glory. The apostle Paul here is encouraging you. He's encouraging you that you can walk by the Holy Spirit. In fact, this word means be continually walking by the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 1:The word walk the Greek word, is actually peripeteo. Everybody say peripeteo. You know Greek, who knew? You knew? That's amazing. You did so good, peripeteo, listen to me. The word actually means this. The word is translated walk, and it means to walk throughout life in such of a way that you are making spiritual progress in your life, becoming more like Jesus. You're walking throughout life in such of a way that you are making use of every opportunity, every season, every hardship, every difficulty, every blessing, everything you go through, no matter hard or easy, good or bad. You're making every opportunity and the Spirit of God is filling you, to glorify Jesus in everything that you go through. The walking by the Spirit means that your conduct and your attitude in every way, every step along the way, is to be righteous before God. So what is the Holy Spirit doing in you? He's sanctifying you, he's making you like Jesus, he's glorifying Jesus in you and he is changing you to where you are able to live righteously in every way.
Speaker 1:I've told you before that I love to take my boy Cruz on walks. We love to go to the Lost Mountain Trails. He calls them our dinosaur hikes. He's looking for T-Rex and he's looking for Triceratops the whole time. You know, he sees a little something in the ground. He thinks it's a dinosaur track and he's looking out. He hears something to the distance and he thinks the dinosaur is coming towards us. And let's just say, man, if there were dinosaurs we would not be out there. But he thinks there are.
Speaker 1:And could you imagine if I was the kind of dad and I told my two-year-old hey, I want you to go on a dinosaur hike, I want you to go out our front door and, by yourself, I want you to go down our driveway. I want you to take a right, go across the playground. You're going to see a trail and it's about two to three miles of trails and you go out there and look for dinosaurs, little two-year-old, and then you make it back here. In an hour or two you come back because we've got dinner. I would be a bad dad. You'd be calling the police on me, right? That is child abuse. Nobody sends their two-year-old out by themselves, taking a walk on a trail by themselves.
Speaker 1:You realize that the holy, that your heavenly father, does not want you to be walking in life by yourself. You realize that he loves you so much that the Bible calls the Holy Spirit your helper and that God has given you the Holy Spirit that you can walk by the Spirit so that you don't have to walk by yourself. You realize that Cruz is more like me than I am like God. There's less of a gap between me and Cruz than me and God. In other words, if I'm called to be like God, I need more help than even my two-year-old does to become like me. Just the other help than even my two-year-old does to become like me.
Speaker 1:Just the other day, this past Monday, labor Day, cruz and I were walking down the Lost Mountain Trails and I was holding his hand. It was kind of a treacherous part. It was really rooty and really rocky, and so I was holding his hand and he saw a bridge and he said look, dad, bridge. And he rips his hand out of my hand and he starts running. He makes it about five feet. He hits a root, supermans it in the air and lands on his belly on the trail gets all skin up. And that's exactly what I do.
Speaker 1:When I rip my hand out of the hand of the Holy Spirit and say I'm gonna live however I wanna live and I'm gonna walk, however I wanna walk and I'm gonna go wherever I wanna go. I'll need you to hear me say that I need the Holy Spirit every single day, every single decision, every single step of my life. And I hear some people say are you telling me I can't live life for myself, by myself, on a daily basis? I'm telling you you can't go to Walmart without the Holy Spirit. Can I get an amen? I'm telling you you can't go to Walmart without the Holy Spirit. Can I get an amen? I'm telling you you can't drive on I-75 without the Holy Spirit. You can't get on social media without the Holy Spirit and losing your salvation. You sure can't watch the Atlanta Braves without the Holy Spirit. Like we need the Holy Spirit in all of our life.
Speaker 1:Galatians, chapter five, verse 25, says if we live by the Spirit, what does it mean to walk by the Spirit? It means to live by the Spirit. In other words, the Holy Spirit is within you and the Holy Spirit convicts us in the way in which that we're called to live from the Word of God. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. So what is he telling us? He's telling you it's possible.
Speaker 1:The Apostle Paul, by the power of the Holy Spirit, writing scripture under the inspiration of God. He's telling you, it is possible that you can do this. Do you realize that you're not left out? You realize that you're not different? You realize that you're not the anomaly? You realize that God has his eyes on you as much as God has his eyes on anybody else in the world. He loves you as much as he loves anyone else and he wants to feel you like he wants to feel anyone and everyone else. So the question I would be asking that I'm sure you are is if I'm called to walk by the spirit, then how do I do that? Well, I'm glad you asked Number two. Here we go. Number two is to be led by the Spirit. Everybody say led To be led by the Spirit.
Speaker 1:The Apostle Paul is saying that we need to be led by the Spirit, For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. If you're led by the Spirit of God, you're a son of God. What does that mean? Well, a son of God means that you have believed in Jesus. This is actually for men and for women. If you have believed in Jesus, you've given your life to him. You believe that he died on the cross for your sin. You believe that he rose from the dead? Then the Bible says that you are hidden in Christ. Believe that he died on the cross for your sin. You believe that he rose from the dead. Then the Bible says that you are hidden in Christ. The Bible says that you are washed in his blood.
Speaker 1:The Bible says the way that he sees, the way that God, the Father, sees you, is he looks through his son and he sees you through the glasses of the gospel of Jesus Christ. So when he looks at you, he sees the righteousness of his son, which means, if you are saved, you are like Jesus, like a son of God. Can I get an amen? So what is the one of the number one evidences that you know that you are saved? If you're led by the spirit. The question is are you led by the spirit? Well, what does it mean then, to be led by the Spirit?
Speaker 1:The Greek word is ago. Everyone say ago. Ago. The Greek word means to be led. The Greek word means to be brought. The Greek word means to be guided. The Greek word means to be carried. The Greek word means to be directed. In other words, it is not something you do, it is something that God does for you. In fact, the official wording if you just translated it very wooden, it would be that you are continually being led by the Spirit.
Speaker 1:So maybe the best way to think about it is not much, it's not as much. How much of the Holy Spirit do you have? Maybe it's better to think about it. How much does the Holy Spirit have of you? How much are you being led by the Holy Spirit? How much are you asking the Holy Spirit to lead you? How much are you asking the Holy Spirit to give you his wisdom? How much are you asking the Holy Spirit to fill you? How much are you asking the Holy Spirit to give you his wisdom? How much are you asking the Holy Spirit to fill you? How much are you asking the Holy Spirit to guide you? How much are you asking the Holy Spirit to direct you?
Speaker 1:It's like a GPS. My wife is the navigator in my family. She can drive anywhere for an hour one time and she's got it the rest of her life. I drive it 10 times and I get lost every single time. And they're all now Like I need a GPS If I'm not going home or back to work home, to work home to the church. I need a GPS wherever it is that I'm going right, because I need to know okay, this is where I'm going and I always wanna know the best way to get there right. I always wanna know the shortcut I cut. I always want to miss all the traffic. I always want to miss where the wrecks are right. I want to get there in the best time that I can get there and I can't look into the future. I can't look around the corner, I don't know what's down the next street, but, praise God, my GPS does. Thank God for Google, he's got it all taken care of right. So, in other words, we need a GPS.
Speaker 1:The Holy Spirit is your God's positioning system in your life, because you don't know what happens tomorrow. You don't even know what's gonna happen this afternoon. You don't know what is in your future, you don't know what is in your way and sometimes we don't even know that we're in sin. But, like a good GPS, you start going the wrong way and it tells you take a U-turn, take a U-turn, take a U-turn. You need to take a U-turn. That's exactly what the Holy Spirit does in us. The Holy Spirit tells you where you need to go. The Holy Spirit tells you how you need to get there. The Holy Spirit tells you which direction you need to go in. And the Holy Spirit tells you when you're going the wrong direction, when you you're going the wrong direction. We need you to get back on the path as you are following Jesus.
Speaker 1:We desperately need the Holy Spirit. Hear me, you need the Holy Spirit because no one has ever lived your life before. No one can write a book for your life because they've never lived it. No one has ever been through what you've been through. No one has ever perfectly gone through what you've been through. No one has ever perfectly gone through what you've gone through. No one is feeling what you're feeling. No one is thinking what you're thinking. No one can get you to where you want to go, because you are a unique person, created in the image of God. That's why only God can direct you, only God can lead you. Only God can guide you and only God can direct you in that.
Speaker 1:So you may be asking again. You may be asking well, if I'm called to walk in the spirit and that means that I'm being led by the spirit, well, how am I supposed to be led by the spirit? Well, the Bible says number three is that you're called to be filled with the Spirit. Well, the Bible says number three is that you're called to be filled with the Spirit. Everyone say filled. So in order to walk in the Spirit by the Spirit, you need to be led by the Spirit. In order to be led by the Spirit, you need to be filled with the Spirit, the Spirit. Ephesians, chapter 5, verse 18, just very simply says be filled with the Spirit. That word filled. The Greek word is plerao. Everyone say plerao. Bunch of Baptists speaking in tongues, you're doing great. Here we go plerao, plerao, you are being filled with the Spirit. What does plerao mean? Do you realize this? Plerao means that you are being made full. Literally, it means this that you are continually being filled by the Holy Spirit. So, in other words, this is not a one-time filling, this is a continual filling in your life. You need to keep on and keep on and keep on and keep on being filled by the Holy Spirit in your life. Why? Well, number one, because you aren't meant or made just to be filled. You are meant and made to actually overflow.
Speaker 1:Just this summer, we had a splash pad for our kids, right, it's just, and someone gave it to us. We're so thankful. And it was this splash pad. It was basically like just a like a 15, 10 to 15 foot pool, and it had, like the water ring around it. It had the holes in it. Fountains are coming in, you know, so the kids can play in it. We can just sit in a chair in the backyard and just watch, right, and it's just a blast. And so what would happen is that the hose would be hooked up to the splash pad. The splash pad would shoot all this water in and it was constantly overflowing, like we just had a flood all around our yard because water was going in and it had to go somewhere.
Speaker 1:Well, that's who you are called to be as a Christian and that's who we are called to be as a church. We aren't just called to be filled for ourselves. We're called to be filled so we're overflowing for the ministry of others. Can I get an amen? See what God does in your life. He means it to do it in your life, so he can do it through your life, in the life of others. He wants you to overflow. You don't need filling just for you. Only God can fill you so he can bless you and he can bless others through you. He's called you to overflow, so why does he make us full? Why is he constantly filling us up? Why do you always need to be filled? Because you need to overflow. But also, number two, because, let's be honest, because you leak, because you're like me, we need to always. But also number two, because, let's be honest, because you leak, because you're like me, we need to always be filled because we leak.
Speaker 1:Our splash pad this summer sprung a leak, a hole popped in it and water was gushing out, and so it was all deflated and the fountains were just kind of like going every which direction and the kids were like what is going on? And sometimes that's what our spiritual life looks like. It's not looking like it's supposed to look, and because we're not doing what we're supposed to be doing, and so we I had to go around the splash pad. I needed to find the leak. Where is the leak? And then I got online, I did some research and I got the right kind of tape for the water tape and I put it on there and it fixed the leak.
Speaker 1:And that's what we need to do. That's what you need to do for your life, is God? Where am I leaking, god? Where am I sinning, god? What do I need to do, god? I need to go to your word, god. I need to fix this because, god, I need you to be continually filling me so that I can be overflowing. So be continually filling me so that I can be overflowing. So what does it look like? What does it look like to be filled with the Spirit? The Bible answers this. Paul answers this in the most interesting of ways. He answers it in a way that he's kind of contrasting and comparing. He answers what does it look like to be filled with the Spirit? He says well, just think about what it looks like when someone is drunk, right, and it's just. That's how you know that Paul's a redneck.
Speaker 1:And so Ephesians, chapter five, verse 18, paul said he was from South Israel anyway. So don't be. He said, don't be drunk with wine. Some of you are thinking oh thank God, it did not say don't be drunk with beer, but no, it says don't be drunk with wine, meaning alcohol, any and all alcohol. He's saying don't be controlled, don't be controlled by any other substance than the spirit of God. Don't be drunk with wine because that will ruin your life. Can I just stop for a second, just pastorally, and say I have had to pastor so many people through this Marriages, ruined families, ruined homes, ruined legacies, ruined reputations, ruined jobs, ruined careers ruined. When you allow alcohol to control you, the Bible says it will ruin your life.
Speaker 1:We can all have different views on where you are on alcohol, but it's clear. The Bible says do not get drunk. Can I get an amen? Do not get drunk. Why? Why do people turn to drunkenness? Why do people turn to getting high? Why do people turn to high? Why do people turn to name the sin, these things that control us? Why do they turn to these things?
Speaker 1:Hear me, because we love the feeling of being controlled and something else influencing us. Why? Because God made you to be filled with and to be influenced by the Holy Spirit, because he makes you someone better than who you are. Every other substance makes you worse than who you are, but the Holy Spirit. He fills you in order to make you better than who you are. Paul is contrasting and he is comparing a life of being filled with alcohol and a life that is being filled with the Holy Spirit. So what am I telling you? What you get filled with is what you get, or who you become.
Speaker 1:If you get filled with alcohol, you get drunk. If you get filled with caffeine I told you earlier you get energy. If you get filled with protein, you get muscle. If you get filled with caffeine I told you earlier you get energy. If you get filled with protein, you get muscle. If you get filled with fat, you get fat. If you get filled with beans, you get gas. And if you get filled with the Holy Spirit, you get the power of God.
Speaker 1:Can I get an amen? If you get filled with the Holy Spirit, you get the power of God. So if I'm you, I'm asking All right, pastorship. I hear you, how? So if I'm you, I'm asking All right, pastorship, I hear you. How do I do it? How do I get filled with the Holy Spirit? First of all, you don't. He's the one who fills you. Second of all, you make yourself available to him. Let me show you what the Bible says how to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 1:The Bible says in Ephesians 5.19 that we need to be singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to one another. So here's the deal when you worship God, your worship is going to God and his spirit is coming to you. Can I get an amen? It is a two-way street. When you are in prayer, the Bible says giving thanks to him. When you are thanking God or praying to God whatever it is that you're praying as your prayers are going to him, his spirit is coming into you.
Speaker 1:When we live in community, ephesians 5.21 says that we are to be in submission of one another. That's coming together in community, reading the word of God together and encouraging one another, supporting one another, praying for one another. When you're in community together, it is as of worship to God, but God's spirit is filling you up when you get in God's word. Colossians 3.16 says that it is God's, it's the word of Christ that dwells in you richly and you're being filled with the spirit of God. When you do these things, god is filling you with the spirit and we need to constantly be filled. So hear me. So you need you do these things. God is filling you with the Spirit and we need to constantly be filled. So, hear me, so you need to do these things every day. Every single day you're worshiping God. Every single day you're praying to God. Every single day, you're talking to a believer. Every single day, you're getting into God's Word and notice how, when we get together as a church, we're doing all these things together all at the same time. They're compounding with one another. So right now, god is filling you with his Holy Spirit so that you can be led by the Spirit, so that you can walk by the Spirit. But number four, here's where it all starts You're led by the Spirit so that you can walk by the Spirit. But number four, here's where it all starts how do you get filled with the Holy Spirit? You've gotta get baptized by the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 1:I've had so many people ask do you have to be baptized to be saved? Yes and no. Do you have to be baptized by water to be saved? No, you get baptized by water because you are saved. But do you have to get baptized by the Holy Spirit to be saved? The Bible says yes, because here's what happens, if you remember when Jesus was baptized? The Bible says that the skies opened, the spirit of God came down like a dove in the spirit of God, indwelled him, lighted upon him, and that was Jesus's anointing. And at the same time, when you give your life to Jesus, when you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, when you believe that Jesus rose from the dead for your resurrection, when you believe that Jesus is the Lord of your life, then you are united with Jesus. And when you're united with Jesus you get what Jesus has, and Jesus has the Holy Spirit. So you get Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 1:The Bible says that once you get saved you can't get unsaved. Why? Some of you have heard me say this before? Because when you get saved, it's when you get dipped in the blood of Jesus. And not only are you dipped in the blood of Jesus, but you're held by the hand of the Father and God. The Father, wraps the Holy Spirit around that hand to where the devil can't get in. But even if the devil could, he'd have to unwrap the Holy Spirit. The devil would have to pry open the hands of God in order to get to you, and then the devil would have to dive into the blood of Jesus to get to you, and if the devil ever dove into the blood of Jesus, he'd be a saved devil. Can I get an amen? The devil can't get to you because God's got you.
Speaker 1:So when you get saved, you get baptized by the spirit. Here's what the Bible says about you. For in one spirit, everybody say one spirit. Listen, there's a lot of different spirits out there, there's a lot of different religions out there, there's a lot of different faiths out there, but there's only one spirit that's the Holy Spirit. There's only one salvation that's the gospel of Jesus Christ. There's only one Lord and Savior. His name is Jesus. And there's only one God and Father who is over all. The Bible says For there is one spirit and we were all baptized into one body. That's the body of Jesus himself. When you're saved, the Holy Spirit baptizes you and you are united with Jesus.
Speaker 1:The Bible says Jews are Greeks. Back then there were only two known races. They would call it Jews and non-Jews, and the Jews thought they were the only ones who could be saved. Let me tell you something everybody on planet Earth, no matter what ethnicity, no matter what nationality, no matter who they are where they've come from, what they've been through or what's going on in their life. Jesus can and wants to save them. We are all equal in Christ. Can I get an amen? And he says slaves are free.
Speaker 1:I want you to know that the Bible rejects slavery every time. The Bible addresses slavery. We don't believe in slavery. I believe that slavery is the worst thing that a human being could ever do to another human being. We reject it in every single form in the name of Jesus. But see this the church was the only group of people that saw value in slaves, and so, whether they were slave or free, they would come to the church and the church would preach the word of God saying you might be enslaved right now, but let me tell you something you are free in Christ and you will be free forever and you will be free for all eternity.
Speaker 1:It is the church of Jesus that has been overturning all of these things, and all because of one thing because you were made and created to drink of the Holy Spirit, which means the Holy Spirit isn't just with you, you, he's within you. He's not just beside you, he is inside you. I want to encourage you and just remind you this morning that we see that we're called to be walking by the spirit, we're called to be led by the spirit, we're called to be filled with the spirit and we're called to be baptized in the spirit. So I've got two questions for you, I believe the two most important questions of your life. I want everyone to answer these questions by talking to God about these questions. Number one have you been biblically baptized?
Speaker 1:There's a lot of different ways of baptism, from a lot of different denominations, a lot of different churches, and maybe you're here and you were baptized in maybe a different way. But I'm here to tell you this morning the word baptized in the Bible it means immersed, to be submerged. When Jesus was baptized, he was baptized in the Jordan River. The Bible says that he came up out of the water. Why is immersion, submersion, the way of God's baptism? Because it is saying Jesus has died for our sin and Jesus has risen from the dead. Let me show you this what is biblical baptism? It's when you're baptized in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Why it is from your salvation. Your baptism, your water baptism, is from your salvation because you've been saved, not for your salvation. So when are you supposed to be baptized After you've been saved? Baptized with what the Bible says water, how? And the Bible says that we are to be immersed.
Speaker 1:You know, your baptism doesn't save you. It's kind of like the wedding ring on my hand. This wedding ring does not make me married. Just because I put this ring on doesn't mean I'm married to Michelle and it doesn't make me love her anymore, right? What this is is a symbol of my lifelong commitment, my lifelong devotion to my wife, and it is a symbol of my covenantal love for her. If this ring is here to let everybody know you can't have this same thing for you. Same thing for you, now hear me, like a wedding ring, your baptism doesn't save you. It doesn't make you love Jesus anymore. What it does is it tells the devil, it tells sin, it tells the whole world that they can't have you, because Jesus is the one that has you, because God's the one who created you. Jesus is the one that died for you. Jesus is the one that saves you. Jesus is the one that filled you with the spirit. Can I get an amen? So that's why we get water baptized.
Speaker 1:I want you to know this morning that maybe you're thinking, you know, baptism Sunday is next week, so baptism Sunday is next week and I want you to know, in terms of baptism Sunday is maybe you're thinking, well, I've got a disability, I could never be baptized. We have baptized all kinds of people with disabilities here, including my daughter with cerebral palsy just a couple of years ago when she was four. Maybe you're online, maybe someone sent you this video and you're thinking I'm home, bailed, I can't come in and get baptized line. Maybe someone sent you this video and you're thinking I'm home bound, I can't come in and get baptized. I've gone into many homes and baptized people in their homes that cannot get out or get to church for whatever reason. I remember a few years ago I was a part of being able to baptize a 94 year old woman who was bound by bed. She was bedridden, home bound. She was on hospice. We got to lift her up by her bed sheet and dip her in her own garden tub and bring her back to her bed where her nurses took care of her, because she had believed in Jesus and she wanted to be baptized. We have baptized many dads in their 30s here, many moms, many husbands, many wives, many kids, many teenagers, many college students, many young adults, many grandfathers and many grandmothers.
Speaker 1:Whoever you are, that God, if you've not been baptized biblically since your salvation, god's calling you to be baptized. Maybe you're thinking just some different excuses that I've heard back in the day not to be baptized. I've heard people say, well, I don't think it's important. So it was important for Jesus, but it's not for you. Some people think, well, I'm scared of water. We have been a church for 139 years. We have not drowned one person yet. Can I get an amen?
Speaker 1:You might be thinking, well, I don't have my family here. Invite them next week. Well, they can't come. They can watch it online. We'll give you a video.
Speaker 1:Maybe you're thinking, well, I don't have a change of clothes. Well, I want you to. I got a change of clothes for everyone up here next week. We got hair caps for all you ladies. You just got your hair done there. You go right there. We got a free T-shirt for everybody that gets baptized next week. Man made new man. Your life is in Jesus Christ. And you might be thinking, well, I can get a T-shirt. Okay, I can get a hair cap. I want you to know. We got underwear for everybody. Nobody's business been in these drawers right here y'all, we got to change your clothes for you.
Speaker 1:You might be thinking well, what will people think? They'll think that God has changed your life. You might be thinking well, I want the water to be clean. Jesus got baptized in the muddy Jordan River for you. You can get baptized for him in our Powder Springs water. You might be thinking well, I ride with someone. Well, they can wait for you, and if they don't, they need to be saved and baptized too. You might be thinking well, I want someone to come with you. Invite someone, or we'll get you a friend that they can go with you.
Speaker 1:You might be thinking I was baptized as a child. There were 27 baptisms in the book of Acts, and all of them were after they believed, after they had given their life to Jesus. You might be thinking I don't want to shame my parents. They won't be shamed by you, they'll be proud of you. You might be thinking I don't want to get embarrassed in front of everyone. Remember, jesus hung on the cross publicly for you.
Speaker 1:You might be thinking well, I haven't prayed about it yet. Remember, there are some things you don't have to pray about. The Bible just tells you to do it. You might be thinking well, I'm at home, well, next Sunday is baptism Sunday, but we also baptize here every Sunday. But I would encourage you obey the Lord immediately and be baptized. And maybe you're thinking I've not been saved. Or the most important question of all life am I really saved?
Speaker 1:The Bible says that if you are being filled, led by walk with the Spirit of God, you know that you are saved by God. How do you know that you're saved? Have you believed in Jesus? Jesus Christ, in his death for the forgiveness of your sins, in his resurrection for your salvation, called on him to be the Lord of your life? And it is out of your faith not out of your works, but out of your faith you're making him the Lord of your life, so that the Holy Spirit can come into your life and God, the Spirit, can lead you. Every head bowed and every eye closed, nobody looking around, I pray that today is your day of salvation, right here, right now.
Speaker 1:If you've never given your life to Jesus, or if you're not sure that you have, if you're not sure that you're saved, for whatever reason, I can't pray this prayer for you, but I can lead you through it, in praying it to him. And you can pray something like this to Jesus you can pray, jesus, I believe in you, jesus, I put my faith in you, jesus, I trust you. Jesus, I need you. Jesus, I believe that you died on the cross for my sin and, jesus, I ask you to forgive me of all my sin. And you can say, jesus, I believe that you rose from the dead, you're alive, you're real. And, jesus, I want to give my life to you. And you can say, jesus, I call on you to be the Lord of my life, my savior, my God, and Jesus, I ask you to save me, and he promises you that he will. And, jesus, we thank you for that promise, we thank you for that truth and we pray these things in Jesus' name.
Speaker 1:And all God's people said we should put your hands together right now for anybody that gave their life to Jesus. We just wanna say welcome to the family. We're so thankful for what the Lord has done in your life. Our band's going to be coming out right now and I just want to remind you that there is a next step card that is there in front of you. Maybe you've given your life to Jesus. Maybe you've got more questions that we can help you in giving your life to Jesus. Maybe you've gotten saved today or another day in the past and you need to get baptized since your salvation. You can select that on the card, you can email me, you can come up to me afterwards, you can call the office this week, you can email the office, you can send up a smoke signal, whatever it takes. We just want to know who God is working in so that you can be baptized next week for Baptism Sunday. And also, there's groups on there, there's ministries on there, all of these different steps that we're all called to take in our walk with Jesus.
Speaker 1:Can I ask us to stand right now? Everybody's standing. I wanna pray for us one more time and we'll worship the Lord together one last time. Heavenly Father, we love you and God, we thank you for your Holy Spirit. God, thank you that you're a good father and you haven't left us alone. God, thank you that you give us the Holy Spirit. God, that we can walk by the Spirit, that we can be led by the Spirit, that we can be filled with the Spirit, all because we've been baptized by the Spirit. And so, lord, I pray and I ask, in Jesus' name, god, would you give us a fresh filling, continually, the Holy Spirit, as we worship you, as we pray to you, as we get full of your word and as we are in community, god, would you continually fill us with your Holy Spirit, god, so that we can live with him and by him and for Jesus. We love you, we worship you in Jesus' name and all God's people said amen.