Holy Spirit Baptism and Filling: What is the Difference?

(The following is important to understand, but in order to be sensitive to time on Sunday, this part of the sermon will be "preached" here!)

So... What IS the Difference Between Being BAPTIZED by the Holy Spirit and Being FILLED with the Holy Spirit? Some people use these terms interchangeably, but there is a difference!
Being BAPTIZED by the Holy Spirit is the work of Christ on a new believer. Upon belief in Him, He puts the Holy Spirit in you and puts you in the body of Christ. (See Romans 6:3-6, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:27). This is what Jesus does to you when you get saved, become born again, become an adopted child of God – He baptizes you in the Holy Spirit. This is a one time event, as the Holy Spirit does NOT leave a believer, return, leave, return, etc. No amount or kind of sin makes the Holy Spirit leave a true believer! 
Being FILLED with the Holy Spirit is a continual experience that we are commanded to allow to happen as we participate with His work in us. Ephesians 5:18 says “be filled with the Spirit”. He does the filling, but this is presented in a way that obviously indicates we have a responsibility to cooperate with Him – allow this to happen to you. The literal translation of the verbiage is “be being filled with the Holy Spirit.” This happens as we keep our mind and heart focused on the Word of God and, as one preacher put it, “practice the presence of God”.
Being baptized in the Holy Spirit grants the power that Jesus promised in Acts 1:8, being filled with the Holy Spirit unleashes that power of God through you.
See you Sunday!

p.s. - Witness His power, then let His power make you a witness!

Another Helper

John 16:33 - I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

So Jesus said some things so that we have His peace. The Lord gave us some tremendous resources that He mentions in John 13-18. The first one we looked at was PEOPLE TO COUNT ON. Secondly, we looked at THE PROSPECT OF THINGS TO COME.

The third thing the Lord gives us to get us through a hard world is A PERSON WITH PRESENCE AND POWER.

John 14:16-17 - And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

If you were one of the 12 disciples, you would have asked: How could it possibly be a good thing for Jesus to leave the earth? Answer: it would usher in something very significant. No longer would the unique presence of God be represented on the earth in one Man, but the Holy Spirit would come to indwell all believers!

Notice Jesus said another Helper was coming. There are 2 primary Greek words for another: heteros and allos - and they both have slightly different meanings. Heteros meant another of a different kind, and allos meant another of the samekind.

Meaning, if you brought me a tray of cookies, and offered me a chocolate chip mayonnaise cookie, I would ask for another (heteros) cookie (meaning, “nah, give me different cookie“). And if you gave me an Eat N Park Smiley cookie, I would ask for another (allos) cookie (meaning, “I would like 1 more, just like that").

The point: Jesus said the Father is giving us allos Helper - another of the same kind. Meaning, the Holy Spirit would be like Jesus! Can we even begin to wrap our brain around this? The Holy Spirit, who is just like Jesus, comes and lives within you!

When I was a kid, I wasn’t scared of anything… as long as my big brother was around! I could say or do anything as long as he was there to protect me. But there were times he couldn’t be around, so I was a little more cautious about what was going on.

But when we are in Christ, the truth is Christ is in us, as the Holy Spirit resides to guide us and empower us. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, He is there.

In the face of temptation, there. 
In discouragement, there. 
In times of hurt, there. 
In the valley of the shadow of death, there.

In joy, there. 
In victory, there. 
In ministry, there. 
Always there. 
Always empowering. 
Always at work.

God has given us some amazing resources. But this, though listed third on our little study, is really the top of the list. Nothing is as awesome as God giving Himself to us! What are you facing today that is stronger and bigger than God Himself?

Bring it on, world. Have you seen that the God of the universe is with me?

p.s. - Whom, then, shall I fear?