THE ARMOUR OF THE LORD

Photo taken in B Smith's patio

     356-THE ARMOUR OF THE LORD #2

     July 20,1977

     PASTOR HENRY F KULP

Ephesians 6: 10 – 17 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”

We do have a great enemy that we need to know and understand so that we can combat him. He never takes a vacation. He never takes a day off…nor his henchmen.

1/  Vs. 11 We are to put on the whole armor of God and this is a command, it is an order, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, and the word, wiles is the word, strategy—trickery. Actually, the Greek says the word, “against,” is face-to-face—eyeball to eyeball.

2/  Last week we showed you the limitations of Satan. He is not nearly as powerful, or as worldly-wise as most people believe. It is true, he is a genius, but he has limitations.   

(1)  He is not OMNIPRESENT

(2)   He is not OMNISCIENT. He doesn’t know you thoughts. He does not know

          everything. He cannot tell the future.

(3)  He is not OMNIPOTENT. He is not all powerful. He has only so much power.

3/  Let us look at his strategy with the unbeliever. It is to blind the unbeliever with religion.

4/  SATAN’S STRATEGY TOWARD THE BELIEVER.

(1)  Persuade him to ignore the Word of God. Not to go to church.

(2)  Have distractions with the details of his life.

(3)  Discouragement.

5/   But now the biggest one is the one that every believer needs to understand. If he fails to understand Satan, his person and his work, he is in big trouble. I think I am safe in saying that most believers do not understand Satan.

6/  To begin with Satan before he fell had a home on this earth. He was in complete control of this earth under God. He was the ruler of this earth. And it was his position to maintain righteousness in the earth. We are not going to take a lot of time to prove this, we have done this many times before. But then, he fell when he attempted to be God. He was cast down and there was a great space war. The earth was judged. It became empty. Darkness was upon the face of the deep. His home was judged, and he was in the heavenlies.

7/  Then he saw God reconstruct the earth bringing order out of chaos and placed Adam in the earth. This dispossessed One heard Adam installed as absolute monarch over every part of the earth—that once was his very own, and he refused to accept his fall. He still acts and behaves as if he were in control of this earth. You remember, when we studied, Matthew 4 when he told Jesus Christ to fall down and worship me and all the kingdoms of this world I’ll give to You. The only way he is in control of this earth now is through the fall of man, and man being at enmity with God, man being separated by his sin from God, and Satan is now the god of this age.

8/  Now the important point to see—Satan doesn’t accept his fall and he still believes his program of maintaining righteousness in the earth.

9/  Job 1: 6 “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.”

Now let’s get a few examples to show what we mean. Here we read that the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord. The sons of God are beyond any serious question, angels. Men are never called sons of God in the Old Testament—but Satan, being a son of God comes with them, and the Lord addresses, without naming him—“Whence comest thou?” The Lord’s questions are never for His own enlightenment—He knows very well where He came from. Why then ask? So that we might understand. And so Satan replies, “from going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it.” He is literally saying, “Where should I have come from?” Am I not put on the earth and it is under my care and its government—and am I not to maintain strict righteousness in it? So, you see, he still claims to be the cherub that was anointed, who has supervision over the earth. Just in case you think that maybe I am stretching a point, read

 

II Corinthians 11: 13 – 15 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan, himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

Notice, his ministers are called “ministers of righteousness,” and he claims to be an angel of light, and so when the Lord needs him, he assumes, as he ever does, “I have been seeking to maintain righteousness on the earth.” And then the Lord says, “Hast thou considered one righteous man—My servant, Job? Who feareth God and escheweth evil?”

10/  Job 29: 11 – 17 “When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me: Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. Put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.”

Notice, Satan had done a good job, he had done a preliminary work on Job already. Listen to the poor afflicted man hugging to his heart the memory of his many charities. Satan had been working with him, puffing him up. Flattering him—telling Job, you are indeed a righteous man, look at all the wonderful things you have done. Look how all these people owe so much to you.

11/  Romans 12: 1 – 3 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

What is being spiritual? What happens when one gives his body a living sacrifice to God? He does not think of himself more highly than he ought to think. Satan is trying to get everyone to think very highly of themselves, especially believers, so that they are not subject to the grace of God, but rather are self-sufficient and self-righteous.

12/  He does this with the unbeliever. This is how II Corinthians 4: 3, 4 becomes a reality. “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

 

They think they are good, self-righteous, they don’t need to believer on Jesus Christ. They don’t need the righteousness of Christ as a gift.

13/  But there is another side to the work of Satan. Those who are believers and walk in the Spirit, Satan accuses them before God, for he tells God no, these are not mine, they Yours, and look at them, how they behave, how they act.

14/  Zechariah 3: 1 – 4 “And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. ² And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? ³ Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. ⁴ And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment”.

And we have a scene—Joshua the high priest now not just a priest, but a high priest, the most important man in the nation who represented the nation before God once a year. He represents the whole nation of Israel, and here Joshua stands clothed before God, clothed in filthy garments. He was represented in his natural state—just as Israel is without God. Now the word, “filthy”, in the Hebrew is the strongest expression that we can find, and so now the devil accuses Joshua or the nation before God. Just look at those filthy garments. What a dark picture. So, Satan dwells on the sins of the people. He wants God to cast them away forever. This is what they deserve.

15/  Vs. 4. “And He answered and He said, Take away the filthy garments from him and He said unto him, behold I have caused they iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with a change of raiment.” This again is the grace of God, and the grace of God is that which Satan hates. THE ONE THING SATAN HATES ABOVE ALL ELSE IS THE GRACE OF GOD.

16/  Let us consider Israel. Israel was of its father, the devil. John 8: 44 “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it”. And then we read that Israel’s great sin was in establishing personal righteousness. 

Romans 10: 1-4 “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. or Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.”

 

Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. Not trusting in the law, not trusting in human works.

17/  When we put on the whole armour of God we do so through the grace of God and we meet an enemy who would puff us up, flatter us, and cause us to try to live by law.

18/  As you know, we have three enemies—the world, the flesh, and the devil. Just very briefly, let us look at the world. The word, “world,” is the present system of things, morally, politically and as far as religion is concerned. The Scripture exhorts us not to fight, not to flee from, but literally not to be conformed to the image of this world. Romans 12: 2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

 

Then we are told in I John 2: 15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 

Then in James 4: 4 “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

 

We are not to have friendship with the world. Notice, all of these are negatives. 

19/  Then the flesh, and this is very clear. Galatians 5: 16 “Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.” 

20/  But now we are really interested in this third enemy—this one who poses as an angel of light and his ministers of righteousness. We must put on the whole armour of God to stand and be victorious against him.

21/  I Kings 19: 10 “And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” Here we have an example of how Satan influenced a servant of God, Elijah. He started to brag and say all the things he had done, and, of course, he became very discouraged when his eyes happened to be upon self.

22/  Matthew 26: 31 – 35 “Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That, this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise, also said all the disciples.”

 

Here Peter and the twelve, I am sure under the influence of Satan, became very cocky, very self-confident—though all men shall be offended because of Thee, yet shall I never be offended. Then the 31^st vs. “Likewise also said all the disciples.” Satan fills with self.

23/  We have something very important in the life of Paul. Acts 26: 15 – 18 “And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

 

Here Paul before King Agrippa talks of his salvation, and he tells him that God told him he would open their eyes, the Gentile’s eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins. Not self-righteousness, but receive the forgiveness of sins.

24/  An important thing to see is that Satan constantly fights the program of God. 

 

Acts 5: 1 – 4 “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.” 

 

Why did Ananias lie to God? It was Satan who filled his heart to lie to the Holy Ghost—the Scripture is very clear. It was Satan’s fault that Ananias lied, and what did he do to Ananias? Why Ananias, you need part of this—you’ve got to keep some of this for your own good. He filled his eyes with self.

25/  Ananias was disrupting the program of God.

26/  Then we know that Satan hates the mystery program. He fights it on every side. He doesn’t want people to see it at all.

AMEN

Ref: 07/20/1977/ 356-THE ARMOUR OF THE LORD #2 / 2020

CAN YOU BE SO HEAVENLY MINED THAT YOU ARE NO EARTHY GOOD?

Photo taken by B Smith from the kitchen window

     323 - CAN YOU BE SO HEAVENLY MINED THAT YOU ARE NO EARTHY GOOD?

     October 16, 1977

     Pastor Henry F. Kulp

 

Colossians 3: 1 - 5 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitters on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 

I wonder if you realize that we live in the best of all dispensations, the dispensation of the Grace of God, the dispensation of the church, the dispensation of salvation being offered to all, and this tells us how to live in this wonderful dispensation.

1/  It starts with the word, if and, of course, that immediately says to you, that’s conditional, but that is not true. In the Greek the word if can have four class conditions.  If it is first class condition, it means it is true. If it is a second condition it is false, or assumed to be false. If it is third condition, then it can go either way. It can be false or it can be true, and if it is fourth, class condition it is the expression of a wish or desire.  I wish it could be true, but it isn’t. Here in this verse it is a first class condition so it means it is true. If you are risen with Christ, and it is true.

2/  This is not a physical resurrection that he is talking about. This is a positional truth.  The physical resurrection for us is yet in the future. It will take place at the Rapture at the end of the age, but here Paul is talking about positional truth. He is talking about positional truth.  He is taking about the spiritual baptism that every believer experiences. For when we are saved, the Holy Spirit baptizes us at the moment of salvation into the death of Christ, the burial of Christ, the resurrection of Christ, and also the ascension of Christ.

3/  Let us look at some of the truths concerning this baptism. Some call it a Spirit-baptism.

1/  This baptism did not occur in any other dispensation other than the

dispensation of the Grace of God.  It is not the same baptism as at the day of

  Pentecost.

2/  This baptism was not prophesied, never spoken of in any other dispensation.

3/   It occurs at the moment of salvation.

4/   It is the mechanics of this salvation. I Corinthians 12: 13  For by one Spirit

     are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, where we be

  bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 

The Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation takes every believer and enters him

  into union with Jesus Christ, identifies him with Jesus Christ.

5/   It is not something you feel or experience. You only know about it because

  you read about it in the Word of God.  It has nothing to do with aesthetics. 

6/   It unifies believers.  Galatians  3: 26 - 28  For ye are all the children of God

  by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ

  have put on Christ. There is neither Jew no Greek, there is neither bond nor free,

there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Notice there is neither Jew, nor Greek, there is neither bond, nor free, there is

  neither male, or female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. We are not all equal in

  life here on this earth, but in this baptism we are all equal. We are a member of

  the body of Christ.

4/  That should read, risen with THE Christ.

5/  Then we have the word, seek, and that is an interesting word. It should read KEEP ON DESIRING TO POSSESS AND ENDEAVORING TO OBTAIN. We would say, what are we seeking? Things above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. And this again should be where THE Christ sitteth on the right side of THE God, and, of course, that means the father.

6/  With this in mind, let us at Philippians 3: 20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: And here we are told our conversation, our citizenship is in heaven, so we are to look where our citizenship is. Our mind should be on heavenly things, even tho’ we are on earth, we should be Heavenly minded. 

When I went to California last March, I never changed my watch, and I knew it was 3 hours difference between California where I was and here in Altoona, and so I could look at my watch, especially on Sunday and Wednesday and I could picture just what was taking place here in the Altoona Bible Church, now at this point they are singing the Theme song, now they are singing the first hymn, and it is probably time for a special number, and now the preacher is bringing the message, and so by that watch, I was able to keep my mind when I wanted to back in Altoona, and I believe that is the way God wants us to do here on earth.

7/  Colossians 3: 2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Then He says, set your affection on things above. The word, affection, doesn’t mean love. Most people when they read the word, affection, think of loving someone, having affection for someone, but that word means THE MIND and it means to set your mind on these things—things above. Now let us look at another verse that gives us a very definite principle.

 

Matthew 6: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. This is true in every age. If our mind are on things on earth, then it can’t be on things in Heaven. And if it is on things in Heaven, then it can’t be on things on earth. This is the program for this day. We are to think Heavenly things.

8/  Let us make a contrast, under the earthy ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, this is not so. Notice, Matthew 5: 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. In this program of the Sermon on the Mount, earth is the main target.

 

Then go to Matthew 6: 10 and there we read, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Your mind is upon earth in this so-called Lord’s prayer, which is really the Apostle’s prayer. So when you rightly divide the Word, you see a contrast. In our program today, our mind is in Heaven, in the earthy program where Jesus Christ is King it is upon this earth.

9/  YOU MUST NOT ONLY SEEK HEAVEN, YOU MUST THINK HEAVEN. Believers  who have their minds on this earth, are certainly not following God’s program.

 

Philippians 3: 19 Whose end is destruction, who God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind early things.

Here we read about those who mind earthly things, and that is super-earthly things. We have many believers are minding super-earthly things, but God says, “NO”. Our minds are to be on things above.

  

10/  How do we do this?—only through the Bible.

11/  We know that things on earth are controlled by Satan. He rules this world John 12: 31 Now is the judgment on this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. John 14: 30  Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

 

But as we look at Romans 12: 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. We are not to be conformed to this world. 

12/  Galatians 1: 4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: And here we read, we have been rescued from the devil’s kingdom, therefore, we are to think like God, being Heavenly minded.

13/  It is necessary to us to ask can we be so Heavenly minded that we are no earthly good? Absolutely, we are to think about our everyday life. 

 

I Timothy 5: 8 where we read, But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. He that does not take care of his own is worse than an infidel. And so we have to work, and work here is a result of sin. I have met those who when they get saved, say now the Lord is going to take care of me, and all I am going to do is read my Bible and sit here and God will see that I get things brought into my house and take care of me—not so. God has ordained that we work. We have to think earthly thoughts in the sense of how to work, but even it is over-ruled by Heaven, because our work is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to think, how can I do my job so that God will get glory in it.  

14/  Colossians 3: 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Notice that statement—notice what it doesn’t say—it doesn’t say we have to die. It says you are dead—that is what we call positional truth. That is our place—we died with Jesus Christ, and there is nothing that severs earthly ties like death—in fact, there is no tie left. And that is what his argument is here—you are dead and as a dead person you are not to think about things on earth.

15/  And your life is hid in Christ with God. Notice again what it doesn’t say. It doesn’t say try to hide yourself with Christ in God—no—here he says you are hid with Christ in God and that position of safety, perfect safety. 

Suppose I were to take two cards—one to represent myself and another to represent Christ, and put them together. That would represent fellowship with Christ, for it says, with Christ  here—it doesn’t use the word, “ in ,“ it is the word, “with.” So you put the two cards together, and that is fellowship with Christ. You are together, but you and Christ together are in God the Father, and so I should take the two cards and put them inside a book—that is the position of you and the Lord Jesus where He is, you are. His safety is your safety.

16/  Then notice the word, HID. Here is a word that is peculiar. And many times we have it in the Bible. But I would like you to see this word used in another place.

 

Hebrews 11: 23. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. That is just the way the parents hid the Baby Moses in order that Pharaoh might not get to him. So God is hid with you with Christ. God has hidden you with Christ, where Satan can never reach you. I don’t understand why folks don’t understand and receive gladly the fact that they are eternally safe. Those parents hid Moses the best they could and they were successful. The time came when they boldly brought him out saying, We are not afraid of the King’s commandment, but for three months they hid him in the place of safety, and that is what God did with you.

17/  Colossians 3: 4 When Christ who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also

  appear with hi in glory. 

 

Look again at those words, Christ our life. The devil would like to take from you your   Christian life. There is no doubt about that, but where is your life? If Satan wants to get eternal life away from the believer, he has to get the Son of God, for Christ is our life.

18/  Shall appear Then shall ye also appear with Him in Glory. The word, “appear” is

 a personal appearance. We have the same word in Hebrews 9: 26 For then must he

 often have suffered since the foundation the world: but now once in the end of the

 world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 

I Corinthians 4: 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come,

  who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest 

the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

And so, Colossians says, When Christ who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye

  also appear with him in glory. 

He will appear again, and when He appears, we shall appear, and notice where we will appear—in Glory.

AMEN

Ref: 10/16/1977 / 323 - CAN YOU BE SO HEAVENLY MINDED THAT YOU ARE NO EARTHLY GOOD? / 2020

HOW TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

Photo taken from B Smith's kitchen window

     22 - HOW TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

     September 25, 1960

     Pastor Henry F. Kulp

Ephesians 5: 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

First of all, we told you why you need to be filled with the Spirit—because you are a soulish individual with the spirit completely corrupted, so God gives you a new nature that makes you in touch with Him. Then, secondly, we told you that the filling of the Spirit is different under the body of Christ, the Church, then it is during the earthly kingdom. There He will come and utterly possess and control the individual and cause the person to do God’s will. But in the Body of Christ, this present age, He comes to take up His abode in the body, and He is a helper. During the Kingdom, it is called the pouring out of the Spirit, now it is just that we receive the Holy Spirit to dwell in our bodies. 

It is also called the baptism of the Holy Spirit when Jesus Christ would baptize men into the Holy Spirit, that is not for our day and age. Right now, according to Galatians 3: 26, 27 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

1/  We are baptized into Christ, and Ephesians 4: 5 says there is One Lord, one faith, one baptism. There is not the baptism into the Holy Spirit today, but the baptism into Christ.

2/  Now we must face the question, what does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? Every child of God, everyone who is saved, possesses the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit here wants to do something for him. It is not something that can be worked up or prayed down. It is something that the Holy Spirit wants to do for you.

3/  The first step to take in understanding being filled with the Spirit, one must turn to Colossians 3: 16 There we read, Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Notice, the effect here of the Word of Christ dwelling richly in your souls. Then turn back to Ephesians and read these words again. Do you not observe that there are exactly the same results in Colossians when the Word of Christ dwells in you richly as you get in Ephesians when you are filled with the Spirit. What does this mean. There is an old rule in mathematics that things equal to the same thing are equal to each other. To be filled with the Word is equal in result to being filled with the Holy Spirit…it should be clear, and this is most important, that the Word-filled Christian is the Spirit-filled Christian.

4/  But then you can go beyond that and get proof of that from this portion of Scripture. Ephesians 5: 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; To be filled with the Spirit. Fill is a passive verb and it is followed by the dative case, and the dative case means action, and it indicates the one who is to do the filling. If it were a passive verb, followed by the genitive case, it would then show possession, and it would indicate with what the vessel is being filled. In other words, the Holy Spirit. So, it is not a matter that we are filled with the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit does the action. He does the filling. He is the agent, whereby we are filled. With what does He fill us? He fills us with the Word of God. So being filled with the Spirit is not some mystical, emotional, hysterical experience, but it is a matter that we study the Word, and the Holy Spirit takes the Word and He fills us with the Word. We can’t understand the Word apart from the Holy Spirit and when we study it and if we try to understand it, and we do it under the direction of the Holy Spirit, He fills us with the Word.

5/  I Corinthians 2: 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. He that is spiritual. Now to be spiritual you must be filled with the Holy Spirit….I am sure you will recognize that. Judgeth all things, or discerneth all things. In other words, is understood. The Spiritual man judgeth, discerneth, understandeth all things. How does he do that? The context of this whole I Corinthians 2 is about the Word of God. He is spiritual because he understands the Word of God under the prompting and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

6/  Notice, I Corinthians 2: 9 It is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love Him. He is not talking about things right here on earth. What does God expect of me, what does God want me to do? How do I know about God? It is not natural for me to know that, because the 10^th verse tells me that God has revealed them unto us by His Spirit. How has He done that? Through the Word. So to be spiritual, or to be filled with the Spirit, means that the Holy Spirit takes the Word and fills us.

7/  Let us notice the difference between being spiritual land being carnal, being Spirit-filled and not being Spirit-filled. That was the trouble with the church at Corinth. 

I Corinthians 3: 1, 2 He said, I cannot speak unto you as spiritual, but as unto carnal. You are just as babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk and not with meat, because you are not able to bear it, even at this present time. You can never be filled with the Spirit until you are filled with the Word. This is a perfectly logical conclusion to come to. Notice II Timothy 3: 16, 17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.This comes by the Word, and of course the Word means nothing unless it is spiritually taught to us.

8/  Now, all of this is logical. How does Paul do this? Paul says we do this? The Holy Spirit that has been given to us as an agent takes the Word of God and teaches us through our minds—Not some emotional experience, not some fanatical outburst. All of this is logical. Right in conjunction with this is a portion of Scripture that has come to mean so much to me it is in Romans 8: 18 where Paul says…For I reckon…that word, reckon, means estimate. It means a mathematical calculation, it means a studied conclusion, it means a shrewd observation. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Paul says, I have used my mind. The Holy Spirit has revealed something to me, and He has revealed it to me so that I have come to a real studied conclusion that the things that I am suffering right now can’t be compared with the things that will be revealed in us. And, so it is. What we have, is logical.

9/  II Corinthians 10: 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; Here we have to bring into captivity, every thought, so that the Word of Christ may dwell in our hearts richly, so to be filled with the Spirit, means that we study the Word of God, allow the Holy Spirit to teach it to us, and then through our minds we let our minds be billed with the Word. This same thing is brought out to us in Colossians 3: 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Set your affection, your minds on things above. How do you do that? Only through the Word of God. In other words, up your mind to heavenly things through the Word of God. Bring into captivity every thought, and then you will know what it means to be Spirit-filled.

10/  Then notice the clinching argument to it all. II Timothy 3: 16, 17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Here where He says, all scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and you’ll notice it is talking about inspiration. That the man of God may be perfect, complete, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

11/  Now being filled with the Spirit will produce certain results, and we have here in Ephesians what will happen when we are Spirit-filled or filled with the Word by the Spirit. Let us now study the results of being filled with the Spirit Ephesians 5: 19, 20 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord: 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; This should be translated, speaking to one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, rather than speaking to yourselves. Thus, we are to communicate one with another in spiritual songs. Oh, what a great part singing should have in the believer’s life—In the life of the body of Christ the assembly here on earth. I am always careful of someone who doesn’t care to sing. He doesn’t love to burst forth in song. Perhaps he doesn’t have any ability as a  singer, but he loves to sing. 

12/  James 5: 13 Is any among you afflicted? Let him ray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. Is any merry? Let him sing songs. I am sure that is clear that a great part of the early church in worship consisted of singing. In like manner, the Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples sang a hymn at the last supper. Matthew 26: 30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. Do you realize that Christian music is the only music that is predominantly in the major key? Which depicts joy, freedom, life, happiness instead of sorrow, gloom, hopelessness. Listen to most of the songs of the day, the silly rock ‘n’ roll and how it is filled with a mournful note. I am told that in England they had to ban a song because the teenagers were rollicking in it, and thriving in tit. It was a song that glorified a youngster that died a violent death in a flaming automobile accident. Our singing should bill our hearts and it should be filled with the Word again.

13/  Notice that it is both singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. We cannot all make melody on a musical instrument. Some of us would never be able to produce a melody if it depended upon a musical instrument. But every believer’s heart is like a harp, and the Spirit of God breathes over the harp strings and real melody goes up to the ear of God. Then notice, we’re to sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. What is the difference? A hymn is usually addressed to God. Something like, “My Jesus, I Love Thee,” or “O God, Our Help in Ages Past,” or “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty” or “I Am Thine O, Lord, Have Thy way O, Lord, Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.” Then we come to a psalm, a psalm is just a psalm set to music. Then spiritual songs—songs of praise. Example, a song of testimony, what the Lord has done for you—"Love lifted me….when nothing else could help, love lifted me.” Or, “Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.” And then, “Alas, and did my Saviour bleed, and did my Sovereign die.” Or, it could be a song of admonition, ”Trust and obey for there is no other way.” So, our hearts should not be filled with the songs of the world, but the songs of God. One who is filled with the Word by the Holy Spirit will be one who will sing praises to the Lord Jesus Christ.

14/  Then, a Spirit-filled believer, will be a thankful believer. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. But you say, there are some things I cannot give thanks for. There are some things so hard…too difficult to bear. There are some things that just tear my heart and soul apart. Have you ever undergone a serious physical operation and as a result of that operation you were delivered from something that was wearing you out? When you are undergoing the operation it is pretty hard to give thanks to God, but when it is all over and the surgeon’s knife has been a means of release from a physical illness, you can give thanks for the very suffering that you had to endure because of the blessed after-results.

AMEN

Ref: 09/25/1960 / 22 - HOW TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT / 4/29/2020