LESSON THREE
Why so Few Christians Are Filled With the Holy Spirit
Through the centuries, many of Christ’s followers have been ordinary people. Nothing spectacular ever happened to them or through them. Then, as happened to Peter on the day of Pentecost when he was filled with the Holy Spirit, their lives were dramatically changed.
No longer ordinary or average, they became men and women of God—bold in faith and instruments of God’s power.
Today, that same Holy Spirit—with his life-changing power—is available to each of us. Yet, tragically, multitudes of Christians go through life without ever experiencing the abundant and fruitful life that Christ promised to all who trust him.
In this lesson, you will examine the reasons so few Christians have experienced the infilling of the Spirit. And you will have the opportunity to consider any barriers you may have erected between yourself and God. I urge you to meditate and reflect on how they may apply to your own life.
Lesson Objective: To understand and deal with the barriers to a Spirit-filled life
BIBLE STUDY
Read Galatians 5 and 6 and Acts 5:1–11
Before you consider the many verses below, be sure to read the Bible passages listed above.
If you click on the verses in the study below you can see the entire verse! If you are not on-the-go, consider opening a physical Bible and looking up the passages.
The Heart’s Battlefield
- How does Paul describe himself in Romans 7:19–24? How does this description make you feel?
- In your own words, explain why so many Christians are unhappy, according to Galatians 5:16, 17.
Why the Battle Is Often Lost
- According to each of the following verses, give one reason so few Christians are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 119:105
Proverbs 16:18
Proverbs 29:25
Luke 9:26 - What else can create a barrier between you and the Lord that keeps you from being filled with the Spirit (Psalm 66:18)?
What else can divert you from being filled with the Spirit (1 John 2:15–17)? - Lack of trust in God also will keep you from being filled with the Holy Spirit. Read John 3:16, Romans 8:32, and 1 John 3:16. Describe how these verses help you trust God fully.
Basically, the reason most Christians are not filled with the Holy Spirit is that they are unwilling to surrender their wills to God.
LIFE APPLICATION
Questions
- Do you understand and deal with the barriers to a Spirit-filled life?
- Examine the diagram, and write in your notebook any of those or other barriers you are aware of between yourself and God.
- Prayerfully consider, then answer this question: “Am I willing to surrender my will to God?”
- If you are, pray this prayer with all of your heart to turn your life over to God.
Dear Father, I need you. I acknowledge that I have been directing my own life and that, as a result, I have sinned against you. I thank you that you have forgiven my sins through Christ’s death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to again take his place on the throne of my life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as you commanded me to be filled. I pray this in the name of Jesus. As an expression of my faith, I now thank you for taking control of my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Memory Verse: “My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. … For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” (1 John 2:1-6, 15-17 NLT)