Spirit Baptism and Filling
A Sermon on Being Filled with the Holy Spirit
Originally preached Oct. 8, 1954
Scripture
Sermon Description
What does it mean to be baptized by the Holy Spirit? This phrase is often misunderstood by many Christians, and Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones brings clarity to this topic in this sermon on being filled with the Holy Spirit. Many people will say that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the same as salvation. Yet, this implies that the apostles were not saved until Pentecost since that is when the Spirit came on them. Dr. Lloyd-Jones defines the baptism of the Holy Spirit as the initial experience of the glory, reality, and love of the Father. Can one be filled with the Spirit repeatedly? Dr. Lloyd-Jones presents his argument for why he believes this to be the case and why it is the source of power and ability for the believer in Christian service and witnessing. This filling, he says, differentiates an advocate from a witness. Dr. Lloyd-Jones closes out by offering Scripture’s perspective on how to determine if someone is truly filled with the Spirit, and he establishes a foundational principle—revival is the pouring out of God’s spirit, and more than anything, that is needed in order to turn all countries back to Him. Christians have a biblical responsibility to pray for this.
Sermon Breakdown
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The sermon begins by providing context that this is the 56th sermon in an ongoing series on biblical doctrines. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds the congregation of the overall themes and progression of the series so far.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones introduces the topic for this sermon which is terms used in the Bible to describe the relationship between the Holy Spirit and believers, specifically "baptism of the Holy Spirit" and "filling of the Holy Spirit".
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones discusses the meaning and usage of the term "baptism of the Holy Spirit" in the Bible. He examines how John the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostles used the term. He argues that it does not simply refer to regeneration but rather an initial experience of the glory and reality of God that brings a new spiritual consciousness and love for Christ.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones discusses the meaning and usage of the related term "filling of the Holy Spirit" in the Bible. He notes that it refers to experiences that provide power and ability for service and witness. It is essential for true Christian service, growth in grace, and worship. It can happen many times, unlike the once-for-all baptism of the Holy Spirit.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes by reflecting on the importance and relevance of these doctrines of the Holy Spirit for the church today. He says revival comes when God pours out his Spirit to fill many people at once, but we must seek to be filled with the Spirit as individuals first.
Great Biblical Doctrines
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.