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@Livingwater Study 9B FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT Key Verse: ““And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 13:52) Notice the characteristics of a Spirit - filled Christian 1. The first characteristic of the Spirit-filled life is power and effectiveness in witnessing. The primary purpose of the infilling of the Holy Spirit is to make us effective witnesses. Read Acts 13:44-52, and notice how mightily God’’s Spirit-filled servants witnessed for Him The first characteristic of a Spirit-filled Christian, then, is that he is a witnessing Christian –- look up Acts 1:8. 2. The second characteristic of the Spirit-filled life is discernment, a Spirit-taught understanding of God’’s plan and programme. This is brought out clearly in this portion of scripture in two ways: 1. In verses 46-47, Paul and Barnabas explained that the gospel was first given to the Jews, and then, when rejected by them, it was given to the Gentiles. Thus, they understood God’’s dispensa

@Livingwater Study 9A FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT Key Verse: ““And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 13:52) There is no greater need in the life of a Christian than that there should be a full understanding of the New Testament teaching about the Spirit-filled life. Because this subject is so neglected and so little understood many Christians are living on a very low level of Christian experience. Their lives are powerless, defeated and joyless and their service is ineffective and productive of little real fruit. For the same reason many of our churches are struggling, and the forces of darkness seem to be gaining ground on every hand. The greatest need of every Christian is to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and in this study we will consider some vital aspects of this important truth. life: Notice that our key -verse tells us several important things about the Spirit - filled life: 1. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is a very definite exper

@Livingwater Study 8B WHAT WENT WRONG? Key Verse: “”You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?”” (Galatians 5:7) What hindered you? Was it persecution , misunderstanding or opposition? Then you need to take heed to John 16:32. Many people have accepted Christ and have then had to face the misunderstanding and opposition of loved ones and friends, and the test has been so severe that later they have become discouraged and have “given everything up”. But, “it is hard to be a Christian”, and our Lord expressly told us that it would be so – – look up Matthew 5:11-12. The Lord Jesus was threatened with stones (John 8:59); they put a crown of thorns upon His head (John 19:1-3); they mocked Him (Luke 23:33-37); then they crucified Him (John 19:16). Is it not a privilege to suffer with Him? –- look up Philippians 1:29, and compare Acts 5:41 and 2 Corinthians 11:23-30. What hindered you? Was it some severe trial or sorrow? Then you need to take

@Livingwater Study 8A WHAT WENT WRONG? Key Verse: “”You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?”” (Galatians 5:7) What a wonderful thing it is when someone is converted! A truly converted person is born again (1 Peter 1:23); saved (Romans 10:9); justified (Romans 5:1); and is made a partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Do you recall the day of your conversion, or if you do not remember the day, are you sure you have been converted? But it is inexpressibly sad when one who has been truly converted turns back (Acts 7:39); backslides (Proverbs 14:14); becomes lukewarm (Revelation 3:16); loses his first love (Revelation 2:4). What a tragedy – to be out-and-out for Christ, a soul-winner, an earnest worker, and then to turn away from the Lord! There were those in the Galatian Church in AD 56 (when Paul wrote his letter), who had been turned aside by false teachers who had succeeded in getting them into bondage again to the Law. The though