Andrew Fountain - What on earth does it mean to be "Filled with God"?

Goal

To understand what it means in practice when the Bible says we are filled with God.

John 17:21–23

21. that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
22. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,
23. I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

Quote

• “We will always remain creatures, but we are destined to become creatures so filled with God that his very glory radiates from us.” —Carl Mosser

Name for this

• Early Church Fathers: “Deification”
  • confusing for us
• Eastern Orthodox: “Theosis”
  • they mean something a little different -e.g. performing rituals and discplines in order to have an experience of bright light
• “Filled with God”
  ”God’s life in us” -terms taken out of the Bible, and less likely to be misunderstood

Living “God-filled”

• Switching to dependence on him        

1. Working with his strength
2. Ruling with his authority
3. Glowing with his Glory

2 Corinthians 12 & 13

9. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
3. since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.
4. For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.

Jesus Models this for us

• So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord…” (John 5:19)
• Just as the living Father sent me and I live through the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live through me. (John 6:57)

Galatians 2

19. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.
20. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Ephesians 1 & 6

19. …and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might
20. that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
     
10. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

1 Corinthians 15

10. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

Colossians 1

27. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
29. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

Sharing His Throne:

• “and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,” (Eph 2:6)
• “I will grant the one who conquers permission to sit with me on my throne, just as I too conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.” (Rev 3:21)

2 Corinthians 3

7. …the Israelites could not keep their eyes fixed on the face of Moses because of the glory of his face (a glory which was made ineffective),
8. how much more glorious will the ministry of the Spirit be?
18. And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord,
    are being transformed into the same image
    from one degree of glory to another…

Quote

• “We will always remain creatures, but we are destined to become creatures so filled with God that his very glory radiates from us.” —Carl Mosser

Living “God-filled”

• Switching to dependence on him        

1. Working with his strength
   • Working with all our effort, but depending on power he supplies
2. Sharing his throne
   • Confident in our prayers
   • Secure in his love
3. Glowing with his glory
   • Do this and people will notice!