MAKE ROOM FOR THE HOLY GHOST

    John 15:1-5  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

1 Corinthians 15:22-26  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have  delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

In ADAM all die.

    Jesus used the thought that we must abide IN HIM.

•     IN JESUS rather than in Adam.
•     Adam became a tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
•     A seed from this tree was implanted within him.
•     The seed grew in his life and produced fruit through him to spread this diseased existence to all others.

•     He is a tree of Life.

• Its implanted and grows and lives to never die.
• A new tree begins growing when it is received by the soul who believes.

• All these experiences of a sinful life merely lead to death.
• But verse 22 says we were freed from sin.
• This new fruit is working towards holiness and ultimately eternal life.

• We're the go-between for these trees.
• We are the soil that bears the tree.
• We repeat in this world whichever tree whose seed we receive.
• Earth can be either blessed or cursed depending upon which crop it produces.


Hebrews 6:7-8  For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

• We're only vessels, people.
• We reproduce whatever outside life is planted within us.
• You're not your own boss, and you never were.
• Whatever is coming out of our ground is an indication of what's been planted there.

• We are taught that the seed of the word must have no obstructions in its growth.
• Thorns, thistles, stones and shallowness hinder the seed of the word from growing.
• These are explained to be cares of the world, other concerns, shallowness of having no faith in the word, and hardness of an impenitent heart.

God showed me a vision of the human being one day.

• I saw deep within the middle of a room a bright lamp.
• This was the spirit of man.


Proverbs 20:27  The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

Psalm 18:28  For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

• Our lives are not being fulfilled without the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.
• Like candles never lit.

Matthew 5:15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

• The Lord showed me how that foreign objects not belonging in the room with the lamp can stand there and cause shadows to stretch out behind them.
• The enemy cannot dwell in light so he seeks to implant sinful thoughts and elements into our lives that create shadows of darkness.
• And once enough foreign elements are placed within, and enough darkness is there as a result, he can slip in, himself, and occupy a christian!

The term used in scripture in association with the Holy Ghost is FILLED.

• This term tells us that we simply don't receive the Spirit but are like containers that are FILLED with it as a pitcher is filled with liquid.
• If this thought was not intended to be put into the scripture, why was the term "filled" used?
• "Filled" is a relative term that by its very definition brings to mind "empty" or "half-filled."
• Since we can receive seed of God's word and yet give struggle to that seed's growth by the thorns and thistles that Jesus mentioned speaking of our cares of life, etc., then we can give more room to the seed's progress by removing those thorns and thistles!
• A room that has a lamp may not necessarily be filled with its LIGHT if there are too many foreign objects casting shadows in our lives.
• Our lives may possess the Holy Ghost but not be FILLED with the Holy Ghost.

• It gave him a boldness he never had before.
• Whereas he could not stand for Jesus when a handmaid challenged his association with
• Christ after the Lord's incarceration, the Holy Ghost infilling moved him to point his finger in the faces of the Jews on the day of Pentecost and tell them they crucified the Lord.

• Peter and John were moved to command healing in the man's body and he was healed right there!
• These men were then taken by the Saducees and the priests and questioned as to what authority and name Peter and John healed the man.
• Peter was again noted for his boldness in light of the fact he was filled with the Holy Ghost.


Acts 4:8  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

Acts 4:13  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; ...

• But when Peter was threatened he began losing that boldness and wilted somewhat.
• The apostles went to the church and called a prayer meeting.


Acts 4:23  And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

• And they specifically prayed for BOLDNESS.


Acts 4:29  And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

Acts 4:31  And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

• They did not lose the Holy Ghost, as though being filled is simply having the Spirit.
• They had the Holy Ghost but were not FILLED with it.
• They sort of deflated.
• Some foreign elements of fear and worry entered their hearts and took up space the Holy
• Ghost required in order to say these men were FILLED with the Spirit.

STAY FILLED.

If the thorns and thistles of worldly cares can CHOKE the word, then why can't the tree of Life growing in our hearts CHOKE THESE CARES?!

Church, we need to cast out all these elements that crowd the Spirit of God in our lives, and give room to the Holy Ghost.

Get your heart right and ask forgiveness for these crowding elements, and forsake them.

• Let the power of God fill you.
• Keep your mind filled with the things of God.
• Listen to Christian music in your car.
• Read Christian books rather than those murder and mystery novels.
• Get the Bible out at home now and then.
• Talk about Jesus at home with your family and friends.
• WHAT DO YOU TALK ABOUT?
• WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT?

Ephesians 5:18-20  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

• Paul told this to Holy Ghost baptized people.
• These people had not lost the Spirit.
• They simply had need of understanding they must remain filled.
• They had to ever make room in their lives for the Holy Ghost.