1. Filled with joy and with the holy Spirit
Acts 13:52
Led by the Spirit of God

2. Introduction
Acts 13 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

3. While the church in Antioch is praying and fasting, “the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (13:2).

4. The church affirmed them and prayed for them
The church affirmed them and prayed for them. “The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.” (13:4).

5. They arrived at Paphos (Cyprus) and proclaimed the Good News
They arrived at Paphos (Cyprus) and proclaimed the Good News. The governor Sergius Paulus believed but the sorcerer Elymas tried to deceive him. “Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said,

6. “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right
“You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! … Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.” (13:9-11).

7. From Paphos, Paul and Barnabas then move on to Pisidian Antioch (Paul’s home church is Syrian Antioch, these are two different cities).

8. Now, “On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and … the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.” (13:14-15).

9. Paul proclaims, “We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.” (13:32-33).

10. He explains that because of Jesus’s resurrection, there is forgiveness of sin in Jesus, and “everyone who believes is set free from every sin.”

11. This does not come under the law of Moses, so Gentiles do not have to become Jews to be accepted by God. (13:32-39).

12. “When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.” (13:42)

13. “On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.” (13:43-45).

14. “Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.” (13:46) .

15. “When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.” (13:48).

16. “The word of the Lord spread through the whole region
“The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. But the Jewish leaders incited the God- fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city.

17. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. (13:49-51).

18. “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit

19. The non sequitur (it does not follow)

20. Possible lessons Holy Spirit directs and the church obeys.
Holy Spirit directs P and B.
Holy Spirit confronts evil / sin.
Holy Spirit gives boldness.

21. Today, we will just focus on how the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

22. 1. What is this joy that comes with the filling of the Holy Spirit?

23. What is this joy ?
The joy that comes with the filling of the Holy Spirit is an overwhelming joy.

24. What is this joy ?
Ephesians 5 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,

25. What is this joy ?
The joy of being filled with the Holy Spirit is compared and contrasted with being full of alcoholic spirit.

26. Commonality #1. Euphoria.
Commonality #2. Capacity to overwhelm

27. Possible Bad effects depressant, lose social inhibition,
anger, violence, bullying behavior,
addiction

28. The non sequitur is exactly why story is so powerful.
The joy of the Holy Spirit overwhelms all the reasons that take away joy.

29. 2. The spiritual basis for this joy is the acceptance of our Father in Heaven

30. acceptance of the father
Gentiles are accepted through the resurrection of Jesus, not the law of Moses

31. Acts 13 32 “We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. …

32. Acts 13 38 “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.

33. The joy of the Holy Spirit is rooted in the acceptance of our Father in heaven.

34. You will experience as much joy as you receive the acceptance of our Father in heaven.

35. 3. It is the sovereign filling of the Holy Spirit that produces an unexpected joy

36. sovereign filling - unexpected joy
They neither asked for it nor deserved it.

37. Galatians 3 You foolish Galatians. Who has bewitched you
Galatians 3 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? … 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?

38. Galatians 3 3 Are you so foolish
Galatians 3 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? 4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain?

39. 3. It is the sovereign filling of the Holy Spirit that produces an unexpected joy 4. The willing filling of the Holy Spirit produces an expected joy

40. Willing filling – expected joy
God more than willing to fill us with the Holy Spirit of joy.

41. Ephesians 5 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 

42. Willing filling – expected joy
Singing spiritual songs invites the willing filling of the Holy Spirit of joy.

43. Willing filling – expected joy
Acts 16 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

44. Ephesians 5 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.

45. Speaking spiritual words and songs to each other invites the willing filling of the Holy Spirit of joy.

46. Cultivate the joy-giving spiritual family
Not the joy-killing spiritual family

47. Ephesians 5 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

48. Always giving thanks to Abba Father for everything invites the filling of the Holy Spirit of joy.

49. The willing filling Holy Spirit produces a life of joy, not just an occasion of joy
The unexpected filling is there to set a bench mark of joy for us, but we don’t live off a single experience.

50. The joy of the Holy Spirit is life- transforming as it overwhelms all reasons that rob us of joy
The unexpected joy in filling serves as a benchmark
The willing filling of the Holy Spirit of joy is available for those who seek

51. By singing spiritual songs
By speaking joy to each other
Always giving thanks to Abba Father