I Want All of It…Everything

Sermon Summary

Main Message

This message encourages us to crave the fullness of God's Spirit and to desire everything that He has promised. We often settle for a shallow faith, but God wants more for us - He wants to fill us with His presence, power, and purpose. As we seek Him with all our hearts, we can experience the transformation and fulfillment that comes from living in His Spirit.

Key Scripture References

• Psalm 119:33-37 - This passage highlights the psalmist's desire to know God's laws and decrees, which is a metaphor for our desire to experience the fullness of God's Spirit. The psalmist says, "Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, that I may observe it with all my heart." (v. 33) This shows us that seeking God's presence and power requires us to be teachable and humble.
• Ephesians 3:16-19 - In this passage, Paul prays for the Ephesian believers to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in their inner beings. He says, "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being." (v. 16) This shows us that God's desire is to fill us with His presence and power so that we can live a life that honors Him.
• Matthew 5:6 - Jesus teaches us that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. He says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (v. 6) This passage shows us that our desire for God's presence and power is a fundamental aspect of the Christian life.
• 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 - Paul says that when he preached to the Corinthian believers, he did not come with eloquent words or human wisdom. Instead, he came in demonstration of the Spirit's power, saying, "My message and preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power." (v. 4) This shows us that God's presence and power are more important than our own abilities or eloquence.
• John 7:37-39 - Jesus says that those who believe in Him will have rivers of living water flowing out from within them. He says, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." (v. 37-38) This passage shows us that God's presence and power are not just for our own benefit, but also for the benefit of others.
• 2 Peter 1:5-7 - Peter encourages believers to add to their faith moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. He says, "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness." (v. 5-6) This passage shows us that our desire for God's presence and power should lead us to pursue a life of spiritual maturity.

Key Takeaways

• We should crave the fullness of God's Spirit and desire everything that He has promised, just as the psalmist did in Psalm 119. This requires us to be teachable and humble, recognizing our need for God's presence and power.
• God wants to fill us with His presence and power so that we can live a life that honors Him. We should seek this kind of life by praying for strength through His Spirit (Ephesians 3:16-19).
• Our desire for God's presence and power is a fundamental aspect of the Christian life, as Jesus teaches in Matthew 5:6. We should hunger and thirst for righteousness, knowing that we will be filled.
• We should not rely on our own abilities or eloquence to communicate the Gospel (1 Corinthians 2:4-5). Instead, we should seek to demonstrate the Spirit's power in our lives and ministry.

This Week's Challenge

This week, take two specific steps to cultivate a deeper desire for God's presence and power:

* Set aside time each day to pray for strength through His Spirit (Ephesians 3:16-19). Ask God to fill you with His presence and power so that you can live a life that honors Him.

* Identify one area of your life where you feel weak or struggling, and ask God to give you the strength you need to overcome it. This could be a personal struggle, a relationship issue, or a spiritual challenge.

Reflection Questions

• What areas of my life do I feel like I'm settling for a shallow faith? How can I seek more of God's presence and power in these areas?
• How can I demonstrate the Spirit's power in my own life and ministry, rather than relying on human wisdom or eloquence (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)?
• What does it mean to "hunger and thirst for righteousness" (Matthew 5:6), and how can I cultivate this kind of desire in my heart?