SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY – RESTORED IN CHRIST Living by the Spirit

by | Dec 30, 2025 | Sermon Study Guide

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Based on the message by Pastor Chad Everett

OVERVIEW

Spiritual authority is not sustained by effort, emotion, or religious habit—it flows from Living by the Spirit. In this message, Pastor Chad Everett teaches that authority in the believer’s life is directly connected to what fills us, what leads us, and where we learn to withdraw with God.

Through Scripture, we see that Jesus Himself lived filled with the Holy Spirit, led by the Holy Spirit, and strengthened in the lonely place. This study invites us to examine not only what we believe, but what we are cooperating with daily—and how that cooperation shapes real outcomes in our lives.

This guide encourages you to open your Bible, engage Scripture honestly, and allow Holy Spirit to lead you into deeper filling, clearer alignment, and mature discipleship.

If children are present in your group, leaders are encouraged to simplify questions and invite children to participate by answering in their own words. Including children in discussion helps reinforce biblical truth at an early age and reminds the whole group that discipleship happens best in community and conversation.

HOW TO USE THIS STUDY GUIDE

Biblical Principle → Read → Respond → Reflect

Begin each section by reading the Biblical Principle to establish shared understanding. Open your Bible and read the passage aloud together. Use the Respond questions to discuss what Scripture reveals, and allow the Reflect questions to create space for Holy Spirit to bring personal insight and alignment.

 

SECTION 1 — THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH: ENTER AND TRAIN

“The purpose of the local church is not to entertain people but to enter-train.”

Biblical Principle

God designed the church to form mature disciples, not passive listeners. The church exists to enter people into the fullness of Christ and train them to live as Spirit-led disciples who carry authority into everyday life.

READ

Open your Bible and read: Ephesians 3: 19 & Ephesians 4: 11–16

RESPOND

  1. According to Ephesians 3: 19, what does God desire believers to be filled with?
  2. In Ephesians 4, what role do leaders play in the growth of believers?
  3. How does Scripture define spiritual maturity?

REFLECT

  • Where have I viewed church as something I attend rather than something that trains me?
  • In what ways am I growing toward maturity—or remaining spiritually passive?
  • How is God inviting me to move beyond consumption into participation?

 

SECTION 2 — FILLING COMES BEFORE LEADING

“Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit… was led by the Spirit.”

Biblical Principle

Spiritual authority begins with filling. Jesus modeled a life that flowed from fullness, not striving. What fills us determines what leads us.

READ

Open your Bible and read: Luke 4: 1 & Luke 3: 21–22

RESPOND

  1. What happened immediately after Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit?
  2. Why do you think Jesus needed to be filled before entering the wilderness?
  3. What does this reveal about how authority operates?

REFLECT

  • What currently fills my thoughts and emotions?
  • How does what fills me influence my decisions?
  • Where do I need a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit?

 

SECTION 3 — BE FILLED: A CONTINUAL INVITATION

“Being filled with the Holy Spirit is not an event—it is a relationship.”

Biblical Principle

Scripture consistently shows believers being filled again and again. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is an ongoing posture of surrender, dependence, and openness to God’s presence.

READ

Open your Bible and read: Acts 2: 4; Acts 4: 31; Ephesians 5: 18

RESPOND

  1. What patterns do you notice in how the early church experienced the Holy Spirit?
  2. How does Ephesians 5: 18 describe being filled?
  3. What does this tell us about spiritual growth?

REFLECT

  • Have I treated being filled as a past experience rather than a present need?
  • What might continual filling look like in my daily rhythm?
  • What space do I need to make for God to refill me?

 

 

SECTION 4 — WHAT FILLS YOU WILL LEAD YOU

“We will be led by whatever spirit that we are full of.”

Biblical Principle

Leadership in life follows filling. Whether led by the Spirit of God or by the flesh, influence flows from what occupies the heart.

READ

Open your Bible and read: Romans 8: 14 & Galatians 5: 16

RESPOND

  1. According to Romans 8: 14, who are the sons of God?
  2. How does Galatians describe freedom from fleshly desires?
  3. What connection exists between filling and maturity?

REFLECT

  • What has been leading me lately—peace or pressure?
  • Where do I sense competing influences in my life?
  • What would change if I consistently walked led by the Spirit?

 

 

SECTION 5 — AUTHORITY IS FORMED IN THE LONELY PLACE

“The significance of our Spiritual Authority will depend upon the significance of our lonely place.”

Biblical Principle

Withdrawal precedes authority. Jesus regularly withdrew into the wilderness to pray, demonstrating that intimacy with God fuels spiritual strength.

READ

Open your Bible and read: Luke 5: 16 & Matthew 6: 6

RESPOND

  1. Why did Jesus intentionally withdraw from crowds?
  2. What promise does Matthew 6: 6 give about secret prayer?
  3. How does solitude shape spiritual authority?

REFLECT

  • What does my “lonely place” with God currently look like?
  • Where have I avoided silence or stillness?
  • How might God be calling me to deeper intimacy?

 

 

SECTION 6 — TESTING PRODUCES MATURITY

Biblical Principle

Testing does not weaken authority—it proves it. God uses testing to refine trust, deepen dependence, and produce spiritual endurance.

READ

Open your Bible and read: Luke 4: 2 & James 1: 2–3

RESPOND

  1. What did Jesus experience during testing in the wilderness?
  2. According to James, what does testing produce?
  3. How does testing reveal what we truly trust?

REFLECT

  • How do I typically respond to testing?
  • What has recent testing revealed in me?
  • Where is God strengthening my trust?

 

 

UNIFIED WEEKLY APPLICATION

Identify an area where God is inviting you to live more fully by the Spirit—this may involve thought patterns, emotional reactions, fear, temptation, or daily habits.

Daily Rhythm

  1. Anchor in Scripture
    Choose one passage a day to read (Luke 4: 1; Romans 8: 14; Ephesians 5: 18). Read it slowly—out loud if you can.
  2. Write a Truth Statement (using the scripture you read)
    Example: “What fills me will lead me.”
  3. Pray and Realign
    Ask Holy Spirit: What is this passage showing me today? What needs to realign in my thoughts, words, or actions? What am I full of right now?
  4. Act Intentionally
    Take one specific step of obedience based on what you prayed. Choose the realignment, and walk led by the Spirit.

Living by the Spirit is not about control—it is about surrender. God does not force authority upon us; He invites us to receive it through filling, intimacy, and obedience. As we choose to live filled and led by the Holy Spirit, spiritual authority becomes a lived reality—not just a belief.