FILL MY CUP

SCRIPTURE: PSALM 23:1-6; EPHESIANS 3:14-20; MATTHEW 5:6 CONCEPT: GOD WILL FILL THE CUP BELIEVERS. PARTICULARLY THE CUP OF THE WEARY, WEAK AND WORN.

PATTY YOU ARE THE RED.

OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS I HAVE BEEN PREACHING A

SERIES OF SERMONS TO ENCOURAGE FOLK WHO FIND

THEMSELVES WEARY, WEAK AND WORN. THE LORD HAS

TOUCHED MY HEART WITH THE REVELATION THAT SO MANY

PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY AND

SPIRITUALLY WITH WEARINESS.

I BEGAN THE SERIES PREACHING FROM THE TOPIC, “RUN

AND NOT BE WEARYʼ. IN IT I SPOKE ABOUT THE WEIGHT OF

BURDENS AND SIN THAT CAUSES US TO BE WEARIED AND

HEAVY LADEN. I TALKED ABOUT HOW GOD WANTS US TO BE

ABLE TO MOUNT UP WITH WINGS, AS AN EAGLE. TO BE ABLE

TO RISE ABOVE THOSE THINGS THAT MAKE US WEARY AND

LIKE GOD, BE ABLE TO RUN & NOT BE WEARY AND WALK

AND NOT FAINT.

LAST SUNDAY, HE PREACHED ABOUT THE THREE

COMMANDMENTS TO THE WEARY – COMING TO JESUS,

TAKING OUR YOKES AND LEARNING FROM JESUS.

TODAY, AS WE CONTINUE THIS SERIES, WEʼD LIKE TO VISIT

SOMETHING ELSE THAT GOD HAS PROMISED TO THOSE OF

US WHO ARE WEARY. HE SAID HE WOULD FILL US.

SOMEBODY SAY FILL MY CUP.

IN OUR OLD TESTAMENT TEXT, WE VISIT THE VERY FAMILIAR

23 PSALM. AND SEE GOD AS BEING DESCRIBED AS A

SHEPHERD. THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, I SHALL NOT WANT.

HE MAKETH ME TO LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES, HE

LEADETH ME BESIDE THE STILL WATERS, HE RESTORES MY

SOUL AND LEADETH ME IN THE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

FOR HIS NAMEʼS SAKE. HE GOES ON TO SAY, YEA THOU I

WALK IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL

FEAR NO EVIL FOR THOU ART WITH ME. THY ROD AND THY

STAFF THEY COMFORTEST ME. THOU PREPAREST A TABLE

BEFORE ME IN THE PRESENSE OF MY ENEMIES. THOU

ANOINTEST MY HEAD WITH OIL AND MY CUP RUNNETH OVER.

TOGETHER: SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW

ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE AND I SHALL DWELL IN THE

HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER.

ALONG WITH SHARING WITH US THAT GOD, AS A SHEPHERD

GUIDES, AND LEADS US, AND GOES WITH US THRU DARK

TIMES AND COMFORTS US. AS WELL AS BEING A GOD WHO

TAKES CARE OF US IN OUR ENEMIES PRESENSE. HE TELLS

US ALSO, THAT ALONG WITH ANOINTING HIS HEAD, THAT HIS

CUP RUNNETH OVER. IMPLYING THAT NOT ONLY IS IT FULL,

BUT BEING FILLED BEYOND CAPACITY.

OUR CUP REPRESENTS OUR LIVES. OUR CUP REPRESENTS

THE VOID WITHIN US THAT YEARNS TO BE FILLED. IT IS OUR

PLACE OF INNER FULFILLMENT AND WHOLENESS.

THE CUP REPRESENTS OUR SPIRITUAL CONTAINER THAT

HOLDS THE SPIRITUAL PRESENSE AND POWER OF GOD.

THE PSALMIST SAID THAT HIS CUP WAS RUNNING OVER.

WHAT A WONDERFUL PLACE TO BE. SPIRITUALLY

OVERFLOWING. LIVING A LIFE THAT IS ABUNDANT. A LIFE

THAT WE LIVE TO THE FULLEST. HAVING THAT VOID WITHIN

FILLED AND BEING FULFILLED AND WHOLE. ANYBODY WANT

TO HAVE A CUP THAT RUNS OVER.

BUT PASTOR, IF THE TRUTH BE TOLD, SO MANY OF US CAN'T

EVEN IMAGINE HAVING A FULL CUP, YET ALONE ONE THAT IS

OVERFLOWING. FOR TOO MANY OF US, WE LIVE LIVES THAT

ARE SPIRITUALLY DEPLETED, IF NOT EMPTY AND BANKRUPT.

ALL TOO OFTEN WE STRUGGLE TO MAKE IT DAY TO DAY.

SEEKING SURVIVAL, AND NEVER KNOWING OR PURSUING

ABUNDANT LIVING. TOO MANY OF US FEEL EMPTY AND SO

OFTEN UNFULFILLED.

WHAT IS THE PSALMIST TALKING ABOUT? A CUP RUNNING

OVER! WE LIVE ALL TOO OFTEN AMONGST FOLK, EVEN

THOUGH THEY WON'T ADMIT IT, WHO ARE RUNNING ON

EMPTY AND LIVING UNFULFILLED LIVES WITH LITTLE OR NO

REAL MEANING. LIVES YEARNING FOR PURPOSE AND TRUE

MEANING. LIVES THAT ARE DESP

ERATELY IN NEED OF BEING FILLED. IF SOMEBODY KNOWS

WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, SAY FILL MY CUP.

1. THAT'S WHAT PAUL PRAYED IN EPHESIANS 3:14-20 HE GOT DOWN ON HIS KNEES AND PRAYED 16 That he would grant US, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in OUR inner man;

17 That Christ may dwell in OUR hearts by faith; that WE, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that WE might be filled with all the FULLNESS of God.

20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, GOD WANTS TO FILL OUR CUP. HE WANTS TO FILL US WITH HIS FULLNESS. FILL US UNTIL WE ARE ABLE TO COMPREHEND AND

UNDERSTAND JUST HOW BIG HE IS. UNTIL WE BEGIN TO

REALIZE THAT HE IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY

ABOVE ALL WE COULD EVER ASK OR THINK. GOD WANTS TO

FILL US WITH ALL OF HIS FULLNESS. HE WANTS US TO BE

FULL AND COMPLETE. WHOLE AND FULFILLED. GOD WANTS

TO FILL OUR CUP. SOMEBODY SAY, FILL MY CUP.

BUT REV. WHY DO I NEED MY CUP FULL?. WHY DO WE NEED

A FULL CUP?. IʼM GLAD YOU ASKED. I DONʼT KNOW ABOUT

YOU. BUT MY LIFE CAN GET REAL CRAZY SOMETIMES AND I

CAN GET HIT FROM EVERY DIRECTION. ON MYJOB, IN THE

CHURCH, IN OUR HOME. OUR CHILDREN ALWAYS NEED

SOMETHING, MY HUSBAND ALWAYS NEEDS SOMETHING, MY

FAMILY ALWAYS SEEMS TO NEED MY HELP AND THEN OUT

OF NO WHERE COMES SOMETHING ELSE. I NEED GOD TO

FILL MY CUP SO THAT I HAVE THE STRENGTH ON THE INSIDE

TO DEAL WITH ALL OF THIS STUFF I HAVE TO HANDLE ON

THE OUTSIDE. I NEED GOD TO FILL MY CUP, SO THAT MY

MIND IS FILLED WITH HIS THOUGHTS AND MY HEART IS

FILLED WITH HIS SPIRIT. I NEED TO BE FILLED BECAUSE I

NEED GODʼS JOY TO HELP ME MAKE IT THRU MY DIFFICULT

MOMENTS. WHEN MY BODY FEELS WEARY AND MY MIND IS

WEARY AND I FIND MYSELF WRESTLING WITH EMOTIONAL

WEARINESS, I NEED GOD TO FILL MY CUP AND GIVE ME

STRENGTH WITHIN TO MAKE IT AND JOY TO TAKE IT.

MATTHEW 16:24 SAYS, UNTIL NOW YOU HAVE ASKED

NOTHING IN MY NAME, ASK THAT YOUR JOY MIGHT BE FULL.

IN OTHER WORDS, WE NEED OUR CUP FULL SO THAT WE CAN

HAVE ALL THE JOY WE NEED TO STAY ABOVE ALL OF THE

THINGS THAT SEEM TO TRY TO WEIGHT US DOWN. I NEED MY

CUP FULL WITH JOY. BECAUSE THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY

STRENGTH. WHEN GOD FILLS MY CUP, I KNOW THAT HE IS

WITH ME. WHEN HE FILLS MY CUP I FEEL A LITTLE WHEEL

TURNING AND FEEL A LITTLE FIRE BURNING. WHEN GOD

FILLS MY CUP, I HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO FACE

TOMORROW. WHEN HE FILLS MY CUP, I CAN GO THRU THE

FIRE AND THRU THE FLOOD, I CAN FACE THE SHADOW OF

DEATH AND THE PAIN OF SORROW. WHEN HE FILLS MY CUP,

I KNOW LIFE IS WORTH THE LIVING, JUST BECAUSE HE LIVES.

OK, BELOVED. WE REALIZE THAT GOD WANTS TO FILL OUR

CUP. HE WANTS OUR LIVES TO BE FULL AND HE WANTS US

TO BE FILLED WITHIN WITH HIS PRESENSE AND WITH HIS

POWER. BUT HOW DO WE GET A FULL CUP? THATʼS A GOOD

QUESTION.

FIRST THING IS THAT YOU HAVE TO REALLY WANT IT. THERE

WAS A MAN AT A POOL IN A PLACE CALLED BETHSEDA. HE

HAD BEEN THERE 38 YEARS WAITING TO GET INTO A POOL

OF WATER THAT WAS BELIEVED TO BE STIRRED BY ANGELS.

WHEN THE WATER STIRRED THEY BELIEVED THAT WHOEVER

GOT IN FIRST WOULD BE HEALED. BUT THIS MAN COULD

NEVER GET INTO THE POOL. THEN ONE DAY JESUS CAME

BY AND SAW THIS MAN AND ASKED HIM, DO YOU REALLY

WANT TO BE MADE WHOLE? DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE

WELL?

THATʼS THE FIRST THING WE MUST DO, WE MUST WANT IT

AND SEEK IT. BUT NOT WITH A DEFEATIST ATTITUDE OR

OUTLOOK. BELOVED, LOOKING BACK AT THE 23 PSALM,

THE PSALMIST GIVES US MORE INSIGHT INTO HOW TO HAVE

OUR CUPS FILLED – HE MADE A DECISION AND SAID THAT

THE LORD WAS HIS SHEPHERD. WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL

WHO WE FOLLOW AND WHO WE ALLOW TO LEAD US. IF WE

ALLOW GOD TO LEAD US AND IF WE FOLLOW HIM AS SHEEP

FOLLOWING A SHEPHERD, GOD WILL LEAD US TO A PLACE

WHERE OUR CUPS WILL RUN OVER. BUT WE MUST DECIDE

WHO WE SHALL FOLLOW: GOD OR THE WORLD/DEVIL. GOD

WHO LEADS US TO GREEN PASTURES AND STILL WATERS

OR THE DEVIL WHO ALWAYS LEADS US TO

DISCOURAGEMENT, DISAPPOINTMENT AND EMPTYNESS. WE

HAVE TO CHOOSE FULLNESS AND BEING WHOLE OR THE

DEVIL WHO PROMISES FULLNESS, BUT ULTIMATELY ONLY

COMES TO STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY. THE QUESTION

BECOMES WHO IS YOUR SHEPHERD? WHOʼS LEADING YOU?

IN ORDER TO HAVE OUR CUPS FILLED, NOT ONLY DO WE

HAVE TO WANT OUR CUPS TO BE FILLED AND FOLLOW THE

ONE WHO WILL FILL OUR CUPS. THE BIBLE SAYS, IN

MATTHEW 5.3, BLESS IS HE WHO DOTH HUNGER AND THIRST

AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS, FOR HE SHALL BE FILLED. YOU

HAVE TO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS OR

HOLINESS AND THEN WE WILL BE FILLED. GOD IS NOT

GOING TO FILL A DIRTY CUP. GOD IS HOLY. THE BIBLE SAYS

THAT THE LORD OUR GOD IS HOLY AND WE SHALT BE HOLY.

WHEN WE STRIVE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, HUNGERING AND

THIRSTING AFTER IT, WE ARE SEEKING HOLINESS AND

BECAUSE GOD IS HOLY, HUNGERING AND THIRSTING AFTER

RIGHTEOUSNESS, WE ARE FILLED BY THAT WHICH IS HOLY

AND RIGHTEOUS. GET IT. THE BIBLE SAYS DRAW NEAR

UNTO ME AND I WILL DRAW NEAR UNTO YOU. WHEN WE

HUNGER FOR GODʼS PRESENSE AND THIRST FOR HIS

RIGHTEOUSNESS, GOD FILLS OUR CUP.

AND SO WE COME TO YOU AS JESUS CAME TO THE MAN AT

THE POOL OF BETHSDA AND WE ASK, ARE YOU

DISSATISFIED WITH BARELY LIVING. LIVING EMPTY AND

UNFULFILLED. SPIRITUALLY BANKRUPT AND DEPLETED. NO

SPIRITUAL POWER OR MIGHT. DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE

FILLED. JESUS SAID TO THE MAN WHO WAS WAITING TO BE

HEALED, RISE, TAKE UP HIS BED AND WALK. AND IN LIKE

MANNER WE SAY TO YOU NO MORE EXCUSES. IF YOU WANT

GOD TO FILL YOUR CUP AND YOU WANT HIM TO DO IT ALL

THE WAY, THEN GET UP AND TAKE UP YOUR BED AND WALK.

DON'T LAY THERE AND WALLOW IN SIN. STOP FEELING

SORRY FOR YOURSELF. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT SO

LONG YOU DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN STOP IT. I KNOW

YOU ARE LONELY AND NEED COMPANIONSHIP. I KNOW YOU

HAVE CONVINCED YOURSELF TO BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN'T

MAKE IT WITHOUT IT. BUT DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE

WHOLE. IF SO, STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE HOW. LET GOD

HANDLE THAT, JUST DON'T LIE IN IT ANY LONGER. GET UP.

THAT'S RIGHT, GET UP. YOUVE BEEN LYING IN THAT MESS

LONG ENOUGH. GET UP, YOUVE GIVEN IT POWER OVER YOU

LONG ENOUGH. GET UP, ITS STOLEN, KILLED AND

DESTROYED YOUR LIFE LONG ENOUGH. JUST GET UP. AND

AFTER YOU DO, TAKE UP THAT BED. PICK UP ALL OF THOSE

EXCUSES, ALL OF THOSE REASONS WHY YOU CAN'T, AND

WALK. WALK. THAT'S RIGHT. MUST JESUS BEAR THE

CROSS ALONE AND ALL THE WORLD GO FREE...

WHEN YOU GET UP AND PICK UP THAT BED AND WALK.

WALK HUNGERING. WALK THIRSTING. WALK ASKING TO BE

FILLED. FILLED WITH THE HOPE OF BEING FILLED. WALK

WITH THE EXPECTATION OF HAVING A FULL AND ABUNDANT

LIFE. WALK ASKING FOR YOUR JOY TO BE FULL AND

EVERLASTING. WALK IN THE SPIRIT.

BECAUSE WHEN GOD FILLS YOUR CUP, HE WON'T JUST FILL

IT TO THE BRIM. NO, HE KEEPS POURING UNTIL YOUR CUP

RUNS OVER. HE KEEPS POURING UNTIL YOUR NEEDS ARE

MET. HE KEEPS POURING UNTIL YOU PASS FROM SURVIVAL

TO PROSPERITY. FROM GETTING BY TO ABUNDANT LIVING.

LOOK AT JESUS. GOD SENT HIM TO BE A SACRIFICE. AN

OBLATION AND EXPIATION FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE

WIDE WORLD. HE CAME TO BE EMPTIED OUT. TO POUR OUT

HIS LIFE. AND WHEN HIS LIFE WAS FINISHED AND

COMPLETELY SURRENDERED TO GOD, HE WAS FILLED.

DEATH WAS FILLED WITH ETERNAL LIFE. DARKNESS AND

THE GRAVE WERE FILLED WITH EVERLASTING LIGHT. GOD

WANTS TO FILL YOUR CUP AND GIVE YOU VICTORY IN

DEFEAT. POWER IN WEAKNESS. JOY IN SORROW, PEACE IN

THE STORM. STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS, GOD WANTS TO FILL

OUR CUPS.

DO YOU WANT IT FILLED. CAUSE IF YOU DO, YOUʼRE GOING

TO REALLY WANT TO BE FILLED. SO MUCH THAT YOUʼLL

FOLLOW THE LORD AND LET HIM LEAD YOU TO WHERE HE

WILL FILL YOU AND GIVE YOU WHOLENESS. AND AS HE

LEADS US, HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS

AND YOU WILL BE FILLED.

CLOSING: FILL MY CUP

LIKE THE WOMAN AT THE WELL, I WAS SEEKING. FOR

THINGS THAT ACOULD NOT SATISFY

AND THEN I HEARD MY SAVIOUR SPEAKING: DRAW FROM MY

WELL THAT NEVER SHALL RUN DRY

THERE ARE MILLIONS IN THIS WORLD WHO ARE CRAVING

THE PLEASURES EARTHLY THINGS AFFORD

BUT NOTE CAN MATCH THE WONDROUS TREASURE THAT I

FIND IN JESUS CHRIST MY LORD.

SO, MY BROTHER IF THE THINGS THIS WORLD GAVE YOU

LEAVE HUNGERS THAT WONʼT PASS AWAY

MY BLESSED LORD WILL COME AND SAVE YOU IF YOU KNEEL

TO HIM AND HUMBLY PRAY. FILL MY CUP LORD, I LIFT IT UP

LORD. COME AND QUENCH THIS THIRSTING OF MY SOUL

BREAD OF HEAVEN FEED ME TIL I WANT NO MORE

FILL MY CUP! FILL IT UP! AND MAKE ME WHOLE!

FILL MY CUP LORD, FILL OUR CUP, FILL OUR CUPS LORD,

AND MAKE US WHOLE! AND GIVE US REST FOR OUR WEARY

SOULS! YEAH! YEAH! HALLELUJAH!