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BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT
"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." (Ephesians 5:18) "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature (flesh)." (Galatians 5:16) What does being "filled with the Spirit" or "living by the Spirit" mean?
FIRST OF ALL, WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?
1) He is God (Acts 5:3,4): He can be blasphemed (Mt 12:31,32). He is
omnipresent (Ps 139:7). He makes commands (Act 16:6,7). He
appoints leaders in the Church (Acts 20:28)
2) He is a Person: He speaks (Acts 8:29, 13:2). He leads and guides (Jn 16:13; Rom 8:14). He can be grieved (Eph 4:30)
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS IN EACH CHRISTIAN (ROM 8:9)
The Holy Spirit's power is available to us (Rom 8:11). His life and
character qualities are now available to us (Jn 4:13,14, 7:38,39; Gal
5:22,23)
WHAT DOES THE WORD "FILLED," MEAN?
1) It does not mean that something is poured into us until we are filled up - like liquid being poured into a glass until the glass is filled up.
2) It does mean being controlled by something - like being controlled by alcohol or being so filled with anger, fear, or sorrow that it controls us.
WHAT DOES BEING "FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT," MEAN?
1 ) It does not mean that we need more of Him. For example, it does not mean that we need some type of second experience of the Holy Spirit after conversion---a second blessing.
It is sometimes taught that the "baptism of the Spirit" is a second experience of the Holy Spirit, often accompanied by speaking with tongues, where we can get more of the Holy Spirit's power than those who have not had this experience. According to I
Corinthians 12:13, all we who are Christians are baptized by the Holy Spirit when we become Christians.
2) It does mean that we need to choose decision by decision to rely on Him and obey Him so that He keeps on filling our lives with His type of life. He is already fully in us. We need to fully depend on Him and fully obey Him so we can be like Him. "It is not how much of the Spirit we have, but how much of the Spirit has of us." "From HOLY SPIRIT by Billy Graham; Word Books" The "flesh" or "the sinful nature" is you
and I when we are not depending on the Holy Spirit for His life and power in our lives. Billy Graham defines the flesh in this way: "Leaving off the 'h' and spelling it in reverse we have the word self. Flesh is the self-life: it is what we are when we are left to our own devices." "From HOLY SPIRIT" (Gal 5:16,17,19-21)
"Be filled" is an imperative present passive verb. We are
commanded (the imperative part) to constantly (the present tense part) choose to be dependent on the Holy Spirit (the passive part). We are commanded to constantly depend on the Holy Spirit so that His
character qualities dominate and control our lives. Actually, we were created to live in reliance on God's Spirit as our source of life. Adam and Eve lost this life when they sinned---they died! Jesus came that this life connection with God would be restored (John 10:10)
HOW CAN WE BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT?
1. We must believe that God, through His Spirit, is now in us (I Cor 6:19; II Cor 4:7).
2. We must believe that we are now able to be like Him (II Pet 1:3,4) (It is a fact, even if we sometimes do not feel like it is a fact.)
3. We must desire that He have His total way in our lives (Eph 4:1, Rom 6:13).
4. We must choose, decision by decision, to walk in fellowship with God's Spirit,
depending on Him to live through us (Gal 5:25).
5. When we sin, we need to admit it, turn from it and return control to God. (Sin clogs up our spiritual pipes!)
Confession - wholeheartedly admit the sin (I Jn 1:9)
Repent - Wholeheartedly turn from the sin (James 4:6-10)
Yield - Wholeheartedly depend on God's Spirit so we will not continue to sin (Gal 5:16)
Restitution - Seek to make restitution when appropriate (Matt 5:23,24; Lk 19:8)
6. The result: God's Spirit will become the primary controlling factor in our lives.
As we choose to be filled with God's Spirit, we are also to simultaneously choose to be like Him who now fills us. We are to be filled with the following: (1) Honesty (Eph 4:25; Col 3:9,10). (2) Mercy, grace and love (Eph 4:26,27,32-5:2; Col 3:12-14). (3) Moral purity (Eph 5:3,4; Col 3:5).
(4) God's Word and wisdom (Eph 5:15-17; Col 3:16). (5) Gratitude (Eph 5:19,20; Col 3:16,17. (6) A willingness to submit to others (Eph 5:21-6:9; Col 3:18-4:1). (7) Prayer (Eph 6:18-20; Col 4:2-4). (8) Boldness in evangelism (Acts 4:31; Eph 6:19).
HOW DO WE GROW IN THE SPIRIT?
1. We need to diligently grow to think like Him (Rom 12:1,2; I Pet 2:2; II Tim 2:15)
2. We need to diligently seek to act like Him (II Pet 1:3-8; Heb 5:14)
3. We need to wholeheartedly seek God's wisdom, help, and guidance (James 1:5-8)
4. We need to seek others' help (Eph 4:11-13)
"As we grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ, our spiritual capacities enlarge." "Billy Graham in HOLY SPIRIT"
RESOURCES: THE HOLY SPIRIT by Billy Graham; HOW YOU CAN BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT and HOW YOU CAN WALK IN THE SPIRIT by Bill Bright; SATISFIED by Campus Crusade for Christ
ASSIGNMENT: Go through the steps on how to be filled by the Spirit above until you are confident that you are filled by the Spirit. Seek to walk in the Spirit this week. We sometimes forget that we cannot live the Christian life unless we depend on God. So, we try to do it (gut it out) ourselves. Was this a helpful reminder to you this week?