Being Filled with the Spirit

Ephesians 5:18

The Spirit’s Filling is not often discussed - to our detriment.

Abuses or misunderstandings of the text

The Charismatic “2nd Blessing” for the genuine Christian

“Filled with the Spirit” are the religious fanatics

It is a command of Scripture

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians

Jn 20:22 Jesus said to his disciples, “Receive the Holy Spirit”

We should understand what it means to be filled, and how we may be filled by God’s Holy Spirit

Being Filled with the Holy Spirit

Baptized and Filled

Baptized, or sealed, with the Spirit

The Spirit seals every believer until the day of redemption, and He does not leave us (Eph. 1:13; 4:30).

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire…

We are born again by the Spirit, brought to faith by the Spirit

There is never a command to be baptized by the Spirit - it is the washing and renewal that the Spirit brings by God’s sovereign grace, which leads to salvation and conversion.

Be Filled with the Spirit

Pleroo - filled - The verb “fill” has nothing to do with contents or quantity, as though we are empty vessels that need a required amount of spiritual fuel to keep going. In the Bible, filled means “controlled by.”

Like the wind that fills the sail, giving the thrust the ship needs to move - we are to be filled with the Spirit, empowered and driven in our life before God.

To be filled with the Spirit is to be filled with Christ, to know the Savior and his love. To be filled with the Spirit is to know the love of God as the Spirit pours it out in our hearts (Rom. 5:5). To be filled with the Spirit is to know the intimate communion with God that enables us to cry, ‘Abba, Father.

It is the norm - not the exception.

There are no 1st and 2nd Class Christians - those who can be filled and those who cannot - No varsity and JV Christians

All are commanded to be filled

Being Filled is a command -

Being Filled is a continual command - not once and done, but continually be filled “be being filled…”

Contrast with charismatic understanding - once filled, always filled

It is a passive command -

It is God’s work - not ours. We don’t bring it about. It is a gracious command - God is saying, Let my Spirit fill your life, guide and direct your life, preserve and protect your life…

OT and NT Filling

OT Examples

Ex 31 - God called Bezalel and filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship… to construct the Tent of Meeting.

Judges 15 - The Spirit rushed upon Samson, empowering him to do mighty deeds.

Micah 3:8 I am filled with the Spirit of the Lord… to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.

NT Examples

Jesus - Lk 4:1 - coming up from the Jordan, was full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness

Peter - Acts 2 - filled with the Spirit, began to preach

The Disciples

Acts 2 - they were all filled with the Spirit and spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance

Acts 4 - They were filled with the Spirit and continued to speak the Word of God with boldness

Stephen - He was full of the Spirit, equipped to serve as a deacon, and to preach boldly and see in heaven the glory of God and Jesus at God’s right hand.

Being filled in order to serve

The Spirit inspires and empowers to speak/serve

The apostles did not need to be filled a second time because some specific sin had come into their lives but because they needed boldness to witness in the face of a new persecution. In other words, repeated fillings may be necessary because new areas of life come to light which need to be brought under the control of the Spirit.

One of the reasons why we must be filled is that we are called to do things that normally we could not do - stand up to wickedness, persevere in faith, rejoice in persecution… If you want to be filled with the Spirit, do things that are too difficult for you, and depend wholly upon the Spirit of God.

How to Know the Spirit-Filled Life

The apostle does not urge them there to seek an experience which would put them right, he is commanding them, and telling them what to do: it is an appeal to them to go on yielding themselves to the Spirit that is in them.

Do Not Get Drunk With Wine -

The apostle is not condemning the drinking of wine; but drunkenness

Don’t be drunk - under the influence of -

This leads to debauchery - the word is the opposite of salvation - reckless, destructive - living

Seeing those under the influence of alcohol

Being filled with the things of the world leaves no room to be filled with the Spirit

Wine and worldliness mimic what only Christ can give by His Spirit

Another way to say it: Don’t Grieve the Holy Spirit

Through direct, willful, and persistent disobedience

Grieving the Spirit is largely connected to how we speak -

What we say… What we don’t say…

We are filled with the Spirit of God that we may obey God, and we obey God in the strength of His Spirit.

Surrendering to The Spirit-Filled Life

Joyfully in the Word

Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly…

Being in the word, and in accord with the word

Speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs

Those filled with the Spirit preached the good news - Peter, Stephen, Barnabas

God doesn’t fill us with His Spirit for our own sake, to satisfy some desire for an experience - but that we might be used for his glory -

Joy in the Spirit is our witness

Thankfulness in Everything

Singing and making melody

Thanksgiving is another natural outflow of hearts made melodious by God’s great grace. We have been redeemed from the darkness and made a part of the eternal song.

Even in tears -

Gladly Submitting to One another

Serving one another - caring for one another -

In submitting ourselves for the good of others, our crucified and risen Savior shines powerfully through us and we are filled with his Spirit.

Those filled with the Spirit serve the Lord with gladness, serve one another in love for Christ.