Filled with the Spirit
We are told to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:14-20). Being filled with
the Spirit means to accept the Lord Jesus as your Lord and Savior and ask God for
the filling of the Holy Spirit and continuing there in (Luke 11:13) “if you then, being
evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him”. Being filled with the
Spirit is being controlled by the Spirit (Romans 8:14,16) “for as many as are led by
the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. The Spirit Itself bears witness with our
spirit, that we are the children of God”. When one is baptized in the Spirit, that
person becomes member of the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:13), a person
belongs to Christ and is a child of God upon receiving the Spirit (Romans 8:9-11,
14-17). The Spirit is the life-giver. When a person believes in Christ, he or she
becomes a new creation. The Spirit is the power of God that brings about this new
birth in believers. Christians experience new life because of the Spirit living in
them. His chief function is to illumine Jesus’ teaching, to glorify His person, and to
work in the life of the individual believer and the church.
Walking by the Spirit is not a one time thing. We continue being filled by staying in
the Word of God. Jesus says in John 8:31-32 “If you continue in My word, then are
you My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make
you free”; and in John 16:13 He says, “however, when He, the Spirit of truth, is
come, He will guide you into all truth, for He shall not speak of Himself, but
whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak, and He will show you things to
come”. Jesus is also filled with the Holy Spirit as He is led into the wilderness to be
tempted (Luke 4:1). During His ministry, Jesus refers to the Spirit of God as the
power by which He is casting out demons. The Holy Spirit inspired Jesus with
wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, righteousness and
faithfulness. This we come full cycle to the New Testament where Jesus claims the
fulfillment of prophecy in Himself (Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:18-19).
We are told to in Ephesians 4:22-30 “that you put off concerning the former
conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. And be
renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that you put on the new man, which after
God is created in righteousness and true holiness”; we are warned not to grieve
the Holy Spirit, since the Holy Spirit is the expressed power of God, it is imperative
that one not grieve the Spirit; grieving the Holy Spirit is disobeying Him, and in
verse 31-32 there are listed things which should be put off and that love should be
put on. You don’t do this in your own flesh, you are to give it to Jesus (I Peter 5:7)
“casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you”.
You have to empty out self before you can be filled with the Holy Spirit. Just like
you can not put anymore in a cup or glass without first empting out what is already
there. Philippians 2:5-8 shows us how. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in
Christ Jesus”, this is where renewing your mind comes in. You have to make a
decision that the Bible is the true Word of God, and agree to make it apart of your
life. James says it like this “be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only” in James
1:22-25).
Following the resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and breathed the Holy
Spirit on them (John 20:22); and warned them, not to leave Jerusalem, but wait for
the promise of the Father (Acts 1:4-5) “and, being assembled together with them,
commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the
promise of the Father which says He, you have heard of Me.. For John truly
baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many days
from here”. After Jesus was taken up into heaven, the Spirit was given to the
disciples on the day of Pentecost. At Pentecost, the believers were overwhelmed
with visions, and they spoke in tongues when the Spirit entered them (Acts 2:2-8,
17-18). They believed that they were entering into the new age, that was
prophesied by Joel. This new age was one in which the Spirit was present on
earth, living and working in the lives of Christians. The Spirit changes the
believers’ lives to become more like Jesus. Becoming more like Jesus is a lifelong
process, because every believer is caught in the daily conflict between living in the
Spirit or according to sinful desires. (Galatians 5:16) tells us “walk in the Spirit and
you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh”.
We are told in Ephesians 5:14-20 the how tos, “awake you that sleep, and arise
from the dead and Christ shall give you light. See then that you walk circumspectly,
not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Wherefore be you not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And
be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit: speaking to
yourselves in psalms and hymns and Spiritual songs, singing and making melody in
your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father in
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”. When we fill ourselves up with the Word of
God, knowing that if we feed our spirit only once a week, our spirit can not grow,
but by feeding our spirit daily on the Word of God, we grow. We are a three part
being, spirit, soul and body. Our spirit is supposed to rule over our body and mind
but if the spirit is weak, their mind and body takes over. People eat 3 times a day
which feeds their body. However, they only read the word, one time a week and
think they can be spirit led. God does not speak to our body. He speaks to our
spirit (Romans 8:16) “the Spirit bears witness with our spirit”. Jude 20-21 says “but
you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy
Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus
Christ to eternal life”. Paul said “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than
you all” (I Corinthians 14:18); and Paul inspired by the Holy Spirit wrote more than
½ of the New Testament. Jesus as He was tempted in the wilderness said “it is
written. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of
the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4); we are to be exercising our senses to hear the
Spirit of God, and then we can stay filled.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: March 13, 2007
We are told to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:14-20). Being filled with
the Spirit means to accept the Lord Jesus as your Lord and Savior and ask God for
the filling of the Holy Spirit and continuing there in (Luke 11:13) “if you then, being
evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him”. Being filled with the
Spirit is being controlled by the Spirit (Romans 8:14,16) “for as many as are led by
the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. The Spirit Itself bears witness with our
spirit, that we are the children of God”. When one is baptized in the Spirit, that
person becomes member of the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:13), a person
belongs to Christ and is a child of God upon receiving the Spirit (Romans 8:9-11,
14-17). The Spirit is the life-giver. When a person believes in Christ, he or she
becomes a new creation. The Spirit is the power of God that brings about this new
birth in believers. Christians experience new life because of the Spirit living in
them. His chief function is to illumine Jesus’ teaching, to glorify His person, and to
work in the life of the individual believer and the church.
Walking by the Spirit is not a one time thing. We continue being filled by staying in
the Word of God. Jesus says in John 8:31-32 “If you continue in My word, then are
you My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make
you free”; and in John 16:13 He says, “however, when He, the Spirit of truth, is
come, He will guide you into all truth, for He shall not speak of Himself, but
whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak, and He will show you things to
come”. Jesus is also filled with the Holy Spirit as He is led into the wilderness to be
tempted (Luke 4:1). During His ministry, Jesus refers to the Spirit of God as the
power by which He is casting out demons. The Holy Spirit inspired Jesus with
wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, righteousness and
faithfulness. This we come full cycle to the New Testament where Jesus claims the
fulfillment of prophecy in Himself (Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:18-19).
We are told to in Ephesians 4:22-30 “that you put off concerning the former
conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. And be
renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that you put on the new man, which after
God is created in righteousness and true holiness”; we are warned not to grieve
the Holy Spirit, since the Holy Spirit is the expressed power of God, it is imperative
that one not grieve the Spirit; grieving the Holy Spirit is disobeying Him, and in
verse 31-32 there are listed things which should be put off and that love should be
put on. You don’t do this in your own flesh, you are to give it to Jesus (I Peter 5:7)
“casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you”.
You have to empty out self before you can be filled with the Holy Spirit. Just like
you can not put anymore in a cup or glass without first empting out what is already
there. Philippians 2:5-8 shows us how. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in
Christ Jesus”, this is where renewing your mind comes in. You have to make a
decision that the Bible is the true Word of God, and agree to make it apart of your
life. James says it like this “be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only” in James
1:22-25).
Following the resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and breathed the Holy
Spirit on them (John 20:22); and warned them, not to leave Jerusalem, but wait for
the promise of the Father (Acts 1:4-5) “and, being assembled together with them,
commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the
promise of the Father which says He, you have heard of Me.. For John truly
baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many days
from here”. After Jesus was taken up into heaven, the Spirit was given to the
disciples on the day of Pentecost. At Pentecost, the believers were overwhelmed
with visions, and they spoke in tongues when the Spirit entered them (Acts 2:2-8,
17-18). They believed that they were entering into the new age, that was
prophesied by Joel. This new age was one in which the Spirit was present on
earth, living and working in the lives of Christians. The Spirit changes the
believers’ lives to become more like Jesus. Becoming more like Jesus is a lifelong
process, because every believer is caught in the daily conflict between living in the
Spirit or according to sinful desires. (Galatians 5:16) tells us “walk in the Spirit and
you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh”.
We are told in Ephesians 5:14-20 the how tos, “awake you that sleep, and arise
from the dead and Christ shall give you light. See then that you walk circumspectly,
not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Wherefore be you not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And
be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit: speaking to
yourselves in psalms and hymns and Spiritual songs, singing and making melody in
your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father in
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”. When we fill ourselves up with the Word of
God, knowing that if we feed our spirit only once a week, our spirit can not grow,
but by feeding our spirit daily on the Word of God, we grow. We are a three part
being, spirit, soul and body. Our spirit is supposed to rule over our body and mind
but if the spirit is weak, their mind and body takes over. People eat 3 times a day
which feeds their body. However, they only read the word, one time a week and
think they can be spirit led. God does not speak to our body. He speaks to our
spirit (Romans 8:16) “the Spirit bears witness with our spirit”. Jude 20-21 says “but
you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy
Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus
Christ to eternal life”. Paul said “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than
you all” (I Corinthians 14:18); and Paul inspired by the Holy Spirit wrote more than
½ of the New Testament. Jesus as He was tempted in the wilderness said “it is
written. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of
the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4); we are to be exercising our senses to hear the
Spirit of God, and then we can stay filled.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: March 13, 2007
