THE HOLY SPIRIT

Recently, a group of people studying the Book of Acts asked me for an explanation of the filling of the Holy Spirit.  I wrote the following in response to their request:

THE BIBLE TELLS CHRISTIANS TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice!”  (Philippians 4:4)

Paul wrote the above words while suffering imprisonment.  We as Christians can experience the same continual, underlying joy if we are willing to be filled and controlled by God’s Holy Spirit.

In fact, Christians are commanded, “…to be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18)

And if we are filled with God’s HOLY Spirit, then we will be obeying God’s commands to be:

HOLY – “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16)  See also, Matthew 5:48; 2Corinthians 7:1

“Holy” means to be cleansed and set into God’s service.

PURE – “…keep yourself free from sin.”  (1 Timothy 5:22)  (See also Romans 6:12,13 and 1 John 1:5-7,   3:3)

LOVING- “Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14)  (See also 1Timothy 1:5 and 1 John 4:7)

WALKING IN THE SPIRIT- “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control: against such things there is no law…If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22, 23, 25)

If the hunger of your heart is to be HOLY, PURE, LOVING, AND WALKING IN THE SPIRIT, then let’s find out how we are filled with the Holy Spirit.

First, let’s look at the work of the Holy Spirit in the unbeliever’s life.  That life can be described as follows:

                Their whole inner being, mind, soul, and feelings are centered on self, resulting in sin.

                They relate to those things in life (family, job, etc.) with themselves in mind ultimately.

                They lack purpose and meaning in relating to their world.

John 16:8 tells us that the Holy Spirit convicts the unbeliever of sin.  He penetrates the life of the unbeliever as a light at the door of a dark house and reveals why the sinner needs Jesus.

As the sinner repents, believes Jesus died for their sins and receives Him as their Savior and Lord, great things happen.  Two things are: 

                God the Father and the Son come to live in the new believer. (John 6:56: 15:1-11; 17:19-23; 1 John 3:24)

                To complete the Trinity, God’s Holy Spirit also enters.  (Romans 8:9)

As the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit live within, the light at the door becomes a bright light inside the believer’s life, penetrating to every corner.  The Holy Spirit points out:

                The tendency to sin we have become so accustomed to obey.

                The patterns of life that are not pleasing to God.

                The absence of patterns that are pleasing to God.

THEN WHAT?

WE HAVE A CHOICE!

We can struggle with God over each point and cause tension between God and the tendency to sin.  The results are obvious:

                Up and down spiritual life

                Inconsistent witness

                Poor prayer life

                Worry and doubt

                Critical attitudes

                Unhealthy thoughts and desires

We may allow God to control several areas over a period of time, but defeat in other areas results in very inconsistent growth as happened to the Christians that Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3,  “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ.  I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it.  Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly.  For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?”

Unfortunately, many Christians let the struggle go on for years or even a lifetime.  At best, their spiritual life is crippled.

THERE IS A BETTER CHOICE!

We can allow the Holy Spirit to fill and control our total being as all Christians are commanded to do in Ephesians 5:18.  When the Holy Spirit is in control, steady, progressive spiritual growth can begin.  Let’s review the results of being filled with the Holy Spirit:

                To be holy…cleansed and set into God’s service

                To be pure…separated from sin

                To be loving…the foundation of our whole being is to be love

                To be walking in the Spirit daily

IS THE SPIRIT FILLED LIFE YOUR DESIRE?  Here is how you can be filled with the Spirit

                CONFESS your tendency to sin and the patterns of life that need change.

1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  God will hear our honest confession, forgive us, and cleanse or “sanctify” us.

SURRENDER ALL.  Paul writes to the Christians in Rome in Romans 12:1, “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and spiritual service of worship.”

BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT BY FAITH.  God commands us to be filled. He promises to answer prayer that is according to His will (1 John 5:14).  Therefore, He will fill us if we are cleansed, fully surrendered, and believe Him to answer.

The following is a suggested prayer:

“DEAR FATHER, I CONFESS MY TENDENCY TO SIN AND THE AREAS OF MY LIFE THAT ARE NOT PLEASING TO YOU.  FORGIVE ME AND CLEANSE ME.  I SURRENDER MY WHOLE BEING TO YOU AND BELIEVE YOU WILL FILL ME WITH YOUR HOLY SPIRIT.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS, CLEANSING, AND FILLING.  AMEN”

If this prayer expresses your desire, pray it now and believe God to fill you with His Holy Spirit.  Does God have all of you?  Your feelings will differ according to your personality, but your faith has unlocked the door for the filling of the Holy Spirit.

WALKING IN THE SPIRIT

God never fills us so that we can sit and dry up.  He fills us so that we will get up and walk in the Spirit, day by day, steadily maturing and bearing the fruit of the Spirit.  Here are some suggestions for walking in the Spirit from God’s Word:

1.        Step into His Word daily:  “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness: that the man of God may e adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16,17)

2.       Step into His presence in prayer daily:  “As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me.  Evening, and morning, and a noon, will I pray…” (Psalms 55:16,17)

3.       Step out each day in confidence: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  (Romans 8:28)

4.       Step out and witness:  “…but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Keep stepping in His light.  When the Holy Spirit fills us, we become very sensitive to His direction.  If we start stepping out of His light, He lets us know.  Then we should:

1.        Ask forgiveness

2.       Right the wrong

3.       Step back into the fullness and Spirit of His light

4.       Keep walking in obedience and faith

“REJOICE, AGAIN I SAY REJOICE”