Holy spirit fullness

HOLY SPIRIT FULLNESS
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Being filled with the Spirit means to be controlled and empowered by
the Holy Spirit.
“It is such a simple truth; and yet, in its essence, that is what the
Christian life is all about -- keeping Christ on the throne. We do this
when we understand how to walk in the control and power of the Holy
Spirit. The Holy Spirit came for the specific purpose of glorifying Christ
by enabling believers to live holy lives and be productive witnesses for
our Savior.”
What is Being Filled with the Holy Spirit?
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with
other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:4). Many
Christians have different ideas about the fullness of the Holy Spirit. In
the New Testament, the fullness of the Holy Spirit was sometimes
associated with cloven tongues of fire, shaking buildings, rushing winds,
and people speaking in other languages or doing miracles. At other
times, people were filled with the Holy Spirit and none of these things
happened.
According to the Bible, there appear to be two evidences that a person is
indeed filled with the Spirit:
Those who are filled with the Holy Spirit have unique spiritual power in
leading others to faith in Christ (Acts 1:8).
Those who are filled with the Holy Spirit have a divine enablement to
fulfill their social roles and responsibilities, particularly in family and
working relationships (Eph. 5:18-6:9).
Most Christians readily recognize their need to be filled with the Holy

Spirit to become more effective in evangelism and be all they should be
in their family. The apostle Paul urged the Christians at Ephesus, “Be
filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). But the steps to being filled with the
Holy Spirit were summarized by Jesus when He said, “If any man
thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the
scripture hath said, out of his belly (heart) shall flow rivers of living
water” (John 7:37-38).
The four steps to being filled with the Holy Spirit are: desire (thirst)
repentance of all known sin in your life (come to me)
receiving God’s offer of the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him (drink)
acting on the basis of faith in the Word of God (He who believes in me).
At Pentecost
What does it mean to be “filled with the Holy Ghost?” After the 120
believers had spent ten days praying, meeting in obedience to Christ’s
command (Luke 24:49), they received the baptism and the gift of the
Holy Spirit promised by Christ (John 14:16-18; Acts 1:8). Following this
baptism, they were “all filled.” Paul, in Ephesians 5: 18, says to be filled
with the Spirit. The word “filled” here, and in Acts 2:4, means “to be
influenced by.”
The RYRIE STUDY BIBLE notes concerning Ephesians 5:18 say: “…
Paul has taught in this epistle that all believers are sealed with the Holy
Spirit when they believe (Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30); but are not filled,
since this depends on yieldedness to God’s will (5:17). ‘Filling’ describes
an experience that can be repeated (Acts 2:4-8).”
Baptism by the Holy Spirit
Baptism by the Holy Spirit is not manifested by speaking in other
tongues (languages). Paul said in I Corinthians 12:13 that all believers
are baptized by the Holy Spirit, that each believer is given different
“gifts” by the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:4-11), and that no single gift
is for every believer (I Corinthians 12:29-30).

“Filling” has nothing to do with the manifestation of “tongues.” Being
filled by the Holy Spirit is not getting more of Him, but Him getting
more of the believer! Many times the disciples “were filled with the Holy
Spirit” (Acts 4:8, 31; 6:3; 7:55, 9:17, 11:24, 13:9, 13:52), yet there was no
mention of tongues (other languages) being spoken.
Losing The Filling of the Holy Spirit
Unlike the Holy Spirit’s ministries to the believer in regeneration,
baptism, indwelling, and sealing, His filling can be lost due to
disobedience (sin). The filling of the Holy Spirit may (and should) be
instantly regained by first knowing God’s means of forgiveness and
cleansing: the blood of Christ (I John 1:7); and secondly, by knowing
God’s method of forgiveness and cleansing: the confession of the
Christian (I John 1:9).
In summary, the “filling of the Holy Spirit” is not a feeling or an
emotional experience, but rather, the yielding (abandoning) of the
believer’s life to the Lord. https://www.biblesprout.com/
Receiving of the Fullness of the Godhead – The Holy Spirit
By David144 -
January 7, 2014
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Holy Spirit – Fullness of The Godhead

“As in humility they submitted to the molding influence of the Holy
Spirit, they received of the fullness of the Godhead and were fashioned
in the likeness of the divine.” {Ellen White BLJ 21.3}
A man who submits himself to the molding influence of the Holy Spirit
receives the fullness of the Godhead. We are told that the fullness of the
Godhead is the Holy Spirit. And we are told that it fashions us in the
likeness of the divine. Partakers of the divine nature.
“The Comforter that Christ promised to send after He ascended to
heaven, is the Spirit in all the fulness of the Godhead.” (Ellen White
spTB07 Page 63)
The Godhead – Divinity
The word “Godhead” is a very misunderstood word. Some believe that
it refers to a three in one God called the Trinity, and they use this word
to refer to the trinity because this word is found in the bible as well as
the spirit of prophecy, but the word trinity is not found. This word
“Godhead” is used only three times in the bible.
Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the
world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,
even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
In this verse we are seeing that the “Godhead” belongs to someone. It
says “His..power and Godhead”. Therefore the Godhead must then
belong to someone. He owns it. It is likened to “His…power”. In the
Spirit of prophecy this verse is quoted from another version of the bible.
“The invisible things of Him since the creation of the world are clearly
seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even His
everlasting power and divinity.” Romans 1:20, A.R.V.”(Ministry of
Healing page 410)
Here we see that the word “Godhead” in Romans 1:20 is translated
“divinity” in this version of scripture quoted by Ellen White. This is a
quote from the chapter “A true knowledge of God” in the book Ministry

of Healing. This book tells us that the “Godhead” is “His…divinity”.
God’s Godhead (Divinity)
So who does the word “His” refer to in the context of this verse? It is
referring to God. And therefore it is God’s Godhead. He is the
possessor of all power and divinity. He is the Father.
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in
them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
He showed it to them by revealing his power and divinity in the things
that He has made.
Rom 1:7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
God the Father is the one who showed it to us. Our Lord Jesus Christ is
the channel which He has used to show us. The channel by which we
receive His Spirit.
Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to
shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he
sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
The Channel of Blessing
The father is the source of that spirit. When we look at the sanctuary in
heaven we see that the father is the source of living water and all things
come through his son Jesus.
Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as
crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
So that river of living water flows from the source. What is the water a
symbol of?
Joh 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of
his belly shall flow rivers of living water(But this spake he of the

Spirit….
That living water that flows from the throne of God is the spirit. It
flows through his son Jesus Christ and out through all of the children of
God. As Jesus said it will even proceed out of you. But the source is
none other than the father.
1Co 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all
things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all
things, and we by him.
As we have already read earlier by receiving the Holy Spirit “they
received of the fullness of the Godhead”. They were partakers of the
divine.
2Pe 1:3-4 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things
that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that
hath called us to glory and virtue: (4) Whereby are given unto us
exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in
the world through lust.
If the “divine nature” is the Godhead, then we therefore are “partakers
of the Godhead” and have “received of the fullness of the Godhead”.
That’s the gospel. And a very important part of it to say the least.
We are not partakers of a 3 in 1 God. We are partakers of our Father’s
divinity.
The Godhead is not three gods.
Christ the Fullness of the Godhead Manifest
“The Son is all the fulness of the Godhead manifested.”{SpTB07 63}
To see the fullness of the Godhead manifested, or the fullness of God’s
divinity manifest, His Holy Spirit, the only way by which this could
happen is by beholding Christ, or Christ manifest in the “things that are

made”. In his saints, in his angels. “God was manifest in the flesh”(1
Tim 3:16), Christ is manifest in you. (Revelation 14:7, Col 1:27, 1 John
4:3, 4) Because “The Lord is that Spirit”(2 Cor 3:17) and we have “One
Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things.”(1 Cor 8:6)
The Father the fullness of the Godhead Invisible
Joh 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son,
which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
No man has seen God at any time. He is invisible to mortal sight. Christ
who is the only begotten Son of Him has made Him manifest or “he hath
declared him”(John 1:18)
“The Father is all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and is invisible to
mortal sight.” {SpTB07 62}
The Father loves to give good gifts to his children. (Luke 11:9-13) The
gift of the Holy Spirit is a very special gift, and God was well pleased
that in his Son should all the fullness dwell. (Col 1:19)
Christ Inherited the Divinity of God by Birthright
Christ is the ONLY BEGOTTEN of God. He is the only one who by
birth could have been born with the same nature as God. No other being
has been begotten of God.
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every
creature:
“The dedication of the first-born had its origin in the earliest times. God
had promised to give the First-born of heaven to save the sinner.” {Ellen
White The Desire of Ages, p. 51}
What does this birth entitle Him too?
Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
The fullness of what?
Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Therefore, Christ is the fullness of the Godhead by birth in heaven from
earliest times. He has by birth a more excellent nature than the angels.
Note carefully the following quotes which talk about the reception of the
nature, form, and substance of God by His Son.
“A complete offering has been made; for “God so loved the world, that
he gave his only-begotten Son,”—not a son by creation, as were the
angels, nor a son by adoption, as is the forgiven sinner, but a Son
begotten in the express image of the Father’s person, and in all the
brightness of his majesty and glory, one equal with God in authority,
dignity, and divine perfection. In him dwelt all the fullness of the
Godhead bodily.” (Ellen White, The Signs of the Times, May 30, 1895)
When was he begotten in the express image of God?
“Before Christ came in the likeness of men, he existed in the express
image of his Father.” (Ellen White, Youth’s Instructor, December 20,
1900)
Christ was begotten in the express image of the Father’s person before
he came in the likeness of men. Some say that he wasn’t born or
begotten until he became a man. But the above tells us he was begotten
in the express image of his Father before he was made in the likeness of
men.
I truly believe that to deny that Christ really was a literal Son before
coming in the likeness of men denies the love of our Father. (1 John 4:9)
And it also makes the Father out to be a liar. (1 John 5:10) Because it is
denying what Father gave to His Son, the fullness of His divinity, his
Godhead, and it denies what Father is giving to us. His only begotten
Son, the fullness of the Godhead manifest.
Heb 1:3-5 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image
of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when
he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the
Majesty on high; (4) Being made so much better than the angels, as he
hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (5) For

unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day
have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall
be to me a Son?
He was in this form “Before Christ came in the likeness of men.”
Hebrews 1 refers to his God nature, which was “better than the
angels.”(Heb 1:4) Hebrews 2 refers to his human nature which was
“lower than the angels”(Heb 2:7-9)
Receiving the Comforter – The Holy Spirit – Christ in You
This is the new birth, this is necessary to becoming a Son of God.
Rom 8:14-16 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the
sons of God. (15) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again
to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry,
Abba, Father. (16) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that
we are the children of God:
Without receiving this, we are yet to become part of God’s family, yet to
become children. If when we are led by the Spirit we are receiving the
fullness of the Godhead and are fashioned in the similitude of the divine.
It is not any wonder that we are receiving Christ in us.
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the
glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the
hope of glory:
If the fullness of Godhead or divinity dwells in Christ bodily, and we are
the body of Christ, the manifestation of his body, the arms, legs, feet,
etc. Then we have received the fullness of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit.
If the fullness of that Spirit is manifest in his saints, then we should
recognize that “spirit of truth” when he comes. John said:
1Jn 4:1-6 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether
they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the
world. (2) Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that
confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: (3) And

every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is
not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard
that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. (4) Ye are
of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he
that is in you, than he that is in the world. (5) They are of the world:
therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. (6) We
are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God
heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of
error.
“Hereby know we the Spirit of God…hereby know we the spirit of
truth.”(1 John 4:1-6) We know it. He dwells in us. “Greater is He that is
in you”. Do you confess that He is dwelling in your flesh?(1 John 4:3,4)
Do you know Him? Do you know “the comforter…the Spirit of
truth”(John 14:16-18) Is Jesus Christ dwelling in your flesh? If we deny
him to be dwelling in our flesh, we are teaching antichrist doctrine.
Joh 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (17) Even the Spirit of
truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither
knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be
in you.
Many when they read these verses regarding the comforter or “spirit of
truth” stop right there. But Jesus is saying right here, “he dwelleth
with you, and shall be in you”. Who is dwelling with them? Jesus
answers in the next verse:
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
“The Saviour is our Comforter. This I have proved Him to be.” (Ellen
White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 8, page 49)
“The nights are long and painful, but Jesus is my Comforter and my
Hope.” (Ellen White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 19, page 296)
“Christ is everything to those who receive Him. He is their Comforter,
their safety, their healthfulness. Apart from Christ there is no light at

all.” (Ellen White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 21, page 372)
“There is no comforter like Christ, so tender and so true. He is touched
with the feeling of our infirmities. His Spirit speaks to the heart.… The
influence of the Holy Spirit is the life of Christ in the soul.” (Ellen
White, Review & Herald, October 26, 1897)
How does he manifest himself? In his disciples, in his angels.
“Work will be done in the simplicity of true godliness, and the old, old
times will be back when, under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, thousands
were converted in a day. When the truth in its simplicity is lived in every
place, then God will work through His angels as He worked on the day
of Pentecost, and hearts will be changed so decidedly that there will be a
manifestation of the influence of genuine truth, as is represented in the
descent of the Holy Spirit.” {Ellen White SpTB07 63-64}
So how then can we recognize this third manifestation of God’s divinity
or Godhead when it comes if we don’t know how it can be manifest like
it was through the angels on Pentecost, or through those who accept
Christ the comforter to dwell in them?
We are to “try the spirits.”(1 John 4:1) God will reveal it by the fruit.
(Gal 5:22, 23, Matt 7:20)
The Fruit of the Spirit – Peace
God’s spirit is a spirit that brings peace. Peace being the opposite of
war, or strife.
Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace.
The fruit of the spirit is “love, joy, peace”(Gal 5:22) When we have this
spirit there is no more strife, or fighting, no more feelings of self focus,
self justification, self defence.
Psa 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing
shall offend them.

To be defensive, or to strive with others, to complain is against the faith,
and is a sign that we have not got Christ dwelling in us, it is a sign that
we don’t have that “peace”, and that we are yet to become a “Son of
God” and filled with “the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.”(Eph
1:22, 23)
Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all,
and in you all.
And by this we know we are the children of God. When we receive the
Spirit of adoption.
Mat 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the
children of God.
When we accept the spirit of God there are no more divisions. There is
unity. When we don’t have the Holy Spirit, there are divisions.
1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying,
and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
When we do not have the Spirit, we are carnal, we have no unity, we
have division, we have no peace, we have strife.
Jas 3:14-18 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory
not, and lie not against the truth. (15) This wisdom descendeth not
from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. (16) For where envying
and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. (17) But the
wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy
to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and
without hypocrisy. (18) And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace
of them that make peace.
Summary:
1. God is a single person.
2. He has a Godhead, which is His divine nature.
3. He is the Father of Jesus Christ,

4. God is the fullness of the Godhead invisible to mortal sight. No man
has seen God at any time.
5. Christ is the only begotten Son of God.
6. Christ by inheritance received all the fullness of the Godhead
7. He is all the fullness of the Godhead visible.
8. And the Holy Spirit “is the Spirit in all the fulness of the Godhead.”
The third manifestation of His (God the Father’s) Godhead.
9. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter
10. Christ is the Comforter
11. We receive Christ in us.
12. We receive that Spirit
13. We receive of the fullness of the Godhead
14. When we have the Spirit, we have peace and unity among brethren
and we can no longer complain about others, or strive with one another,
or argue to win, because we know our identity as sons of God.
Obtaining the Fullness of The Holy Spirit
by Dr. Ken Matto
The subject of the fullness of the Holy Spirit is a touchy subject in
today’s theologically oriented church. The fullness to the Charismatic
(charismatic comes from the Greek word "charisma" which means a
gift of grace or that which is freely given) means the speaking in of other
tongues or some kind of miracle. To a non-charismatic, it may simply be
living a yielded spiritual life. This subject is often neglected in many

churches, thus robbing the people of living a Christ centered, victorious
Christian life. The Holy Spirit was not given to the believer on a rental
basis, by that I mean, to pick and choose the times in which a person
becomes spiritual. This means your job and home life should be as
spiritual as your Sunday church experience.
One of the biggest problems which the believer faces is that they do not
know how to appropriate the power and person of the Holy Spirit to live
a solid Christian life. How do I obtain the fullness of the Holy Spirit? I
believe the fullness is progressively obtained, as fullness will be a sign of
maturity in the believer. I want to discuss five areas, when coupled
together will bring the coveted fullness of spiritual living. Let me inject
at this point that when a person becomes saved, at the moment of
salvation, the receive the Holy Spirit in all His fullness. (Eph 1:3 KJV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath
blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: There
is never any more of the Holy Spirit to be given at a later date. The
situation remains is that even though we have received all of the Holy
Spirit, the question remains how do we appropriate Him into our life? It
is like someone who inherits one million dollars, they have all the
money, but how do they appropriate it for their benefit? Keep in mind
that God gave the Holy Spirit as a gift, He didn’t give us to the Holy
Spirit as a gift. The Holy Spirit is our helper, guide, comforter, and
sanctifier.
Search the Scriptures
The first area I wish to concentrate on is the searching of the Scriptures.
Here is the book that The Holy Spirit wrote through men whom He
inspired. He will give understanding to the simplest believer. The Bible
needs to be approached with faith, a seminary degree is not required,
though many Bible teaches and pastors make their people feel guilty for
not having one. The Holy Spirit will open a Christian’s eyes to all truth.

Schooling may be a guide but to fully understand the Scriptures, the
Holy Spirit goes beyond the surface interpretation and opens up hidden
treasures from the Scriptures. As we continue to search the Scriptures
we will also begin to see how the Bible will interpret itself, without the
aid of theological books. God has provided all believers with a personal
Bible instructor.
A believer may come to the Bible and see how wonderfully God has
dealt with so many people in the Bible and in so many ways. If one does
a general reading from the Old Testament, it may easily be seen how
God really protects and cares for His people. This knowledge can lay
encouraging groundwork for a person seeking the deeper spiritual life.
When searching the Scriptures, a believer should keep in mind the
thought from Ephesians 2:18:
(Eph 2:18 KJV) For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto
the Father.
The Scriptures will lay the foundation of our established relationship
with God, through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Obey the Scriptures
The next area of concentration is that of obedience to the Scriptures. As
we study the Scriptures we see that blessings accompany obedience and
judgment accompanies disobedience. A person must be absolutely
submissive to the Scriptures. The modern Christian fails to understand
the authority of Scripture. The Scriptures were given to us by God not
as a book to be dissected and analyzed but to be obeyed. Man’s intellect

is always getting in the way of our obedience to Scripture. We must
submit ourselves to the will of God as Christ submitted Himself on our
behalf.
The believer must declare a serious war on the old nature and start
exchanging his natural principles for living for spiritual principles. Here
again the Holy Spirit can be our first line of defense against unholy and
strong satanic suggestion which is aimed at our thought life. If Satan
can get the believer to obey him instead of the Holy Spirit, then he will
have a great victory, and may place another believer in the bondage of
disobedience, if the believer acts incorrectly. A believer is to be fully
surrendered to Christ, knowing that Satan will not cease his attacks.
Satan will use every opportunity to attack us, especially from the blind
side. He uses every tactic at his disposal to get the Christian to yield to
temptation. We must realize that Satan will go to all extremes to try and
disarm the believer. He is so bold that he even had the guts to tempt
Christ who is God. Satan knew that Christ is God because he was up in
heaven before he was ejected for sin. The believer is at war and must
stay alert to Satan’s snares. Obedience is very possible but one must be
led of the Spirit so they may discern the difference between obeying God
and obeying Satan. Many times Satan will dress up his schemes.
One good example of this is the divorce and remarriage madness that is
plaguing the church. A Christian gets divorced and immediately starts
dating, when they meet someone, they believe God has led them to be
together. They forget that God states in many places that that is
adultery (Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18; 1 Corinthians 7:39; Romans 7:2-
3) and God never leads anyone into sin.

The problem is that the church has rewritten the divorce laws. So when
a divorced person marries again does it look like they are obeying
Satan? Of course not but they are because God recognizes the first
marriage as proper, and all others with a spouse still living as adultery. I
have never heard a pro-remarriage preacher ever preach on the above
four sets of verses. If a believer chooses obedience to Christ, then he will
easily progress to the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is easily grieved by sin after all he is the HOLY Spirit
and the third person of the Godhead. We must always keep in mind that
the Holy Spirit dwells in us and whenever we sin, we take Him into that
sin. This causes us to grieve Him, which is sin itself. We must think of
the Holy Spirit as a near and dear friend whom we would never want to
offend. We must also view Him as Holy, Eternal God who is in us to
purify us and turn us away from sin and turn us toward God.
Your Spiritual Gifts
The third area of concentration that the believer must be willing to
engage in is seeking to discover their spiritual gifts. In my hearing some
years ago, Dr. Charles Stanley stated, "There are two steps to
developing a spiritual gift: The first is, learn to walk in the spirit;
secondly, develop the characteristics." At salvation all believers receive
a spiritual gift, some receive one, others more. The clue to knowing what
area God would have you in is keyed to knowing your spiritual gift. A
person should take an inventory of their spiritual and secular life, and
then determine in what areas are the strengths and weaknesses. For
example, a person might read a book or do a project, by means of using
in-depth research. If a person likes to dig deep into matters, that person
may have the gift of teaching.
A good teacher must dig deeper and harder into any subject. A person

who analyzes and categorizes every situation in their mind may have the
gift of teaching waiting to manifest itself outwardly. If the person does
nothing about developing this hidden gift, they will be quenching the
Holy Spirit. If this person is just contented to be a listener and not a
teacher, by means of his gift, then he is abusing his spiritual gift. What I
mean by abusing his spiritual gift is that he is neglecting to use it and is
quenching the Holy Spirit which is sin. A very subtle form of wife abuse
is when the husband always works late and the wife is home alone a
majority of the time. This is neglecting the wife and is comparable to
neglecting the Holy Spirit.
If God gives a person the gift of giving, then this person should not be a
teacher because he is out of his sphere of spiritual gifts. God has a
reason for giving certain spiritual gifts in the body and the He wants the
body of Christ to be edified completely, and this will not be done if
believers sequester their spiritual gifts or envy another’s spiritual gift.
Seek God’s Will to use that Gift
The fourth area of concentration which a believer must focus on is that
once they discover their spiritual gift, they seek God’s will and direction
on how to utilize that gift. I believe the reason that many believers are
very frustrated and dissatisfied with their life is that they fear God will
send them to live in a grass hut and teach the Bible to Cannibals, so they
hide in a day to day job which brings them no satisfaction. Many times
they give to missions believing that this is what God would have them to
do as their commitment. If God places a spiritual gift in us then He has
the right to expect us to use that gift in the place He assigns us, and
trusting that He will provide the place and the means to sustain us there.

He has an exact place where He wants us to be, and an exact ministry
whether it is in a missionary or a home office position. It doesn’t matter
because all places that God’s children are assigned are missionary
settings. God knows best how to distribute His children effectively to
make an impact for Christ. People are too fearful of the will of God,
really in essence they are saying they do not trust God. This grieves Him
because He knows that He can take better care of us than we can
ourselves. God waits for His children, but not forever, as He will raise
up another to do the job that He had planned for His original choice.
Take Action!
The first cousin to obedience is our fifth area of concentration which is
taking action once you have discovered God’s will for your life. If a
person is hungry and just looks at the food, it does no good until he eats
it. If God has opened the door on a ministry, then that believer is to
walk through that door trusting God for the results. The Holy Spirit will
direct that ministry for the believer. The fullness of the Holy Spirit is
only experienced when a believer is working to further the kingdom of
God. The Holy Spirit filled believer will be radiant with fruit, will face
the winds of adversity with confidence, because he knows that the Holy
Spirit has gone before him.
(Deu 31:8 KJV) And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will
be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither
be dismayed.
The fullness of the Holy Spirit is attained by a process of obedience and
is available to every believer. It is also known as progressive
sanctification which is not a process to attain salvation as salvation is by

grace alone and a one time act. This is not to say the Holy Spirit is given
out proportionately to match every step in our life, but rather that the
Holy Spirit dwells in all His fullness in every true believer.
Epilogue
The whole concept of obtaining the fullness of the Holy Spirit is called
the "Exchanged life." You are exchanging the things of the world for the
things of God. The more you continue to love the world, the less you will
experience the fullness of the Spirit. Do you think God can give peace
and joy to a believer who puts their faith in the lottery? Do you think
God will bless a believer who reads their horoscope, just for fun? This is
occultism and it is condemned by God. Be careful what you call
innocent fun, God may call it sin. As you begin to put off the old man
and begin to put on the new man, then you will experience the
progressive fullness of the Holy Spirit but there must be a conscious
effort in the believer’s life to mortify sin.
(Rom 8:13 KJV) For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye
through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
LIVING IN THE FULLNESS OF THE SPIRIT
Copyright © 2006 Trumpet Ministries, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL
VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society.
Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

There are only two ways a person can live. One is in the adamic nature.
The other is in the Holy Spirit. Each thought we think, each word we
speak, each deed we perform, is from either the adamic nature or the
Spirit of God.
It is God’s will that every saved person think, speak, and act in the Holy
Spirit. We of the Church are a firstfruits of what one day will be true of
every person on earth—on the present earth when the Lord returns,
and also on the new earth.
We Christians find that each day we are challenged to turn away from
our fallen nature and choose to behave in the Spirit of God.
Table of Contents
The Holy Spirit Is God
The Holy Spirit Directs Our Sanctification
The Holy Spirit Guides and Empowers Ministry
Living in the Fullness of the Spirit
LIVING IN THE FULLNESS OF THE SPIRIT
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap
destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will
reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7,8)
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the
sinful nature. (Galatians 5:16)
The Holy Spirit Is God
We of the Pentecostal movement need to understand the Holy Spirit is

God. We are baptized into the name of the Father, into the name of the
Son, and into the name of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God along
with the Father and the Son. Although He is an integral part of the one
Godhead, we see that the Spirit is an individual Person in His own right,
in the following passage:
Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but
anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in
this age or in the age to come. (Matthew 12:32)
We can be forgiven if we speak a word against the Lord Jesus, but if we
speak against the Holy Spirit we will not be forgiven. I think this
statement reveals clearly that the Holy Spirit is a Person in His own
right.
In our Pentecostal services we stress speaking in tongues, and also a
good feeling we may have from time to time accompanied by various
actions as we may feel inclined. The tongues and the feelings constitute a
large part of our understanding of the Holy Spirit.
I believe few believers speak in tongues more than this writer. I have
been speaking in tongues for over fifty years and find this gift to be an
invaluable aspect of the Christian experience, so valuable in fact that it
is difficult to imagine what life would be like apart from frequent
speaking in tongues.
Yet we must realize numerous believers speak in tongues at one moment
and then slander their neighbor at the next moment. How can this be? It
is because speaking in tongues is a gift we can exercise at will and is not
an evidence that we are walking in the Spirit of God. People who are
walking in the Spirit of God do not slander their neighbor!
As far as our feelings and actions during a fervent service, these may be
the result of various spirits present at the meeting, and how we act out is
the result of our own personality responding to how we feel.
We need to understand the Holy Spirit is God, not tongues, not
prophecy, not a feeling. He may provide these but He is God, not

manifestations.
It has become fashionable to pray to the Holy Spirit or to attempt to
command the Holy Spirit. These two practices are unscriptural and
should not be pursued.
The Holy Spirit always is pleased when we exalt the Lord Jesus and
pray to the Father in the name of Jesus. The Holy Spirit has been
charged by the Father to form a perfect bride and bring her to the
Lamb. He is not to be prayed to, worshiped, or commanded.
Only the Lord Jesus administrates the things of the Spirit of God.
The Lord Jesus Christ has gone into Heaven and is seated at the right
hand of the Father. God has sent the Holy Spirit into the world as a
Counselor, that He might take of the things of Christ and give them to
us.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be
with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him,
because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he
lives with you and will be in you. (John 14:16,17)
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my
name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have
said to you. (John 14:26)
The Holy Spirit leads us in our Christian walk. The Bible enables us to
discern what is right and wrong. But the Holy Spirit is the One who
actually guides us each day.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.
He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he
will tell you what is yet to come. (John 16:13)
Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
(Romans 8:14)
The Jews of the old covenant were led by the cloud and the fire.

On the day the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony, was set up, the
cloud covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the
tabernacle looked like fire. That is how it continued to be; the cloud
covered it, and at night it looked like fire. Whenever the cloud lifted
from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled,
the Israelites encamped. At the LORD’s command the Israelites set out,
and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over
the tabernacle, they remained in camp. When the cloud remained over
the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the LORD’s order and
did not set out. Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few
days; at the LORD’s command they would encamp, and then at his
command they would set out. Sometimes the cloud stayed only from
evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out.
Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out.
Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month
or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when
it lifted, they would set out. At the LORD’s command they encamped,
and at the LORD’s command they set out. They obeyed the LORD’s
order, in accordance with his command through Moses. (Numbers 9:15-
23)
If God would lead His people under the old covenant in such a
remarkable manner, how much more will the Spirit of God lead us
today if we will learn to pray and look for the Spirit’s leading?
The Lord Jesus Himself was led by the Spirit at all times.
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by
the Spirit in the desert, (Luke 4:1)
In fact, both John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus were filled with the
Spirit and were guided by the Spirit during their lifetimes.
Speaking of John:
For he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or
other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even

from birth. (Luke 1:15)
If we should be brought before public officials because we are a
Christian, we are not to take thought about how we are to answer. The
Holy Spirit will govern what we say in that hour.
Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry
beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the
time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. (Mark 13:11)
The Holy Spirit Directs Our Sanctification
In order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met
in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the
Spirit. (Romans 8:4)
The foundation of Christian teaching is the forgiveness, the
righteousness ascribed to us, that comes to us as a result of the blood
atonement made by the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary.
However, Romans 8:4 (above) is overlooked more often than not. In
order for the righteous requirements of the Law of Moses to be ascribed
to us we must live according to the Holy Spirit. This means we must:
Pray, read our Bible, gather with fervent saints (as possible), serve, give,
and do all else associated with the Christian discipleship.
It also is of the greatest importance that we count ourselves as crucified
with Christ and raised with Christ to the right hand of God in Heaven.
We must deny ourselves, take up our personal cross each day, and
follow the Lord Jesus.
We must keep the commandments given by the Lord in the Gospels and
through His Apostles in the Epistles.
We must present our body a living sacrifice as our reasonable service to
God.
We must look to the Lord Jesus for every decision of life.

We must confess our sins as the Holy Spirit points them out, receiving
God’s forgiveness, and then denouncing and renouncing our sins with
all vigor. Then we must draw near to God for continued fellowship.
For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the
Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because
those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. (Romans
8:13,14)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9)
We absolutely must do these things every day if we are to live according
to the Spirit of God.
As long as we are living according to the Spirit of God, the
righteousness of Him who kept the Law of Moses perfectly is ascribed to
us.
The Holy Spirit guides and empowers us in all aspects of the Christian
life, and always assists us as we come boldly to the Throne of Grace in
order to find help in our struggle against our sinful nature.
The holy, fruitful life we are seeking can never come from our fallen
nature. The fruit of the Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit, not of the
Christian.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things
there is no law. (Galatians 5:22,23)
As long as we are filled with the Spirit of God we can overcome the lusts
of our flesh.
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the
sinful nature. (Galatians 5:16)
We Christians are never to drink alcohol. This is because the Holy Spirit
and alcohol react on our body in a manner so similar that one rejects the

other. Notice in the following verse that Paul tells us to be filled with the
Spirit rather than with alcohol.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled
with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual
songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, (Ephesians 5:18)
We can make merry with alcohol and drugs or we can make merry with
the Spirit of God. The one leads to corruption and death, the other to
life and joy.
The true Christian life is impossible apart from the assistance of the
Holy Spirit. This especially is true as we think of the work of
sanctification, of being made holy in thought, word, and deed.
We simply cannot make ourselves holy. Our fallen nature is extremely
sinful and devious. No matter how noble our resolutions may be, various
aspects of our fallen nature will continue to bring us to frustration and
defeat.
However, if we will obey the commands of the Lord Jesus, and seek at
every moment to find the mind of the Spirit, we can go from victory to
victory. The Spirit is well able to help us overcome the world, Satan, the
lusts and passions of our flesh, and our self-will. The Spirit of God is
God and He can summon enormous power—enough power to make it
possible for you and me to say no to sinful impulses and temptations.
However, if we expect the Spirit to help us we must lead a disciplined
Christian life. There are things only God can do, and then things we
must do. God will not transform us morally apart from our cooperation.
How God and we are to cooperate is found in the books of the New
Testament.
The Holy Spirit Guides and Empowers Ministry
The Lord Jesus ministered as empowered and directed by the Holy
Spirit.
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him

spread through the whole countryside. (Luke 4:14)
Jesus is Christ, the one anointed by the Spirit of God:
The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach
good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the
prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,
(Luke 4:18)
The power of the Spirit that rested on Jesus enabled Him to deliver
those oppressed by demons. This is the authority and power of the
Kingdom of God.
But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God
has come upon you. (Matthew 12:28)
The Holy Spirit is God. He directs and empowers ministry. Get a sense
of the authority exhibited in the following verse:
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have
called them.” (Acts 13:2)
I don’t think we emphasize the above verse enough when considering
the work of missions.
In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas,
Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought
up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. (Acts 13:1)
Various prophets and teachers were worshiping the Lord and fasting.
They were seeking the mind of the Spirit. It is not said they were
planning missionary endeavors, although this may have been the case.
But notice how powerfully and authoritatively the Spirit spoke:
“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have
called them.”
We of today might discover that if we, from time to time, would wait on

the Lord, the Spirit would speak with just that same degree of authority.
We certainly need this today as so many different doctrines are
emerging. Numerous voices are proclaiming this and that, but is the
Spirit speaking?
The Jews were inquiring concerning the coming of the Kingdom of God
to the earth. The Lord directed their attention to the work of testifying
of His atoning death and triumphant resurrection. But they were not to
attempt such a witness in their own power.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you
will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to
the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
And then:
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other
tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:4)
The Holy Spirit gave the first Christian sermons:
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders
of the people!” (Acts 4:8)
The Spirit continued the work of bearing witness of the Lord Jesus:
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And
they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God
boldly. (Acts 4:31)
The Christian ministry is not so much that of transmitting information,
although the transmission of information can be of great importance.
However, even more important is the transmission of eternal life.
Moral darkness, spiritual corruption, is filling the earth today. The only
way we can overcome the hideous moral depravity is by being so full of
the Life of God that eternal life is transmitted to other people—not just
the facts of redemption, but the very life of redemption.
The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have

spoken to you are spirit and they are life. (John 6:63)
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (John 3:6)
It is the Holy Spirit who assigns the gifts of ministry.
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to
each one, just as he determines. (I Corinthians 12:11)
When we are filled with the Spirit of God we have the Divine authority
to bind and to loose. These are the keys of the Kingdom of God.
If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive
them, they are not forgiven.” (John 20:23)
Every aspect of Christian ministry must be sponsored by the Spirit of
God, otherwise it does not have eternal value in the Kingdom of God.
That which is of the flesh is flesh, and that which is of the Spirit is spirit.
There is such an enormous need today for the Life of Jesus Christ! The
moral corruption in the United States of America, for example, is
horrifying. And so throughout the world!
We may fret and fume, and seek for solutions. There is one solution—
the Holy Spirit of God.
The world would see Jesus. We in our flesh cannot bring Jesus to the
world. Only the Holy Spirit can bring Jesus to the world. Let us do all in
our power to gain more of the Holy Spirit so the chains of Satan can be
broken.
Living in the Fullness of the Spirit
I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who
is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. (Matthew 3:11)
As I said in the beginning, we of the Pentecostal movement may have
stopped at tongues and a few other manifestations. We need more of the
Spirit of God. We need to be filled with the Spirit of God. We need to

live in the fullness of the Spirit of God at all times. We need to be
baptized with the Spirit every day from now on. God grant this!
First we must choose to obey Christ in all that He said.
If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have
obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. (John 15:10)
We must obey His teaching if we would be filled with God.
Second, we must obey what the Lord tells us today.
We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God
has given to those who obey him. (Acts 5:32)
Third we must ask, ask, ask for the Holy Spirit.
Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to
him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have
nothing to set before him.’ Then the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother
me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I
can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, though he will not get up
and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s
boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. So I say to
you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and
the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who
seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of
you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or
if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you
are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more
will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
(Luke 11:5-13)
We always are to seek God’s will in all that we pray.
However, the parable above tells us something about God’s Nature that
may not always be clear to us. God responds to boldness and insistence.

We all want to have bread for those who come across our path. To give
people information about the blood atonement is important. Perhaps it
is more important that we communicate the Life of God to them. The
Kingdom of God is not in word but in power, the power of resurrection
life.
I think all of us in Pentecost need a new baptism, so to speak. We need
to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We need to live in the fullness of eternal
life.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they
may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which
you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of
many witnesses. (I Timothy 6:12)
The above two verses reveal that eternal life, which is the Spirit of God,
comes in degrees. We can have life, more life, or life to the full. We have
to take hold of eternal life. We have been called to live in the fullness of
eternal life, but eternal death continually strives to keep us in the
bondage of our sinful nature.
We see, then, that we need more of the Holy Spirit. We need more of the
Holy Spirit so we may escape from the bondages of our sinful nature.
We need more of the Holy Spirit so we can bring the Life of God to
other people.
To gain more of the Spirit we must obey the commandments of Christ
found in the Gospels and the Epistles.
If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the
Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—
(John 14:15,16)
To gain more of the Spirit we must obey what we believe to be God’s
will for us, and we must do this at all time and in all situations. If we are
not sternly obedient to God we are not going to be able to live in the

fullness of His Spirit.
Having obeyed His commandments, having sought to find His will and
perform it each day, we then must pray. We must ask and keep on
asking. We must seek and keep on seeking. We must knock and keep on
knocking. How long?
Until we receive. Until we find. Until it is opened to us.
It appears we often succumb to a spirit of inevitability concerning the
Spirit of God:
We speak in tongues so we are living in the Spirit.
We go to a Pentecostal church so we are living in the Spirit.
If God wants to use us He will move sovereignly on us and carry us out
of ourselves.
When we die we will receive more of the Spirit.
When we go to Heaven we will receive more of the Spirit.
There is no scriptural support whatever for the above suppositions,
except that in rare instances, such as in the case of Gideon, Moses, and
the Apostle Paul, God does intervene sovereignly in our life. For most of
us, however, we have to pray each day and desire God’s will and His
Spirit. Otherwise we go through life until we end up in a nursing home,
never having received the fullness of the Spirit.
Having once spoken in tongues, or continuing to speak in tongues, is not
an evidence that we are living in the fullness of the Spirit of God. The
fruit of the Spirit revealed in our personality is a more certain proof.
We can go to a Pentecostal church and behave like the devil himself.
There is no scriptural support for the notion that after we die we will
receive more of the Spirit of God and live in the fullness of the Spirit.
There is no scriptural support whatever for the assumption that when
we go to Heaven we will receive more of the Spirit of God and live in the

fullness of the Spirit.
It is today that we must ask, seek, and knock. We need to do this
continually. Our nation is sliding down into depths of depravity. Only
the Holy Spirit of God has the power to reverse this trend. Let us be
faithful to ask God, and keep on asking God, that we may live each day
in the fullness of the power of His Spirit.
(“Living in the Fullness of The Spirit”, 3264-1)
The Fullness of the Spirit
"Be Filled with the Spirit. "-Ephesians 5 :18
NOTHING CAN COMPENSATE the Church, or the individual
Christian, for the lack of the Holy Spirit. What the full stream is to the
mill wheel, that the Holy Spirit is to the Church. What the principle of
life is to the body, that the Holy Spirit is to the individual. We shall
stand powerless and abashed in the presence of our difficulties and our
foes until we learn what He can be, as a mighty tide of love and power in
the hearts of His saints.
Among the readers of these lines there may be many who are suffering
from different forms of spiritual weakness, all of which are directly
attributable to the lack of the Holy Spirit. Not that they are completely
destitute of Him, for if they were, they would not be Christians at all;
but that, being within them, He is present only as an attenuated thread,
a silver streak, a shallow brook. Why should we be content with this?
The Pentecostal fullness, the enduement of power, the baptism of fire,
are all within our reach. Let us be inspired with a holy ambition to get

all that our God is willing to bestow.
It is not difficult to show this contrast by analogies drawn from the
Word of God. May we not reverently say that the ministry of our
blessed Lord Himself owed much of its marvelous power to that
moment when, although filled with the Holy Spirit from His birth, He
was afresh anointed at the waters of baptism? With marked emphasis it
was said He was filled with the Spirit (Luke 4:1), and returned in the
power of the Spirit unto Galilee (v. 14), and stood up in the synagogue of
His native town, claiming the ancient prophecy, and declaring that the
Spirit of God was upon Him (v. 18). His wondrous words and works are
directly traced to the marvelous operation of the Holy Ghost upon His
human life (Acts 10:38).
Do you lack assurance? Sometimes you do not, for you feel happy and
content. But these happy hours are fled. and your rest is broken, as the
surface of the mountain tarp is overcast and ruffled by the gathering
storm. You need a basis of settled peace, and it is only to be found first,
in a clear apprehension of what Jesus has done for you; secondly, in the
sealing of the Holy Spirit. It is His sacred office to witness with our
spirit that we are the children of God. He is the Spirit of adoption,
whereby we cry, "Abba, Father!"
Do you lack victory over sin?This is not to be wondered at, if you
neglect the Holy Spirit. He is the blessed antidote to the risings and
dominion of the flesh. He lusts against the flesh, so that we may not
fulfill its lusts. When He fills the heart in His glorious fullness, the
suggestions of temptation are instantly quenched, as sparks in the ocean
wave. Sir can no more stand against the presence of the Holy Spirit than
darkness can resist the gentle, all-pervasive beams of morning light.

If, however, He is grieved, or resisted, or quenched so that His power
and presence are restrained, there is no deliverance for the spirit-
however bitter its remorse, or eager its resort to fastings, mortification
and regrets. The law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus can
alone make us free from the law o1 sin and death. But it can, and it will-
if we only yield ourselves to its operation.
Do you lack the fruits of holiness? Some whom we know are so evidently
filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are the praise of God, that
we are instinctively drawn to them. Their faces are bright with the
presence of the Lord, though they drink of the cup of His sorrows. Their
spirit is tender; their disposition sweet and unselfish, and their childlike
humility flings the halo of indescribable beauty over their whole
behavior. We lack these graces. There is little in us to attract men to
Christ; much to repel. Our boughs are naked and bare, as if locusts had
stripped them. And the reason is evident. We have not let the Holy Spirit
have His way with our inner life. Had the sap of His presence been
mightily within us, we should have been laden with luscious fruitage; it
would have been impossible to be otherwise.
Do you lack power for service? You have no burning thirst for the
salvation of others. You are not on fire for souls. You have never been in
agony over the alienation of men from God. And when you speak, there
is no power in what you say. The devils laugh at your attempts to
exorcise them. The sleeper turns for a moment uneasily, but soon falls
into profounder slumber than ever. The home, the class, the
congregation, yield no results. No handpicked fruit fills your basket. No
shoal of fish breaks your nets. No recruits accept your call to arms. And
you cannot expect it to be otherwise till you obtain the power which our
Lord promised when He said: '"Ye shall receive the power of the Holy
Ghost coming upon you." It was when the early Christians were filled
with the Holy Ghost that they spake the word of God with boldness and
gave witness with great power to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

These and many other deficiencies would be met. if only we were filled
with the Holy Spirit. There would be a joy, a power, a consciousness of
the Lord Jesus, an habitual rest in the will of God, which would be a
joyful discovery to us; if only we refused to be satisfied with anything
less than the full indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Mr. Spurgeon said once that he never passed a single quarter of an hour
in his waking moments without a distinct consciousness of the presence
of the Lord. When the Spirit fills the heart, Jesus is vividly real and
evidently near. What is He to you? Do you awake in the morning
beneath His light touch and spend the hours with Him? Can you
frequently look up from your work and perceive His face? Are you
constantly seeking from Him power, grace, direction? If He is but a
fitful vision, you have not realized the first mark of the Pentecostal gift.
Entire consecration to the service of the Lord Jesus is a great step in
advance of the experience of most Christians; but even that is not
enough. It is often largely negative; but we require something strongly
positive, to meet the necessities of our hearts and of our times. And this
is to be sought in our entire possession by that mighty Spirit whose
advent at Pentecost has dated a new era for the Church and the world.
Of course He was always in the world. It was the Holy Spirit of
Pentecost who brooded over chaos, and spoke in prophets and holy men,
and nerved the heroes and saints of the Old Testament time. The day of
Pentecost did not introduce a new Spirit into the world, but it
inaugurated an era in which the weakest and meanest of the saints
might possess Him in the same measure as they did who lived upon its
farther side. Before that momentous day His fullness was the
prerogative of only the few, the elite, the Elijahs, and Isaiahs and

Daniels, but since that day He has been shed forth in all His plenitude
on the many-on women and children; on obscure thinkers and hidden
workers; on hand-maids and servants; on all and any who were
prepared to fulfill the conditions and to abide by the results. Why not on
us?
We are willing to admit that the special gifts of the Holy Ghost belong to
the Apostolic age. Given for a specific purpose, they are now
withdrawn; though it is a serious question whether they might not have
been continued, if only the Church had been more faithful to her sacred
trust. But the special gifts of the Holy Ghost are altogether apart from
His blessed fullness. That is not the exclusive right of any age. Confined
to no limited era or epoch in the history of the Church, it pours its tide
of light and power around us, as the Nile in flood; nor is there a single
plot or garden-ground, however remote, into which it will not come, to
fertilize and enrich, if only the channel of communication be kept
cleansed and open.
Alas, that many think that the Almighty, like some bankrupt builder,
constructed the portico of His Church with marble, and has finished it
with common brick!
"Be filled with the Spirit" is an injunction as wide reaching in its
demands as "Husbands, love your wives," which is found on the same
page. It is a positive command, which we must obey for our good, and
all God's commands are enablings In other words, He is prepared to
make us what He tells u to become. Moreover, on the day of Pentecost, i
words which are the charter of our right to the full ness of the Holy
Spirit, the Apostle Peter told the listening crowds that the fullness which
had suddenly come on them from the ascended Lord-and which was a
direct fulfillment of the ancient prophecy was not for them only, or for
their children; but for as many as were afar off, even for them whom the

Lord God shall call. Are you one of His called ones Then rejoice because
that fullness is for you! Be no faithless, but believing! Lay claim at once
to the covenanted portion, and thank God for having cast your lot in an
age of such marvelous possibilities.
EXCITE HOLY DESIRE BY CONSIDERING WHAT THE
FULLNESS OF THE SPIRIT MEANS
We cannot expect to have it if we are quite content to live without it.
Our Father is not likely to entrust this priceless gift to those who are
indifferent to it possession. Where the flame of desire burns low there
can be no intelligent expectation that the Holy Spirit's fullness shall be
realized.
And it is not enough to have a fitful and inconstant desire, which flames
up today, but will remain dormant for months and years. There must be
steady purpose, able to stand the test of waiting (if need be) for ten days,
and to bear the rebuff of silence or apparent denial.
And yet the flame of desire needs fuel. We must muse before that fire
can burn. And it becomes us, therefore, to stir up the gift that is within
us by a quiet consideration of all that is meant by becoming Spirit-filled.
There is no book which will so move us in this direction as the Acts of
the Apostles. It is perfectly marvelous to see what this fullness did for
those who first received it. Cowards became brave. Obtuse intellects
which had stumbled at the simplest truths, suddenly awoke to
apprehend the Master's scheme. Bosoms that had heaved with rivalry
and suspicion and desire for earthly power, now thought each better
than himself and sought to excel in humble ministry to the saints. Such

power attended their words that crowds became congregations, Christ's
murderers became His worshipers and friends. Councils of clever men
were not able to withstand the simple eloquence of indisputable facts.
Towns and countries were shaken, and yielded converts by the thousand
to the unlearned but fervid preachers of the cross.
All this was simply attributable to the power which had become the
common property of the whole Church. And there is not a fragment of
reason why it should not do so much for us. And, as we contrast that
triumphant success to our halting progress, shall not we be filled with
uncontrollable longings that He should work similar results by us?
We may still further secure the same results by studying the biography
of saintly men belonging to recent centuries. Happy the man within
reach of a library, the shelves of which are well lined with books of holy
biography! He will never, never be in want of additional stimulus as he
reads the stories of McCheyne and W. C. Burns, of Brainerd and
Martyn, of Jonathan Edwards and others. He will not envy or repine;
but he will constantly lift eye and heart to Heaven, asking that as much
may be done through himself.
And moreover the promises of the Scriptures are enough to incite us to
the uttermost. That rivers of water should flow from us; that we should
never need to be anxious about our words, because they would be given;
that we should be taught all things, and led into the whole circle of
truth; that we should know Christ, and be changed into His image; that
we should have power-all this is so fascinating that it is impossible not to
glow with a holy desire to be charged with the Holy Ghost, as a jar with
electricity. And, if needs be, we shall be prepared to bear the test of long
waiting, as the faithful few did in the upper room.

SEEK THIS BLESSED FULLNESS FROM THE RIGHT MOTIVE
If you want it that you may realize a certain experience, or attract
people to yourself, or transform some difficulty into a stepping-stone,
you are likely to miss it. You must be set on the one purpose of
magnifying the Lord Jesus in your body, whether by life or death. Ask
that all inferior motives may be destroyed, and that this may burn
strong and clear within you.
God will not find water for us to use for turning our own water-wheels.
He will do nothing to minister to our pride. He will not give us the Holy
Spirit to enable us to gain celebrity, or to procure a name, or to live an
easy, self-contented life.
If we seek the Holy Spirit merely for our happiness, or comfort, or
liberty of soul, it will be exceedingly unlikely that He will be given. His
one passion is the glory of the Lord Jesus; and He can only make His
abode with those who are willing to be at one with Him in this. "Can
two walk together except they be agreed?" But if you are actuated
simply by the desire that the Lord Jesus may be magnified in you,
whether by life or death; if you long, above all, that men should turn
away from you to Him, as they did from John the Baptist-then rejoice,
because you are near blessing beyond words to describe. If your motives
fall below this standard, trust in Him to enlighten and purify them, and
offer Him a free entrance within. It will not then be long ere there shall
be a gracious response; and the Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly
come to His temple, and He shall sit as a refiner of silver, that the sons of
Levi may offer an offering in righteousness (Mal. 3:1-3).
CONSIDER THAT HOLY SCRIPTURE IS HIS SPECIAL ORGAN

A subtle danger besets the teaching of this helpful doctrine, and one that
we need to guard against. Some earnest people have magnified inner
light and leading of the Holy Spirit to the neglect of the Word which He
gave, and through which He still works on human hearts. This is a great
mistake and the prolific parent of all kinds of evil. Directly we put aside
the Word of God, we lay ourselves open to the solicitation of the many
voices that speak within our hearts; and we have no test, no criterion of
truth, no standard of appeal. How can know the Spirit of God in some
of the more intricate cases which are brought into the court of
conscience unless our judgment is deeply imbued with the Word of
God?
We must not be content with the Spirit with the Word, or with the Word
without the Spirit. Our life must travel along these two, as the
locomotive along the parallel rails. The Word is the chosen organ of the
Spirit; and it is only by our devout coot; with it that we shall be enabled
to detect His voice. It is by the Word that the Spirit will enter our heal
as the heart of the sun passes into our chambers w the beams of light
that enter the open casement.
We need a widespread revival of Bible study These mines of Scripture,
lying beneath the surface call loudly for investigation and discovery;
and those who shall obey the appeal, and set themselves to the devout
and laborious study of the inner meaning of the Word, shall be soon
aware that they have received the filling that they seek.
There is no better way of communing with God than to walk to and fro
in your room or in the open air, your Bible in hand, meditating on it and
turning its precepts and promises into prayer. God walks in the glades
of Scripture, as of old in those of Paradise.

BE PREPARED TO LET THE HOLY GHOST DO AS HE WILL
WITH YOU
The Holy Ghost is in us, and by this means Christ is in us; for He dwells
in us by the Spirit, as the sun dwells in the world by means of the
atmosphere vibrating with waves of light. But we must perpetually
-yield to Him, as water to the containing vessel. This is not easy; indeed,
it can only be accomplished by incessant self-judgment, and the
perpetual mortification of our own self-life.
What is our position before God in this respect? We have chosen Jesus
as our substitute; but have we also chosen Him by the Holy Spirit as our
Life? Can we say, like the Apostle: "Not I, but Christ liveth in me"? If
so, we must be prepared for all that it involves. We must be willing for
the principle of the new life to grow at the expense of the self-life. We
must consent for the one to increase, while the other decreases, through
processes which are painful enough to the flesh. Nay, we must ourselves
be ever on the alert, hastening the processes of judgment, condemnation
and crucifixion. We must kee true in our allegiance to the least behest of
the Holy Spirit, though it cost tears of blood.
The perpetual filling of the Holy Spirit is only possible to those who
obey Him, and who obey Him in all things.There is nothing trivial in
this life. By the neglect of slight commands, a soul may speedily get out
of the sunlit circle and lose the gracious plenitude of Spirit-power. A
look, a word, a refusal, may suffice to grieve Him in ourselves, and to
quench Him in others. Count the cost; yet do not shrink back afraid of
what He may demand. He is the Spirit of love; and He loves us too well
to cause grief, unless: there is a reason, which we should approve, if w
knew as much as He.

RECEIVE HIM BY FAITH
"As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, s walk ye in Him." Faith is
the one law of the Divine household. And as once you obtained
forgiveness and salvation by faith, so now claim and receive the Holy
Spirit's fullness.
Fulfill the conditions already named; wait quietly but definitely before
God in prayer, for He gives the Holy Spirit to thern that ask Him; then
reverently al propriate this glorious gift, and rise from your knee and go
on your way, reckoning that God has kept His word, and that you are
filled with the Spirit. Trust Him day by day to fill you and keep you
filled. According to your faith, so shall it be done to you.
There may not be at first the sound of rushing wind, or the coronet of
fire, or the sensible feeling of His presence. Do not look for these, any
more than the young convert should look to feeling as an evidence of
acceptance. But believe, in spite of feeling, that you are filled. Say over
and over, "I thank Thee, O my God, that Thou hast kept Thy word with
me. I opened my mouth, and Thou hast filled it; though as yet, I am not
aware of any special change." And the feeling will sooner or later break
in upon your consciousness, and you will rejoice with exceeding great
joy; and all the fruits of the Spirit will begin to show themselves.
BUT REMEMBER IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO BE FILLED ONCE FOR
ALL
Like the Apostles of old, we must seek perpetual refillings. They who
were filled in the second chapter of Acts were filled again in the fourth.
Happy is that man who never leaves his chamber in the morning
without definitely seeking and receiving the plenitude of the Spirit! He

shall be a proficient scholar in God's school, for the anointing which he
has received, like fresh oil, shall abide in him, and teach him all things.
Above all, he will be taught the secret of abiding fellowship with Christ,
for it is written, "As it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him."(1 John
2:27. )
Whenever you are conscious of leakage, when the exhaustion of service
has been greater than the reception of fresh supplies, when some new
avenue c ministry, or freshly discovered talent, or new department of
your being has presented itself, go again to the same source for a
refilling, a recharging with spiritual power, a re-anointing by the holy
baptism.
Three tenses are used in the Acts of the Apostle of the filling of the
Spirit, which have their counter parts still:
Filled: a sudden decisive experience for a specific work (Acts 4: 8) .
Were filled: the imperfect tense, as though the blessed process were
always going on (Acts 13:52;
Full: the adjective, indicating the perpetual experience (Acts 6: 8) .
There is, of course, more in the doctrine of the Holy Spirit than is at all
realized by this writer. The fiery baptism of the Holy Spirit may be
something far beyond. Let us not then be content to miss any thing
possible to redeemed men, but, leaving the things that are behind, let us
press on to those before striving to apprehend all for which we have
been apprehended by Christ Jesus.

GOTQUESTIONS.ORG
Question: "How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?"
Answer: An important verse in understanding the filling of the Holy
Spirit is John 14:16, where Jesus promised the Spirit would indwell
believers and that the indwelling would be permanent. It is important to
distinguish the indwelling from the filling of the Spirit. The permanent
indwelling of the Spirit is not for a select few believers, but for all
believers. There are a number of references in Scripture that support
this conclusion. First, the Holy Spirit is a gift given to all believers in
Jesus without exception, and no conditions are placed upon this gift
except faith in Christ (John 7:37-39). Second, the Holy Spirit is given at
the moment of salvation (Ephesians 1:13). Galatians 3:2 emphasizes this
same truth, saying that the sealing and indwelling of the Spirit took
place at the time of believing. Third, the Holy Spirit indwells believers
permanently. The Holy Spirit is given to believers as a down payment,
or verification of their future glorification in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:22;
Ephesians 4:30).
This is in contrast to the filling of the Spirit referred to in Ephesians
5:18. We should be so completely yielded to the Holy Spirit that He can
possess us fully and, in that sense, fill us. Romans 8:9 and Ephesians
1:13-14 states that He dwells within every believer, but He can be
grieved (Ephesians 4:30), and His activity within us can be quenched (1
Thessalonians 5:19). When we allow this to happen, we do not
experience the fullness of the Spirit's working and His power in and
through us. To be filled with the Spirit implies freedom for Him to
occupy every part of our lives, guiding and controlling us. Then His
power can be exerted through us so that what we do is fruitful to God.

The filling of the Spirit does not apply to outward acts alone; it also
applies to the innermost thoughts and motives of our actions. Psalm
19:14 says, "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer."
Sin is what hinders the filling of the Holy Spirit, and obedience to God is
how the filling of the Spirit is maintained. Ephesians 5:18 commands
that we be filled with the Spirit; however, it is not praying for the filling
of the Holy Spirit that accomplishes the filling. Only our obedience to
God's commands allows the Spirit freedom to work within us. Because
we are still infected with sin, it is impossible to be filled with the Spirit
all of the time. When we sin, we should immediately confess it to God
and renew our commitment to being Spirit-filled and Spirit-led.
"the Fullness Of The Holy Spirit"
By Kennedy Adarkwa
JOHN 4:13-14; 7:37-39; EPHESIANS 5:18-21
INTRODUCTION
The late Dr. Homer Lindsay tells the gripping story of an air tragedy
that occurred in his seminary days at Southwestern Seminary in Fort
Worth, Texas. One morning at breakfast, he was reading the Fort Worth
Star Telegram. An Article told of a tragic plane crash. A young student
was making one of his final training flights. Evidently, he froze at the
controls. Fear causes people to freeze up sometimes. His instructor was
heard yelling; “Turn over the controls!” “Turn over the controls!” The
student pilot did not. Both were killed in the crash. Tragedy can occur

when those who are in training do not turn over the controls to the wiser
instructor. In the Christian life, you and I must learn to turn over the
controls. I would like to share with you on the topic: “The Fullness of
the Holy Spirit.”
I. THE BIBLICAL BASIS FOR BEING FILLED
WITH THE SPIRIT (EPHESIANS 5:18)
Why do you and I who have been born of the Holy Spirit need to be
filled? We need to be filled because the Word of God commands us to be
filled. Therefore, it is safe to say that anyone who is not filled with the
Spirit is a defective Christian. Ephesians 5:18 states, And do not get
drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.
There are two commands in this verse. The first command is do not get
drunk. The second is be filled. One is a prohibition. The other is an
imperative. The command to be filled with the Spirit is binding on all
Christians everywhere in every age. In other words, the command to be
filled is timeless. There are no exceptions. Therefore, we must conclude
that since we are ordered, commanded, or obligated to be filled with the
Spirit, we are sinning if we are not filled. And your failure to be filled
with the Spirit constitutes one of the greatest sins against the Holy
Spirit.
When you received Christ as Lord and Savior of your life, the Holy
Spirit came to live within you. We call that the indwelling of the Spirit.
You were also brought into the body of Christ, which is called the
baptism of the Spirit. Then at the same time, you were sealed with the
Holy Spirit of promise. The Holy Spirit becomes resident within your
heart. He indwells you from then on forever. However, unfortunately,
when the Holy Spirit comes to live within us, He does not always get
control of our lives. Sometimes we push Him off into a closet in some
dark and unkempt corner of our soul. Yes, the Holy Spirit is an
occupant in your life, but He has no access to the TV room, or the
master bedroom, or the kitchen, or the garage. He is resident in your
life, but He is not the president of your life. Only when you come to the

place in your Christian experience where you understand the vital
importance of giving control of your life over to the Holy Spirit will you
be able to live the victorious life.
It is believed that the average church is filled with three different kinds
of people. First, there are those who come to church but do not know the
Lord Jesus Christ at all (the natural persons). The Holy Spirit does not
live in such persons so they cannot be filled with Him. Second, there are
others who are Christians, the Holy Spirit lives within them, but they
have never yielded the control of their life to the Spirit (carnal
Christians). They are believers but they do not live a very Christlike life.
They live on a carnal level. The flesh dictates their lives. Then the third,
there are others who consciously and knowingly have given over their
lives to the Spirit’s control. Such Christians live everyday with the
knowledge that there is power within them, the Holy Spirit, who is the
third person of the Trinity controls their life and destiny. I do not know
at which level you find yourself, but if you do not come to the place,
where the Spirit of God controls your life, your days, as a believer will
be marked by discouragement and defeat.
In Ephesians 5:18, the Apostle Paul draws a contrast between two
experiences. A person who is filled with alcohol is controlled or
dominated by alcohol. Its presence and power have overridden his
normal abilities and actions. I believe that most of us have seen what
drunkenness can do to a person. A person who is under the control of
alcohol is a changed person in a negative sense. A man in a well design
Stacy Adams’ suit begins to look like a homeless person. A shy person
becomes obnoxious and speaks profanity. A decent and well-mannered
person begins to shout obscenities to anyone he sees. Why does this
happen? It is because he is under the control of alcohol. To be filled with
alcohol can make you a fool. It is interesting that we often say someone
is under the influence of alcohol. On the other hand, when you are filled
with the Spirit, you are under the influence of the Spirit. Instead of
doing things in your own strength and abilities, you allow the Holy
Spirit to empower you. Unfortunately, many believers do not enjoy the
unlimited spiritual wealth at their disposal, because they are not filled

with the Holy Spirit. Some of you who are sitting under the sound of my
voice have spiritual gifts that are untapped or unused. You do not have
great concern to share Christ with lost people in your community or
neighborhood. There are some of you that your devotional life is uneven,
if not totally neglected, and you anticipate reading the newspaper more
than reading the Bible. If you pray, it is a cheerless duty and a tedious
task rather than a joy.
Christians have more technology and equipment for evangelizing the
world than ever before. And there are better-trained personnel. But one
of the great tragedies of our time is this: Many Christians so often lack
the fullness of the Spirit and total dependence for God’s power for
ministry. Illustrations of the spiritual power that many Christians need
but lack can be found in the first century church. It was said of the first
century church in one city: These men who have turned the world
upside down have come here also (Acts 17:6). There are four things said
about the command to be filled with the Spirit. First, it is an imperative.
That means it is not optional. This is not something you need weeks and
months to ponder. The Bible says every believer no matter who you are,
and no matter how long you have been saved, is commanded to be filled
and controlled by the Holy Spirit. The statement is not a suggestion, it is
an imperative, and it is a command. Second, it is in the plural rather
than the singular form. The command is not given exclusively to some
super spiritual saints or Christians. It is not given to some elite class or a
selected few. It is not a private command for pastors, deacons or church
leaders. It is for every born again believer.
A Christian should not attempt to teach Sunday school class, serve on a
committee, sing a song, preach a sermon, or witness to an unbeliever
unless he/she is filled with the Holy Spirit. Third, it is in the passive
voice, which means the subject is being acted upon from a source other
than himself/herself. Nevertheless, when we become Christians we are
not passive in receiving the Spirit’s fullness. When a person is drunk, he
is not passive. He gets drunk by drinking alcohol. A believer becomes
filled with the Spirit by drinking from the fountain of the Spirit. The
truth of the matter however, is that you cannot fill yourself with the

Holy Spirit. The filling comes from an external source. You are to place
yourself in a position where the Spirit can control you. Fourth, it is in
the present tense. Unlike the indwelling, baptism, and sealing of the
Spirit, the filling of the Spirit is a repeated event. The indwelling,
baptism, and sealing are positional truths, but the fullness of the Spirit
is practical truth. The text says, be being filled with the Holy Spirit;
continually give the control of your life to Him. As I grow in the Lord, I
have come to understand that being filled with the Spirit is an ongoing
process. As I read and study the Bible, the Holy Spirit reminds me of
certain areas of my life that need to be yielded to Him. I then pray and
give the control over to Him. You must never think that being filled with
the Spirit is a once- and- for- all event. Being filled is a continuous thing,
everyday seeking that the Lord will control our lives by His precious
Holy Spirit.
In the NT, we find many people who were filled with the Holy Spirit.
For instance, the entire family of John the Baptist knew the filling of the
Holy Spirit. In Luke 1:67, we read that John’s father, Zacharias, was
filled with the Holy Spirit. In Luke 1:41 John’s mother, Elizabeth, was
filled with the Holy Spirit. In Luke 1:15 John himself, we are told, will
be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from birth. On the Day of Pentecost,
the 120 disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4). In Acts 4:8
Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit again. The disciples were filled with
the Holy Spirit after they had prayed for boldness to proclaim the word
of God (Acts 4:31). The seven people chosen as leaders in Acts 6 were
Spirit-filled men. The Apostle Paul knew the experience of being filled
with the Spirit. If the first century Christians were filled with the Holy
Spirit, you and I can also be filled. If they needed this experience then,
you and I need it now.
II. FILLED FOR A PURPOSE
Why does God want us to be filled with the Spirit? God has a purpose in
commanding us to be filled with the Spirit. In Acts 4:31 the disciples
were filled with the Spirit to proclaim the word of God. The greatest
question you need to ask yourself is, "What is my motivation in wanting

to be filled with the Spirit"? Do you desire this fullness merely for self-
enjoyment and self-gratification, or in order that Christ might be
glorified?
A. We are filled to glorify Christ. Sometimes people seek the fullness of
the Holy Spirit for some type of emotional experience. Some seek
certain sensation because they see other believers who may have had a
particular experience, which they believe has come from the Holy Spirit.
Some seek the fullness for wrong reasons. However, the purpose of
filling is that we may glorify Jesus Christ (John 16:14). One of the tests
of a Spirit-filled life is, “Is Christ becoming more and more evident in
my life?” Are people seeing more of Him and less of me? A person who
is filled with the Holy Spirit may not even be conscious of it. Not one
biblical character said, I am filled with the Spirit. Others said it about
them, but they did not claim it for themselves.
B. We are filled with the Spirit to live a holy life for Christ. God wants
us to live lives that glorify His name. And it is only when we are filled
with the Spirit can we glorify God. The Holy Spirit is the one who
empowers us to live holy lives. Without the Holy Spirit, you cannot live
a holy life.
C. The fullness of the Holy Spirit empowers us for service. We are filled
with the Holy Spirit to serve God and others. The fullness of the Holy
Spirit made a difference in Peter’s life (Acts 2 & 4:8). The seven men
chosen for practical ministry in Acts 6 were filled with the Holy Spirit.
To be filled with the Holy Spirit as I said earlier is not optional, but a
divine necessity. It is indispensable for the abundant life and fruitful
service. The Spirit-filled life is not abnormal; it is the normal Christian
life. Anything less is subnormal; it is less than what God wants to
provide for His children. Therefore, to be filled with the Spirit should
not be regarded as unique experience for a select few. It is intended for
all, needed by all, and available to all Christians.
III. THE RESULTS OR CONSEQUENCES OF
BEING FILLED VV. 19-21

The first result of being filled with the Spirit is fellowship (v. 19).
Speaking to one another in Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. This is a
spiritual fellowship for we do not address one another in the language of
the world but in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. We need more
spiritual fellowship than gossip among Christians. A believer who
gossips is not Spirit-filled but carnal-minded. Christian fellowship
encourages one another to worship the living God.
The second result of being filled with the Spirit is praise and worship
(19b). Youth and others who do not participate in singing, you are
missing a great part of praise and true worship. Some of you say I do
not know the song. Listen to the lyrics and sing along. If you want to
sing only songs that you are familiar with, then your worship will be
stale, because Christians are always composing and producing worship
songs. You learn to do something by doing it. True worship is no mere
external ritual performed only in houses of worship. Rather it is that
warm-hearted praise and thanksgiving that comes only from a Spirit-
controlled heart. Jesus said, God is Spirit and they that worship Him
must worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). The Holy Spirit
produces such worship in the heart of a believer who is Spirit-filled. The
natural expression of a Spirit-filled life is worship to the King of Kings
and Lord of Lords. Even in times of sorrow or suffering the child of
God, filled with the Spirit, will praise Him. Such is the natural
expression of the Spirit controlled life.
Third, the Spirit-filled believer has an attitude of gratitude (v. 20). Paul
wrote to the Colossians, And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all
in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the
Father (Col. 3:17). In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul writes, In everything
give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do you
know the opposite of gratitude? It is complain or groan. The Greek
word for complaining is gogysmos. It is like the sound of bees that have
been disturbed from their hive. Paul is saying that a Spirit-filled person
is the one who has an attitude of gratitude. Some people say it is
humanly impossible to give thanks to God in everything. That is correct.
It is not humanly possible; it is possible only in the heart that is filled

with the Holy Spirit. Some Christians give thanks to God when things
are going well; Spirit-filled believers give thanks to God always for all
things.
Finally, the Spirit-filled Christian is a submissive person (v. 21). Are you
submissive to your parents? Are you submissive to your spiritual
leaders? When the flesh is in control, self-expression dominates and the
harmony is disrupted. When believers are Spirit-filled, there is mutual
submission, never self-assertion. The Apostle Paul says when spiritual
fellowship, praise and worship, an attitude of gratitude, and submission
are evident in your life then, you are being filled with the Spirit.
Be Filled with the Spirit
Resource by John Piper
Scripture: Ephesians 5:18 Topic: Sanctification & Growth
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled
with the Spirit.
The apostle Paul commands in Ephesians 5:18 that we be filled with the
Spirit. Therefore, I want to try to answer two questions today: What
does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? And, how can we be filled with
the Spirit? I think it might help you follow me if I tell you at the outset
where I am going. So I’ll start with my conclusions and then give the
biblical support. I think being filled with the Spirit means, basically,
having great joy in God. And since the Bible teaches that “the joy of the
Lord is our strength” (Nehemiah 8:10), it also means there will be power
in this joy for overcoming besetting sins and for boldness in witness.

But, basically, it means radiant joy, because the Spirit who fills us is the
Spirit of joy that flows between God the Father and God the Son
because of the delight they have in each other. Therefore, to be filled
with the Spirit means to be caught into the joy that flows among the
Holy Trinity and to love God the Father and God the Son with the very
love with which they love each other. And then, in answer to the second
question, the way to be filled with the Spirit is by trusting that the God
of hope really reigns — that not a sparrow falls to the ground apart
from his will (Matthew 10:29) — and that he runs the world for you and
for all who trust his word. In believing that, you will be filled with the
Holy Spirit and with joy.
“To be filled with the Spirit means to be caught into the joy that flows
among the Holy Trinity.”
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With the spread of Pentecostalism in this country and in the third
world, there has been a lot of discussion about the New Testament
phrases “filled with the Spirit” and “baptized with the Spirit.” I feel
some obligation, therefore, today not merely to interpret Ephesians 5:18
in its immediate context, but also to orient what I say in the wider New
Testament teaching.
What Does ‘Baptize in the Holy Spirit’ Mean?
The phrase “baptize in (or with) the Holy Spirit” was apparently coined
by John the Baptist. All four of our gospels record that he said, “I have
baptized you with water, but he (i.e., Jesus) will baptize you with the
Holy Spirit” (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33). The only
two writers in the New Testament who refer elsewhere to the phrase

“baptize with the Spirit” are Luke in the book of Acts, and Paul in 1
Corinthians. Luke refers to it twice, quoting John each time (Acts 1:5;
11:16), and Paul refers to it once (1 Corinthians 12:13). But I don’t
think Paul and Luke use this phrase to refer to the same thing. For Paul,
it is virtually identical to regeneration or new birth (conversion). For
Luke, it is essentially the same as being filled with the Spirit and refers
to that first introductory experience of this fullness.
I’ll try to show very briefly why I think this. First, we must never
assume that a particular phrase means exactly the same thing every
place it occurs in Scripture. Good interpretation lets a word or phrase
mean whatever the immediate context demands. What really matters in
Scripture is not that a phrase everywhere has the same meaning, but
that the reality which a phrase describes does not contradict other
descriptions of reality in the Bible. So Paul and Luke need not use the
phrase “baptized with the Spirit” in the very same sense. Paul uses the
phrase only once. He says in 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13:
Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of
the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For by one
Spirit we were all baptized into one body — Jews or Greeks, slaves or
free — and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
According to this one reference, Paul conceived of Spirit-baptism as the
act by which the Spirit made us members of Christ’s body. Once we
were alienated from God, cut off from Christ (Ephesians 2:12), but then
the Holy Spirit swept over us and brought us to life by uniting us to the
living Christ and thus to his people in one body. This is a once-for-all
event. It is never repeated, and nowhere does Paul (or Luke) ever
admonish a Christian to be baptized by the Spirit.
But Luke seems to mean something different by the phrase, namely,
something essentially the same as being filled with the Spirit, which is
not a once-for-all event (for Luke and for Paul) but an ongoing or
repeated occurrence. The evidence for this comes from the book of Acts.
In Acts 1:4–5, Luke reports that Jesus, just before he ascended to the

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