How to Be Filled with the Spirit is found in the Scripture
The command and admonition here in this passage is to be filled with the Spirit, but for believers to understand how the filling of the Spirit works, there is a comparison between a man that is filled with alcohol, and he is intoxicated by the alcohol, and also a man that is filled with the Spirit of God is or must be controlled by the person that filled him.
Ephesians 5:17–21 KJV
[17] Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
[18] And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
[19] Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
[20] Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
[21] Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
How does one receive the Holy Spirit?
Ephesians 1:13–14 KJV
In whom ye also trusted, after that, ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
2 Corinthians 1:22 KJV
Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
2 Corinthians 5:5 KJV
Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
Then just because you have indwelled by the Holy Spirit does not mean that you are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Developing A Spiritual Warfare Mentality
What is it like to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
For example, when you have a visitor, you allowed them into your house but then you don’t give them access to all the rooms in your house.
When you allowed the Holy Spirit to Control you, you are giving the Holy Spirit the key to every part of your life.
Job?
Relationships?
Hobbies?
Activities?
To be filled is like filling a cup with water. We must see our life as a cup and endeavor to keep filling our lives with the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit of God can come upon both believers and unbelievers.
However, for believers, we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We must be indwelled with the Holy Spirit first before we can be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Thus, salvation is the prerequisite for being filled with the Spirit. If you are not saved, you cannot be filled with the Spirit of God.
1. We must begin with a clean mind (Eph 5:17)
The will of God also is for our sanctification, there is a will of God for every Christian, and that is exactly what you ought to Understand, and let’s see what the Bible teaches on it.
1 Thessalonians 4:3–4 KJV
[3] For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
[4] That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
We must not be unwise about the things of God. We must understand what the Lord has decreed for us through the Holy Scriptures.
Our mind controls our desires, which in turn controls our words and actions. We must not fill our minds with the things of the world.
Unlike what the world teaches, we must not empty our minds.
Instead, we must cleanse our minds with the Word of God. Only after our mind is cleansed, then the Spirit of God can fill it.
The Bible is for our sanctification after we are saved, the more Scriptures you have in you, the more you begin to think Scripturally, and not fleshly.
[17] Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Memorizing the Word of God by itself is not enough, we must also study and understand it.
Don’t just live your Christian life on Sunday Sunday dose, you need to study Bible yourself, and through then your mind will Be purged from things that are not supposed to be there.
Psalm 119:9–10 KJV
[9] Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
[10] With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
The study of God’s Word must result in our obedience to God’s Word. How have we been studying God’s Word?
Have we increased in the knowledge of the Word of God? Has it helped us in our walk with God?
Every time we are exposed to the world, it dirties our mind and we must use the Word of God to cleanse it.
2. Continue to keep it clean (Eph 5:18a)
Many people have gotten into trouble when they are drunk with wine.
They lose control of their mind and being. This is why we need to practice total abstinence from alcohol.
People also can be drunk with materialism. We must be careful not to be obsessed with the pursuit of the mammon.
When you are controlled by outside sources instead of the Spirit of God, you will begin to lose control and make foolish decisions.
3. Every area of our lives must be filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18b)
We must allow the Spirit of God to fill all areas of our lives.
Whether it be a husband-and-wife relationship, a student, or an employee, we must all be filled with the Holy Spirit and glorify God.
If our walk with God is not good, we must work on it while we still have time.
A Spirit-filled life is a life that is victorious in Christ, and then we will begin to live an abundant life that Christ promised to us.
Conclusion
Are you filled with the Spirit or Self? If you are filled with God’s Spirit, it will bring about the fruit of the Spirit.
But if you are filled with self, it will always lead to carnality in our Christian life.
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