Filled with the Spirit

Ephesians 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

Yesterday I preached a message on Peter's denial of Christ. In the message I pointed out that after receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit Peter was a different man. We read in the book of Acts that Peter became a bold witness for the Lord Jesus. When Peter denied Christ, he was operating in the flesh. In Acts Peter is filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter went from coward to courageous.

The main idea of the sermon yesterday is that we will be witnesses if we are filled with the Holy Spirit, the same way Peter became a witness once he was filled with the Holy Spirit. I wish I had time yesterday to explain how to be filled with the Holy Spirit. I did not. So I thought I would talk about it here.

Theologically we must understand that we all receive the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation. It is not another event in the life of the believer, but rather it is simultaneous with salvation. So when Ephesians 5:18 tells us to be filled with the Holy Spirit, we need to understand, the Holy Spirit does not leak out of us. To be filled with the Spirit means to allow yourself to be guided by the Spirit. It is possible even after getting saved to live carnal. That is, to live fleshly. It is possible to deny the Holy Spirit control of our lives. Some would argue that point with me. I would submit to you the notion that those who disagree with me have not carefully studied 1 Corinthians 3. Paul clearly addresses the Corinthians as believers. These were not lost people. They were just behaving carnally. They were not allowing the Holy Spirit who dwelt in them to have control of them. The result was behavior and attitudes that did not glorify God. We need to remember that the Holy Spirit wants to guide us into behavior and attitudes that glorify the Lord. That is the ultimate goal of the Holy Spirit.

Once we receive the Holy Spirit we then must be yielded to Him in order to appropriate His power in our lives. Acts 1:8 says: "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you....." I want to emphasize that word "power". With the Holy Spirit comes supernatural "power". Through the Spirit you can do things that are only attributable to the power of God......for example, witnessing for Christ when left to your own devices you would be silent. Add the "power" of the Holy Spirit and otherwise timid people become bold witnesses for Jesus.

I use the word yielded because the Holy Spirit wants to be our "guide". He is the one who communicates to us the will of the Father moment by moment in our lives. We must be yielded in the sense that we are listening to Him. If we are in a state of prayer constantly, asking the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us moment by moment in our lives, He speaks to us in the small still voice...... When we hear the small still voice of the Holy Spirit and follow His prompting, that is when the power surge kicks in!! That which we would not have the ability to do own our own, the Holy Spirit empowers us to do.

It starts with a listening heart...... The Holy Spirit wants to guide you.....are you listening?

Stay tuned for more on being filled with the Holy Spirit on this blog in the coming days.