If your car runs out of petrol then you won’t get very far. The Holy Spirit is the fuel of the Christian life. You won’t get far in the Christian life. Is the Holy Spirit filling you? You will run in trouble if you try to do things for God without the filling of the Spirit.

1 – It is a real experience

We are called to be filled by the Holy Spirit. It is something that is not optional. Every believer is to be filled with the Spirit of God. Throughout the New Testament there are many verses of Jesus and his followers being filled with the Spirit.

It is not the same as the regeneration of the Spirit. It is not the same as being indwelt by the Spirit. It is not the same as the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is not the same as the sealing of the Holy Spirit. These are things that happen when we receive Jesus as our personal Saviour. It is when we allow the Holy Spirit to take control of us. It is something that we experience. We do things we could not ordinarily do. We are different because the Holy Spirit has taken control over our life. Satan wants us to rebel against God. He managed to convince a third of the angels so he certainly convince us!

2 – It is a repeated experience

We are to be continually kept filled with the Holy Spirit. It is not a once for all experience. We must do it every day. If you put petrol in your tank that doesn’t keep you going for ever. You have to keep filling up. You could be riding high spiritually one day and the next day suddenly you are carnal. We need to spend time with God each day. We need to be continually be filled with Holy Spirit. We are filled when we yield. We can’t be filled by our own effort. The Holy Spirit is a person and we are to let him be dominant in our lives. There is divine power that is beyond our reason and ability.

3 – It is a remarkable experience

• A powerful contrast – Don’t be drunk with wine but be filled with the Holy Spirit. Many people drink to get away from things in life and with drunkenness you lose the ability to do things. The Holy Spirit has a contrasting effect. He will influence you to do things that you wouldn’t normally do.
• A personal command – We are commanded to allow the Spirit of God to fill us. You are either filled with the Holy Spirit or living a life of sin. The Holy Spirit is to cover you completely. It is a command for all believers.
• The precious consequences – There will be a spirit of gladness about you. You will be singing in your heart. It doesn’t say that you can sing but a desire to sing! You don’t have to audition to be in God’s choir. God listens to the heart rather than the voice. There will also be a spirit of gratefulness about you. When things are really tough in your life it is the Spirit of God that allows you to still be grateful. The Devil hates people who are filled with the Spirit of God. He can’t stop them. Every day is a day of thanksgiving if we are filled with the Spirit of God. There is a gracefulness if you are filled with the Spirit of God. You don’t put your needs above everyone else. This helps in marriage and church splits.

4 – How to be filled with the Holy Spirit

• Request – Ask the Lord to fill you every morning with the Holy Spirit. You don’t have it because you don’t ask for it.
• Release – How can the Spirit take over when there are other things crowding Him out? It can be sin or other things we want to hold onto to. We need to let go and give it all over to God.
• Receive – We need to receive the Holy Spirit. We need to let Him take control. He will take over your life for good. The Holy Spirit will encourage you for good and for the good of others. He is your encourager.

Categories: Ephesians