What do we mean by “filled with the Holy Spirit?”
How are we filled with the Holy Spirit? (This is part one of a series on How to be filled with the Holy Spirit (add later Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 links). For me there are four thoughts behind the term – “Filled with the Holy Spirit”
1. When one first follows Jesus, there is a placement of the Holy Spirit into one’s life.
The Holy Spirit is a marker, a guarantee, of our inheritance in God’s kingdom. (1 Cor. 12:13). The full presence of the Spirit is given, but the full anointing is not always seen or experienced.
A.W. Tozer shares “Everyone has the filling of the Spirit but not the anointing.”
Check out this post to learn more about who the Holy Spirit is, and his role in the believers’ life.
2. Connection to the Sanctification process.
“In what may be an over-simplification, salvation depends on Christ as our Saviour; sanctification seeks to establish Christ as the Lord of our life.”
As Jesus becomes Lord of our life, there is opening to the power of the Spirit in a greater capacity. As Jesus becomes Lord of all areas of our life, the Spirit can flow through us in a greater capacity.
Resources:
This is an older resource, but may help to stir some thoughts.
http://www.wesleyan.org/d/TSyVx/The-Baptism-with-the-Holy-Spirit-Greathouse.pdf
3. Extra Anointing moments or refreshing moments.
The giving of the Spirit to an individual or group for a task or the mission of the Church.
The giving of the Spirit to an individual or group for a refreshing, restarting of faith, or refocusing of mission to a group of believers.
4. Someone following the leading of the Spirit.
Paul says in Galatians that we are not controlled by the Spirit, so we should keep in step with the Spirit. As we do that, the fruit of the Spirit is produced in our life. Thus, when we speak of someone filled with the Spirit, there is a recognition that they are not only being led by the Spirit, but also following the Spirit.
This is an area not all believers in Jesus will agree on, but it is my working understanding.
Next week we will start to help you understand how to be filled with the Holy Spirit in your life.