Filled With the Spirit

 


Every believer should desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

The above statement is fraught with doctrinal issues as many people look at the Holy Spirit in different ways. Let us tread into these turbulent waters focusing on scripture and allowing scripture to interpret scripture.

Too often I hear about how people were moved to do some rather unusual things "by the spirit". While I will try never to put God in a box by restricting Him as to what I think He can do, it is important to understand that God will only do what it is in His nature to do. For example, can God tempt us to sin? After all, He is all powerful. No! It is stated categorically that God does not tempt anyone (James 1:13-15). It is not in His nature to do so. 

What is the nature of the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity? I believe the best summation comes from 2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Paul explains the manifestation of the Holy Spirit's power as the "Gifts of the Spirit" in 1 Corinthians 12:1-13 and Galatians 5:16-23. In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul shows how the Holy Spirit is love. But it is about self-discipline that I want to concentrate.

When I do a key word search with the words "filled" and "spirit" you get 25 responses on BibleGateway.com when you use the New Living Translation, the Geneva Bible and the New American Standard Bible. Interestingly, there are a number of passages from the Old Testament regarding being filled with the Spirit (including Genesis 41:38 referring to Joseph, Exodus 28:3, 31:3 and 35:31 all referring to wisdom, ability and expertise). 

In the New Testament, Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit not only on the day of His baptism but also while he grew (Luke 2:40), and when He spoke at Nazareth (Luke 4:14) and in His prayer of Thanksgiving (Luke 10:21).  

In the Book of Acts the believers are continuously filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:52) in addition to Pentecost (Acts 2:4), Peter speaking before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:8) and then all the brethren after Peter and John were released (Acts 4:31). 

In each of these examples and others that I did not link to, the act of being "filled with the Spirit" was accompanied by self-discipline - that is the nature of the Holy Spirit. Yes, great things happened along with signs and wonders. However, there is no depiction of uncontrolled behavior by anyone who is "filled with the Spirit". Indeed, all of these examples show the receiver of the Spirit to be more in control and more effective in doing the will of God - which is what Jesus said was the only job He had (John 4:34).

If you believe that the Holy Spirit moves people to do things they cannot control, then you are on very thin or non-existent scriptural ground. Attributing uncontrolled actions to the Holy Spirit takes away from the glorification of God, it does not add to it. Reverence for God is very important. Be very careful to always keep this in perspective.

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