Friday, August 18, 2023

Filled with the Spirit

As believers in Christ, we are commanded to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). To be filled with the Spirit is to yield to the love and power of God (Ephesians 3:19; Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit fills us with the love of Christ to do the will of God. The Holy Spirit fills us with power to effectively witness for Christ (Acts 1:8).

On the Day of Pentecost the disciples were both baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5; 2:4). They were baptized with the Holy Spirit to become one body in Christ collectively (1 Corinthians 12:13). They were individually filled with the Holy Spirit. Nowhere in Scripture are we commanded to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. We are commanded to be filled, and to keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).

Believers are filled with the Spirit through prayer. And when they had prayed ... they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31). The apostle Paul wrote his prayer for all believers to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:14-21). Those who are filled with the Holy Spirit are filled with God's love.

Believers are filled with the Spirit yielding to Jesus Christ our Lord. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is the will of God for every believer. We are empowered to witness for Christ, live for for the Lord, and minister to others in Jesus name. What the Lord wants us to do, the Lord empowers us to do.