Be Filled With The Spirit

Be Filled With The Spirit

What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit?

We were taught that a believer needs to be filled with the Spirit over and over again. You need to keep receiving prayer & impartation to be filled more and more in the Spirit.

This is often equated with power.

Nothing is further from the truth, because this is not in the Word.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. - Eph 5:18-20

Scriptures interpret Scriptures. Let's look at the following.

Let 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Col 3:16-17

To be filled with the Spirit is the same as to be filled with the Word aka 'let the Word of Christ dwell in you'. The word 'dwell' is to reside, to abide (John 15:7).

In other words, when we let the Word of Christ dwell (abide) in us, we are surrendered to the Spirit aka 'filled with the Spirit'. We are under the influence of the Spirit (instead of the influence of the wine; Eph 5:18).

To be filled with the Spirit is the SAME as to live in the Word. It is not flaky, spontaneous or mystical. It is according to the written Word. 

The result of 'filled with the Spirit' is not power, but with a heart that continually praises and thank God, as well as lifting one another up (Eph 5:18-20; Col 3:16-17). 

No one can pray and impart this to you. This is why Paul instructed the church to do it as a command.