Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for our Lord Jesus Christ. — Ephesians 5:18-20
After I began to share my experience with other believers in my church, some gave the impression that perhaps I had become a heretic. In fact, one brother quit speaking to me. On the other hand, because I had many friends across denominational lines in school, some shared with me that I had received the promised “baptism with the Holy Spirit” spoken of by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:7-8) and by Jesus to the disciples after His resurrection (Acts 1:4).
That led me back to my prayer closet under the old oak tree where God met me once again with the same manifestation and I was convinced. Since those days, I have never looked back!
In Paul’s instructions to the church at Ephesus above, notice the contrast he uses with getting drunk and being filled with the Spirit. Each will cause us to do things we normally wouldn’t do on our own. Being drunk usually results in immoral and sinful behavior. Being filled with the Spirit, however, will open our hearts and prompt us to do acts of righteousness as God empowers us to be sold out totally and completely to Him.
The Greek grammar is very revealing in this passage and must not be overlooked. The phrase, “be filled with the Spirit” is an Imperative Command in the present tense and passive voice. An Imperative Command is an appeal directly to our will by God. He usually doesn’t give us a logical argument of why we should do it, but like the famous Nike advertisement says, “Just Do It!” The present tense means it’s a continuous action on our part. We can’t be satisfied with a one-time filling because God through His word is not satisfied. The passive part of the grammar means it’s something that God causes to happen to us. We are the object of the infilling by God. Literally, this command is translated, “Be you continually being filled with the Spirit.” How? By asking God (Luke 11:9-13). What can we expect as a result?
In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he speaks of what the Scripture calls, “charismata” or spiritual gifts, “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts (charismata) but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).
There are at least 20 spiritual gifts listed in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 12:8-11, 12:27-30; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-13). Many believe the list goes as high as 27. Regardless, the Holy Spirit desires to manifest His power through each of us to help the body of Christ bring glory and honor to Jesus in all circumstances.
It’s remarkable how many times the New Testament points out when someone is “filled with the Spirit.” John the Baptist was filled with the Spirit even from his mother’s womb. So was his dad and his mother (Luke 1:41, 67). Jesus as a man was certainly filled with the Spirit (Luke 4:1), and so was His church on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4).
In like manner the Bible also points out those that were filled again. Peter and John were filled again (Acts 4:8,13). The first deacons were filled again (Acts 7:3). Stephen was filled again (Acts 7:55); the apostle Paul and Barnabas were filled with the Spirit continuously (Acts 9:17, 11:24); as were the disciples who took the gospel message to the world (Acts 13:52). That was their power source and continues to be for every believer in the church today.
So how about you? What are you waiting for? Do you want to add spiritual fervor to your faith once again and burn with a fearless passion for Jesus—the same passion you received on the day you gave your heart to Him? Do you want to be a powerful witness for Christ to the world around you with “signs and wonders” (Acts 1:8, 4:29-30)? God wants His church to be the most potent institution on the face of the earth. It can be if you and I will continually seek God and ask Him to fill us with His Spirit again and again and manifest Himself through us.
So let me encourage you to find your own oak tree—your prayer closet—and let God fill you over and over. Your walk with Him will never be the same. Maranatha!
Post Script: The word for grace in the New Testament is “charis.” The word for spiritual gift (singular) is “charisma.” The word for spiritual gifts (plural) is “charismata.” They all come from one root word in the Greek language and that’s the word “char,” which means “joy.” Isn’t that just like God? Blessings! — Pastor Don
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