Can Others Say that You Are Spirit-filled?

Some commands in Scripture can seem a little bit illusive at first glance. Like, what do they mean? One such command is this, "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit..." (Eph. 5:18). If you love Jesus, you will keep both commands in this verse (John 14:15). The first is pretty clear, but what about the second? Would you be able to explain to a new believer how to obey? Let's take some time to figure this out.

Any good Bible study begins by asking the right questions:

• What is Spirit-filling in the Bible?
• What does be filled mean?
• How do you fill yourself with the Spirit?
• How can you know if you're Spirit-filled?

What is Spirit-filling in the Bible?
This command to be filled with the Spirit is only encountered once in Scripture, but mentions of Spirit-filled individuals abound throughout the Old and New Testaments.

In 1 Samuel 10:6, King Saul is filled with the Spirit and begins to prophecy. Bezalel, in Exodus 31:3, was filled with the Spirit to enable him to have the right skill and ability to construct the ark of the testimony and furnishings for the tabernacle. Then in the New Testament it is prophesied that John the Baptist will be filled with the Spirit from his mother's womb in order to fulfill his ministry as the predecessor to Jesus (Luke 1:15). In all these cases, the filling of the Spirit is involuntary, unexpected, and enabling for specific God-ordained purposes. We'll call this a special filling.

But there are also descriptions of Spirit-filled individuals throughout Acts such as the seven chosen men to serve the widows (Acts 6:3), Stephen (6:5), Barnabas (11:24), and other disciples (13:52). In all these cases, the description of their Spirit-filling is closer to that of a description of their character and lifestyle. These are men full of wisdom, joy, faith. We'll call this an ordinary filling.

What does be filled mean?
The command to be filled with the Spirit is helpfully contrasted with the negative command to not get drunk with wine. As wine greatly influences the actions of a person, so does the Spirit when one yields to his influence. Note that neither the Spirit nor wine control the person as if he is a puppet. If you were to be fully controlled by the Spirit you would no longer sin.

Furthermore, intoxication with wine results in a lack of self-control, but self-control is one of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23)!

Since special fillings are sovereign works of God for specific God-ordained purposes, this command to be filled with the Spirit is closer to those with an ordinary filling and a particular lifestyle, shall we say. "Be filled with the Spirit" means submit yourself to the Spirit's influence in your life. He ought to be your dominant influence-not your friends, social media, and especially alcohol.

How do you fill yourself with the Spirit?
But how do you submit yourself to the Spirit? By filling yourself with God's Word. Colossians 3:16-17 is a parallel passage to the one in Ephesians 5:18-21 and there it says clearly, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." Eph. 6:17 also says that the sword of the Spirit is the word of God.

The more you fill yourself with God's Word, whether by reading, listening, and singing, the more you will find God's Word influencing your life. The Word is not powerless because it is the Holy Spirit who works through it. Hence why the Word changes lives in powerful ways.
So brothers and sisters, let us seek out opportunities to fill ourselves with God's Word so that the Holy Spirit who dwells within us had substance change us.

Simply put: The Spirit works through God's Word, not apart from it. Do you want to be changed? Be filled with the Spirit.

How can you know if you're Spirit-filled?
Thankfully we are not left without indicators of a Spirit-filled person and Spirit-filled church. Following this command, the apostle Paul continues with the results, "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, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Eph. 5:19-21).

Do you sing? Are you grateful? Do you submit to others? All of these have a horizontal and vertical component. When the Spirit works in a person, this person's worship is changed (his relationship with God), and his relationships with others are changed.

When the apostle Paul lists out the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control," he is further elaborating on the character of a person who yields himself/herself to the Spirit. This is a person who walks by the Spirit (Gal 5:16; Rom 8:4), lives by the Spirit/keeps in step with the Spirit (Gal 5:25), and is led by the Spirit (Rom 8:13-14).

What words can be used to explain you? To explain your character? Can someone say, this is an example of a Spirit-filled individual?

Bonus Thoughts on Singing
It's very interesting to me that out of the 5 results of a Spirit-filled individual, 3 of them refer to singing: addressing one another, singing, and making melody to the Lord. I believe singing together with others, especially truths about Christ, does at least two things. Songs are a powerful way for truths about God to land emotionally into the heart and be memorized, thus allowing the Spirit to work deeply within a person as a song ruminates in the mind.

And secondly, corporate singing is a picture of the unity that the Spirit creates (Eph 4:3) because it allows every member of the body, no matter whether Jew or Gentile, to actively participate in the display of that unity as hundreds of people personally see and hear each other unite in one voice.

It is fitting that a people in whom the word of Christ dwells richly and that is filled with the Spirit desires to together proclaim praise and ascribe glory and honor to the God who has saved them.

If you really think about it, a non-singing Christian is actually an oxymoron! One who is filled with the Spirit has a song to sing– a song of praise for salvation to the great God Almighty.

This upcoming Sunday, as we sing together as a church, let us consider what part of us is singing, just our lips or our whole being to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Continue supporting the churches working among the people who have suffered from the war in Ukraine.

"When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,
I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.
Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you."
Psalm 73:21-25