Just a question: What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit? I know I have the Holy Spirit because I am saved, and yet in New Testament we see people being filled with the Holy Spirit. Before I comment on this, I would like to know what you think.
I think scripture makes a clear distinction between being “saved” and “being filled with the spirit”. When we repent and come to Christ we are saved (born again), and this allows God to dwell in us. What we choose to do with our salvation is up to us. John 3 tells us about how the filling of the Holy Spirit becomes available to everyone who accepts Christ. When we are saved God dwells in us, but my thoughts are that not everybody has the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. Being filled with the Spirit depends on our love relationship with GOD. We have to have an on-going fellowship with GOD and that fellowship keeps GOD in control of our life, and keeps sin at bay. Sin can and will quench the Spirit. Like any relationship if we don’t nurture it, it can be quenched (Paul tells us about that in Thes.). Everything GOD wants to reveal to us is through the Holy Spirit.
We receive the Holy Spirit when we are saved. Unfortunately, we too often grieve the Holy Spirit and quench Him when we do not submit and yield ourselves to Him so He can work in our lives.
I believe "being filled with the Spirit" happens when we truly yield ourselves completely to God's will in our lives. When I am "Spirit-led" I feel so focused on what God wants to show me, tell me or guide me to do.
There are too many times, though, that I find myself making decisions, comments, and actions without consulting my "spiritual guide", the Holy Spirit who dwells in me, and I can get myself into difficult situations that could have been avoided.
The Holy Spirit is my teacher, my spiritual guide, my comforter, my lifeline to my Savior and my Heavenly Father. Why do I grieve the Holy Spirit so when I really want to be filled with Him in my life?
The old self, my carnal nature, can be hard to resist. But the sweet, sweet Holy Spirit is so worth the effort.
We are told to "resist the devil and he will flee". But we first have to "submit" ourselves to the Holy Spirit so that we can "resist" the devil.
2 comments:
I think scripture makes a clear distinction between being “saved” and “being filled with the spirit”. When we repent and come to Christ we are saved (born again), and this allows God to dwell in us. What we choose to do with our salvation is up to us.
John 3 tells us about how the filling of the Holy Spirit becomes available to everyone who accepts Christ. When we are saved God dwells in us, but my thoughts are that not everybody has the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. Being filled with the Spirit depends on our love relationship with GOD. We have to have an on-going fellowship with GOD and that fellowship keeps GOD in control of our life, and keeps sin at bay. Sin can and will quench the Spirit. Like any relationship if we don’t nurture it, it can be quenched (Paul tells us about that in Thes.). Everything GOD wants to reveal to us is through the Holy Spirit.
We receive the Holy Spirit when we are saved. Unfortunately, we too often grieve the Holy Spirit and quench Him when we do not submit and yield ourselves to Him so He can work in our lives.
I believe "being filled with the Spirit" happens when we truly yield ourselves completely to God's will in our lives. When I am "Spirit-led" I feel so focused on what God wants to show me, tell me or guide me to do.
There are too many times, though, that I find myself making decisions, comments, and actions without consulting my "spiritual guide", the Holy Spirit who dwells in me, and I can get myself into difficult situations that could have been avoided.
The Holy Spirit is my teacher, my spiritual guide, my comforter, my lifeline to my Savior and my Heavenly Father. Why do I grieve the Holy Spirit so when I really want to be filled with Him in my life?
The old self, my carnal nature, can be hard to resist. But the sweet, sweet Holy Spirit is so worth the effort.
We are told to "resist the devil and he will flee". But we first have to "submit" ourselves to the Holy Spirit so that we can "resist" the devil.
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