What Does It Mean To Be Filled With The Spirit?
What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? This is what Paul says in Ephesians 5:18.
Many believers get confused by what Paul says because earlier in the letter, Paul writes that the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in people the moment they believe in Christ for salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14).
So, what is it? Are believers filled with the Spirit the moment they believe or are we to be filled by the Spirit throughout the Christian life? Or is it both?
INDWELLING OF THE SPIRIT
Ephesians 1 is not the only place in Scripture that talks about the Spirit coming to dwell in believers the moment they receive salvation by faith.
The apostle John affirms this based on something Jesus said in John 7.
37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.
(John 7:37-39)
The apostle Paul affirms this teaching in other letters he wrote to other churches as well. (Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 2:12)
At the moment of conversion, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in every believer.
Every believer has a complete filling of the Holy Spirit.
There is no indication in Scripture that you are partially filled with the Spirit.
Paul even affirms that in Christ you are complete (Colossians 2:10).
If you have put your faith in Jesus for salvation, you don’t need to walk in fear that you may not have gotten as much of the Holy Spirit as other people received. You have a complete and permanent filling (John 14:16).
So, what did Paul mean when He says to be filled by the Spirit in Ephesians 5:18?
BE CONTINUALLY FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT VERSE
Here is what Paul says in entirety about being filled with the Spirit:
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
(Ephesians 5:18-21)
If you look at what Paul says at the beginning of the verse, then you begin to see what Paul is talking about here.
Paul starts by saying not to get drunk on wine. Wine is a controlling substance. Rather than being controlled by alcohol or anything else for that matter, Paul commands believers to be controlled by the Holy Spirit.
To be filled with the Spirit means to be controlled by the Spirit.
Paul is not saying that you need to receive more of the Spirit. You have been completely indwelt by the Spirit, therefore, allow the Spirit to control you.
Allow the Holy Spirit to be your Source for living your life. Be guided by Him and empowered by Him as you walk through life with Him.
What does that look like? Well, Paul tells you in the rest of the passage (Ephesians 5:19-21).
Some translations break verses 19-21 up into several sentences, and they can each be read as if they are all commands. They are not. The only command Paul gives is, “be filled with the Spirit.”
The rest of the sentence are participles, and they describe the results of being controlled by the Spirit.
Let’s look at them and see what your life will look like if you are allowing the Spirit to be your Source for life.
Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart (Verse 19)
The first result you will see if you are being controlled by the Spirit is that you will sing!
I don’t really understand people who don’t sing in church. I hear people say, “it’s just not really my thing.” Well apparently, if you are a Christian, it is your thing!
If you don’t sing, then it is a good indication you are not allowing yourself to be led by the Spirit but instead are being led by your flesh. And this doesn’t just mean in a church service either. Being led by the Spirit means that He is going to put a song in your heart to sing to Him and praise Him even outside of a church worship service.
Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Verse 20)
The second way Paul says the Spirit will lead you when you are allowing Him take control of your life is to give thanks always and for everything.
The Spirit will lead you to be grateful for what you have in Christ.
You have been made holy, righteous, acceptable, and good. You have a new nature. You have been completely forgiven. You have eternal life now and forevermore.
As the Spirit guides you throughout your life, He will remind you of all that you have in Christ and to give thanks to Him for what you have rather than what you don’t have in this world.
Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ (Verse 21)
The third way Paul says the Spirit will lead in your life when you are letting Him take control is to submit to others.
When the Holy Spirit is your guide, you will not find yourself needing to be right. You won’t have to win every argument. You won’t have to prove yourself to others. You will not be tempted to use other people to get what you need from them.
Instead, you’ll be prompted to submit to others, to humble yourself before them, and to serve them.
When the Spirit controls you, you will find yourself submitting to your wife, husband, co-workers, neighbors, friends, and other church members.
CONCLUSION
Being filled by the Spirit does not mean you need more of the Spirit. If you’ve put your faith in Jesus for salvation, you have a complete indwelling of the Spirit.
To be filled means to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. It means to make yourself available to the Spirit as His instrument. It means to abide in Him as the Vine. You are the branch, and He is the Vine.
As you abide in Him, He will produce the fruit of singing spiritual songs, giving thanks, and submission to others.