We cannot succeed in the Christian life unless we are living in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the source of power to live a godly life. Understanding what it means to be filled with the Spirit prepares us to walk in step with His leading. Although we receive the Holy Spirit when we are saved, there is a marked difference between our possessing the Spirit and His possession of us. To be filled with the Spirit means that we are living under His control.
It is:
A Continuing Filling
It is not a one-time event. As a car cannot be filled with gas just once, we must experience repeated fillings of Holy Spirit power. Walking through a world that constantly opposes the plans and purposes of God requires a renewal of power and strength.
A Controlling Filling
It is no accident that Paul uses the illustration of drunkenness to symbolize the effects of the filling of the Holy Spirit. We say that a drunk person is "under the influence". He is controlled by something that makes him say and do things he would not normally say and do. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we allow Him to take over and lead us into God's plan, even if that takes us outside of our natural comfort zone.
A Consecrating Filling
When we are filled with the Spirit, we are not yielding to the temptations that come from the lusts of the flesh. His presence in power brings us into the holiness in which God intends us to walk. Rather than allowing the evils of the world to dominate our lives, He guides us into productive Christian living. The works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit are mutually exclusive. His filling produces the good fruit that pleases God.
As well allow ourselves to be controlled through His filling, we live in a way that fulfills God's purpose for us. This filling is an ongoing process whereby the Holy Spirit takes control.
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