Filled With The Spirit

id you know that either the Holy Spirit can help you live your Christian life or you can hinder His work in your life? The Holy Spirit provides the power to live the Christian life according to Ephesians 3:14-16. In fact the passage says that we need the Holy Spirit to strengthen us.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father . . . that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man . . . (NASB) Eph. 3:14-16

Did you notice in the passage that Paul prayed that they would be strengthened with the Holy Spirit? Paul was not praying that they become Christians because they were already Christians. The Holy Spirit enters the life of a Christian when they believe (1 Cor. 12:13). The book of Ephesians was written to people who were already Christians or “saints” according to Eph. 1:1.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus . . . (NASB) Eph. 1:1

Paul was asking for the Holy Spirit to strengthen these Christians. The New Testament tells us that the Holy Spirit is the key to victory over sin or to living a holy life (Gal. 5:16-17). The Holy Spirit is the spiritual power for ministry (1 Cor. 2:4; 12:7). The Holy Spirit also helps us understand the Bible (1 Cor. 2:14; 1 John 2:20, 27). These are just a few ways in which the Holy Spirit ministers to us and works through us. How does this happen? It happens when we are “walking in” or are “filled with” the Holy Spirit. There are several passages in the Bible that will help us understand what this means.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. (NASB) Gal. 5:16-17

Here we are commanded by God to walk in the Spirit. To walk in the Holy Spirit is the key to victory over sin - to living a holy life. The key to victory over sin is not self-punishment, doing penance, praying the rosary, or “mortification” of sin. It is not self-help books or going to prolonged counseling sessions. (Did you know that the success rate of professional counselors is lower than counseling with a loving friend?) The key to living a holy life as a Christian is to walk in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God’s Counselor. As Christians, we are commanded to walk in the Spirit since we already living in the Spirit (Rom. 8:3; Gal. 5:25; 1 Pet. 4:6).

The Greek word for “walk” in this verse has the idea of continually walking in the Spirit and the Greek word for “carry out” has the idea of accomplishment. That is, if we are constantly walking in the Spirit, the desire of our flesh will not be satisfied. That is a strong statement. Now we need to ask, “What is the desire of the flesh?” The answer is given in the next verses,

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing. . . (NASB) Gal. 5:19-21

The desire of the flesh is to commit sin. The flesh wants to sin. When we are walking in the Spirit, we will not be constantly sinning. If a Christian is walking in the Spirit, he or she will discover some exciting changes taking place in his/her life. He/she will find that God the Holy Spirit is changing his/her life; and the fruit of the Spirit is growing, blossoming, and flourishing.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control . . . (NASB) Gal. 5:22-23

Our flesh wants to sin, but the Spirit wants to grow the fruit of righteousness. How does the fruit grow? It grows as we faithfully and constantly walk in the Spirit.

The Greek word for “walk” is PERIPATEO which means “to walk up and down” or “walk about” in the Spirit. It does not mean to walk up and down on the Holy Spirit. It does not mean to walk around the Holy Spirit but “in the Holy Spirit.” How do we do that? Do you climb inside the Holy Spirit? If so, how do we do that? No, we cannot climb inside the Spirit, but He can come inside of us and start directing us. The easiest way for this to happen is to let the Holy Spirit take control of us. We will discover in the next section how we can let this occur.