Being Filled with Holy Spirit

The video link is at the bottom of this page.

1. Introduction

This teaching examines being filled with the Holy Spirit and how to maintain it. It reveals that filling with the Holy Spirit is not equal to baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Firstly, I would like to mention that Jesus has baptised Christine and me in the Holy Spirit, and we speak in tongues. We believe that the Holy Spirit baptism is for today, with demonstrations of power through healings, miracles, signs and wonders. Holy Spirit baptism is part of our Statement of Faith and our Vision.
In the previous teaching, we looked at Holy Spirit and Jesus. It is necessary to have studied the first teaching to understand this study entirely. In this teaching, I will endeavour to clarify the confusion around the filling of the Holy Spirit.

I will show that it STARTS when a person receives Jesus, then again at Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, if we obey the scripture in Ephesians, God will fill us with the Holy Spirit daily.

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

Ephesians 5:18

We will see that Holy Spirit Baptism is infilling and overflowing when the Holy Spirit comes UPON you. Then, we will look at how the anointing is inside and upon you and how the anointing teaches us.

2. Filling of the Holy Spirit at New Birth

A. Filling with the Holy Spirit and John the Baptist

John the Baptist was the last of the Old Covenant law and prophets:

For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

Matthew 11:13

Holy Spirit filled John the Baptist before the Day of Pentecost. Likewise, the Holy Spirit can fill you before the Holy Spirit comes on you, before your Holy Spirit baptism.

For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.

Luke 1:15

From this, we understand that filling with the Holy Spirit is not restricted to baptism.

B. Holy Spirit comes in at New Birth.

In Righteousness, we saw that the essential step for the Holy Spirit to come in was through the New Covenant. This declaration allows the gift of righteousness (neither imputed nor accounted as righteousness) to come in. And that righteousness releases life through the Holy Spirit.

We learnt that the Holy Spirit conceived Jesus and that He was also born of the Spirit (Holy Spirit and Jesus teaching). This vital teaching is part of the Apostle’s Creed and our Statement of Faith.

Being born again happens when the Holy Spirit brings eternal life, and you are born of the Spirit.

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

John 3:5-6

C. Holy Spirit Fills you at New Birth.

During the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus says this:

… Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

John 7:37-39

This teaching of Jesus, being on the Feast of Tabernacles, is an important clue. As we will find in the study Feast of Tabernacles, this feast relates to the indwelling of God inside humans. Indwelling happens at your new birth, not at baptism. Holy Spirit fills us:

• when we believe in Him
• when we receive Him.

Both happen at New Birth or New Creation, not at Baptism.

3. Disciples moving in the Power of God Before Holy Spirit Baptism.

The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon them on Pentecost. Indeed, the disciples were not even born again because Jesus had not died and risen again! To receive the in-filling of the Holy Spirit, these things still needed to happen:

• Jesus’ death released the New Covenant. Jesus’ atoning death brought us reconciliation,

• Reconciliation (atonement) allowed the New Covenant to bring in the gift of righteousness.

• Righteousness allows the Holy Spirit to start eternal life. They are now born again.

Jesus would preach to John the Baptist in Hades and everybody else who had died.

by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,

1 Peter 3:19

Everybody in Hades who believed when Jesus preached there received covenantal atonement because Jesus had died. But the disciples who were alive would receive new birth differently.

A. Jesus’ Disciples Receive the Holy Spirit

Separate from their baptism, the disciples received the Holy Spirit when Jesus breathed on them.

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

John 20:21-22

This event happened after Jesus’ resurrection; the disciples received the Holy Spirit. Through this breathing, the disciples were now born again. Resurrection life flowed into them, just like life flowed into Adam when the Spirit breathed life into Adam.

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being

Genesis 2:7

So, how did the apostles perform signs and wonders before Pentecost?

B. Their Miraculous Powers

Just like Elijah, they were operating under the direct authority of the Son of God but still under the Old Covenant:

Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick

Luke 9:1-2

However, because the disciples did miracles without the Holy Spirit, baptism does not give us license anymore to declare that. There is a brand new covenant far superior to the covenant they were under, and as we have seen, the Old Covenant is now dead.

4. Further In-Filling For Us Through Holy Spirit Baptism

A. On the Day of Pentecost

We have seen that the Holy Spirit fills the sons and daughters of God at the new birth, so much so that it is like a river rushing out of us.
Then, the Holy Spirit came upon the 120 people in the upper room. Most of them believed in Jesus after His resurrection and were born again, and the Holy Spirit filled them again.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:4

Holy Spirit fills to overflowing inside and outside of your cup.

B. Following Persecution

Then again, shortly after the day of Pentecost, following persecution, they asked for boldness to preach the gospel. The following happened:

And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Acts 4:31

As a result, they became desirous of spreading the gospel with boldness.

C. Being filled on every occasion

We should allow the Holy Spirit to fill us again and again:

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

Ephesians 5:18

In Greek, the interpretation is continuous present tense.

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be on being filled with the Spirit,

Ephesians 5:18

5. Evidence of Being Filled

A. Changed Life on Entrance into the Kingdom.

When we are born again, we enter the Kingdom of God. So, the evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit is related to the kingdom.

for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Romans 14:17

B. Righteousness

The outward evidence of the infilling of the Holy Spirit will be the fruit of the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

C. Peace and Joy

Do you notice this evidence of the kingdom of God inside you are also the fruit of the Spirit?

D. Fruit of the Spirit is Evidence of Being Filled

Therefore, we can see now that the evidence of being filled with the Spirit is not just being able to prophesy or speak in tongues; it includes a life of expressing the fruit of the Spirit:

Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

E. Gifts of the Spirit is Evidence of Being Filled

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to the church by the Holy Spirit. These are supernatural gifts for when the Holy Spirit comes upon you at your Holy Spirit baptism.

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Evidence of the Holy Spirit filling you and being upon you would be operating in these gifts.

F. Preaching with Wisdom and by the Holy Spirit

In Acts 7:1-60, we find one of the most powerful sermons in the Bible. It resulted in the martyrdom of the preacher, Stephen. We learn this about Stephen:

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

Acts 6:8-10

Preaching with wisdom and by the Spirit is evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

6. Keys to Maintaining the Infilling of the Holy Spirit

A. Maintain your First Love

As we saw above, the Holy Spirit fills us at the new birth. Jesus encourages us to keep that infilling through loving God.

Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

Revelation 2:4

B. Do not Love what the World has to Offer

So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’

Revelation 3:16-17

C. Be active in the Work of the Kingdom

Holy Spirit fills the Apostle Peter before the miracle at the Gate Beautiful.

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:

Acts 4:8

D. Speaking in your Heavenly Language

We will look at how this works in Speaking in Tongues.

E. Through Praise and Worship

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be on being filled with the Spirit. Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.

Ephesians 5:18-21

Holy Spirit teaches us infilling comes by:

• Praise and worship
• Thankfulness
• We are walking in love with one another, especially our spouse.

7. Maintaining a friendship with the Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit is a person of the Trinity. In the same way, you can grieve your parents or spouse; you can grieve Holy Spirit.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…

Ephesians 4:30

We grieve the Holy Spirit by doing things He does not like—for example, sinning.

We can also try to shut Him down from doing things that He wants to do:

Do not quench the Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:19

8. The Anointing Within

A. Jesus had the Holy Spirit AND Power on Earth

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Acts 10:38

B. The Anointing Within.

Infilling of the Holy Spirit at new birth means that there is an anointing that comes WITHIN you.

But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

1 John 2:27

That anointing on the inside teaches you all things! The primary purpose of the internal Holy Spirit anointing is to keep you in a close relationship with God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. If you abide in Him, then you will naturally be supernaturally powerful. Healing, miracles, signs and wonders will automatically flow because the cup will run over, and the Holy Spirit will come upon you and in you.

C. The Ten Wise Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13)

In this parable, Jesus warns us to keep the oil inside the lamp filled.
It is not referring to Baptism of the Holy Spirit here:

Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

Matthew 25:2-4

The lamp is our body, the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are the virgins who are responsible for the anointing within. Keeping the lamp full is not through going to church but through our relationship with God, including going to church.

9. Summary

Holy Spirit fills you at new birth when you are born again. You can be filled every day of your life, anytime you develop your relationship with the Holy Spirit. The evidence of being filled is the fruit of the Spirit, peace and joy.
In the following teaching, we will talk about the Holy Spirit coming UPON you at Baptism.

© Use by Permission Awakening Impact Ministries / Dr Neville van Eerten D. Miss. 2024