This message is looking at being filled with Holy Spirit, and how to maintain it. We will find that the infilling with Holy Spirit is not the same as baptism in the Holy Spirit.
I believe that the Holy Spirit baptism is for today, with demonstrations of power through healings, miracles, signs and wonders.
In this message, I will attempt to pull down the walls and confusion around the filling of the Holy Spirit. I will show that it STARTS at the point a person receives Jesus, then happens again at Baptism of the Holy Spirit and happens on a daily basis if we obey Ephesians.
EPHESIANS 5:18 AND DO NOT BE DRUNK WITH WINE, IN WHICH IS DISSIPATION; BUT BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT,
We will see that Holy Spirit Baptism is an infilling and then an 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.
We are filled with the Holy Spirit when we are born from above.
John the Baptist was the last of the Old Covenant law and prophets:
MATTHEW 11:13 FOR ALL THE PROPHETS AND THE LAW PROPHESIED UNTIL JOHN.
Holy Spirit filled John the Baptist, before the Day of Pentecost.
Likewise, Holy Spirit can fill you before Holy Spirit comes on you, before your Holy Spirit baptism.
LUKE 1:15 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 HOLY SPIRIT, EVEN FROM HIS MOTHER’S WOMB.
So, from this we understand that filling with Holy Spirit is not restricted to the baptism in Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit comes in at New Birth
The essential step for the Holy Spirit to come in was through the declaration of righteousness by 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 learned that Holy Spirit conceived Jesus. He was also born of the Spirit.
Being born-again happens when the Holy Spirit brings eternal life, and you are born of the Spirit.
JOHN 3:5-6 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.
Holy Spirit Fills you at New Birth
Holy Spirit fills us: when we believe in Him and when we receive Him.
Both happen at New Birth, or New Creation, not at Baptism.
The Disciples moved in the Power of God Before their Holy Spirit Baptism.
The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon them on the Day of Pentecost. The disciples were not even born again because Jesus had not died and risen again!
To receive the infilling 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 impart eternal life, so that they were now born again.
Jesus would preach to John the Baptist in Hades, along with everybody else who had died.
1 PETER 3:19 BY WHOM ALSO HE WENT AND PREACHED TO THE SPIRITS IN PRISON,
This scripture refers to those who died in the flood, but everybody in Hades who believed when Jesus preached there, received covenantal atonement because Jesus had died.
Totally separate from their baptism, the disciples receive the Holy Spirit when Jesus breathed on them.
JOHN 20:21-22 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 INTO THEM, AND SAID TO THEM, “RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT.
This event happened after Jesus’ resurrection; the disciples receiving Holy Spirit. Through this breathing INTO, the disciples were now born again, resurrection life flowed into them.
So how did the apostles perform signs and wonders before Pentecost?
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
However, just because the disciples did miracles without Holy Spirit baptism does not give us license anymore to declare that.
There is a brand-New Covenant that is far superior to the covenant they were under, and as we have seen the Old Covenant is now dead.
We have seen that Holy Spirit fills the sons and daughters of God at the new birth.
Then, Holy Spirit came upon the 120 people in the upper room. Most of them had already believed in Jesus after His resurrection and were born again. Holy Spirit then filled them again.
ACTS 2:4 AND THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BEGAN TO SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES, AS THE SPIRIT GAVE THEM UTTERANCE.
Holy Spirit fills to overflowing inside and outside of your cup.
Then again shortly after the day of Pentecost, following persecution they asked for boldness to preach the gospel. The following happened:
ACTS 4:31 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.
As a result, they became desirous of spreading the gospel with boldness.
We should allow Holy Spirit to fill us continually:
EPHESIANS 5:18 AND DO NOT BE DRUNK WITH WINE, IN WHICH IS DISSIPATION; BUT BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT,
In the Greek it is continuous present tense, so It should be read as:
EPHESIANS 5:18 AND DO NOT BE DRUNK WITH WINE, IN WHICH IS DISSIPATION; BUT BE CONTINUALLY FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT,
When we are born again, we enter the Kingdom of God. So, the evidence of being filled with Holy Spirit is related to the kingdom.
ROMANS 14:17 FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NOT EATING AND DRINKING, BUT RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PEACE AND JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.
The outward evidence of the infilling of the Holy Spirit will be the fruit of the Spirit.
GALATIANS 5:22-23 BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONG-SUFFERING, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL. AGAINST SUCH THERE IS NO LAW.
Peace and Joy
Do you notice that both these evidences of the kingdom of God inside of you are also fruit of the Spirit?
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, self-control
Gifts of the Spirit is Evidence of Holy Spirit Baptism
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to the church by the Holy Spirit. These are supernatural gifts when the Holy Spirit comes upon you at your Holy Spirit baptism.
1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-11 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.
Evidence of being filled with Holy Spirit would be operating in these gifts.
Evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit is Preaching with wisdom and by the Holy Spirit.
In Act 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:
ACTS 6:8-10 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
There are some Keys to Maintaining the Infilling of the Holy Spirit.
Maintaining your First Love
Jesus encourages us to keep that infilling through loving God.
REVELATION 2:4 NEVERTHELESS I HAVE THIS AGAINST YOU, THAT YOU HAVE LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE.
Do not Love what the World has to Offer
REVELATION 3:16-17 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’
Be active in the Work of the Kingdom
Holy Spirit fills the Apostle Peter before the miracle at the Gate Beautiful
ACTS 4:8 THEN PETER, FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, SAID TO THEM, “RULERS OF THE PEOPLE AND ELDERS OF ISRAEL:
Speaking in your Heavenly Language helps maintain the infilling.
Praise and Worship helps maintain the infilling.
EPHESIANS 5:18-21 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.
Holy Spirit teaches us, infilling comes by:
Praise and worship
Thankfulness
Walking in love with one another, especially our spouse.
Maintaining friendship with Holy Spirit helps maintain the infilling.
The Holy Spirit is a person of the Trinity. In the same way you can grieve your parents or spouse, you can grieve Holy Spirit.
EPHESIANS 4:30 AND DO NOT GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD…
We grieve Holy Spirit by doing things that He does not like.
We can also try to shut Him down from doing things that He wants to do:
1 THESSALONIANS 5:19 DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT.
Jesus had Holy Spirit AND Power on Earth
ACTS 10:38 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.
The Infilling of the Holy Spirit at new birth means that there is an anointing that comes WITHIN you.
1 JOHN 2:27 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.
That anointing on the inside teaches you all things!
The main purpose of the internal Holy Spirit anointing is to keep you in close relationship with God the Father, Jesus, and 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 Holy Spirit will come upon you as well as in you.
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:
MATTHEW 25:2-4 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.
The lamp is our body, the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are the virgins who are responsible for the anointing within. Keeping it full is not through going to church, it is through our personal relationship with God. This will include going to church.
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 Holy Spirit.
The evidence of being filled is the fruit of the Spirit, peace, and joy.