Let us see from the Scriptures that Christians receive a full measure of the Holy Spirit. We read in Colossians 2:8-10, “8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” When we notice that the last word of verse 8 is “Christ,” we are assured that verse 9 is referring to Christ. In Christ dwells “all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” This is a clear statement of the divinity of our Savior. This can only be said of the Lord Jesus because He is the only part of the Godhead (Father Son, and Holy Spirit) who also has a human body. When we read in verse 10 that “ye are complete in Him,” it is not saying that we also have the fullness of the Godhead dwelling in us. We are not God. The fact that believers are complete in Christ means that we have all that is needed in Christ for eternal life and the power to live godly lives.

We read in Ephesians 1:13, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise” (NASB). The moment we repent of our sins and trust Christ as our Savior, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. Let us also see from the Scriptures that the Holy Spirit is a person. We read in John 16:13-14, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you” (NASB). Notice in these two verses that the Holy Spirit is spoken of as “He” nine times. The Holy Spirit is a person! A person cannot be partially given to another person. Believers have the entire person of the Holy Spirit indwelling them. We know that the Holy Spirit indwells believers because the Lord Jesus plainly taught that truth. The Lord said in John 14:16-17, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you” (NASB).

We have seen from Ephesians 1:13 that believers are sealed by the Spirit and from John 14:17 that the Spirit indwells believers. This is the work of God in a believer. However, we are instructed in Ephesians 5:18, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” This is something that believers are instructed to do. This verse contrasts a drunk person whose behavior is controlled by excess wine with a Christian who is filled or controlled by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a liquid or force that can be poured into us in various amounts. Again, the Holy Spirit is a person who is completely inside a believer. An example that may help us to understand the filling of the Spirit is that of a balloon. Imagine that a deflated balloon is inside a hollow ball. The entire balloon is inside the ball. However, if the balloon is inflated, then the interior of the ball could be filled with the balloon. In the same way, believers are instructed to fill themselves with the Holy Spirit so that He controls every area of our lives.

How do we obey this instruction to be filled or controlled by the Spirit? We should confess our sins. We read in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” In order to be filled with the Spirit, we must be emptied of our selfish desires. We read in Romans 6:11-12, “11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” We should yield our lives to be controlled by the Spirit. We read in Romans 12:1-2, “1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” We renew our minds by reading, studying, and obeying God’s Word. We read in Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Notice how the Word dwelling in us results in much praise to God. We see the same result in the verse that immediately follows someone who is filled by the Spirit in Ephesians 5:18. Ephesians 5:19-20 state, “19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” May the Lord give each believer a desire to live a Spirit-filled life!  (DJ)  (684.3)