In this past Sunday’s sermon, we addressed numerous questions regarding the Holy Spirit.  One of those questions was, “How are we filled with the Holy Spirit?”  The brief answer given was through prayer (cf. Luke 11:13) and meditating upon the Word (cf. Eph. 5:18; John 7:37-39).

In regards to the verse in Ephesians it says, “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.”  I answered how this verse points us to the Word one way in the sermon; now let me come at it from another angle that you might find helpful.

Paul in Ephesians 5 is drawing parallels between drunkenness and being filled with the Spirit.  And how does one get drunk?  By drinking alcoholic things.  So how does one get filled with the Spirit?  By drinking ‘Spiritual things.’ But what exactly are ‘Spiritual things’? 1 Corinthians 2:10-14 gives us a crystal clear answer.

“These things [that is the glorious gospel] God has revealed to us through the Spirit.  For the Spirit searches everything even the depths of God.  For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”

Here we see the “natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit.” In context, the “things of the Spirit” is the Spirit-inspired Word of God (cf. 1:18-25).  So how do we drink ‘Spiritual things’?  By drinking deeply from the Word of God.

This truth is also made clear when we compare Ephesians 5:18-20 with Colossians 3:16-17:

“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

By looking at these two verses we see that “being filled with the Spirit” and “letting the word of Christ dwell in you richly” have the exact same results.  Why?  Because the Spirit fills those up who “hear the word of Christ with faith” (Galatians 3:2).

Also, it’s important to note that prayer and Word, lead to filling of the Spirit as we obey.  We can’t be like the man in James who looks in the mirror but walks away and forgets and expect to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  For this reason, obedience also plays a role in our being filled with the Spirit.

If we disobey, we either “quench” the Spirit (Eph. 4:30) or “grieve” the Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19).  However, if we truly approach God in dependent prayer meditating upon His Word and repenting of our sins while trusting in Christ, we will be filled with the Spirit.  That’s exactly what Acts 5:30-32 tells us:

“But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

May we all be filled with the Spirit as we seek to advance God’s kingdom here in DC for the fame of Jesus’ name!!