Preached by Apostle André Pelser at Harvester Church Cape Town.
A command that changed people’s lives. Don’t be filled with wine. It causes dissipation (scatters energy, over-indulgence) but be filled with the Spirit. It makes you single-minded. You can focus on what you have to do.
Perspectives on being filled with the Spirit
- Biblical examples of people full of the Spirit
- Benefits of being filled with the Spirit
- Qualities of the Spirit
- What it means to be filled with the Spirit
- Biblical Examples:
John the Baptist (Luke 1:15)
Jesus (Luke 4:14-18)
Disciples (Acts 2:4 / Acts 4:31 / Acts 13:52)
Peter preached Jesus (Acts 4:8)
Stephen saw the glory of God and fell asleep (Acts 7:55)
Barnabas was a man full of faith and the Spirit (Acts 11:24) many were added
- Benefits
Although Peter & John were unlearned men, when they saw their boldness, they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13)
Knowing you has been like knowing Jesus. Your life is the only way some people will see Jesus.
The Holy Spirit alone can transform lives: make a weak Simon Bar-Jonah a Peter, a little rock!
Paul & Silas turned the world upside down (Acts 9:17 / 17:6)
- Qualities
Isaiah 11:1,2 – The Spirit of wisdom – Solomon’s wisdom made him wealthy
The Spirit of understanding – establishes; the Spirit of counsel – solving problems; the Spirit of might – nothing is impossible; the Spirit of knowledge – without knowledge people perish; the Spirit of the fear of the Lord – the beginning of wisdom.
Galatians 5:22, 23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love that never fails, joy in believing; peace that passes understanding; longsuffering or patience that you might become perfected; kindness – when the kindness of God appeared, Jesus arrived on the scene; goodness – the goodness of God leads us to repentance; gentleness – David proclaimed, ‘Thy gentleness has made me great oh, Lord!’ and self-control – a spirit of self-control under difficult circumstances.
- What it means to be Spirit filled
Jesus announced that the Spirit of the Lord God was upon Him to do something. He was anointed to preach the gospel to the poor; He was sent to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18, 19)
To be Spirit filled does not mean you just go around speaking in tongues all the time. Speaking in tongues is the initial evidence that you are Spirit filled. But you are filled with the Spirit to do something. You are anointed to do something for God and for others. The anointing that abides within you will teach you concerning all things (I John 2:27). He will show you things to come (John 16:13) and lead and guide you into all truth. He is your Comforter and Helper. Greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world (I John 4:4)
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.’
How has God anointed you? You can go around and do good things – like Jesus did! People become aware of Jesus when you are around, because His Spirit in you shines through! You do good in what you do, because you are filled with the Spirit. Recognize it today. Say, ‘I am filled with God’s Spirit!’
Young Elihu told Job and the other miserable comforters, ‘there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding…the spirit within me compels me.’ (Job 32:8, 18) He spoke wise words and got Job to repent for speaking vanities against God. He spoke on behalf of God. He did not let the old men despise his wisdom.
Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man (Luke 1:52). Mary conceived Jesus when the Spirit of God overshadowed her (Luke 1:35). Nothing is impossible when you are filled with the Spirit. God will do great things through you.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema