Filling

There are some key terms to grasp to Live by the Spirit:
·              Indwelling of the Spirit

·              Baptism of the Spirit

·              Filling of the Spirit

·              Fruit of the Spirit
   Jesus spoke of the indwelling in John 14 about the Indwelling of the Spirit and there is more to come on this matter.  Baptism of the Spirit has been considered a controversial matter, but the Scriptures will bring clarity.  Understanding the Fruit of the Spirit is far less debatable, but much more of a challenge for every believer.  In fact, the Fruit of the Spirit is directly related to the Filling of the Spirit. So how are believers filled by the Spirit?
   The letter to the Ephesians draws an interesting contrast between the excess drinking of alcohol and being filled by the Spirit.  “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,”  (Ephesians 5:18 ESV).  When a person begins to drink wine, slowly but surely, the wine will in some way or another take control of the person.  The more wine the person drinks, the more the wine has control over the person.  Generally, a person who is full of wine has lost control of their self and is under the control the wine.   It works similarly with the filling of the Spirit.  The more the person is filled with the Spirit, the more the person is under the control of—or living by—the Spirit.
   How does a believer fill their “glass” with the Spirit?  The Spirit of God is often identified with the Word of God in the Bible, so reading, pondering, studying and memorizing the Word of God is absolutely necessary.  When believers “drink” from the Scriptures, because the Word of God possesses the power of the Spirit, it transforms thoughts, words, emotions, actions, and attitudes to be those of the Holy Spirit. As everyone has a fairly regular routine for eating and drinking, so every believer needs to establish a regular routine for ingesting God’s Word.
   Do you have a regular time to “dine and drink” the Word of God?
   Other ways believers can be filled with the Spirit include:
   Prayer: Romans 8 tells us that the Spirit is involved in talking to the Lord.
   Silence and Solitude: Turn off the electronic devices, get away from the distractions, and just sit and be still before the Lord. Ever see someone try to drink and run at the same time—it doesn’t work well, does it?  It’s tough to be filled with the Spirit when one is always on the run.
   Relationships: Believers who have friends that ask whether one is living by the Spirit tend to seek being filled with the Spirit.
One insightful Christian leader observed that his real problem wasn’t filling of the Spirit, but leaking!  How true!  It’s a problem every believer faces.  What needs to be done when a believer “leaks?”
   Move to come!