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The following blog is a summary of a message preached by Pastor Eddie Lawrence.

Watch the Sermon HERE!

The call to be filled with the Spirit isn't just a suggestion—it's a command from Scripture. In Ephesians 5:18, Paul instructs believers, "Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit." This command is in the present tense in the original language, meaning it should be an ongoing, repeated practice in our lives.

Why Do We Need the Fullness of the Holy Spirit?

What people truly need isn't more self-help principles. While those can be valuable, without the Spirit of God moving in our hearts, we may live a "good" or "moral" life but never experience the fullness of what we were created for.

The recent revival movements at places like Asbury University remind us of what happens when the Holy Spirit moves freely among believers. People worship authentically, lives are transformed, and the presence of God becomes tangible.

What Does Scripture Say About Being Filled with the Spirit?

The Bible repeatedly shows the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit:

  • Luke 24:49 - Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they were "endued with power from on high"
  • Acts 1:8 - "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you"
  • Acts 2:4 - At Pentecost, "they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke with other tongues"
  • Acts 4:31 - After praying, "they were all filled with the Holy Spirit" and spoke God's Word with boldness
  • Acts 8:17 - Peter and John laid hands on believers in Samaria who then received the Holy Spirit
  • Acts 9 - Ananias laid hands on Saul (Paul) that he might "be filled with the Holy Spirit"
  • Acts 10:44-46 - The Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius and other Gentiles as they heard the Word
  • Acts 13:52 - Disciples were "filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit"
  • Acts 19 - Twelve disciples of John the Baptist received the Holy Spirit and "spoke with tongues and prophesied"

 

What Happens When We're Filled with the Spirit?

When believers are filled with the Holy Spirit, we see evidence in Scripture:

  • Speaking in tongues
  • Prophesying
  • Boldness in sharing God's Word
  • Joy
  • Spiritual gifts flowing
  • Worship that overflows

 

As one young man who experienced the Holy Spirit's filling recently said, "I never knew how empty I was until I discovered how full I could be."

A Personal Testimony of Being Filled with the Spirit

Even pastors who love Jesus and know they're saved can come to a place of spiritual hunger for more. After 15 years in ministry with outward success—degrees, a growing church, and all the trappings of ministerial achievement—there can still be a gnawing sense that something is missing.

Reading the Book of Acts can create a holy discontent when we compare what we see in Scripture with what we experience in our own lives. The early church had something powerful—the manifest presence and power of the Holy Spirit—that many believers today aren't experiencing.

God often uses unexpected people to lead us into deeper experiences with Him. Sometimes it's the person we least expect—someone who doesn't fit our image of a "spiritual leader"—who becomes the vessel God uses to bring us into the fullness of His Spirit.

Why Would We Want Less Than What Jesus Offers?

Why would we want something less than what Jesus invites us into? Why would we want everything to be so controlled that we know what's going to happen before it ever happens?

As one wise believer put it: "If there's more and it's God, I bet it'd be good." This simple statement captures the heart of what it means to be open to the Holy Spirit's work in our lives.

Life Application

The call to be filled with the Spirit isn't just a theological concept—it's a practical invitation to experience God's power in our daily lives.

Here are some questions to consider:

  • Am I experiencing the fullness of what God has for me, or am I settling for less?
  • What barriers might be preventing me from being filled with the Spirit?
  • Am I willing to step out of my comfort zone to experience more of God's presence and power?
  • How might my life, family, and community be different if I lived in the fullness of the Spirit?

 

This week, take time to pray specifically for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit. Open your heart to receive all that God has for you. Don't let fear, tradition, or comfort keep you from experiencing the abundant life Jesus promised. Remember, if there's more and it's God, it will be good!