Ah, the quest for spiritual fulfilment—a journey as old as humanity itself! Many mistakenly set out on this expedition, thinking that material wealth, professional success, or social approval will give you true fulfilment.
Yet, what if I told you there’s a deep, unending, and divinely appointed well that not only fills but overflows?
“Journey with me as we dig deep into the bedrock of God’s Word, aiming to uncover the transformative power and extraordinary blessings of being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Come, let’s explore this eternal wellspring together.”
A Better Future Era: Jesus’ Promise
It’s entirely understandable that the disciples were stunned and deeply distressed when Jesus began to speak of His imminent departure, suffering, and death. Just as they were acclimating to the ground-breaking revelation that the Messiah had indeed arrived, Jesus began to unpack a jarring narrative—He would be leaving them. It’s akin to finding an oasis in the middle of a desert only to be told that it is about to vanish.
However, amid their bewilderment and heartbreak, Jesus sowed a seed of transcendent hope. He assured them that His departure would pave the way for something—rather, Someone—even better to come into their lives. “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” (John 16:7, NKJV). By saying it’s “to your advantage,” Jesus underscores the unparalleled benefit of having the Holy Spirit indwell believers. He is essentially saying, “Trust me on this; you’re going to want the Holy Spirit.”
The NT uses graphic terms of abundance and overflow to describe the first disciple’s experiences and encounters with the Holy Spirit.
Let’s look at the empowerment the Holy Spirit came to do!
Examples of Holy Spirit’s Infilling
- Jesus Christ: The most notable example is Jesus Himself. In Luke 4:1, it says, “Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.” Here, the Spirit-filled Jesus faced satanic temptation but emerged victorious.
- John the Baptist: Even before he was born, it was prophesied that John would be filled with the Holy Spirit. Luke 1:15 says, “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.”
- Peter: In Acts 4:8, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, stood fearless before the Jewish leaders and spoke with incredible boldness. “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and elders of Israel.'”
- Stephen: The first Christian martyr, Stephen, is described in Acts 6:5 as a man, “full of faith and the Holy Spirit.” Just before his death, Acts 7:55 says, “But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.”
- Paul: After his conversion, Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17). He also acknowledged ongoing fillings of the Spirit, as evident when he was in situations that demanded immediate prophetic insight and miraculous action, such as in Acts 13:9: “Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him.” This marked the moment of Paul’s public ministry. Another incident was when he encountered a Sorcerer named Bar-Jesus (also called Elymas) who challenged Paul openly, resisting him. He could have backed down, but instead being full of the Holy Spirit, he exposed the sorcerer’s fraud and cursed him with blindness!
- Barnabas: He is described as being, “full of the Holy Spirit and faith” (Acts 11:24). Barnabas played a key role in the early expansion of the church. What kind of different life is required so that “being full of the Spirit” is evident to all?
- The Disciples at Pentecost: Perhaps the most dramatic collective experience is recorded in Acts 2, where the disciples were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. On this glorious day, God redeemed the REBELLION of the people building the tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1-9). The cosmic battle is redeemed in that at the tower of Babel, people were filled with selfish arrogance and pride but at Pentecost, the followers of Christ became full of the Holy Spirit for the first time in history. “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance“ (Acts 2:4). When you are filled with the Holy Spirit you cannot but only GLORIFY God!!
- The Early Christians in Acts 4: After Peter and John reported back to their community about being interrogated by the Sanhedrin, they all prayed and the place was shaken. Acts 4:31 reports, “And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”
- Deacons: In Acts 6:3, the apostles tell the congregation, “Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.” Among those chosen were Stephen, “a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit,” and Philip, who would later be instrumental in the Ethiopian eunuch’s conversion (Acts 6:5, Acts 8:26-40). These men weren’t merely administrators but “spiritual heavyweights” in their own right. Being filled with the Spirit was not an optional add-on but a critical part of their qualifications.
Spiritual Benefits
Empowerment for Ministry: The Book of Acts states, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit is that divine empowerment we need for effective Christian service, like wind in the sails of a ship.
Divine Union: Romans speaks of a divine intimacy when it says, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16). It’s akin to a parent hugging a child tightly, affirming their unbreakable bond.
Theological Benefits
Evidential Role: Ephesians tells us, “In Him, you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13). This seal isn’t just a stamp; it’s a royal signet that confirms our identity and inheritance.
Spiritual Power Gifts
The Apostle Paul describes the communal benefit of the Spirit by saying, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit…” (1 Corinthians 12:7-8).
Philosophical Benefits
Ultimate Fulfillment: Paul captures existential fulfillment by saying, “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace“ (Romans 8:6).
Moral Framework: The Bible tells us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). The Spirit’s fruit serves as a compass that points “true north” in a world spinning on the axis of moral relativism.
Psychological Benefits
Emotional Resilience: Again, “the fruit of the Spirit” gives us clues to emotional well-being (Galatians 5:22-23). It’s like having a psychological immune system that helps you weather the storms of life.
Community and Belonging
The community of believers in the Book of Acts were noted for their shared life, as they “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Here, the church serves as a refuge, a place of communal nourishment and belonging.
If filling a spiritual void with temporary pleasures is like throwing pebbles in a canyon, then being filled with the Holy Spirit is like a mighty river that not only fills the canyon but reshapes it, creating a lush, fertile valley where life thrives.
“The River” & Feast of Tabernacles
“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.“ (John 7:38, NKJV)
When Jesus talks about “rivers of living water” flowing from believers, it’s no accident that He makes this proclamation during the Feast of Tabernacles. One of the most dramatic rituals during this festival involved a priest drawing water from the Pool of Siloam and then pouring it, along with wine, onto the altar at the Temple. This water would then flow out from under the Temple mount.
The act was a vivid commemoration of God’s provision of water in the wilderness and a plea for rain in the coming months. It’s as if Jesus is saying, “You perform this ritual year after year, but what if I told you the True Living Water is coming, and it will flow from within you?”
“The River” & Ezekiel 47
Now, let’s go back a bit to the Old Testament. In Ezekiel 47, the prophet has a vision of water flowing from the Temple, starting as a trickle and growing into a river so vast that one could not cross it.
This river:
- brings life wherever it flows
- is a foretaste of divine abundance and renewal
- is a sort of heavenly irrigation system
- is not stagnant but dynamic, transforming everything it touches—just like the Holy Spirit do from within us!!
