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Excellent article explaining the meaning of being filled with the Holy Sprit.
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Be filled with the Spirit! (Ephesians 5:18)
The Greek in this context is not referring to a one off event alone, that many Pentecostals/Charismatics would call the Baptism of the Spirit, but rather to a continual infilling. Therefore a correct understanding of this verse is: be being kept continually filled with the Spirit. Note also that it is more a command than advice. The command is for a continuous filling or the controlling of the Spirit of God in the believers life. Furthermore, because the Greek verb is passive, it indicates that the believer is filled with the Spirit by God Himself, and not that he or she can, or does, fill him or herself.
The word for filled in the Greek, pleero, indicates being moved along by the wind, like a sailing ship, as the word was used to describe a ship at full sail. The word was also used to describe salt being added to meat to flavour and preserve it. It thus denotes the process of permeation within us. We should be so full of the Spirit, permeated by God, that we become like Him and are as the aroma of Christ to those around us perishing. (Note that becoming like and being the same as God are two entirely different things! I totally refute the Latter Rain heresies.) The word pleero also indicates the dominance of the Spirit within, meaning we should be being under the full control of the Spirit, submitting to our Master and NOT using the Spirit for our own ends (as if we really could anyway!). It thus indicates the submitted will of the believer to God alone.
Far too many Christians nowadays see the Holy Spirit as something for them to control, rather than to be controlled by, many considering the anointing no better than a plaything under their control, theirs to yell more, more at, so not just the person manifesting but the Holy Spirit becomes as a performing seal. There are many things wrong with the spiritual manifestations popular in the Pentecostal movement including (but not exclusively) those that were made popular by The Toronto Blessing and Brownsville that I have written on in previous posts, including bad theology, an intentional misrepresenting of church history, lack of discernment, occultism and putting two and two together to make five, but possible one of the worst mistakes that abounds in modern day Pentecostalism and Charismaticism is this – many aim to control the Spirit as lords and masters (often) to further their own empires, rather than be humble servants totally controlled by the Spirit to further Gods kingdom – and His kingdom alone.
Source: http://endtimespropheticwords.wordpress.com/2008/01/09/be-continually-filled-with-the-holy-spirit/
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I would also like to mention that the Bible says the Holy Spirit comes to abide in a person when you are born again. When you accept Jesus into your life , believe that He died for you, and ask for forgiveness of your sinful ways you are instantly filled with the Holy Spirit. There is nosecond and third occurrence, etc., of being ‘filled or baptised by the Holy Spirit’ He does not leave you and then come back again for another anointing. There is only ONE anointing and that is Jesus Christ. The filling of the Holy Spirit is a ‘drawing nearer and nearer’ to God through obedienceto His Word. The more we listen to the gentle whispers and warnings of the Holy Spirit the more we are ‘filled’ by Him. Disobedience leads one away from God; you draw away from God.
So lets see:
Obedience = Obeying God’s Word = Repenting of sin = Filling of the Holy Spirit = More obedience = Obeying God’s Word more = Repentance of sin with increasing Reverence in God’s presence = More filling of the Holy Spirit = Who leads us into ALL understanding of the Word of God (Bible) and ALL remembrance of Jesus Christ and who HE IS = Repentance of Sin = Obeying God through listening to His Holy Spirit = God speaking to you more (filling) through His Holy Spirit = Drawing more into God’s presence = Obeying His Word, etc.
Get it? I really hope so.
Thank you for this good posting. May I please add this?
The Nature of Spirit-Filling:
There are three things to note about the nature of Spirit-filling, all based on Ephesians 5:18.
The Meaning of Spirit-Filling
To be filled means, to be controlled. For example, Ephesians 5:18
states: And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit.
(1) Spirit-Filling Is Commanded
First, it is commanded. A believer is never commanded to be
regenerated, indwelt, baptized, sealed, or anointed by the Holy Spirit.
These things happen automatically at the moment one believes.
But he is commanded: be filled with the Spirit.
(2) Spirit-Filling Is Repeated
The second thing about the nature of Spirit-filling is that it is a ministry, which can be repeated.
All the ministries of the Holy Spirit in relationship to salvation are not repeatable; they are once-and-for-all actions which occur at the moment one believes.
But the ministries in relationship to spiritual growth are repeatable as is the case of being filled with the Spirit.
The tense used in Ephesians 5:18 is the present tense, which means, to keep on being filled with the Spirit.
The Greek present tense emphasizes continuous and repeated action.
Because Spirit-filling is repeated, it does not necessarily mean the believer has lost his previous filling, although at times it may mean that.
It can also mean that a new area of one’s life has been placed under the control of the Spirit.
For example, the Apostles were filled with the Spirit at least three different times (Acts 2:4; 4:8; 4:31).
Stephen was filled at least twice (Acts 6:3 6; 7:55).
Paul was filled at least two different times (Acts 9:17; 13:52).
Barnabas was filled in Acts 11:24.
In none of these cases was the previous filling lost. In every case, a new area needed to be under the Spirit’s control, so in each of those areas, they were filled with the Spirit.
(3) Spirit-Filling Is Passive
The third thing concerning the nature of Spirit-filling is based on the passive voice in Ephesians 5:18, which means someone else is doing the filling.
All the believer does is submitting himself so that the filling can take place; the Holy Spirit does the actual filling.
Elisheva