Peter, Filled with the Holy Ghost
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel (Acts 4:8 KJV)
When Peter and John were arrested for healing the lame man, the entire Jewish council got together to question them about the authority they had to perform such miracles. The verse above says “ Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them.” Peter spoke to them in a state called “filled” with the Holy Ghost.
In Acts 2:4, the scripture records that the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues. In this verse, we find the same word “filled.” The usage or meaning of the word “filled” is not the same in these two verses. This is an important principle for a correct interpretation of scripture, that is, learning to correctly interpret the meaning of biblical words in the context in which they occur.
To help you better understand these two distinct but related meanings, I want you to imagine a cup being filled with water. Think of the actual process of filling the cup, when you are pouring water into it. This is an act, a process. This is the meaning of the term “filled” in Acts 2:4 where the disciples were first filled with the Holy Spirit. Then imagine the cup already filled with water being used for different things. The state at which that cup now exists, being completely full of water, after the process of filling is the sense of the word “filled” in Acts 4:8 above. When it says “Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,” it is not describing the process of being filled. It is the state that follows the process. In this state, the key word is CONTROL. It is a state in which the Spirit of God has total CONTROL over us. In this place, each word you say is full of divine wisdom and power, and every step you take carries a touch of the Spirit. Think about the STATE of a man drunk with alcohol. The alcohol has total control of his actions. This is why in Eph. 5:18, the scriptures parallels being intoxicated with alcohol with being filled with the Spirit because the Holy Spirit wants to take control of your being as alcohol does its victims.
Be filled with the Holy Spirit every single day!!
MEDITATE
I have compressed a lot of potentially difficult to understand the material in an attempt to control the length of the devotional above. Please ensure you have followed the two meanings of the word “filled” with the Holy Spirit discussed above.
APPLY THE WORD
The process leads to the state. Be filled with the Spirit continuously( the process) so that you can always be in that place called “filled with the Spirit.” That is the place of the supernatural with an endless flow of the miraculous that will make you a wonder to the world.
PRAY
Thank the Father for the beautiful gift of the Holy Spirit.
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