Understanding the Two Phases of Being Filled with the Spirit • Deshen Daily

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:4, KJV)

The hallmark of Christianity is the Holy Spirit, that is, God in the believer. The Bible repeatedly urges us to “be filled” with the Holy Spirit. Let me briefly discuss two dimensions of being filled with the Holy Spirit. As always, spiritual truths are easily communicated using natural analogies. I will use the analogy of a container(vessel) and wine to describe this critical truth.

The first phases of being filled with the Holy Spirit is mentioned in Acts 2:4 above. The disciples RECEIVED the Holy Spirit like a container that receives water that is poured into it. This is what many of us know about when we refer to being filled with the Holy Spirit. However, there is more.

The second phase is that of wine. It is illustrated in Eph. 5:18

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18, KJV)

The Lord compares the working of wine with the working of the Holy Spirit in this verse. We talk of the new wine of the Spirit. The drunk state is a state in which the person is completely under the CONTROL of the wine. The emphasis is NOT on receiving anything but on CONTROL. The second dimension of being filled with the Spirit, that is, the dimension of wine, describes the state in which the Spirit has total CONTROL over you. When you are under the wine of the Spirit, a certain character and behavior will be produced. Rather than the debauchery or disgraceful behavior that results from alcohol, the Spirit will produce love, joy, peace, faithfulness, etc!

There is something I call the “container mentality,” in which we are always looking to RECEIVE MORE of the Spirit. Well, the Spirit is rather looking to have more of us! Yes, God wants to fill you. He will fill you with more of His power( container). However, He wants to also fill you by having total control over your life!( the wine). Be filled with the Holy Spirit!

MEDITATE

What are the two dimensions of being filled with the Spirit mentioned above? How do the figure of a container and wine help explain these two dimensions?

APPLY THE WORD

The GOAL of the container dimension is to take you to the wine dimension! Important statement. The Spirit fills you like a container so that He can fill or take over your life like wine! Be filled with the Spirit as you receive more of His wisdom and power each day and also surrender to His control.

PRAY

Ask the Father to fill you right now, imparting a fresh dimension of power and wisdom but also making you more willing than before to yield or surrender to His leading.