Be Filled with the Holy Spirit


There are several ways of understanding "Filling with the Holy Spirit." Some people teach that it happens at conversion: when one asks Jesus into his or her heart. Others believe that filling occurs at some point during the believer's growth: at baptism, or simply when the Spirit decides. Still others believe that the filling of the Spirit is a temporary, circumstantial occurrence, used for specific work of God on earth through His servants, and can happen many times throughout the life of a Christian. Whatever your personal beliefs, several Scriptural steps are most certainly involved.

Steps

Building Your Faith

  1. Open your mind. Most people are guilty of being a little stubborn. Maybe you think you've got everything worked out and you know all the right answers, but if you really want to be filled with the Holy Spirit, you need to accept that you maybe still have a few things to learn. Open your mind to all possibilities, so that God can lead the way.
  2. Open your spirit. You probably also think you know God, and you may, but it can only help you if you open yourself up to new spiritual experiences. You can't tell God who to be, only He can show you. Find new ways of worship or see how other churches work, in order to open your spirit. God will show you the right way when you do.
  3. Stop listening to spiritual advice from others. You can even stop reading this advice if you want to but the most important thing is to start using your own judgement. God gave you Reason for a reason. You don't need someone to interpret the word of God for you, you can read a Bible. You can research and learn until you can read the Bible better than anyone else. Then, use your own judgement to tell you what God wants. He won't let you be led astray...but as a wise man once said, "Fear a man who pulls from one book."
    • Be especially wary of those that try to tell you that you have to speak in tongues in order to know that you are filled with the Holy Spirit. Speaking in tongues is a spiritual gifts, but it is one of 15 spiritual gifts that the Holy Spirit might give you when he fills you. When the Holy Spirit enters the people in Acts 2, they speak in tongues, yes. But these aren't gibberish made up languages. God gives people from different countries the ability to talk to each other across language barriers. What this means is that being filled with the Holy Spirit is more about overcoming differences and getting together in a love of God.
  4. Look in your heart for answers. Once you've opened yourself to God and stopped listening to every word out of the mouth of mortals as if they were the next gospel, look in your heart and you will find what you need. This will grow your faith and open your heart for the Holy Spirit to fill you, in an extra way. Every Christian receives the Holy Spirit when they are saved, but you can ask God for an extra filling of the Holy Spirit whenever you want. God has filled your heart with his knowledge, and when you look there and think about what feels right to you, you will find what you are looking for. God will not lead you astray. The devil may have his tricks but when we see them, we know them for what they are in our hearts.
  5. Stop hurting yourself. You're probably having a hard time in life right now. That's why you're seeking a better relationship with God, right? Seek this relationship with God but remember that you must begin by respecting yourself. Stop doing the things that are making your life harder and begin to respect yourself and work for a better life. For the Bible tells us, "So, brothers and sisters, because of God’s mercies, I encourage you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. This is your appropriate priestly service. Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature." (Romans 12:1-2). This means that you are the most important thing to God and that living your life well is the best way to give him thanks. Do this first, and you will be ready for the Holy Spirit.

Remembering Your Trials

  1. Think of the times in your life when you were tested. The next part in the process is all about giving the Holy Spirit a place in your life. You can start by finding where that place has been in the past. Think of times in your life that were really difficult or that really challenged your faith. Not little things like having an argument with a friend but big things like losing a loved one or getting fired from a job you really needed.
  2. Consider your cause for being tested. Look at these tests and think about why you were being tested in those instances. Look at the good things that came out of those situations or the lessons that you learned. Find why God was testing you at those times and what He wanted you to gain from your experiences.
  3. Figure out God's reason for testing you now. Look at the trials in your life right now. Everyone has them. These can be big or small. Now, why are you being tested? Think about what God is trying to tell you now. Maybe you didn’t learn your lesson before, about procrastination or coveting or jealousy, and now God’s trying again. Maybe it’s a whole new lesson. Look for your failings and you will find God’s reasons.
  4. See God's lessons in your trials. Once you find God’s reasons for testing you, take a lesson from the experiences you’re having. See where the Holy Spirit can help you improve your life and the lives of those around you.
  5. Be grateful for His guidance. Thank God and your Lord Jesus Christ for the lessons they have brought you and appreciate the role they are playing in your life now. Once you recognize this place that the Holy Spirit has in your life, you will be much better able to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Letting God Into Your Life

  1. Pray to God. Begin letting God and the Holy Spirit into your life by praying. Pray every day if you can, in private or in church. Just have conversations with God and get used to having this spiritual time. With time, you will feel filled with the Holy Spirit whenever you pray, as well as when you go about your day normally.
  2. Sing songs of praise. If you’re having trouble connecting with the Holy Spirit, one common way to feel more connected to God is to sing. Sings songs of praise to the Lord and let that spiritual feeling fill your body and soul. There are lots of great songs of praise, from hard rock to gospel choirs. You can find a song for almost any mood you’re in or any trial you’re suffering.
    • Try listening to Damion Suomi’s "The Lion, The Ram and The Fish" when you’re feeling like you’re having trouble being a good Christian.
    • Sing "His Eye is on the Sparrow" if you’re feeling like you just can’ win in life.
    • Try "In Christ Alone" if you’re feeling happy and fulfilled in Christ.
  3. Read the Bible. You can read the Bible to feel even closer to God and the Holy Spirit. Turn randomly to let the Holy Spirit guide you to the right passage for you, if you don’t feel like reading all the way through.
  4. Talk with your pastor or priest. Schedule a nice long talk with your priest, pastor, or other preferred spiritual leader. They can help you go through some specially chosen passages, lead you in a prayer, or help you find God’s hand in the trials of your life. Remember, while you don’t need to follow their every word, spiritual leaders are there to help you and can be very useful when you’re feeling alone and confused.
  5. Spend time with other Christians. You can meet in groups at school, go to a full church, or just hang out with other Christians you know. Getting together to pray and talk about your trials will really help bring the Holy Spirit into your life and theirs!

Letting God Guide You

  1. Surrender your will to God. Just assuming that you know everything and that you know how things really are can close you off to the signs that God is trying to send to you. Maybe you’ve been praying for a good man to marry, but totally ignored that new guy at the office because he isn’t what you pictured. Whatever the case, stop trying to control everything and just stand back and look at your life. Accept the road of life as it comes and appreciate it for what it is.
  2. Listen for his Word. God will send you signs, when he wants you to take a certain path. The more you communicate with the Holy Spirit and let it fill you, the easier it will be to remove yourself from your current situation long enough to see what God is trying to tell you.
  3. Judge right and wrong for yourself. There will always be people trying to tell you what’s right and wrong, whether you’re at home, in school, in church, or even just watching TV. When you are getting a lot of mixed messages, remember to look to your own moral compass. Not just the fed back information that other people have given you but that piece of your soul where God tells you what’s really right and wrong.
    • If you feel uncomfortable with something a spiritual leader or other trusted individual tells you (gays are evil, animals evolved without help, whatever), look inside yourself to decide for yourself what the truth is.
    • This may be hard to do and you may need to spend a lot of time researching and praying on an issue before you come to a conclusion, but that’s okay. Truth is usually hard won, but the sweetest reward, and you will be more comfortable in your relationship with the Holy Spirit.
  4. Do good works. You will feel filled with the Holy Spirit most of all when you get out and do good works. God and Jesus are both pleased when you are making the world a better place and bringing hope and salvation to all. You can volunteer in big ways or just help out in small ways, do everything from going on a mission or building houses with Habitat for Humanity or just donate food to your local soup kitchen. Do whatever feels right to you.
    • Remember that sometimes it’s easier to bring people to Christ by showing them God’s love, rather than telling them about it. Evangelizing isn’t always the best road!
    • God’s favored causes are healing the sick, helping the poor, and delivering the oppressed. Find the people who are truly those things and help them, to bring yourself closer to Christ.
  5. Love your fellow man. Jesus taught us that it is most important to love your fellow man, second only (pretty much) to loving God. If you want to really feel filled by the Holy Spirit when you worship and go about your daily life, make sure you are living a Christian life by loving your fellow man. Judge him not, for he shall be judged by God and by no other. Help him and comfort him.
  6. Bring others to Christ. If you can, bring others to the love of Christ. Don’t do this because you want to earn brownie points with God. That’s not how this works. Help bring others to God because in coming to Him, their lives will be better. They will be happier and healthier and make better decisions than they did before.
    • You can tell them about the beliefs of Christianity and the wisdom of Christ, or even just bring them to worship with you, so they can see what it’s all about.
    • Never push anyone to Christ or make them feel like less because they don’t believe. This only drives people away.

Tips

  • Establish a discipline of daily or even more frequent prayer to renew your condition of surrender to Christ. Do not let the filling of the Holy Spirit become an experience you had "way back then" but have not continued to live in.
  • When you a facing a temptation or a trial call to God in repentance and ask him to help you with whatever your going through because through this you will establish faith in him.

Warnings

  • Humility is an essential quality of true, scriptural spirituality. Persons who are arrogant about their "spirituality" are not truly filled with the Holy Spirit. Persons who manipulate you or others to achieve some preconceived sign of the Spirit's filling are mistaken about what the Bible teaches. Avoid their teaching, but pray for them to learn the truth.

Related Articles

  • Surrender to God
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