'Be filled with the Holy Spirit'

quietbloke said:

In the Bible we are instructed to 'be filled with the Spirit' continually. 'Do not get drunk on wine,which leads to debauchery. Instead be filled with the Spirit' (Eph.5:18) Would you like to share on this experience?

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If you discard most of the "contradictory theology" and terminology, being "Filled by the Spirit" really simply means to "Be in a state wherein what we THINK, What we ENJOY, and what we DO is guided, and empowered by the HOLY SPIRIT, and NOT our "Flesh". We're told "Walk in the Spirit, and NOT by "Sight" (natural fleshly motivations).

Being "Baptized in the Holy Spirit" ("Denominational religious talk" for what Jesus called being "endued with power from on high" Luke 24:49) is a whole different thing. There's plenty of folks who claim to have been "Baptized in the Holy Spirit - tongues and all" - that exhibit ABSOLUTELY NO SIGN of being "Spirit filled". They're meaner than snakes, and totally judgmental.

Eph 5 juxtaposes: Being "Drunk with wine", and Being "Filled with the spirit". In modern vernacular it could be stated "Get your Fulfillment/Enjoyment/Good experiences" - but Get them through a relationship with the SPIRIT, and NOT through the artificial (and destructive) stimulation you get from Alcohol or Drugs.

When I first became a christian(at a late age of 48) I didnt know what the term "Being filled with the Holy Spirit" meant but I had just gotten cable back then and found TBN, well of course several Preachers spoke about it. But then I remembered my mom had talked about praying in tongues because I had one Aunt who did but mom had been taught by her Pastor that it had ended at the death of the last Apostle. As I was reading the Scripture I came across this one........
Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
I wasnt sure exactly what that meant but I just knew if praying in the Holy Spirit would build me up on my most Holy faith that I needed to do it, so I found a Spirit filled church and had them lay hands on me but nothing happened, they prayed for me several minutes, still nothing. I went to other churches, I read up on it, every night I prayed and asked God to fill me with evidence in praying in tongues. For a year, nothing, nothing, then one night I had been praying about it as usual and just as I was dozing off I heard a voice say" one plus one is too many. The voice actually sounded audible, it startled me at first as I lived alone and it was a male voice but then I realized it was Holy Spirit telling me He was already with me to quit praying for Him to come. At church someone said to say "Hallelujah" over and over real quick without stopping until it turned into tongues. Whew, I was getting worn out, lol Anyway, I started trying that but nothing, oh once in a while something came out different but I would think no, that doesnt sound like I heard those people on TV and church but finally I decided to just keep going and at first it was just like three or four words over and over but I kept going, even though I didnt think it sounded right, I just kept going. All of a sudden the words just started flowing, I then realized I could of been praying in the spirit for months but because I had stopped myself because of how I thought it should sound I missed out. The Holy Spirit was trying to get that across to me too. I prayed in the spirit for hours and hours that day, it just seemed like it was a freeing, cleansing experience. He started showing me things in my life that I needed to deal with and get it out of my life, I would just say, ok, Lord I see that now help me get rid of it and He would. I also realized that if I prayed in tongues softly while studying the Bible that Holy Spirit would show me more and more about the scriptures but after all He is our Teacher.

LOL, Ok, I will quit but that was my experience, the beginning of my new life and falling in love with the Lord. I know, it was kind of strange but thats how it happened for me.

Yes, thanks for sharing.

posted: He started showing me things in my life that I needed to deal with and get it out of my life

Some stop speaking in tongues when this happens because they say tongues are to edify. To me it's like a trial, it's not great when it is happening but once it's over, the rewards are there because we're relying on Yahweh more.

Also,
"In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."John 7

Not a pond with still surroundings and stagnate water but

"...flow rivers of living water" means there's a constant flow of both incoming billowing, nourishing, flourishing water by being in His presence and continually releasing or outgoing of this flow by serving others and pointing them to Yeshua.

quietbloke said:

Would love to hear other experiences of 'baptism in the Holy Spirit',ie. Being filled with the Holy Spirit!

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During WWII, This was noted: Most all the people, and most all the churches, in the beginning of hitlers rise to power, most all raised their arms in salute and honor , openly and in front of all the news cameras, publicly and with no shame and no hesitation. Quite freely they most all gave tribute and honor to hitler and supported him and his rise to power.

Except for one (church) , one remnant. The Pentecostal. Filled with the holy spirit , knowledge(experiential) of Jesus Alive, they did not get deceived by hitler - they as a group were the only group that did not support hitler.
This same thing is happening again, (for the last several decades, actually since wwII ended) .... in the united states.
Just as a remnant is called and chosen and set apart by Yhwh out of all the nations.,
just as "a few" find the narrow road to life vs "multitudes" are on the wide popular road to destruction.
As you found out >> YES! ......... >>>

quietbloke said:

kept seeking the LORD on my own. When praying with a friend,I was praising God with unabandoned surrender and found my tongue speaking in a language I had never learnt. I went on overflowing and left the room with a fresh annointing. I had received by faith and my life was never the same! I realise the importance of being continually filled every day.

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@quitebloke
“Would love to hear other experiences of 'baptism in the Holy Spirit',ie. Being filled with the Holy Spirit!”

Sometimes, I wonder if I should even say something on this need for authenticity, because I don’t want to discourage even the smallest hope. We want it to be real so much, we tend to circle back to iffy techniques. Then, we see someone criticize technique and the weaker member is discouraged. Of course, those familiar know we are not to “forbid” anyone of speaking in tongues.

Some of you may know what I’m describing though, don’t you? How that even with Pentecostal preacher’s messages will be instructing on the HS infilling / tongues and will declare,

“You know that there is a false tongues gift going around don’t you?”

Woe – are you kidding me, this is devastating to those new to the gift. If I was back to the point of before my receiving the gift, believe me, I would settle for whatever God wanted me to work with, that is since he said “forbid not to speak with tongues”.

Still, and on the flip-side of that coin, much of the problem of even considering moving towards this option, , in my exp., has been not quite as much on doctrine but more so a hang-ups on techniques. I think after not fancying the thought of tongues well, doctrine is more of a secondary retreat, or excuse.

So, what of the technique? I love the young lady’s account, thank you for that! But I do have to be honest with you, it seems technique is something to consider. After all, didn’t the apostle say, let all things be done “decently and in order”? Take the technique that is given to us from the scriptures just as you have expressed quitebloke.

The account is clear and still in the word performed by a Christian who was not an Apostle of the Lord, yet was instrumental in giving the Spirit to him who would be an Apostle,

“He stood beside me and”, , “laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 22:13, 9:17)

So take courage dear brother or sister, that Christian who laid hands on a future Apostle could just as easily been you It isn’t the flesh that profits, we tend to think it is. The only thing the flesh tends to profit in is doubt. And you know doubt is not on God’s list of rewarding.

One last thing on technique I think exceeds decency, and quitebloke, feel free to disagree with me, I would be interested in your take. And this is also one matter that turns the outsider off, coaching, or, a form of mild to overly hysterical prayer encouraging the seeker to participate with the “prayer partner” coach to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

They are left to wonder over this, is it purely carnal momentum, or a moment leading up to the event? I have a different take on this mix. If it is coaching that acceptance will not receive, fine. Then go back to the biblical method seen in the above example, and others. It is precipitated by the laying on of hands, but notice, , not always.

I don’t want to spend on your dime here but will discuss more in the future, God bless you all soo much!