Author : Martin R. De Haan II
Every follower of Jesus Christ should want to obey the biblical command to be filled with the Holy Spirit. But what does that involve? Some see it as an experience that is recognized by:- speaking in "tongues"
- feelings of wild ecstasy
- feeling the spirit take them over
- being overcome with great joy
- being "slain" in the Spirit
- having the ability to prophesy
- being able to interpret "tongues"
But other Christians say they have never had any of these experiences. They claim that a person does not have to have any of these things happen to him to show that he is filled with the Holy Spirit as he lives his day-to-day life.
To them, Richard Wurmbrand, who still carries from beatings he received in a communist prison camp, exemplifies the power of a Spirit-filled life. He tells of singing for joy in a cell where he was cold, sick, and hungry. To many, he is a good example of someone who is Spirit-filled.
A Christian named John who died in a Grand Rapids nursing home a few years ago, was considered a Spirit-filled man by those who took care of him. During the last 2 years of his life, as cancer ravaged his body, his joy was irrepressible. He told everybody he met about Jesus Christ.
During is first year, John asked the aids to wheel him into rooms where people were discouraged and depressed. His testimony was used to lead many of his fellow residents to the Lord. After he could no longer be placed in a wheelchair, he talked to people who came into his room.
He radiated such joy that they couldn't help but feel they were in the presence of a Spirit-filled man.
According to the Bible, the privilege for every believer to be filled with the Holy Spirit began at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13)
The disciples were praying together when they suddenly heard the sound of rushing wind, saw tongelike flames, and spoke in languages they had never learned. As a result, 3,000 people in Jerusalem trusted Christ that very day. The apostles were filled with courage and power, witnessing boldly and performing miracles. As time went on, and despite persecution, these Spirit-filled Christians presented such a powerful testimony that even their enemies spoke of them as men who had "turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6).
We would all like to be filled with the Holy Spirit. But most of is don't experience the same victory, the same joy, or the same power as these early apostles. So, this leads us to ask, "How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?"
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