What Does It Mean to Be Filled With the Holy Spirit?

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What role does the Holy Spirit play in a Christian’s life?

Years ago, I attended a Christian women’s retreat at a beautiful resort in the Muskokas. The weekend event focused on discovering God’s call on our life. I went away refreshed and invigorated in my walk with God.

However, one thing stood out as odd and — as a new Christian — frightened me. As the group sang and worshipped God, I noticed one woman set apart at the back of the room. She looked as if she was having a standing seizure. A few other women stood around her to protect her from self-harm. She shook violently with jerking movements of her arms and legs. She screamed, rolled her eyes, and talked gibberish. I turned to the woman beside me and asked what was happening. She said, “Oh, she’s just filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Really? I knew that I was relatively new to terms such as “born again” and “on fire for Christ” but I didn’t believe that being filled with the Holy Spirit meant losing control of one’s body.

Jesus promised the disciples that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. When the Holy Spirit came upon them they were able to talk in different languages and they gained a boldness to share the Good News.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

(Acts 2:1–4, NIV)

But what does it mean to be filled with the Spirit today? What role does He play in our lives?

As the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit:

Empowers

I remember when an atheist asked specific questions and challenged my faith. I prayed silently for the Holy Spirit to empower me to answer the questions and share my faith boldly.

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (Acts 4:31, NIV)

Comforts

When anxious or upset, I will pray for the Holy Spirit to wrap around me like a warm blanket and comfort me in the way that only He can.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26, NIV)

Teaches

Reading the Bible can be confusing at times and that’s when I like to call on the Holy Spirit to give me insight and understanding in what I am reading.

these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:10, NIV)

Convicts

The Holy Spirit will gently poke my conscience when I am doing, saying, or thinking something that I should not be. He does not condemn but rather convicts us of sin.

But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:7–8, NIV)

Helps

There are times when I don’t have the words to pray but I know that I can call out to the Holy Spirit to help and He will intercede.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. (Romans 8:26, NIV)

Gives

The Holy Spirit gives us gifts. During my prayer time and in my writing, the Holy Spirit gave me the gift of prophecy. Through this, I was able to encourage and uplift many fellow believers.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith. (Romans 12:6, NIV)

The Holy Spirit may be invisible but His influence is not. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is awesome and incredible.

And it’s not at all uncontrolled or frightening.

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