TEACHING

Daryl Wood

(Daryl is a fivefold teacher in Don Atkin’s apostolic company.)

BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

"And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but ever be filled and stimulated with the [Holy] Spirit (Eph. 5:18 Amplified Bible, emphasis added)."

The command carries with it an implicit promise: If, at any time, I should become conscious that I am NOT filled with the Holy Spirit, all I need do is lay hold of the Lord by faith for His re-filling. This is the most significant part of my inheritance in Christ, whose Holy Spirit has been provided as a down payment, or guarantee, of the same. (See Eph. 1: 13, 14.)

"Once-filled, always-filled" is a popular theological position that has greatly hindered the advancement of the kingdom of God. It has spiritually neutered many through the illusion that a past experience with Him, however valid it might have been, automatically translates into current reality. This thinking prompts an unmerited confidence in what was, rather than a present-tense contact and involvement with I AM. Instead of encouraging one to believe God and His word right now, it points one away from any existing responsibility for the exercise of faith. The end product is a people who are complacent in nostalgia.

The notion of a single Holy Spirit infilling is not consistent with the testimony of the saints in the early church. The same men and women who were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost were subsequently filled again on numerous occasions—a very unnecessary statement of fact, if being filled with the Holy Spirit involves merely a one-time encounter with God.

After healing a lame man, preaching Christ, and being persecuted through threats and imprisonment, Peter and John convened with some of the saints to expound upon their adventure. In the midst of prayer, God filled them again with the Holy Spirit. "And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31, NKJV)." (See also Acts 4:8; 9:17, 18; & 13: 9, 52.) Peter, John, and some of the others who were filled anew with the Holy Spirit in Acts 4 were filled previously in the upper room in Acts 2. This and other examples underscore the fact that a single encounter with the Holy Spirit is insufficient. We all need His brand new empowering to re-quicken us on a regular basis.

How would one know whether or not he is in need of refilling, given the reality that his past experience(s) are inadequate as a proof test? Can one know with certainty whether he is currently filled? Is there tangible fruit that accompanies one who is full of the Holy Spirit? Fortunately, the Scriptures provide clear answers to these questions. What follows are some identifying characteristics that come with being filled to overflowing with God’s presence:

1. Freedom to the fullest

"Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8: 31, 32 NKJV).’"

Continuing in the Word of God brings a progressive and ever-expanding revelation of the truth. The result is great freedom . . . from sin, oppression, and "woundedness." In short, nothing that corrupts, paralyzes, or imprisons has a grip any longer on one who is truly free. This is why Jesus could remark, ". . . the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me (John 14:30b NKJV)." Likewise, when we are full of God’s Spirit the devil has neither foothold nor port of entry into our lives.

We are all tempted on a regular basis to accept these three—sin, oppression, and "woundedness"—as an inescapable part of the human condition. Many spend the better part of their lives as Christians languishing under the weight of one or more of them. Yet by making allowances for any of these things we resign ourselves to a state that falls far short of His provision. God Himself is the remedy for each of these crippling influences. Being full of Him means there is no longer any room for even a wisp of darkness or death. The victory that He has promised over all these things is absolute:

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death (Rom. 8:2 NASB)."

"In righteousness you shall be established; You will be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; And from terror, for it shall not come near you (Is. 54: 14 NKJV)."

"He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds (Ps. 147:3 NKJV)."

Through Christ Jesus there is freedom from the law of sin and death, from the oppression of Satan, and from the disabling hurts of the past. Progress in the Lord is arrested for him who is still clinging to one or more of these. Yet release from the bondage of them is a tangible reality to those who are walking in the present-tense revelation that comes through the infilling of His Spirit. Should we discern a lack of freedom in our life experience, it is a warning flag, pointing us to look to Him and again anchor ourselves upon His promise to be filled with the Spirit. He is generous to meet our need when we acknowledge it, and cry out to Him to be filled. "Turn at My reproof; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make My words known to you (Prov. 1:23 NKJV)." Through a fresh baptism in His Spirit, realities that had become dim are made crisp and vibrant once more.

"Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (2 Cor. 3:17 NKJV)."

2. Abundant love, joy, and peace

Knowing the Prince of Peace brings a significant measure of love, joy, and peace. Yet He has made available to us a superabundance that is beyond our ability to fathom.

It is His will that you ". . . may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Eph. 3: 18, 19 NKJV, emphasis added)."

There is a joy inexpressible and full of glory, because in His presence is fullness of joy (1 Peter 1:8, Ps. 16:11).

There is the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding. Walking in this dimension of peace, one’s heart and mind are guarded like a citadel through Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7).

I distinctly recall the week or so following my initial baptism in the Holy Spirit. The peace, joy, and love that I experienced were so profound and intense that had an ongoing buoyant sensation, as if I were walking on clouds. What filled the inside of me oozed out, and impacted all those with whom I had contact. Some might argue that this was just a "honeymoon phase" that was intended to fade with time. However, I’m inclined to believe that, while feelings inevitably undergo some highs and lows like the tides, the natural state of one who is consumed with his First Love is one of being engulfed and enraptured to such an extent that his soul finds its true fulfillment and satisfaction in Him. The completeness that this one experiences is indelibly stamped on his countenance as a testimony to all around him.

Any notable lack of the boundless love, joy, and peace that He has made available to us is an opportunity to look back to Him and receive His fullness. Why should we settle for anything less than this, when He stands ready to baptize us afresh?

3. Manifest nearness of the Lord

Prior to his death, burial, and resurrection Jesus told His disciples that He was sending the Paraclete. They already knew Him in measure, for He dwelt with them. Yet there was a day when He was going to take up residence within them. God’s desire and plan was that this indwelling would be permanent.

" ‘I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you (John 14: 16, 17 NASB).’"

Jesus continued, describing the greater realm of intimacy with God which His disciples would soon realize:

"‘At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.’ Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, ‘Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him (John 14:20-23 NKJV, emphasis added).’"

Undeniably, God’s objective is that our temples of flesh would serve as permanent dwelling places for His manifest presence. Because we are so prone to distractions, our attention is sometimes diverted from pure heart devotion to Him. Hence, one may be essentially clean, even though the silt from the world soils his soles. Jesus addressed this problem with Peter prior to washing his feet. "Jesus said to him, ‘He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you (John 13:10 NKJV).’" In other words, though Peter was declared clean by the Lord, he still needed to receive further cleansing ministry. Being filled with the Holy Spirit removes any hindering residue of the world for those who are cleansed by the blood of Christ.

It is possible for one to walk in all the light of which he is currently conscious, and yet possess a gnawing sense that "something is missing." (This applies equally to those who have been filled with the Holy Spirit in days past, and to those who have never experienced the Spirit baptism.) If one is presently obeying the Word of God and yet lacks the abiding, tangible sense of God’s presence, he can be rekindled in the awareness of His nearness by being filled with His Spirit. Receiving the Spirit anew comes by the hearing of faith, just as He comes during an initial infilling (Gal. 3:2-5). The word that confirms His promise, purpose, and desire for us to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit is the basis for faith. Soaking in His stated will for us releases that word. Looking to Him, and meditating on what He has declared to us concerning the promise of the Spirit is the starting point for all who would receive afresh. Of all the many benefits that God promises His people, none can begin to compare with the promise of His manifest presence! It is His good pleasure to lavish the kingdom upon His own, and this includes, most of all, Himself.

4. Song of the Lord

Heaven resounds, 24/7, with a new song of praise to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Those who witness the fact that they have been raised up and seated with Him in heavenly places enjoy and participate in the ringing choruses:

"And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, (Rev.5:9 NKJV).’ "

"My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer (Ps. 45:1 NKJV)."

Perhaps no single thing is more symptomatic of being filled with the Holy Spirit than the song of the Lord that bathes one’s soul as he is in warm contact with the Lord. Rather than something that is contrived, it flows from the heart irrespective of external circumstances. When Paul and Barnabas were confined to the stinky dungeon in Philippi, their backs were bruised with stripes and their ankles chafed in the stocks. However, what could not be beaten out of them and what could not be caged was God within them. They were full of His Spirit!

"But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains were loosed (Acts 16:25, 26 NKJV)."

The earthquake of God that ensued liberated them from their physical bonds. More than that, it busted free those around them, who were also in chains. They were gloriously touched by the salvation of the Lord, so plainly evident through the life and word of His servants.

The spontaneous song of the Lord buoys us in a sustained place of God-consciousness. In this state, anxiety and fears dissolve into sweet resolve, as spiritual realities take their rightful place above all which we see and feel in the physical realm. The escape induced by alcohol or drugs is a mirage, for once the "buzz" or the "high" fades, the same dreary circumstances prevail. On the other hand, the intoxication of His Holy Spirit transcends despair and discouragement, overcoming, and often even overturning contrary situations—without the drag of a hangover. The contrast is one reason why the filling of wine and the filling of the Holy Spirit are placed in juxtaposition to one another.

"And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Eph. 5: 18-20 NKJV)."

If one observes that he has lost his song, its time for him to draw near to God once again. The Lord stands ready to fill him once more with His melodious Word.

5. Power of God

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8 NKJV)."

The most defining change that the disciples underwent after the Pentecost encounter, as chronicled in Acts, was their fresh endowment with the power of God. They now had great boldness to declare the resurrected Christ wherever they went. They also moved in the miraculous demonstration of the Spirit, in attestation to their words. They began performing the "greater works" that Jesus had talked about during His exit-briefing (see John 14:12). As the power of God was revealed through their lives, it gave undeniable proof that He lives. In the same way, the supernatural power and revelation of God should be evident in our lives daily.

Should we become aware that the power of God has waned for us and is no longer in demonstration in our lives, we simply need to return to the Power Source. He will invigorate, refresh, and recharge. His supply is unlimited, and His generosity beyond our ability to imagine.

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen (Eph. 3: 20, 21 NKJV)."

Conclusion

There are several reasons why so many saints "sell short" on what God has promised, and fail to walk in His ultimate blessing, the fullness of his Spirit. As mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, the doctrinal predisposition that a single infilling is all that is necessary is a major stumbling block, especially among those who have some enlightenment regarding the Spirit’s availability. Similarly, many others have erroneously concluded that the baptism in the Holy Spirit comes automatically to all at the new birth. This viewpoint utterly shuts the door to a deeper life in God. I suspect that still others may fail to grasp the importance of abiding full of His presence because they view the Holy Spirit’s role as confined specifically to assisting them in ministry to those around them (i.e., they seek Him to refill them only when they find themselves in a "ministry" situation). All of these variant positions are rooted in an ignorance of the Lord’s kind intention toward His own, in drawing us into unity with Himself and in expressing His glory through us.

Sadly, a number of people who have walked closely with God in days past really do not want more of Him at present, and that is their sole difficulty. Be it due to some "pet sin" that they do not wish to relinquish or a general laziness, these, and, in fact, all of us have exactly as much of Him as we now choose to receive. In short, this issue distills down to a matter of choice.

It is not the purpose of this writing to provoke any aberrant introspection, though I understand that for some this will be an inevitable effect. Certainly any kind of morbid self-consciousness is counter-productive, since it leads us to focus on our performance and our works instead of producing in us the righteousness of faith. Still, healthy self-examination is essential before anyone can move forward in God. We are instructed to, "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5 NKJV)." This involves taking an honest look at our behaviors, words, and attitudes, and weighing them to determine their origin, whether from the flesh or from the Spirit. The difference between the two kinds of soul-searching, at least as I understand it, lies in whether or not God is invited into the process. The result of the former is condemnation from one’s own failure to attain to all that God has made available to him; the outcome of the latter is a fresh stirring and pursuit of more of Him.

The veil of Jesus’ flesh has been torn, allowing free access into the Holy of Holies. Joel’s prophecy concerning the outpouring of the Spirit on all flesh in the latter days has been fulfilled. It is now the invitation, the duty, and the privilege of every child of God to ". . . be ever filled and stimulated with the Holy Spirit!"

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Daryl’s new book will be available within a few weeks. "Don’t Drink the Grape Punch" is a balanced word on leadership which exposes the dangers of control and cult spirits that led to the deaths of many who were fed laced Kool Aid in Guyana several years ago. There are still Jim Jones - types. And, there are still follower types who prefer a dictator over learning how to follow the Holy Spirit for themselves. I recommend this book. - Don Atkin