How to Know that you are Filled

Have You Made the Wonderful Discovery of the Spirit-Filled Life?

By Dr. Bill Bright

A Spirit-filled Christian life is directed and empowered by God. This biblical teaching explains how believers can rely on God’s power, experience spiritual growth and avoid continual defeat by sin.

The following content is adapted from Dr. Bill Bright’s booklet How to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit.

Every day can be an exciting adventure for Christians who understand God’s presence and live constantly, moment by moment, under His gracious direction.

The Bible describes three kinds of people.

1. The Natural Person

One who has not received Christ.

“A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”

1 Corinthians 2:14

2. The Spiritual Person

One who is directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

“He who is spiritual appraises all things… We have the mind of Christ.”

1 Corinthians 2:15-16

3. The Carnal Person

One who has received Christ but lives in defeat because he is trying to live the Christian life in his own strength.

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to carnal men, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still carnal. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?”

1 Corinthians 3:1-3

The Promise of a Spirit-Filled Christian Life

God Provides an Abundant and Fruitful Life

Jesus promised His followers a meaningful and fruitful life. However, this life does not come from human determination alone. Instead, it grows from an abiding relationship with Christ and dependence on God’s power.

“I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.”

John 10:10

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

John 15:5

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Acts 1:8

Characteristics of the Spiritual Person

Certain spiritual qualities develop as a Christian learns to trust God:

The degree to which these qualities appear in someone’s life depends on how fully that person trusts the Lord with every detail. Spiritual maturity also develops gradually through an ongoing relationship with Christ.

Therefore, someone who is only beginning to understand this ministry should not become discouraged. A new believer may not yet appear as fruitful as a mature Christian who has known and experienced these truths for many years.

Why Are Many Christians Not Experiencing the Abundant Life?

A carnal Christian cannot fully experience the abundant and fruitful life that Christ promised. Instead of depending on God, the carnal person relies primarily on personal effort.

As a result, that person may experience the following problems:

They may be uninformed about, or may have forgotten, God’s love, forgiveness and power (Romans 5:8-10; Hebrews 10:1-25; 1 John 1:1-2:3; 2 Peter 1:9; Acts 1:8).
Their spiritual experience may continually move between emotional and spiritual highs and lows.
They may struggle to understand themselves. Although they want to do what is right, they cannot consistently do it through their own strength.
They fail to rely on God’s power when attempting to live the Christian life (1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Romans 7:15-24; Romans 8:7; Galatians 5:16-18).

Characteristics of the Carnal Person

Some or all of the following qualities may characterize a Christian who does not fully trust God:

A person who professes to be a Christian but continually practises sin should consider whether they truly know Christ, according to 1 John 2:3; 1 John 3:6, 9; and Ephesians 5:5.

Living a Christ-Directed Life

Jesus Promised an Abundant and Fruitful Life

Jesus promised an abundant and fruitful life to believers who are directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

A Christ-directed life allows Jesus to live His life in and through us. This transformation does not happen through personal effort alone. Rather, it happens through faith and dependence on God (John 15).

A person becomes a Christian through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, according to John 3:1-8. From the moment of spiritual birth, the Christian is indwelt by God’s Spirit at all times (John 1:12; Colossians 2:9-10; John 14:16-17).

Although every Christian is indwelt by the Spirit, not every Christian consistently allows God to direct and empower their life.
The Holy Spirit is the source of the overflowing life described in John 7:37-39.
God’s Spirit came to glorify Christ (John 16:1-15). Consequently, a person who lives under His direction becomes a faithful disciple of Jesus.
Before His ascension, Christ promised spiritual power that would enable His followers to become witnesses for Him (Acts 1:1-9).

How to Live Under God’s Direction

We receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit by faith. As a result, we can experience the abundant and fruitful life that Christ promised to every Christian.

You can begin living under God’s direction right now by taking the following steps:

Desire God’s direction. Sincerely desire to be directed and empowered by Him (Matthew 5:6; John 7:37-39).
Confess your sins. By faith, thank God that He has forgiven your sins because Christ died for you (Colossians 2:13-15; 1 John 1:1-2:3; Hebrews 10:1-17).
Surrender every area of your life. Present your entire life to God and allow Him to direct your decisions, relationships and priorities (Romans 12:1-2).
Claim God’s fullness by faith. Trust both His command and His promise:
- His command: God commands Christians to be filled with the Spirit.
  
  “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.”
  
  Ephesians 5:18
- His promise: God answers when we pray according to His will.
  
  “And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked of Him.”
  
  1 John 5:14-15

A Prayer for a Spirit-Filled Christian Life

We receive God’s fullness by faith alone. However, sincere prayer provides a meaningful way to express that faith. The following is a suggested prayer:

“Dear Father, I need You. I acknowledge that I have been directing my own life and, as a result, I have sinned against You. Thank You for forgiving my sins through Christ’s death on the cross for me.

I now invite Christ to take His rightful place on the throne of my life. Please fill me with the Holy Spirit, as You commanded me to be filled and as You promised in Your Word that You would do when I asked in faith.

Thank You for directing my life and filling me with Your Spirit. Amen.”

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart?

If it does, ask God to direct and empower your life right now. Then trust Him to answer according to His command and promise.

Continue reading: How to Know That You Are Filled and Empowered by the Holy Spirit