The work of the Holy Spirit has many aspects. It is not without reason that the New Testament uses different words to proclaim to us what the Spirit of Christ is doing to and in God’s children. In this article we pay attention to what it means “to be filled with the Holy Spirit”.

Questions⤒🔗

Indeed, we encounter more than once in Scripture that believers are or have been “filled” with the Spirit. On the Day of Pentecost, “all” were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4). Later, the disciples who had already been filled with the Spirit on Pentecost were again filled with him (Acts 4:31). Peter speaks of “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 4:8). Stephen is said to be a man “full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5). We hear the same of Barnabas (Acts 11:23).

To believers who already possess the Spirit, Paul says, “...be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). What does Paul mean and what are we to understand by this “being filled with the Holy Spirit”? How is it possible that people who have already been filled with the Spirit receive renewed fulfillment? We want to find answers to these questions.

The Teaching From the Old Testament←⤒🔗

A Permanent Presence←↰⤒🔗

As we start searching for the meaning of being filled with the Holy Spirit, we believe that it is important to let the Old Testament speak on this matter. We then discover that the working of the Holy Spirit shows a great variety in intensity. J.A. Heyns emphasizes that the presence of the Spirit in the life of Israel is not to be doubted, but at the same time he states that this is in an “incomplete and interrupted format”.¹This would then be characteristic of the time of the old covenant. With regard to the latter, we believe that Scripture speaks differently. Israel, too, has known an abiding presence of the Holy Spirit.

At the exodus God gave his people his good Spirit to instruct them (Neh. 9:20) and later he admonished them by his Spirit through the ministry of prophets (Neh. 9:30). When Israel left Egypt, God’s Spirit was in their midst (Hag. 2:5). Israel’s stubborn disobedience is therefore also characterized as a “grieving of the Holy Spirit” (Isa. 63:10). What is said of the people also holds true of the individual believer. For David prays in Psalm 51:11, “and take not your Holy Spirit from me”.

Special←↰⤒🔗

From these passages of Scripture, it is unmistakable that the working of the Spirit under the ancient covenant was not merely incidental or fragmentary. The Holy Spirit was permanently active among Israel, working faith and obedience. In addition to this ongoing activity of the Spirit, there is clearly a special activity in persons who are called to a unique service. Thus the Spirit was upon Moses (Num. 11:17), with Saul and David (1 Sam. 16). Joshua is called a man “filled with Spirit” (Num. 27:18). Bezalel was called to work at the tabernacle by the Lord and was filled with God’s Spirit to do so (Ex. 31:2-3). The prophets in particular are “the inspired” (Hos. 9:7). The Spirit is on Elijah and Elisha (2 Kings 2:9, 15). Micah is “filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD” to tell Jacob of his transgression (Micah 3:8).

Incidental←↰⤒🔗

Here, too, we can speak of an enduring activity of the Holy Spirit, which enables people to fulfill a special role. This is very clear from what Micah says. He is full of power to do his work as a prophet because he is full of the Spirit of the LORD. But we also read in the Old Testament how the Holy Spirit can employ people in a more incidental and very intensive way. The Spirit “came upon” Balaam and causes him to prophesy (Num. 24:2). The Spirit “came upon” Saul’s messengers, causing them to go into spiritual ecstasy (1 Sam. 19:20). The Spirit “rushes upon” Saul so that his wrath was kindled (1 Sam. 11:6). The Spirit “clothed” Gideon to chase the enemies out of the land (Judg. 6:34). Likewise, the Spirit “clothed” Amasai, the captain of the thirty men, to encourage David (1 Chron. 12:18). The Spirit “fell on” Ezekiel to announce judgment to the house of Israel (Eze. 11:5). Especially in the account of the judge Samson, we hear of this more incidental and at the same time very intensive activity of the Spirit of God. Samson’s mighty deeds were entirely due to a special effect of the Spirit on him. The Spirit of the LORD “rushed upon” him. As a result, Samson is able to tear apart a young lion (Jdg. 14:6); to kill thirty Philistines (14:19); to break ropes and bonds (15:14).

Not Uniform←↰⤒🔗

We are searching for the meaning of what the New Testament says about being filled with the Holy Spirit. In that effort we can learn from God’s revelation in the Old Testament. From what we have found it is clear that the workings of the Spirit are not uniform, but that these differ in scope, duration and intensity. The Spirit of God is active among all Israel, but he can also be “upon” or “with” persons in a special way, because they are called to a special task. In yet another way, the Spirit works when he “clothes” or “takes hold of” or “fills” or “falls upon” people in an incidental and rather intensive way, and he enables them to do very special things.²

This instruction from the Old Testament can help us to understand what the New Testament means by being filled (or: becoming filled) with the Holy Spirit.

The Testimony of the New Testament←⤒🔗

Task←↰⤒🔗

When we look at what the New Testament says about being or becoming filled with the Holy Spirit, it appears that this is spoken of in ways that are rather differentiated. First of all, we see how people are filled with the Spirit in order to perform a certain task. This is something we also encountered in the Old Testament.

John the Baptist would already be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb in order to be a prophet of the Most High (Luke 1:15). Elizabeth is filled with the Spirit, to greet the mother of her Lord (Luke 1:41-43). Zechariah is filled with the Spirit and sings his prophetic hymn (Luke 1:67). Peter is able to proclaim to the elders and overseers the name of Jesus Christ, because he is filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:8). Stephen testifies before the Sanhedrin while being “full” of the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:55). The disciples speak the word of God with boldness because they are filled with the Spirit (Acts 4:31).

The Messiah←↰⤒🔗

What can happen incidentally with believers is permanent with Jesus as Messiah. The Spirit who empowers him for special service “rests” on him (see Isa. 11:2), is “put ” on him (see Isa. 42:1). John is told that it is characteristic for the Messiah that the Spirit will “descends” on him and “remain” with him (John 1:33). Everything Jesus does as Messiah, he does “full of the Spirit” (Luke 4:1) and “in the power of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14). It is therefore through the Holy Spirit that he casts out evil spirits (Matt. 12:28). Christ can do the Father’s work because he is permanently filled with the Holy Spirit. Precisely because of this, what he is doing is holy and blameless. Thus, Hebrews 9:14 says in summary that “through the eternal Spirit” Christ offered himself without blemish to God.

Pentecost←↰⤒🔗

The expression “being filled with the Holy Spirit” is also used when Luke describes what happens to the disciples on Pentecost in Jerusalem. For we read that all were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4). The word of the Baptist became reality in Jerusalem: Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit (see John 1:33). Pentecost is the feast of Christ who pours out the promised Spirit upon his own (see Acts 2:33). He who received the Spirit “without measure” (John 3:34), now also causes his church to share in the fullness of that Spirit (see John 7:38, 39).

As believers, the disciples already shared in the working of the Spirit. We remind here of what we found in texts such as Nehemiah 9:20; Haggai 2:5; Isaiah 63:10. Even before Pentecost all faith has been fruit of the Spirit! But on Pentecost, the disciples receive the Spirit in a fullness and abundance that they had not experienced before. The word “poured out” used by Peter (Acts 2: 33) points to this. Luke expresses this fullness and abundance with the expression “to be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4), whereby it is also striking that “all” are filled. What happened to a few at the time of the old covenant is now the experience of all the disciples. This is no longer a matter of being filled with the Spirit in view of one specific task to be performed.

In the light of Scripture passages such as John 1:33 and John 7:38, 39 and especially in the light of Peter’s words about “the gift” of the Holy Spirit and “the promise” (see Acts 1:4; 2:33) ³we may think of this filling as being filled with the Spirit, whom Paul later calls “the Spirit of adoption as sons” (Rom. 8:15), or as the Spirit who makes us share in the riches of his (God’s) glorious inheritance (Eph. 1:18).

The History of Salvation←↰⤒🔗

L. Floor rightly states in view of Acts 2:4 that in Luke the baptism with the Holy Spirit and the “being filled” with the Holy Spirit are very closely related and that these practically coincide.⁴

Christ baptizes his church with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is poured out in fullness and abundance. From now on the church may be filled with the Holy Spirit! Because Luke makes “being baptized with the Spirit” practically coincide with “being filled with the Spirit”, and mentions precisely all the believers being filled with as the particular aspect of the Pentecost event, we can say that Acts 2:4 is about a redemptive-historical fact. The disciples received for the first time a fullness of the Spirit, in which henceforth also the believers may share.

Our Walk of Life←↰⤒🔗

The fact that the New Testament speaks in differentiating ways about being filled with the Holy Spirit is also evident in Ephesians 5:18, where the admonition is given: “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit”. This is not about being filled for the purpose of a special task. Paul’s appeal is given in a context filled with concrete exhortations. Being filled with the Spirit is presented here as being necessary for a truly Christian walk of life. Anyone seeking to walk as a child of light (Eph. 5:8) needs to be filled with the Spirit at all times. The verb Paul uses here indicates something that has to happen time and again. Paul employs “being filled” here differently than Luke does in Acts 2:4. Here it is not about an initial gift of the Spirit of Pentecost, but of an ongoing call to be filled by the Spirit who dwells in believers (see Eph. 1:13; 2:22).

From the comparison the apostle makes, it becomes clear to us what this “being filled with the Spirit” is all about. “Just as consuming too much wine brings a person under the influence and power of drink, so the readers need to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.”⁵It is evidently a matter of being completely caught up with the Spirit, of being fully controlled by his power and strength.⁶

A Command←⤒🔗

From Paul’s appeal it becomes clear as well that not every believer is therefore filled with the Spirit.⁷People can grieve the Spirit (Eph. 4:30), or quench him (1 Thess. 5:19). There can be an attitude in life where people are filled with a multiplicity of other things, but not the Holy Spirit. Because the apostle knows of such dreadful possibilities, he appeals to us to live from the rich blessing of Pentecost (see Acts 2:4), and to allow ourselves to be continually filled/controlled by the Spirit. It is not according to Scripture when some charismatic Christians regard the being-filled with the Spirit as a one-time, unique and special experience, which for them is then equivalent to “the baptism with the Holy Spirit”.⁸

Being filled with the Spirit, as shown in Ephesians 5:18, is to be something that has to happen time and again in the life of a Christian, like a continuous process.

It should strike us that Paul, in saying this, is speaking here in the imperative — he gives a command. “The work of the Spirit becomes a directive to the believer.”⁹The apostle proclaims the act of being filled with the Spirit as an act of God. At the same time, he gives this to us as a command. What has become possible since Pentecost needs to also become reality in our lives. We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit again and again, for then we can truly be Christians (see the context of Eph. 5:18). Then we are also able to fulfill special tasks in God’s kingdom (see Acts 4:8; 7:55).

By Faith←⤒🔗

At the end of our search for the meaning of being/becoming filled with the Holy Spirit, the question still needs to be addressed: how do we share in this? How do we become people who are filled with the Spirit?

In charismatic circles there is a “way” to receive the “greater gift” of the Spirit, i.e., to be filled with him. There are steps to be taken, such as: cleansing oneself of conscious sin; complete surrender; persevering prayer. These steps then take on the character of conditions, which must take place in order to experience the indwelling power of the Spirit.¹⁰This way to “the greater gift” of the Spirit does not coincide with believing in the Lord Jesus.

This notion needs to be strongly rejected. Such proponents are not speaking correctly about the relationship between the Spirit and faith! For the New Testament teaches so clearly that faith in the Lord Jesus is the way to receive the Holy Spirit. Through faith the Ephesians were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13). Paul speaks of receiving the Spirit by faith (Gal. 3:14). Herman Ridderbos concludes with regard to the letters of Paul: “A closer look at the expressions that deal with the new life through the Spirit makes us realize that here too it is faith by way of which the Spirit presents himself with all his works and gifts, and so makes us share in the new life.”¹¹

In order to be filled with the Spirit we do not have to follow a special path. We also have the fullness of the Spirit in Christ (see Col 1:25; 2:10). This means: the more we are united with this Christ through faith, the more abundantly will the power of the Spirit be revealed in us. The secret of being filled with the Holy Spirit is faith in him who acquired the gift of the Spirit for us!