The Spirit Filled Believer Series

In Acts 2, the promise of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled, when gathered in the upper room we read, starting at verse 1, “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” As Pentecostals, we believe they spoke in tongues as Paul spoke of in Romans 8:26, 27 where it tells us, “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 with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”

There is much debate as to what took place and if what took place is still applicable today. I know God is the same yesterday, today and will be the same forever so what He did in times past He can do today and in the future. The point of the message is to look at what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit as a believer and to make sure we are living a Spirit-Filled life.

At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came and filled believers. Prior to this event, the Holy Spirit filled some believers with power to perform specific tasks, but never was available to all who believed. Jesus told His followers He was going to leave them, speaking of His crucifixion and ascension. He told them went He left, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit would come upon them, that they would never be alone. The Holy Spirit does this today for all that call upon the name of the Lord, enduing us with the power we need to live in a lost and dying world.

When the Holy Spirit came, Acts 2:13 records the reaction of some in the crowd when it says, “Some, however, made fun of them and said, ‘They have had too much wine.’”

People who are drunk have a tendency to babble on. Peter responded to their comments in Acts 2:15 stating, “These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It is only nine in the morning!” The bars are not open. Peter went on in verses 16 and following telling them to what they were witnessing, “ No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

What the church needs today is to once again belly up to Joel’s bar and take a deep drink of the Holy Spirit. We are going to do that when we conclude the message as we ask the Holy Spirit to intoxicate us with more of God and His Spirit so we can live out our lives in victory.

So, what then is the Spirit Filled Believer to be like?

1. He or she is intoxicated with God. It is not what is on the label that matters as much as what is inside the bottle. You can label yourself a Christian but if you are not intoxicated with God you are just another label. Ephesians 5:18 instructs us, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”

Here is what I don’t want us to do. Get lost in the first part of the verse and focus in on should a Christian drink or not drink. The passage says not to get drunk on wine. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will guide you in the right direction concerning to drink or not to drink. If anything, the Bible gives a clear teaching on not being drunk.

Proverbs 23:20,21 teaches us, “ Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, 21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.”