FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

(John 3:34) "For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him."

In the above verse John the baptist was the speaker. He was discussing himself and Jesus. In so doing he talks of one "whom God hath sent." That could be either John or Jesus. But in this talk he lays down a principle that would pertain to many in time to come and it was, "he giveth not the Spirit by measure." The words "unto him" have been added by the translators and are not found in most of the more modern translations. A person else has the Spirit in what he does or he does not have the Spirit. There are no half-measures, quarter measures, no part measures.

This phrase, "filled with the Spirit" carries the same idea. One is "filled with the Spirit or he is devoid of the Spirit. "Filled" carries with it the concept of motivation. There are many illustrations in the Bible concerning what I mean but I'll only use two to demonstrate the concept of "cause and effect." We read in Luke 4:29: "... they rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong." That was the effect. What caused it? "... they ... were filled with wrath" (Luke 4:28). Another: Acts 5:3: "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan FILLED thine heart (the cause) (and the effect) to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land?" You see what I mean? When we do something it is caused by being filled with something..

So, we, as Christians, are admonished to be filled with the Spirit (not half-filled) in what we do. (Ephesians 5.18-19): "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." When our spirit is filled with the Spirit of God then what we do will be pleasing to Him. But remember, the Spirit works in us by the power of the word. Compare the above verse with Colossians 3:16: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

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