John 3:3-7
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
It is a fact, that the Holy Spirit indwells every truly born again believer. Though we may be weak, immature, and imperfect – if we have been “born again” of the Spirit – He dwells in us. 1 Cor. 6:19- What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? Rom. 8:9 – But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.
It is one thing to have the Holy Spirit indwell us – but does He have us in such a way that He may fill us with the “Abundant Life?” Contrary to the teachings of prosperity preachers – the abundant life can not be found in our environments or circumstances, or in the many material things that we may possess. It is only found in the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit
EPHESIANS 5:18 IS A COMMAND! TO BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT IS TO BE SPIRIT-POSSESSED, SPIRIT- EMPOWERED, AND SPIRIT-CONTROLLED.
1. We are filled with the Holy Spirit that we might have joy. Eph. 5:19-20 –19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
2. We are filled with the Holy Spirit for service. Acts 6:3 – Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
3. We are filled with the Holy Spirit for power to be a witness. Acts 1:8 – But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
4. We are filled with the Holy Spirit for the hour of persecution. Acts 7: 54-60 –
54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
5. We are filled with the Holy Spirit that we may “walk in the Spirit.” Gal. 5:16-26 – 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
6. We are filled with the Holy Spirit that we may be led by the Holy Spirit. Rom. 8:14 – For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
WE CAN ONLY BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT IF WE DESIRE HIM TO FILL US. THEN WE MUST ASK HIM TO FILL US. AND FINALLY, WE MUST BELIEVE THAT HE FILLS US.
The Vine Vigil 