We should always be suspicious of hyper-spirituality and so-called hyper-charismatic phenomena. Piety has its place but not to be paraded before man and to be "holier-than-thou" (Isaiah 65:5). There is the real thing out there, so there is also the counterfeit of the devil. You can be a spiritual person without being very "religious" (expressing religiosity) at all. The simpler your faith the better off you are--make things simple, but not more than necessary, Einstein said.
The big issue today in charismatic circles is whether one has the "baptism." 1 Cor. 12:13 says "By one Spirit we were all baptized into the body." Baptism of the Holy Spirit takes place at salvation--that settles it! Nowhere are we exhorted to "seek the baptism." This is a false dogma of the Neo-Pentecostal movement. There is no second work of grace to expect--they are going by experience, not Scripture.
The filling of the Spirit is another story: It is always accompanying some ministry that the Holy Spirit has appointed to be accomplished by His power. The fillings are not permanent, but for a purpose and empower the believer for service that he couldn't accomplish alone. When Paul was saved they told him to "be filled with the Holy Spirit." To be filled by the Spirit for a task is to be controlled and led by God's will. Like when the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and "spoke the Word of God with boldness." I believe that when the Word says that the Spirit "fell on them" that it is basically the same thing.
Fillings are the result of obedience and in the service of God and doing His will, often in the context of one's spiritual gift. No gift or fruit of the Spirit is solely for one's own benefit, but for the body's sake--they are predominately manifested in the realm of Christian service. It is crucial to realize that it is not how much of the Spirit you have, but how much of you the Spirit has. In other words, the degree or amount of filling depends upon our yielding to God. It is not like Elisha getting twice the spirit of Elijah. We all have the measure of the indwelling Spirit.
Paul exhorts the Ephesians to "be filled with the Holy Spirit." This does not refer to a perpetual "high" on Jesus or walking in the glow of some experience. Paul goes on to describe basic speaking manifestations--presumably to take place at the meeting of the church. I believe that one is filled initially at salvation, but that he "leaks." We can lose the filling and may need confession or restoration (Gal. 6:1; 1 John 1:9), We need each other to edify and encourage each other.
"Walking in the Spirit" is another matter: We demonstrate or exhibit the fruit of the Spirit when we are "walking in the Spirit" according to Gal. 5:16,25. In the context of the fruit of the Spirit, he refers to "walking in the Spirit," and not filling of the Spirit. There is overlap--they are not mutually exclusive. It is hard to imagine a preacher, for instance, is filled with the Spirit, and not walking in the Spirit to show the fruit. But it is easier to see one still walking in the Spirit, but not necessarily filled or anointed for his ministry or gift.
There is also the question of the anointing--also called unction. In the Old Testament before the Spirit-filled every believer there were selective fillings and anointings, as well as seers and prophets (cf. Psalm 105:15). 1 John 2:20 says that all believers have the anointing. There are no special believers out there who are infallible prophets or priests or preachers/teachers because they have received an anointing. There is no Supreme Pontiff that has authority over all of us, so to speak. The Pope is not the vicar of Christ on earth, but the Holy Spirit is. The body works together in Christ and all parts are necessary. We are not infallible and prone to error. Even if our doctrine were impeccably correct, if we have not love we are nothing, God is more concerned about the condition of the heart than whether we are theologians--is it in the right place?
Being led (or guided) by the Spirit is a sign that we are sons of God (cf. Romans 8:14). This refers to a direction in the Spirit of what to do or say, as if God were speaking through us or of something we can only attribute to God, such as writing a timely letter or knowing God's will and doing it so that God is glorified. If we are not led by the Spirit, we are not sons of God. Galatians 5:18 says that if we are led by the Spirit we are not under the Law. You may say, "I was inspired to do this," or "I did it at what seems a fortuitous deed." Providence is at work because there are no impersonal forces such as luck, chance, fortune, or fate--God micromanages the universe.
We demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit as a result of obedience and in the service of God, doing His will, often in the context of our spiritual gift. No gift or fruit of the Spirit is solely for our own benefit, but for the body's sake--they are predominately manifested in the realm of Christian service.
We could debate about what you call this or that and quibble about the meaning of words (cf. 1 Tim. 6:4), but this is unhealthy and unproductive. God wants us to be of one accord in the Spirit (Eph. 4:3). What is vital is not the names of things for our spiritual health but the state of our spirit and attitude. It is God's will for us to be holy, for instance, not to debate whether we call it a filling or a walk. God is much more practical (application is more stressed than theoretical knowledge) and less technical than that--it is like splitting hairs. It is paramount to learn how to walk in the Spirit and how to be filled! Soli Deo Gloria!
The big issue today in charismatic circles is whether one has the "baptism." 1 Cor. 12:13 says "By one Spirit we were all baptized into the body." Baptism of the Holy Spirit takes place at salvation--that settles it! Nowhere are we exhorted to "seek the baptism." This is a false dogma of the Neo-Pentecostal movement. There is no second work of grace to expect--they are going by experience, not Scripture.
The filling of the Spirit is another story: It is always accompanying some ministry that the Holy Spirit has appointed to be accomplished by His power. The fillings are not permanent, but for a purpose and empower the believer for service that he couldn't accomplish alone. When Paul was saved they told him to "be filled with the Holy Spirit." To be filled by the Spirit for a task is to be controlled and led by God's will. Like when the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and "spoke the Word of God with boldness." I believe that when the Word says that the Spirit "fell on them" that it is basically the same thing.
Fillings are the result of obedience and in the service of God and doing His will, often in the context of one's spiritual gift. No gift or fruit of the Spirit is solely for one's own benefit, but for the body's sake--they are predominately manifested in the realm of Christian service. It is crucial to realize that it is not how much of the Spirit you have, but how much of you the Spirit has. In other words, the degree or amount of filling depends upon our yielding to God. It is not like Elisha getting twice the spirit of Elijah. We all have the measure of the indwelling Spirit.
Paul exhorts the Ephesians to "be filled with the Holy Spirit." This does not refer to a perpetual "high" on Jesus or walking in the glow of some experience. Paul goes on to describe basic speaking manifestations--presumably to take place at the meeting of the church. I believe that one is filled initially at salvation, but that he "leaks." We can lose the filling and may need confession or restoration (Gal. 6:1; 1 John 1:9), We need each other to edify and encourage each other.
"Walking in the Spirit" is another matter: We demonstrate or exhibit the fruit of the Spirit when we are "walking in the Spirit" according to Gal. 5:16,25. In the context of the fruit of the Spirit, he refers to "walking in the Spirit," and not filling of the Spirit. There is overlap--they are not mutually exclusive. It is hard to imagine a preacher, for instance, is filled with the Spirit, and not walking in the Spirit to show the fruit. But it is easier to see one still walking in the Spirit, but not necessarily filled or anointed for his ministry or gift.
There is also the question of the anointing--also called unction. In the Old Testament before the Spirit-filled every believer there were selective fillings and anointings, as well as seers and prophets (cf. Psalm 105:15). 1 John 2:20 says that all believers have the anointing. There are no special believers out there who are infallible prophets or priests or preachers/teachers because they have received an anointing. There is no Supreme Pontiff that has authority over all of us, so to speak. The Pope is not the vicar of Christ on earth, but the Holy Spirit is. The body works together in Christ and all parts are necessary. We are not infallible and prone to error. Even if our doctrine were impeccably correct, if we have not love we are nothing, God is more concerned about the condition of the heart than whether we are theologians--is it in the right place?
Being led (or guided) by the Spirit is a sign that we are sons of God (cf. Romans 8:14). This refers to a direction in the Spirit of what to do or say, as if God were speaking through us or of something we can only attribute to God, such as writing a timely letter or knowing God's will and doing it so that God is glorified. If we are not led by the Spirit, we are not sons of God. Galatians 5:18 says that if we are led by the Spirit we are not under the Law. You may say, "I was inspired to do this," or "I did it at what seems a fortuitous deed." Providence is at work because there are no impersonal forces such as luck, chance, fortune, or fate--God micromanages the universe.
We demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit as a result of obedience and in the service of God, doing His will, often in the context of our spiritual gift. No gift or fruit of the Spirit is solely for our own benefit, but for the body's sake--they are predominately manifested in the realm of Christian service.
We could debate about what you call this or that and quibble about the meaning of words (cf. 1 Tim. 6:4), but this is unhealthy and unproductive. God wants us to be of one accord in the Spirit (Eph. 4:3). What is vital is not the names of things for our spiritual health but the state of our spirit and attitude. It is God's will for us to be holy, for instance, not to debate whether we call it a filling or a walk. God is much more practical (application is more stressed than theoretical knowledge) and less technical than that--it is like splitting hairs. It is paramount to learn how to walk in the Spirit and how to be filled! Soli Deo Gloria!