One of the most common appeals you will hear as a Christian is the call to live a Spirit-filled life. It is heard almost weekly in pulpits across the world, on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, X, or the social media platform of your choice. It is not just a plea to some Christians who think they are called to something special, but rather a command to all Christians, given by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 5:18, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit…”
What is less common about this command is the explanation of what it means to be Spirit-filled. This has led to one of the most frequently asked questions by Christians worldwide: “What does it mean to be Spirit-filled?” Most people assume that people know what it means, especially on social media, where time is a precious commodity due to people’s short attention spans. They, therefore, don’t ‘waste’ time explaining it. Those who think you may not know will attempt to explain it using illustrations or experiences, which doesn’t help much.
The unfortunate assumption in many of our churches and Christian circles is that all Christians will automatically know what these things mean the moment they are saved. After all, they are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The unfortunate consequence of this assumption is that churches and fellowships are led by people who lack a thorough understanding of what they are preaching, thereby leading many people into error.
When I was confronted with this call after I was saved, I consulted with a few people whom I considered to be more mature in the faith than I was. The answers I got were primarily related to the ‘power gifts’ of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit-filled life is defined as one where a Christian walks in the power of God, manifested visibly through miracles, signs, and wonders.
Those living the Spirit-filled life were characterised by their ability to perform miracles, prophesy, cast out demons, speak in tongues, and heal the sick, among other manifestations. The examples cited included individuals such as Kathryn Kuhlman, Smith Wigglesworth, Benny Hinn, and other Word of Faith preachers who seemed to perform miracles regularly. A few local preachers were also mentioned. In fact, one person invited me to join the fellowship of a local (false) prophet because “he has an unmatched record of fulfilled prophecies,” and I “would benefit greatly from listening to and imitating him.”
Unfortunately, over 13 years later, this is still how the Spirit-filled life is defined or understood by most professing Christians. The Holy Spirit is rightly associated with power, but His power is often limited to miracles, signs, and wonders. Many Christians, therefore, pursue the power gifts, supposing that this is what it means to be Spirit-filled. It is one of the reasons why self-proclaimed prophets are thriving and why there is an unhealthy interest in the ‘power gifts.’
But the Spirit-filled life is much more than that. It is less about visible manifestations and more about holiness in daily life. It is far less dramatic than most people have been led to believe.
What the Spirit-filled life is not
Miracles, Signs and Wonders, or casting out demons
The temptation for most professing Christians is to think that the more miracles or signs and wonders one performs, the more that person is Spirit-filled, and whoever is walking in such power can only do them by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Yet, Jesus warns in Matthew 7:22 that many will say, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name,‘ and He will respond to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”
Rather than welcome them as His Spirit-filled children, He will cast them out as people who lived contrary to His commands, thus denying they were Spirit-filled in what they did. He calls them workers of lawlessness, depicting their life as one lived in rebellion against Him.
Speaking in tongues
Another misconception among professing Christians is that every Spirit-filled Christian should speak in tongues, as the disciples did on the day of Pentecost. Yet, Paul is explicit in 1 Corinthians 12:29-30 that not all speak in tongues. In fact, he says the same about prophesying, gifts of healing, and miracles.
Unfortunately, many preachers claim that all Christians should speak in tongues. Some even go as far as to claim that those who don’t are missing out on the whole Christian experience. Such teachings are contrary to Scripture and certainly not what the Spirit-filled life is.
Revelations, dreams, visions, or encounters
There are many Christians who desire or even covet dreams, visions, or other spiritual encounters, supposing that these things characterise a Spirit-filled life. Unfortunately, these people open themselves up to deception by Satan as Apostle Paul warns in 1 Timothy 4:1-3.
The Holy Spirit gives us several other warnings in His word, especially through Jude 8-10, where we are warned against ordering our lives based on our dreams and visions. Only the word of God is given for that purpose, and it is sufficient for it (2 Peter 1:3).
Prophets and Apostles
Almost every preacher emerging today claims the title of apostle or prophet. Most of them claim to have new revelations about “deep” matters or prophecies to guide the affairs of nations and individuals.
Yet, Jesus warns in Matthew 24:24 that, “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” The level of deception will be so great that even the elect are in danger. The only reason they are not led astray is because of their master’s firm grasp of them.
Paul warns about these false apostles who disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness yet deceive people (2 Corinthians 1:13-15).
Therefore, the Spirit-filled life is not about miracles, signs and wonders, healings, casting out demons, prophesying, new revelations in dreams and visions, speaking in tongues, or doing anything supernatural. Even those who are not Spirit-filled are doing these things, and Scripture warns us strongly against such people.
What about those mentioned in the Bible?
One at the biggest factors that has led to this idea of a Spirit-filled life is a misreading of biblical narratives, especially the book of Acts. There are a number of people who are referred to as Spirit-filled or full of the Spirit, for example, Stephen in Acts 6, Barnabas (Acts 11:24), Paul (Acts 13: 9). In some of these instances, power to work miracles is directly associated with being filled with the Holy Spirit.
What these passages are describing is how Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, set about building the Church through individuals chosen by Him. He reveals that He has chosen for Himself a people from every nation, tribe, and tongue by pouring the same gift upon Jews and Gentiles (Acts 10:17-18), in accordance with His command to preach the gospel in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:7-8).
These passages are not telling us that this is the normal or everday Christian experience, but explaining how the Church came into existence. The biblical stories about miracles are not examples of what we ought to do, otherwise we should expect Christians to multiply bread and fish to stop famine, or to walk on water. They are a revelation of God’s power and goodness in fulfilling His promise to redeem a people to Himself.
What the Spirit-filled life is
The command to be filled by the Spirit is given in the section of the epistle where Paul describes how Christians ought to live in light of and in response to what God, in Christ, has done to save them. It is smack in the middle of a section where Paul is calling believers to turn from their sensual life to a life characterised by holiness.
In a parallel letter to the Colossians (3:16) written at the same time, Paul, using similar words, calls believers to “Let the word of God richly dwell in you.” The Spirit-filled life is a life characterised by the word of God dwelling richly in believers and manifested in their obedience to His commands. It may be summed up in Jesus’s words in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commands.”
Galatians 5:16-25 highlights what the Spirit-filled life is like. It reveals to us the work of the Holy Spirit in sanctifying. The Spirit-filled life is one marked by turning away from the works of the flesh; sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.
It is also marked by the fruit of the Spirit in the life of a believer: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. It is not about miracles, signs and wonders, but about character and holy living.
It is marked by daily dying to the desires of the flesh and living for the glory of God in all things, for example,
- For children, honouring their parents; For parents, not provoking children to anger (Ephesians 6:1-4).
- Submitting to authority (Civil, at work, etc.) because all authority comes from God (Romans 13:1-7, 1 Peter 2:11-25)
- Husbands loving their wives, not because she is nice to you or is submissive (even if she doesn’t, you must love her), but because Christ loves His church and gave Himself for her in her rebellion. Wives submitting to their husbands, not because He loves you (even if he doesn’t, you must submit), but because you are submitted to Christ. And obey these commands even when your spouse is not worthy. (Ephesians 5:22-33).
- Working diligently and honestly, not to please people while inwardly grumbling, but out of reverence for Christ. And giving up dishonest practices while doing so (Ephesians 4:28; 6:5-8)
- Loving your enemies. Instead of lamenting your enemies and praying for God to destroy them or elevate you above them, you ought to love them, pray for them, bless those who curse you, and give to them when in need so that you may be sons of your father in heaven (Matthew 5:44-45; Luke 6:28-30).
- Helping your brothers and sisters who are in need and sharing your possessions with your less fortunate brethren (Matthew 25:31-46).
- Love one another, which must be exemplified in how they treat one another. Christians are known for their love for each other (John 13:35)
- Seeking God and His kingdom and not the material things of the world (Matthew 6:25-34)
- A life marked by prayer, which depicts total dependence on God’s providence for all things, and a confident trust in all circumstances, including difficult ones. The Bible contains numerous commands calling believers to pray (John 14:13; 15:7; Philippians 4:6; Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Therefore, Christians ought to be people characterised by prayer.
There are many other commands that Christians ought to obey. These are found in Scripture. David writes in Psalm 119 that, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” The goal of a Christian must be to know His word so that they do not sin against God. Daily reading and meditating upon Scripture is an outstanding characteristic of a Spirit-filled life.
Conclusion
‘For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.’ – Romans 8:13-14
One of the most (mis)quoted scriptures highlights that those whom the Spirit leads are being led to put to death the deeds (works) of the flesh. He is leading believers into sanctification, not into miraculous or supernatural encounters. The greatest irony is that so many have missed the greatest miracle in pursuit of lesser ones.
“The greatest miracle that God can do today is to take an unholy man out of an unholy world and make him holy, then put him back into that unholy world and keep him holy in it.” – Leonard Ravenhill
The Spirit-filled life is about obedience, holiness, godliness, righteousness, etc., not encounters, miracles, signs and wonders. True spiritual power is manifested in godliness, righteousness and self-control in a world that lacks them and is in open rebellion to God.