Sarah D. Shearer

What’s the Deal With Being Spirit-Filled??

This is not a post about doctrine. That’s above my pay grade. Read a theologian’s work for that.

This is purely observation.

I hear a lot of people talk about being spirit -filled. I was taught that there is another baptism where we ask God to fill us with his Holy Spirit, and we are given this gift of a comforter, a wise voice, a guide, in a way. Now I know there’s a lot of argument over if that’s a separate occasion from salvation. I’m not here to to get into that. I think we should continually be asking for more of God no matter what denomination we are, and if we keep asking, he’ll keep giving.

But here’s my thing. There’s this mindset I’ve seen a lot of in the charismatic church. I are one, so let’s not get our knickers in a twist here. (Or was, really, I just love Jesus. I don’t know where that puts me.)

This mindset elevated being “spirit-filled” above all other forms of Christianity. Was this a prayer you prayed once and now you are suddenly on the holy spirit’s speed dial? Does speaking in tongues make us more holy? Does speaking in tongues mean you are truly filled with the Holy Spirit?

The more people talk about being “spirit filled” the more it begins to feel like a club, either you’re in (and the only way in is through a very uncomfortable church service) or you’re out (aka still saved but not AS saved).

I was told to go up and receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit when I was about 9. I don’t remember anything about the experience other than that it was weird.

However, I do believe I have the Holy Spirit living inside me, and I hear him speak to me daily. Was that a product of that day? Or has it been a lifelong, every morning prayer? I want more of you today, Jesus. I need you more than I did yesterday. I’m so lost without you. I need your Holy Spirit or else I’ll be a jerk today.

Again, I am no doctrine expert. I know what the Bible says about the baptism and the evidence of speaking in tongues. I believe in it. I believe it’s for today!!  I have had those amazing  experiences, but the real testimony is our everyday life.

I also believe when Paul tells us to be filled with the spirit, to be filled with love and joy and peace and patience, he’s saying, do you want to be “spirit-filled”? Here is what will manifest in you if you have the Holy Spirit inside of you. All these things and more. And against such thing there is no law.

I’ve met a few people over the years who make it a point to let me know they are “spirit filled” but I’d rather be shown than told. I’d rather someone see the evidence of the Holy Spirit in my life than me have to tell them.

I’m tired of the polarizing separation between Christians. Sometimes it feels like a caste system of holiness and I just really don’t think it’s what Jesus had in mind. Now maybe I’ve upset you by writing this which defeats the whole purpose of being filled with the spirit, but I can’t stop thinking about it.

Maybe we could all shift our perspective just a little bit, or maybe a lot. Maybe today is a day to ask for more of Jesus, more of his spirit, and then be okay with whatever He does in us. But if I claim to be filled with something, but I’m only really a tenth filled and the rest talk, I’m in big trouble. Timothy Keller says “Humility is so shy. If you begin talking about her, she leaves the room.”

Maybe it’s time for righteousness and peace to kiss. Maybe humility is a fruit of the spirit. Maybe it’s best if we don’t talk about being filled as much we live it, and maybe even fill others.

But again, I’m no theologian. Take this for what you will.

Sarah Dasha

One response to “What’s the Deal With Being Spirit-Filled??”

  1. Amy Wells Avatar
    Amy Wells

    Thanks for sharing, Sarah. I so appreciate your honesty and boldness to speak your heart. For me becoming “spirit-filled” (which I recognize is confusing because isn’t everyone filled with the Holy Spirit when they get saved?) Yes, the Holy Spirit lives on the inside of everyone when they accept Jesus as their Savior. Personally, for me this was a journey. (And honestly I’m not a fan of churchy words so I prefer to share experiences) Being saved Baptist and then later growing in a charismatic aka Pentecostal aka spirit-filled Church is my personal testimony and it is quite an adventure. It’s not that I feel superior or that I have arrived, it’s just that my spiritual walk with the Lord went to another mind- blowing level when I was prayed for (shut off my brain and grabbed ahold of this with my heart) and finally felt the REAL touch of God. When it happened to me in a Steve Hill meeting I was the biggest skeptic. I didn’t know who he was, didn’t care and looked at the people around me falling down and thought these people are crazy. Until the power of God came upon me (just like in the Bible) and I could no longer hold myself up. It was the most beautiful experience OF MY LIFE. No one can truly grasp it unless it’s happened to them and trying to articulate it is futile. Dustin so desired to experience this and will laughingly tell you that he almost went bald from all the hands laid on him “trying” to get filled with the Holy Spirit. For me I didn’t pray in tongues until years later and thought I just wasn’t worthy of this special gift from God. Whereas Dustin prayed in tongues IN HIS SLEEP. When I heard it I was so amazed and woke him up saying “you were praying in tongues like those people at church do!” So in saying this, it is a different experience for everyone. During Freedom Fest in Thomasville Dustin walked up under the tent early one morning when no one was there and the power of God was so strong he ended up face down in the dirt crying like a baby for hours as the Lord did spiritual surgery on him and literally made him a new creation. All the junk from 17 years of drug and alcohol addiction, human goals and dreams were gone and replaced with an unabashed eternal perspective. You could say God truly allowed Dustin to have His heart for the souls of man like He has. In saying all this I can honestly tell you our lives have NEVER BEEN THE SAME. As anyone has experienced this amazing, very real transformation will tell you there’s no going back to the status quo. And it’s not that I think I am better for having this experience it’s just that YOU WANT EVERYONE ON THE PLANET TO EXPERIENCE THIS!! It’s like when you get saved… it’s total freedom through Jesus and you want everyone to have it. There are great men and women of God that I love and respect throughout the ages that never have and never will experience the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Either because they’ve been taught it’s of the devil (ie this is what we were taught about speaking in tongues early on..and then you ask yourself why would it be that speaking in tongues in the Bible was of God but now it’s of the devil?🤔) Or they may have heard that all these gifts died out with the last apostle (which would truly be crippling to the effectiveness of the believers and why in the world would God tell us to go and make disciples of all nations, lay hands on the sick and see them recover and cast out devils in his Name if He wasn’t going to give us the ability to do just that?) When I pray in my prayer language (aka in the Holy Spirit; pray in tongues) I can feel the Holy Spirit stirring in my belly. The power of God comes on me and I am literally praying the perfect will of God because it’s the Holy Spirit interceding on my behalf. The Bible says “Out of my belly shall flow rivers of living water” “Beloved, build yourselves up, praying in the Holy Ghost” We like to use this comparison: a believer without the ability to pray in tongues is like a car without an engine. It’s still a car (Christian) but you don’t have the power that is available to ALL believers. The anointing is God’s supernatural ability to get the job done. It’s THE ANNONTING of God that breaks the yoke of bondage! That’s why we see so many people healed, set free of demons and saved because the anointing of God is there for the supernatural! God puts His super on my natural and people get so free! I so hope this helps clear things up from a Pentecostal perspective (not the denomination but people who know what happened on the day of Pentecost is still happening today.) And I’ll add this, we have had family, friends, etc tell us that it’s not real, it’s not for today. We have literally heard it all, but guess what? When you have a supernatural encounter like that with the Holy Spirit NO ONE CAN TELL YOU IT’S NOT REAL!🙌 Once you’ve seen it, felt it, experienced it you’re completely wrecked. You’re done. Game over… it’s the Lord and the more I want, the more I get. (“I love those who love Me and those who seek Me diligently will find Me”) All I must do is yield, shut off that carnal, logical mind, living in the natural and grab it with my spirit. 🙌 It literally can’t be taught it must be caught. I love you so much, Sarah, and I would absolutely love to talk more about this, it’s my favorite subject (collectively = Anything having to do with more of Him!)❤️ Let’s do coffee!

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