[Ephesians 5:18]
What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? This is a question with which many believers wrestle. What does the Bible have to say about the filling of the Holy Spirit? In Ephesian 5:18, Paul made a declarative statement, admonishing believers to be filled with the Spirit. So, what was it that caused Paul to remind believers of their need to be filled with the Spirit?
The context of Paul’s statement is important as we consider his exhortation to be filled with the Spirit. In Ephesians 5:3-5, Paul admonishes the saints to refrain from several immoral practices—”sexual immorality, impurity, greed. . .vulgar speech, foolish talk, and course jesting.” According to Paul, these things are clearly out of character with being a believer, and the person who practices such things will not be a part of the kingdom of God. Later in 5:6-15, Paul continued his admonition to the Ephesians by noting, for example, that one should not be deceived by empty words, because “once you were darkness and now you are light” [v. 8]. Since we are not children of darkness but children of light, we are to “live as wise and not as unwise” and seek to “know what the will of the Lord is” (vv. 15-17). Indeed, according to verse 17, we can only live as wise children of God by understanding what the will of God is.
In light of the fact that we are children of the light, one of our deepest desires as Children of God should be to know God’s will for our lives. Indeed, Paul informs us what God’s will for our lives is, which in this context includes being filled with the Spirit. This leads us now to consider 5:18, where Paul commands us to be filled with the Spirit. Paul’s command to be filled with the Spirit is only the second half of a fuller statement which reads, “And do not get drunk with wine, which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.” God’s will for our lives is to be filled with the Spirit. So, what does this entail? My goal in this short study here is to define as best as possible what it means to be filled with the Spirit and to provide some characteristics of what a Spirit-filled life should look like.
When Paul said to the Ephesians “Be filled with the Spirit,” he uses the Greek verbal form “plērousthe,” which is a form of the principal verb “plēroō,” meaning “to fill,” or “make full,” or “fill up.” It also carries the idea of coming to maturity, or “to be complete, perfect.”[1] Perschbacher further notes that specifically with regard to Ephesian 5:18, the idea is “to pervade with an influence, to influence fully, possess fully.”[2] With this in mind and in view of the broader context of the passage, I believe the idea that Paul wants to communicate is that when Christians are filled with the Spirit, they are controlled by the Spirit,[3] and in such a way that they are powerfully influenced by His holiness and character. Just as the one who is drunk with alcohol is controlled and dominated by its influence [5:18a], so the believer is controlled by the Spirit and comes under His influence.
An analogy of this idea of “filling” in the sense of “being controlled” may be seen in Luke 4:28, where we are told that “all the people were filled with rage,” with the result that they reacted to Jesus violently and were about to throw him over a cliff [v. 29]. Also, we are told in Acts 13:45 that “when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy [against Paul],” again with the result that they were hostile toward him. In these two situations, we see people being controlled by anger and jealousy so that this control produces a certain effect in their lives. In the same way, when we are controlled or filled by the Spirit the result will be a life consistent with the character and holiness of Christ.
Now that we have an idea of what it means to be filled by the Spirit, let us now consider some important features of the form of the verb Paul used in this passage. This will help us to see more clearly what our responsibility is in this process of being billed with the Spirit. The form of this verb reveals three things that need to be understood about the filling of the Spirit. The first thing we should note about the verb for the filling of the Spirit, as seen in Ephesians 5:18, is that it is in the imperative mood. An imperative is a command. This means we are commanded to be filled with the Spirit. Interestingly, we may note that while nowhere in Scripture are believers commanded to be indwelt, sealed, or baptized by the Spirit, here Christians are under orders to be filled by the Spirit.[4] This indicates the importance of the role of the Christian in the filling of the Spirit. This gives a human component to the equation. It tells us that the filling of the Spirit is not optional on our part, but instead mandatory.
The second point that Paul wants us to consider from Ephesians 5:18 is that the verb “plērousthe” [“be filled”] is in the present tense. This means that the filling of the Spirit is an ongoing, continuous, daily occurrence. Paul wanted the believers to be continuously filled with the Spirit. The filling is not a once and for all experience as compared to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which is a one-time act that took place at the moment of conversion. The idea of the use of the present tense of this text here is “be being filled” or “keep on being filled.”[5] It is a continuous, day to day, moment by moment experience as we submit ourselves to the control of the Holy Spirit.
The third point Paul wants us to consider is indicated by the fact that the verb “plērousthe” is in the passive voice. The passive voice in the Greek [as also in English] means that the subject receives the action of the verb. One is not filled by the Spirit through his or her own self will or abilities. It is God who fills the individual. As Couch says, “You continual (allow) the Holy Spirit to come upon and control you.”[6] Yes, we make ourselves available, but the filling of the Holy Spirit is the work of God alone. So, in order to be filled, we must be willing to yield ourselves to the control of the Spirit. I suggest that this begins to happen, when someone confesses his or her sin and asks God to take full control of his or her life.[7]
With a better understanding of what it means to be filled with the Spirit and our part in it, the question is, “What does the Spirit-filled life look like?” What characterizes a life that is controlled by or filled with the Spirit? How can we tell if we are filled with the Spirit? A Spirit-filled life is one that is characterized by what is described in Ephesians 5:19-21. These verses follow immediately on the heels of the command to be filled with the Spirit and shows us the result of the spirit-filled life. They describe three immediate results of a life filled with the Spirit. The by-product of a Spirit-filled life is one that produces a life of singing, thanksgiving, and submission.
First, a Spirit-filled Christian will have a song and a psalm in his or her heart, but these are not simply or only for personal self-edification. Spirit-filled believers “speak to another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,” which means that their songs minister to each other in the assembly or the church. But even more importantly, these expressions of praise and worship are directed to the Lord—Spirit-filled believers “sing and make melody in their hearts to the Lord.” Together, then, our praise and worship edify one another as they are directed to the Lord. This tells us also that the spirit filled life has a corporate dimension—its effects overflow into the body of Christ and brings glory to God. It is not simply for personal self-fulfillment.
Second, a Spirit-filled Christian is a thankful Christian even in times of sufferings. Gratitude is a natural reflex of a life filled with the Spirit in general, and this reflects what Paul commands in First Thessalonians 5:18: “Give thanks in everything; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” In Ephesians 5:20 though, the Spirit filled Christian gives thanks always to God “for each other.” In other words, one of the marks of a Spirit-filled life is a deep sense of gratitude for fellow believers. So, if you find yourself at odds with other believers, it maybe you are not filled with the Spirit. And again, this shows the corporate dimension of the Spirit-filled overflow into the body of Christ.
Third, a Spirit-filled Christian is a submissive Christian. We as believers must be willing to be submissive to one another, but this becomes natural when we are filled with the Spirit—we do not need to work up our will power to do it. There is a sense of mutual submission in a biblical relationship in which we lay aside our rights and humbly serve one another in love. Needless to say again, this is another effect of the corporate dimension of the filling of the Spirit—we submit to each other and defer to the wider concerns that make for peace and good will in the body of Christ.
Putting this all together, if one wants to know God’s will for his or her life, then one needs to be filled with the Spirit. We cannot know God’s will until we are filled with the Spirit. The confession of one’s sin is an integral part of the Spirit-filled life. No Christian can fulfill God’s will for his or her life apart from being filled with the Spirit.[8] Paul desires God’s people to be continuously filled with the Spirit. When sin breaks the controlling or the filling of the Spirit, the thing to do is to confess our sins and allow God the Holy Spirit to fill us again [see 1 John 1:9].
[1] Wesley J. Perschbacher, Ed., The New Analytical Greek Lexicon” [Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1990], 332.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Mal Couch, The Biblical Doctrine of The Holy Spirit (Fort Worth, TX: Tyndale Biblical Institute, 1995), 126.
[4] As John F. Walvoord puts, “These ministries of the Spirit come at once upon saving faith in Christ. They pertain to salvation, not to the spiritual life of the Christian” (The Holy Spirit: A Comprehensive Study of the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1965], 194). That is to say that apart from this command to be filled with the Spirit, there are no other commands for the believer to be sealed, indwelt, or baptized with the Spirit.
[5] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Rich, Ephesians (Wheaton, ILL: Victor Books, 1976), 136.
[6] Couch, Doctrine of the Holy Spirit.
[7] I should note that Paul does not indicate here in this passage exactly what the prerequisites of the believers are for being filled. I suggest though that from a broader reading of the New Testament a willingness to submit to the Spirit, followed by ongoing repentance and confession of sins are in keeping with the Spirit’s control of our lives. In this regard, Galatians 5:16 is in keeping with my suggestion: “But I say, ‘Live by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.” The idea of “live by the Spirit” is that of “keeping in step with his leading.”
[8] Walvoord, The Holy Spirit, 194.