Are You Filled with the Holy Spirit? [REVISED 20 December 2004; Angie Clark] References using full or filled which refer to the Holy Spirit in the New Testament are primarily found in Luke and Acts, with a few exceptions. It is interesting that the writer of both books, Luke, was the only gentile writer and his target audience was non-jewish. Many things happen as a result of being filled or full of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist He and his parents made up a family filled with the Holy Spirit. Luke 1:15 NLT - and he [John] will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. o Turn people back to God o Like Elijah o Soften hearts of parents toward children o Kindle a devout understanding o Get people ready for God Luke 1:41 NLT - At the sound of Mary's greeting, Elizabeth's child [John] leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. o Sang out exuberantly (MSG) o Edified Mary Luke 1:67 MSG - then Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied. o Worshipped o Prophesied Simeon Luke 2:25 KJV And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. **Luke 2:25 NLT Now there was a man named Simeon who lived in Jerusalem. He was a righteous man and very devout. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he eagerly expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. o He was expectant. o He was led by the Holy Spirit to the temple. o He recognized the Messiah. Are You Filled with the Holy Spirit? www.kidsprayer.com 1
Beatitudes A Promise to keep Luke 6: 21 NKJV - Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. o New converts are hungry for the supernatural and therefore are more easily filled. o Children are hungry for the supernatural: (another lesson entirely: Harry Potter phenomenon, etc.) Jesus Luke 4:1 NLT - Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit to go out into the wilderness. o Led by the Spirit into the wilderness o Jesus full of the Holy Spirit First Church Acts 2:2 MSG - Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force--no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Acts 2:4 NLT - And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. o When they were filled, they began speaking in other languages (tongues). o The Holy Spirit gives this ability. We cannot understand it or comprehend it. o Other languages English (ladies in Africa), Spanish (pacific). Acts 4:8 NLT - Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Leaders and elders of our nation, o Spoke with boldness after the lame man at the gate (chapter 3) was healed. o At times of healing miracles in Acts, no mention of being filled with/of the Holy Spirit as a requirement for healing. (Eg: Acts 3:16 NLT - The name of Jesus has healed this man--and you know how lame he was before. Faith in Jesus' name has caused this healing before your very eyes.) Acts 4:29-31 NLT - And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give your servants great boldness in their preaching. Send your healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus." After this prayer, the building where they were meeting shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they preached God's message with boldness. Are You Filled with the Holy Spirit? www.kidsprayer.com 2
o Peter and John, after the lame man was healed and their run-in with the law prayed this prayer. o Preached with boldness. o The place shook. Stephen Acts 6:3 MSG - So, friends, choose seven men from among you whom everyone trusts, men full of the Holy Spirit and good sense, and we'll assign them this task. o Apostles gathered the growing group of disciples to look for administrators to do tasks. o Qualification for service to apostles. Acts 6:5 MSG - The congregation thought this was a great idea. They went ahead and chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, Nicolas, a convert from Antioch. Acts 6:8 KJV - And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. o Stephen distinguished himself by being full of faith and power (Holy Spirit). o Stephen was how old? (do we know?) Acts 7:55 NLT - But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily upward into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand. o Stephen saw the glory of God. o He forgave his murderers. Paul Acts 9:17 MSG - So Ananias went and found the house, placed his hands on blind Saul, and said, "Brother Saul, the Master sent me, the same Jesus you saw on your way here. He sent me so you could see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." No sooner were the words out of his mouth than something like scales fell from Saul's eyes--he could see again! He got to his feet, was baptized, and sat down with them to a hearty meal. o I Corinthians 14:18-19 MSG - I'm grateful to God for the gift of praying in tongues that he gives us for praising him, which leads to wonderful intimacies we enjoy with him. I enter into this as much or more than any of you. But when I'm in a church assembled Are You Filled with the Holy Spirit? www.kidsprayer.com 3
for worship, I'd rather say five words that everyone can understand and learn from than say ten thousand that sound to others like gibberish. o Paul did get filled, speaking in tongues often. Acts 13:9 MSG - Saul (or Paul), full of the Holy Spirit and looking him straight in the eye, said, "You bag of wind, you parody of a devil--why, you stay up nights inventing schemes to cheat people out of God. But now you've come up against God himself, and your game is up. o Discernment (stay up at nights ) o Struck Bar-Jesus down with blindness. o The governor was released from Bar-Jesus control and became a follower of the way. Acts 13:51-52 MSG (Antioch in Pisidia) Paul and Barnabas shrugged their shoulders and went on to the next town, Iconium, brimming with joy and the Holy Spirit, two happy disciples. [NLT= were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit] o They were forced to leave Antioch after making converts there. o They were filled with joy too. (Many references to being full/filled of the Holy Spirit is coupled with joy.) Romans 15:13-14 MSG - Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope! Ephesians 5:18-20 KJV - And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. o Singing and making melody to the Lord o Hymns and spiritual songs o Giving thanks always Barnabas Acts 11:24 NLT - Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And large numbers of people were brought to the Lord. Acts 11:24 MSG - He was a good man that way, enthusiastic and confident in the Holy Spirit's ways. The community grew large and strong in the Master. Are You Filled with the Holy Spirit? www.kidsprayer.com 4
I Peter 1:8 KJV - Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Ananias & Sapphira Acts 5:3 KJV - But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Acts 5:3 NLT - Then Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself? Acts 5:3 MSG Peter said, "Ananias, how did Satan get you to lie to the Holy Spirit and secretly keep back part of the price of the field? Are You Filled with the Holy Spirit? www.kidsprayer.com 5