How can a believer be in tandem with the Spirit of Christ and the entirety of such a believer is controlled and quickened by the Holy Spirit? This article attempts to answer and provide clarity as well as navigation as to how to maximize the Holy Spirit of Christ in our lives and in our daily walk as disciples. 

 

To be led by the Holy Spirit is much more than a desire to baptized in the Holy Spirit. To be led by the Holy Spirit is the effect the Holy Spirit has on a man after he has received the gift of the Holy Spirit. To be led by the Holy Spirit means yielding to the Holy Spirit or bringing yourself fully under control and subject it’s government. It means that the voice of the Holy Spirit is the most audible voice you hear and you are willing to obey at all cost irrespective of what people are saying or will say. So, you don’t just hear Him but you do as He has commanded.

 

What does it mean to be led by the Holy Spirit? A Scripture in Ephesians chapter 5 verse 18 best answers this question. It says; "Do not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.” Let me be bold to say at this point that the only thing man is permitted to be filled with for his own good is the Holy Spirit.

 

The reason is because; what fills you is what controls you. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will be controlled by the Holy Spirit. You are not controlled by your  own intelligence or by your mind, you are controlled by what fills you. I am sure you may be finding it difficult to accept this statement. Let me explain it this way; The Bible says in Acts chapter 4 verse 8; “Then Peter, being filled with the Holy Spirit said to them.”  There is something called being full of the Spirit; and this is what powers the success, the boldness or the excellence in any endeavor.

That is why the Bible says not by power nor by might but by My Spirit says the Lord of Host. When a man is not filled with the Spirit of the Lord, he will perform less than the capacity that God has designed him to operate.

 

So, the people thought Peter was drunk. Does it mean that when a man is filled with the Spirit, he could be mistaken or assumed to be drunk with wine? That is why that Scripture says being filled with wine leads to dissipation. This is the difference; What is dissipation? It means useless or profitless activity; using or expending or consuming thoughtlessly or carelessly. What does this mean? It means that whatever you do without being filled or influenced by the Spirit leads to profit lessness; more energy is exerted and no visible result to show for it.

 

This is the reason why in Genesis chapter 2 verse 7b, The Bible says; “And God breathed into the nostrils of man and man became.”  Another word we can use to replace that ‘breathed into His nostrils’ is; ‘and God filled the man with His Spirit.’ In other words, if God does not fill the man, He would not have become a living being or function as a living being.  

 

 So therefore, for the man to carry out a profitable venture in the garden, God needed to breath into His nostrils, God needed to fill him. This is the reason why Jesus said to His disciples in Acts chapter 1 verse 5; "In not many days from now you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” You will be filled with the Holy Spirit. Why is this a matter of necessity? Because, no man can function to His maximum capacity without the filling of the Spirit. And If the Spirit of the Lord does not fill you, He can't control you. This is the reason why the Bible says if the same Spirit that rose Jesus Christ from the dead is dwelling in you; if the Holy Spirit that quickened Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He will also quicken your mortal body. So, the Holy Spirit is the only Spirit among the numerous spirits that quickens man to do the will of God or to please God.

 

But the question I keep asking is this; are all believers who have been baptized or filled with the Holy Spirit being quickened by the Holy Spirit? If the answer is no, what then is the solution? This is the problem this article aims at solving.

 

How can a believer be quickened, led or controlled by the Spirit? This question will be answered subsequently as you move on with this read. The Bible says in Matthew 4:1; “And Jesus being filled with the Spirit; was led into the wilderness.”  And because He was led, He returned in the power of the Spirit. There is no believer that operates in power and grace that is not filled and led by the Spirit. This analogy best explains this Scripture. A balloon will never be carried effortlessly by the wind if it's not inflated or filled with air. What about a tube? It can never float effortlessly on water without it being filled with air.

 

The reason why God fashioned it in that manner is to let us learn that it is what fills you from within that determines your experience on the outside. This means that a man who is not filled with the Spirit will not be light enough to be carried by the wind of the Spirit. What makes you fly in life above circumstances starring at you is not because you have wings, it is because you are being carried on the wings of the Spirit. So, rather than focus on what is not working in the world, choose to rather focus on what could possibly make you live above the world.

Jesus said in the world you will have tribulations but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. How did He overcome? By filling men with the Spirit that is greater than the spirit that is in the world. I know you may also want to struggle with this statement. It say so because; The purpose of going to the cross would not have been accomplished if there is no possibility that the Spirit of Christ would fill men.  His Spirit which is greater than the world lives in you and fills you to live above the world. This can only be possible if you are filled. He helps you to overcome, He guilds and He builds. So, what does it mean to be full of the Spirit? Remember there is a question being raised; how can a believer be led by the Spirit? And we have been able to establish that for a believer to be led by the Spirit, the believer must be full of the Spirit. what is the advantage of this? Why is it necessary to be filled before you can be led. Let us find out. So, what does it actually mean, to be full of the Spirit. To be full of the Spirit means;

 

Number One: (a) To be full of the Holy Spirit is to becoming transformed daily. This talks about the willing to change. Meaning that; you have repented from dead works, you have part ways with the world, you are not conforming to the world but your totality is given to God. How did you do that? By retaining God in your knowledge, by having the fear of God. So, as you do that your mind is being renewed. It is only a renewed and a transformed mind that the Holy Spirit can lead; otherwise it will be difficult. The natural tendency of the flesh is to do the things that are not fitting. The flesh war against the Spirit and vice versa. You require the strength or grace supplied by the Spirit to overcome the temptings of the flesh.  So, if you are a believer, and you are finding it difficult to hear God or know the mind of God you may want to consider this point.

 

Number One: (b) To filled with the Holy Spirit means you have become a man who has laid aside every weight and sin that easily beset. This means that you are working out your salvation with fear and with trembling, allowing God to work in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure, ready to sour like the eagles. Just as we saw in the analogy of the balloon.

 

Number Two: To be full of the Holy Spirit is to walk in the Spirit or to walk according to the Spirit. There is such a thing as walking according to the Spirit. This means that you walk by faith and not by sight; you are sensitive and discerning. When you walk according to the Spirit you are comparing spiritual with spiritual, and by so doing you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh neither will you struggle with God’s will, commandments and laws. It simply means that His laws, principles or ways have been written upon the tablets of your heart. So, pleasing God becomes normal to you. It is called Zoe-- The God kind of life.

 

Number Three: To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be full of grace and truth. Bible says and of His fullness we have received grace for grace. If it is possible for Jesus to carry the fullness of God, it is also possible for us to carry the fullness of God. Divine strength and ability to do according to Gods good pleasure is a dimension furnished by the Holy Spirit. “We can only carry the semblance of God when we carry the fullness of God.” So, Jesus was always bold to say I and My father are One, as I hear Him say I say, as I see Him do, I do and my judgement is true. The reason is because He carried the fullness of God bodily.

 

Number Four: To be full of the Holy Spirit is to be led by the Spirit. You can be led by Him by either receiving the word with meekness, or you follow the leadership by hearing His voice. This is an indication that you are a son. You are familiar with the voice of the Father. In the kingdom, sonship is not claimed, it is proven by our ability to hear God via His Spirit and obey accordingly.

 

Number Five: To be filled with the Holy Spirit means to be taught by the Holy Spirit. Prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah 50:4; “He wakens me morning by morning; He wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.” To be led means He guilds you, He gives you direction. You know the truth. Jesus said He will guild you into all truth. With Him you are not ignorant of the truth. With the Holy Spirit you are aware of the things to come. Bible says the testimony of Jesus Christ is the Spirit of prophecy. It says when the Spirit comes, He tell you of the things to come. It gives you the ability and capacity to prophesy and to see visions. To be full of the Holy Spirit means to be taught by Christ directly. The Holy Spirit is a teacher. Jesus said He will teach you. He will take of what is mine and declare to you. To be full of the Holy Spirit is to be in tune and in alignment with the will of God. You can only connect with the frequency of heaven via the Holy spirit. This can only be possible through intimacy and fellowship with Him.

 

To be full of the Holy Spirit is synonymous to carrying the seal, the authority and power of God. All that Jesus was able to accomplish on the earth was because He had the Spirit without measure. So, in order to be become a man or a woman, a Christian, a believer, a pastor a church worker, a singer that is led by the Spirit is to become one that is filled with the Holy Spirit. And having being filled with the Spirit, allow Him to begin the work of transformation, walk according to the Spirit, depend and reply upon His grace, always being conscious of the truth and being humble to learn from Him.

If you desire to be filled with the Spirit of Christ, the first step is to accept Christ as your personal Lord and saviour, then this process can follow. And the Lord will bless you even as you do so.

 

So, do not harden your heart, be open to visions, trans and dreams, do not judge by the seeing of the eyes and by the hearing of your ears, fear and trust God always, lean not on your own understanding, pray fervently and earnestly and the eyes of your understanding will be enlightened making you become aware of the will of God that ought to be done in your life. I pray the Lord will help you even as you do so in Jesus name.  

Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Apeh Francis Abah!

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