Filled with God’s Spirit

Christians are commanded to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).  A small taste of the Spirit is not enough, we are to be filled.  Everyone in the world seeks what will give them happiness.  Many people believe that the self-denial required of Christians involves giving up what makes a person happy.  But giving up sinful behaviors, such as drunkenness, does not result in a loss of happiness.  Exactly the opposite is true.  A person who is filled with the Spirit is characterized by peace, joy, and contentment.  The Scriptural evidence shows this clearly.  Jesus told His disciples that He wanted them to experience His own joy (John 15:11).  He made provision for that by promising to send them the Holy Spirit. In fact, the only way to get this joy is by being filled with the Spirit.  The Christian is enabled by the Holy Spirit to overcome those desires and lusts which dominate the rest of the world.  Without the Spirit’s divine influences, the soul desires nothing higher.  But, for the true believer, seeking God is not only a duty but is also a delight.  Thus, the soul, which was created to delight in God, finds all that it needs in Him.