Lesson 20: Spirit Filled Lives

Getting Started: Acts 13.13-52 records how Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel in Antioch of Pisidia. The Jews of the city rejected the gospel and thus judged themselves “unworthy of eternal life” (vs. 46). However, the Gentiles heard them gladly and even though Paul and Barnabas had to leave the city under duress, “the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (vs. 52).

Later in his ministry, Paul wrote the saints of another city in Asia Minor. In his letter to the Ephesians the apostle exhorted them to be “imitators of God, as beloved children” (Ephesians 5.1). Part of their imitating the Father would be avoiding getting “drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5.18).

How can we know that we are filled with God’s Spirit? Some think the marks of the Spirit are the abilities to perform miracles or speak in tongues. Others believe that having the Spirit results in direct guidance in daily life, telling us where to go, what to do, etc. Is that what it means to be filled with the Spirit, or do the Scriptures teach something else?

Having the Spirit is MORE than gifts.

It’s not just a fringe element of Christianity that is interested in spiritual gifts like healing and speaking in tongues. Many sincere believers read the pages of the New Testament and wonder about those gifts. After all, if they were important in the New Testament church then, shouldn’t there be a place for them now? Wouldn’t receive a gift from the Spirit be the ultimate way of being filled with the Spirit?

In his correspondence with the Corinthian saints, the apostle Paul addressed many problems in the group including their fixation on spiritual gifts. We know best the apostle’s words in 1Corinthians 13 where he told these saints that their gifts were meaningless if they did not have love (vss. 1-3) and revealed to them that while their various gifts would pass away, “faith, hope and love abide” (vss. 8-13). Clearly, spiritual gifts are NOT the epitome of the Christian life.

Consider also Paul’s argument in 1Corinthians 12. The Corinthians’ dividing over spiritual gifts was ridiculous because all of the “varieties of gifts” were given by “the same Spirit” (vs. 4). No one should boast based on the gift they received because “all these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills” (vs. 11). Now, note Paul’s words in vss. 12-14. Paul’s point is that the true significance of the Spirit is NOT the various gifts like prophecy and tongues, rather all were baptized in one Spirit (cf. John 3.5) and all drink of one Spirit. In short, the Spirit is why we are the people of God, so let’s not get fixated on a few gifts. Being filled with the Spirit has always had much greater significance. Furthermore, the true test of whether we have the Spirit is not measured by our gifts, but what kind of fruit we bear!

Bearing fruit comes from our connection with God.

Our study has endeavored to look at what it means for us to receive the Spirit. In Christ we are a new creation (Galatians 6.15; Eph. 4.22-24) having received a new spirit, His Spirit (Ezekiel 36.25-27; John 3.3-5; Acts 2.38) and are now partakers of the Divine nature (2Peter 1.4). How blessed we are in Christ!

However, the fact that we have received God’s Spirit is not merely theoretical, it is practical! Jesus speaks to this in John 15.1-11.

• Those in Christ are now clean through His word (vs. 3)
• There is true unity in Christ. Just as you cannot tell where the vine ends and the branches begin, so Christ is in us, we are in Him (vss. 4-6)
• Because of this unity with Christ we know that God hears us and answers (vs. 7)
• However, this is only true if we bear fruit (vss. 1-2,8). 

Branches bear fruit, it’s what they’re suppose to do. If a branch doesn’t bear fruit, something is seriously wrong! Christians who have been remade in His image should bear fruit; our lives and actions should mirror His. If our lives are devoid of His characteristics, something is very wrong.

The Spirit is how Jesus’ vine analogy is true. Jesus’ disciples are “in the Spirit” and thus have “the Spirit of Christ” (Romans 8.9). However, disciples aren’t just those who have the Spirit, they are also “led by the Spirit” (Romans 8.14) and to be led by the Spirit requires that they “set their minds on the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8.5). Those who have the Spirit, are led by the Spirit and set their mind on the Spirit will bear fruit: “to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8.6).

Becoming more like the Father is the true fruit of the Spirit.

Turning our attention to the book of Galatians, we find Paul making the same points he made in Romans 8: the Galatians had received the Spirit (Galatians 3.2,5,14) and were to be led by the Spirit (Galatians 5.16,18,25). And if the Galatians were led by the Spirit, they would bear fruit (Galatians 5.22-23). Let’s consider these last verses closer. Why are these qualities described as the “fruit of the Spirit”? It ties back to Jesus’ vine analogy in John 15; if we are in Him and He is in us, then it makes sense that the fruit we bear is from Him. We are becoming more like our Father, thus we bear the fruit OF the Spirit.

• We bear the fruit of love because God IS love (1John 4.8; John 3.16; Romans 5.8).
• We bear the fruit of joy because joy is the result of union with God (Matthew 25.21,23; see Psalm 68.3).
• We bear the fruit of peace because He has given us peace (John 14.27) and now we can be peacemakers (Matthew 5.9).
• We bear the fruit of patience because our Father has been patient with us (Romans 2.4; 2Peter 3.9).
• We bear the fruit of kindness (active love for others) because God was kind toward us (Ephesians 2.7).
• We bear the fruit of goodness (generosity) because we have tasted the goodness of God (1Peter 2.3).
• We bear the fruit of faithfulness because our Father is always faithful (Hebrews 10.23).
• We bear the fruit of gentleness because God has been gentle with us (Matthew 11.28-30).
• We bear the fruit of self-control because our Savior is the ultimate example of self-control; He sacrificed His will for the will of the Father (Matthew 26.39).

I can remember numerous gifts my parents gave to me over the years, but I still possess very few of them. However, my parents gave me something much more precious and it’s something I hope to always possess: character. God has given His people numerous gifts over the years. Some of those gifts were miraculous (prophecy, healing, tongues, etc.) while others are much more natural (ability to teach, singing voices, financial resources). But those gifts pale in comparison to what God can truly give us: in Him we can bear the fruit of the Spirit, that is we can become more like Him. The marks of a Spirit filled life are the presence of His fruit in our lives.

Do you have His Spirit? If the deeds of the flesh typify your life (immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing) then there’s no way we can claim to be led by His Spirit. But if we are bearing His fruit in our lives, we have every assurance that we are in Him, and He is in us (John 15.1-11).