Permeated

Sometimes when we hear that a person is "spiritual," we think of him or her as being out of touch, not living in the real world, or (how shall I say it?) weird. But nothing could be further from the truth because the truly spiritual man or woman will be a very practical person as well.

A Spirit-filled believer will live a life that honors and glorifies God. Ephesians 5 tells us, "Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord" (verses 18-19, NIV).

When we think about being filled with the Spirit, we might imagine some wild emotional experience. And though being filled with the Spirit can and sometimes will include emotions, it won’t necessarily be that way always.

What exactly did the apostle Paul mean when he used the term filled? One translation of the word pictures a steady wind filling the sails of a ship. So the idea is that the wind of God wants to fill the sails of your ship as you are moving along the sea of life. In another place in Scripture, the same word is translated permeated, picturing the truth that God wants to soak and saturate everything that we say or think or do.

To be filled with the Spirit means that the Holy Spirit is a part of all that you’re involved in. He’s a part of your prayer life. He’s a part of your worship life. He’s a part of your business life. He’s a part of your vacation. He’s a part of everything that touches your life in any way. That is what it is to be a Spirit-filled and Spirit-led believer.

Is this some big, one-time experience, never to be repeated? No, because the original language implies this is something you should be receiving over and over and over again. Be continually filled with the Spirit.