Filled or indwelt?

I have been on vacation so I haven't been able to post my thoughts as I read through the book of Acts...but I'm back and ready to get in my routine.

This morning I read Acts 4...what a chapter. There is so much in it. Three of my favorite verses are in it:

"There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved." (4:12)

"The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus." (4:13)

"We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard." (4:20)

Today, however, God drew my attention to something I normally read right over. See my favorite verses all really stem from this core concept: "Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit..."

Peter was filled with the Spirit. To be filled means to be directed and empowered...and it is different from being indwelt by the Holy Spirit. All believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit because He comes to live within every believer when they receive Christ. However, while all believers are indwelt by the Spirit not all believers are filled with the Holy Spirit... some have not surrendered their life to the moment by moment leading of the Spirit.

Being filled by the Spirit is not a second blessing or something only for the super spiritual- it is for all believers who will simply submit themselves to the will of God. The verse that best demonstrates being filled with the Spirit is Jesus' prayer, "Not my will but Your will be done." It is not asking for more of God- you already have all of God you need indwelling in you- it is allowing God to have more of you.

If Peter had not been filled with the Spirit, he would not have noticed the man in Chapter 3, he and John would not have had the power to heal him, and he would not have taken the opportunity to boldly proclaim Jesus to the crowd.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit also ensured that the words that Peter preached were not merely his own, but he was inspired and empowered to be a witness to Christ (which is a fulfillment of Acts 1:8).

I noticed this story reveals that you can't help but be a witness for Christ when you are filled with the Spirit. A person will have the same attitude as Peter and John when they were told to stop preaching about Jesus..."we cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard."

I also noticed (and have experienced) that you will focus on Jesus when you are filled with the Spirit. The Spirit came to "bring [Jesus] glory by telling you whatever He receives from me [Jesus]. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I [Jesus] said, 'The Spirit will tell you whatever He receives from me [Jesus].'" (John 16:14-15). That is why Peter can so clearly articulate that salvation is only through Jesus.

The third thing I noticed is that Religious Leaders recognized that Peter and John had been with Jesus. I love that verse because it gives such hope to ordinary people like me that that is how God works- ordinary people who have been with Jesus.

Yet today, it was like God was saying something more to me- it is ordinary people who have been with Jesus, but there is something more. A person needs more than just to have been with Jesus; a person needs to be filled with the Spirit.

It made me realize that there were plenty of people who were with Jesus who couldn't do these things. I'm not saying being with Jesus is not important, but I realize it is not enough. Jesus, through the Spirit, wants to fill me. Being with Him is a first step, but it is not the last step. He wants to fill me. See if it is just about being with Jesus, then as soon as my time with Him is over I can move on without Him. I was with Him...now I with someone else or doing something else. If He fills me, He is with me everywhere and all the time.

I know this what Jesus wants because we are commanded in Ephesians 5:18, "...be filled with the Holy Spirit."

Jesus, thank you for giving the gift of Your Spirit to ordinary people like me. Fill me...take control of my life...lead me moment by moment in my thoughts, words, and actions.