Are You Filled With The Spirit?

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”

Ephesians 5:18-21

Are you really filled with the Holy Spirit? Now I don’t mean do you make some unintelligible sounds that some people call a prayer language, trying to justify this activity by misinterpreting scriptures, ignoring Paul’s statements like: “There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me” [1 Cor 14:10-11]

Nor do I mean do you perform miracles, because this is what Jesus had to say about those things: “A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.” [Matt 16:4]

What I mean is, does the Spirit that is in you produce the fruit of a true believer in Christ?…

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” [Gal 5:22-23]

Do you care about being obedient to God’s word more than about experiences and miracles?

Really? Do you keep this commandment: “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” [2 Cor 6:16-17]?

Many Charismatics prefer unity over doctrine provided the people they are in unity with have had the same experiences (tongues and other signs and wonders). Many Charismatics think that Catholics are saved by virtue of them having a tongues speaking experience, meanwhile they are still worshipping idols, like the eucharist (wafer god) and Mary (Rome’s Queen of heaven).

Charismatic tongue speakers should examine themselves and see if they need to address some questions about their behavior:

1. Would God want us to distract others when they pray? … “And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints… Let all things be done decently and in order … (1 Corinthians 14:32-33 & 40)

2. Would God want us to pray meaningless prayers? … “So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.” (1 Corinthians 14:9-11)

3. Would God want us to think we are more spiritual because of some gift we have? … ” Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1)

4. Would God want us to think that He is holding back a gift from those who don’t speak in tongues? … “Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?” (1 Corinthians 12:30)

5. Would God want us to think that we are not complete in Christ unless we speak in tongues? … “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” (Colossians 2:10)

6. Would God want us to be unsatisfied with what He has already given us? … “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” (Philippians 4:11)

7. Would God want us to think we are blaspheming Him if we question the authenticity of a tongues speaker when what we are doing is testing the spirits? … “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)

8. Would God want us to delay winning souls until we’ve had a religious experience (i.e. power from on high)? The woman in John chapter 4 did not delay. … “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” (John 4:29)

9. Would God want us to cause division by making others feel we are not all equal in Christ? … “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” (Romans 16:17-18)

10. Would God want us to misinterpret scripture like Joel 2:28 which was already fulfilled at Pentecost … “For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams” (see Acts 2:15-17)

11. Would God want us to be attracted to churches full of signs and wonders rather than those preaching sound doctrine? … “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

12. Would God want us to live by our emotions and experiences rather than by the Word of God? … “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. ” (Matthew 4:4)

13. Would God want us to unite with idol worshippers (Charismatic Catholics) who refuse to leave an idol worshipping institution? … “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Cor 6:16-17)

14. Would God want us to add to His word by our own utterances and interpretations ‘from God’? … “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18)

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