Many are not quite sure of the reality of the human spirit, not to mention the Holy Spirit or even the spirit world. Billions are spent to develop every other part of man other than his spirit. The sports arena is full of trained bodies, universities display training for the mind. The church should display training for the human spirit. Unfortunately, that has not been so. We need to understand the reality of our spirits and the spirit-world for us to appreciate being filled with the Spirit and Life of God. With our bodies we contact the physical world, with our minds, the intellectual world; with our spirits we are to contact the spirit-world. Just like every world has its principles and activities each one affects every other one, so many of our actions affect our spirits and hence our spiritual experiences.

There is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty gives understanding. Job 32:8.Other scriptures that talk about the spirit of man are Prov.20:27, and 1 Thessalonians 5:23 among others. Many of Paul’s writings imply the distinction of the spirit from the soul and the body. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, he says, I put my body under. In Romans 12:1-2 we are told to present our bodies and renew our minds. Definitely we are distinct from these to be able to do anything about them. Paul’s understanding is that the real man is the spirit-man who has a soul and lives in a body. The new creation is the recreation of the human spirit by the operation of the Holy Spirit through believing in Jesus Christ. This foundational understanding will help a lot of people in their quest for more of God. The soul of man (his will, mind, emotions) needs to be retrained by the recreated spirit after salvation. The recreated spirit feeds on the Word of God, communion with the Holy Spirit (in worship and prayer and meditation) and fellowship with other like-minded believers. This is where our study comes in handy.

We read how the early church stayed filled with the Spirit after the day of Pentecost. In Acts 4:31; the scriptures say they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. The unity they experienced was a result of being filled with the spirit. The qualification required for leadership in the early church included being filled with Spirit. It seems a recognizable reality when one is filled with the Holy Spirit as seen in Acts 6. In Ephesians 5:18, Paul admonishes us to be filled with the Spirit. Water symbolizes the Holy Spirit, so to be filled is likened to being filled with water. We drink in large gulps as we fellowship with the Holy Spirit, our hunger is filled as we meet with Him.

Speaking is usually mentioned whenever being filled is mentioned. Speaking and making melody to the Lord in our hearts enhances our being filled with the Spirit.

Jesus said He came that we may have life and have it more abundantly. The Word is the carrier of God's life likewise the Spirit is the energy of God who works in us to bring about the intake of life and power. The more of the Word of God you get into your spirit, the more life you have access to. The life is the life of God and cannot be lived with the wits of the natural man. It takes a special learning to know how to live the life of God. It is a life form that is higher than the human life, having its demands and its required environment.

Jesus was the only one who lived that life in His days on earth. That was the reason for the differences we read about in the life he lived and what others did. He perceived while others used their minds to think. He knew things supernaturally while others depended on natural sources for information. All these were functions of the life he had. He gave us His Life so we can live like He did. Our recreated spirits are the reservoirs for this Life. It will affect every other thing in us. When we abide in Him and His Word abides in us, we will ask whatever we need and it shall be done for us. His life is our guarantee for the victory we need on earth. The flesh must be crucified for this Life to flow. Be filled with the Spirit and Life of God.

Rev. Kola Ewuosho