Someone who has not received Christ:

"A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised" (1 Corinthians 2:14).

(One who is directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.)

"He who is spiritual appraises all things...We have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:15).

One who has received Christ, but who lives in defeat because he is trying to live the Christian life in his own strength.

"And I brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to carnal men, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still carnal. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshy, and are you not walking like mere men?" (1 Corinthians 3:1-3)

Jesus said, "I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly" (John 10:10).

"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22, 23).

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

Some spiritual traits which result from trusting God:

The degree to which these traits are manifested in the life depends upon the extent to which the Christian trusts the Lord with every detail of his life, and upon his maturity in Christ. One who is only beginning to understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit should not be discouraged if he is not as fruitful as more mature Christians who have known and experienced this truth for a longer period.

Carnal Christians cannot experience the abundant and fruitful Christian life

The carnal person trusts in his own efforts to live the Christian life:

1. He is either uninformed about, or has forgotten, God's love, forgiveness, and power (Romans 5:8-10; Hebrews 10:1-25; 1 John 1; 2:1-3; 2 Peter 1:9; Acts 1:8).
2. He has an up-and-down spiritual experience.
3. He cannot understand himself - he wants to do what is right, but cannot.
4. He fails to draw upon the power of the Holy Spirit to live the Christian life.

(1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Romans 7:15-24; 8:7; Galatians 5:16-18)

Some or all of the following traits may characterize the Christian who does not fully trust God:

(The individual who professes to be a Christian but who continues to practice sin should realize that he may not be a Christian at all, according to 1 John 2:3; 3:6, 9; Ephesians 5:5).

Jesus promised the abundant and fruitful life as the result of being filled (directed and empowered) by the Holy Spirit

The Spirit-filled life is the Christ-directed life by which Christ lives His life in and through us in the power of the Holy Spirit (John 15).

1. One becomes a Christian through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, according to John 3:1-8. From the moment of spiritual birth, the Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit at all times (John 1:12; Colossians 2:9, 10; John 14:16, 17). Though all Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, not all Christians are filled (directed and empowered) by the Holy Spirit.
2. The Holy Spirit is the source of the overflowing life (John 7:37-39).
3. The Holy Spirit came to glorify Christ (John 16:1-15). When one is filled with the Holy Spirit, he is a true disciple of Christ.
4. In His last command before His ascension, Christ promised the power of the Holy Spirit to enable us to be witnesses for Him (Acts 1:1-9).

We are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith; then we can experience the abundant and fruitful life which Christ promised to each Christian.

First, you must sincerely desire for God to fill you with Himself, which really means you must want God to totally have His way in your life. Because God is total love and total wisdom and He always has our best interest in mind, we all should want that. Anything else is irrational. Therefore, present every area of your life to God.

Second, confess to God any known sin in your life and by faith thank Him that He has forgiven your sins -- past present and future -- because Christ died for you. By faith claim His promise of forgiveness and cleansing according to 1 John 1:9.

Third, ask God to fill you with His Spirit. In a moment I will suggest a prayer. But remember, from Ephesians 5:18 we already know that it is His will for you. And we know that in 1 John 5:14-15, it says, " This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us–whatever we ask–we know that we have what we asked of him." I repeat: it says, "…we know that we have (present tense) what we asked of him."

Fourth, remember that we always receive from God by faith, so receive this gift by faith, as an act of your will, and thank and praise God for answering your prayer and filling you with His Spirit. 

"Dear Lord Jesus, your Word says that you are the 'baptizer in the Holy Spirit.' Thank you for forgiving my sins because you died on the cross for me. Thank you for offering the fullness of your Spirit to me. As you commanded, I desire to be filled with your Spirit, so I know it is your will. And your promise says that if I ask anything according to your will, and if believe that I receive, then I can have what I ask for and it is mine. Therefore, I ask for the fullness and power of your Holy Spirit to come upon me right now. I receive Him by faith, right now. I now thank you for answering this prayer and filling me with your Holy Spirit. Now use me for your purposes and your glory. In Jesus' name. Amen."

Continue to worship and praise God. You may or may not experience physical or emotional feelings. That is not important. It is not based on feelings but on faith. Feelings may come now or later. The gifts of the Spirit may begin to flow through you immediately, or later, also by faith.

In the book of Acts, most or all of whom the Holy Spirit fell upon began to speak in unknown languages (e.g. 2:4, 10:46, 19:6). This manifestation of the Spirit continues widely to this day, as attested to worldwide by believers in virtually all denominations. Doubt and fear from poor teaching often blocks this manifestation, but doubt and fear are overcome by faith. Step out in faith and do not doubt.

Allow the life of Christ to flow through you and use you for God's purposes.

How to know that you are filled (directed and empowered) with the Holy Spirit

Did you ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit? Do you know that you are now filled with the Holy Spirit? On what authority? (On the trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word: Hebrews 11:6; Romans 14:22, 23.)

Do not depend upon feelings. The promise of God's Word, not our feelings, is our authority. The Christian lives by faith (trust) in the trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word. This train diagram illustrates the relationship between fact (God and His Word), faith (our trust in God and His Word), and feeling (the result of our faith and obedience) (John 14:21).

The train will run with or without the caboose. However, it would be futile to attempt to pull the train by the caboose. In the same way, we, as Christians, do not depend upon feelings or emotions, but we place our faith (trust) in the trustworthiness of God and the promises of His Word.

Faith (trust in God and in His promises) is the only means by which a Christian can live the Spirit-directed life. As you continue to trust Christ moment by moment:

1. Your life will demonstrate more and more of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23) and will be more and more conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
2. Your prayer life and study of God's Word will become more meaningful.
3. You will experience His power in witnessing (Acts 1:8).
4. You will be prepared for spiritual conflict against the world (1 John 2:15-17); against the flesh (Galatians 5:16-17); and against Satan (1 Peter 5:7-9; Ephesians 6:10-13).
5. You will experience His power to resist temptation and sin (1 Corinthians 10:13; Philippians 4:13; Ephesians 1:19-23; 2 Timothy 1:7; Romans 6:1-16).

By faith you can continue to experience God's love and forgiveness.

If you become aware of an area of your life (an attitude or an action) that is displeasing to the Lord, even though you are walking with Him and sincerely desiring to serve Him, simply thank God that He has forgiven your sins - past, present and future - on the basis of Christ's death on the cross. Claim His love and forgiveness by faith and continue to have fellowship with Him.

If you retake the throne of your life through sin -- a definite act of disobedience -- breathe spiritually.

Spiritual breathing (exhaling the impure and inhaling the pure) is an exercise in faith that enables you to continue to experience God's love and forgiveness.

1. Exhale -- confess your sin -- agree with God concerning your sin and thank Him for His forgiveness of it, according to 1 John 1:9 and Hebrews 10:1-25. Confession involves repentance - a change in attitude and action.
2. Inhale -- surrender the control of your life to Christ, and appropriate (receive) the fullness of the Holy Spirit by faith. Trust that He now directs and empowers you; according to the command of Ephesians 5:18, and the promise of 1 John 5:14, 15.

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