And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:31 ESV)

Prayer is the catalyst for being and remaining filled with the Holy Spirit.

After declaring healing to a lame man, Peter and John were threatened by the High Priest not to invoke the name of Jesus ever again.

They responded by gathering with other believers and calling on Jesus through prayer. They did not pray for escape; they prayed for boldness!

It is in the atmosphere of sincere faith and passionate prayer that God releases His Spirit to overflow His people. The entire group was filled with the Spirit while they prayed; then they spoke with great boldness, despite the resistance.

I am aware of my daily need to be filled with God’s Spirit. The weight of responsibility I carry, the people for whom I am responsible, and the family God has entrusted to me ALL need me to be filled with, led by, and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Not only does the Bible repeatedly remind me to “be filled (continually) with the Spirit,” it also reveals HOW to be and stay filled!

1. Pray. “Ask and you will receive.” The promise of being filled with the Spirit is given to every believer! We simply ask Jesus to fill us, and we receive by faith. Prayer is what opens out hearts to receive all that He has promised; and prayer focuses our attention on the Giver of every good and perfect gift.

2. Worship. There is an undeniable correlation between Spirit-fullness and worship! The Bible says that the result of being filled with the Spirit is “singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, with Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” Worship sets the atmosphere for the presence of God, and welcomes all He has to offer!

3. The Word. Many people do not believe they can be filled with the Holy Spirit. They have a misunderstanding (or a lack of understanding) of the Word. God’s gifts are all received by faith. Faith is not a conjured feeling, but a revelation (unveiling) of the Word of God, which illuminates our spirits to believe what God already promised.

If you desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit, dig into the Word and allow your faith to be stirred; seek Jesus in prayer – He is the One who gives His Spirit freely to us who believe; lift up your soul in worship – fix your eyes on Jesus and allow His presence and power to fill you.

Simply receive.

Father,
I pray for my brothers and sisters who read this today. Fill them to overflowing with Your Spirit. Grant them boldness! May we all be “world changers” through the power of Your Spirit.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.