What Does Being Filled with the Spirit Look Like?

March 18, 2020

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

One of the results of allowing the continual filling of the Holy Spirit is spiritual maturity. We all have personal experiences in our own lives of the vast difference between a mature person and an immature person emotionally. The differences are similarly big spiritually. A spiritually mature person is vastly different than one who is spiritually immature.

The spiritually mature person who is filled with the Spirit displays visible results known as the fruit of the Spirit. These characteristics define a Christ-like character in us.

  • Love for God and others increasingly becomes the outstanding characteristic of our lives. We love people who formerly were distasteful to us. We begin to love without keeping score.
  • Joy, even in difficult situations, becomes possible, even the norm. We realize we live in God’s favor.
  • Peace speaks of wholeness and harmony in our lives. We are at peace with God and ourselves.
  • Longsuffering makes us able to endure and persevere in challenging situations.
  • Kindness keeps us from self-righteousness and judgmental living.
  • Goodness means I AM good and I DO good. Wherever I go, goodness follows.
  • Faithfulness combines trust and dependability. I can be depended on because I depend on God.
  • Gentleness does not mean I am weak. It means my destructive tendencies are overcome by the Spirit of Jesus, and it plays out in my living with others.
  • Self-control is the opposite of who I am without the Spirit. Without Him I indulge my appetites and tendencies. As a mature follower, I rule them. They do not rule me.

What a difference the Spirit makes in me! When that difference is in me, transforming me, my influence then transforms relationships with people. My home can become a different place. My workplace feels the effects. My transformation and maturity profoundly change the world around me.

  • Evaluate the fruit of the Spirit in your life. Where are you still immature?
  • Pray for God’s Holy Spirit to fill you completely. Pray specifically about the areas where you still see immaturity.