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Last weekend at Northwest Bible Church’s singles retreat I was challenged by the speaker, Matt Klingler, to take another look at what it means to be filled by the Spirit. In his example he used an empty cup, filled it with liquid until the liquid reached the top of the cup. That’s what we normally think of when we think full. Then he poured some more, the liquid spilled over, and he set this as an example of being “Spirit-filled.”
Spirit-filled, is when we overflow for others. If the Spirit’s filling stopped before it spilled over, then his work would only be benefitial for us.
Yet the Spirit’s filling is more like 1 John 3:16 where it says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”
It makes sense then that Spiritual fruit is for other people. Remember Galatians 5:22-23b. It says, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Now within that list, which are a benefit for the “self?”
When the Spirit fills us, it benefits other people.
