09/02/2026
2026 - September Article
“Being Filled with the Holy Spirit”
Pastor Woodrow Walker, II
Holiness is not a denomination; it is the standard of God. Yet over the centuries, that standard has often been reduced to accommodate the lifestyles of those who have rejected God’s requirements. We live in a generation that has been taught, sometimes subtly and sometimes openly, that God exists to serve humanity. The highest good is no longer, as the Westminster Shorter Catechism declares, “to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever,” but the generation would rather satisfy the desires of the flesh and experience the pleasures of life to the fullest. Consequently, holiness is often viewed as drab, restrictive, and joyless. Those who embrace a life of holiness can appear to the world as though they have surrendered the very things that make life enjoyable. Many therefore avoid God’s standard because it seems contrary to human nature. But the gospel tells us something different. True holiness does not diminish life; it restores it. The Holy Spirit does not come merely to restrict our desires. He comes to transform them.
A New Passion for God-The initial work of the Holy Spirit is to create within us a holy passion--a desire for God Himself. By nature, because of our fallen condition inherited from Adam, we are separated from God. This truth can be difficult to accept, particularly in a culture that places enormous emphasis on self-esteem and a positive self-image. Yet Scripture does not describe humanity merely as imperfect. It describes us as spiritually dead and separated from God.
Paul writes: “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world… among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” - Ephesians 2:-3, NKJV
The spirit at work in our former livesThe spirit at work in our former lives was a spirit of disobedience. Even our best efforts could not produce the righteousness God requires because the problem was deeper than our behavior. We needed a new nature. That is the miracle of the new birth. The Holy Spirit brings us to an awareness of sin that we could not produce on our own. He exposes what we previously excused. He reveals rebellion where we once saw only personal preference. Without His convicting work, we would continually find ways to justify ourselves. When the Holy Spirit begins His work within us, something changes. We no longer merely ask, “How can I feel better?” We begin asking, “What must I do?” The Word of God, preached and received through the Spirit, disturbs our comfortable assumptions and calls us to surrender. That disturbance is not necessarily a sign that something is wrong. It may be evidence that God is drawing us into something new.
Holiness and Wholeness-God alone is holy, and it is His Spirit who produces holiness within us. Without holiness, true wholeness remains impossible. We can pursue careers, relationships, possessions, entertainment, recognition, and countless other goals, yet still experience an emptiness that none of them can satisfy. We may pacify the longing of the soul for a moment, but the deepest hunger remains. Holiness brings us back to the One for whom we were created. The pursuit of holiness is not an attempt to manufacture a religious appearance. It is a response to the presence of God. As the Holy Spirit works within us, He turns our hearts toward God and gives us a desire to know Him, obey Him, and please Him. Without this work, we are tempted to create a god who agrees with our present condition. We want a god who will bless our choices without confronting them. But the true God does not merely affirm us as we are. He loves us enough to transform us.
From Willingness to Power-The new birth gives us a new desire. We begin to want what God wants. TherFrom Willingness to Power-The new birth gives us a new desire. We begin to want what God wants. There is a new willingness to obey Him. But willingness alone is not enough. Many believers discover that although they genuinely desire to do God's will, they still struggle to live consistently in the power of that desire. The “will” has been awakened, but the strength to carry it out is lacking. This is where being filled with the Holy Spirit becomes so important. God does not intend to give us a holy desire and then leave us powerless to fulfill it. The Holy Spirit gives power for holy living and for participation in the work of God. Jesus promised His disciples that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them (Acts 1:8). The Spirit does not merely make us feel spiritual; He equips us to live and serve in ways that exceed our natural abilities. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to yield ourselves increasingly to His presence, His direction, and His power. His will becomes our will. His purposes become our purposes. What once seemed impossible becomes possible through His strength working within us.
The Joy of Participation-There is a joy that comes from merely receiving God's blessings, but there is another joy that comes from participating in God's purposes. Paul says: “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…”- Ephesians 5:18-19, NKJV. Notice the command: “Be filled with the Spirit.” This is not presented as an experience reserved for a select few. It is a continuing invitation to every believer. The Christian life is not intended to be lived by human strength alone. We are called to live under the influence and power of the Holy Spirit. And what follows Spirit-filled living? Worship, Gratitude, Fellowship. A transformed relationship with God and with others. The Spirit-filled life is therefore not drab or dry. It is not the abandonment of joy. It is the discovery of a deeper joy - the joy of knowing God, walking with Him, becoming what He has called us to be, and participating in His greater purposes. The world offers pleasure that must constantly be renewed because it never fully satisfies. The Holy Spirit offers something deeper: the joy of a life brought into alignment with its Creator. Holiness is not the enemy of joy. Holiness is the pathway to fullness.
The question is not whether we will be influenced by something. Every life is being shaped by some power, some desire, some voice. The question is: What will fill us? May our answer be the Holy Spirit. May He give us a new heart, a holy passion, a willing spirit, and the power to do the will of God. And may we discover the incomparable joy of being filled with the Spirit and joining God in the work He is doing in the world.
