Could someone explain what it means to be "filled with the Holy Ghost" ?

Question

I was brought up Pentecostal and got "filled" at a young age. I didn't understand what was happening to me fully but it was a very intense experience. I wanted to hear from others about your experiences. Also---is the Holy Ghost infilling a true religious experience or is it the result of hysteria, or an alteration in our brain waves brought on by hours of intense prayer or what? All beliefs may answer but please be nice!

Answer 1

It is my opinon that this thing people call, "filling with the Holy Ghost" is a contrived understanding, based on scriptures that ARE found in the Bible!

Yes . . . there was a time (a dispinsation) that ended, but in that time the Holy Spirit was "given" to believers all at one time (Acts 2) and other times it was "passed" on to others by the laying on of hands. But that was a special time ment to encourage the Jews of the day (for the Jew sought a sign) and it helped to give accreditation to all the Jewish Apostles (Math, Mark, John, Paul, and a host of others) . . . this was the birth of Christianity (Jesus was "off world") and this huge miraicle was happening, and it was spreading like wildfire, the stories and the exitment. Paul has to get the Old Testament "translated" into what we now call the New Testament . . . had to get the doctrine all laid out, straighten out Peter, etc . . . this was a hectic time and this Holy Spirit business was serious, real, and cementing Christianity into the world.

The point is . . . the Holy Spirit was not on the scene untill he was sent (Jesus promised) and this was the beginning.

If you go back and read the 2nd chapter of Acts you see a situation where the room fills with the sound of a wind and these "tounges" rest on the men (weird huh?) and as a preacher talks every man hears in his own language . . . now that is very different than anything I have ever seen concerning today, and speaking in tounges (filled with the Holy Spirit) . . .

Paul says much later that he would rather speak a few words with understanding than speak in tounges . . .

There is too much to say about this subject . . . I've been through the Pentecostal thing . . . it was very hard on me because I could not get them to explain my doubts and concerns . . . and the lack of Biblical understanding was at the root . . . many of these people just follow Keneth Copland or Whoever and know nothing of what the scriptures really say. It is sad . . . but typical . . . most problems in Churches stem from "following" and not "knowing" what the Bible says.

I can have a deep relationship with my Lord, pray and recieve answers, and have continuing knowledge added to my understanding, peace of mind, peace in my heart, help others learn of Jesus, and I am not "filled with the Spirit" in the way the Pentecostal believes I should be . . . I am filled with the Holy Spirt, though! All Christians are! Salvation is a gift . . . the Holy Spirit comes with the gift. There is no extra "helping" . . .

Answer 2

The Infilling of The Holy Spirit is REAL.

Part One:
When you get Born-Again, your spirit gets Recreated and GOD Lives inside of you.
(you are Baptised in the Holy Spirit--not filled yet.)

Part Two:
After you get Saved (spirit Recreated) you can give GOD Permission to come into your Soul. That is called the Infilling of the Holy Spirit.

You are a spirit (look just like your Body)
You have a Soul (second Mind--the World calls it the SubConsious)
You Live in a Body (physical flesh and blood)

You get Saved (Recreated) in your spirit.
You get Filled in your Soul.

The Soul (second Mind, Will and Emotions) DO NOT get Recreated.
The Body (Flesh and Blood) DOES NOT get Recreated.

Only you, a spirit, gets Recreated.
The Soul has to be RENEWED with the WORD of GOD.
The Body will be Recreated Later.

Hope this helps!
Ditto............you may or may not FEEL GOD's Presence when you Ask GOD to Fill you with the Holy Spirit.
When you Learn how to Pray in Tongues (edify yourself--charge up your Spiritual Batteries) in your Prayer Closet, it won't be Long Untill you DO FEEL GOD's Presence.

Answer 3

I was filled with the Holy Ghost/Spirit the moment that I was saved. The Holy Spirit is a person, the 3rd. person of the Trinity and His job is to indwell (live inside), comfort me, bring things to my remembrance, help me in times of trouble, convict me when I do wrong, guide me to do right, give me the words to say when I share my faith, and He always brings glory to Jesus, the Son. He is the "helper" that Jesus promised to send after He ascended back to the Father. I have never spoken in tongues as proof that He lives in me. He does not come and go depending on how "good" I am. There have been times when I did not listen to Him and His gentle guidance and chose to do my own thing. That is called grieving the Holy Spirit. Afterwards, I felt guilty for my disobedience which is not what some people would call a guilty conscience. The Holy Spirit was doing His job of convicting me of sin and bringing me to want to repent so that I could have fellowship with the Father once again.

Answer 4

Well everyone I guess gets a different feeling! when we do bad and dont repent the Holy Ghost goes away! When we repent and do good he comes back and helps us! If we are in need he is there to guide us! my mom did a lesson on the holy ghost last sunday! we are converts and guess what calling she got...primary! Anyways...check LDS.org and go to lessons! Scroll untill you see Primary and then click more! You will see I dont remember it is after lesson 25 and before 30! Check for The Holy Ghost! Click on the lesson and read and teach it to yourself! By the way I memprized all those steps without looking at the site! I have been on it so much i memorized it!

Answer 5

A key verse that discusses the filling of the Holy Spirit in this age is John 14:16, where Jesus promised the Spirit would indwell believers and that the indwelling would be permanent. It is important to distinguish the indwelling and filling of the Spirit. The permanent indwelling of the Spirit is not for a select few believers, but rather for all believers. There are a number of references in Scripture that supports this conclusion. The first is that the Holy Spirit is a gift given to all believers in Jesus without exception, and no conditions are placed upon this gift except faith in Christ (John 7:37-39). The second is that the Holy Spirit is given at salvation. Ephesians 1:13 indicates that the Holy Spirit is given at the moment of salvation. Galatians 3:2 also emphasizes this same truth, saying that the sealing and indwelling with the Spirit took place at the time of believing. Third, the Holy Spirit indwells believers permanently. The Holy Spirit is given to believers as a down payment, or verification of their future glorification in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 4:30).

This is in contrast to the filling of the Spirit command found in Ephesians 5:18. We should be so completely yielded to the Holy Spirit that He can possess us fully, and in that sense, fill us. Romans 8:9 and Ephesians 1:13-14 state that He dwells within every believer, but He can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30), and His activity within us can be quenched (1 Thessalonians 5:19). When we allow this to happen, we do not experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit's working and power in and through us. To be filled with the Spirit implies freedom for Him to occupy every part of our lives, guiding and controlling us. His power then can be exerted through us so that what we do is fruitful to God. The filling of the Spirit does not apply to outward acts alone; it also applies to the innermost thoughts and motives of our actions. Psalm 19:14 says, "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable to you, O Lord my strength, and my redeemer."

Sin is what separates us from the filling of the Holy Spirit, and obedience to God is how the filling of the Spirit is maintained. Although our focus should be to be filled as Ephesians 5:18 commands, praying for the filling of the Holy Spirit is not what accomplishes the filling of the Spirit. Only our obedience to God's commands allows the Spirit freedom to work within us. Because we are sinful creatures, it is impossible to be filled with the Spirit all of the time. We should immediately deal with sin in our lives, and renew our commitment to being Spirit-filled and Spirit-led.

Recommended Resource: The Wonderful Spirit-Filled Life by Charles Stanley.

Answer 6

Let me guess, either you or someone you know is LDS. I am and so when you're filled with the holy ghost it means he or it is there with you. After being baptized, he guides you, comforts you, and can sometimes, when you're doing something wrong, leave you. The holy ghost is part of the Godhead. I am grateful for the holy ghost!

Answer 7

All honest seekers of the truth can feel the influence of the Holy Ghost, leading them to Jesus Christ and His gospel.

http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.3933737ad2ff28132eb22a86942826a0/?vgnextoid=bbd508f54922d010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=e2462f2324d98010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____

http://www.lds.org

http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/

Answer 8

I believe you receive the HG the moment you come to faith, if you are referring to speaking in tongues William Branham said he has seen witch doctors speak in tongues so it is not evidence of being filled but rather your life as a believer and how you ebey God are the best signs of how filled you are with the HG.

Answer 9

there are many so ghosts.
if you were really filled by the one and holy one, you would not waste your time asking this important question.

Answer 10

A trance like state that has nothing to do with Christianity whatsoever. It is no different than a Voodoo dance.