But something was terribly wrong. Christianity wasn’t working, I would fight with my siblings, I couldn’t be perfect, I thought being a good Christian meant I had to be perfect. I found myself giving in to the things of this world, bored with church, spiritually complacent then I would feel guilty because I couldn’t live up to God’s standards and I was angry at God…because how could I possibly be perfect, this was just too hard, impossible to live out. At age 19, after six years of defeat, frustration and guilt I concluded since I can’t be perfect, since I can’t even be a good person I must not be a Christian. After all, if I were a Christian, why couldn’t I act like one?

Then my older brother Pete came to know Christ personally. It was through his example I learned about the Spirit-filled life…relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to give me the strength and power to live a holy and fruitful Christian life. For six years the message had never reached me that I must let the Lord, the Holy Spirit, live the Christian life in me and through me. I cannot express the joy I felt when I discovered and experienced the burden of living the Christian life is really no burden at all because the Holy Spirit will live it through me if I invite Him and trust him to do so in my life.

Let’s never forget living the Christian life is not only difficult…it is impossible! John 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, none of us would become Christians; none of us would turn away from our sin and none of us would surrender our lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

One of the problems of growing up in the Lord, especially for those of us who have been coming to church for a long-time, been involved in the Crusade movement, gone on summer projects is, involved in numerous bible studies…we tend to think we operate on a different plane, we play in a different league. What happens is we think we become exempt from depending on the power of the Holy Spirit to live out the Christian life. And we fail to draw upon his power. None of us are ever exempt of from being filled with the Spirit> …meaning directed, empowered, dominated by Him Ephesians 5:18, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” It’s a Command to be filled. It really isn’t optional, it’s essential; it’s not nice it’s necessary to live out the Christian life.

The sign of being filled with the Spirit is a changed life. People want to display all kinds of other signs, but the most authentic sign is a changed life…giving all of ourselves to God.

Here are three healthy vital signs you are filled with the Spirit:

1. Daily you give every area of your life to God. Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.”

Initially, when we come to Christ we surrender every area of our lives to God. This is not only an initial act but we are to daily present every area of our life to God and perhaps this is the greatest stumbling block for Christians. We exempt ourselves or excuse ourselves of giving every area of our life to God. We get too busy with our classes to get involved in the local movement, no time for a bible study, prayer, a daily quiet time, etc. Each one of us needs to frequently evaluate how we invest our time, talents and treasure.

2. Daily you take in the Word of God. Not monthly, not weekly but daily. Too many of us who have grown up in the Lord, been around in the crusade movement for a while…feel we can be exempt from having a daily quiet time.

Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” That kind of transformation can occur only as the Holy Spirit changes our thinking through consistent study and meditation of Scripture…Psalm 119:11, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

Howard Hendricks said, “This book will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from this book.”

A good vital sign to know you’re filled with the Spirit is when you’re filled with the word. The word filled life and the Spirit filled life are synonymous, Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…” The word is described as our milk, bread, solid food, and sweet dessert. This 4-course meal is the Spirit’s menu for daily strength and growth…we need to be full of the word. We are never exempt from reading it, hearing it, studying it, meditating on it and memorizing it.

3. Daily keeping short accounts with God

Psalm 66:18, “If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, my Lord would not have listened.” We need to deal with our sin daily…hidden, secret, and pet sins need to be confessed. You might be able to hide your sins from others but you can’t hide your sin from the Holy Spirit. Sin in our lives grieves the Holy Spirit, makes him sad and quenches Him, puts out his fire or power in our lives. Dealing with sin means you confess it, agree with God it’s wrong. And then repent, turn away from your sin.

We never out grow our reliance upon the Holy Spirit, we never become exempt from surrendering our life to God, no one is exempt from cultivating intimacy with God through his word and being transformed conformed to the image of Christ, and no one is exempt from dealing with their sin, we all need to confess and repent daily.

God Bless, Pastor Alex Garcia