Spirit Aliveness: Being Filled to Flow

By John Hansen

Four years ago, a friend gave me a rugged jacket fit for outdoor adventures. It was made from a dark khaki, heavyweight, waxed canvas fabric with thick double-stitching throughout. When I put that jacket on, I felt ready for whatever weather would come my way. The first time I wore it outside when it was raining, I smiled with satisfaction when I saw raindrops beaded up and rolling right off the canvas sleeves. When I wore that jacket, I was prepared for whatever the weather would offer, and it became my favorite layer to put on.

This year, I noticed that the jacket no longer repelled moisture — and the raindrops simply soaked right in. I thought about replacing the coat, but after a bit of research, I discovered that I could re-wax it and restore its weather-proof sheen. I purchased the wax and set to work. With a heat gun in hand and melted fabric wax and wooden application tools before me, I made sure that every stitch of that jacket got doused with the paraffin. Days later, the rains came, and my jacket was put to the test. It was even more weatherproof than when it was brand-new!

The way the wax had drenched every fiber made it even more effective than it had been at first. My jacket was designed to be enriched and strengthened by that wax. In a similar way, you and I were intended to be filled and empowered with the Holy Spirit, again and again.

Soaked in the Spirit

When I think about the Holy Spirit, I’m overcome by Jesus’ goodness in wanting us to experience all of the blessings of the Parakletos: the Advocate, the Counselor, the Comforter, the Strengthener, the Helper, and the Standby. These are all various ways of translating Jesus’ description of the Spirit in John 14:26. His vision for us is that we would live in such closeness with the Holy Spirit that we would be ready for whatever kind of weather this world could hurl our way.

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“What if we were to truly embrace Jesus’ vision for His disciples to experience the baptism of the Spirit?”

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You and I know that Jesus commissioned us to go into all the world and make disciples. And yet, there is a curious moment in Acts 1:4–5 (NLT) where He also tells the disciples not to go into all the world … yet. His exact words were: “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

In the complete analysis of the passage and context, it is clear that Jesus knew that we — His disciples — could not fully flow into this world in His mission without first being filled with the Spirit. His plan was that we would be baptized in the Holy Spirit, fully immersed, drenched, and soaked in the Holy Spirit. That Spirit-fullness makes it possible for disciples to live His mission!

We’ve come to embrace Spirit aliveness as a valuable mission measure for our churches — and for good reason; Jesus was passionate about it. What if we were to truly embrace Jesus’ vision for His disciples to experience the baptism of the Spirit? Why have we somehow ceded that beautiful terminology to some “other” denomination or movement when it is, in fact, at the very heart of Jesus for each one of us? What if we could reclaim this — and let it be central in our discipleship?

Jesus’ mission is first and foremost to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). He wants people to be saved! After this, He wants people to be Spirit-filled and sanctified and then sent into the world to bring the gospel and every expression of the kingdom of God He demonstrated — and more. Being Spirit-filled is not actually optional; it’s mandated: Ephesians 5:18 says “be filled with the Spirit.” Jesus compared the activity of the Holy Spirit in a person to the flow of a river — and it’s time for you and me to let that river flow!

Experiencing the Filling?

You may wonder whether you have received the filling of the Holy Spirit — or if you are personally living with Spirit aliveness. You may be questioning whether you have genuinely experienced the fullness of the Spirit or not. It is a valid question.

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“I hope you will catch a vision for more: more of the fullness of the Spirit, more of the presence of God, more of the flow of the Spirit.”

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There is a moment in Acts 19 where the Apostle Paul comes into Ephesus to check in on a group of believers there. He asks if they have received the Holy Spirit — and they answered that they didn’t even know that there is a Holy Spirit! It is possible to be a believer who technically has the seal of the Holy Spirit without having the experience of being filled with the Spirit. This didn’t make them lesser believers, but it did make their experience as believers lesser than what God truly desires.

In a moment, in an instant, everything changed. The book of Acts simply says that the Apostle Paul laid hands on them and prayed for them, and they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and they began speaking to God in tongues; all of this was more than they’d ever experienced before. I hope you will catch a vision for more: more of the fullness of the Spirit, more of the presence of God, more of the flow of the Spirit, and more of the dynamic expression of the Holy Spirit into and through your life. More is possible, and it may be that you need to receive the gift of more of the Spirit’s fullness!

In my book, “Filled to Flow,” I’ve given definition to what Spirit aliveness can look like. I’ve written chapters on the prophetic gifts, healing, deliverance, and the fruit of the Spirit, because these are elements of God’s plan for how we can be most effective in our mission to love God, love people, and make disciples. If we are going to be a Spirit-fueled movement, we must be Spirit-filled people. I invite you to experience the reality of being filled to flow!

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