How Can I Know I'm Filled with the Spirit of God?

The Flesh and the Spirit - Part V

How can we know that we are filled with the Holy Spirit and operating by his influence? How might we be aware if we are functioning by the energy of our own flesh?

The Bible gives us lists both of the works of the flesh and of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:19-22). These will clearly identify for us which we are walking in.

Though these lists are not exhaustive they do seem to encompass the whole realm of both states. Notice the words “and the like” in verse 21. Any expression of fleshly conduct has many cousins that can show up any time.

The “works of the flesh” are plural. The flesh can manifest itself in so many, many ways. For example, once you think you have conquered sexual sin, the flesh may manifest itself through envy. Or if you think you have conquered drunkenness, you may find yourself being drawn back into contentiousness.

The “fruit of the Spirit” is singular but is like a many faceted diamond. I think this means that when God’s Spirit is in control of your life, each of those attributes will be present because that’s what God’s Spirit produces.

I also believe that love is the main thread which holds the garment together. If you have God’s perfect love, you will manifest all of the other things too. However, not one person, that I am aware of, always perfectly portrays the fruit of the Spirit. It is something we must allow God to perform within us daily. We cannot do it ourselves.

Here are the lists:

The Works of the Flesh:                                  The Fruit of the Spirit

Adultery                                                           Love                                

Fornication                                                      Joy

Uncleanness                                                   Peace

Lewdness                                                       Longsuffering

Idolatry                                                            Kindness

Sorcery (can include drug abuse)                   Goodness

Hatred                                                             Faithfulness

Contentions                                                     Gentleness

Jealousies                                                       Self-control

Outbursts of wrath                               

Selfish ambitions (strife)                                 

Dissensions (seditions)                                             

Heresies (sects)                                             

Envy                                                    

Murders                                               

Drunkenness                                        

Revelries                                             

The Apostle Paul also gives us a final statement about both conditions. Concerning the works of the flesh he writes, “…those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” If you continually live your life in living in sexual sins, Spiritual disregard, malice, self-centeredness, unjustified anger, disrespect for human life, alcohol and drug abuse, doing only what feels good to you – all without repentance, it is not possible that you are a Christian.

Concerning the fruit of the Spirit, he writes “Against such there is no law.” This means that when walking in the Spirit, we will not go against what God has already shown in His law (the Ten Commandments). We have already seen that the law cannot enable us to do God’s will but only reveals our inner moral failure. God’s Spirit, however, does empower us to live according to the standards of God as shown by the law. We must give him control of our lives.