QUES. 14. What is it to be filled with the Spirit? There are people here around us who talk much about that, but most of them seem at the same time very deficient both in Christian character and ways, with .all their thoughts apparently centered upon themselves. It looks like self-exaltation, and surely that cannot be the work of the Holy Spirit.

ANS- The answer to your question is very plainly given in the Scriptures. Turning to a few of them will be sufficient:take first our Lord Himself. In Luke 4:1 He is said to be "full of the Holy Ghost;" and the following verses tells how He manifests it:He is met by the devil who seeks to turn Him from the path of obedience and dependence. Three times He defeats him by the suited use of the word of God. Fleshly men can argue, and be shrewd, but only a man full of the Holy Ghost can rightly use the Word of Truth, and shut the mouth of the enemy with it. Again in chap. 1:15 the birth of John the Baptist is announced, and that "he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb." Then the following verses tell how it will be shown. In the spirit of Elias of old he would bring home their sins to the people's consciences, and thus "make ready a people prepared for the Lord." To do such business for the Lord is great and glorious business, and there are great trials in it, requiring a man to be full of the Spirit.

Then in verse 41 "Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost," and how was this displayed ? The babe she bears, who is, as we have seen, himself filled with the Holy Ghost, leaps within her at the approach of the babe that Mary bears, and Elizabeth declares herself greatly honored in being visited by "the mother of my Lord." This coming Babe is the Center of all her words.

Again in verse 67 " Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost" and shows it by speaking of Christ, and by Him, of the fulfilment of all the promises.

One more instance in Acts 7:In verse 55 Stephen is said to be " fall of the Holy Ghost" and what is the result? He "looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." Then he kneels down and dies praying for his murderers. "We might multiply instances, but are not these sufficient witness that the man who is filled with the Holy Ghost does not speak or think of himself at all; is not even self-conscious, but wholly engrossed with Christ and His glories, His virtues and His interests. Self then is sunk into oblivion, good self and bad self, and Another, the worthy One, fills the vision.