Help with Acts 4:31

After reading today in Acts 4, verse 31 jumped out at me. The people were filled with the Holy Spirit.....again. They were filled at Pentecost and now here. I'm assuming there are probably other places were this phrase is used...
What does this mean? Does it mean the first time John and Peter were filled with the Holy Spirit it was temporary? Does it mean that we have to be continually filled with the Spirit (or ask God to fill us over and over)? Or is there another meaning? Thanks!

Great observation, General Lea, concerning being filled again by the Holy Spirit. I have heard it said that we are "leaky vessels" and so we need continual fillings from His Holy Spirit.

Another verse of Scripture that helps me understand Acts 4:31 is found in Ephesians 5:18 which says, "Do not be drunk on wine which leads to debauchery (moral corruption), instead be filled with the Spirit." The last words of the verse in the Greek imply this: "Keep on being filled with the Spirit." This is an on-going process for every Christian.

To better illustrate, when were you saved? Well the correct answer is three fold. I was saved 2,000 years ago, I am being saved now and I will be saved at Christ's return.

So when were you filled with the Spirit? 2,000 years ago, the Holy Spirit descended and filled The Church, you are being filled with the Spirit now and guess what? Tomorrow you will need to be filled with His Spirit again.

One last verse and comment on being filled with the Spirit: "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin." 1 John 1:7
This verse implies that as long as we are walking, there is continual cleansing. If we stop walking, cleansing ceases as well. Isn't it interesting that Paul keeps on asking the redeemed children of God to repent. This entails a continual walk!

I hope this helps!

By the way, General Lea, are you related to Bo and Luke Duke?

So, it isn't really a process of asking to be filled with the Spirit, but by being obedient and a continual walking with the Lord, we are being filled... Is that about right?

So, were these fillings mentioned extra special fillings? They both showed a supernatural outcome. The first being speaking in different languages not known to them and the second speaking boldly the word of God. Can we ask for special fillings, or is it that we have access to this supernatural "power" but do not know how to use it or we don't know how to access it? Or is it just given to us according to God's wisdom and will according to His timing?

And...HAHA you are a funny man! No, not Bo and Luke Duke, but Beau and Luke Wolfe......

Yes, there were times that people were filled with the Holy Spirit at His direction; like when Jesus told the disciples to go to Jerusalem and tarry until they were endued with power from on high. And other times that it seems like it was a sovereign act of God; as when Peter was preaching and the people were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues.

There were times when the early church lacked wisdom and discernment; such as when they prayed and fasted and the Spirit told them to set apart Barnabas and Paul for the work to which He had called them.

So, we as believers today, must realize that God is sovereign and He will get the last word, but He also allows us to seek Him for fresh empowerings for our day to day activities!

Seek on, General Lea!

If we are living according to the Word and being led by the Spirit, then we will need the continual infilling. Jesus said that out of us shall flow rivers of living water. Yes, there is an unending source, but we are finite. We pour out. He pours in. I do not want to be a cistern or a well. I want to be a river. Every infilling is special and produces special and supernatural results. However, those results may not always be spectacular. Speaking the word in due season, properly seasoned, requires the anointing of the Holy Spirit in no less measure than raising a paralytic.