About 100 years ago - give or take *grin!* - LukeLuke and I were into deep discussion about the Spirit. I got sick and haven't got back here since...
One thing unfinished was the relationship of a person filled with the Spirit and the ability to speak in tongues. It appears to be true that only those filled with the Holy Spirit speak in tongues and therefore this gift may be considered to indicate that the person has been filled with the Spirit. However the reverse is certainly not true, i.e., you do NOT have to have the gift of tongues as proof, if you like, that you are filled. Paul said in 1 Corinthains Ch 14:5a I wish you all spoke in tongues, and in the context it appears that he was speaking of those filled with the Spirit.
Here's a very interesting graphic to show the fact that very little to do with the coming of the Spirit was ever 'consistent'. This is fascinating, as it appears that the Holy Spirit tailored how it all worked according to the situation and the people involved. If I'm right on that, I think it's just wonderful!
As you can see little fits with anything else. In one case prayer proceeded the coming of the Spirit, and tongues were involved. But in the next, no tongues! Then next laying on of hands brought the Spirit. So the Holy Spirit being very practical! Please note that the Acts verses shown are the START of the situation, i.e., you may need to read on, sometimes quite a distance, to get to the end of the situation spoken of.
Sherman spoke of 'multiple fillings' and some agreed that they'd experienced this. I basically have no problem with that, but I've not seen anywhere that the Scriptures speaks of this. What God does say in fact is a verse that all of us filled with the Spirit of the Living God need to have a daily awareness of. Ephesians Ch 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.
But this command of God in the original Greek language says MUCH MORE than just "be filled with the Spirit". It is what I call in English "Present Continuous Tense" and so we are actually commanded is to be being filled with the Spirit. Do you like that!!! Continual filling!! I seem to go through stages in my life where every day I'm praying to the Lord, saying something like: "Always BE FILLING me with Your blessed Spirit!!"
When we're NOT filled right up to the brim, as it were, why would this be? Numbers of reasons: including being disobedient, having sinned but not repented of it (both quite common faults of Christians) Things like this need to be dealt with on the spot, so we can retain our Spirit filling!! Back in my day we referred to this as "Keeping a short account!" Important, and works great!!
More I want to write, such as why do most say "baptised with" when "filled with" is, well, just that much 'better'! - but it will have to wait for another day.
Always be being filled!!
- BM