There is a lot of discussion about what it means to be spirit filled but I always like to let the Word speak for itself.
Eph 5:18-20 ESV
(18) And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
(19) addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,
(20) giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Notice the phrase "be filled" according to Wuest's Word Studies refers to the condition of a person being soaked with wine. The tense of the word in the Greek suggests a continuous action, so the phrase could be translated "be being filled with the spirit".
Living a spirit filled life is not just a one time event but a continuous process of being saturated with the presence of the living God
Now notice verse 19 how we are supposed to minister that presence to each other via spirit inspired songs in a atmosphere of thanksgiving. His presence should flow through us like a mighty river into the lives of others.
Joh 7:38 ESV
(38) Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"
The spirit filled life is a life of joyfully ministering the overflow of the life of God to others.
Now look at verses 21-33 how spirit filled people are able and willing to submit to each other. Notice how the Holy Ghost had Paul use the phrase "submitting" and "submit" over and over again.
Eph 5:21-33 ESV
(21) submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
(22) Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
(23) For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
(24) Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
(25) Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,
(26) that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
(27) so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
(28) In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
(29) For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,
(30) because we are members of his body.
(31) "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."
(32) This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.
(33) However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
Why is there some much strife in the Church? It's because a lot of Gods people are not living under the influence of the Holy Ghost. They do and say what the feel like doing and saying, without thinking how it will effect those around them and what effect it will have on the Lords big picture for the Church. I can't tell how many times I've written what "I thought" was a good blog post and Holy Spirit gently said "no don't say that".
Eph 4:1-6 GNB
(1) I urge you, then---I who am a prisoner because I serve the Lord: live a life that measures up to the standard God set when he called you.
(2) Be always humble, gentle, and patient. Show your love by being tolerant with one another.
(3) Do your best to preserve the unity which the Spirit gives by means of the peace that binds you together.
(4) There is one body and one Spirit, just as there is one hope to which God has called you.
(5) There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
(6) there is one God and Father of all people, who is Lord of all, works through all, and is in all.
We will never be united in or with our Church habits...we can only be united in the Spirit, first by willingly submitting ourselves to the Lord and then by submitting to each other.
But that whole process starts with being filled/saturated with His Spirit and living a life under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
