The apostle Paul gave the instruction that Christians are to be filled with the Spirit in Ephesians 5:18. In Ephesians 3:16–19, Paul also noted that being filled with the Spirit is the same as having “His Spirit in the inner man,” Christ dwelling in the heart, and being “filled with all the fullness of God.” Christians are commanded to be filled with the Spirit. Romans 8 is apparent that this indwelling of the Spirit and Christ is by setting the mind on the Spirit rather than on the flesh. However, how does someone set the mind on the Spirit?
Christians set their minds on the Spirit by setting their minds on the truth that Christ’s Spirit has revealed (Rom 8:5–6). The work and mission of the Holy Spirit is to reveal all truth to Christ’s Apostles (John 16:12–13). Jesus declared that He gave His words being truth to His Apostles (John 17:8, 14, 17; 1 Cor 2:13). Jesus revealed that He had more to reveal to and through His Apostles (John 16:12–13; 17:20–21).
The apostle Paul expressed that the indwelling of Christ is by the Spirit in the inner man and reveals that the Spirit’s revelation is through Christ’s Apostles (Eph 3:3–5). Jesus revealed in John 15:4 that He, Jesus, dwells in them who dwell in Him, and Jesus declared in John 15:7 that He abides in those who have His words abiding in them. Christ abides in His followers by His words. The apostle John expressed, “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us” (1 John 3:24; cf. 1 John 4:13).
The apostle Paul also described the Holy Spirit’s mission as transforming believers back into the image of God — Christ. Paul also revealed in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor 3:18). How does the Holy Spirit transform the followers of Christ? Paul instructed, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:2). The Spirit transforms believers through the Word, and the Spirit of Christ revealed that Word to all Christians through the Apostles and prophets of Christ. These words are spirit and life (John 6:63). Inspired Apostles and prophets wrote these words forming the Scriptures (Eph 3:3–5 2 Pet 1:16–21; 1 John 1:1–4). Thereby, the person of God can be complete unto every good work (2 Tim 3:16–17).
Christians fill themselves with the Spirit by continuing to fill themselves with the words of Christ. The indwelling of the Spirit is by the Christian setting the mind upon the Spirit (Rom 8:5–15).
Seeing God's Breath 
These are good insights! I would like to go a little further in depth. It is my personal conviction that being filled with Christ in our hearts and in our inner man are composed of the renewing of our mind, thoughts and belief systems by the word. Also to have Christ in our emotional man too! James 1:2 says count it all joy when you fall into all manner of trials, for the trials bring patience and when patience is perfect I will be perfect wanting nothing. Intellectually I know these trials are perfecting me and I choose to live from my spirit man, a choice I can make when I don’t feel like it.
The short and sweet of it is this, we all have 2 natures a carnal nature inherited from Adam and a Spiritual natural inherited from Jesus for all who believe. Even as the arc of the covenant was an earthen vessel overlay ed with gold which represented divinity so should we be. Another word for overlay ed is clothed. It is a choice to put on Christ, sometimes it requires the sacrifice of praise ( praise when you don’t feel like it but in faith putting God in his correct place). There are numerous examples throughout the word of spirit led men. The apostles when they were beat rejoiced. Moses went into Pharaohs courts boldly proclaiming the word of the Lord. Abraham went into Sarah and 100 and knew her. There are also other examples of people in the flesh to study. The children of Israel in the wilderness were in the flesh. They rebelled against God, committed sexual immorality, idolatry, wanted to murder Moses and were filled with unbelief.
In conclusion I believe if we have one death to die and one life to live. The death to die is to the flesh, (all who are in Christ have crucified the flesh and its sinful desires) A fair analysis is that if the flesh and its sinful desires are rising up its time for us to crucify the flesh again and put on the Spirit. In the flesh there is no good work we can do that will be pleasing to God. In the spirit there is not unpleasing thing we can do in the sight of God. Based on Galatians 5 (one of the places the bible lists the fruit of the spirit and the works of the flesh I believe that in spirit all the divine nature and attributes of God are right there ready to respond to any circumstance. Also in the flesh all the fleshly carnality is right there ready to respond at any time.
To walk in the spirit it a choice. We must discern when we are in the flesh and make a conciouse choice often times against what we feel to walk in the spirit. Being filled with the Word of God is a big key and central. But we must also exercise that word and make it come alive in our situation. And this process is not limited to one ritualistic spiritual formula though its good to have a formula by which you can put yourself in the faith. In other words one may get in the spirit by listening to worship music, another by praising God, another through bible study, and another again by prophesying to his dry bones.
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Excellent points! Amen. Thank you for the application. Setting our minds on the Spirit changes our convictions and therefore must change our emotions. This is one area where I have been praying much lately that I may be blessed. Thank you again for your insight. God bless.
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