Fully Possessed by the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit visited Smith Wigglesworth one day and asked him if he was willing to leave his body and let Him take full possession. He was like what? Smith Wigglesworth has to die! And He meant, “I can’t have two wills in your body!” Smith had to think about it for a couple of days. It wasn’t like a nice sermon; it meant literally your life is not yours anymore. Smith had to pray about it for three days, and he said he didn’t know if he could do that. He said, ‘I can try,’ and the Holy Spirit replied, ‘Okay!’ I need you to be completely removed from your body, and I need to have full control. The way he explained it was as if he had to step out of his body and let the Holy Spirit fully possess him. Smith put his will on the altar, and the Holy Spirit came into him in a way he had never experienced in his life. From then on, whenever he went out to minister or pray, he had a completely different life.

To be fully possessed by the Holy Spirit means to completely surrender your will, desires, and control to the Spirit of God, allowing Him to lead, guide, and empower every area of your life. It’s about losing your identity, but about becoming fully aligned with God’s will, purpose, and character. Here’s what that looks like biblically and spiritually:

1. Total Surrender

Being fully possessed by the Holy Spirit begins with yielding your entire self to God—body, soul, and spirit. Romans 12:1-2 calls believers to be “living sacrifices,” not conformed to this world but transformed by the renewing of the mind. That transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit. When you’re fully His, your decisions, emotions, and actions come under His control.

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me…” – Galatians 2:20

2. Fruit and Power of the Spirit

A person possessed by the Holy Spirit walks in both the character (fruit) and power (gifts) of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22–23 The fruit of the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. These naturally flow from a Spirit-controlled life. At the same time, Acts 1:8 promises power to be witnesses when the Holy Spirit comes. You begin to speak boldly, love sacrificially, live purely, and operate in supernatural ways (healing, prophecy, discernment, etc.).

3. Loss of Self-Will

The Holy Spirit does not share control. As in the story sometimes attributed to Smith Wigglesworth, the Spirit asks for full ownership, and not a partnership. To be fully possessed means to die to self-will so that God’s will alone operates in you. Jesus modeled this in Gethsemane when He prayed, “Not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). A fully possessed believer lives from that same posture.

4. Intimate Fellowship with God

To be fully possessed is to live in constant communion with the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14). You are sensitive to His voice, quick to obey, and your heart is set on pleasing Him above all else. You are no longer driven by the flesh or the opinions of others, but by divine prompting and heavenly priorities.

Conclusion

Being fully possessed by the Holy Spirit means God owns every part of you—your will, thoughts, body, time, desires, and future. It’s radical, costly, and life-transforming. But it is also the doorway to the greatest levels of power, holiness, and intimacy with God. You don’t just follow the Holy Spirit—you become His vessel, His voice, and His representative on earth.

WHAT HINDERS FULL SURRENDER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

1. Self-Will & Control
   1. The greatest obstacle is often our own desire to stay in control. People want the Holy Spirit to bless their plans without fully handing over the steering wheel to Him. But God doesn’t co-pilot — He leads or nothing.
   1. Like the story with Smith Wigglesworth, the Holy Spirit said, “I can’t have two wills in the same body.”
2. Fear of What It Will Cost
   1. Many fear losing relationships, dreams, or comforts. They worry God might ask them to do something extreme, like preach, move, forgive, or give up sin. However, the truth is that whatever you surrender, God replaces with something far better.
3. Unconfessed Sin
   1. Hidden sins (such as pride, lust, bitterness, or rebellion) can grieve or quench the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30, 1 Thessalonians 5:19). Sin hardens the heart and causes spiritual deafness.
4. Religious Mindsets
   1. Some people are content with attending church or practicing surface-level Christianity. They fear the supernatural, or they don’t believe God still speaks or moves with power. Religion without relationship resists the Holy Spirit.
5. Lack of Intimacy
   1. Being filled and led by the Holy Spirit requires knowing Him deeply. If your life is too noisy, busy, or distracted, intimacy becomes rare. And without intimacy, full possession remains distant.

HOW TO BE FULLY POSSESSED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

1. Total Surrender (Romans 12:1)
   1. Tell God: “I surrender everything. My will, plans, fears, time, money, relationships, everything. Take full control.” Do this daily.
   1. It’s not a one-time event — it’s a lifestyle. “Not my will, but Yours be done” must become your heartbeat.
2. Repent Deeply and Completely
   1. Confess every known sin. Ask the Holy Spirit to shine light on hidden areas. Psalm 139:23–24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart… see if there be any wicked way in me.”
   1. Repentance isn’t just saying “sorry,” it’s turning and aligning with God’s heart.
3. Wait in His Presence (Acts 1:4–8)
   1. Before Pentecost, the disciples waited on the Holy Spirit. Seek Him not just for power, but for relationship. Wait, pray, worship, and don’t rush. That’s where the fire falls.
4. Ask for the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13)
   1. Jesus said if we ask the Father, He will “give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” This isn’t just asking for a touch — it’s asking for full possession. Say, “Holy Spirit, possess me completely. Take over.”
5. Live Obediently
   1. The more you obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit, the more room He takes up in your life. Obedience expands His influence.
   1. Even when it’s inconvenient, say yes. Every time you obey, your capacity to carry His presence increases.
6. Starve the Flesh, Feed the Spirit
   1. Fasting, worship, the Word, and prayer help break the power of the flesh. Galatians 5:16 says, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
7. Stay Humble and Dependent
   1. God fills the empty and broken. Stay low, stay teachable, stay desperate. The Holy Spirit flows best through yielded vessels.

Final Thought

The Holy Spirit wants all of you, not to crush you, but to fill you with God’s glory, wisdom, and power. A fully possessed believer becomes a living flame — a holy vessel through whom God can heal, speak, deliver, and transform.

“I die daily.”  1 Corinthians 15:31
“It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”  Galatians 2:20
“Be filled with the Spirit.”  Ephesians 5:18

Prayer to Be Fully Possessed by the Holy Spirit

Father God,
I come to You in the name of Jesus.
You are holy, perfect, and full of love.
And I am Yours.
Today, I surrender all.

I lay down my will.
I lay down my plans.
I lay down my fears, my desires, my rights.
I give You permission to take full possession of my life.

Holy Spirit, I invite You — take over.
Not just a part of me, but all of me.
Every hidden room in my heart, I open to You.
Cleanse me. Break me. Fill me.
Burn away everything that does not please You.

I repent of every sin — known and unknown.
Forgive me for grieving You.
Forgive me for resisting You.
Wash me clean by the blood of Jesus.

Holy Spirit, I don’t want to just be touched — I want to be transformed.
Baptize me afresh.
Consume every part of me — my mind, my soul, my body, my emotions, my thoughts.
Possess me completely.

Lead me where You want.
Speak through me.
Love through me.
Pray through me.
Live in me.

Let my life be Your dwelling place.
Let Your fruit grow in me.
Let Your power flow through me.
Let Your fire never go out in me.

I belong to You now — fully, forever, and without reservation.
Not my will, but Yours be done.
I die to myself so You may live through me.

In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen!