What does it mean when the Bible says someone was filled with the Spirit?
Being filled with the Spirit means that everything the person speaks is God-directed. It is not merely the wishful thinking of a good patriotic or religious person; rather, the words are the very expressions of God Himself concerning the matter at hand.
Les explains from Luke 1:67 that Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, was filled with the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit. Whenever the Bible speaks of someone as being filled with the Spirit, everything they speak is going to be God-directed. Les emphasizes that this is not just the wishful thinking of a good patriotic or religious Jew; these are the very expressions of God Himself concerning the nation. Zacharias then blesses the Lord God of Israel, saying He has visited and redeemed His people. Les notes this is all an extension of the Old Testament and God's dealing with Israel since Abraham, and he points out there are no Gentiles in that blessing because Zacharias is dealing with the Jew.
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,