Spirit-Filled Life

As Christians, we can understand that there are truths we need to apply daily in our life. The understanding is that we need to be in the Word of God daily reading it, memorizing it, and studying that we may know God and know how to glorify him. The discipline of prayer is one to be practiced often. But what you do not hear emphasized as often is being controlled by the Spirit.
 
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, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.  Ephesians 5:18-21
 
Paul wrote to this church in Ephesus, highlighting the need to be filled with the Spirit. The first command we read is “do not get drunk with wine.” Paul here gives the opposite of what being filled with the Spirit looks like versus the drunk person. The person who is drunk with wine has uncontrolled behavior. The Greek word is defined as the dissipation and wasting away of the body. This description does not describe the believer but describes a work of the flesh that leads to other sins.
Be Filled with the Spirit
He continues here in the present tense, “but be filled with the Spirit.” The believer is to be constantly filled with the Spirit. Believers are filled with the Spirit as we continuously walk in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit works in and through us to make us more like Jesus. The Bible describes the Holy Spirit’s ministry in several different ways.
1. He convicts
2. He helps
3. He indwells
4. He intercedes
5. He produces fruit
6. He strengthens
7. He teaches

There is much more the Holy Spirit does, but the filling of the Holy Spirit only takes place in the person who has repented of their sin and trusted Jesus as Lord over their life.
Three traits of a Spirit-filled person:
A Singing Spirit
The Spirit-filled Christian has a singing spirit. Singing is a picture of joy and happiness contrary to the drunken person who seeks joy and happiness in other things. He continues that the Spirit-filled person sings Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual songs.

A Thankful Spirit
The Spirit-filled Christian gives thanks always and for everything. It is hard to be thankful always as you think about all the different circumstances in your life. Being full of the Spirit allows us to see what God has done for us and continues to do for us.
 
A Respectful Spirit
This person does not have a spirit of criticism or selfishness. This person understands the importance of unity in the church-going out of their way to serve one another. Paul made this same point to the church in Philippi.
 
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others. - Philippians 2:3-4
 
The people of God who are filled with the Holy Spirit will be a group displaying unity that does not make sense to this world. Being filled with the Spirit has an impact on you individually, but it also affects those around you. Paul’s final words in this text say, “out of reverence for Christ.” Everything we do is out of reverence for Jesus, who died for our sins and rose from the grave that we could have eternal life.


 
 
 


Written by: Brendan Pratt