Ephesians 5:18 - Filled With The Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18 (NLT) Don't be drunk with wine, because that will
ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.
COMMENTARY PEARL
The Bible tells us to be filled with the Spirit, but have you
ever wondered what that actually means?
Some people surmise that to be filled with the Spirit is to
have an emotional experience, and it can include that. But it
doesnt always include that. Which means you can be filled with the
Spirit and not have any emotional response whatsoever. Then again, you
can be filled with the Spirit and feel a lot of emotion.
But here is the problem: All too often, some of the most
bizarre, aberrant things we see happening in the church today are
attributed to the Holy Spirit. People are saying the Spirit is telling them
to do these things. But do we find these things in the Bible? The
answer is no. So are these things from the Holy Spirit? I dont think
they really are.
So what does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? We could
compare it to driving a car. We read in Acts 2 about the day of
Pentecost, the story of the explosion of the Holy Spirit that set the
church in motion. In the same way, when you get into your car and put
your key into the ignition and turn it over, there is an explosion,
if you will, that fires up the car. You dont need to keep
turning your car on again and again once youre driving. You just need
that initial explosion, and then you drive the car.
It is great when you have an emotional experience. But we
must remember that the Bible says, The just shall live by faith
(Romans 1:17). By and large, the Christian life is a walk of faith, not
a walk of feeling. Feelings will come and go. But the just shall
live by faith. [Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries;
https://www.harvestdaily.com.
WORD STUDY
The Greek present tense is used to indicate that the filling of
the Spirit is not a once-for-all experience. Repeatedly, as the
occasion requires, the Spirit empowers for worship, service and
testimony..... [NIV SB]
The filling of the Spirit is to be continually experienced, as
the present tense verb would affirm. Special fillings occur in times
of need for particular spiritual prowess. [Believer's SB]
COMMENTARY
To be "filled with" means "to be controlled by" (Luke 4:28;
5:26). On the day of Pentecost, the believers were filled with the Holy
Spirit and were accused of being drunk (Acts 2:13). Just as a drunk is
influenced by alcohol, so a believer should be controlled by the Spirit.
However, there are important differences. The drunk loses self-control,
but the Spirit gives the believer self-control (Gal. 5:23). The
drunk has an artificial happiness that does not last, while the
Spirit-filled believer has a deep joy in the Lord. Drunken people do stupid
things that hurt others and bring them embarrassment, but Spirit-filled
believers help others and live to the glory of God. [Chapter by Chapter
Bible Commentary by Warren Wiersbe]
The Bible offers a powerful alternative to drinking. Paul
contrasts getting drunk with wine, which produces a temporary "high," to
being filled with the Spirit, which produces lasting joy. Getting
drunk with wine is associated with the old way of life and its selfish
desires. In Christ, we have a better joy, higher and longer lasting, to
cure our depression, monotony, or tension. We should not be concerned
with how much of the Holy Spirit we have, but how much of us the Holy
Spirit has. Submit yourself daily to his leading and draw constantly on
his power. [Life Application SB]
Perhaps you need a little more patience. Or a lot more love.
Or a deeper prayer life, or some more specific direction, or ...
well, a whole range of pieces in this vast puzzle we call "the
Christian life." The problem is that a lifestyle can't be parceled out
into bite-size sections, even though much of our discipleship
approaches seem to imply that it can. The truth is that being a Christian
means being filled with Christ. We don't need more of this virtue or
that characteristic. We need Jesus.
We have Him, of course - as completely as we ever will. But
we still need more experience with or more realization of the
Presence we already have. If the fruits of the Spirit are in any way
deficient in us, it isn't because we only have part of the Spirit. We have
all of Him, but maybe He doesn't yet have all of us. Our life in
Christ is a continual stepping into more of what we've already been
given.
What would happen if we unceasingly prayed, "Lord, fill me
with You" - not "give me patience" or "strengthen my faith" or "help
with this problem" or "heal this disease"? What if we stopped viewing
the gifts and fruit of Jesus as separate entities and began seeing
Jesus in us as an integrated whole? What if we simply prayed - boldly
and persistently - "Be present, manifestly so, in me and around me"?
We might be surprised at how comprehensively His Presence meets our
needs. All of His attributes come with Him as parts of the package.
When He is allowed to express Himself freely within us, we experience
all the growth we seek.
Jesus, I know that if I have You, I have Your character; Your
gifts, and Your attitudes. I don't need more faith or patience or love,
I need more of You. Be all You want to be in me. I welcome Your
personality fully. [The One Year Experiencing Gods Presence Devotional by
Chris Tiegreen]
Have you ever stopped to ponder and appreciate the absolute
necessity of the indwelling Spirit in your life? Really, your life
doesnt mean a thing unless the Holy Spirit is guiding you! Without the
Holy Spirit we cannot really experience Jesus in our life. So our
daily prayer should ever be Come, Holy Spirit, come. Make my
experience with Jesus real today. from The Best News Ever by H.M.S.
Richards, JR and Daniel R.Guild.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Come to Me, and rest in My Peace. My Face is shining upon
you, in rays of Peace transcending understanding. Instead of trying
to figure things out yourself, you can relax in the Presence of the
One who knows everything. As you lean on Me in trusting dependence,
you feel peaceful and complete. This is how I designed you to live:
in close communion with Me.
When you are around other people, you tend to cater to their
expectations--real or imagined. You feel enslaved to pleasing them, and your
awareness of My Presence grows dim. Your efforts to win their approval
eventually exhaust you. You offer these people dry crumbs rather than the
living water of My Spirit flowing through you. This is not My way for
you! Stay in touch with Me, even during your busiest moments. Let My
Spirit give you words of grace as you live in the Light of My Peace.
(Phi. 4:6, 7; John 7:38; Eph. 5:18-20) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
HYMN: COME, HOLY SPIRIT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQPcrH0y1P0
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2014/20140331-1840.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2006/20060928-0940.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or testimony on this
passage of Scripture, either personal or otherwise, I would be
interested in hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep uplifting
Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Musical Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/
ABible.com: http://www.aBible.com
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK
Restoring The Power by Pastor John Bradshaw:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRogO1SxoZN15Boa7BMon4BouVMdteVaq
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
