Be Filled with the Spirit – part 2
Ephesians 5:18-20 (18)
September 8, 2013
We have been talking about who exactly the Holy Spirit is,
And what exactly the Holy Spirit does.
• He is fully God
• He is the Promised Helper
• He convicts the word of sin, righteousness and judgment
• He guides us into all the truth
• He glorifies Jesus
• He is typified as water giving us spiritual life
• He is typified as fire sanctifying us to the Father
• He is typified as oil anointing us and qualifying us to serve God
• He is typified as wind equipping us and making us able to serve
• He is typified as a seal, giving us assurance of our salvation
• He is typified as a dove, being a gentle guide in our lives
That is who the Holy Spirit is, and that is what He does.
Last week we began looking at some of those commands
That relate to how we respond to Him.
And the first we have begun to look at
Is the command to “be filled with the Spirit”
Now let me recap just a little for those who were not able to be with us last week.
Ephesians 5 is a chapter full of commands, but if you desire,
You can easily break those commands down into 4 sections.
Ephesians 5:1 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;”
Ephesians 5:15 “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,”
Ephesians 5:18 “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,”
Ephesians 5:21 “and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.”
Now, of all those commands three are active commands,
Meaning they are something that you are to do.
And one of those commands is a passive command,
Meaning it is something you are to allow.
And it is this passive command that makes all the difference.
“be filled with the Spirit”
The reason this command is important
Is because it is the key to all the others.
None of us has the ability within ourselves
To “do” all the things that Christ commands,
Unless we first allow ourselves to be filled with His Spirit.
Let me give you a verse that sort of helps explain this:
Philippians 2:12-13 “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
That verse helps us see the balance that in order for us to faithfully do all that God requires, we actually need Him at work within us.
So in order to live the Christian life as it was intended to be lived, we must
“be filled with the Spirit”
And we even talked a little last week, about how this
Was the sole explanation for the success of the early church.
• They didn’t seek out the most educated people…
• They didn’t seek out the most experienced people…
• They didn’t seek out the most influential people…
• They didn’t seek out the most innovative people…
They wanted people who were filled with the Spirit.
• It was because Peter was filled with the Spirit that he boldly confronted Jews at Pentecost and in Jerusalem.
• It was because Paul was filled with the Spirit that he could boldly confront Elymas the magician on his first missionary journey.
• When the church needed deacons, the apostles said to get men “full of faith and full of the Holy Spirit”
• When the church expanded and a congregation sprung up in Antioch, the Jews needed to send a believer down to evaluate and lead that church. They sent Barnabas because he was a man “filled with the Holy Spirit”
That was the single most important criteria.
And that should not be new information to us.
After all, we studied that the Holy Spirit is our anointing.
He is oil.
He is the One who qualifies us for ministry.
Apart from him you have no right or ability to serve God.
It doesn’t matter how successful men have been in worldly endeavors,
Apart from the filling of the Holy Spirit,
They cannot be successful in spiritual ones.
And this was not only the secret for the early church,
But the secret for us as well.
• If you want victory in your personal struggle against sin…
• If you want success in your ministry for the kingdom…
You must be filled with the Spirit, on your own, you will never succeed.
Well, what does it mean to “be filled with the Spirit”?
(still recapping)
And remember we first started talking about WHAT IT WAS NOT.
It is not some state of mystical euphoria.
That is why Paul said, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit”
They mystical religions believed you communed with deity
Through various stages of euphoria.
• It could be frenzy induced…
• It could be drug induced…
• It could be sexually induced…
• It could be alcohol induced…
And Paul was very quick to point out that being filled with God’s Spirit
Is not some form of fleshly euphoria.
The tragedy is that is what some people seek.
They really don’t want the Spirit, they want the euphoria.
This is NOT what Paul is telling you to get.
We also said that being filled with the Holy Spirit is not the same as receiving the Holy Spirit, or being baptized with the Holy Spirit.
Those things occur at salvation.
And you can be a believer, with the Holy Spirit indwelling you,
And still not be filled with the Spirit.
The Corinthians were a good example of that.
Chapter 6 tells us the Spirit of God was in them,
And yet Chapter 3 reveals that they were fleshly men and women.
So when Paul tells you to be filled with the Spirit
He is not telling you to go out and get more of the Holy Spirit
As though you do not have all of Him.
John 3:34 “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.”
You received the Holy Spirit (all of Him) at salvation.
“Being filled with the Spirit is not a matter of how much of Him you’ve got, it’s a matter of how much of you He’s got.”
He is “in” you, but because of sin and stubbornness and fleshly desires,
He has not been able to “fill” you, or have full control in your life.
Paul’s command here is that you let Him.
This is a passive command, indicating that the Holy Spirit wants to fill you.
He wants to have full reign in your life, but you have to let Him have it.
HE WILL NOT TAKE OVER.
He will warn, He will convict, He will guide, He will teach, He will discipline, BUT HE WON’T FORCE YOU.
You must let Him fill you.
And last week I simply asked you if you would be willing to let Him do it.
Hopefully this week you determined to let Him work.
Well let’s continue on with our study now this morning.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT?
It simply means to let the Holy Spirit
Have full control of every area of your life.
It means to have nothing in your life that is “off limits” to Him.
It is to open every aspect of your life to His control.
Your friendships…
Your ambitions…
Your possessions…
Your desires…
Your actions…
Your time…
Your money…
You get the idea.
Can He fill you?
Well, I’m going to suppose that this week you said, “Yes”.
I’m going to suppose that because you are believers in Jesus Christ, you decided that being “filled with the Spirit” is something that you want to happen in your life.
Well, let’s keep this on the practical side.
HOW DOES THIS OCCUR?
Well, again I remind you that this is a passive command.
You don’t necessarily do it, He does it, you just allow it.
But how does one become “filled with the Spirit”?
I have to tell you it’s not as deep and technical as you think.
Let me ask you this.
How do you fill a jar with water?
(you pour water into the jar)
• Now if you want the jar to be filled with water, do you pour oil into the
jar?
• And if you want the jar full of water, then you have to put enough water
in to fill the jar.
If you want to be filled with the Spirit,
Then you have to pour it in, enough to be filled,
And you must pour in what you desire to be filled with.
SO HOW DO I POUR THE HOLY SPIRIT IN?
Again, you don’t, He does the work, you just let Him.
TURN TO: COLOSSIANS 3:16-17
Now you must recognize that these are sister passages.
You can see that because the effects of being filled with the Spirit
Are the exact same effects of letting the word of Christ richly dwell within you.
And you also notice that they are both passive commands.
You must let this happen.
The passive aspect is important.
Some will read this and say, “Oh, I get it. Being filled with the Spirit is the same as being filled with the word of Christ, so if I want to be Spirit filled I just have to read the Bible.”
WRONG
You can read the Bible until you are blue in the face
And not be filled with the Spirit.
The Pharisees read the Scriptures like crazy
And it didn’t benefit them in the least.
John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;”
They read it, but got nothing from it.
Notice now what Paul said here in Colossians 3
“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you…”
First you have to let IT dwell within you.
(not something else)
And you have to let enough of it dwell within you, to fill you.
(i.e. “richly” or “abundantly”)
It’s not just about reading the word,
It’s about letting the word have its place in you.
It’s about letting the word do all that it wants to do in you.
How about a practical illustration?
Look further down in the chapter here in Colossians 3.
Colossians 3:18-25 “Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart. Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.”
Now those are simple commands to understand
And difficult commands to obey.
You go home today after having read those commands
And immediately they are put to the test.
• Your husband is a punk
• Your wife is irritable
• Your parents are unfair
• Your children are relentless
• Your master is unreasonable
And every one of those commands just seems impossible.
At this point you have a choice.
You either let those commands dwell in you, or you do not.
The either get to stay or they have to leave.
Are you going to let those words “richly dwell” within you,
Or are you going to push them aside?
It is clear that the word of Christ has a desire for you.
It is clear that the Holy Spirit is longing to lead your life.
BUT HERE IS THE KICKER.
Something else is wanting to lead you to.
WHAT IS THAT?
The flesh
You read those commands about relationships,
But those people irritated you and instantly there is a battle.
What the Spirit says to do VS. What the flesh wants to do.
Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.”
You must choose which one you will allow to rule.
You must choose which one you will allow to dwell.
(They refuse to dwell together)
WHICH ONE ARE YOU GOING TO LET DWELL?
WHICH ONE ARE YOU GOING TO BE FILLED WITH?
Example of those who chose the Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 “For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.”
Example of those who chose the flesh.
1 Corinthians 3:1-4 “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men?”
So the Spirit desires to have that first place in your life,
But you have to be willing to let Him.
NOW, THAT REALLY OPENS THE DOOR TO ANOTHER ASPECT HERE.
This is a hard choice to make.
Is there any way to make it easier?
Well just as the Bible is clear what you ought to be doing with the Spirit,
The Bible is also clear what you ought to be doing with the flesh.
KILL IT
Look back at the first part of Colossians chapter 3.
(VERSES 5-10)
Literally there Paul says “put to death the members of your earthly body”
(your enemy isn’t as hard to beat if he is dead)
All of those deeds that are characteristic of the old man, kill them off.
Make them die.
And that shouldn’t be shocking, after all, wasn’t that exactly what Jesus said would be necessary if we wanted to follow Him?
Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”
Self has to be denied
The flesh has to be killed
That is the only way to follow Christ.
And that is really what salvation is all about.
You die to self.
WHY DO YOU THINK WE BAPTIZE YOU?
We are symbolizing your death and resurrection
Romans 6:4 “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”
Paul said:
Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”
Are you getting the picture?
• There is a war going on inside of you.
• Two forces are struggling to guide your life.
• They won’t dwell together, and you must choose which one gets to stay.
And Scripture is clear.
Choose the Spirit and kill the flesh.
TURN BACK TO EPHESIANS
(chapter 4)
(VERSES 17-24)
You are now a child of God, why in the world would you want to continue living like a pagan in the world?
Do you know why the world lives like they do?
Look at what Paul said (17-19)
• Their mind is futile
• Their understanding is darkened (remember Satan blinds the minds…)
• They have no spiritual life inside them (i.e. the Holy Spirit)
• They are filled with ignorance
• Their hearts are hard to the things of God
• They are callous, unable to be moved
• They live for sensuality (whatever feels good)
• And they are greedy, wanting more of it
Is that really how a Christian should live?
No, in fact Paul says, (20) “But you did not learn Christ in this way”
Christ never intended to save you
So that you could continue on living for the flesh.
We’re called to take off the old self, which is another way of saying “kill it”
And we are called to put on the new self (20-24)
It’s the same admonition that Paul made to the Colossians.
Look, you have two things seeking to lead you.
One is the flesh, and the other is the Spirit.
You are going to have to choose to let the Spirit win.
• “Be filled with the Spirit” (not the flesh)
• “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you” (not the flesh)
YOU MUST KILL THE FLESH.
HOW DO YOU KILL IT?
STARVE IT
TURN TO: ROMANS 13:11-14
Now you will notice there again
PAUL is talking about choosing the Spirit over the flesh.
Verse 11 begins with the command “Do this”
Do what?
Well, it’s all those commands that started back in chapter 12,
And there has been a bunch of them.
But again, all those commands
Are impossible to follow in your own strength.
We need to be filled with the Spirit in order to obey.
And that is what Paul is talking about here again.
And so, you need to once again kill the flesh and put on the Spirit.
(READ VERSE 12-13)
That is the same thing Paul was saying
To the Ephesians and the Colossians.
Choose which one you are going to allow yourself to be filled with.
And then look at the key here in verse 14.
“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”
HOW DO YOU KILL THE FLESH?
“make no provision” for it.
In other words, starve it out.
And incidentally this is the #1 reason
Why Christians stumble in sin.
Christians are determined to try and resist the flesh without starving it.
We all have our major temptations we face.
• Could be alcohol…
• Could be sex…
• Could be gossip…
• Could be lying…
• Could be money…
Take someone who struggles with alcohol.
They can go into a rehab and actually do good when they are there.
WHY?
Because while they are there they have no access to alcohol.
They are not making provision for the flesh.
But when they get out, their friends, their circle, their refrigerator,
All makes provision for them, and they are easy prey.
Look,
• If alcohol is your struggle you can’t keep a beer in the fridge…
• If pornography is your struggle you can’t keep internet where that is
accessible…
• If gossip is your struggle you can’t keep going to the beauty shop or
the coffee shop or wherever it is you do it…
• If greed is your struggle you can’t keep searching ebay looking at all
the stuff you don’t have…
You can’t expect to defeat the flesh every time, you must starve it.
DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?
LET ME PUT IT ANOTHER WAY.
You are full of whatever you are filling up with.
• If you’re filling up with the world, then that is what you are full of.
• If you’re filling up with the things of God, then that is what you are full of.
So, if you are fighting the flesh and you are trying to kill the flesh,
THEN BY ALL MEANS STOP FEEDING IT.
If you want to be empty of the flesh, then stop filling up with it.
• That can be the stuff you watch on television
• That can be the music you listen to
• That can be the websites you visit
• That can be the friends you run with
You are going to be full of whatever you fill up with
• If you don’t want to be full of the flesh, then kill it. Starve it.
• On the flip side, you want to be filled with the Spirit. Feed it.
FEED IT
HOW?
Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
We don’t read the Bible because that instantly makes me “Spirit filled”
We read the Bible because it feeds the Spirit and helps us win the battle.
And it’s not like you don’t know this.
I’ll bet you can look back on your times of victory and your times of defeat
And make a direct correlation
To what you were putting into your life at the time.
FEED THE SPIRIT
STARVE THE FLESH
So here is the deal this morning.
Paul commanded us to “be filled with the Spirit”
• That is a passive command, meaning we must allow the Spirit to fill us.
He wants to, but we must let Him.
• The problem is that something else wants to fill you as well, and that is the flesh.
• And as a result you have a war taking place inside of you between the flesh and the Spirit.
• You are going to have to choose which one gets to stay and which one has to go.
You do that the same way you treat stray dogs or cats that come up.
You feed the ones you want to stay
And you starve the ones you want to leave.
If you want to be filled with the Spirit then it’s time
To start letting the word of Christ richly dwell within you.
Feed the Spirit, learn what He is saying, let His word remain and obey it.
If you want to kill the flesh, then starve it.
Quit feeding it, make no provision for it.
At least weaken your enemy before you try to fight him.
And, as I said last week, this is the single most important aspect
To living the Christian life of victory.
You must be filled with the Spirit.
If you are not, you cannot expect victory in your life or ministry,
I don’t care how hard you try.
Now, we didn’t make it as far as I had hoped again this morning,
But again let me leave you with just a thought for the week.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I AM FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT?
We’re going to talk about it next week, but how do I know?
It’s not mystical or mysterious.
If a glass is full, and you shake the glass,
Whatever it is full of is what comes out.
Well, there you have it.
You are full of whatever comes out when you are rattled.
Matthew 15:18 “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.”
And I think you get the point.
So “be filled with the Spirit”
“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you”
Next week, we’ll examine what that looks like.
