SF616 - HIS FILLING - THE HOLY SPIRIT ( Ephesians 5 15-21)
SF616
THE HOLY SPIRIT: HIS FILLING
Ephesians 5:15-21
INTRODUCTION
Adrian Rogers...
Man buys car, knows nothing... Finally someone shows him the ignition!
Stephen Olford said, we ought to be consciously filled, we ought to be continuously filled, we ought to be conspicuously filled with the Holy Spirit.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit has to do with salvation but the filling of the Holy Spirit has to do with power for Christian service.
The filling of the Spirit does not have to do with you getting the Spirit, but rather it has to do with the Spirit getting you. What a difference it makes when you yield your life to the control of the Holy Spirit. Jerry Vines
1A. THE REASONS FOR BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT
1B. Our World (8-15)
Paul characterized our world as being dark
This world will draw the living daylight out of you!
We need to be filled daily in order to keep the light shining.
2B. Our Witness (16)
Evil days demand an earnest witness.
We must make the most to opportunities.
How do we know? - The presence of the Holy Spirit
3B. God’s Will (17)
It is not that God’s will is hard to understand, it is that it is spiritual by nature.
(1 Corinthians 2:14) "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned."
In a sense it is written in code - spiritual code!
2A. THE REQUIREMENTS FOR BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT(18)
1B. Command
“Be ye filled” = imperative verb
It is a worst sin to not to do good than to simply do evil - Worst not to be filled than to be drunk!
Because if you're doing what you ought to do, you can not being doing what you ought not to do.
I've had far more difficulty in the churches that I've pastored with people not been filled with the Spirit than I have with people who've been drunk
2B. Choice
Not everyone is, or will be filled.
(James 4:2) ".... You do not have, because you do not ask God."
3B. Cleansing
Involves... Confession
(1 John 1:8‑9) "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. {9} If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
4B. Control
Passive verb = Yielding complete control to the Spirit
Giving free reign in our lives - Re-modeling illustration
5B. Change
(Acts 2:13‑15) "Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine." {14} Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. {15} These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning!"
6B. Closeness
(James 4:8‑10) "Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double‑minded. {9} Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. {10} Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."
7B. Continuous
Present tense = continuous action
This is why Paul so often refers to the Christian life as a walk...
(Romans 6:4) "walk in newness of life."
(Galatians 5:16) "Walk in the Spirit,."
(Ephesians 4:1) "walk worthy of the vocation,"
(Colossians 1:10) "walk worthy of the Lord;"
(1 Thessalonians 4:1) "walk.. to please God,”
(1 John 1:7) "walk in the light"
(3 John 1:4) "walk in truth."
3A. THE RESULTS OF BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT
1B. A Spirit of Adoration (19)
Our relationship with God!
2B. A Spirit of Appreciation (20)
Our response to our circumstances
3B. A Spirit of Accommodation (21)
Our relationship with others!
APPLICATION
Are you filled with the Spirit?
Why Not?