Be Filled With The Holy SpiritÉ Now.

Eph 5:18-21

 

Review: ÒThe lineÓ between the unseen & eternalÉ & the seen & temporal

á      God is the unseen, eternal, timeless, changeless One. He is I AM.

á      We are holy & blameless; complete in Christ & His righteousness (Col 1:22; 2:10; 2Cor 5:21)

o     These attributes are true for believers in the unseen & eternal realm.

á      Below the line, we are in the process of being sanctifiedÉ

á      We can only know & see the unseen realm as the H Spirit reveals it. (1Cor 2:9-10)

 

Timeless                        ETERNAL (ÒI AMÓ)      Changeless

Spirit                            UNSEEN                      Ultimate reality

                  In process                      SEEN                                    Time-based

                  Matter                           TEMPORAL                 Changing

 

Review: I have been crucified w/Christ. (Gal 2:20; Rm 6:3)

á      The complete message of the crossÉ Christ died for you, & we died with Him.

á      Having our sins forgiven doesnÕt address the source of sinsÉ our sin nature. (Rm 7:17)

á      We must focus on truth that we all died with Christ. (2Cor 5:14; Col 3:3; Rm 7:4; 6:3)

á      Sin nature (old man) has been crucified, so we are no longer slaves to sin. (Rm 6:6)

á      It is not possible to live for Christ without first having died with Christ.

 

Review: Christ in youÉ the fruitful & victorious life. (Eph 4:24)

á      I no longer live but Christ lives in meÉ (Gal 2:20)

á      Christ in youÉ your hope of glory & only means of victorious living. (Col 1:27)

á      Hidden w/Christ in God (Col 3:3)É life in which we are literally nothing & Christ is all.

á      As you reckon it so by faithÉ God will make it so. (Rm 6:11)

o     As a man thinks in his heartÉ so is he. (Pr 23:7)

á      This abundant life is availableÉ NOW!

 

Be filled with the Holy SpiritÉ now! (Eph 5:18)

á      Heart of the message of graceÉ nowÉ not after we have improved.

á      NowÉ in the midst of our failure & current weaknessÉ as we are & where we are.

á      ÒBe filledÓ is in the imperative moodÉ it is a command.

o     To be filled with the Spirit is not optional, nor for a future dateÉ but for right now.

á      ÒBe filledÓ is in the passive voiceÉ not to fill yourself, but something done to us.

o     We canÕt do it ourselvesÉ all we can do is offer our emptiness.

o     To struggling saint hoping to improve himself, Spirit shows him he was crucified with ChristÉ he is ended, not mended in GodÕs sight. He can cease to be disappointed in the man whom God has brought to an end in the cross, & turn to Christ his all.

o     Spirit points us away from our work & failures to LordÕs workÉ finished on Cross.

o     Fullness of Spirit is not merely for super saints, but sinners & failures who have learned to repent & who see cleansing thatÕs available thru ChristÕs Blood.

o     PTL for passive voice, itÕs by grace thru faithÉ promise is for all. (Rm 4:16)

á      ÒBe filledÓ is in the present continuous tenseÉ literal meaning is Òbe being filledÓ.

o     Not a once done command, but be filled continually.

o     Unless we go on being filled with Spirit, weÕll become empty, defeated, & dry.

á      If we walk in the light, Blood of Christ keeps on cleansingÉ not automatic, but as we continue in the light of Christ. (1Jn 1:7).

 

Are you filled with the Holy Spirit? (Acts 1:4-8)

á      All believers are commanded to be filled with the Spirit. (Eph 5:18)

o     All believers already have H Spirit indwelling them. (Rm 8:9; 1Cor 3:16; Acts 2:38)

o     To be filled is to be filled with One who is already in our hearts.

á      Disciples were filled & received power to witnessÉ power they needed. (Acts 1:8)

o     Spirit determines manifestations... differs among believers (1Cor 12:7-11)

á      The Sign of baptism of Spirit is empowerment to boldly live & proclaim Gospel.

o     SpiritÕs principle purpose is to exalt Christ by revealing the things of Christ.

á      Below the line we have varying degrees of power... keep being filled w/Spirit. (Eph 5:18)

á      Christ in you, the hope & assurance of glory.  (Col 1:27; Rm 8:16)

 

Evidences of being filled with the Spirit. (Eph 5:19-21)

á      Songs of praise in your heartÉ overflowing with praise & testimony to Jesus. (v5:19)

o     Disciples spoke of Òwonders of GodÓÉ in another language. (Acts 2:11)

o     Expect Spirit to give you a fresh revelation of ChristÉ youÕll soon be in Eph 5:19.

á      Always giving thanks to God for everything (v.5:20)É seeing God in all circumstances & knowing that they come to us via His permissive will for our good & His glory. (Rm 8:28)

á      Submitting to one another... repenting that we have not submitted to one another nor loved others as we should. Spirit fills where Blood has cleansed, producing sweet willingness to submit to & love others. (v.5:21)

 

We exist for the praise of His glory. (Eph 1:1-14)

á      God made us a part of His plan, but we are not the centerÉ Christ is! (Eph 1:8-10)

á      For from Him, & thru Him, & to Him are all thingsÉ to Him be glory forever. (Rm 11:36)

á      Christ lives in us to manifest His life in & thru usÉ accomplishing His own purposes.

á      Christ in you is the way God has chosen to glorify Himself thru you. (Mt 5:16)

á      God wants us to be filled up to all the fullness of Christ. (Eph 4:13)

o     Ultimately, consequence of being filled with Spirit is Christ fully formed in us.

á      May you enter into ChristÕs fullness in your life to the praise of His glory.