Be Filled With The Spirit

Be Filled with the Spirit

Ephesians 5:18

http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/130821.mp3

This subseries on walking in purity has challenged us to do hard things.

Walk differently than the world, and avoid their hardness, darkness, and lewdness. The only way to obey that is to obey today's challenge and be filled with the Spirit!

Taking off the grave clothes, putting on the grace clothes, and putting away the old man and putting on the new man...putting an end to lying, stealing, corrupt speech, uncontrolled anger, etc. The only way to obey that is to obey today's challenge and be filled with the Spirit!

How do we walk in love, walk in light, and put away fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talk and jesting? The only way to obey that is to obey today's challenge and be filled with the Spirit!

This is by far the most important message in this book...it's the key to the book...it's the key to the Christian life!

How can I prevent being powerless against temptation? Here's the key:

Be filled with the Spirit!

I know I'm saved, and I don't want to feel burned out and stressed out.

Be filled with the Spirit!

My witness seems fruitless. I talk to others, and it goes nowhere, or, I don't talk to others at all.

Be filled with the Spirit!

There's more confusion about the Holy Spirit than any other doctrine of the faith. There's a lot of nonsense promoted in the name of Spirit fulness.

At the moment of salvation:

1. You are born of the Spirit.

John 1:12

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Flesh is flesh, spirit is spirit...you must be born of the Spirit!

2. You are baptized of the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:13

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

This is a once and for all experience which places you in the body of Christ.

The baptism means I belong to the body of Christ.

The filling means my body belongs to Christ.

3. You are sealed by the Spirit.

4:30 - sealed unto the day of redemption.

1:14 - the earnest [down payment] of our salvation is the Spirit placed within us. 'Sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.'

That seal shows ownership, means security, and a finished transaction.

4. You are indwelt by the Spirit.

Romans 8:9

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

The Holy Spirit took up residence inside of you.

1 Corinthians 6:19

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Be careful where you go, for where you go, He goes.

[see, hear, do]

1 Corinthians 6:20

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Nowhere are we commanded to seek the above...they happen automatically.

But now we are talking about being filled with the Spirit [v. 18]

For the believer, the Holy Spirit IS resident, but He wants to be President!

1. The Contrast.

v. 18 2 controlling influences: wine, and the Spirit. Excess = abandoned. A drunk has abandoned life and responsibility for a period of time.

Getting drunk changes you. The quiet, shy guy is suddenly running around with a lamp shade on his head. The guy who is usually fearful turns bold as a lion, and thinks he can take on anyone. The girl who is very intelligent will do very dumb things. A kind, loving person becomes hateful and mean, because alcohol changes you.

joke: A guy got drunk and thought he could fly, and jumped off the roof of the house. At the hospital he asked his friend, "I thought I could fly...why did you let me do it?" He said, "I thought you could too!"

Alcohol changes you in a negative way. When you are controlled by the influence of the Holy Spirit...you are changed to the positive!

The person who doesn't think they can witness becomes bold for Jesus, and their tongue is taken over. They are 'under the influence!'

Bitter becomes loving and forgiving. Fearful becomes confident. Angry becomes kind.

We all need an attitude adjustment, but it shouldn't be the 'spirits' in bottles, it should be the Spirit in you!

Happy Hour: the people aren't happy going in...nor out! If they are happy on the way out, it's a very short-lived happiness, soon to be overcome with a hangover, and if there's happiness in their path as they leave, they have a strong way of ending it in others.