"Depend On God’s Spirit” Series

In the April 1989 edition of Time magazine, an article appeared which, I believe, is still relevant for us some 30 years later. It was titled, “How America Has Run Out of Time,” and the opening lines say it all:

“If you have a moment to read this story with your feet up, free of interruption, at your leisure . . . Put it down. It’s not for you. If, like almost everyone else, you’re trying to do something else at the same time - if you’re stuck in traffic, waiting in the airport lounge, watching the news, if you’re stirring the soup, shining your shoes, drying your hair . . . read on. Or hire someone to read it for you and give you a report!”

The fact is that the days in which we live are so hurried, that one is left to ask, “How can I be sure I am doing what I really ought to be doing with my life?” As a child of God who want to live life on purpose, making sure that my life counts for both time and eternity, this is a very important question; and it’s a question Paul answers in today’s passage.

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In verse 18, Paul tells us, “Be filled with the Spirit.” He tells us that the primary reason for living a Spirit-filled life is that it is essential to living according to God’s wisdom and making the most of the opportunities given us in this life (vs. 15-16) and to make sure we are able to understand and walk in God’s will for our lives (v. 17).

Paul tells the folks at Ephesus that God’s will is not that we get drunk on wine, but that we be filled with the Holy Spirit (v. 18). This was especially appropriate thing for him to say to the Ephesians, whose city was in the heart wine country, where over-indulgence was common. The wine god—Bacchus was honored by his devotees by having drunken orgies. So Paul contrasts the way followers of the wine god, Bacchus sought to honor him with the way God calls us to honor Him as followers of Christ.

Drunkenness degrades both the drinker and others. The activity of the pagan Greeks was demeaning. The activity of the Christian, by contrast, should be uplifting. And that’s how the Christian can live, as he allows the Spirit to fill and empower him from day to day.

While the pagans lived “under the influence” of alcohol, Paul says Christians are to live “under the influence” of the Holy Spirit!

Which brings us to Paul’s command in verse 18b. Notice four things Paul tells us about how to live our lives empowered by God’s Spirit from this command.

1. This is a command for our good.

This command is in the imperative mood, which means it’s a command from God. It is not a suggestion, a recommendation, or polite piece of advice. It is a command. We have as much of an obligation to obey this command as we do any other command found in Scripture. To live the Spirit-filled life is not optional for the Christian, but obligatory.

Corrie Ten Boom would illustrate the importance of living the Spirit-filled life this way. She would hold up a glove and say, “I have a glove here in my hand. The glove cannot do anything by itself, but when my hand is in it, the glove can do many things. It is not the glove, but the hand in the glove that acts. The Christian is the glove. It is the Holy Spirit (the hand) in us who does the work. We have to make room for the hand so that every finger is filled.”

God did not give Himself for us only to leave us on our own to try to do our best to live our lives for Him. No, He not only gave Himself for us, but He gives Himself to us; and He does this through the presence of His Spirit in our lives. The moment I trusted Christ as my one and only Savior, God’s Holy Spirit took up residence within me.

“When you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit.” - Ephesians 1:13b (NLT)

He resides in me, now He must be allowed to preside over me. And God commands us to allow His Spirit to fill every part of my life so I might stand firm in all the will of God. This is a positive command, for just like all of God’s commands, it is given to us for our own good, so we might experience God’s best.

“Now His commands are not a burden, because whatever has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victorythat has conquered the world: our faith.” - 1 John 5:3b-4 (HCSB)