Fill 'er Up, Lord

Introduction

I know that it is rude and impolite, generally speaking, to ask personal questions. There are just certain questions that people should know better than to ask. For example:

You should never go up to a woman and ask, “How much do you weigh?”

Likewise, you should never go up to a woman and ask, “How old are you?”

You should never go up to anyone and ask, “Is that a wig?” or “Do you color your hair?”

You should never ask anyone, “Did your plastic surgery not work out, or do you always look like that?”

There are just certain types of personal questions that one should not ask.

But I want to take the risk of asking you this morning a very personal question, which I believe is appropriate in this setting.

The question is this: Is the Holy Spirit filling you right now?

Now understand I’m not asking you, “Do you believe in the filling of the Holy Spirit?”

I’m not asking you, “Have you ever been filled with the Holy Spirit?”

My question is: Is the Holy Spirit filling you right now—this moment—today?

There are really only three possible answers: Yes, No, or I don’t know.

Every Christian should be filled with the Holy Spirit, and every Christian should know it.

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit enters our life. He places us in His body, the body of Christ.

But beyond that, the Spirit comes to empower us, guide us, and use us for the glory of Jesus Christ.

Today we are going to think together about the Spirit-filled life.

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I. The Spirit-Filled Life Is a Commanded Life

Paul writes, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.” (v.18)

The verb translated “be filled” is in the imperative mood.

This is not a suggestion or a polite request.

It is an unalterable command of the living God.

To live the Christian life apart from the filling of the Holy Spirit is to live in disobedience.

It is God’s will for every Christian to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

That’s why Paul immediately says in verse 17, “Understand what the will of the Lord is.”

What is His will? Be filled with the Spirit.

We are never commanded to be baptized by the Spirit, or indwelt by the Spirit, or sealed by the Spirit—those are gifts God gives once for all when we trust Christ.

But we are commanded to be filled with the Spirit.

And the verb is plural.

Not just the pastor, not just the elders or Sabbath School teachers.

Every believer—new Christian or seasoned saint—is included.

It is also present tense, meaning continuous action.

We are to be continually filled with the Spirit.

Baptism of the Spirit lasts a lifetime; sealing lasts for eternity.

But filling must be renewed every day.

Think of it like your car’s fuel tank.

You can fill the tank full, but one filling will not last.

Every mile you drive draws the gauge closer to empty.

Likewise, no matter how full of the Spirit you are today, what you receive today will not automatically carry you through tomorrow.

You need to be filled again.

Here’s where the analogy changes.

If you let your car’s tank go empty, the car stops.

But even if you are not presently filled with the Spirit, He does not leave you empty.

He never leaves you at all.

Yet if you live on spiritual fumes, you will live without power.

Paul makes an intriguing comparison: “Do not be drunk with wine… but be filled with the Spirit.”

Most of us would quickly agree that it is wrong to be drunk.

If I asked how many believe it would be wrong for me to step into this pulpit intoxicated, every hand would go up.

But according to this verse, it is just as sinful for a Christian not to be filled with the Spirit as it is to be drunk.

The difference is that Spirit-filling brings life and health, while alcohol brings destruction.

One-quarter of automobile insurance premiums go toward drunk-driving claims.

If everyone were filled with the Spirit instead of alcohol, we could save more than 25,000 lives and billions of dollars each year in the United States alone.

Paul’s choice of words is rich with imagery. The Greek word for “filled” was used of the wind filling a sail and carrying a ship.

To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to let the wind of God’s Spirit guide the ship of your life—every thought, every word, every action.

Remember, the Holy Spirit is not a force but a person. Being filled is not like pouring liquid into a glass; it’s like inviting a living guest to occupy every room of your heart.