“Our Power for Life” – Being Spirit filled / led.
Main text: Ephesians 5:13-21
As we continue in our series, today we look at our third message entitled “Our Power for Life” – Being Spirit filled / led. As our series has unfolded, we began with the first building block – “Our New Life.” It was a study of Jesus as he asked the question, “Who do you say I am? Our new life starts with Jesus. The second message block was entitled “Our Book for Life.”
Understanding the Bible and applying its truth into our lives is essential. It was a practical message on how to understand the Bible. Again today, we look at “Our Power for Life.” Without the Spirit of God working in us and through us, we are literally lost and ineffective. Let’s examine four questions that will change our lives:
Why do we need the Spirit?
1. To understand God’s Word – 1 Cor. 2:14
14The 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.
Last week we learned that in order to understand the scripture, we must have the Spirit. It is the Spirit that opens our mind and allows us to understand and apply it into our heart and life.
2. To become a Christian – 1 Cor. 2:14, John 3:5, Matt. 16:17
Paul instructs us that without the Sprit at work in our life, we are unable to be a Christian. Jesus told Nicodemus that with the Spirit, we cannot be born again. Jesus told Peter after he answered the question, “Who do you say I am?” that his answer was correct because the Spirit of God revealed the truth that Jesus was the Messiah – the Christ. Without the Spirit speaking to us – drawing us to God, we would not be believers.
1 Corinthians 12:3 3Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.
John 3:5 5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
Matthew 16:17 17Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
3. To have the power to live & fulfill our commission – Acts 1:4-8
Within ourselves, we do not have the ability to live the Christian life. We cannot become like Jesus on our own. We must have God infill us in order to live as we should and be what God requires. Our Heavenly Father, knowing our need, gave us the Spirit to empower us so that we could live and fulfill our commission. Jesus instructed his disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:4-8
4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
6So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
What happened to those men after the Spirit came? Before Pentecost, the disciples were self-centered, rash, quick-tempered, fearful, timid, doubtful and powerless. After the Holy Spirit came upon them they we bold, courageous, empowered, inspiring and mightily used to turn the world upside down. They were able to stand before opposition from the rulers of Israel and proclaim that they would follow God no matter how they were threatened or tortured. The rulers, knowing they were common men took notice how they acted and referred to them as having been with Jesus. They were not the same men after Pentecost.
They had power, but they were not perfect though. Peter was still prejudice, until God changed his mind. Later Peter was confronted by Paul for compromising to gain acceptance.
What is the Lord’s Will?
Ephesians 5:15-21
15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
God’s will is that we are filled with the Spirit. In the original Greek, the term that is translated “be filled” actually means “a continually filling.” Literally, “be being filled” In other words, we are to be filled again and again, and again. Over and over we are to get filled with the Spirit. It is not a once and done experience, but an on-going, daily need and experience.
When we are under the Spirit’s influence, what will be evidenced in our life? There will be:
v. 19 Worship
v. 20 Gratitude
v. 21 Submission
When we are filled with the Spirit, there will be a natural outpouring of praise, thanksgiving and worship. We will be driven to sing and lift our voices in worship. We will not be grumpy or constantly complaining, but rather thankful. As we think of all God’s blessings to us, we will be propelled by gratitude. We will also be compelled by submission. As an act of submission to Christ, our relationships will be affected at home and on the job. As husbands submit to Jesus by loving their wives and putting their best interests before their own, wives will submit to their husbands. When a wife knows that her husband is looking out for her, loving her as he loves himself and willing to die for her as Jesus did the church, it will not be hard for her to submit to her husband’s leadership. As parents, full of the Spirit, submit to Jesus, they will not exasperate their children and they will more easily follow the instruction to submit to their parents. Likewise, employers and employees are to submit to Christ and serve him as they serve each other.
Why Live by the Spirit?
Gal. 5: 16-23 Spirit life vs. Sinful (natural) life
16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
This passage is very much like a checklist for us. When we are not filled with the Spirit our life will be evidenced by rage, self-centeredness, and behavior that is not Christ-like. However, if we are filled with the Spirit, we will see the fruit of the Spirit evidenced in our life. It is important to note that we are not able to produce the fruit of the Spirit on our own. We cannot say that we are going to have peace or patience by our own strength and determination. Those virtues are produced by God in our life and we simply display his work in our life. A branch does not make the fruit on a tree; it only displays what the trunk manufactures. In the same way, God creates the fruit and we display his work within us. So, as a checklist, are you experiencing the fruit of the Spirit of the sinful nature?
If you need a new infilling of the Spirit, what do you do?
How to be filled?
Realize the need - Eph. 5:18
“…be filled with the Spirit.”
Repent of known sin - Acts 2:38
After Peter preached to the crowd following Pentecost, the people were convicted in their hearts and they asked what they must do to be saved.
38Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Read & obey God’s Word - Col. 3:16
16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
As you apply scripture into your life, you will be changed in your thinking, actions and speech.
Request through prayer - Luke 11:9-13 & Acts 8:15
9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[a] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
Review the changes - Gal. 5: 22-23
Look over your shoulder and see the changed in your attitudes, actions and reactions. Daily, continue to ask the Lord to fill you and make you more like Jesus.
God’s will is that you are filled. If you ask anything, according to his will, he will answer your prayer. Ask and you will receive.
