How to be Spirit-filled
Team Canada’s gold medal win in Salt Lake City Olympics has spread a spirit of patriotism. Waves of red and white all over the country, coast to coast. Spontaneous singing, outburst of shouts of triumph, joy and celebration! Some say declare a holiday in Feb. to commemorate this occasion of national joy! That’s the picture I want u to not forget. Because that’s what is intended to happen to God’s people everywhere. God won for us the victory through Jesus! He has got a decisive victory. It is not tainted by subjective judging and illegal doping scandal, because it was won through something much more scandalous, the death of a loving God, the blood of Christ, and the power of His resurrection, rising up to life. So 5:19-20 spontaneous songs and thanksgiving, coming out of the rafters among God’s people, is the picture of NT Christianity! Filled with Spirit, with waves of joy from coast to coast, singing shouts of joy!!
Reality is as u go to churches, few celebrate God this way. Little of this joy is seen, felt or heard. The joy of God is not their strength! And perceived by many and rightly- Christian life is dull and not filled with life, aimless, good only as a great crutch for emergency use when we need to bury and marry.
Part of this is because we swallowed some harmful myths about real Christian growth…
A. Myths about Spiritual Growth
1. Auto-pilot growth: It is automatic once you become a Christian. Not so! Gotta be intentional: need to decide to grow, and make an effort to grow. Otherwise instruction in 4:1—3 makes little sense, which speaks of effort, 4:11-12, about God’s appointed people to prepare God’s people for service, 4:15,16 “growing up into him... as each part does its work” or putting on “the new self.” Imagery of “marathon” (Heb.12:1,2; 1 Cor.9:24-27) works better, much more biblical! Effort, we sigh, too hard?? Knock the joy right off eh? But do marathon racers say it is too hard, they take it with joy knowing the reward.
2. Attainable for select few: Any believer can grow to maturity if there is the training for the marathon race! It is not just for the Mother Teresa, Billy Graham types. Staying in shape spiritually, requires us to breakdown practical everyday habits – such as worship, fellowship, stewardship, discipleship which we all can do. Expectation in the Bible “”we all reach unity in the faith… AND BECOME MATURE” (4:13)
3. Attendance: Attend the right seminar, conference, church service, i.e. looking for the right key, right book, right tape, CD, video, right class, website, right teachers, list goes on – let’s get it right here – it’s a futile search. There are no short-cuts to spiritual growth, just as our kids cannot escape the trials of teenage life and skip to their 20’s and 30’s. There is a gradual process of growing “up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”
4. Academics: It is not about how many theological degrees you hold! Many evaluate spirituality by how well u can ID bible characters, Locate a book in the Bible, quote verses, explain theology, interpret the tough parts. Truth is it more about life - behavior, fruit of the Spirit, rather than mere fruit of your merit. That is why 4:17-6:9 speaks so much of behaviour or life management as a child of God (anger, unwholesome talk, sex). Conduct and character, not memorized rigid lifeless rules, creeds that is much more needed. Thank God, cuz I failed miserably in high school!
5. American legend/myth: Macho types, John Wayne, Rambo, Schwarznegger, glorifies the rugged individualism of the West. Need nobody types, just gimme my horse, gun, leave me alone! This has crept into Christianity – so we don’t need other Christians? Completely ignores the picture of the bible – Godd’s purpose for the church 3:10, one body, one Lord, faith, baptism 4:4-5, submission to another 5:19-21, praying for ALL the saints 5:18.
6. “All you need is the Bible to grow”. We need all kinds of experiences, with others in the church, ministry, worship, fellowship, mission. Let’s not be arrogant here! Classroom stuff must relate to real life, or it stays there in the classroom. Need to be careful to make most of every opportunity because the days are evil.
The first-step to being led of the Spirit of God and filled with Him is to discard the myths that has infiltrated into our lives.
B. Understanding the Spirit’s influence
1) There is a superficial similarity.
Remember at Pentecost, Acts 2:12-17 (NIV)
Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine. "
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.
15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!
16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 "`In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Delirious joy appears to be there, Spirit’s influence looks like being drunk! But being Spirit-controlled is about having your self in control rather than losing inhibitions and self-control. Peter’s speech was sharpened to the point where people felt cut to the heart as opposed to the slurred speech associated with
alcohol.
2) People use alcohol to escape from boredom and loneliness.
Something disturbing is happening! Perhaps u know it already? More and more on this continent turning to drugs, becoming chemically dependent to find a reason to live. Not only are we losing the war on drugs, so much so that the govt and those in charge of our health care are adopting a “if u can’t beat them join them” philosophy, lets have safe injection sites, let’s get free needles, let’s legalize the drug trade. See what legalized drug does to our world: According to USATODAY report on Feb.26, 2002 “Nearly a third of high school students say they binge drink at least once a month”, according to a report that says underage drinkers now account for 25% of the alcohol consumed in this country.”
Percent of 10th grade girls and boys who binge drink:
"Underage drinking has reached epidemic proportions in America," said Joseph Califano Jr., president of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, which issued the report Tuesday.
The report, which analyzes two years’ research, "is a clarion call for national mobilization to curb underage drinking," said Califano, a former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare.
Some of the report’s findings:
• Eighty-seven percent of adults who drink had their first drink before age 21.
• The gender gap for drinking is disappearing. Female ninth-graders were just as likely to be drinkers as male ninth-graders.
• Eighty-one percent of high school students have consumed alcohol, compared with 70% who have smoked cigarettes and 47% who have used marijuana.
• Most teens who experiment with alcohol continue using it. Among high school seniors who had tried alcohol, 91.3% still were drinking in the 12th grade.
"Alcohol is far and away the top drug of abuse for American kids," said Susan Foster, the center’s vice president and director of policy research and analysis. "The college binge-drinking problem starts with children and teens, and that’s where our prevention and education efforts must be focused."
Around 44% of college students admit to binge drinking, and nearly a fourth of those binge frequently.
Underage drinking crosses social dynamics as well. President Bush’s twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara, have gotten in trouble for underage drinking.
The report also complains that the entertainment industry has glamorized alcohol and rarely shows its ill effects. It noted that NBC television recently announced it would start accepting commercials for distilled beverages, breaking a long-time tradition of refusing such ads.
Question: why are so many going willingly to the influence of booze, spirits?
I believe in each human heart, we know that life is meant to be joyous. But our fragile selves can’t take the stress of real life, real spills, real hurts, real pain. Just as we know Team Canada is meant to take hockey gold, we demand life must be filled with gold all the time! But life stinks, people get killed, violent, scary, alienating, …So many go for what feels good for the moment, for the momentary relief, attending gatherings with booze served up freely, to party hardy. Lose ourselves in a world that trips us up!
However, the relief alcohol brings is short-lived. Is it ever short! Cuz then the awful fruit/cost comes, the hangover, the liver damage, the beer bellies, the awful stink, the early grave, the pain involved damage to others so many drink and drive!. Lose control of life! Spin out of control... Are we all not aware of the devastating effects of alcohol?
Again, Contrast the spirits versus the Spirit> Alcohol is a chemical depressant, while the Holy Spirit is a spiritual stimulant. Alcohol impairs our judgment, but the Holy Spirit improves our judgment. Alcohol makes some users violent, while the Holy Spirit makes Christians more loving. Alcohol destroys homes and families, but the Holy Spirit brings families together. The bottom line is that alcohol has no place in the lives of God’s children. They ought instead to be filled with the Holy Spirit. To be Spirit-filled is to gain self-control, to be filled with wine is to lose all control – introduce chaos.
Alcohol brings out the worst, the Spirit brings out the best.
Want to get what we long for the most, to satisfy the thirst in the human heart, we gotta have God’s Spirit in us that will last a lifetime even thru’ eternity.
Alcohol leads to out of control debauchery, making us animal-like,
while the Spirit makes us more human with self-control. So what do we really want? Celebrate or be berated for excessive alcohol use. Party with real intensity of joy with the Lord of the dance who dances over u, who sings over u or with drug-induced, chemically produced, nonlasting cheap imitation hazy joy?
That is why Bible tells - understand the days are evil, make the most of what God gives u, and not fall for cheap imitation of real joy, expose the fruitlessness of life apart from God, understand God wants to bless us with every spiritual blessing in Christ, which is His will from the beginning of the universe… SO open your heart and enjoy the joy of God, let the peace of God fill it… O be filled with the Spirit!
C. Being filled with the Spirit. 5:18
1) A command, not a proposal.
2) It’s addressed to the whole Christian community. (plural)
a) The fullness of the Spirit is not limited to an elite few.
O God wants to fill u!
3) Passive voice - "Let the Spirit fill you."
a) No technique or formula.
b) Parallel in Colossians 3:16 (NIV) - 16 Let 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.
Gotta let God’s word do His work in you, let Him dwell, allow Him time to work, listen actively, with you spirit responding to His voice, leading.
4) Describes a continuous action, rather than a single one.
a) Cana wedding: fill jars once. Here: fill continuously.
b) Sealing with Spirit is once for all, filling is every day.
D. Measurements for Spirit-filled life:
Spill over effect …
Do u just love enjoy …
A. Encouraging: "Speak to one another."
1. Real Christians mutually encourage one another (4:29, 5:21)
2. Real Christians have God centred songs in their hearts (4:19)
B. Public Worshiping: "Speak to one another…to the Lord."
1. A worship setting is implied.
2. It seems to have been an informal setting, spontaneous.
3. Much participation.
C. Singing: “sing and make music in your heart”
1. Jesus is honoured by it, Is there a song in your heart?
2. If you aren’t gifted, the singing can be "in your heart."
3. Apparently great revivals have always resulted in a renewal of singing.
D. Being grateful to God. 5:20
1. Give thanks always.
Difficult in practice, but stressed in the NT. Eph 1:16. The grumbling spirit is not compatible with the Holy Spirit.
2. "Always for everything" - not to be pressed literally. 5:20
Some have the strange idea that the secret of Christian
victory is found in unconditional praise.
a) "Praise Jesus - my mother just got run over by a car!"
Praise God for spouse’s adultery?
b) Dangerous half-truth or even blasphemy.
We praise God for being God, but do not praise him for evil.
a) We can be thankful because of our confident hope that in some wonderful way God will make even disaster and suffering an occasion for later blessing.
b) "Everything" is qualified by "in the name of Lord Jesus"
consistent with revealed truth that He wants to bless us with every spiritual blessing, making us coheirs or corulers with Him!
Conclusion:
Remember picture of spontaneous joy celebration of Canada’s glorious win in Olympic hockey. Jesus won a decisive victory over evil and sin through the cross. We too have a joyous win through Christ. God desires to have that joy in us ringing in us. Jesus says our lives can be marked with that same spirit of celebration and be changed by His Spirit living in us. Issue here: yielding control to have His words dwell in us, and not believe lie of momentary relief that worldly solutions such as filling of the spirits of the world but be filled in His Spirit. It does not mean problems won’t be around anymore, but that God wants to lead us by His loving lead through His Spirit in us. Joy that radiates "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength" will then return. Question: will you let Him fill you on a daily basis that leads to true celebrative joy and worship of Him who loves you or yield control to the lies of momentary relief that feels good but it leads to destructive consequences or what the Bible says "debauchery"?
