Eph 5:17-21
The Normal Christian Life: #1 Having been Spirit Filled & #2 Being Full of the Spirit.
Jesus First Miracle was that of Turning The Water Into Wine
First Full of Water = Salvation
Then Full of Wine = The Spirit.
The progression is salvation,
Then Being filled with the Spirit
Lev 14:14-18 We find (The law of the leper). When the leper came to the priest to be cleansed the priest would slay a lamb and take the blood of the lamb and apply it to the right ear, right thumb of right hand, and big toe of the right foot, then the oil was applied over the top of the blood. Leprosy=sin, the blood of the trespass offering = the blood of Jesus, The oil = The anointing of the Holy Spirit.
The blood prepares us for heaven The oil prepares us for earth
Water is symbolic of Salvation, Wine is Symbolic of The Spirit.
Jn 7:37-38 Jesus Said: If any man Thirst let him come to me and drink = Salvation, Then he said that out of his belly will flow rivers of Living water = The Holy Spirit.
Jn 14:15-17 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Jn 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Jesus was so totally Committed to this concept of the normal Christian life of being filled with the spirit that he was in a hurry to leave so the Holy Spirit could come and begin to live the Christ life in his disciples.
The Spirit Filled Life is one of being led by the Spirit, Taught, Guided, Helped, Comforted, Corrected, Convicted, Empowered by the Spirit.
That is why wine is such a fitting illustration of the Spirit, As wine exercises a controlling influence over a persons life, When we are filled with the Spirit our entire lives will be under his influence.
He is a quickening Power, He brings things to life.
Quickening : When we are filled with the Spirit there will be a quickening of our lives. He will quicken our thoughts, our prayer life, our Worship. He quickens the word of God to our hearts and minds.
Ro 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Ga 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
In Gal 5:16 We are told that this is the only way to not become slave to the lusts of our flesh.
Ga 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
We cannot live in the spirit and walk in the spirit without the Spirit living in us= being spirit filled.
The Spirit of God does not quicken us, and lead, and teach, and guide, and comfort, and empower us from without, (He does it from his dwelling place within our hearts).
The Spirit Filled Life must be maintained
You maintain spiritual fullness by
#1 cultivating your own spirit and entertaining the HolySpirits presence in your life.
#2 Guarding against the things that drain Your Spiritual life. Pride, anger, resentment, jealousy, criticism, self pity, etc…..
Avoid anything that causes you to be uncomfortable or agitated in your spirit,
Anything that disturbs your God given peace is having a negative effect on your relationship with the Holy Spirit.
Pro 4:23 ( Keep = guard) thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
We are not fit or properly suited or prepared and equipped for Christ’s ministry until we are full of the Spirit.
Lu 24: 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Ac 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Being Spirit Filled is the Qualification for the Power of God.
As blood is the life of the natural life, So the Holy Spirit is the blood of the spiritual life.
Jn 6:55-56 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
His flesh is his word, his blood is his spirit
Jn 6:53 Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Many Christians are Spiritually anemic they have weak Blood,
They do not have a full supply of the blood of Christ’s spirit flowing through their lives.
From Jesus Words we learn that this spiritual fullness is a life that we must choose, we must intentionally and consistently eat his flesh and drink his blood.
Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.
We must take Steps to build up the Spirits presence and Power in our lives.
Jesus is the vine and the vine life is the divine life, The branch lives by the divine life, and has no life of it’s own.
The life Jesus Charachterized as the normal Christian life is the life of Super abundance and superior Quality. (Jn 10:10) This life is found in the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the Mighty power of God, but he is also a person who is very gentle and tender and easily offended, He is symbolized in the scriptures as a dove because of his gentle nature.
We must first learn to entertain his presence, Then he will lead us to his power
We must not grieve him, If we grieve him he will withdraw his presence.
The Holy Spirit will not dwell where There is……..
* continual arguing, or bickering* is a spirit of competition .
* manipulation, domination, or intimidation.
* selfishness or stubbornness * greed or covetousness
* religious pride = refusing to admit or acknowledge need for change or growth.
*The mind is allowed to run free no restraints *Everything is a joke, Nothing is serious.
* a spirit and attitude of unsubmissiveness, and un yeildedness.
* unforgiveness, and resentment * pride haughtiness, and self will
* confusion, strife, contention, *There is murmmering and grumbling and complaining
*There is a spirit or attitude of unthankfulness, ingratitude, as though God owes us.
To Live a spirit filled Life we must love and honor the HolySpirits presence
This is the normal christian life.
