"Spirit-Filled Life And Relationships"

Cornerstone Church May 13, 2012

“SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE AND RELATIONSHIPS”

Ephesians 5:18-21

“Two things are essential for you to enjoy any car that you buy. First is a set of keys. The key lets you into the car. It’ll help you open the trunk or the glove box or, whenever necessary, to lift the hood on the car. It’s what you need to crank up the engine. You can admire the car from the outside, or even sit quietly inside it, but you’re not going anywhere without the keys.

What the keys are to the car, conversion is to the Christian life. You don’t enter the Christian life because you’re born into a Christian family or because you attend a church where the Bible is taught, or even because you learn verses from a book called the Bible. You enter the Christian life through only one way: the key – Jesus Christ. John wrote it this way, ‘He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life’ (1 John 5:12).

You either have the key that gets you into the car or you don’t. You either have life in Christ or you don’t. There is no in-between ground to stand on.

The second essential you need for the car is fuel. Don’t try to save money filling up your tank with water from your garden hose and hope your car will run. The engine was designed to run on fuel. What the fuel is to the car, the Spirit of God is to the authentic, normal Christian life.”

Embraced by The Spirit by Chuck Swindoll, pgs. 67-68

“Therefore as you have received Christ

Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.”

Col 2:6 NASB

The Key – Receiving Christ as Savior

The Fuel – Walk in Him (by the power of the Holy Spirit)

Two weeks ago I spoke on “God the Holy Spirit – The Unseen Comforter”.

The subject was too vast for one message and there were some questions left unanswered.

God the Holy Spirit is the third member of the Triune God (Trinity).

* The Holy Spirit is not an “It.”

* The Holy Spirit is not a force

* The Holy Spirit is God possessing the attributes of God (is eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere present) with personality displaying intellect, will and emotion.

This morning we are going to look at being filled or being controlled by the Holy Spirit.

* Every born-again believer has the Holy Spirit.

* The moment you were saved you the Holy Spirit baptized you into the Body of Christ.

* The Holy Spirit also gave you a Spiritual Gift.

A tension still remains within the Christian life as to whether we are going to live in the power of the flesh or seek to yield our lives to God and allow the Holy Spirit to fill us and control us.

WHAT DID THE EARLY CHURCH LOOK FOR IN LEADERS?

Acts 6:3 NIV “Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them.”

Acts 6:5 a NIV “This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit…”

They were chosen not because of successful businesses, wealth or educational achievements.

They were chosen because the Holy Spirit’s presence in their lives was evident to all.

As this time there were several thousand Christians. But the basis for the selection for Spiritual oversight and leadership was individuals full of the Holy Spirit.

Living a Spirit-Filled / Spirit-Directed life is God’s desire and goal for every Christian.

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.

Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

Eph. 5:18 NIV

Here we see the tension of living to please the flesh of living to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.

Eph. 5:18a NIV

Debauchery (dissipation)

“Extreme indulgence that results in a loss of control.”

* Drunkenness lowers inhibitions and the resistance to sin.

* Alcoholism for thousands of years has destroyed lives, marriages, and families!

I believe that this can also be applied to anything or anyone that controls or affects us in a negative way that diminishes our love for Jesus and desire to walk with Him.

Inebriated with the ways of the world

* Media

* Culture

* Alcohol

* Drugs

* Worldly aspirations

* Anger

Any negative influences that gain a foothold in your life and begin to control you can zap your strength and, before long, the presence of Christ in our lives is like a flame going out.

Eph. 5:15 NIV “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise”