Under The Influence Of The Spirit Pt 2 Series

“Under the Influence” Part 2

Ephesians 5:18

REVIEW

I. Our Wealth and Worth In Christ 1-3

II. Our Worthy Walk in Christ 4-6

A. Live in Unity 4:1-16

B. Live in Newness of life 4:17-24

C. Live in Love 4:17-24

D. Live in Purity 5:3-14

E. Live in Wisdom 5:15-6:9

1. Seize every opportune moment 15-16

Stop walking as unwise but take advantage of every opportunity because we live in evil days.

2. Seek to understand the will of the Lord 17

Stop living by impulse but seek to understand what God wants because we live in evil days.

The “and” continues the list of characteristics of a wisely lived life. In addition to seizing every opportunity moment and seeking to understand God’s will a wise life continually yield to the influence of the Holy Spirit.

3. Be continually filled with the Holy Spirit 18-20

Stop being under the influence of wine but be under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

“Stop getting drunk with wine in which is dissipation.”

A life influenced by chemicals lead spins out of control. It leads to reckless and loose living.

A spirits controlled life produces the opposite of a Spirit controlled life.

First, it is a non-optional command. “Be filled!”

Second, it is a command to all believers “ya all” be filled.

Third, Paul used the passive voice which means it is something done TO us not by us.

“Be filled by the Holy Spirit not yourself”.

Fourth, Paul used a present continuous tense verb which means we are to continually yield ourselves to the control or influence of the Holy Spirit at all times.

It is not some onetime or occasional spiritual high or ecstatic experience.

God intends that we live in continual state of being controlled or influenced by the Holy Spirit.

A.W. Tozer wrote:

The Holy Spirit is not enthusiasm. I have found enthusiasm that hummed with excitement, and the Holy Spirit was nowhere to be found there at all; and I have found the Holy Spirit when there has not been much of what we call enthusiasm present.

The key term linked to this work of the Holy Spirit is “filled”. Ya all continually be filled by the Holy Spirit. The specific term is used all through the New Testament in both the general sense and a spiritual sense. It would be used for many different things, fill a glass, fill up a ravine, finish a project, fulfill prophecy, carry out a mission. It also indicates the domination by a particular emotion i.e. Filled with anger, filled with joy or gladness, filled with sorrow, filled with peace, filled with comfort. It has the idea influence or control. It describes the sense in which something permeates your thinking and feeling. All of us can identify with how it feels to be overwhelmed or numbed by a particular emotion.

It was used to indicate one’s life being characterized by a particular behavior i.e. Filled with unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, envy, strife, deceit, filled with the fruit of righteousness, full of grace and power. Paul calls us to be completely and continually influenced or captivated by the Holy Spirit. He is to be the one who directs our everyday life.

Used specifically of the Holy Spirit, it indicates a higher level of connection to and control by Him. Be continually directed by the Holy Spirit. Be continually enlightened and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is to be a way of life. It is similar to other concepts used to describe the Spirit’s work in the believer. We are told to live or walk by the Spirit and we will not fulfill (be dominated by) fleshly desire.

He is like a perpetual life coach or encourager.

He is like gas for the engine.

He is like the generator continually recharging the battery.

He is like wind in the sails.

He is like refreshing life-giving water.

THE KEY TO FILLING

This passage really doesn't give us a how to. We are just told to do it. If the filling of the Spirit is not a reference to some super spiritual phenomena, and then the “how to” is not really all that complex. The filling of the Spirit describes someone who lives by the Enlightenment and energizing of the Holy Spirit. The filling of the Spirit describes someone who is under the influence or direction of the Holy Spirit in all parts of their life. The Holy Spirit is responsible not just for becoming a Christian but for growing as a Christian.

We will spend some time talking about all of the ministries of the Holy Spirit I later time.

Today I want to identify at least two areas where the Holy Spirit works.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:25