Be Filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:15-21)
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John the Baptist was the first person in the New Testament said to be filled with the Holy Spirit. And he’s the only person in all of the Bible said to be filled with the Spirit from before his birth. Moses, King Saul, King David, many of the prophets, were all said to have the Spirit rest on them for parts of their lives, but never as a remaining presence for all of their lives. But what does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Eph 5:15-21)
What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? We know that when a person trusts Christ as Savior, the Holy Spirit immediately comes to reside in his heart (Ephesians 1:13). We do not have to pray that the Spirit would come to reside in us. The Holy Spirit is in us the moment we believe, and He is in us completely. The Spirit is not simply partially in us. The Bible never says someone has a little bit of the Spirit. It either says that a person is full of the Spirit, or else does not have the Spirit. But what about the command to be filled with the Spirit?
It’s interesting that both Luke and Paul note that the contrast to being filled with the Spirit is being filled with wine. The passage in Luke read earlier in the service stated that John the Baptist was not to drink wine, but rather he would be filled with the Spirit (Luke 1:15). And here, too, in v. 18, it instructs us not to be drunk on wine, but to be filled with the Spirit. What it’s saying is that those who have the Spirit in them live radically different from the world. The world finds its joy in worldly pleasures. The world longs for that next high. But those who know Christ are led by the Spirit and will not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
This is why the passage is all about wise, Christian living (v. 15-17). Being filled with the Spirit is a mental picture for us to hold onto while we live. It reminds us that we are not to live according to the spirit of this world, but according to the Spirit of God.
The text goes on to give a few examples of what a Spirit-filled life looks like. We encourage one another, with the ultimate purpose of praising God (v. 19). We submit to one another, with the ultimate purpose of honoring Christ (v. 20). Being filled with the Holy Spirit is not reserved for a few select Christians, only some of the time. It’s for all believers, all the time! We are always to live Spirit-filled, Christ-honoring, God-exalting lives.
I think the prophet Micah illustrated it best. He was recorded as saying in Micah 3:8, “But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might.” He’s not saying that he was filled with four different things, because then he would be mentioning one of them twice. Power and might are the same thing. Rather, each of these phrases means the same thing. To be filled with the Spirit of the Lord means to be filled with power, which means to be filled with justice and might. We are given strength (power) to live righteous (just) lifestyles. This is why Paul gave examples of what a Spirit-filled life looks like. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to live holy, godly lives.
Pastor Chris Huff has been with us since July 2009. He and his wife, Abby, have four children. Chris is originally from St. Louis, MO and even though he was raised as a city boy, he has a small town heart. Chris is all over the internet, so you can find him on Facebook, Twitter,… (read more)
