The Filling of the Spirit

Are you different? Not different as in weird or unusual, but different in the way God called you to be. In other words, are you the same today as when you first trusted in Jesus, or has your relationship with Jesus transformed you into a new kind of person? After all, God’s Word has a term for people He has redeemed by the blood of Jesus. That term is the phrase “holy ones.” To be a holy one of God is to be distinctly different from people in the world who do not know God. To be a holy one is to be separate from the world in your motives, your choices and your behaviors. To be holy is not just to be alive to God, but to be changed by God. So, I’ll ask it again: Are you different? Does the way you live today contrast with the way worldly people live? Allow me to ask you a few questions to help you assess if your life is different. First,

Are your motives for living different? Do you find yourself wanting to please God or are you still trying to please everyone around you? Another way of thinking about your motives is this: Do you want what God wants for your life, or do you want what you want? Are your motives different today because you’ve trusted in Christ?

Second: Are the choices you make different then the choices you made when you didn’t know God? We make all kinds of choices every day. We make about 35,000 decisions every day. That’s a lot of choices. So, then, are you following your feelings or are you following God’s will? Are you determining your choices by what seems right to you or are you seeking God to help navigate your marriage, your family, your finances, your relationships. Are the choices you’re making to different today then the choices you made when you didn’t know God?

The third question is kind of tricky. It has to do with the influences in your life. All of us have a number of factors that play a part in influencing our behavior. Most of us have been influenced in some way by our parents. All of us have been impacted by our education and the secular culture we grew up in. And the media and technology have played a powerful role in shaping how we live today. So, my third question is this: in light of all our influences, who or what is shaping how you live today? Are you being influenced by our world or by the Spirit you received when you trusted in Jesus?

How you answer these questions can help you determine if believing in Christ has made you different. After all, when God called you to believe, He called you to be different. He made you alive by His Spirit. And put His Spirit in you so He could help you live a different way of life. So, this morning, we are going to dig into a passage that will helps us see the differences between the way of the world and the way of the Spirit. So, if you brought your Bible with you today, let me encourage you to find Ephesians 5:15-21, where God’s Word contrasts three ways of living between the way of the world and the way of the Spirit. And the first contrast has to do with our motives for living. He makes if pretty clear, by saying:

Don’t live as unwise, but as wise. In other words, examine how you are living: Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16 It’s funny how many Christians never take a spiritual examination. But that’s really the thought behind the command to “be very careful how you live.” The idea is to give yourself a spiritual check-up. Here he gives the criteria for making such an evaluation. Ask yourself: Am I living as unwise or as wise? Let’s start with the unwise:

Unwise people allow worldly patterns to shape their lives. One such pattern that shapes the unwise, is measuring yourself according to your performance. The problem with this pattern is that you will never be good enough. And you go through life always comparing yourself with how other people are living, with their success, with their possessions and with their pleasures. When you measure your life in this way, these worldly comparisons never satisfy you. Instead, they fuel you with feelings of guilt, fear, shame, or anxiety.

In fact, when you measure your life in comparison with world’s patterns, you often find yourself feeing inferior, frustrated or even angry. When that happens, your sinful nature begins to influence your motives. You become envious of what others have. Or you end up working so hard that you find yourself back on the performance treadmill: Always having to prove yourself, always working to gain more for yourself, or working harder to give yourself a better life. But Paul calls this way of living unwise. So, If we are to live differently, we need to compare this way of life with how the wise live. So then, the question we must answer is this: How do wise people live?

Paul tells us: Wise people redeem the time. Wise people see time as a gift of God, not as something to be wasted. They know that the days are evil. Having been awakened by God’s mercy and grace, wise people choose to redeem the time for God and His purposes. In other words: Wise people live with a sense of urgency to redeem the time God has given them. They don’t see time as something to fritter away with work and fill with trivial pursuits. Instead, they start seeing every activity, every relationship, every decision as an opportunity to shine the light of Christ.

For example, here at the Ranch, you can still do the things you love: hiking, golfing, playing pickle ball, mahjong… you name it. But wise people see a different purpose in the time they’ve been given. O, you can still enjoy your activities. But now those activities become opportunities to reveal Jesus through your life. So, whether it’s pickle ball or golf, or hiking, Wise people reveal a new way of living. Wise people reveal a humility rarely seen in the world. They look for opportunities to sow seeds of grace and mercy. Wise people are quick to forgive and are eager to walk in the love of Christ. Wise people seize the day! They don’t live carelessly. And they’re always looking for opportunities to shine for Jesus.

So, let me encourage you to live not as unwise but as wise, so that how you live will stand out as different from the world. Jesus doesn’t want you to blend int. He wants you to stand out as holy, like Him. and shine the light of Jesus. That’s the first way God would have you live differently today. Now, let’s look now at the second contrast:

2. Don’t be foolish, but understand God’s will Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Ephesians 5:17 This just doesn’t happen by chance. We don’t come to faith and then just magically grasp all the ways God has intended for us to live. So, Paul tells us:

Don’t be foolish: The Bible describes a fool in this way: The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. Psalm 14:1 Notice, the fool is basically a practicing atheist. He ignores God. He doesn’t want to listen to God or learn from God. This is not good. Here are some of the descriptions of a fool from Proverbs: A fool is unteachable; he only delights in sharing his own opinions (18:2). A fool utters slander (10:18-19), proclaims folly (12:23). A fool answers before he hears the whole question (18:13). A fool’s frustrations are
known immediately, and he vents his emotions without restraint (29:11). A fool returns to his foolishness continually (26:11). And a fool loves his folly (10:23); and so on. So, don’t be foolish. But seek God’s will.

Seek God’s will: That’s the point of the Lord’s prayer: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9 Understanding God’s Will begins in the heart. To live differently you need a teachable Spirit. You’ve got to want what God wants for your life. And once you want what He wants, then the next part is easy: You’ll be ready to Be transformed by God’s will As God’s Word says: Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Seek God’s will. Open your Bible and let His Word transform your life. Make coming to worship a regular routine so you can hear God’s will. Join a Journey Group so you can work out living God’s will with others. Study His Word so God’s Spirit can renew your
mind. Remember, your mind is a spiritual battleground today. Our enemy the devil doesn’t want you to use your head. He wants you to follow your feelings. He wants you to be controlled by your cravings. His goal is to keep you from seeking God’s will, and living God’s will. If he can get you to do that, then he’ll get you to live as if there is no God, and your way of life will be no different from the world. So, remember His
command: Do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is. Let God transform your life, so your life will reflect the life of Christ. That’s the second way God calls us to live differently today. Now let’s look at the third contrast:

3. Don’t Get Drunk But Be Filled With the Spirit Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18-19 Now, you may be wondering where this command comes from. It seems like it comes out of the blue. However, everyone in Ephesus knew what Paul was talking about when he said, “Do not get drunk on wine.”

Getting drunk on wine was what you did if you participated in the pagan worship of Dionysus. Those who worshiped Dionysus believed that the drunker you got, the more you gave control of your life to Dionysus. Once you lost control, Dionysus would then give you special powers and abilities. So, this command takes dead aim at this foolish
practice of losing control to the influence of alcohol. Today, you could apply this to any substance that causes you to lose control. So, the point Paul is making here is this: Don’t allow any worldly substances to control you!

What other are some other worldly substances that seek to control us today? Our culture is saturated with all kinds of substances that can control our minds and bodies: Opioids like morphine, oxycodone, heroin. Sedatives like valium, Xanax or Ativan.Depressants like marijuana or sleeping pills. Stimulants like cocaine, caffeine, or meth.
Any of these substances can control you, corrupt you and destroy you.

But there are a bevy of other worldly influences that can control you as well: Here are some influences trying control your thinking, your behavior, your choices: Instagram and You Tube are full of people who are trying to influence how you live. Marketers play on your desires to acquire possessions and build wealth. And Politicians want you to think like them. Everyone has a way of life they want you to embrace.

So, the point Paul is making here – Do not let them! Don’t put yourself in a place where you are being controlled by alcohol, drugs, possessions, the pursuit of wealth, the power of influencers, or politicians. Instead, let there be one controlling influence in your life! Allow God’s Spirit to control you! Be filled by the Spirit!

Let me break this down for us. First, this is a command to be obeyed. Being filled by the Spirit doesn’t happen just because you want it to happen. And being filled by the Spirit doesn’t happen simply because you ask God to make it happen. Being filled with the Spirit simply does not work that way. It’s a command God calls you to obey.

How does that work? Allow me to teach you something about Greek grammar for a moment. The grammar of this command is passive. What that means is that being filled by the Spirit is not something we do, but something that we allow to be done to us. The filling is entirely the work of the Spirit, but He works only through our willing submission. Our part is to surrender to His control; to yield to His influence; allow Him to permeate your heart, your mind, your will, so that He can begin to control your thoughts, your conversations, your worship, your attitudes, and your relationships.

Let me give you an image to help grasp this reality: The Christian who is filled with the Holy Spirit can be compared to a glove. Until the glove is filled by a hand, it is useless. It’s designed to do work, but it can do no work by itself. It works only as the hand controls and uses it. This is similar to what Jesus said to his disciples in John 15. He said, “Apart from me, you can do nothing.” John 15:5 The reason he said that, was that He was teaching His followers how to depend on the Holy Spirit. In other words, We need to let the Holy Spirit to be the controlling influence behind every thought, every act, every choice we make in life. But it is up to you to allow His thoughts to guide your thoughts; His ways to become your ways; His desires become your desires.

One way to picture this is to think of The Fizzy Principle. Fizzies were popular in the early 70’s. They resembled Alka Seltzer tablets and were used to make different flavored soft drinks. You dropped the fizzy in the water and it transformed it into a flavored drink. For instance, a grape fizzy produced a grape soda. The idea then, is that when you allow the Holy Spirit to fill you, you are allowing Him to flavor your conversations, to guide your actions and influence your attitudes – so that your life takes on the flavor of God. But surrender is the key. And the more you allow the Spirit to fill your thoughts, attitudes and actions, the more He will influence how you live. The more you will become a holy one who stands apart as different in our world today.

In fact, that’s how Paul concludes this teaching. He now spells out for us The Evidence of the Spirit’s Influence in your life. Four ways the Holy Spirit can influence your life: First, in your conversations: speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. In other words, when you are filled by the Holy Spirit your conversations become less about your desires, and more about His. There will be no discontent in your conversations, no despair over current affairs. And you won’t be filled with complaints and criticisms, but praise and hope.

Next, in your worship: Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, When you are filled by the Spirit, the disposition of your heart changes. There’ll be a new song in your heart. You will see the beauty of the Lord in every area of your life, and He will fill you with joy. Joy will begin to dominate your heart because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of joy! You won’t just praise God on Sunday; you’ll make music in your heart to the Lord every day.

Thirdly, in your attitudes: always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Being filled by the Spirit produces a thankful heart. When you’re under the influence of the Spirit, you won’t have to think of things to be thankful for – you’ll simply live with an attitude of gratitude. Everything in your life will take on new meaning… as all of it will be seen as a gift from God. And things that previously frustrated you, worried you, and stressed you out, will start to lose their grip on you. That’s what happens when you let the Spirit fill you. You’ll become different than the world, because you won’t be a slave to its circumstances any longer. You’ll just be thankful to be alive and to know that you are loved!

And finally, as you are being filled by the Spirit, you will see His influence… in your relationships: Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. When you are under the influence of the Spirit, the Spirit will enable you to do what is not natural, namely love difficult people. Love ungodly people. And love the unlovable. You’ll grow in humility and gentleness with your brothers and sisters. He will give you the patience to endure those who rub you the wrong way. You’ll see your brothers and sisters in Christ as people to serve and love, because that’s how Jesus sees you.

That’s the power of the Holy Spirit. When you surrender to the Holy Spirit’s influence in your life, He will influence your conversations, how you worship, all your attitudes and especially your relationships. He will make you different. For as He fills you, you will become holy, like Him. And that will make you so unlike those around you, that people will notice that there is something definitely different about you.

You see, we are not to be like the rest of the world who are controlled by their flesh. We are not to be controlled by our feelings, our circumstances, drugs or alcohol, the media, politics, or any other outside influences. We are to be filled by the Spirit, so that the way we live is uniquely different from the way of the world. And when you allow Him to fill you, you won’t just be different, you’ll be a blessing.

There you have it. God wants you to live a life that is unique, that is different, that resembles Him. So then,

Don’t live as unwise, but as wise.
Don’t be foolish but understand God’s will.
Don’t get drunk on wine, but be filled by the Spirit

For then, you won’t just be different, you will make a difference with the way you are living for Him! And God might just use that difference to draw others to Jesus.