The Letter to the Ephesians    Message Twenty Four

XI.  Prohibitions, Proving, and Praises    Ephesians 5:3-21

We learned this past week that God gave us this Word that we should –

  A.  Be Warned of the dangers before us.   (Prohibitions)            The danger of –

    1.  Seeking the satisfaction of the flesh –

    2.  Seeking the attention of others-

    3.  Seeking to live as an unbeliever –

    4.  Seeking to be liked by those you are around each day –

We learned also that on the other hand, we are to  –

  B.  Be Wise   (Proving)   Ephesians 5:7-17   “…be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”

When we are wise and understanding what the will of the Lord is, we will –

    1.  Be different –

    2.  Be devoted –

    3.  Be discerning –

    4.  Be diligent –

Do we understand what we are being told?  We are to make a difference in this world – be light in the darkness.  Help people to see that there is hope in this life and that Hope is in God through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  We are to illuminate the world through Him. To accomplish this, we must –

  C.  Be Submitted   (Praise)    Ephesians 5:18-21

    1.  Pursue after His will –

Ephesians 5:18  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

      a.  Reject the desires of the flesh –

Today we continue this message with the knowledge that we must –

Reject the pursuit of evil and –

      b.  Receive the blessings of being indwelt by the Holy Spirit and the fulness He gives.  “…but be filled with the Spirit.”

    2.  Praise Him for His presence –

Ephesians 5:18b-20  “…but be filled with the Spirit….”

      a.  The benefits of being filled – 

Would you rather be part full or filled?  Illustrate

We have through Him –

        1).  Security

Ephesians 1:13-14  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Because of this security, we have –

        2).  Liberty

2 Corinthians 3:17  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

        3).  Truth

John 14:16-17  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 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.

        4).  Understanding

John 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

        5).  Conviction

John 16:7-11  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. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

        6).  Prayer

Romans 8:26  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

        7).  Direction

John 16:12-14  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

        8).  Boldness

1 Corinthians 2:4  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

        9).  Testimony 

2 Corinthians 3:3  Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

        10).  Fellowship

Romans 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: