VBBC 19 January, 2025 Ephesians 5:18-21
Be filled with the Spirit
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Illustrate asking for more – Oliver by Charles Dickens
“Please sir, I want some more. The master aimed a blow at Oliver’s head with the ladle”
I am thankful that when we make a request of God, He does not “upbraid” us, but in grace bestows on us that which will be a help to us!
In the verses leading up to verse 18 in chapter five, which I encourage you to read at home, we learn of Prohibitions, Proving, and Praises, God giving us His Word that we should –
- 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 learn that now being warned, asking ourselves if being popular with the world is more important to us than pleasing God, we should –
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 be different and through that, make a difference in this world – be light in the darkness. Often, our first reaction is the same at Peter’s when he was warming himself by the fire “Don’t look at me!” We say “I am not perfect and I do not want people to see my imperfections”.
I do not want people to see my imperfections either, but instead of making excuses, I should at least try to be perfect – for Him”!
I know I will never be perfect, but I can at least try to be better than I have been! Golfing illustration.
Help people to see that there is hope in this life and that the only 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
Submission involves that we –
- Pursue after His will –
Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
- Reject the desires of the flesh- the pursuit of evil.
God revealed three thousand years ago that man without God cannot reject the desires of the flesh –
Proverbs 23:29-35 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
Also we must remember that there will be no excuses –
Deuteronomy 29:18-19 Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:
Only those who have come to God in faith through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ are able to reject the pursuit of evil, and being able to, we should. In contrast to being controlled by the evil of this world, we should –
- Receive the blessings of being indwelt by the Holy Spirit and
the fulness He gives. “…but be filled with the Spirit.”
In the pursuit of His will, we should –
2. Praise Him for His presence –
Ephesians 5:18b-20 “…but be filled with the Spirit….”
Praise come because of the blessings of being filled –
Would you rather be part full or filled? Illustrate
Lady in Wyoming going to meet husband where he worked in another state. While getting gas, she saw a tornado. “Fill’er up”! she said.
We have through Him –
a. 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 –
b. Liberty
2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
c. 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.
d. 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.
e. 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.
f. 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.
g. 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.
h. 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:
The boldness to stand before one or one thousand in His power.
i. 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.
j. Fellowship
Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh!
“…be filled with Spirit.”
Oliver said “…please…..may I have more?” That lady in Wyoming saw that she had a need, an immediate need and she said “fill’er up”! Oliver did not want just one bowl, and she did not want to be half full a time of need. Do you want to know more about your –
Security
Liberty
Truth
Understanding
Conviction
Prayer
Direction
Boldness
Testimony
Or Fellowship
All which the Holy Spirit bestows through being indwelt at the time of salvation.
Are you hungry for more?
Are you tired of only having enough?
Do you want to be only partially full or completely prepared?
Tonight, will you come to the altar of God and say please Lord, I empty myself of myself before you and ask you to fill me up.
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Sjbjburke's Blog 