Under the influence

Under the Influence: Ephesians 5:15-21

5:15

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise,

5:16

making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

5:17

So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

5:18

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

5:19

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

5:20

always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

5:21

and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

Do you want your life to be productive and fruitful? Do you want to exercise your gift to its fullest potential? Do you want the joy of the Lord in your life? In order to have that you must be filled with the Holy Spirit. In this exposition I will try to communicate what I know of the Biblical view of this issue. As always- test it with the scriptures

At Ephesians 5:15 we come to the final description of the Christian’s walk. This section continues through chapter 6, verse 9. In Ephesians 4:1-16, Paul calls us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. In 4:17-32 Paul calls us to walk in a way that differs dramatically from our walk as Gentile pagans. In 5:1-6 Paul urges us to walk in love, while in 5:7-14 we are instructed to walk as children of light. Finally, in 5:15–6:9 we are called upon to walk as those who are wise.

So in verses 1-14 of Ephesians 5, Paul has also told us to be imitators (mimics) of God in verse 1 and recounted the problems of sin in verse 11. He tells us not to participate in them. The Bible tells us that there are two kinds of people in the world, and all of us fall into one of these categories.:

1. the unwise- they are under the influence of the world and end up wasting their lives

2. The wise- filled with the Holy Spirit, they are under His influence. They walk in it- life is fruitful, productive, joyous, victorious. Sure- they have heartaches and burdens too- but their life is characterized by overall contentment and fulfillment.

In the New Testament there are 14 references to being filled with the Holy Spirit. In verse 15 Paul is saying that wise people are filled with the Spirit and unwise ones are influenced by other things in their lives hat cause them to waste their lives.

In verse 16 Paul speaks of time.

Perhaps the most sought-after but elusive possession of our times is "time for everything." The film industry focused on this dilemma in a comedy about a harried man who is cloned so he can fulfill his roles as father, construction foreman, and husband. While pop culture proclaims that people can juggle multiple roles if they just manage them well enough, it takes more than cellular phones and pagers to pull it off in real life.

Ephesians 5:15-16 has been called the Bible's key to time management. But "redeeming the time" goes far beyond being efficient. It's a wonderful phrase that can also be translated "making the most of every opportunity." It suggests an attitude toward living that sees every situation as the perfect occasion to do God's will and influence others for Him. During these evil days, we are to live out the goodness God has placed in us through faith in Christ.

The idea here is not clock time but what one writer calls “kingdom opportunities,” those openings for ministry that often come at inconvenient times; a friend who wants to talk, a child with a problem, the chance to lend a hand to someone in need. Paul is encouraging us to keep our lives uncluttered so that we can respond when the need arises—because kingdom opportunities can get squeezed out of an overly tight schedule.

Then Paul moves to the focal of the passage warning us not to be foolish in verse 17.

Let's look at what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit, our Masterlife topic this next two weeks , and the context of our memory verse.

5:18

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

Paul sets up this contrast- for in the early church, Christians who were in the Spirit were accused by onlookers as being drunk. Peter told one group of accusers that it was too early in the day for that ! So the contrast of the wise and foolish obtains here.

I have yet to hear of a drunk who was considered wise in the midst of his drunkenness. A drunk makes a fool of himself. A drunk does not make wise use of his money, his time, or of his body when under the control of alcohol. He may gather together with others. He may even join with them in music, but it will not be for true worship. It will not result in the edification of others, or in the glorification of Christ.

Sometimes we believers put being filled and being indwelt or being baptized in the Holy Spirit in synonymous terms. They are not quite so.

Let us look at this in the light of two things:

1. The command itself

3. The requirements

What the command means

Notice in the passage in verse 18 fill means to pervade, to saturate or to fill up- but it also means to control and dominate. The Bible speaks of this as bringing every aspect of our being into submission to the Holy Spirit whereby He is in control of our life. Now remember- every single believer is indwelt by this same Holy Spirit at salvation- we have already received the Spirit. But we are not necessarily always filled with the Spirit!

We are indwelt and sealed, but not ncessarily filled- it's not like we sometimes think of emptying and filling something- we don't just empty our lives and then God pours in His Spirit- though you hear that a lot in Christian circles. Look at John 16- Jesus refers there to Pentecost- the indwelling was not, apparently wherein all sufficiency lies?

I do not characterize the filling of the Holy Spirit as a second work of the Spirit in the life of the believer. I believe it is a part of the ongoing process of knowing and understanding the rights and privileges of the life in Christ. Let's put it this way: Did anyone sit down with you and explain what happened to you the day you were saved? Did anyone say:

1.You have trusted Jesus as your Savior

2. You've been forgiven of all your sins

3. You have been justified- in God's eyes you have been declared no longer guilty by Him

4. You have been redeemed- purchased from an old life of sin and are now a possession of Almighty God

5. You have been reconciled- brought back into a right relationship with God

6. You have been sealed by the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption.

7. You have become a new creation In Him- You're been born again from above.

8. Your name has been written in the Lamb's book of Life. Now the Holy Spirit who indwells you is willing to fill you- if you are willing to yield every aspect of your life to Him.

Did you understand all this? Yet they were all true! As an eleven year old new believer I certainly didn't. Most of us don't have that kind of understanding- so what are we to do? Do we struggle most our life with one defeat after another wondering "God- isn't there more to the Christian life than this?" If we understand early on what it means to be filled with the Spirit, we won't have to live our lives in dissipation or waste any portion of our life. Just as with many other areas of the christian life, the aspect of being filled is one we understand relationally, and that relationship has to grow over time. So does our understanding. One might protest that in acts, this happenned suddenly- but I would remind them that even at these times the filling came to men and women who had had a relationship with Jesus on earth or who had a relationship with others who did.

When Paul says "Be filled with the Spirit" he is saying for us to submit to this one who indwells us. The word for "be filled" is plerousthe. A look at the grammar Paul is using here can be instructive

Mood	Imperative, a command
Tense	Present-denoting continuous action, not a once for all event
Voice	Passive-allow it to be done to us
Number	Plural-applies to all believers

Paul tells us that we are to be filled- literally the Greek says "be being filled" denoting a continuous action, and it is something we participate in. Many things happen once and for all in the Christian life but the filling of the Holy Spirit happens continuously and on an ongoing basis. As cracked vessels, we need to continue to have the Spirit flow into us. While we cannot lose our salvation, our appropriation of the reality of it waxes and wanes if we are not diligently pursuing God.

We see from other scriptures that the filling of the Spirit is not synonymous with His indwelling. In Acts 2 all were filled. Then we see in 4:31 the same crowd was filled again. This filling relates to the Holy Spirit's control of our life. He indwells us to seal us and fills us to control us. The Holy Spirit will only control us if we so choose. I personally believe that demonic possession is somewhat like this- the person possessed seemingly has cooperated willfully in exposing themselves to the possibility of that possession. We decide who to let have the dominion of our life. The world (Satan's dominion) will gladly do so- so will the flesh (our old ways and habits) and the devil (You know him.)

His purpose in filling us is that it is essential to:

1. The life He calls us to

2. The work He calls us to

In Luke 24 10, from one of the passages you must read in Masterlife this week, it says "And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

This is spoken to witnesses of the greatest even in history- the resurrection- they had seen it all- they had heard the words of God Himself- yet they were not ready for the work to come- they needed power from on high!

So I repeat, His purpose in filling us is that it is essential to the life He calls us to and the work He calls us to.

God sees the life of a believer as a supernatural life, and so should we. God gives this life power and that is a good thing- for we have a supernatural enemy. While Satan is not omnipotent, he is still wily and powerful.

When you think about the Christian life- the NORMAL Christian life is not about going to church, reading your Bible and praying. It is about living life in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit- only then are you able to face life victoriously. Remember when the Holy Spirit came upon Bezaleel- the man who designed and built most of the tabernacle furnishings? We often think of "Spirit- filled preachers" or music leaders, or missionaries- but that limitation did not come from God. The Holy Spirit is not for a few good men or a select group of people whom God has called to some religious work. The Command is for every believer- no matter your calling. You are responsible to be filled, wherever you work, whatever you do- you must have God in on what you are doing!

So if this is what it means to be filled by the Spirit,(the command), what are the requirements TO BE filled?

1. Obviously, this can only happen in the life of the believer.That is prerequisite. But more than that- the one being filled must desire it. What is it you desire most? If God were to say to you- I am going to give you anything you ask for- just one thing and you can have it- what would you ask for? Would it be physical, spiritual, emotional? One reason men and women are not filled with the Spirit is that they have too little desire. Here is a principle I think applies here: Every person is a full of the Spirit as he desires to be.

One reason for this is that we seek earthly pursuits instead of the Kingdom and doing so we miss out on what counts most in life. Do you have a craving, an obsession for Christ? Do you want to know His ways, His person above all else. And how He operates? Who is this God, this Christ? Why does he work in MY life? What is his plan and purpose for me and our relationship? What is my potential IN Christ?

If these are the things we are focussing on, if we are really hungering and thirsting after Him, we shall be filled, as the deer pants after the water brook. If we seek this first, God says all else will be taken care of- fretting and fuming over what you do not have is a sure sign your mind is set on IT and not HIM! Learn this: The only thing that ultimately matters is Knowing God and his will - all else will turn to ash- it is wood hay and stubble.

What is the motivation for the desire to be filled?

A.It could be to know Him, to be closer to Him, to love Him, to understand Him, to walk with Him, to recognize the intimacy possible with Him.

B. Others might recognize the lack of something in their life in a time of brutal honesty. They would rightly understand this as living beneath their privilege- in desperation they forsake all. The word FAITH has rightly been described as "Forsaking All I Trust Him".

C. Others come to a place where they see the work they have before them and realize their insufficiency for the task. When you feel totally inadequate, that drives one to be filled by the Holy Spirit.

D. Genuine love and devotion to God may not be the true motivation one has for desiring to be Spirit Filled- God will not honor this motivation. One who knows they need something and come seeking power for its own sake out of a desire to assuage their fear will be left with their despair. In seeking the gift rather than the giver, you will not be filled. However this fear CAN lead one to honestly cast himself on God alone and the fear and trembling will be sanctified as we see in 1 Corinthians 2 where despite fear and trembling, he spoke the truth so they would see a demonstration of the power of God to His glory!

In John 7:37-39 Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit:

"Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.' " But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet

In verse 37 the tense of the verbs literally read "let him keep coming to me and let him keep drinking." Note that this living water flows- it is meant to flow out from you- a life that becomes life for others who are thirsty. What you desire most should be that which only God can give you! This keys well with the last part of the passage in Ephesians, as we shall see later.

2.The second requirement: Cleansing

We are not speaking of sinless perfection: but all known sin must be dealt with- If confession , repentance and restitution are in order, they must be pursued. .Sanctification is not ONLY being set apart BY God FOR God, it is also beings set apart from sin. A life of obedience, not tolerating or rationalizing sin, excusing ourselves as being "only human". In a real sense, the Spirit Filled man is a supernatural creature!

Ephesians 4:30 says for us NOT to grieve the Holy Spirit. I want you to understand that if the Holy Spirit is in us- are we not to be grieved as well by our sin? If you willingly sin and feel no remorse or grief- you need to ask yourself- "Am I truly saved?" the presence of the Holy Spirit is a sin detector in our life. One of His works in the world is to convict us of sin, righteousness and judgment. Another purpose is to lead us into all truth, as well as giving us discernment.

I Thessalonians 5:19 tells us not the quench the Spirit. We do this when we say "No" to God's prompting. So we must learn to listen to God and we do this through His Spirit bearing witness to our spirit through the Word of God and the life of Christ. If you are quenching the Spirit you cannot be filled. What is the Spirit saying to you? Is he telling you to give, to teach, to witness, to visit, to meet a need? Don't say "No".

We, like a willful child, like to argue with God. God knows the answers to all your arguments. Repentance brings the fullness of the Spirit.

3.Thirdly, there must be a yielding. Am I willing? Or do I want to run the show? "I don't care what you say anymore this is my life- go ahead with your own life, leave me alone" is the words to the Billy Joel son- but do we think this in our hearts? Even when God gives us the gift of self control, even that is Spirit yielded, under the influence control, so to speak. Do not presume to try to hold on to any area of your life- you are not your own, you were bought with a price. If you balk at what God is telling you, you cannot be Spirit Filled.

Romans 6: 16 tells us :

Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?

This tells us that based on our presentation of ourselves in obedience, we position ourselves for fullness- either of life or of death. This informs our thoughts and desires in all areas of life- family, finances, goals dreams, desires- all are to be placed on the altar of living sacrifice.

4.Fourthly, we must ASK Him to fill us!- this is the inevitable result of desire.

5. Lastly- and this is most difficult, and requires dependence on the Spirit as well- we must believe, based on His sure promise, that he will do what He has said he would do!

The rest of the passage tells us what will characterize us as believers who are filled. The results , again, carry over into the rest of the book. This is reminiscent of Jesus's words about the living water.

A. Manifestation- He fills us with gifts for service

B. Fellowship- Speak to one another

C. Gratitude- Singing and making melody**

D. Submission- Be subject to one another

**As a little side road from verse 19, what characterizes Spirit-filled church in the area of its music is not that they manifest any particular Spiritual gift, or that they use a particular type or style of music in their worship, but that their music is understood as communication both with their fellow-believers and with God. The words which are sung are true to Biblical doctrine, indeed, the expression of that doctrine. The “spirituality” of our singing and worship is not how we feel as we sing, but whether or not others are edified and God is glorified. The emphasis is not on us, on our feelings, or on our fulfillment, but on God. We should speak to others about God. We should admonish others not to be disobedient to Him. We should speak with great thanksgiving to God, giving Him praise and glory through Christ. We should do this in a spirit of submission, seeking to edify the whole body, not to force an agenda.

Spirit-filling is not evident in careless, thoughtless, structure-less spontaneity, but in godly wisdom and in orderliness. It is not seen in those who exalt themselves (even by means of actions and words which seem spiritual), but by submitting ourselves to doing that which edifies and builds up our brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us be careful, then, about judging the Spirit’s filling by standards which are worldly or fleshly, rather than in accordance with God’s Word.