Ephesians 5:18 "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;"
My husband pointed out a truth I've never thought about before while preaching this past Sunday.
It's a sin to be drunk with wine yet we don't see it as sin to not be filled with the Spirit. If it is a sin for the one then it is just as much sin for the other. We have no problem seeing it as sin to be drunk with wine. That stands to reason. But we need to realize that God commands us to be filled with the Spirit. If we are not filled with the Spirit then it is just as much a sin as it is to be drunk with wine.
The problem is not many are filled with the Spirit...yet we don't see it as sin if we're not. God commands us in His Word to be Spirit-filled. A lot of people know that God commands it. If this is so then why aren't we? Are we even asking to be filled?
We need to ask for things according to God's will and believing that He will do for us what we are asking. We know it's God's will to be filled. So to ask for Him to fill us is according to His will. If you are praying asking Him to fill you...do you believe that He will do it for you? If you doubt He will then you are not praying believing.
The problem with a lot of us is that we're not fit for it. In a lot of our lives we have something that prevents us from being filled. Another problem is that we don't want to pay the price it takes to have it. We have to be willing to forsake some things in our lives. We need to separate from some people and places in our lives also. If we're not willing to do these things then we won't be Spirit-filled.
We have got to be willing to put away those things that are hindrances in our lives and surrender totally to Him!! We need to be totally sold out to God.
Do you want to be Spirit-filled? Are you willing to do what it takes to get it? It comes through prayer!! Not just a few minutes a day in prayer either. James 5:16 "...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." The requirements for this and any prayer we pray is to make sure we're right with God and we must pray with earnest. We cannot pray light-hearted and expect God to do for us what we're asking.
Maybe you're saying to yourself that you are Spirit-filled. You better be careful. A person knows they are Spirit-filled if there is evidence of conversions in their life. By this I mean that souls are being saved as a result of your witness and your life. Is this true in your life? If not then you're not Spirit-filled. If you're not Spirit-filled....you're in sin. We must confess it as sin and begin praying for it....with all our hearts!!
What a change we could make in our homes, churches, communities and our nation if we had more Spirit-filled Christians.
6 comments:
Mrs Julie I agree with you, the Lord showed me that it was a sin on Sunday in Sunday School and then preacher mention that night. I believe the Lord was trying to tell those that attended both services that he expects us to be spirit-filled. I am not going to say I am because I know that I am not. I desire to be, but I also know that it costs something and even though with my mind I want that I am not sure in my heart if that is what I want. I hope you know what I mean. I just think it is amazing that God used it twice on Sunday. Well have a good day. And by the way very good post.
Bro Tim
You are so right it is hard to find many christians that are Spirit-Filled today.
Such a Shame.
Lord Bless.
Ah HA! Amen, awesome post, Sis Julie! Good food for thought. Did I say that right?
~Kristi
Sis. Julie, I have a question regarding this statement:
"A person knows they are Spirit-filled if there is evidence of conversions in their life. By this I mean that souls are being saved as a result of your witness and your life. Is this true in your life? If not then you're not Spirit-filled. If you're not Spirit-filled....you're in sin."
While I completely agree that we as Christians need to have a heart for the lost, I don't understand how, Scripturally, this is the primary evidence of being filled with the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is found in Galatians 5:22 & 23.
"Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh?" (Gal. 3:3)
Brittleigh...thank you for commenting and asking your question. As you will notice in my statement...I said "there is evidence of conversions in their life". I did not say that this was a fruit. You are right about the fruit of the Spirit being listed in Galatians 5:22-23. But once we are filled with the Spirit we will possess those fruit and the evidence that will show forth from our lives as a result of being filled with the Spirit will be souls being saved as a result of our witness of sharing the gospel and those fruit being evident in our lives. We will possess those fruit and they will testify that we are filled but the evidence of being filled is the converting of souls.
I hope this answers or clears up any questions you have on this.
Thanks for your kind response, Sis. Julie!
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