Spirit Filled Living (Part 2)

Last week we talked about Spirit-filled living. We ended by talking about how we can withdraw from our flesh or we can withdraw from what the Spirit deposits in our soul.

I was pretty blunt last week when I said, “if you’re not seeing this din your life it’s time to check your relationship with God. I need to clarify something here.

Someone just coming to Christ, or someone that hasn’t ever really grown in Christ, will have less of this outward expression than someone who has grown to maturity in Christ.

However, if that is you, it doesn’t give you an excuse for not seeing transformation happening in your life. You should be outwardly expressing God’s character more and more each day.

We’re going to continue that discussion this week in Ephesians 5:1-21. We’re going to discuss our walk in Christ.

Remember when Paul talks about walk he’s referencing the soul. He’s referencing moral character.

Spirit-filled living should transform our souls so much that we naturally exhibit three ways we walk in Christ.

Walk in Love

Walk in Light

Walk in Wisdom

Walk In Love

In verses One thru Seven Paul expresses how we are to walk in love.

Ephesians 5:1–7 NKJV

1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. 3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.

Children have a tendency to imitate their parents, right? They observe what we do, and they copy us.

I find it ironic that outside of the first words, usually momma and dadda, they start copying are the not so wonderful words.

They imitate our lewd behavior before they imitate our good behavior. They take on our character.

Paul just got done telling the Ephesians what a Spirit-filled life should look like.

“Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children.” That kind of raises the bar a bit, doesn’t it?

The Greek word translated “dear” means pertaining to one who is loved, the object of one’s affection. It is indicative of someone who is considered dearly loved.

We are dearly loved by our heavenly Father. We should spend enough time with Him that we imitate His character.

Our character should be love. The same love Christ has for us. Jesus said in Matt 5:48

Matthew 5:48 NKJV

48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Jesus is discussing how we are to love our enemies. How much more should we love other believers as Paul is telling us to do here.

We are to walk in love, that means every thought, motive, or action we take is guided by the principle, “be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Paul says, “here’s what that looks like” fornication, all uncleanness or covetousness should not even be named among you.

The Greek word translated named means to speak of something by mentioning the name of it. Not only are we not to participate in the immorality, we aren’t even supposed to speak about or even think about doing that.

This brings to mind what Jesus says in Matt 5:28

Matthew 5:28 NKJV

28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Neither should there be filthiness, foolish talking, nor course jesting. The Greek word translated filthiness means to act shamefully, indecent behavior, shameful deeds.

The Greek word translated foolish talking means talk that is both foolish and stupid. Now I don’t know about you, but there are times when words leave my mouth and I wish I could grab them back before they are heard.

My mind is saying that was a stupid thing to say.

The Greek word translated course jesting means involving vulgar expressions and indecent content. This involves verbal and physical communication.

You know like when someone cuts us off in traffic and we tell them how they are number one. The whole while cussing them out.

Instead we are to be giving thanks for all things in all situations. Instead of expressing how you think that person is number one and cussing them out. We should be thanking God that it didn’t cause a wreck.

It’s places like verse 5 that make you realize why Paul was so often attacked, beaten, and imprisoned. There’s absolutely no political tact here.

You know, no fornicator, unclean person, covetous man (which is idolatry) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. That should at least cause a little discomfort in your soul.

I know we will never be perfect this side of heaven. But if your moral character, your soul, isn’t transforming so you desire these things less, then you need to check your relationship with God.

Paul knows we aren’t perfect and he warns us to not be deceived with empty words.The Greek word translated empty means pertaining to being totally without purpose, in vain.

That doesn’t mean they don’t have a purpose. Satan has a purpose for those words. It means they are without God’s purpose.

Paul then says these things bring the wrath of God on those who are disobedient. So don’t be partakers with those who are disobedient.

If you truly have an experienced relationship with God. If you are being an imitator of the Father. If you are walking in love, then you won’t do these things.

But, imitating the Father, walking in love for each other isn’t enough. We must also walk in light.

Walk In Light

Paul says in verse 8.

Ephesians 5:8 NKJV

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

All of you know your house very well right? You know where all the furniture sits. All the obstacles you walk around, all the doors you walk through.

I’m pretty sure if you closed your eyes and thought about it, you could picture everything in your mind.

How comfortable are you walking around your house in the dark?

Now we have to take that one step further. Paul doesn’t just say we were in the dark. No, he says we were the darkness.

That means we couldn’t just turn on a light or have the sun’s light shine in your house. If we truly love God. If we have a transforming relationship with God.

Then we should be imitators of God, who is light, and walk as children of light. Remember when Paul uses the word walk it pertains to our moral, ethical behavior.

Paul further explains what a transformed soul looks like in verses 9 and 10.

Ephesians 5:9–10 NKJV

9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.

The fruit of the Spirit brings to mind Gal 5:22

Galatians 5:22 NKJV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

There’s a reason Paul starts of this passage with walk in love. I believe that love is the paramount, foundational fruit of the Spirit. Without love none of the rest joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness are even possible.

Our soul was once darkness. That means our very nature, our moral character, was completely immoral and selfish. Now, we are light in the Lord.

Now, in Christ, sealed by the Holy Spirit, our very nature, our moral character should conform to God’s character.

Paul doesn’t say now you know all that is right and true. No, he says, “finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.”

As the light shines into our lives, our souls, our character, we are to discern what is right and true. What is right and true is pleasing to God.

Our goal, our one and only desire, should be that every thought, word, motive, action, is the character of God.

Paul says in verses 11 and 12

Ephesians 5:11–12 NKJV

11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.

I believe there are a few things that are widely misinterpreted here. And those misinterpretations actually cause darkness in the church.

The first is “have no fellowship with,” often taken to mean don’t hang around with unbelievers. However, the Greek word translated “fellowship” means to have joint activity with, to participate in.

How often do Christians who won’t “hang around with” non-believers, actually hang out with and fellowship with other believers who are doing the exact same things as the non-believers?

We are not supposed to jointly work together with or participate in unfruitful works of darkness. Which leads to another misinterpretation.

“Expose them” is often used as an excuse to verbally bash non-believers about their sinful behaviors. How could Paul have that in mind when he just said a few verses earlier “you once were darkness.”

I believe Paul is actually talking partly about our own behavior, don’t participate in darkness. But also those who are doing things in secret, must be other believers.

Non-believers are darkness, thus their moral behavior will naturally be darkness. They don’t do it in secret. Only someone exposed to the light could behave in secret immoral behavior.

Verses 13 and 14 shed some light on how we are to actually apply this in our lives.

Ephesians 5:13–14 ESV

13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

How can darkness be exposed by the light? A person who is darkness or is walking in darkness has no light.

We must come along side them, not participating in their darkness, and let God’s light shine through us into their darkness. Let our light shine on their path so they see the ultimate ruin it brings.

I also want you to notice something. It says light exposes darkness and makes it visible. But it also says what becomes visible is light.

Those secret sins, those places in our souls we refuse to allow God into. When we let the light shine on them, confess them, and repent. Paul says they become light.

That doesn’t mean the shameful deeds themselves become okay to do. It means once we allow the light to shine on our shameful deeds and have true repentance.

That means we no longer participate in those deeds. We are free from the weight of those deeds. We can actually use those as part of our witness. We can use those to shine God’s light on other’s paths.

That is the beginning of how we walk in wisdom.

Walk In Wisdom

Ephesians 5:15–16 NKJV

15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

The Greek word translated “circumspectly” means carefully with both detail and completeness. And the Greek word translated “redeeming” means to take full advantage of every opportunity.

We are to carefully in complete detail take full advantage of every opportunity we are presented. Not foolishly, but with the wisdom of God.

All with the understanding that we are living in an evil age.

Ephesians 5:17 NKJV

17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

We are to have a close, experienced relationship with God. A relationship where we have learned to hear His voice. A relationship where when we hear His voice we are obedient to do His will.

Paul provides an example of being unwise that was a problem in society at that time and is very much a problem in today’s society.

Ephesians 5:18 NKJV

18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

Paul says drunkeness leads to a lack of concern about the consequences for one’s actions. Don’t get drunk and allow the wine to fill your soul with dark desires and a lack of concern of consequences for following those desires.

He contrasts that with be filled with the Spirit. If we are so close in our relationship with a triune God that the Spirit controls every part of our soul. Then we won’t have any desires to be drunk or follow dark desires.

Spirit filled living causes us to have love for each other and for God.

Ephesians 5:19–21 ESV

19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

We are to enjoy fellowship with each other. In that fellowship the Spirit brings an atmosphere of praise that doesn’t divide. Rather it brings us ever closer together.

We sing and make melody in our hearts to the Lord. Our hearts filled with the Spirit go out to God in joyful worship.

We give thanks always and for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And we submit to each other out of reverence for Christ. We submit to each other in full humility counting others more significant than ourselves.

Spirit filled living isn’t just letting the Spirit live in the attack of our souls. Spirit filled living is having the Spirit live in every nook and cranny of our souls.

It’s letting the Spirit open the closet and dig out every skeleton that resides there. We get there by spending our time with the Lord.

We bet there by spending time in prayer at the feet of the Father in the throne room. By spending time studying God’s word.

By spending time in fellowship with each other. By spending time engaging in service through our spiritual gifts.

By being the light on the path of someone walking in the dark.

We get Spirit filled by seeking and building an intimate relationship with God the Father.

We get Spirit filled when we begin to feel and experience the awesome power, mercy, and grace of the triune God.

Do you feel and experience God?

Are you Spirit filled so much your soul is transformed?