The Holy Spirit: The Filling Of The Spirit (Part 6)

Review

Turn to Ephesians 5:18-21.

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The characteristics of being filled

What does the Bible indicate are the characteristics of being controlled by the Spirit? They are found in verses 19-21.

Read Ephesians 5:18-21.

Quick review: what are the five characteristics?

Let’s start listing them beginning in verse 19:

Speaking to yourselves in psalm and hymns and spiritual songs

Singing in your heart to the Lord

Making melody in your heart to the Lord

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

Submitting yourselves one to the another in the fear of God

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Speaking to yourselves…

Singing in your heart…

Making melody in your heart…

Giving thanks always…

Submitting yourselves one to another…

Each of these five characteristics further clarify the idea of being filled.

Continue here on Wednesday, 6/19/24

Let’s study each of these in order:

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Speaking to yourselves in psalm and hymns and spiritual songs

Speaking: this is the normal Greek word meaning to speak aloud or to make yourself heard.

Its in the active voice, in other words, it’s an action that we actively do or participate in, and in context, it’s something we actively do to ourselves. It begins in the mind and is manifested by our mouth.

Here Paul indicates that someone who is controlled by the Spirit will consistently voice to themselves or remind themselves of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

Psalms: refers to the Old Testament psalms

Hymns: praises composed by Christians

Spiritual songs: a general term

Harold W. Hoehner, “Ephesians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 640.

The Spirit of God specializes in helping us to remember truth and to think on truth. That’s His job!

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.

What does this look like in day to day life? When controlled by the Spirit, a Christian will actively remind themselves of biblical truth and of their God. Often, this happens through song.

Application: Beware of filling your mind and life with noise! The Holy Spirit - if we let Him - will control us and fill our minds and our mouths with words and songs about our God so that we actively remind ourselves of truth about Him!

Do we need that as we go about our day-to-day lives? Yes!

But if we are so busy about many things or if our lives are so full of noise, guess what will not happen: there will be no breathing room for the Spirit of God to remind us of spiritual truth.

The second and third characteristics of the Spirit-controlled believer are…

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Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord

I’ve combined these together because they are similar, but first I want you to see how these are different from the first characteristic.

Who is the speaking directed towards at the beginning of verse 19? toward ourselves/yourselves

Now who is the singing and making melody directed towards? to the Lord

Here’s one other contrast: speaking to yourselves may happen out loud, but the singing and making melody happens where? In your heart

What does this look like in day to day life? When controlled by the Spirit, a Christian will actively praise and worship the Lord in song.

The Spirit of God specializes in leading us to worship our God as we go about our day. That’s His job!

Application: God wants our thoughts to be directed towards Him. How far is God from your thoughts throughout the day?

The solution is not “go home and think about God more.”

The solution is to continually submit yourself to the Spirit so that He will control your thoughts.

Could it be that Elizabeth and Mary are an example of this?

Turn to and read Luke 1:41-49.

Application: One point is clear: The Spirit of God will move the believer to praise God. So a Spirit-filled Christian will be a praising Christian.

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Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

“Giving thanks” is active voice. It’s something that the subject is doing.

“Always” - is that natural or unnatural? To give thanks always - is that natural or is it spiritual? Spiritual.

“For all things” - what does that mean?

“unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” - so who should our thanks be directed towards? God, specifically, the Father

This will be characteristic of your life only if you are submitted to the control of the Spirit.

What does this look like in day to day life? When controlled by the Spirit, a Christian will choose to actively give thanks even when the circumstances don’t justify it.

Acts 16:25 KJV 1900

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Application: Giving thanks is not natural - particularly “always” and “for all things”. That is spiritual.

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Submitting yourselves one to the another in the fear of God

Submitting: to subject one’s self, to obey; to submit to one’s control; to yield to one’s admonition or advice

Notice that this is in the plural, like the rest of this passage is, indicating that this was intended for all of the Ephesians. This characteristic of the Spirit-filled Christian is written to all of us also.

Who are we to submit ourselves to? One to another

Now there is a phrase at the end of the verse that helps put all of this submission in perspective. What is that last phrase? In the fear of God.

The Spirit-filled Christian, in the fear of God, will choose to submit himself to other believers.

Again I ask: is that natural for us to do? Or is that spiritual for us to do? Spiritual.

If you want to be that kind of Christian you will have to submit yourself to the Spirit of God.

What does this look like in day to day life? When controlled by the Spirit, a Christian will choose to subject their own interests to the interests of others, their needs to the needs of others, their desires to the desires of others, and their will to the will of others.

Application: Before we ever talk about wives submitting to husbands, note this: submission to one another is for all believers.

Definition:

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Filling of the Spirit: the indwelling Spirit supernaturally controls the believer who continually submits to His control by faith. This control will be apparent over time as the believer is transformed to be more and more like Jesus.

Conclusion

Does your life indicate that you are a Spirit-filled Christian?

If not, it’s not the Spirit’s fault. He is ready and willing to do His job. If these five characteristics are not evident in your life, don’t try to go do them in your own strength. It won’t work. It might work for a little bit, but the flesh is weak and your efforts will run out. Don’t be discouraged if your life does not indicate that you are a Spirit-filled Christian.

As I have studied this subject, I have become more aware of when I am submitted to the Spirit and of when I am submitted to my flesh. I’ve become more sensitive of when my voice, my words, my actions, and my thoughts are of the flesh rather than of the Spirit. I’ve found I’ve had to ask for forgiveness more often - both of the Lord and of others.

If that’s you too, don’t be discouraged. Instead, make sure that you are in a right fellowship with God. Then make the choice and begin submitting yourself continually to the Spirit’s control and believe that He will control you like He has promised. As you continually submit, His presence and His control will manifest Himself in your changed life.