Family

Under Our Roof: How To Be A Spirit-Filled Family

Ephesians 5:15–21 NASB95

15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

A family will not be Spirit-Filled until they know who they are in Christ and what He has done on the Cross…this can only be learned through Scripture.

“Being Spirit-Filled starts with being Scripture-Saturated.” -John MacArthur

1. A Spirit-Filled family makes the most of their time.

Ephesians 5:15–18 NASB95

15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

Main Point: A spirit-filled family is a wise steward of their time. The days are evil with a lot of distractions that will pull you from God’s will. Addictions along with other meaningless distractions will surely derail your family.

Distractions are the destruction of your family, but in slow motion.

Walk wisely

Living in reality

Avoid foolishness

Be separate

Discern God’s will

Beware addictions

Jesus didn’t die on the cross so that we could live a foolish self-centered life.

Debauchery

Self-pleasure to escape an evil world

“Tough day at work”

Rooted in paganism and idol worship

People use alcohol as the springboard into further and more heinous.

Psalm 90:12 NASB95

12 So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.

You can’t walk in the wisdom of God and lay down in the sin of laziness.

1 Timothy 5:13 NASB95

13 At the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention.

“One of the great uses for Twitter and Facebook will be to prove at the Last Day that our prayerlessness was not for a lack of time.” -John Piper

2 Thessalonians 3:10–11 NASB95

10 For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. 11 For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.

We are only in God’s Family because of Jesus’ faithfulness on the Cross.

How did Jesus make the most of His time here on Earth? His face was set towards the Cross, to do God’s Will for God’s Family!

If we don’t make the most of our time by remembering the Cross, we will fail to do God’s Will for our family!

2. A Spirit-Filled family worships together.

Ephesians 5:19–20 NASB95

19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

Main Point: Family worship is essential to the family’s well being. Scripture and singing to the Lord with thanksgiving in your heart ensures you are spirit-filled, being led by Him. You can’t know the will of the Father apart from the Word of the Father.

Family Worship is glorifying God by enjoying Him together.

We bring our families to church to learn reverence for the Word, to rejoice in song, and to relate to God in prayer, but remember, the Bible says that all of this should start at home.

God’s word

Sing to the Lord

Return thanks

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 NASB95

4 “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! 5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Many will take family advice from Dr. Phil while letting their kids idolize somebody like Dr. Dre, and then only worship the Great Physician on Easter and Christmas!

You are teaching your kids how to FAKE THEIR WORSHIP and FORGET the Cross!

3. A Spirit-Filled family willingly serves one another.

Ephesians 5:21 NASB95

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

“It is impossible to serve God without serving one another.” -Alistar Begg

Main Point: Finally, a spirit-filled family is humble, caring and kind toward one another. They will seek to honor one another and give preference to them. They love what is good for one another.

Submit to one another

Fear Christ

Ecclesiastes 5:7 NASB95

7 For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God.

Sometimes our dreams can destroy our devotion to our family.

Family members may have healthy dreams and goals, but not all family members have a healthy fear of God.

In order for you to serve your family, you will have to say no to some good things, so your family can say yes to Godly things.

Romans 12:10–11 NASB95

10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

You will never serve those in your family if you don’t first see them as people Jesus died for.

At the Cross Jesus perfectly served us by first serving the Father in perfect obedience.

The key to serving your family is to remember how Jesus served you at the Cross.