DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT - THURSDAY: How To Maintain A Spirit-Filled Life!

"Do the Pentecostals look back with shame as they remember when they dwelt across the theological tracks, but with the glory of the Lord in their midst? When they had a normal church life, which meant nights of prayers, followed by signs and wonders, and diverse miracles, and genuine gifts of the Holy Ghost? When they were not clock watchers, and their meetings lasted for hours, saturated with holy power? Have we no tears for these memories, or shame that our children know nothing of such power?" - Leonard Ravenhill.
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Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. - Eph 5:15 -21.

You can’t beat the word of God when it comes to improving our walk with Christ, after all He is the master, He is lord, He is our Saviour and He is the font of all wisdom. There are so many self-help books on the market today, that it would make your head spin just trying to pronounce the titles, never mind the deceiving garbage within!

So if we Christians profess that the Bible is the answer to all life’s problems, why do we get caught up reading this self-help rubbish! See my post on this… ‘Is it a case of self-help or help self?’ I am one of those people who actually like to keep things simple, without getting into a debate about it.

I have said before and I will keep on saying it, that Jesus Christ came as a common man, to a common people, speaking a common language! I believe that we need to keep things simple or we get caught up in ego-driven mania about who is right and who is wrong about doctrines etc., Now, let’s get on with our subject of encouragement today…

How do we maintain a spirit-filled life?
Our answer is found in Ephesians 5:15-21. None of this is possible if we are not baptised in the Holy Spirit, see my post on “HOLY SPIRIT... WE NEED YOU!” if you haven’t already read it.

Dr. Merrill C. Tenney points out that… Most homes are connected to a water main. This supplies the house with adequate water for normal life. But suppose a fire breaks out. Then firemen tap a nearby hydrant to secure a much greater flow of water to meet the emergency.

To be "full" of the Spirit is like a house supplied continuously with adequate water. But to be "filled" on occasion, as the apostles were in Acts 4:31, is to be given extra energy and power for special service. "And when they had prayed, -- they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak the word of God with boldness."

For the special task of persisting in evangelism, even when the religious leadership violently opposed them, the apostles needed a special filling of God's power. They had been "full of the Spirit" all along. Now they needed "extra filling" to meet the extra demands on them. – Source unknown.

Paul, in his letter to the Ephesian Church, knew that they were struggling in their walk with Christ, so he sets out ‘seven very effective principles for highly affected people.’ Not to be confused by a book written by a member of a well known cult! Paul is telling us that we need to be careful in our walk with Christ, and to do it wisely, not as those who possess no wisdom. Here is Paul’s antidote for the poison that can seep into our spirit and spoil our walk with Jesus…

Making the most of every opportunity. (v16)
Understand the will of the Lord. (v17)
Be filled with the spirit. (v18)
Do not get not get drunk with wine. (v18)
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. (v19)
Always giving thanks to God the Father for all things. (v20)
Submit to one another. (v21)

Making the most of every opportunity depends on doing the other 6 principles. Don’t waste time on petty things, but get on with the commands of Christ; because the present times are perilous, they are full of difficulties and temptations, and only the alert and hard-working have any reason to anticipate, that they shall keep their walk upright.

Understanding the will of God depends on the sensitivity to the voice of the Holy Spirit, who will guide us into all truth. We are not be foolish by trying to do things in our own strength and getting carried away with every wind of doctrine. It is the will of God that we should be moderate, uncorrupted, holy, and unpolluted by the world. Get a comprehensive understanding of this; familiarize ourselves with God’s will, and bring glory to His name.

Be filled with Spirit! This is in direct contrast to a state of intoxication that comes with drinking to much wine. Remember that our bodies are the temple of God. Get saturated with the Holy Spirit and begin to desire the gifts that He so freely distributes for the extension of God’s Kingdom."Be filled," means, "Be constantly in the process of being filled." Being filled, and never refilled, is like taking a drink of water, we have to keep on drinking. It is a daily process to satisfy the thirst of the spirit. They that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled!

Do not get not get drunk with wine. Drunkards think they have no problems, they don't worry about tomorrow, and they have no burden or cares. These things are only an illusion, their troubles will be back, and multiplied many times over. But the person drunk in the spirit is truly care-free, to go about the purposes of God. The early disciples just kept on being filled, they just kept on drinking! How did they do it?

Verses 19-21 gives us the other three ‘very effective principles for highly affected people,’ and tell us what they are…

• Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. (Worshipping God and building each other up).
• Always giving thanks to God the Father for all things.
• Through Jesus Christ and being content in every situation).
• Submitting to one another. (In love and out of reverence for Christ Jesus).

"All God’s giants have been weak men, who did great things for God because they believed that God would be with them." - Hudson Taylor.

There are a lot of Christians who are doing nothing, but there are no Christians who have nothing to do.

Loving Father, I thank you for your word that tells me to make the most of every opportunity, helps me to understand your will, tells me to be filled with the Holy Spirit, not to get drunk, to speak to my fellow believers with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, always giving thanks to you Father for all things and submitting to one another out of reverence for your dear son and my Lord and Saviour in whose name I pray! Amen!