Be Filled with the Spirit

Be Filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)

Ephesians 5:18, And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

The Bible commands us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is a command for every believer, not just for ministers or those who are in full time ministry. We need God’s power for every aspect of life. When a person allows the Holy Spirit to control their life He can demonstrate His power in whatever they do. A man once asked D. L. Moody why he focused so much about being filled with the Holy Spirit. Moody replied, “Because I leak!”.

A man who drank heavily was converted to Christ and lived victoriously for several weeks. One day as he passed the open door of a tavern, the pungent odor drifting out aroused his old appetite for liquor. Just then he saw this sign in the window of a nearby cafe: "All the buttermilk you can drink—25 cents!" Dashing inside, he ordered one glass, then another, and still another. After finishing the third he walked past the saloon and was no longer tempted. He was so full of buttermilk that he had no room for that which would be injurious to him. The lesson is clear: To be victorious over our evil desires, we must leave no opportunity for them to repossess us.

Dwight L. Moody once displayed the principle like this: "Tell me," he said to the congregation, "how can I get the air out of the tumbler I have in my hand?" One man said, "Suck it out with a pump." But the evangelist replied, "That would create a vacuum and shatter it." Finally, after numerous suggestions, Moody picked up a pitcher and filled the glass with water. "There," he said, "all the air is now removed." He then explained that victory for the child of God does not come by working hard to eliminate sinful habits, but rather by allowing the Holy Spirit to take full possession.

It’s been said that every Christian is as full of the Holy Spirit as he or she chooses to be. We are filled with the Spirit as we are emptied of ourselves. It is said that when a group of churches met to consider inviting the evangelist D. L. Moody to come to England for a crusade, a young, prideful pastor protested, "Why do we need this 'Mr. Moody'? He's uneducated, inexperienced, etc. Who does he think he is anyway? Does he have a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?" An older, wiser pastor rose and responded, "No, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on Mr. Moody."

We should not be controlled by wine because it can be excessive. Instead, we should be controlled by the Spirit, because you can’t get enough of that; you can’t be too filled with the Spirit. We must yield control of our lives to the Holy Spirit in the way that a drunkard yields control of his life to alcohol. This means allowing the Holy Spirit to control our every thought, action, and attitude. May you experience this “filling” of the Spirit even today as you live your life for Christ. God does not want control of our lives only for a while on Sundays or when we are with others from the church. His plan is for His Spirit to control our steps every day in every area of life. Surrender your will to His and you will find yourself walking in the Spirit.

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I give myself to You today that You may fill me, guide me, and control me that I may bring glory to You. In Jesus name, AMEN!

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