Text: Ephesians 5:18
This is a Command
- Therefore, this does not mean that God miraculously fills us with the Spirit — we can obey this command
- How do we become filled with the Spirit? … By letting the word of Christ richly dwell within us (compare Ephesians 5:18-6:9 with Colossians 3:16-4:1)
- What is this verse telling us to do? … Be filled with God’s word (cf. Hebrews 8:10) and act according to the teachings of the word (cf. James 1:22; Galatians 5:16-25)
Completeness
- The word revealed by the Spirit gives us all we need to be faithful to God (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
- As the Spirit equips us, we must be busy doing “every good work” (Matthew 28:20)
Purity
- We must not allow the teachings of the Spirit to become diluted or mixed with anything else
- If we are to be filled with the Spirit, we must be filled with the truth, leaving no room for error (Galatians 1:6-7)
Contentment
- We must fight any urge to look for something “more”
- Paul acknowledged that there were some who were not content with the word (1 Corinthians 1:22), but he simply preached the word (1 Corinthians 1:23) — Why? … That’s what the Spirit revealed (1 Corinthians 2:10,12)
- God has told us all we need to know (Deuteronomy 29:29)
Read the article: Be Filled With The Spirit
