Ephesians 5:18 (NKJV) And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
This is perhaps the most important commandment in the Bible. I know that the command to be baptized is important, but this is more important. The commandments of Moses are important, but they are not as important as this commandment. The commandment of Jesus, “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel,” is one of the most important in the New Testament, but the command to be filled with the Spirit is still more important.
Why? Because, when you obey this commandment you automatically obey all the others. The fullness of the Spirit settles every problem in your life. In Galatians 5:16-18 says, ‘Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.’
The disciples were filled on the day of Pentecost and then filled again at a later date, hence they lived victorious lives. We, too, must be filled again and again if we are to be triumphant. God wants us not only to be filled, but to live Spirit-filled lives, otherwise we will be failures. “But,” you say, “I have the Holy Spirit. I received Him when I was regenerated.” That is true. It was also true of the Ephesians. They had the Spirit. However, it is one thing to “have” the Spirit, it is another thing to be “filled” with the Spirit. Here, for instance, is a glass of water. It is filled partly with water and partly with air. Before it can be filled with water all the air must be excluded. Only when it is filled to the brim would I be correct in saying that it is filled with water. So it is with you:
- You have the Spirit, but does He have you?
- Is He in complete control of you?
- Does He fill you? Or are you partly filled with the Spirit and partly filled with self, the world and sin?
- Does He dominate and rule your life?
- Are you really and truly filled with the Spirit?
WHY MUST YOU BE FILLED?
But why must you be filled with the Spirit? There are two reasons and I express them both in one word, and that one word is POWER. You need power. You must have power. But power, however, along two lines. First, power over sin and power for service.
Power over sin
You will never be an overcomer until you are Spirit filled. The Bible says:
“Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16).
It is only as you are filled with the Holy Spirit that you are able to overcome your besetting sin. The Holy Spirit makes you a victorious Christian. Without His fullness you will be defeated, you will be a slave to sin. God wants to set you free. He wants to make you an overcomer. You cannot overcome yourself. Only the Holy Spirit within you can overcome. The Christian life is the outliving of the indwelling Christ. Only as He indwells in the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit will your outward life be the kind of a life it should be. Therefore, in order to have power over sin you must be filled with the Spirit.
Power in service
You will never be used of God until you are filled with the Spirit. The Bible says: “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me” (Acts 1:8).
If you are going to be an effective witness you must be filled with the Spirit. Otherwise you will witness in the energy of the flesh and accomplish nothing. If you want your testimony to count for God, you must testify in the power of the Holy Ghost. Only as you are filled with the Spirit will you be used of God, otherwise your ministry will be ineffective. Therefore, if you want God to use you, you will have to be filled with the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is not given to you that you might have a great emotional experience, but that you might live a holy life and be a fruitful witness for Christ. So, whether or not you have an emotional experience is not the issue.
This, then, is the purpose of the fullness of the Spirit, namely, POWER: Power over sin and power in service. Do you have that power? Are you a victor? Are you an overcomer? Are you living a Spirit-filled life? Or are you a defeated Christian? Are you discouraged? Do you feel like giving up? Does your besetting sin conquer you? Or have you been set free? Then, too, do you have power in service? Is God using you for His glory? Are you really surrendered? Will you go where He wants you to go and do what He wants you to do? Are you His slave? Is your testimony effective? When you witness for the Lord Jesus Christ does anything happen? Are you ministering in the energy of the flesh or in the power of the Spirit?
Pray to be Filled with the Holy Spirit Right Now
Have you met God’s conditions? Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness? Do you sincerely desire to be controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit? If so, I invite you to bow your head and pray this prayer of faith right now. Expect God to fill you. Without begging or pleading, just say:
“Dear Father, I need You. I hunger and thirst for a more vital relationship with You. I admit that I have been in control of my life. As a result, I have sinned against You.
“Thank You for forgiving my sins through Christ’s death on the cross for me. I now confess and turn from my sins and surrender the control of my life to the Lord Jesus. By faith I invite You to fill me with the Holy Spirit as You commanded me to be filled. You promised to fill me if I ask according to Your will. I pray this in the authority of the name of Jesus Christ. To demonstrate my faith, I now thank You for filling me with Your Holy Spirit and for taking control of my life. Amen.”
Now, if you sincerely prayed that prayer, you are filled with the Holy Spirit. You will begin to experience a greater love for God. You will want to spend time with Him in studying His Word and in prayer. You will want to trust and obey God and His Word. You will want to share your love for Christ with others who do not know Him.
