Being Filled With the Spirit -πληροῦσθε

Being Filled With the Spirit

 

Enns "The filling of the Holy Spirit is distinct from the other ministries of the Spirit inasmuch as it is conditional. Whereas ministries such as the indwelling, baptism, regenerating, and sealing are nonexperiential and occur but once at the moment of conversion, the filling of the Spirit is experiential and also repeated. The basis for the filling of the Spirit is Ephesians 5:18, "Be filled with the Spirit." The command to be filled with the Spirit is given in contrast to the warning "do not get drunk with wine." Drunkenness exhibits the inability of the person to control himself. The nature of the Christian's life is to be in contrast to the nature of the uncontrolled drunkard. The meaning of filled (Gk. plerousthe) is "control.""The indwelling Spirit of God is the One who should continually control and dominate the life of the believer."

 

Slide2  Eph. 5:15Therefore 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, πληροῦσθε

 

Slide 3  O'Brien, "This exhortatory material of vv. 15–21 continues the contrast between the behaviour of the people of God and that of unbelievers. ..Although the point is often missed in the English translations, verses 18–21 form one long sentence, with five participles modifying the imperative 'be filled by the Spirit': 'speaking [to one another]' (v. 19a), 'singing' (v. 19b), 'making music' (v. 19b), 'giving thanks' (v. 20), and 'submitting [to one another]' (v. 21) describe the overflow or outworking of the Spirit's filling believers. Spirit-filled Christians are people whose lives are characterized by singing, thanksgiving, and mutual submission."

Slide 4 There Is A Contrast

• Walk  in the Light (contrasts to pagan darkness) 4:17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind..
• Walk in Love  5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;² and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us,
• Walk Wisely  5:15 be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,

Obrien "Paul has drawn a sharp contrast between behaviour which characterizes the unbelieving world and that of God's people. In 4:17–24 the pagan lifestyle is painted in dark colours and the readers are urged not to go back to these old ways. It leads to dissipation, that is, to sexual excess and debauchery, for those who are drunk give way to dissolute and reckless deeds. Drunkenness lay at the centre of the destructive and unacceptable lifestyle that belonged to the readers' past, and was not consistent with membership in the new people of God. The prohibition, 'do not get drunk with wine', serves as a foil to its positive counterpart, 'be filled by the Spirit', which is the apostle's special concern.

Slide 5  Present (continuing)  passive imperative (Command)

The filling of the Spirit is necessary for two reasons. (1) It is essential for the believer's maturity

(1 Cor. 3:1–3). Paul admonished the Corinthian believers as being "fleshly" (Gk. sarkikos),

"controlled by the flesh." The solution to carnality and walking according to the old nature was to be controlled or filled by the Spirit. (2) It is essential for the believer's service (Acts 4:31; 9:17, 20).

Acts 4:31 illustrates the relationship between filling and service; it was the filling of the Spirit that

enabled the believers to "speak the word of God with boldness."

 (1) It is a command. Nowhere is the believer commanded to be indwelt or sealed with the Spirit; however, the believer is commanded to be filled with the Spirit. It is a command to "be continually being filled with the Spirit" for maturity and service. (2) It is conditional. Whereas there are no conditions related to the indwelling, baptism, sealing, and many other ministries of the Spirit, the filling of the Spirit is conditional. Obedience to other commands of Scripture is necessary in order to be filled with the Spirit. (3) It is repeated. Ephesians 5:18 is a present imperative, commanding to be "continually being filled." This indicates it is not a one-time experience but rather a repeated event.

We are responsible to be filled with the Holy Spirit ‐ Lloyd‐Jones "How can one be filled with the Spirit?  Here is a most important matter.  The first thing we notice is that it is a command, an injunction, 'Be filled', 'go on being filled', with the Spirit, 'go on being controlled by the Holy Spirit'.  It therefore follows of necessity that it is not an experience.  Because it is a command, it is not an experience; because it is in the continuous present it is not some crisis, it is not some critical experience; and therefore it is not to be sought as 'a blessing'.  There are many people who go round from meeting to meeting seeking, hoping to get 'the blessing of being 'filled with the Spirit'.  They are sometimes invited to come forward at the end of a meeting to 'receive' the fullness of the Spirit.  But surely that is to do utter violence to the language used here and to the whole analogy of the teaching of the Scripture.  This is not a critical experience; this is a state or a condition in which we are to live always, permanently.  This is how you always ought to be, says the Apostle; and he commands us to be like this.   So I deduce that this is not something that happens to us; this is something which we control, and which we determine.  As a man decides and controls whether he is going to be filled with wine or not, so it is he himself who controls and decides whether he is going to be controlled by the Spirit or not.  He is therefore given a commandment, an injunction, an exhortation.  We must therefore cease to think of it in terms of 'having an experience'.

The glove illustration. While the filling with the Spirit is about the life being filled with the Spirit of God, it isn't about getting a second dose of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a Person, a divine Person. He came into your life at the moment of your conversion. 1 Corinthians 12: 13 "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit."  Like a glove the hand goes in, but the hand needs to fill out each aspect of the glove, for the hand to be effective. The Holy Spirit must fill ou each aspect of our lives to take control of us.

Slide 6    There Is A Controlling 

Drunks sing 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

Drunks speak 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; Acts 4: 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

Drunks share Acts 4:32And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.33 And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.34 For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales35 and lay them at the apostles' feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.

We are urged to let the Spirit change them more and more into the image of God and Christ, a notion which is consistent with Pauline theology elsewhere. This explanation accords well with the parallel passage in Colossians, 'Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom by means of Spirit-inspired psalms, hymns and songs, singing thankfully to God with your whole being' (Col. 3:16).

Slide 7 There is a Commitment in relationships

The wise person (v. 17) is not intoxicated by alcohol or anything else but is filled with the Spirit (v. 18). Grammatically, Paul gives two commands: "Don't get drunk with wine . . . be filled by the Spirit" (v. 18). But the focus seems to be primarily on the latter command (O'Brien, Ephesians, 390).

Following these commands are five participles—addressing, singing, making, giving, and submitting.  When the Spirit fills us, these graces are present in our lives; an overflow of joy is expressed in deep thanksgiving to God and glad-hearted submission to others.

MAGNIFY GOD  IN YOUR WORSHIP LIFE          

λαλοῦντες  19 εὐχαριστοῦντες πάντοτε  21 ὑποτασσόμενοι  Present participles.

Tozer: "I am sure that if we all saw God bigger, we would see people smaller. This is the day of the magnification of slick personalities, and as we magnify men, we minimize God. Do not think that we have escaped the curse in evangelical circles or even in full gospel circles, for we have not. We have whole meetings go by in which we never see God at all, we only see His servants. And the curlier the hair of the servant, the more we see the servant. And if he's been pardoned from murdering his grandmother's aunt, we magnify him still more. And if he's been half-converted from movie acting, we magnify him still more. We always have some big wheel that we are down in front of, kissing the toe of. Then we wonder why the Holy Spirit doesn't bless us. The Holy Spirit doesn't bless us for the same reason He doesn't bless the Catholic for kissing the toe of the Virgin. They have their focus wrong. We respect the Virgin, but we do not worship her. And God would have us respect each other, but not worship each other. There is an awful lot of hero worship in the church of Christ."

Speaking  19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

Giving Thanks 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 

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

Obrien "Although the verb is a strong word meaning 'subject' or 'subordinate' (in the active voice), here in v. 21 Paul employs the middle voice to signify a voluntary submission or subordination, and this means to act in a loving, considerate, self-giving way towards one another. Such a voluntary yielding to the needs of others is an example of that self-sacrificing love which is to characterize the Christian community."

Tozer: "My brethren, God calls us to magnify Him, to see Him big. (And to see ourselves small). A meeting is not big because a lot of people are present. A meeting is big because a number of people see a big God in the meeting. And the bigger God is seen, the greater the meeting. A friend of mine has a little saying, "I would rather have a big, little meeting than a little, big meeting." There are a lot of big meetings that are little because the God in them is a small God. And there are a lot of little meetings that are big because God is big in the midst of them.

If you are a Christian, and you are getting older in God, you ought to be getting nearer to God and God ought to be becoming to you more and more, and other things less and less. If you still have to be chucked under the chin so many times a month by the pastor to keep you happy, then you need help from God, my friend. If God is not the biggest thing in the world to you, not all your talk will ever impress me. We ought to be where God is everything, where we walk into a meeting and see God and think God and feel God. We ought to see God all around us. We ought to see Him in a mountain, in thunder and fire. We ought to see Him on the cross in blood and tears, and coming down through the sky, riding a white horse, and sitting on a throne judging the nations. But always, we see God and God is everything.

All five participles (including 'submitting' of v. 21) modify the imperative 'be filled [by the Spirit]', and that the 'house codes' which follow in 5:22–6:9 are 'explicit instances of submission within the body of Christ'. , this general rule of 'mutual submission demands readiness to renounce one's own will for the sake of others, i.e., ἀγάπη, and to give precedence to others'.  If this subordination is the result of the Spirit's infilling believers, then its motivation is 'the fear of Christ'.  Although many modern translations tone down the term to 'reverence' or 'respect' (cf. RSV, NEB, JB, NIV, NRSV), these renderings are too soft to catch the nuance intended. 'Fear' is still the best translation. Although it does not convey the idea of 'terror' or 'intimidation' for those who are in Christ, it signifies a sense of awe in the presence of one who is Lord and coming Judge.

And that is something the fleshly pride does not wish to do. So we are to mortify the flesh according to Romans 8.

MORTIFY THE FLESHLY PRIDE   IN YOUR WEDDED LIFE     

The second thing is, mortify "put to death" the flesh.

Romans 8:13 tells us about the work of the Spirit of God in our sanctification. "but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live."

Romans 8: 5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh--13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Christians might as well admit that there is a reality you have got to reckon with, and that is your flesh. By flesh, I do not mean your body. That old monastic idea that God is angry with your body is just as silly as it can possibly be.  So when the Bible says, "mortify your flesh"  it does not mean kill your blood and your bones and your epidermis and your hair and teeth and eyes and stomach. God is not mad at our physical body. When the Bible says, Put to death your flesh," it means your ego, your old man, that self, that evil that is in you.      

Where does our fleshliness, our sinfulness, mist display itself? In our relationships!

And those relationships that are closest to us are those places where the sinfulness of our flesh are most evident.

22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Obrien "At the heart of this submission is the notion of 'order'. God has established certain leadership and authority roles within the family, and submission is a humble recognition of that divine ordering. The apostle is not urging every woman to submit to every man, but wives to their husbands. The use of the middle voice of this verb (cf. Col. 3:18) emphasizes the voluntary character of the submission. Paul's admonition to wives is an appeal to free and responsible persons which can only be heeded voluntarily, never by the elimination or breaking of the human will, much less by means of a servile submissiveness."

"The idea of subordination to authority in general, as well as in the family, is out of favour in a world which prizes permissiveness and freedom. Christians are often affected by these attitudes. Subordination smacks of exploitation and oppression that are deeply resented. But authority is not synonymous with tyranny, and the submission to which the apostle refers does not imply inferiority. Wives and husbands (as well as children and parents, servants and masters) have different God-appointed roles, but all have equal dignity because they have been made in the divine image and in Christ have put on the new person who is created to be like God (4:24)."

Later in the paragraph the apostle will urge husbands as heads of their wives to serve them in love. Their pattern is the Lord Jesus, whose headship was demonstrated in his loving the church and giving himself up for it, in order to present it faultless to himself (vv. 25–27)25 Husbands, love (ἀγαπᾶτε) your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband. 

Obrien. "The wife's subordination to her husband has its counterpart in the husband's duty to love his wife, husbands are urged to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Paul does not here, or elsewhere for that matter, exhort husbands to rule over their wives. They are nowhere told, 'Exercise your headship'! Instead, they are urged repeatedly to love their wives (vv. 25, 28, and 33). This will involve each husband showing unceasing care and loving service for his wife's entire well-being. Elsewhere in both Old and New Testaments the command to love demands the total response of those addressed (cf. Lev. 19:18; Matt. 5:43; 19:19). Here, too, husbands are to respond wholeheartedly. Their love, as a result, will involve an act of the will, and is not simply an emotional or physical response. Earlier in Ephesians love is seen as a grace that all believers are to show in their relationships with others (1:4; 3:17; 4:2, 15, 16; 5:2). Now it is required of husbands in relation to their wives."

6:1 Children, obey  (ὑπακούετε ) your parents in the Lord, present active imperative

'Submit to one another in the fear of Christ'. This submission is dependent on the imperative 'be filled', v. 18 concludes the list of responses that should characterize the Spirit-filled living of those in Christ (vv. 18–21). Christian children and slaves who heed this apostolic exhortation to obey, and wives who voluntarily submit to their husbands (v. 22), show that they are receptive to the Spirit's work of transforming them into the likeness of God and Christ. They demonstrate that they understand the Lord's will.

4 Fathers, (μὴ παροργίζετε) do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

"Fathers are enjoined not to provoke their children to anger. Instead, they are to bring up their sons and daughters in the training and instruction of the Lord. Each group in the family, not just the subordinate ones, has obligations. While children are to obey both parents (v. 1), fathers have a special responsibility towards them and are specifically addressed here. In contrast to the norms of the day, Paul wants Christian fathers to be gentle, patient educators of their children, whose chief 'weapon' is Christian instruction focussed on loyalty to Christ as Lord. Christian fathers were to be different from those of their surrounding society."

MORTIFY THE FLESHLY PRIDE   IN YOUR WORK LIFE

5 Slaves, be (ὑπακούετε) obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;

In the contemporary world masters controlled their slaves through fear, since it was believed that fear produced greater loyalty. The perspective of Christian slaves, however, has changed. They have been delivered from the bondage of human intimidation, and now are 'enslaved' to the Lord Jesus Christ. Their service to their masters, then, is to be rendered out of reverence and awe for him. It will also be characterized by integrity and singleness of purpose — what is here called sincerity of heart. As the inner centre which determines attitudes and actions, the heart is marked by sincerity and purity of motive.45 The Christian slave will not be guided by false, ulterior motives but will serve his or her master conscientiously and with sincerity. This kind of inner commitment can occur only as slaves recognize that in serving their masters they are rendering obedience to their heavenly Lord, Christ. The performance of their earthly tasks is related to his rule over their lives. Ultimately, then, the distinction between the sacred and the secular breaks down. Any and every task, however menial, falls within the sphere of his lordship and is done in order to please him. Their work is done 'as to Christ', their obedience is rendered 'as slaves of Christ' (v. 6), their wholehearted service is performed 'as to the Lord' (v. 7), because they know that they will be rewarded 'by the Lord' (v. 8) for every good that is done."

9 And masters, do (ποιεῖτε) the same things to them, give up threatening, (ἀνιέντες)

MORTIFY THE FLESHLY PRIDE   IN YOUR WAR LIFE

10 Finally, be strong (ἐνδυναμοῦσθε) in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

MORTIFY THE FLESHLY PRIDE  IN YOUR  WITNESS LIFE

19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,20 for which I am an ambassador.      

Slide 8                  

There is a Command

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE

A. What Will Be The CENTRE Of My Life?

"Though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them." Psalms 62:10b  "A man's life does not consist in the abundance of things he possesses." Luke 12:15  Paul: "I want to know Christ . . ." Phil. 3:10  Decision: Will my life be self-centred or God-centred?

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30). The context of Ephesians 4:30 relates to exhortations concerning sin. Believers are warned not to lie (4:25), not to prolong anger (4:26), and not to be bitter or unforgiving (4:31–32). When a believer does these things he grieves the Holy Spirit. Sin grieves the Holy Spirit, and sin will prevent the believer from being filled with the Spirit.
B. What Will Be The CHARACTER Of My Life?
God is more concerned about who you are, not what you do! Walk by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16). Walk means to conduct one's life. Rather than living in the sphere or under the domination of the old nature, believers are exhorted to conduct their lives in the sphere of the Holy Spirit. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Decision: Will my life be about comfort or character?
C. What Will Be The CONTRIBUTION Of My Life?
How will I use my God-given talents and abilities?  "Each one of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve others . . ." 1 Peter 4:10a
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works . . ." Ephesians 2:10. Will I use my life to promote myself or proclaim God's grace?

Do not quench the Holy Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19). The context of this passage relates to ministry.

The believer is exhorted to pray without ceasing (5:17), be thankful (5:18), and not despise prophetic utterances (5:20). When believers pour cold water on the fire of ministry they quench the Spirit. The

Spirit's ministry is not to be hindered; Christians also should not hinder others in their ministry for God.