God commands that every believer be filled with the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 5:18. Paul is not speaking of the new birth, the indwelling (Romans 8:9), nor the baptism with the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13), because the Ephesians to whom he was writing were already born again, indwelt, and baptized by the Spirit as is every true believer (Ephesians 1:13 – 2:1-6; 2:20) at the time of being born again or being saved. Rather he is giving a command for every believer to be live continually under the influence or control of the Spirit, confessing all known sin, dying to or crucifying King Self, surrendering to God’s will, and depending on His power in all things. In other words, being filled with the Spirit is to let Christ’s mind, through His Word, dominate every thing that is thought and is done.
In Col. 3:16 Paul expresses the same truth as he does in Ephes. 5:18. In Col 3:16 he commands that the Word “dwell in us richly.” Dwell means “to live in” or “to be at home,” and richly means abundantly rich. This concept is a parallel to being filled in Ephesians 5:18, since the results are the same, that is we will speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, making melody in our hearts unto the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:19; Col. 3:16).
“Every element of our own self-reliance must be put to death by the power of God. The moment we recognize our complete weakness and our dependence upon Him will be the very moment that the Spirit of God will exhibit His power.”[1]
“We’ve discovered that there are primarily two categories of people – not the intellectual and the simple, but the willing and the unwilling. You must be willing to come; that’s the first step you must take if you want to experience God’s power in your life.
I (Mel) met with a doctor who was struggling to release control of his life and come to Jesus. He’s a man used to being in charge. He worked in emergency medicine and made his living by directing the actions of others and making the tough decisions. He had a beautiful family, a nice home, and a strong career, and he was unwilling to turn things over to anybody else, including God.
Finally he said to me, “I like to be in charge; it’s just how I’m made.”
“That isn’t true,” I challenged him. “God made you! And He made you for a relationship with Himself. Anything that hinders that relationship is sin. But when the problem is sin, there’s a solution: Jesus came to save you from your sin.”
“I guess I don’t have any excuse then, do I?” he responded.
“None that God cannot deal with,” I said. That night he decided to put his life in God’s hands. For the first time, he was willing to follow Jesus.
Are you willing to come to Jesus? That’s where it all begins. That’s the first step in experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit in your life.”[2]
Conclusion: This clearly means that the filling of the Holy Spirit is not primarily an emotional or ecstatic experience (though it brings great joy and love) but a steady controlling by obedience to the truth of God’s Word. To make the filling of the Spirit a simple reality in your life do 3 things we stress in MMM:
- Internalize the Word – obey the 4 steps in our Bible Pledge:
- I will know it in my head by diligent study,
b. I will stow it in my heart by memorization and meditation,
c. I will show it in my life by obeying its teachings, and
d. I will sow it in my world by witnessing. - Have a Meaningful Time Daily in Prayer with Your Heavenly Father.
- Keep on Doing these 2 things no matter what and never omit.
[1] Henry Blackaby, Experiencing the Spirit, Multnomah Books, Colorado Springs, Colorado, p. 175.
[2] Ibid, pp. 181 -182.