Ephesians 5.15-21 (4)
Pray Psalm 103.1-4.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies…
Sing Psalm 103.1-4.
(Old 100th: All Creatures That on Earth Do Dwell)
O my soul, bless the LORD’s great Name!
His many benefits proclaim:
He pardons sins and heals disease,
and from the pit grants us release.
Read Ephesians 5.15-21; meditate on verse 18.
What does “filled” look like in your mind?
Preparation
1. What must we not do?
2. What should we do instead?
Meditation
Even to think that we might be filled with the Holy Spirit of God is more than we can fully comprehend.
The Spirit Who hovered over the waters of creation, Who gives life of all kinds to the creatures God has made, Who inspired the writing of God’s holy Word, Who brings the gift of eternal life to God’s chosen people, Who writes the Law on our hearts, Who brings forth holy spiritual fruit in all who yield to Him, Who empowers believers in every generation to bear bold witness for Christ, Who knows the heart of every man—we can be filled with this Spirit.
Filled to overflowing, according to Jesus (Jn. 7.37-39). As the Spirit fills our thoughts, affections, values and priorities, as He moves our will to act, He brings the grace of God to bear in all our walk with and work for Him. We can do all things through Christ Who strengthens us, and He strengthens us by the Spirit Who has come to dwell in us. The Spirit in us can do exceedingly and abundantly more than we have or ever could ask or think. As He fills us, He shapes us into the likeness of Jesus, so that we walk as Jesus walked, work as Jesus worked, talk as Jesus talked, and know the joy of the Lord as the Lord Jesus did.
This is how the grace of God spreads to new people and places (2 Cor. 4.15). Pray to be filled with the Spirit, then believe that God has heard and granted your prayer. Live like one who believes that the Spirit is straining to break forth, one step of obedience after another. Don’t dissipate the gift of time by letting your attention and affections be drawn to lesser and base things. Think on Jesus (Eph. 1.15-23) and how God intends to fill all things with Him (Eph. 4.7-10). Then call on Him to fill you with His Spirit that you might live in Him in everything you do.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Dark or light?
Dirty or clean?
Debauched or Spirit-filled?
The choice is clear, the answers obvious.
“Wine is a mocker, and strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.”
“Give strong drink to him who is perishing, and wine to those who are bitter of heart” (Prov. 20.1; 31.6).
The young Israelite captive Daniel, chose early on to follow the path of righteousness.
When given the opportunity not only to be educated, but fattened up on the king’s delicacies, he responded thusly: “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself” (Dan. 1.8). I wonder how many of us would have the courage of that 16-year-old?
Gladly, we are given the same opportunity to stand for righteousness that Daniel had—and find out.
We can see if we have the same courage and determination that ruled his life.
Daniel had “inclined [his] heart to perform [God’s] statutes forever, to the very end” (Ps. 119.112).
“Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5.18).
“But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person” (1 Cor. 5.11).
These things should no longer have a pull on us; as we have turned the corner away from them—wanting only to follow our beloved Savior. We have decided to follow Jesus, on His Path, thus, we will be filled with His Spirit, which is a promised Gift from the Father.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matt. 5.6).
“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Lk. 11.13).
So, ask. “We can be filled with this Spirit.” Let us then always choose to be so filled.
Reflection
1. How does the filling of the Spirit come to expression most frequently in your life?
2. What can keep us from being filled with the Holy Spirit?
3. How can believers help one another to be always filled with the Holy Spirit?
One drunk with wine sways and stumbles. But one who is filled with the Spirit has solid footing in Christ. This is a fine drunkenness, which produces even greater sobriety of mind. Ambrose (333-397) On the Sacraments 5.13.17
Pray Psalm 103.19-22.
Pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit, that you may do all things today for God’s glory and the progress of His Kingdom.
Sing Psalm 103.19-22.
(Old 100th: All Creatures That on Earth Do Dwell)
He rules upon His throne in heav’n;
His sovereign rule o’er all is giv’n.
You angels, bless the LORD, rejoice,
who live in strength to heed His voice.
All you who serve Him, bless the LORD,
all you who heed His righteous Word!
Let all throughout the cosmos whole
unite to praise Him, with my soul!
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest: This week: In our ReVision series on “The Kingdom Economy” we conclude our study of the place of God’s Law in His Kingdom. Our Read Moore podcast continues working through The Gospel of the Kingdom, working to understand the true Gospel of the Lord. The Crosfigell teaching letter is pursuing the life of Brigit, a contemporary of Brendan. Check out our other excellent writers. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
