Bible Text: Ephesians 5:18-24 | Preacher: Pastor Joe Ricchuiti | Series: Ephesians, What It Means To Be Spiritual

1.  Paul issues a call to live a Spirit-controlled life. As we allow the Holy Spirit to direct our lives, we will walk in wisdom and in the will of God.

2.  “Of all the doctrines in the realm of the person and work of the Holy Spirit, there is none more important, as it relates to the believer’s Christian life, than that of the filling of the Spirit.” (J. Dwight Pentecost)

3.  “[To be filled with the Spirit] seems to describe a state in which one is under the control of the Spirit of Christ and impelled and empowered to do His will.  It was not a mystical—nor was it regarded as an exceptional—experience.  It was not the prerogative of any one believer or of any one class of Christians. It was an experience frequently repeated in the life of individuals and of the church. To be ‘filled with the Spirit’ is indeed the normal state of every follower of Christ.  The supreme condition is surrender to Christ…” (William Erdman)

4.  The analogy Paul uses to illustrate the filling of the Spirit is that of drunkenness. Even as alcohol completely controls and dominates a person’s walk, talk, perception, sight, judgment, so the Holy Spirit should dominate a believer’s walk, talk, perception, etc.

5.  The conditions for the filling of the Spirit are: yielding to God (coming to the place where we surrender our wills, our ways, our wisdom, our goals, our ambitions and our desires); confessing sin to God (1 John 1:9); and consciously submitting to the Spirit’s control moment-by-moment.

6.  The results of being controlled by the Spirit are: 1) vocal expression, speaking encouragingly to others, building them up; 2) heart expression to God, “the silent music of the rejoicing heart;” 3) continual thankfulness, not only for good things, but also for challenges, hardships, etc., and especially for God’s amazing love which has saved us; and 4) mutual submission, not insisting on our rights, demanding our own way, or pleasing ourselves.