Be Filled With the Spirit! BUT HOW?!

 

Today I have been meditating on a specific question so much that I just HAD to write about it. This won’t be long at all. It’s more of me just jotting down some of my thoughts regarding this particular topic. 

Often times throughout the scriptures there are refferences to being filled with the Spirit. Now, there are a few different types of fillings of the Spirt. Being indwelt by the Spirit (which happens at the moment of conversion), Being controlled by the Spirit, and special fillings by the Spirit (just to name a few). The Spirit filling that has been consuming my thoughts throughout the day is the second one, being controlled by the Spirit.
Probably the most common refference to this Spirit filling is Ephesians 5:18.

So what is this verse saying? Don’t get drunk, and be filled with the Spirit. Right? Yes, but let’s look a little further than that.


What is the nature of being drunk with wine? The wine or alcoholic beverage is controlling you. So when Paul makes a corilation between being drunk/controlled with wine and being filled with the Spirit we can then make the conclusion that we are talking about being controlled by the Spirit.

Alright, now here’s the part that I’ve been excited about all day:

It’s clear that we are commanded to be controlled by the Spirit. But how in the world does this happen? Do you sit indian style in the middle of the floor, hum, and empty your thoughts? Do you jump up and down and repeat the same nonsense words over and over? It really is amazing what humans will come up with in a failed attempt to answer this question.

If all of those are failed attempts then how can we see to it that we be controlled by the Spirit. I believe that the answer to that question is found in the following verse.

(18)And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit (19) addressing one another in pslams and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart. (Ephesians 5:18-19)

So verse 19 provides us with the result of being filled/controlled by the Spirit. There is another place in scripture where we see the same terminology used, again by Paul, as he uses here in verse 19.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16)

In Ephesians 5:18-19 and Colossians 3:16 we see the same results being described. So we are filled/controlled by the Spirit by continually dwelling on the word of Christ. The answer to the question is quite simple in theory and yet quite difficult in action.

Testifying to the gospel of the grace of God,
Robbie
Acts 20:24