“Be filled with the Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18 NIV
“Bring to God a sincere and humble heart to receive a fresh release of His Spirit everyday.”
My thoughts today are about being “Spirit filled.”
I have seen the picturesque, Dutch windmills in Holland that harnessed the wind’s power as early as the 14th century, and Texas windmills drawing water from wells on ranches far from the reach of electrical service, and the modern, towering wind turbines capturing the energy of prevailing winds converted to kinetic energy. What a picture of the power of the Holy Spirit breathing into a Christ-follower’s life.
Are you trying to live everyday life in your own strength – to be what you should be by your resolve and determination – to understand life’s complexities and uncertainties by your limited knowledge and experiences – struggling to do all the things you should by your natural strength and ability? How is that working for you? Not too well, I would imagine.
Here’s some good news about all of that. You were never intended to live within those confining, self-imposed limits. Your best effort will fall short of success – due to inadequate resource, deficient knowledge, and lack of life-experience.
God has provided the power you need to live joyfully and victoriously. Anything less than that leaves you drinking from an empty cup. You don’t need a little bit of God’s help; all – everything – God offers you will be required. You need to pray as Paul prayed, “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen (me) with power through His Spirit in (my) inner being, so that Christ may dwell in (my) heart through faith . . that (I) may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:18 NIV.
The Bible commands you, “Be filled with the Spirit!” And know this, God’s power cannot be stored up. Today’s strength will not stretch to cover tomorrow’s demands. The life of power you desire requires your bringing to God a sincere and humble heart to receive a fresh release of His Spirit everyday. The literal translation of today’s verse would more clearly be stated this way, “Be (being) filled with the Spirit,” progressively and continuously, in the measure each day demands and your faith requires. Inner power is a work in process everyday!
The word the Holy Spirit chose to describe this daily empowering is a picture of a sail boat with its sails intentionally set to harness the energy of the wind, and then moving responsively and powerfully under its sheer power. It describes the kinetic effect of a life responding to the wind of the Spirit rather than the passive filling of some measure or volume. See Acts 1:8 NIV.
And what will be the visible and practical impact of being filled with the Spirit? Your life will evidence the character of Christ. “When the Holy Spirit controls your life, He will produce this kind of fruit in you: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control . . if you are living now by the spirit, follow the spirit’s leading in every part of your life.” Galatians 5:22-23/25 NLT. The secret is simply allowing the Spirit’s control, following His leading everyday in every part of your life.
My prayer for you today is that you breathe deeply of the invigorating Spirit of God.