BE FILLED
As we let God influence through us, we must give room for His influence in us.
Text: Galatians 5:16
As we permit the Spirit's influence through us, we must submit to His influence over us. As we mind God's business, we mustn't forget that we are His business, and we must let Him mind us. We must yield to His influence in us, as He helps us to keep conforming to the image of Christ. We are plants that need daily watering and nurturing, and it is designed such that every other thing flows from our time with the Lord (ministry inclusive).
It's important to state here that the Holy Ghost is more than an influence. He is a person that has an influence. Let's see something in Ephesians 5:18. It says "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;"The fruits of being drunk with wine are foolishness, destructiveness, wastefulness and riot. So Paul is saying, rather than being drunk thereby being under the influence of alcohol which leads to wastefulness, destructiveness and the likes, we should be filled with the Spirit. The word filled there is the Greek word "pleroo" which can mean "to be satisfied with" Remember that we already have the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, so Paul is definitely not implying that we should receive the Holy Spirit again. He's not outside us. He never left. Paul is saying that since we already have The Spirit, we should keep on being satisfied with Him! We should keep on being filled. Being filled, really is staying filled. 'Be filled' is a verb in the passive voice. This means that as much as we can work out the indwelling of the Spirit (See Ephesians 5:19-21), really, we are not the source of our infilling, He is. Take a moment to read through again.
In scriptures, we see a contrast between the influence of the Spirit and drunkenness (See Luke1:15). Again, in Acts 2, on the day of Pentecost, people mistook the influence of the Holy Spirit for drunkenness (See Acts 2:13). We can infer and say that the similarity between 'getting drunk' with alcohol and 'being/staying filled' with the Spirit is that both terms imply control over an individual which can alter the person's thinking or manner of conduct. While drunkenness leads to lasciviousness, the Apostles were under the influence of the Spirit, and this caused them to speak in other tongues, causing a change in their initial conduct. It's important to know that just as being drunk requires continuous drinking, we stay filled by continually yielding to His influence.
As powerful as the Holy Ghost is, we can stifle or resist His influence. Scripture literally tells us to "quench (extinguish) not the Spirit" (See 1 Thessalonians 5:19). So, He can be quenched. His influence can be resisted. He won't do anything without our permission, consent and alignment. He will only seek to influence our interests, our hearts, and our preoccupations. Let's give room for the influence of the Spirit in us by yielding. This is the only way to be more like Jesus.
STUDY THIS: Romans 8:14
DECLARE THIS: I allow the Holy Spirit to influence my choices, will, and interests. I yield. Glory!
SING ALONG: Carry Me by Nathaniel Bassey