Be filled continually with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18
The Apostle Paul writes “be continually” filled with the Spirit. In the Greek, the verb tense is present imperative, which means…
Right now, and then again, every day!
One of the great heroes of the Christian faith is Corrie Ten Boom. She was a survivor of a Nazi prison camp, then traveled the world preaching the message that, “There is no pit deeper than God is deeper still.”
I was stunned when, a while back, I read her following quote:
I wish I could say that after a long and fruitful life, traveling the world, I had learned to forgive all my enemies. I wish I could say that merciful and charitable thoughts just naturally flowed from me and on to others. But they don’t. If there is one thing I’ve learned since I’ve passed my eightieth birthday, it’s that I can’t store up good feelings and behavior – but only draw them fresh from God each day.
Corrie Ten Boom never got to the place spiritually where she went through life not bothered by other people. I haven’t either and neither have you.
Despite my efforts, every day somebody does something that upsets me. There is something about middle-aged men in pickup trucks that drive slower than old men in Buicks. I always get stuck behind a pickup truck on a certain road in my community.
Every time, I get frustrated.
I could give a long list of irritants – about others, me, and politicians. I feel better that Corrie Ten Boom had the same problem in her 80’s.
Little becomes bigger. That’s anger and bitterness.
All of us have a pick-up truck frustration (I’m speaking figuratively). What is yours? With a friend, your job, your spouse, or worries that wake you up – they are there. What are they?
Back to Ephesians 5:18 and “Are you kidding me?” in our translation. Right before the Apostle Paul says to be filled with the Spirit, he writes:
Don’t get drunk with wine, which is rebellion. Ephesians 5:18
Yes, Paul contrasts “drunk with wine” with “be filled continuously with the Spirit.” With wine we lose control but with the Spirit we lose anger. Those who get drunk often say things which damage relationships while those who are filled with the Spirit deflect what others say.
You have a problem if you begin drinking wine early in the morning. You will have less problems if the first thing that you do each morning is pray this:
Jesus, fill me with your Spirit now and throughout the day.
Paul continues describing the results of the fullness of the Spirit:
And your hearts will overflow with a joyful song to the Lord. Keep speaking to each other with words of Scripture, singing the Psalms with praises and spontaneous songs given by the Spirit! Always give thanks to Father God for every person he brings into your life in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:19-20, TPT
Drink deeply!