Ephesians 5:18-21 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but BE FILLED with the SPIRIT, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

Ephesians 2:1-7 4 BUT GOD, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were DEAD in our transgressions, MADE US ALIVE together with CHRIST (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

the church

2 Corinthians 5:19-20 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Philippians 2:14-16 14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

Basic Premise of Ephesians 5:18 Believers are called to live filled with the Spirit and to live the Spirit-filled life demands a person’s surrender, submission, self-control and steadfastness.

I. The Spirit-filled life demands surrender …but be filled with the Spirit “be filled” – a verb; an action “be filled” – a passive verb Not something I am to do or able to do for myself but something I allow to happen to me; a surrender.

II. The Spirit-filled life demands submission …but be filled with the Spirit “be filled” – an imperative verb; a command There are only two options; either we are filled with the Spirit of God or we are filled with something else; either we are being obedient to God by being filled or we are being disobedient; either we are in submission to God’s revealed will or we are in defiance of it.

III. The Spirit-filled life demands self-control And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit… Under the influence: The person who comes under the power of alcohol does so as he surrenders or yields control of his mind and body to alcohol. The person who surrenders to alcohol soon finds that he must submit to it – he will lack self-control.

“Dissipation” “asotia” in the Greek from the verb sozo - meaning “to save or deliver” (from which we get our word “salvation” and “soteriology” - the study of the doctrine of salvation) The prefix “a” (no or not) in front of “sotia” means we could translate the word as “unsavedness.” “do not get drunk with wine for that is unsavedness; worldliness; wickedness.”

Proverbs 23:29-35 29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? 30 Those who linger long over wine, Those who go to taste mixed wine. 31 Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly; 32 At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper. 33 Your eyes will see strange things And your mind will utter perverse things. 34 And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea, Or like one who lies down on the top of a mast. 35 “They struck me, but I did not become ill; They beat me, but I did not know it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink.”

Galatians 5:19-23 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

The transforming power of a Spirit-filled life… In our Worship (Ephesians 5:19-20) In our Marriages (Ephesians 5:21-32) In our Families (Ephesians 6:1-4) In our Employment (Ephesians 6:5-9) In our Spiritual Warfare (Ephesians 6:10-17) In our Prayer times (Ephesians 6:18-19)

Romans 8:29 “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to BECOME CONFORMED to the image of HIS SON…”

Question

“be filled” – a present tense verb; continual and continuous action IV. The Spirit-filled life demands steadfastness be filled with the Spirit… “be filled” – a present tense verb; continual and continuous action “be continually and completely filled with the Spirit.” “keep on being filled with the Spirit.” “be steadfast, immovable and relentless in your allowing yourself to be filled with the Spirit.”

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

What must we do? Confess your sins, daily to the Lord. Repent, turn away from your sins and turn to God. Surrender the control of your life to the Spirit; submit to His Word Exercise self-control; seeking to be the kind of person God saved you to be; a Christ-emulating; God glorifying child of God!  Be steadfast in your efforts; never give up!