TITLE: Under the Influence TEXT: Ephesians 5:15-21 THEME: Living wisely involves living purposely and Spirit Filled

There are three ways we can gain knowledge and wisdom. Experience:

There are three ways we can gain knowledge and wisdom. Experience: Example:

There are three ways we can gain knowledge and wisdom. Experience: Example: Education

What does it mean to walk in wisdom

I. To walk in wisdom is to live purposefully (vv ).

EPHESIANS 5:15-17 Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, [16] making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. [17] Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

A. To live with a purpose is to walk Carefully (v. 15).

In the KJV Verse 15 says we must "walk circumspectly." Circumspectly literally translates "carefully." We are to live or walk in a careful fashion.

Proverbs 14:16 "A wise man fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident."

Proverbs 12:15 "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise."

Proverbs 28:26 "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered."

To walk circumspectly or live carefully means paying attention to details. It means keeping your eyes open, looking where you are going.

Living carefully circumspectly or wisely is to pay attention to where your life is going. Here are some examples:

Examples of Careful Living No one sets out on a trip without having an idea of where they are going

Examples of Careful Living No one sets out on a trip without having an idea of where they are going No one builds a house without some blueprints or plans rambles on without purpose.

Examples of Careful Living No one sets out on a trip without having an idea of where they are going No one builds a house without some blueprints or plans rambles on without purpose. No one writes a book without a theme or a plot in mind.

Examples of Careful Living No one sets out on a trip without having an idea of where they are going No one builds a house without some blueprints or plans rambles on without purpose. No one writes a book without a theme or a plot in mind. No one hits a target unless one takes aim.

I Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."

B. To live with a purpose is to redeem the time (KJV)(v. 16).

Statistics for a person who makes $50,000 per year, working forty hours per week: Each minute is worth cents, each hour worth $ If he wasted one hour per day, in a year those wasted hours would be worth $6,250. If he wasted one hour per day for 30 years, those hours would be worth $186,500!

Psalm 90:12 “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain the heart of wisdom.”

POEM, Author Unknown Just a tiny little minute. Only sixty seconds in it. Forced upon me. Can't refuse it. Didn't seek it. Didn't choose it. I must suffer if I lose it, Give account if I abuse it. Just a tiny little minute, But eternity is in it.

Satan wants to steal our time. He wants us to be so caught up in temporary things of little significance that we will fail to maximize eternal things of supreme importance. Our depression, our amusements, our misdirected priorities can all be ways for our time to be stolen.

C. To live with a purpose is to understand the will of the Lord (v. 17 ).

The Pereto Principle or the rule? Twenty percent of the people do eighty percent of the work. The same is true in your life, too. For the average person, eighty percent of what we do has little long-term significance.

John Maxwell "You cannot overestimate the unimportance of practically everything." In reality only about twenty percent of what you do really matters. Doing the will of the God is prioritizing that twenty percent!

General Eisenhower "The urgent is seldom important, and the important is seldom urgent." Too often life is controlled by the tyranny of the urgent. We put aside higher and worthier goals to put out fires.

II. To walk in wisdom is to be filled with the Spirit (vv ).

Ephesians 5:18-21 [18] Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. [19] Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, [20] always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. :21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ

A. What is the meaning of being filled with the Spirit (v. 18 )?

Proverbs 23:19-21, Listen, my son, and be wise, and set your heart on the right path: 20 Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, 21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

Proverbs 23:19-21, Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? 30 Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. 31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!

Proverbs 23:19-21, In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. 33 Your eyes will see strange sights, and your mind will imagine confusing things.

"Can a Christian drink?" A better question is, "Why should a Christian want to drink?" He can take his problems to Jesus. Jesus removes the guilt and pain of the past. Jesus gives lasting joy. Jesus makes us feel better if we truly believe his promises. In Jesus we have total acceptance and unconditional love. In short, Jesus removes any reason for drinking!

Galatians 5: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

I Corinthians12:13 "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit."

B. What are the marks of being filled with the Spirit? (vv )

1. The Spirit-filled believer loves worship (v. 19).

Ephesians 5:19 "speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs." This does not mean that we are to stop talking and start communicating by singing. Rather, we are to be "singing and making melody in your [our] heart to the Lord."

I Peter 1:8 "Though now you do not see him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible ["unspeakable" KJV] and full of glory."

POEM My life flows on in one endless song above earth's lamentation. I hear the real, though far-off hymn that hails a new creation. No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that rock I'm clinging. It sounds an echo in my soul. How can I keep from singing?

2. The Spirit-filled believer gives thanks (v. 20 ).

Singing is an inward mark of the filling of the Spirit. "Giving thanks for all things" is an upward mark of the filling of the Spirit. The Spirit- filled believer is not a grumbler. He doesn't complain about what he doesn't have or what he wishes he did have. He simply thanks God for the gifts he has received.

Philippians 4:10-13, 19. We don't deserve anything. Everything we have comes from God. When we are filled by the Spirit, he continually makes us aware that what we have are blessings from the Lord.

3. The Spirit-filled believer submits to others (v. 21). Singing is an inward mark of the filling of the Spirit, gratitude is an upward mark, "submitting to one another" is an outward mark.

APPLICATION A Church filled with people filled with the Spirit will be upbeat and positive.

APPLICATION A Church filled with people filled with the Spirit will be upbeat and positive. We will use our time and resources well.

APPLICATION A Church filled with people filled with the Spirit will be upbeat and positive. We will use our time and resources well. We will sing new songs regularly because people will be sharing the joy that is in our hearts.

Every play matters in a championship game.