SpringCreek Fellowship
Sunday, April 11, 2021
  • King of Heaven

      • Psalm 67:1–7NIV

  • All Creatures Of Our God And King
  • Ancient Words
  • Cornerstone
  • Ephesians 5:18–21 NIV84
    Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
    ​
    According to the Letter to the Ephesians, believers experience FIVE realities of the Spirit:

    I. You are SEALED with the DEPOSIT of the Holy Spirit – (Eph 1:13-14)

    2 Corinthians 1:21–22 NIV84
    Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
    2 Corinthians 5:5 NIV84
    Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
    ​
    The presence of the Holy Spirit is permanent and given to ALL who are saved!

    II. You are INDWELT by the Spirit – (Eph 2:19-22)

    Paul uses three metaphors or pictures to illustrate our indwelling:

    A. Fellow CITIZENS – (v.19a) – “…fellow citizens with God’s people”

    B. One FAMILY – (v.19b) – “…members of God’s household.”

    C. A HOLY TEMPLE – (vv.20-22) – “…a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

    The PURPOSE of the Church as a temple is to reveal the presence and glory of God!

    III. You may be STRENGTHENED by the Spirit – (3:14-21)

    What is this power for?
    (v.17) – So that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith!
    (v.18) – To know the full measure of the love of Christ!
    (v.19) – To be filled with the full measure of the fullness of God!
    (vv.20-21) – To glorify God in the Church and in Christ Jesus!
    The Spirit strengthens us so Christ may be manifest in our lives! I have the HOLY SPIRIT so I may have the power/ability to live a HOLY LIFE!
    (Romans 8:26) (Philippians 2:12-16)

    IV. You should NOT GRIEVE the Spirit! – (4:30)

    I grieve the Holy Spirit when my BEHAVIOR does not match WHO I AM IN CHRIST!
    (Eph 4:17-4:32) – We grieve the Holy Spirit when we live as if he were not there at all!

    V. You MUST BE FILLED with the HOLY SPIRIT – (5:18-21)

    Unfortunately, sometimes there is significant misunderstanding about what it means to be “filled with the Spirit!”
    Often, when asked if I am “Spirit-filled” the question behind the question is, “Do you speak in tongues?”
    WHICH, in the past has been the test (in some circles) of whether a person is “filled” or “baptized” with the Holy Spirit!
    (Titus 3:4-5) – The Holy Spirit is God’s MEANS of salvation! There is no such thing as a believer who does not have the Holy Spirit!
    The question remains: “Are you filled with the Spirit?”
    “Being filled” is in fact, CONTRASTED with being “drunk” (negative/positive—not/but)
    YOU ARE NEVER told in Scripture to be DRUNK with or on the Spirit! God isn’t asking you to lose control to a Person who will make you act GOOFY!
    JOHN STOTT – “…it is a serious mistake to suppose that to be filled with the Spirit of Jesus Christ is a kind of spiritual inebriation in which we lose control of ourselves. One the contrary, ‘self control’ (enkrateia) is the final quality named as ‘the fruit of the Spirit’ in Galatians 5:22-23. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit we do not lose control; we gain it.”
    SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN? HOW AM I FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT?
    Our text provides TWO ways in which we can understand the filling of the Spirit:

    A. The FIRST is GRAMMATICAL: The form of the verb, “be filled” (plerousthe) provides clarity!

    1. As stated before, “be filled” is in the imperative mood.
    This is not an OPTION; it’s not a suggestion, it is an AUTHORITATIVE COMMAND!
    2. It is in the PLURAL form–It is addressed to the whole Christian community!
    The fullness of the Spirit is not an elitist privilege (for those who “get it”), but available for all the people of God!
    3. It is in the PASSIVE voice. NLT – “Let the Holy Spirit fill and control you…”
    STOTT – “There is no technique to learn and no formula to recite. What is essential is such a penitent turning from what grieves the Holy Spirit and such a believing openness to him that nothing hinders Him from filling us.”
    4. It is in the PRESENT tense.
    It is not a once for all experience, but a continual privilege for every believer!
    PARALLEL passage: (Col 3:16-17)
    The Holy Spirit is a PERSON, not a BOOK! But when I fill my mind with the Word of God, the Spirit of God is allowed free reign to my thoughts and will!

    B. The SECOND is CONSEQUENTIAL!

    Since this IMPERATIVE is followed by four PARITICPLES (speaking, singing, thanking, & submitting)—consequences or results of being filled with the Spirit, then one way to know if I am filled with the Spirit is to ask, “Am I experiencing these results?”
    1. Am I experiencing FELLOWSHIP with the Body of Christ? “…speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…”
    You might say, “How do you get fellowship out of that verse?”
    My friends, you don’t just sing to anyone…”Hi. How are you? ‘O happy day…’”
    2. Do I experience WORSHIP? “…singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord”
    3. Am I THANKFUL for the blessings of life? “…always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father.”
    4. Do I willingly SUBMIT to the Body of Christ? “…and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” NIV – “Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
    (Eph 4:2-3)
    NOTE what is NOT listed: any one of the “sign” or “miraculous” gifts!
    The filling of the Spirit results in fellowship, worship, thanksgiving, and submission to one another out of reverence for Christ!
    Fellowship, worship, submission to God and others…THAT, my friend is the appropriate TEST as to whether or not you are “being filled with the Spirit!”
    NEXT WEEK, we will see the first place where the filling of the Spirit is manifest (following our experience in the Body of Christ), is the FAMILY!

      • Ephesians 5:18–21NIV

      • 2 Corinthians 1:21–22NIV

      • 2 Corinthians 5:5NIV

SPRINGCREEK FELLOWSHIP
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