Spirit filled, born again believers want to keep themselves in a place where Jesus Christ is the central figure of their lives. As we walk with God, difficulties arise and many times find ourselves in a very dry place even feeling weak and alone. Looking deeper into the Bible’s teaching to the church, God has given understanding on how to stay continually filled with His Spirit.
Ephesians chapter 4 begins the teaching to the church about the transformation process after our new birth experience. Paul introduces the ideas of the work involved with maturity. He also instructs us on the principle of growing in our relationship with the Lord Jesus and His body:
Eph 4:1-3 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Eph 4:17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
Eph 4:17 (NIV) So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
Eph 4:20-24 But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Paul explains that as Gentiles we formerly walked in the “futility of our minds”, this was empty godless thinking that could not produce any eternal value or spiritual fruit. Our minds were in opposition to God. Now we have been given a very special opportunity, with the power of the Holy Spirit, to become a new creature in Christ Jesus. He tells us to walk worthy of our calling, further explaining that walking worthy is manifest by our heart attitude and thoughts toward one another in ongoing relationships.
Paul tells us that in this process there are many things that we must continually do to keep the “new man” in control of our lives. The passages indicate that we play a large role in keeping the unity of the Spirit and continually being changed from what we used to be, to what God wants us to be. Remember God is speaking to born again Christian believers here, not sinners. God does not wave His hand over us and suddenly we are different people, with no effort on our part. There is relational work for us to do with one another and Him and we know that He will always do His part!
At the end of Ephesians chapter 4, we are given instruction on specific things to “put off” and other qualities that we are to put on. This list is not optional and includes (speaking truthfully, how to be angry, laboring, edification, etc):
Eph 4: 25-32 Therefore, putting away lying, “ Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,”for we are members of one another. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Eph 5: 1-4 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. (NIV)
All of the above mentioned qualities help the church to bear with one another and to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. If we continued to remain bitter with, steal, lie or tear down one another the church will not grow and we will not mature. If we work on these things and allow them to find a place in our hearts we will become the “new man” that Jesus created us to be. Think what the church would look like if everyone only worked on just what is mentioned in the above passage!
Ephesians Chapter 5 continues the thought and introduces again, the idea of walking with God. In verse one of Chapter 4 Paul said to “walk worthy”, now Paul fleshes this out further by exhorting us to 1) walk in love, 2) to walk in light and 3) to walk “carefully” or wisely.
I believe that God uses the illustration of walking to indicate intimacy with Him. Walking reminds me of times with my wife walking and talking for hours about the questions and directions of our lives. Jesus wants to walk with us every day.
Ephesians 5
vs. 2 And walk in love…
vs. 8b Walk as children of light…
vs. 15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise.
Explaining further the ideas of walking in these three areas, Paul continues and tells us to be filled with the Spirit! It is interesting to note how this Epistle and the Epistle written to the Colossians describe what will keep us filled with His Spirit:
Col 3:14-17 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Eph 5:18-21 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.
Staying filled with the Spirit of Jesus includes putting on love, by: 1) how we speak/teach/admonish one another 2) the attitude of thankfulness 3) submission to one another (the line of headship).
Both passages above are followed by verses giving a description of headship allowing Jesus Christ to be the head of His church and are a key in being filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:21 concludes the idea of being filled with the Spirit, by saying “submitting to one another in the fear of God”. Paul than gives a word picture on what this submission looks like, for each relational role in life:
Eph 5:22-23 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Eph 6:4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
Eph 6:5 Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ;
Eph 6:9 And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
The Epistle to the Colossians describes this word picture again:
Col 3:18 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.
20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.
21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
22 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.
23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
Col 4:1 Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
This teaching is reflective of the “putting off” and “putting on” teaching from Ephesians 4:20. Wives are to put on a submissive (respectful) attitude and husbands are to put on love that is (sacrificial). Children are to obey (respect) their parents and fathers are to teach & train their children about Jesus. Bondservants are to learn true obedience from the heart as unto the Lord and masters are to put on an attitude that reflects their true master and ownership of the Lord. This is how we submit to one another. This is how we stay filled with the Spirit.
In being filled with the Spirit, Paul talks about every day relationships and the Godly way in which the church stays connected to the Head – Jesus Christ. There are many things in this life that will try and disconnect us from the Head. Colossians mentions false humility and the worship of angels, these may seem extreme to most of us. What about the simpler concepts, that the devil is fully aware of and the church must not be ignorant of: fathers provoking our children, husbands being bitter towards their wives, children rebelling against their parents or wives not in submission to their husbands….
All of these things cause the line of headship to be broken and the flow of God’s Spirit is hindered, Colossians exhorts us to hold fast to the Head because all of His body is nourished and knit together and will increase when we stay connected to the Head (Jesus):
Col 2:18-19 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.
When disconnection from the Head occurs, His life giving Spirit cannot flow properly through the body and we are not able to remain filled with the Spirit. Coming to church each week may give us a boost of energy to make it through the week, but we need to work on putting on the new man every day to gain lasting victory and flow that Jesus wants all of us to enjoy in our lives. The book of Ephesians is not just suggestions or optional information. I believe we misquote Ephesians chapter 6 when we do not understand Ephesians 4 & 5 that leads up to this passage.
Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
How can we have the power of His might if we are still acting as the old man? The new man must be formed in us to remain connected to the Head and filled with His Spirit. The whole armor of God cannot protect our inner man if we have not “put off” the old man and put on the new!
The conclusion given here by Paul is when we are walking worthy by walking in love, light and wisdom then we can be strong in the Lord.
Paul teaches us to “put on” the new man so when we “put on” the armor of God (truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation) and speak the Word of God we will be filled with the Spirit and be able to stand against our enemies in victorious living every day.
~Guest blog by Don Siple (used with permission)
