Word of Salvation – Vol.41 No.14 – April 1996

 

Being Filled With The Spirit

 

Sermon by Rev. L. Douma on Ephesians 5:18 (& 19-21)

Scripture Readings: 1Corinthians 2:6 – 3:4; Ephesians 4:29 – 5:21

 

Beloved Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In recent times many of us will have seen or heard of the “Toronto Blessing”.  We will have heard or seen that this is a phenomenon where people claim to have been filled or struck with the Spirit and have fallen down laughing, sometimes for hours.  Thousands of people, world-wide, have flocked to places to be renewed or refreshed, even folk from the Reformed Churches.

So what are we to make of it?  Well, people may have come home with a wonderful experience or have felt very good.  But as Jonathan Edwards said during the “Great Awakening” in America in the eighteenth century, “an experience by itself does not prove anything, either way”.  To know the truth of a matter, we must look carefully at what the Bible says.

So, we will look at a passage often quoted by those who advocate the “Toronto Blessing,” one which has been used to justify people rolling around on the floor “being drunk in the Spirit,” namely, Ephesians 5:18, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.  Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”

It is important to start off asking just what does it mean to be “filled with the Spirit”?  Because many struggle here, in terms of what it actually means, and in experiencing the Spirit in their lives.

As Christians we should know that we do indeed have the Spirit.  That is made very clear with Pentecost.  There the Spirit was given as a gift of the ascended Lord to all who believed.  All that we have is a free gift from Jesus because of what He has done.  It is not by anything we do or our experiences.  It’s all through faith by grace.  Christ has died and so we have been forgiven.  Christ has arisen and so we have received new life.  Christ has ascended and was glorified and so we have received the Holy Spirit.

So, the Bible is clear that as believers we have the Spirit.  Not one of us need doubt that.  But then we ask: if we all have the Spirit, why is there a difference in Christian experience?  Why are some Christians full of life and joy, and others down and out and often showing so little obedience to the Lord?  Do we perhaps need something extra, like a ‘Second Baptism in the Spirit,’ as the Pentecostals have said for years?”  Or perhaps this more recent “Toronto Blessing”?  Isn’t it because so many Christians feel that their lives are dry, joyless and disappointing that they hunger for this sort of thing?  So maybe we do need it?

No!  The Bible nowhere teaches that.  And the proof texting used by those advocating the “Toronto Blessing” is not convincing.  In fact it is a complete travesty of the proper use of Scripture.  However, the Bible does make a distinction between the “gift” of the Spirit and the “fullness” of the Spirit.

The “gift” of the Spirit is what God has given to all His children.  It is a possession that we will never lose.  For the Spirit is the “deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession” (Eph.1:14).  However the “fullness” of the Spirit refers to a condition, which is intended to be continuous, but which far too often fluctuates up and down.  The “fullness” of the Spirit is something we need to work on daily, to be continually filled.

So, what’s the difference?  Well, each Christian has the Spirit of God.

We have Him in all His glory and power.  So “fullness” does not refer to the amount of the Spirit we have.  For He is a person and cannot be divided.  So it is quite wrong to hear charismatic preachers say to believers “receive the Spirit – have more, more, more!”  Either you have the Spirit because you believe, or you do not have the Spirit because you do not believe.

Rather, ‘fullness’ refers to how much we are under the influence of the Spirit.  It refers to how much we submit to His control, how much we acknowledge His presence, and how much we follow His leading.

Paul writes in our text, “Do not get dunk on wine… Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” We see there the idea that we should be under the influence of the one rather than the other.  When we are under the influence of alcohol, we lose control of ourselves – and in our society we know the terrible results!  No wonder Paul says it leads to “debauchery”.

When we are under the influence of the Spirit, it is not a case of being “spiritually drunk,” as some might like to advocate.  We do not lose control.  We, in fact, gain control of life as we allow Him to control us.  Remember, one of the fruits of the Spirit is “self-control”.

We note that Paul gives a command here in our text: “Be filled with the Spirit.”  The Greek is not a passive.  It is not a case of passively receiving something and being bowled over.  It is a command that demands action from us.  That means that we have to do our part.  We have to respond.

As was said before, the “gift” of the Spirit does not depend on us or what we do.  It is God’s sovereign gift – by Christ’s doing.  But “…being filled with the Spirit” is dependent on us.  It requires our obedient submission to the control of the Spirit.  Being filled is something that is often repeated, and if not repeated needs to be maintained.  We have to work at it to keep it at a certain “level”.

We are not puppets in our relationship with the Spirit.  We do not just dangle on His strings.  We are in covenant – in partnership – with the Spirit.

We cooperate with Him in our life of obedience to Christ.  In the parallel passage in Colossians 3, Paul does not say, “be filled with the Spirit” as he does in Ephesians 5.  But instead, “…let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.”  So to be “filled with the Spirit” means that we must be submissive to the Spirit.  We must respond in obedience as the Spirit opens us up to the “Word of Christ”.  We must let the Word of Christ dwell in us and lead us.

Now, if the “filling” is not maintained, it is lost.  If it is lost it can be recovered by submitting and obeying again.  In Ephesians 4:30, Paul admonishes, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”  There again, we can see the permanency of the Spirit.  By Him we are “sealed”.  The Spirit is the guarantee of our being redeemed.  But we can “grieve the Holy Spirit”.  Grieving the Holy Spirit comes about through sin.  When we disobey Jesus, we go against the leading of the Spirit.  Paul mentions in 4:31 things like, “…bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, along with every other form of malice.”

When the Holy Spirit is “grieved”, He ceases to “fill” us.  That is, we are not submissive to His leading, to being “under His influence”.  In a sense, our sin pushes Him out.  For example, if we have a glass full of water, and then put stones in it, the water spills out.  Repentance is the only road to recovery to again be “filled” with the Spirit.

In our text, Paul is actually commanding the Christians to “…go on being filled.” Our NIV Bible translation “be filled” does not get the nuance here.  The tense of the imperative in the Greek means to “continually go on being filled.”  So it is not a matter of having a once-off “Toronto Blessing” type experience, or even going back to have it several times.  Being filled is something that must always, continually, be worked on.  It is life long.  The fact that Paul gives a command here shows that it’s all too possible for Christians to have the Spirit and not “be filled”.  And don’t we know it?  Aren’t we so often spiritually dry?!?

But then, how do we determine, or measure, if we are filled with the Spirit?  How do we determine that we are living under His influence?  What is the result of being Spirit filled?  Some Christian groups have suggested for a long time that it is seen by “speaking in tongues.” In more recent times, charismatic groups have said it is seen by “laughing in the Spirit”.

But a careful look at Scripture shows that the evidence of being “Spirit filled” is not so much in the spectacular gifts.  Even in New Testament times it was not in the gifts of “healing”, or “tongues”, etc, that demonstrated the Spirit’s fullness.  We can see that with the Corinthian church.  As we know, they very much had the gifts of tongues.  But Paul writes to them in 1Cor.3:1, “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly.”  They indeed had the Spirit as a gift from God.  But they were more under the influence of the “world” than of the “Spirit”.

They, by their speaking in tongues, may have claimed a certain “fullness” but it was not the “fullness” of the Spirit, for they were very worldly.  Their “worldliness” was seen in their childish understanding and in their fighting.  Says Paul (vss.2-3) “I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready.  Indeed you are still not ready.  You are still worldly.  For since there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not worldly?”

In Paul’s writings, it is rather the fruits of the Spirit that show the Spirit’s indwelling – fruits such as “…love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness and self-control.”  And we see that also in our text.  The command, “go on being filled with the Spirit” is followed by four present participles, four results that flow from being filled, namely: “speaking, singing, thanking and submitting.”

Our NIV Bible translates “Speak to one another with psalms and 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.” (vss.19-21)

These are the results of “…being filled with the Spirit.”  We note that these results are in terms of relationships.  The Spirit’s fullness does not involve just some private mystical experience, some internal feeling.  It has much more to do with a relationship with God, and, flowing out of that, our relationship with our fellow Christians.

The first thing we see here as evidence of being Spirit filled is “…speaking to one another…!”  It is interesting that “…speaking to one another” is the first consequence.  But then it is not surprising, since the first fruit of the Spirit is love.  And Paul admonished the Corinthians that the “…greatest is love.”  Without it, their other gifts were of no value.

Now, with some unusual experience happening to us, such as laughing in the Spirit, a person may feel they have a close communion with the Lord.  But we cannot claim the fullness of the Spirit if we are not on speaking terms with other Christians.  And thus it is very ironic how quickly things like the “Toronto Blessing” generate an elitism and division, all while done in the name of the Spirit.

The first sign of being Spirit filled, says Paul, is communion, or fellowship.  The fellowship is, of course, a spiritual one.  Not just worldly togetherness, but, says Paul, “Speak to another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.”

That does not mean we just sing to each other.  Rather, Paul means that true fellowship is expressed in worshipping together.  Often in our worship services we hear the Psalms which call us to: “Oh, come let us sing unto the Lord.”  Being Spirit filled means we encourage each other to worship God together in harmony.

That leads us to the second consequence of being Spirit filled, namely, “…singing and making music in our heart to the Lord.”  Here the emphasis is not towards “one another” but to “the Lord.”  The Holy Spirit loves to glorify the Lord.  In fact, He is Christ’s gift to show that Jesus is glorified as the ascended Lord.  If we are under His influence, then He pulls us together, because He is in each of us.  And then He draws us to glory in the Christ.

The Spirit filled person loves to talk of the Lord, of what Jesus has done on the cross, of how Jesus has brought forgiveness and hope.  The gospel is the song in his heart that overflows to his lips.  It is therefore a serious concern when people leave denominations, such as the Assemblies of God, because they say the gospel is no longer preached and Jesus is not honoured in the services where the “Toronto Blessing” was the main emphasis.  If something is of the Spirit, then Christ will be who He emphasises and glorifies.

Thirdly, by the Spirit we will be “…thanking God always for everything, in the Name of Jesus.”  Most people give thanks sometimes for something.  The Spirit filled believer gives thanks “always” for “all things.”  Thanksgiving is a sign of trust.  Even in the most difficult circumstance, we are thankful for God’s grace in Christ.  Grumbling was one of Israel’s major sins.  The offence was in the fact that it was a symptom of unbelief, a lack of trust in God.

The Spirit makes us look at Christ.  In looking at Jesus we know that God has given His all, and if He was willing to give us His Son, He is also willing to provide us with all we need, for body and soul.  And so, we give thanks in the Name of Jesus, even in the midst of pain and suffering and strife.

Finally, we can see that we are being Spirit filled by our “…submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”  Being humbly serving one another is a sign of the Spirit.  For it is His nature.  The Spirit is always self-effacing.  He never draws attention to Himself.  He serves the Christ, to bring Him honour.

The verb “submitting” occurs 32 times in the New Testament, a sign of its importance in Christian behaviour.  Look how the idea of submitting or serving follows on from our text: “…wives submit to your husband…  husbands love your wives…  children obey your parents…  fathers do not exasperate your children…  servants obey your masters…!”

All these show how we are living under the influence of the Spirit.  So, if our marriages are no good, if our relationships are sour, no wonder we are spiritually dry.  And all the “Toronto” type blessings cannot bring lasting happiness.  We need to fix our relationships, by being under the influence of the Spirit.

Well, then, are we Spirit-filled?  If not, let us stop grieving the Spirit by our sin.  Let us repent.  As the Apostle Peter says in Acts 3:19, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the LORD…!”

So, first repent.  Then cooperate with the Spirit and yield to Him.  Let Him fill you and lead you.  Instead of charging into a situation on your own steam, pray for guidance.  Let Him lead you.

We must consciously recognise that God Almighty is residing in us.  And every moment of the day we must rest in His strength, work by His power, follow His leading.  That will bring peace to our hearts and thanksgiving in all situations.  And it will bring the spiritual refreshing that so many thirst for.

Amen.