Continue being filled with the Spirit

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Salvation past, present, and future”

Our Bible verse for today: “… but be filled by the Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18b (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Continue being filled with the Spirit”

Yesterday I made the point that it is critical for us to maintain a close relationship with Jesus. We considered Jesus’ illustration of the grapevine and the branches from John 15:5 and we thought about some of the attributes of Jesus that should become increasingly evident in the life of the Christian as you grow and mature spiritually. In Galatians 5:22-23 the Apostle Paul referred to that as “the fruit of the Spirit”.

In today’s Bible verse (Ephesians 5:18b) Paul continues that theme by referring to something known as “being filled with the Spirit.” The fuller passage in which this partial verse appears teaches about consistency in the Christian life. Paul starts the passage out with the command, “Pay careful attention, then, to how you live – not as unwise people but as wise – making the most of the time…” It is within that context that the phrase “but be filled with the Spirit” appears.

In New Testament Greek the term “be filled” is in the present tense. It indicates an ongoing action. That clues us into the fact that although the Holy Spirit came to live in your heart in the moment of conversion, there is something more that is supposed to be ongoing in your life with respect to the presence and work of the Spirit.

This is not a “second anointing” of the Holy Spirit. That’s not what Paul is talking about. In the moment you placed your faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins you were filled with the Holy Spirit – and you got all of Him there is to have. But the idea that we are to “continue” being filled with Him on an ongoing basis means that you are to practice the necessary spiritual disciplines every day so that you remain in-tune with His work in your life, and you are fully submitted to His will. “Continuing” to be filled means that you cultivate your relationship with the Holy Spirit so you are sensitive to His presence, you seek His guidance, and then you follow it.

The ongoing daily experience of being filled with the Spirit is a moment-by-moment walk of obedience with the Father through the ministry of the Spirit, and it is an important part of this process that is progressively making you more and more like Jesus.

I encourage you to seek to be filled with the Spirit again today. Renew and nurture your relationship with Him.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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