Ephesians chapter 5, while you're
turning there to remind you that Lord will in two weeks from tonight,
Brother Cody Groover will be here preaching for us. Going through this blessed book
of Ephesians. Ephesians 5. Verse 18, and be not drunk with
wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking
to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always
for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ. submitting yourselves one to
another in the fear of God. Let's pray together. Our Father,
we thank You this evening for this precious time. Bless, we
pray, Your Word. Help us as we come to worship. Forgive us where we failed You,
for Christ's sake. Amen. I've reminded you this numerous
times, the last three chapters of the book of Ephesians is the
declaration of the evidence, the mark of a believer. The first three chapters gloriously
set forth the doctrinal truth that we believe and hold to concerning
God's sovereignty in the election, redemption, of His people. But in this verse 18 through
21, verses 18 to 21, Paul the Apostle, under the inspiration
of God's Spirit, gives us instruction on that which we are to avoid
and that which we are to seek. Now the first thing that he says
in verse 18, and be not drunk, with wine wherein is excess."
Now, believers are warned against the excessive drinking of liquor. And the portion of that script,
be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with
the Spirit, those are two vitally joined truths. But the first
thing he's setting forth is warning us to be cautious on liquor. It's just as straightforward
as it can be. It's not that the apostle forbids
the partaking of wine. He told Timothy, use a little
wine for thy stomach's sake and that often for thine infirmities. But notice what he said, little.
Just a little. Drunkenness or the excessiveness
of drinking to the point of being overtaken, intoxicated through
the strength of liquor, is what Paul is warning us about. What happens, man starts drinking,
and if he's not careful, he's going to bring himself to shame,
danger, therefore, is to be avoided. Be not drunk with wine wherein
is excess. It causes riotousness, which
is one of the words that describes it, that which causes abuse. You know, a man starts drinking
and the next thing you know, he's starting to think of himself
more capable than he's really able. Get into a place where
you'd normally use a little common sense, and the next thing you
know, you're completely out of control. You don't use good management
of your mind. But being warned to not abuse
alcohol, it gives us that which we are to be directed by, led
by. but be filled with the Spirit. Now, this is what we do seek,
being filled with the Spirit of God. Now, I want to just be
very, very simple, very cautious, take very, very small steps. This is probably one of the most
abused truths that set forth in the circles of Pentecostalism. They talk about being filled
with the Spirit and what they're talking about is some, you know,
hooping and hollering and jumping around and, you know, making
a show of yourself. I've recently had this happen
to me where I was somewhere and I was preaching And someone in
the congregation just, you know, instead of just being respectful
and letting the person speak that was speaking, drawing all
kinds of attention to himself and just, come on, yeah, yeah,
now, yeah, there we go, here we go. I'm thinking, okay, you've
got your reward. Everybody has seen you and everybody
knows that you're sitting there. That's not. being filled with
the Spirit. But, we're exhorted to be. So, first of all, who are we
exhorted to be filled with? The Spirit. The Holy Ghost, who
is one with the Father and the Son. John 14, 17 reveals Him
to be the Spirit of truth. that dwells with believers and
shall be in them." The Holy Spirit. The Scripture says in Galatians
4, 6, "...and because you are sons, God has sent forth the
Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." So let's
stop and realize who is a believer filled with. When a man or woman is converted,
there is at that point, that commencement of the Spirit of
God indwelling God's people. Before the foundation of the
world, God, who everlastingly loved His people, chose them
in Christ. Eternally has beheld them in
the surety Himself. beheld the blood of the Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world." Everything with God
is now the eternal God. But there is a point in time
that we know and refer to as regeneration. And at that particular
time, the Spirit of God actually takes residence in two the object
of God's mercy. So there is a point in time when
regeneration takes place. There's a new birth. There's
a new nature put in. At that point, it happens. Before, we're dead. It trespasses and sins. No life. But you hath be quickened who
were dead. So in regeneration, the Spirit
of God comes in power and dwells that heart, grants faith, first
time a man or woman ever believes. When the Spirit of God regenerates
and then He guides and leads according to God's will, teaching
the objects of God's mercy, reminding them of those things which the
Lord Jesus has said, and illuminates that believer to behold the glory
of God in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. So we know that
the one who indwells the believer in regeneration is the Holy Spirit. And once He takes up residency,
He never leaves. He's there, the Spirit of God
that dwells in you. The Spirit of Christ indwells
God's people. But listen to the wording of
the Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Lord's Spirit. Those who
are indwelt by the Holy Spirit are exhorted here to be filled
with Spirit. Be not drunk with wine wherein
is excess, But be filled with the Spirit. Well, if the Spirit
of God indwells me, if He's taken up residency with me, what does that mean? The key
to this command, this exhortation, is the word filled. You can understand,
but be with the Spirit. What does filled mean? Filled. Be filled with the Spirit. The word filled actually means
to be controlled, to be influenced, or to be directed by the Spirit
of God. Now here is the absolute contrast
of the wine. Be not drunk, be not controlled,
be not influenced, be not directed with the wine wherein is excessiveness. Don't be excessively drinking
and to become because you will be. You will be. Foolishness,
debauchery, disregard for yourself and others and stuff. It's just,
be not. But listen to the exhortation. But be directed, led, influenced,
controlled by God's Spirit. Now, there's the command. I want you to look at the first
time that this being filled with the Spirit is recorded in God's
Word. Exodus 28.3. Exodus 28. In chapter 3, I'm going to read
the first half of this verse. And thou shalt speak unto all
that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the Spirit of wisdom."
Now, the Lord commands us, be filled with the Spirit. First
time that that's ever mentioned in the Scriptures concerning
being filled with the Spirit. Here's my question. Who filled
us? Who fills the believer? The Scripture
says, "...Thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted, whom
I have filled with the Spirit of wisdom." It is the Lord. It is God which works, worketh
in the believer, in you, both to will and to do of His good
pleasure. So being filled with the Spirit
of God is a commandment that a believer is not able to accomplish.
People falsely think, this is something you just drum up. You
know, you work it up. Get her going. Get the music
going. Get everything else going. Get
it worked up. Get a frenzy going. Raise your hands. Turn. Put your
head back. Close your eyes. Whatever. It's
flesh. It's flesh. That which is accomplished
in the believer is a work of God. Be filled with the Spirit,
the Lord says, speak unto all that I filled with the Spirit
of wisdom. Here's my next question. If I
know that I can accomplish it and I'm commanded to be so, my
question is this, for what purpose is this statement made? There's
a reason for it. Alright, now, continuing to read,
I'm going to read the latter part of that 28th chapter, verse
3. "...that they may make Aaron's
garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the
priest's office." Now, here's what the Lord has declared. He
is the one that fills with the Spirit And the reason that he
does that, and remember, don't get away from the meaning of
that word filled. To influence, to direct, to control. I have given the Spirit of God
to influence, to direct, and control those men to make the
garments of Aaron that Aaron might worship before the Lord.
Now we find in Scripture Men often being influenced and directed
and controlled by the Spirit of God. And then the Scripture
reveals the reason that Almighty God marvelously and powerfully
directed men to do what the Lord had purposed for them to do.
Now listen, listen. There are times when Almighty
God marvelously moves upon His people in whom the Spirit of
God dwells, and directs them and guides them in the accomplishment
of His purpose, and that is referred to as being filled with the Spirit
in a marvelous way. Listen to Micah 3.8. Micah says,
the prophet, but truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the
Lord. and of judgment to declare unto Jacob his transgression
and to Israel his sin. Micah said, the Lord has marvelously
and powerfully moved upon me, filling me with the Spirit of
God that I can preach. that I might declare unto Jacob
his transgression, and to Israel his sin." Now here the prophet
declares that God Almighty had filled him, had directed him,
had controlled him, had influenced him with the Spirit of God that
he might preach with discernment, being able to know the difference
between the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of evil. A man stands
up to preach the gospel. I make preparation. I have a
set of notes. I have my Bible. And we pray and we ask the Lord's
blessing. But I'm going to tell you something,
unless the Spirit of God influences, controls, directs, unless God
fills me with His Spirit, in the proclamation of the truth
and blesses that truth. It's just words. It's words. It's words that people
hear and they understand. But there's no power. Being filled
is the Spirit. When men preach the gospel, when
they set forth the glory of the Lord Jesus, they are filled.
with the Spirit of God and endued with power from on high. Now
I can prove that. Listen to this. On the day of
Pentecost, they were all in the upper room, and what they were
doing, they were all continued with one accord, and what were
they doing? They were praying. They were praying. The Lord had
told them, He said, you stay in Jerusalem. Now listen to this.
They were seeking the Lord, waiting on Him. The Lord had promised
Stay where you are until you be endued with power. And suddenly
there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind,
and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there
appeared unto them cloven tongues like as fire, and it set upon
each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. and
began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance."
Now, were they believers? Yes! Did the Spirit of God indwell
them in regenerating grace? Yes! But what happened? There was a powerful movement
upon them by God, whereby the Spirit of God moved and filled
them, and influenced them, and controlled them, and directed
them. And when He did, By the Spirit
of God, they began to preach in languages that they'd never
learned. They preached in unknown tongues. Languages that were
known to others. But these men didn't know them.
They were Galileans. And the people, this is a marvelous
thing. These are Galileans. I've told
you before. I don't speak Spanish. I don't speak Spanish. I don't
speak Russian either. I don't speak German either.
I don't speak French. My mama speaks French. I don't
speak French. But do you know when I hear somebody
speaking French, I say, that's French. I don't understand you. That's Spanish. That's Russian.
That's German. I recognize that. I recognize
those sounds. but I don't understand you."
These men heard these fellows preaching. They're Galileans,
I recognize that. I can go back down to South Louisiana
and Cajuns down there. They have a distinctive way of
talking. It's English, sort of, but I
can listen to what they're saying, and I can tell you, I said, I
know where you're from. You're from South Louisiana. It's got
that Cajun sound to it. These men were filled with the
Spirit of God, influenced, controlled by. And the Spirit of God moved
upon these men, and great things were accomplished. They began
to preach in languages that they never knew. John the Baptist. Here's what the Holy Spirit revealed
concerning John the Baptist. For he shall be great in the
sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong
drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from
his mother's womb. He shall be directed, controlled
by, influenced, by the Spirit of God, filled with the Holy
Ghost. Here, John the Baptist was said
to be filled with God's Spirit before he was ever born. Why? The reason is because God
had separated and distinguished him to be the forerunner, the
announcer. of the Lord Jesus Christ before
men. John was chosen to be the one
that would announce the Lord. And the Spirit of God prophesied
that John the Baptist would be set apart for this purpose. John is going to be the one.
And confirmed it, confirmed it, He is said in Malachi 3.1, this
is what he said about John, this is what the Lord said. Behold,
I will send my messenger, he shall prepare the way before
me, and the Lord whom you seek shall suddenly come to his temple,
even the messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in. Behold, he
shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. And God confirmed it. This is the man right here. While
he was yet in his mother's womb, Elizabeth who was pregnant with
John and Mary, who was pregnant with the Lord Jesus himself,
came together and when Mary spoke, the baby inside Elizabeth, John,
that the Lord had said, this is going to be God filled him
with the Holy Spirit, and John the Baptist in his mama's womb
leaped. Why did he leave? Because God
Almighty by His Spirit influence controlled him. This is the one. God prepared this man with special
gifts and grace while he was yet in his mother's womb. Stephen. Stephen preaching in Acts 7 before
the Jews. telling them of the glory of
the Lord Jesus and their refusal to bow to Him. This is what Stephen
said, you stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always
resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did. So do ye which of
the prophets have not your fathers persecuted. They have slain them
which have shown before the coming of the Just One, who are now
the betrayers and murderers who have received the law by the
disposition of angels and have not kept it. And when they heard
these things, they were cut to the heart, they gnashed on Him
with their teeth, but He, being full of the Holy Ghost, God Almighty
moved upon that man in a mighty way, influenced and controlled
and directed him. And here's what happened as God
moved on him, filled him with the Holy Ghost. It says, He looked
up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus
standing on the right hand of God and said, Behold, I see the
heavens opened and the Son of Man standing on the right hand
of God. When Stephen was being stoned, they gnashed on him with
the teeth and God Almighty moved on him, filled him, directed
him, controlled him powerfully by the Spirit of God. And Stephen's
eyes were opened. He said, I see the Lord. I see
God. I see the Lord Himself. Could
Stephen have controlled that? Influenced that? The Lord said,
I filled you. I filled you. Why are men filled? For the accomplishment of God's
purpose. Stephen saw the Lord Jesus. So being filled with God's Spirit,
God must do that. It's His work and His people
for the accomplishment of His will and purpose. Whether it
be a man standing and proclaiming the gospel of God's free grace,
God must fill him with His Spirit. God must direct him. God must
order. God must influence and move. Whatever is purposed by the Lord,
the Lord does it, fills him with His Spirit. So here's my closing
question. What are we to do? We're commanded
to be filled with the Spirit of God. And I know this, according
to Scriptures, I can't do that. I don't direct God's Spirit.
I don't order God's Spirit. God orders. God directs. God controls. What are we to
do as believers, knowing that Almighty God moves on His people? for the accomplishment of His
will. Here's the answer to that question on what are we to do.
Luke 11, 13, If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts
unto your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father
give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? With the desire to honor Him,
to praise, to bless the Lord. The believer is exhorted here
to ask, to seek, to knock at the door of God's mercy to be
filled with God's Spirit. Here's an amazing thought. The
Lord must fill us. But in our desire to be filled,
He says, ask. Ask. Ask. You that know Him, that trust
the Lord Jesus Christ, do you not desire to ask that you be
filled, that you be directed, that you be controlled, that
you be influenced for the accomplishment of God's purpose by His Holy
Spirit? Do you not desire, Lord, do in
me that which only You can do? Lord, for Your honor and Your
glory and Your praise, fill me by Your Spirit, with Your Spirit,
in that way which is pleasing unto You, as Lord, as I walk
after You, seeking You by faith. Is this not the very heart of
God's people? Is this not your desire? Do you not desire that He move
upon you and lead you? And listen to this, and I'm closing.
He says, Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled
with the Spirit, semicolon. You remember all these scriptures
that we've read where God, I filled them with the Spirit so that
they might make the garments. He filled Stephen with the Spirit
that Stephen might be able to see. He filled John the Baptist
with the Spirit of God while he was yet in his mother's womb,
declaring him, this is the one. And in time, what did John do?
Behold the Lamb of God, taketh away the sin of the world. Now
the Lord gives us some beautiful instruction on being filled with
the Spirit. And this is something that we
ourselves can experience and have experienced. Be filled with
the Spirit, semicolon. Speaking to yourselves in psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs. You know, only a believer does
this. I'm talking about songs whenever
we pick songs. We won't pick songs that are
honoring. We don't pick songs that don't glorify the Lord. Singing and making melody in
your heart to the Lord. Only a human being can sing. That's a grace that is not to
be abused. Singing. The Lord sang. Lord,
they sang after the Lord's Supper. We'll have the Lord's Supper
in a few minutes. When the Lord... They sang a
song. The Lord sang a song. But it
takes the Spirit of God to fill a believer. that in his heart
he can worship God singing unto the Lord. Listen to verse 20.
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Do you realize it takes
God's Spirit to fill a believer? Moving, influencing, controlling
him for that believer to be thankful. You think, well, I can be thankful
not without God's Spirit. not without being filled with
God's Spirit. The Lord is revealing to us what it takes for us to
be able to do this, to sing in our heart, make melody in our
heart, giving thanks, and then submitting yourselves one to
another in the reverence of the Lord. You know when we esteem
one another greater than ourselves, we might think that we've pretty
well arrived and we've done. It takes the Spirit of God moving,
filling, directing, controlling a believer that you would submit
yourself one to another. That you would love one another.
Show respect for the Lord's sake. As God Almighty has shown mercy
to you, let me be merciful. As the Lord's been merciful to
me, be merciful to me. Forgive me. Be kindly affection
to me. You know, we're a family. Be
filled with the Spirit. The Lord must do it. He always
gives in His Scriptures the evidence of it. And a believer desires
it and asks for it. May the Lord bless these words
to our heart for Christ's sake.