Your Foundation in Christ (Victory Series Book #3): Live By the Power of the Spirit (12 page)

Ephesians 5:15–22

Key Point

Spirit-filled Christians are always grateful and make melody in their hearts to the Lord.

Key Verse

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18

P
aul writes, “We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body . . . and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13). The Spirit’s indwelling (see John 14:17; Romans 8:9), sealing (see 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13), and baptism (see Galatians 3:27) all occur at the time of regeneration and are therefore never commanded. The Early Church began with the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost but soon learned that there would be an ongoing need to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

The presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers is what sets them apart from the rest of humanity. A Christian is simply one in whom Christ dwells. Although the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in every true believer, not every believer is fully yielded to Him. Spirit-filled believers are yielded to God, and their lives are characterized by His presence.

“Being filled” has the idea of being under control. The fruit of the Spirit becomes evident in the lives of believers who are yielded to Him (see Galatians 5:22–23). It is a cooperative arrangement between God and His children, since “self-control” is a fruit of the Spirit. Our lives become manageable when we choose to be filled with His Spirit. The unmanageable deeds of the flesh become evident when we dethrone God and exult self.

According to Paul, the responsibility falls on the believer to be filled with the Spirit. “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). The evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit is revealed in the ways we communicate with each other and with God (see Ephesians 5:19–20). The idea of being filled with the Spirit is not like an empty glass that needs to be filled. The idea is more like a balloon full of air that can become much bigger and sail much higher if it is filled with more air. In the same way, we who are already temples of the Holy Spirit can be filled even more if we fully open ourselves to the divine breath of God.

Our potential to bear fruit increases as we grow in Christ. As new believers, we are like lawn-mower engines who can do good work. As we grow, we become like tractor engines who can do greater works, but neither can accomplish anything without gas. We never outgrow our need for God. We cannot fulfill our purpose without the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and we can be if we confess our sin and yield to Him.

Make it your daily practice to do so with a simple prayer: “Father, I come before You as Your child. I thank You for Your grace and mercy by which I am saved. I confess I have not always yielded myself to You. I have been self-willed, self-centered, and self-sufficient. I choose to believe I am alive, free, and forgiven in Christ. I choose to live by faith according to what You say is true. I yield myself to You as my Lord and my Savior and
ask You to fill me with Your Holy Spirit so I may glorify You in my body. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

How do we know when we are filled with the Spirit?

How is the filling of the Holy Spirit a cooperative arrangement with God?

What is wrong with saying, “I’m perfectly capable of managing my own life”?

Has there been a time when you realized that your life is spinning out of control? How much control do you really have over your destiny?

What is keeping you from crucifying the flesh and finding true self-control by yielding yourself to God?

One drunk with wine sways and stumbles. But one who is filled with the Spirit has solid footing in Christ. This is a fine drunkenness, which produces even greater sobriety of mind.

Ambrose (AD 340–397)

1 Thessalonians 5:16–22

Key Point

When we yield ourselves to God and trust Him to work through us, we allow Him to release the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Key Verse

Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.

John 7:37–38

J
esus encouraged His disciples to be persistent in prayer (see Luke 11:10) and assured them that God would not give them bad gifts. He said, “If you then . . . know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (verse 13). God fulfilled that promise at Pentecost, and He still gives it to those who seek Him for salvation and the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Yielding ourselves to God is a question of trust. Those in doubt wonder what God would do with their lives and how He would manifest His
presence in them if they yielded themselves to His Holy Spirit. We can trust God because we know He has our best interests at heart. Only good can come from seeking God with all our heart. Jesus said, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them” (John 7:37–38). Jesus was referring to the internal presence of the Holy Spirit who is waiting to be released. The Spirit-filled Christian is always joyful, prays continuously, and is forever grateful (see 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18).

When Moses saw the burning bush, he was startled because the fire did not consume it (see Exodus 3:3). If the bush had been burning because of the natural substance of which it was made, it would have been consumed immediately. It continued to burn because God was in the bush. The same is true of us. If we try to serve God out of our own strength, we will burn out. We don’t live our natural lives for God; He lives His eternal life through us. We serve God by His strength, not by our strength. Therefore, “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt” (1 Thessalonians 5:19–20). God can choose to work supernaturally through anybody—He even spoke through Balaam’s donkey (see Numbers 22:28)!

When God works through us, He does not bypass our humanity or trample our personalities. As Spirit-filled Christians we are fully human, and God works through our uniqueness. We are fully alive and fully free to fulfill our potential, which can only be accomplished in Christ. Scripture admonishes us not to quench the Spirit or grieve the Spirit (see Ephesians 4:30).

On the other hand, we shouldn’t believe every spiritual manifestation is from God. We should “test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:21–22), because there are many spiritual counterfeits in this world. Scripture admonishes us to avoid two extremes. First, we should not participate with those who hold to a form of godliness but deny its power (see 2 Timothy 3:5). Second, we should not follow those who appear to be zealous for God but whose zeal is not based on knowledge (see Romans 10:2). To be spiritually safe, we must be knowledgeable of the truth and be spiritually discerning. If our motives are pure, we can yield ourselves to God and trust Him to work through us in any way He chooses. In doing so, we release the Holy Spirit and manifest the presence of God within us.

How does trust play a factor in how much we choose to yield ourselves to God? Why can we always place our trust in God?

What would our churches and homes be like if we fully trusted God to fill us with His Spirit?

Why do we need to test all things?

How are you trusting God to work through you in a way that pleases Him?

What tension do you personally feel about holding to a form of godliness but denying its power and being zealous for God but lacking knowledge?

We can thus see why Paul, not wanting the grace of the Spirit given to us to grow cold, exhorts us, “Do not quench the Spirit.” The only way we can continue to be partakers of Christ is to cling until the end to the Holy Spirit, who was given to us at the beginning. Paul said, “Do not quench” not because the Spirit is under the power of men but because evil and unthankful men certainly do wish to quench the Spirit. Demonstrating their impurity, they drive the Spirit away by their unholy deeds.

Athanasius of Alexandria (AD 296–373)

A Gentle and Quiet Spirit

The Greek word for submission is a military term, and it means to “arrange under.” If we are submissive to God, we will also be submissive to civil government (see 1 Peter 2:13–17), parents (see Ephesians 6:13), husbands (see 1 Peter 3:1–4) and wives (see Ephesians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:7), employers (see 1 Peter 2:18–23), and church leaders (see Hebrews 13:17). The charge to be submissive to governing authorities always comes with a promised blessing. It is for our own spiritual protection that we should be submissive. Scripture warns us that the first rebel is roaring around like a hungry lion, and it admonishes us to come under God’s protective authority.

It is a mature act of faith to trust God to work in your life through something-less-than-perfect leaders who will undoubtedly be in positions of authority over you at some time in your life. You submit to the position of authority regardless of the person’s capabilities. Should governing authorities demand that you do or not do something that is contrary to the will of God, then you must obey God, as the Early Church did (see Acts 4:18–20). Rather than be disrespectful, offer them a creative alternative, as Daniel did (see Daniel 1:8–16). You also don’t have to obey those who overstep the scope of their authority. Policemen can direct traffic and write tickets, but they cannot come into your church and command you to worship a certain way.

Submission never means surrendering who you are. In fact, being submissive is essential for your identity and freedom in Christ, which are unrelated to who you report to in this world. Nobody can keep you from being the person God created you to be. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). We may be ridiculed for being Christians, but “it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people” (1 Peter 2:15).

Should we suffer unjustly while serving under an earthly master for doing good, it is commendable before God. “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (verse 21). We should all strive for “the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight” (3:4). Esther was such a woman, and because of her willingness to be submissive to the king, who was her husband, she saved the nation of Israel.

T
he following are some guidelines for leaders to follow when using the V
ICTORY
S
ERIES
studies with a small group. Generally, the ideal size for a group is between 10 and 20 people, which is small enough for meaningful fellowship but large enough for dynamic group interaction. It is typically best to stop opening up the group to members after the second session and invite them to join the next study after the six weeks are complete.

Structuring Your Time Together

For best results, ensure that all participants have a copy of the book. They should be encouraged to read the material and consider the questions and applications on their own before the group session. If participants have to miss a meeting, they should keep abreast of the study on their own. The group session reinforces what they learned and offers the valuable perspectives of others. Learning best takes place in the context of committed relationships, so do more than just share answers. Take the time to care and share with one another. You might want to use the first week to distribute material and give everyone a chance to tell others who they are.

If you discussed just one topic a week, it would take several years to finish the V
ICTORY
S
ERIES
. If you did five a week, it is possible to complete the whole series in 48 weeks. All the books in the series were written with a six-week study in mind. However, each group is different and each will
have to discover its own pace. If too many participants come unprepared, you may have to read, or at least summarize, the text before discussing the questions and applications.

It would be great if this series was used for a church staff or Bible study at work and could be done one topic at a time, five days a week. However, most study groups will likely be meeting weekly. It is best to start with a time of sharing and prayer for one another. Start with the text or Bible passage for each topic and move to the discussion questions and application. Take time at the end to summarize what has been covered, and dismiss in prayer.

Group Dynamics

Getting a group of people actively involved in discussing critical issues of the Christian life is very rewarding. Not only does group interaction help to create interest, stimulate thinking, and encourage effective learning, but it is also vital for building quality relationships within the group. Only as people begin to share their thoughts and feelings will they begin to build bonds of friendship and support.

It is important to set some guidelines at the beginning of the study, as follows:

• There are no wrong questions.
  
• Everyone should feel free to share his or her ideas without recrimination.
  
• Focus on the issues and not on personalities.
  
• Try not to dominate the discussions or let others do so.
  
• Personal issues shared in the group must remain in the group.
  
• Avoid gossiping about others in or outside the group.
  
• Side issues should be diverted to the end of the class for those who wish to linger and discuss them further.
  
• Above all, help each other grow in Christ.
  

Some may find it difficult to share with others, and that is okay. It takes time to develop trust in any group. A leader can create a more open and
sharing atmosphere by being appropriately vulnerable himself or herself. A good leader doesn’t have all the answers and doesn’t need to for this study. Some questions raised are extremely difficult to answer and have been puzzled over for years by educated believers. We will never have all the answers to every question in this age, but that does not preclude discussion over eternal matters. Hopefully, it will cause some to dig deeper.

Leading the Group

The following tips can be helpful in making group interaction a positive learning opportunity for everyone:

• When a question or comment is raised that is off the subject, suggest that you will bring it up again at the end of the class if anyone is still interested.
  
• When someone talks too much, direct a few questions specifically to other people, making sure not to put any shy people on the spot. Talk privately with the “dominator” and ask for cooperation in helping to draw out the quieter group members.
  
• Hopefully the participants have already written their answers to the discussion questions and will share that when asked. If most haven’t come prepared, give them some time to personally reflect on what has been written and the questions asked.
  
• If someone asks a question that you don’t know how to answer, admit it and move on. If the question calls for insight about personal experience, invite group members to comment. If the question requires specialized knowledge, offer to look for an answer before the next session. (Make sure to follow up the next session.)
  
• When group members disagree with you or each other, remind them that it is possible to disagree without becoming disagreeable. To help clarify the issues while maintaining a climate of mutual acceptance, encourage those on opposite sides to restate what they have heard the other person(s) saying about the issue. Then invite each side to evaluate how accurately they feel their position was presented. Ask group members to identify as many points as possible related to the topic on which both sides agree, and then lead the group in examining
  other Scriptures related to the topic, looking for common ground that they can all accept.
  
• Finally, urge group members to keep an open heart and mind and a willingness to continue loving one another while learning more about the topic at hand.
  

If the disagreement involves an issue on which your church has stated a position, be sure that stance is clearly and positively presented. This should be done not to squelch dissent but to ensure that there is no confusion over where your church stands.