Efésios 5

Efésios 5:18

Boice observes that... In Acts there are ten occasions, at Pentecost and afterward, when an individual or group of individuals is said to have been filled with the Holy Spirit. In each case the common factor is that the persons involved immediately bore testimony to Jesus. The incidents are: (1) the company waiting in the upper room on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4); (2) Peter before he spoke to the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:8); (3) a group of early Christians (Acts 4:31); (4) the first deacons (Acts 6:3); (5) Stephen (Acts 6:5); (6) a second reference to Stephen (Acts 7:55); (7) Paul (Acts 9:17); (8) a second reference to Paul (Acts 13:9); (9) Barnabas (Acts 11:24); and (10) the disciples at Antioch (Acts 13:52). The one apparent exception is the case of the first deacons, but even this is not actually an exception in that we are not told of a filling of them by the Spirit but only that they gave evidence of having been filled. This may have been known by the fact that they had already been active as witnesses. Paul says that the wise man should desire to be so filled with God's Spirit that he might bear a faithful and effective testimony to Jesus Christ. Quite obviously, this will be a testimony conveyed by the upright character of his or her life, which is what Paul has been talking about all along. Also, quite obviously, it will be a testimony conveyed by the content and character of his or her speech, which is what the next two verses deal with. (Eph 5:19, 20) SPIRIT FILLED SAINTS IN THE BOOK OF ACTS First, we should not forget that the Gospels record that our Lord Himself was filled with the Holy Spirit, Who empowered Him for ministry, Luke recording... And Jesus, full (pleres related to pletho) of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led about by the Spirit in the wilderness (so the Spirit's filling is associated with His leading)...14 And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit; and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. (Luke 4:1, 14) Comment: Mark records that after Jesus' baptism, "immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness" (Mark 1:12) As an aside note that the terms Spirit and power are frequently associated = Lk 4:14; Acts 1:8; Acts 10:38; Ro 15:13; 1Cor 2:4; Eph 3:16; 1Th 1:5; cp 2Ti 1:7. Clearly, the Holy Spirit imparts power for ministry. This begs several vital questions to all preachers of the Gospel and all Gospel workers - Are you ministering with power? Are you preaching with power? In short, are you filled with the Holy Spirit? Are you filled with the Holy Word? Do not think you can be filled with the Holy Spirit if you neglect being filled with His Holy Word! THE SECRET OF THE ABUNDANT LIFE Why is this truth so important to comprehend and to put into action? While Jesus was perfect and we can never be Jesus, the NT clearly calls for us to follow His example (1Cor 11:1, 1Pe 2:21, 1Jn 2:6, Jn 13:14). What was His example? Or stated another way, how was Jesus able to live the life He lived? A teaching that is often overlooked is that Jesus ministered in the enabling power of the Spirit (Lk 4:14, 18 Acts 10:38, cp Acts 1:2 = after the resurrection! Isa 11:2-4 = in the millennium!) giving us the perfect example to follow. The only way we can live a supernatural life is by discarding self effort and surrendering to Spirit dependence! That is the "Jesus way!" From the beginning to the end of His ministry Jesus submitted to the Father to direct His steps ("not My will but Thine" - see Jn 5:19, 30, Jn 8:28) and surrendered to the Spirit to empower His steps! We cannot improve on His example. This begs the question - are you following His example? Are you learning what it means to be filled with the Spirit so that you might walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16)? This is the profound and yet simple "secret" of the "abundant life" (Jn 10:10b). In the book of Acts observe the repetition of the filling of believers and the specific manifestations or effects that are associated with filling... Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent, rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. Comment: Peter was present and was filled at this time but note in the passage below Luke again records that Peter was filled, indicating that filling unlike the baptism of the Spirit is not one time event, but is repeated. Note also that here filling was associated with speaking in tongues but not in the other examples below. Acts 4:8 Then Peter, filled (passive voice shows Peter's yieldedness to the Spirit's control) with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people Comment: Here we see Peter filled with the Spirit, the effect being to give him boldness to proclaim Jesus to the Jewish leaders even reminding them that they had crucified their own Messiah! Boldness in speech and ability to face persecution triumphantly are effects of being filled with the Spirit in contrast to being filled with the flesh which was Peter's former condition that led to his denial of His Lord on the night Jesus was betrayed by Judas -- Mt 26:69, 70 "Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a certain servant-girl came to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about." In sum, yielding to the Spirit's filling/control releases His power in the believer's life. This principle is the foundation of the "victorious Christian life"! As corollary, remember not to be surprised by persecution because a genuinely Spirit filled believer -- and church -- will be be a living rebuke to the world, which is exposed by the Light of Christ, cf . Ep 5:8,11-see notes Ep 5:8; 11. Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken (as at Pentecost there was a physical manifestation of the Spirit's presence), and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, (indicating their obedience to the Lord, their walking in the light, their yieldedness to Him) and began to speak the word of God with boldness (literally this Greek word conveys the idea of freedom to say all = an attitude of openness that stems from freedom and lack of fear). (Comment: This verse records at least the second time that these early Christians in the Jerusalem church were filled with the Holy Spirit, the first time being at Pentecost in Acts 2:2-4) Acts 6:3 (The 12 Apostles summoned the congregation of disciples and explained they as apostles must not neglect the Word of God to serve tables) "But select from among you, brethren, seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 5 And the statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch. Acts 7:55 But (Stephen) being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; Comment: Here Stephen, a man filled with the Spirit and so controlled that he proclaimed to this hostile Jewish audience one of the most powerful sermons ever recorded in Acts 7. And what was the price for his bold Spirit empowered proclamation? They stoned him to death. Do not miss the truth that one of the great evidences of his being Spirit filled was that he had a forgiving spirit (see Acts 7:60, cp Jesus Who as the God-Man was [in a way that is surely a divine mystery] controlled by the Holy Spirit [Lk 4:1, 14, Mt 4:1, Mk 1:12] uttered a similar prayer for forgiveness from the Cross in Lk 23:34. The truth be said, only Spirit filled folk can genuinely forgive insults and injuries from the heart! See in depth discussions on forgiveness in the Expositions in Matthew 6:12; 6:13, Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13) Acts 9:17 And Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Acts 11:24 for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. Acts 13:9 But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze upon him, 10 and said, "You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? 11 "And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time." And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord. Acts 13:52 And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Comment: Note that there is no indication that these new Gentile believers spoke in other languages when they were filled with the Holy Spirit. This phenomenon uniquely occurred at the first coming of the Holy Spirit to the Jews and at His first coming to Gentiles, recorded respectively in Acts 2:4 and Acts 10:44, 45, 46. Note that none of the other references to the filling of the Spirit mention the manifestation of tongues. Summary of Some of the Results of Spirit Filling in Acts (including passages not listed above)... Joy - A fountain bubbling over with joy—Acts 13:52 Boldness to soul winning—Acts 4:8-12, 31; Acts 13:52, Acts 14:3 Power for service—Acts 1:8, Acts 6:3, 8; Acts 11:24 Power for suffering—Acts 6:3, 8, Acts 7:55, 59 (Read Stephen's full sermon Acts 7:1-59) Power over Satan Acts 13:9-11 (Note impact = Acts 13:12 note who received the glory!) Generosity—Acts 4:31-32 Exaltation of Christ—Acts 9:17-20, 10:44-46 Clearly these passages in Acts point out that the filling of the Spirit refers to His control over the yielded or surrendered believer and that this filling results in supernatural results, including bold witness to the gospel, empowerment for ministry, joy, etc. William MacDonald (Believer's Bible Commentary) has some comments similar to the preceding regarding the Spirit in the Book of Acts... There are seven times in the Book of Acts when men are said to be filled with or full of the Holy Spirit. Notice the purposes or the results: 1. For speaking (Acts 2:4; 4:8; 4:31) 2. For serving (Acts 6:3) 3. For shepherding (Acts 11:24) 4. For rebuking (Acts 13:9) 5. For dying (Acts 7:55) In summary, the command for believers to “be filled with the Spirit” calls for us to be continually controlled by the Spirit in our mind, emotions, and will. To be filled with the Spirit is not to have the Holy Spirit somehow progressively added to our life until we are full of Him. It is to be under His total dominion and control moment by moment. It is not so much us getting more of the Spirit, but of Him getting more of us. We need to continually jettison our tendency toward self reliance and yield our will to His will which is good and acceptable and perfect (Ro 12:2). John Blanchard rightly said that "Fullness of the Spirit is not a press-button panacea; it is the growing experience of those who hunger and thirst after righteousness (Ed: cp Mt 5:6-note). (Blanchard, John: Complete Gathered Gold: A Treasury of Quotations for Christians - Recommended) Expositor's Bible Commentary - There may, therefore, be successive fillings of the Spirit; indeed, the Christian life should be an uninterrupted filling. What this verse will not substantiate is the claim that after becoming a Christian, a single, additional, definitive filling is essential for completion. (Gaebelein, F, Editor: Expositor's Bible Commentary) Remember that what ''fills'' you will control you...your actions and your reactions. John