LifeWay Bible Studies for Life Series for July 15: Empowered

A few weeks ago, my wife called me at work. She started the conversation with a question—“Well, are you ready for another emergency?” The emergency revolved around her schedule. She was to be at a meeting at the hospital where she volunteers.

Hoping to get there a few minutes early, she had gone out to the garage, got in the car, turned key, and nothing happened. The battery was dead. The emergency was resolved by my going home, picking her up, having her drive me back to work and then her taking my car to the meeting. Later in the day, I picked up a new battery, installed it and started the car.

I am not a mechanic by any stretch of the imagination. Sometimes I am baffled by simple things like why a car is useless just because one black container with two cables attached to it has stopped working. Apparently an automobile requires a certain amount of electrical current to run. The battery is that power supply.

Now, many of you are thinking, “What a dork! Everyone understands the need for a battery in a car.” You probably are right. But I wonder how many of us understand the need we have as believers for a spiritual power supply in our lives.

For Christians, that power supply is not a battery but instead is the Holy Spirit. For the last two weeks, we have considered the role of the Holy Spirit in setting us free from the penalty of sin and in giving us victory over the power of sin. This week, we look at God’s provision of the Holy Spirit so we might be empowered in every aspect of our living.

Ephesians 5:17-18 is a familiar passage to us Baptists, or at least a portion of it is. The first part of verse 18 is the admonishment to not get drunk with wine. We have been very forceful in proclaiming this and trying to enforce it upon our church members. But the latter portion of the same verse has gone largely ignored.

The second half of the verse tells us to be filled by the Spirit or with the Holy Spirit. This imperative command is not to be considered optional. Likewise, it is not to be viewed as a one-time experience but rather a daily filling. The Holy Spirit fills us as we submit or yield ourselves to him. Simply put, this submission is allowing the Holy Spirit to fill our lives with himself and have control over our actions, our words, our decisions and our thoughts.

For thought: Why are we more concerned about individuals having their lives controlled by alcohol than by Christians not having their lives controlled by the Holy Spirit?

In Ephesians 5:19-21, Paul gave characteristics that would be present in the person who was filled with the Holy Spirit. These included the way we speak to one another (v. 19), praise God in music from our hearts (v. 19), continually give thanks to God (v. 20), and submit to or serve one another (v. 21).

Someone might be inclined to say they can do those things. The key to understanding the filling of the Holy Spirit is to realize the characteristics the Apostle Paul listed are not steps to getting the Holy Spirit to fill you but rather are the result of being filled by the Holy Spirit. These are the result of your allowing God, through the Holy Spirit, to have control of your life.

For thought: We often falsely believe that how we appear to others is the way we really are. If we appear to filled with the Spirit, then we must be. There is only one way to be filled with the Holy Spirit and that is by the total submission of our lives to him. Are there things in your life still under your control rather than God’s? Would you be willing to yield those things to him now so the Holy Spirit might truly fill your life today?

As you read Ephesians 6:18 and Romans 8:26-27, you notice a common thread. The word “prayer” or “pray” is found in both locations. The emphasis on the Holy Spirit also is present in both. Paul is telling us we are to pray in connection with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit knows our hearts and knows the will of God. Being aware of his presence allows us to pray as we should in direct contact with the will of God. He can alert our minds to what is right, and he can intercede for us when we don’t understand.  

Prayer is not limited to a day of the week or a time of the day.  We are to pray without ceasing. That is not possible in our human limitations with our wandering minds. It only is possible when we living under the control of the Holy Spirit.

For thought: Have you prayed about anything today that was not a normal or natural part of your thought process? Could it be that the Holy Spirit brought that to your mind and enabled you to voice it God in your prayer?