Walking in the Spirit

(Ephesians 5:18-21)

(Ephesians 5:18) And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Drunk: On the way.

Filled: Made full; supplied with abundance.

I have to chase a rabbit right off the bat. People try to use this verse to say that it’s alright to consume wine or liquor. But nothing could be further from God’s truth, the word drunk has the thought of being on the way; so when are you on your way to being drunk? After the first drink.

God uses the phrase “drunk with wine” as an example to show that we shouldn’t be filled with carnal things. At salvation our souls were saved, but our flesh is still evil, and seeks to fill itself with the things of this world. Our spirit seeks to get as much of God as it can contain, and in this verse we are commanded to be filled with the Spirit (that’s Spirit with a capital S, meaning the Holy Spirit). We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit at Salvation, but we must seek to be filled up with the Spirit of God.

How do we become filled with the Spirit? The first step is to Study your bible daily, speak to yourself in the Psalms, sing Hymns (songs about Him) and spiritual songs (not country, rock, pop, rap etc.) to yourself.

(Ephesians 5:19)  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

        The second step is to thank God for everything. Each day we should thank God for all His blessings to us (saved us, fed us, cloth us, protected us, loves us, etc.). As we begin to thank God, it won’t be long before we begin to worship Him and as we feed our spirit we will become more filled with the Holy Spirit.

(Ephesians 5:20)  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

The third and last step is to submit ourselves to God’s will. Not every Christian is submitted to God. We have to starve the flesh to bring it into submission to the word of God, Once the spirit has grown inside of us, then we will be able to submit to God’s will.

(Ephesians 5:21)  Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

How do we know we are being led by the Spirit and not the Flesh?

I will answer this with a question: what fruit is your life producing?

The Works of the Flesh

(Galatians 5:19-21)  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Adultery:  In a scriptural sense, all manner of lewdness or unchastity, as in the seventh commandment. In scripture, idolatry, or apostasy from the true God. Jer. 3.

Fornication:  In a scriptural sense, all manner of lewdness or unchastity, as in the seventh commandment. In scripture, idolatry, or apostasy from the true God. Jer. 3. The incontinence or lewdness of unmarried persons, male or female; also, the criminal conversation of a married man with an unmarried woman. Adultery. Matt. 5. Incest. 1Cor. 5. Idolatry; a forsaking of the true God, and worshipping of idols. 2Chron. 21. Rev. 19.

Uncleanness:  Moral impurity; defilement by sin; sinfulness.

Lasciviousness:    Looseness; irregular indulgence of animal desires; wantonness; lustfulness.

Idolatry: the worship of images, statues, pictures made by hands; and the worship of the heavenly bodies,the sun, moon and stars, or of demons, angels, men and animals. Excessive attachment or veneration for any thing, or that which borders on adoration.

Witchcraft: The practices of witches; sorcery; enchantments; medication ("pharmacy").

Hatred: Great dislike or aversion; hate; enmity;  hostility.

Variance: dispute or controversy; disagreement; dissension; discord; a quarrel.

Emulations: a striving to equal or do more than others to obtain carnal favors or honors; jealousy.

Wrath: Violent anger; fierceness, indignation.

Strife: Contention in anger or enmity; contention.

Seditions: dissension:--division.

Heresies: any opinion that is repugnant to the doctrines of Scripture is heresy.

Envyings: Ill will at others, on account of some supposed superiority.

Murders: To kill a human being with premeditated malice.

Drunkenness: Intoxication.

Revellings: To feast with loose and clamorous merriment; to carouse; rioting.

If you are being led by the Spirit then you will bear the fruit of the Spirit

The Fruit of the Spirit

(Galatians 5: 22,23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Love:  to regard with affection - if our hearts are right, we love God above all things.

Joy: To rejoice; to be glad; to exult; cheerfulness.

Peace: Freedom from agitation or disturbance by the passions, as from fear, terror, anger, anxiety or the like; quietness of mind; tranquillity; calmness; quiet of conscience.

Longsuffering: Bearing injuries or provocation for a long time; patient; not easily provoked.

Gentleness: Softness of manners; mildness of temper; sweetness of disposition; meekness.

Goodness: Kindness; benevolence; benignity of heart; but more generally, acts of kindness; charity; humanity exercised.

Faith:  (Hebrews 11:1)  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Credence; moral conviction of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God.

Meekness: Softness of temper; mildness; gentleness; forbearance under injuries and provocations.

Temperance: Moderation; self-control.

So, what kind of fruit does your Christian life bear? Is it nice, sweet, kind, honest, righteous, upright, loving, peaceful, and enduring? Or is it full of thorns, strife, rottenness, worms, and fades away?