Introduction

I heard a story about a little boy who came to church with his father and noticed a large flag with a number of gold stars attached to it. He whispered to his father, "Dad, why does that flag have all those stars on it?" His father whispered back, "To remind us of all those who died in the service." The boy whispered back again, "Did they die in the morning service or the evening service?"

Funny story but sadly and painfully hits close to home. For in many church services it seems like some are either asleep or at a funeral service! There's no life; no energy; no excitement. Many don't sing with enthusiasm and evident joy in the Lord. 

Our text says, "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." This kind of singing that Paul describes here is a result of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Spirit-filled people will manifest it by spiritual enthusiastic God-exalting singing. That's what I want for our church, but more importantly that's what God wants for us as individuals and as a church.

This morning we come to the third heading of our mini-series "Be Filled with the Spirit". To guide us through this study, I suggested four headings, namely, the Command; the Comparison; the Consequences; and the Cumbrances (Hindrances). 

Let's review what we covered before we look at the positive consequences of being filled with the Spirit.

I - The Command

Ephesians 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18: And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 

This Spirit-filling is not optional. It is not a suggestion. It is a command and it is a command to be obeyed. 

1. It is Principal Command

It is an extremely important command. You and can do nothing without Him.

2. It is Passive Command

God is implied as the source of the filling. We are the recipients of the action. We as believers do not fill ourselves, God does the filling when we ask Him to fill us or control us.

3. It is Plural Command

This command applies to every believer in Christ. It is not reserved for a few special super spiritual Christians. Every Christian without exception can be filled with the Spirit.

4. It is Perpetual Command

The words "be filled" here is in the present tense. It refers to continuous action. "Be filled" means "be continually filled," "keep on being filled," "be filled again and again and again".

II - The Comparison

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

Paul by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit compares being filled with the Holy Spirit to drunkenness! The basic idea Paul wants to convey in this comparison is that of control. Paul is essentially saying, "do not be controlled by the alcoholic spirits, and instead be controlled by the Holy Spirit." 

When a person is truly filled with the Holy Spirit he is no longer the one controlling his body, mind, emotion and speech; the Holy Spirit is.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you 

"Being filled with the Spirit" is synonymous to "letting the word of Christ dwell in us richly."

This truth highlights the importance of having a steady and constant diet of the Word of God. When we are filled with the Word of Christ, the Spirit takes that truth and uses it to guide and direct us.

III - The Consequences 

Now so much for the command and the comparison; let's look at the consequences of being filled with the Spirit. What are the positive consequences or outcome of being filled with the Spirit of God? How can I know that I am filled with the Holy Spirit?

Let me just be clear that the evidence of the Spirit fullness in one's life is not becoming out of control and bark like a dog nor laugh uncontrollably nor roll on the floor nor pass out and fall over backwards. These have nothing to do with being filled with the Spirit. The man who is filled with the Holy Spirit does not go out of control. He does not go off into some wild, uncontrolled state, but walks thoughtfully and carefully with God, and his testimony has power with men. 

For the Bible says in ...

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power and love and sound mind or a controlled mind, controlled by the Spirit. When I am filled with the Holy Spirit my mind is not wandering off into a thousand of things or places.

Ephesians 5:19 and the following verses tell us the effects of being filled with Spirit of God. It gives us the three major effects of being controlled by the Spirit of God. That is what I want us to look at this morning.

Ephesians 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20: Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21: Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Worldly and carnal intoxication leads to ruin, but the fullness wrought by the Spirit of God issues in the following: joyfulness, thankfulness, and meekness.

1. Joyfulness

One of the positive consequences of having the fullness of the Spirit is joyfulness. 

"Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;" This is a general expression of joyful attitude and disposition.

Those who are filled with the Spirit have joyful attitude and disposition which manifest itself in their speech and in their song. They speak words that edify and build up the hearers and sing songs that exalt the Saviour.

A. Speech 

The first thing Paul describes as being impacted by being filled with the Spirit is our speech. 

Matthew 12:34 ... out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

The mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Whatever is in your heart; whatever fills your heart determines what you say.

So how can you tell that you are "filled with the Spirit"? A good question to assess whether you and I are Spirit filled or not is - How is my speech? Is it profane or pure? Is it self-focused or Saviour-focused? Does it tear down or build up? Does it corrupt or does it minister grace unto the hearers?

Colossians 3:16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 

If you are filled with the Spirit of God and desire to retain His gracious presence and control speak about Him.

Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

B. Song - praise and worship 

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

A joyful heart filled with singing to the Lord. Those who are filled with the Spirit express among themselves their joyous emotions in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.

I may not be able to sing like a professional singer, but I have a song in our heart. I love music and songs that exalt and praise my God. Isn't it wonderful when we come together and you and I have sought to live the Spirit-filled life during the week and we get to come to church and get to sing together? That is a wonderful thing!

The Prince of Preacher Charles Spurgeon once said ...

"Beloved, when the Spirit of God fills you, you will not only speak, but sing. Let the holy power have free course: do not quench the Spirit. If you feel like singing all the while, sing all the while, and let others know that there is a joy in the possession of the Spirit of God which the world does not understand, but which you are feeling, and to which you wish to bear witness. Oh, that the Spirit of God would come upon this entire church, and fill you all to overflowing! May the members of other churches that are here tonight take home fire with them, and set their churches on flame! The Lord bless you, for Jesus Christ's sake! Amen."

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

"In your heart" indicates that these joyful expressions are not to be merely mechanical movements of lips. Unless our praise springs from the heart, it is not acceptable to the Lord.

2. Thankfulness

The next thing Paul mentions as the positive consequence of having the fullness of the Spirit is thankfulness. A Spirit-filled heart is filled with thanksgiving. 

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

Thanksgiving is a product of a Spirit-filled heart. When you are filled with the Spirit of God, you are grateful for that which God is doing in your life.

Four things are said here about giving thanks that is a product of Spirit-filled life:

It is to be "Always"

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

It is a lifestyle. It is constantly having a thankful heart, just a grateful heart.

It is "for all things" 

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

Not that all things are good but because if we are true children of God we know that all things, good and bad will work together for my good and for God's glory!

It is "unto God and the Father" 

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

James 1:17 says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

Since the Father, is the Giver of every good gift, therefore, He should be the receiver of all heartfelt thanksgiving. He is the One we give thanks to. 

It is "in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" 

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

If it wasn't for Jesus, we would have no reason to give thanks because we would be desperate, hopeless, helpless people. But because of what Jesus did, He is the basis of all of our thanksgiving back to God. Starting with salvation and going all the way through sanctification, Jesus is His name, and we give thanks. Everything gives credit to Him and through Him because He is the means of all God's blessings in our life.

A thankful heart cannot exist apart from the working of the Spirit in the life of the individual. People may say, "Thank you" out of common courtesy or because they are genuinely moved by some special gift, but to be thankful in all things the individual must be filled by the Holy Spirit.

3. Meekness (Mutual Submission)

The next thing Paul mentions as the positive consequence of having the fullness of the Spirit is meekness. 

And this meekness manifests itself by submission. 

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

Curtis Vaughan states, "Submitting ..." denotes that attitude of reciprocal deference that becomes and marks out those who are filled with the Spirit. It is opposed to rudeness, haughtiness, selfish preference for one's own opinions, and stubborn insistence of one's own rights." 

Doesn't this remind us of Jesus Christ?

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7:  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

By nature, we want to promote ourselves, but the Holy Spirit enables us to be meek and to submit ourselves. As you read Ephesians 5:19 and on you will find that the Apostle Paul applies this meekness and submissive disposition to every relationship of life, such husbands and wives (5:21—33), parents and children (6:1—4), and masters and servants (6:5—9).

Only a heart touched by the Holy Spirit can maintain such an attitude of meekness and submission in every relationship of life.

This submission is beautiful because it is not done out of compulsion or coercion but out of fear of God, that is out of reverence to God. What a wonderful thing when we prefer one another out of love and reverence to God.

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

Closing Thoughts

Let me close by asking, are you filled with the Holy Spirit? Would those who are really close to you agree? If the Holy Spirit is withdrawn from your life for a week, would you miss Him? Or, would life go on as if nothing happened? 

A.W. Tozer some 50 years ago made a pronouncement "If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference. If the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the NT church (in Acts), 95 percent of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference."

God has called us to a supernatural life and this supernatural life cannot be lived out without His Holy Spirit. Be filled with the Spirit! There's the command. If we do not obey this command, we cannot obey any other. But when we surrender to the control of the Holy Spirit, God produces in us the fruit of the Spirit - "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Galatians 5:22-23). 

D L Moody - "God commands us to be filled with the Spirit, and if we are not filled it is because we are living beneath our privileges."

O, don't live beneath your privileges.

AMEN!