FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT!

... Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:18-21 ESV)

Imagine with me that you have a bucket and you want to fill it with two ingredients - 1) with rocks and 2) with sand.  There are two ways you could do this... 1) you could put the sand in first and then try to put the rocks in (which won't work very easily) or 2) you could put the rocks in first and then fill in the cracks with the sand (which does work.)

In a sense, that is much like our Chritian life - we have accepted Christ and have allowed Him into our heart (the rocks) and then He comes and fills in all the cracks with the Holy Spirit (the sand) making it a complete and full life.

I know that is a simple analogy but it helps us see how God wants our lives to be - full of Christ and full of the Holy Spirit.  

When Christ and the Holy Spirit have filled our lives there is an obvious outflow and change that takes place. It fills all the cracks of our lives that we wouldn't normally fill or would neglect if given to ourselves.  When we are filled with Christ and the Holy Spirit -  It is noticeable to both you and those that are around you on a daily basis.

First, there is a different way that we talk to one another - "addressing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart."  When we're full of God - we want to share it, talk about it, and live it out so that others notice a difference.

Second, there is a different way that we talk with God - "giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of The Lord Jesus Christ,"  We develop this attitude of thanks to God for coming and saving us and setting us free.

Oh, by the way - there is another outcrop of being filled with the Holy Spirit - Thirdly, it's not about me anymore.  It's about "submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ."  Because of Christ - we now are committed to growing together and learning to submit to one another in love. 

BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT TODAY! Ask God to come in and fill all the cracks and spaces of your life so you can be complete and whole and that it will be evident in the outflow of what is coming out of your life.