Be filled

Human beings are spiritual creatures.

We are made by God, for God. Made to be filled to the brim with the life of God. The tragedy is when men and women attempt to make life meaningful without Him. “Nature abhors a vacuum” the Greek philosopher Aristotle said over two thousand years ago.

Stuffing the hole

We are surrounded by multitudes living lives of ‘quiet desperation’1. seeking to stuff the gaping spiritual cavity with alcohol, approval, drugs, careers, sex, entertainment, social media etc. Musician/songwriter Dave Stewart – best known for his work with the Eurhythmicscomplained he was plagued by a bizarre mental condition known as ‘Paradise Syndrome’. It afflicts only the rich and famous who are in peril of becoming ill due to the fact that they are able to have anything they like, and do anything they want to do. But still it is never enough

Go on being filled

Not only is God in Jesus Christ able to deal with the problem of forgiveness for our sin, but also able to provide ongoing power within to face the future – ‘the life of God in the soul of man’ is how one put it.2. The Apostle puts the ball firmly in the believer’s court by commanding that we are to ‘Be (and go on being) filled with the Spirit’.3. In other words, there is an inexhaustible reservoir of grace available to us. All heaven at our disposal to empower us to live a Christ-like life in this often hellish earth.

A Person

We must never think of Holy Spirit filling in the way gas or fluids fill a container. The Spirit is a loving and pure Person. He is the Comforter whom Jesus – before leaving them for the cross – promised his fearful disciples would come to them. As cheesy as it may sound to modern ears, there is beautiful truth in the old hymn, that those who are filled with the Spirit today can joyfully sing, ‘He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way’.4. But we see the Spirit descending upon Jesus as a dove to teach us that those who would seek His indwelling presence must beware of grieving the One who longs to fill us and accompany us through life. ∞

Listen to Mike’s message on this HERE

1. Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)    2. Henry Scougal (1650-1678)        

 3. Ephesians 5:18

4. I Serve a Risen Saviour – Alfred Henry Ackley (1887-1960)

 

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Mike Mellor - Evangelist