Communication Blog Post
Living Under the Right Influence: A Spirit-Filled Life
In a world where countless forces compete for control of our hearts and minds, we face a critical choice every single day: What will influence us? Will we surrender to the temporary highs of worldly substances and pleasures, or will we yield to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit?
The apostle Paul confronted this very issue when writing to the church at Ephesus. His words in Ephesians 5:18-21 cut straight to the heart of Christian living: "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit."
The Tale of Two Influences
Picture yourself at an airport, watching two people walk through the gate. One staggers loudly, oblivious to their surroundings—clearly intoxicated. The other moves with calm joy, radiating peace and kindness wherever they go. One person is under the influence of alcohol; the other is under the influence of the Spirit.
This stark contrast illustrates the fundamental choice before every believer. Both states involve being "under the influence," but the outcomes couldn't be more different.
When we live under the influence of substances—whether alcohol, drugs, or any worldly addiction—we experience impaired judgment, broken relationships, and foolish decisions. Scripture provides sobering examples: Noah's drunken nakedness that brought shame upon him (Genesis 9:21), and Lot's intoxicated state that led to incestuous sin with his daughters (Genesis 19). These biblical accounts remind us that people driven by their desires lose their direction and harm others.
Conversely, living under the influence of the Holy Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Consider Peter—once fearful and unstable, but after being filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, he boldly preached the gospel with power and conviction (Acts 2:14).
What It Really Means to Be Spirit-Filled
Being filled with the Spirit isn't a one-time emotional experience reserved for "super Christians." Paul's command uses the present tense, implying continuous action: "Keep being filled." It's an ongoing process, not a spiritual peak we reach once and forget.
Think of it like a sponge and water. When you drop a dry sponge into water, it absorbs liquid until fully saturated. When squeezed, water pours out. Similarly, when we immerse ourselves in God's presence, we become saturated with His Spirit. Then, when life squeezes us—through trials, conflicts, or stress—what pours out should be His Spirit, not our flesh.
This continuous filling requires intentional practices:
Empty yourself of sin. The Holy Spirit won't fully dwell in an unclean temple. We must confess and repent regularly, preparing our hearts to receive more of Him. Consider using the ACTS prayer model: Adoration (praising God's character), Confession (acknowledging our sins), Thanksgiving (expressing gratitude), and Supplication (making requests).
Immerse yourself in God's Word. Romans 10:17 reminds us that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." We live in an age of unprecedented access to Scripture—audio Bibles, apps, online resources. Yet the question remains: Are we taking advantage of these tools, or are we filling our minds with worldly entertainment?
Worship consistently. Psalm 22:3 tells us God inhabits the praises of His people. When we worship, we create space for His presence to manifest in our lives.
Yield your will to Christ. Jesus modeled this perfectly in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed, "Not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42). Surrendering our desires to God's purposes is essential for Spirit-filled living.
The GPS of the Holy Spirit
When filled with the Spirit, we're like a vehicle equipped with GPS—God's Positioning System. We have divine guidance steering us away from danger and toward His purposes. In contrast, living under worldly influences is like driving on cruise control with no one at the wheel, destined to crash.
The Holy Spirit gently reroutes us when we take wrong turns. That inner voice saying, "Don't go there," or "Turn back now"—that's divine GPS at work. But we must be sensitive enough to hear and obedient enough to follow.
Four Marks of a Spirit-Filled Life
Paul identifies four clear evidences of Spirit-filled believers in Ephesians 5:19-21:
1. Speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Our worship isn't only vertical (to God) but also horizontal (to each other). When we encourage fellow believers with songs and Scripture, we remind them of God's faithfulness, exhort them to continue in faith, and strengthen the entire body of Christ.
2. Singing and making music from your heart to the Lord. Authentic worship flows from a grateful heart, not mere religious duty.
3. Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything. A spirit-filled life is marked by gratitude, even in difficult circumstances. We recognize that God works all things together for our good.
4. Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Humility characterizes those filled with the Spirit. We honor one another, serve one another, and recognize that we're all part of one body.
The Knock at the Door
Revelation 3:20 paints a powerful picture: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me."
Imagine dancing through life with headphones on, distracted by worldly pleasures, completely unaware that Jesus stands at the door of your heart, knocking. He sees everything—your struggles, your sins, your pain—yet He doesn't break down the door. He waits patiently for you to notice Him and invite Him in.
Only you can open that door. Your mother can't do it for you. Your pastor can't do it for you. No matter how powerful or spiritual your family members are, this is a personal decision you must make.
A New Year, A New Choice
As we navigate this new year, we face the same fundamental question: Who will we serve? What will influence our thoughts, words, and actions?
The path of worldly influences leads to destruction, broken relationships, and regret. The path of Spirit-filled living leads to peace, purpose, and transformation.
Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23). This isn't a one-time decision but a daily dying to self and yielding to the Spirit.
The beautiful truth is that whom the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36). No addiction is too strong, no past too dark, no sin too great for the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
The question remains: Will you continue living under the influence of this world, or will you surrender to the influence of the Spirit? The choice is yours, and the time is now.
In a world where countless forces compete for control of our hearts and minds, we face a critical choice every single day: What will influence us? Will we surrender to the temporary highs of worldly substances and pleasures, or will we yield to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit?
The apostle Paul confronted this very issue when writing to the church at Ephesus. His words in Ephesians 5:18-21 cut straight to the heart of Christian living: "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit."
The Tale of Two Influences
Picture yourself at an airport, watching two people walk through the gate. One staggers loudly, oblivious to their surroundings—clearly intoxicated. The other moves with calm joy, radiating peace and kindness wherever they go. One person is under the influence of alcohol; the other is under the influence of the Spirit.
This stark contrast illustrates the fundamental choice before every believer. Both states involve being "under the influence," but the outcomes couldn't be more different.
When we live under the influence of substances—whether alcohol, drugs, or any worldly addiction—we experience impaired judgment, broken relationships, and foolish decisions. Scripture provides sobering examples: Noah's drunken nakedness that brought shame upon him (Genesis 9:21), and Lot's intoxicated state that led to incestuous sin with his daughters (Genesis 19). These biblical accounts remind us that people driven by their desires lose their direction and harm others.
Conversely, living under the influence of the Holy Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Consider Peter—once fearful and unstable, but after being filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, he boldly preached the gospel with power and conviction (Acts 2:14).
What It Really Means to Be Spirit-Filled
Being filled with the Spirit isn't a one-time emotional experience reserved for "super Christians." Paul's command uses the present tense, implying continuous action: "Keep being filled." It's an ongoing process, not a spiritual peak we reach once and forget.
Think of it like a sponge and water. When you drop a dry sponge into water, it absorbs liquid until fully saturated. When squeezed, water pours out. Similarly, when we immerse ourselves in God's presence, we become saturated with His Spirit. Then, when life squeezes us—through trials, conflicts, or stress—what pours out should be His Spirit, not our flesh.
This continuous filling requires intentional practices:
Empty yourself of sin. The Holy Spirit won't fully dwell in an unclean temple. We must confess and repent regularly, preparing our hearts to receive more of Him. Consider using the ACTS prayer model: Adoration (praising God's character), Confession (acknowledging our sins), Thanksgiving (expressing gratitude), and Supplication (making requests).
Immerse yourself in God's Word. Romans 10:17 reminds us that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." We live in an age of unprecedented access to Scripture—audio Bibles, apps, online resources. Yet the question remains: Are we taking advantage of these tools, or are we filling our minds with worldly entertainment?
Worship consistently. Psalm 22:3 tells us God inhabits the praises of His people. When we worship, we create space for His presence to manifest in our lives.
Yield your will to Christ. Jesus modeled this perfectly in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed, "Not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42). Surrendering our desires to God's purposes is essential for Spirit-filled living.
The GPS of the Holy Spirit
When filled with the Spirit, we're like a vehicle equipped with GPS—God's Positioning System. We have divine guidance steering us away from danger and toward His purposes. In contrast, living under worldly influences is like driving on cruise control with no one at the wheel, destined to crash.
The Holy Spirit gently reroutes us when we take wrong turns. That inner voice saying, "Don't go there," or "Turn back now"—that's divine GPS at work. But we must be sensitive enough to hear and obedient enough to follow.
Four Marks of a Spirit-Filled Life
Paul identifies four clear evidences of Spirit-filled believers in Ephesians 5:19-21:
1. Speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Our worship isn't only vertical (to God) but also horizontal (to each other). When we encourage fellow believers with songs and Scripture, we remind them of God's faithfulness, exhort them to continue in faith, and strengthen the entire body of Christ.
2. Singing and making music from your heart to the Lord. Authentic worship flows from a grateful heart, not mere religious duty.
3. Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything. A spirit-filled life is marked by gratitude, even in difficult circumstances. We recognize that God works all things together for our good.
4. Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Humility characterizes those filled with the Spirit. We honor one another, serve one another, and recognize that we're all part of one body.
The Knock at the Door
Revelation 3:20 paints a powerful picture: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me."
Imagine dancing through life with headphones on, distracted by worldly pleasures, completely unaware that Jesus stands at the door of your heart, knocking. He sees everything—your struggles, your sins, your pain—yet He doesn't break down the door. He waits patiently for you to notice Him and invite Him in.
Only you can open that door. Your mother can't do it for you. Your pastor can't do it for you. No matter how powerful or spiritual your family members are, this is a personal decision you must make.
A New Year, A New Choice
As we navigate this new year, we face the same fundamental question: Who will we serve? What will influence our thoughts, words, and actions?
The path of worldly influences leads to destruction, broken relationships, and regret. The path of Spirit-filled living leads to peace, purpose, and transformation.
Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23). This isn't a one-time decision but a daily dying to self and yielding to the Spirit.
The beautiful truth is that whom the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36). No addiction is too strong, no past too dark, no sin too great for the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
The question remains: Will you continue living under the influence of this world, or will you surrender to the influence of the Spirit? The choice is yours, and the time is now.
Recent
Archive
2026
January
Communication Blog PostDevotion: Day 1Questions: Day 1Personal Reflection: Day 1Personal Action Steps: Day 1Key Takeaway: Day 1Practical Application: Day 1Devotion: Day 2Questions: Day 2Personal Reflection: Day 2Practical Application: Day 2Devotion: Day 3Questions: Day 3Personal Reflection: Day 3Practical Application: Day 3
Categories
no categories
No Comments