Day 122

We are looking at the conditions to being filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul said in Ephesians 5:18: "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit...." The word "filled" is an imperative present passive verb. Imperative means that it is a command. Paul is commanding you to be filled with the Spirit. By being in the present tense, it means that the action is ongoing and continuing at the time of the writing. Also, since it is in the passive voice it means that you are receiving the action of being filled. You are not doing it yourself; however, you are placing yourself in the right place to receive the action.

If you were promised a free car if you showed at noon on the first Monday of the month if you appeared at the car lot with your driver's license, you would have to meet the conditions to get the free car. You would have to show up on the right day at the right time with your license. You would still be receiving the car for free but you would have to meet the conditions for the gift. It is the same way with walking in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Yesterday we saw that you had to be born of the Spirit and become a new creature in Jesus Christ. Today, we look at condition 2: you have to walk in obedience.

Acts 5:32 says: " And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." The People's New Testament Commentary says: "The Holy Spirit is given only to those who have submitted to the Lord (Ac 2:28 and Joh 7:38,39). It dwells only in the obedient heart." We must walk in obedience to the Word of God to be filled with the Holy Spirit. That only makes sense doesn't it? How could we claim to be filled with the HOLY SPIRIT and disobey Him and walk in deliberate sin. When we get to a place where we are saying "yes" to the Lord in every area with nothing held back we are meeting this condition to being filled day by day with the Holy Spirit. Are you saying "yes" to the Lord today? If you are you are the perfect candidate for walking in the fullness of the Spirit.