Be  Filled 
  with the 
  Spirit

 Ephesians 5:18

Holy Spirit - allow God to control and empower your life

     There is one God who has revealed himself to us in three persons, The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.  God the Holy Spirit is our comforter and counselor.  He took up residence in our lives the moment we trusted Christ to save us.  When Jesus left us, he left us with a promise... "And I will pray the Father and He will send you another comforter who will abide with you forever."  (John 14:6)  The Holy Spirit is more than just our conscience, he is God with us! 

     Every day we are presented with hundreds of choices.  They all boil down to one important principle.  Will we respond by our own instincts or will be rely on the Holy Spirit?  The Holy Sprit is the catalyst that takes the truths of the Word of God and enables us to live them.  When we turn every on of our needs over to the Holy Spirit he transforms our responses so they are godly.  The Truth of God, empowered by the Spirit of God, transforms the Man of God.
 

     "And do not be drunk with wine, in which is excess, but be filled with the Spirit."  Ephesians 5:18

     To be filled with the Holy Spirit is similar to a cup which is filled with water.  Once filled to the brim, there is no room for anything else.  God wants us to be so filled with Himself that He fills our thoughts, our moments, our days, our daydreams, our every waking hour.  Like water to a thirsty traveler on a desert waste, the Holy Spirit drenches our life with freshness and joy.  This is the secret of the Christian life... being filled with God.  Bringing every thought, action and decision under his control.

     When we do this our life changes in ways we could never dream would happen.  The Holy Sprit begins to exhibit his characteristics in our life... in what is called "The Fruit of the Spirit."  Fruit is the result of a life which is overflowing with the fullness of the Holy Spirit.  "Now the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control..."  (Galatians 5:20)  This is truly the power to change your life.  If you do these things and add to them they will add to your life the joy and fulfillment of knowing God.  

     When the football legend Vince Lombardi took over as coach of the Green Bay Packers, the first speech he gave to them while holding a pigskin in his hand began, "Gentlemen, this is a football..." As if they didn't know that!  They were professionals!  But Coach Lombardi knew that in order to win, his men must not only know the basic fundamentals of the game, but they must excel and become expert in them.  He didn't teach them anything fancy, just the basics.  And the basics, well executed made them a championship team.  

     We too must excel in the basics of the Christian life in order to become champion Christians.