Hey bookclub participants! I’m so excited to begin our next book together. If you haven’t, make sure to join our closed Facebook Group where we’ll have discussion each week to help challenge and encourage each other to be led by the spirit of God in all things. You’ll find that we will only do a couple of short chapters each week in order for us to dive in deep to our study each week. This will also help our slower readers to stay caught up. If you’re an avid reader, this will give you more time to dive in deeper to God’s Word.
Introduction
“18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - Eph. 5:18-21
According to God’s Word, being filled with the spirit is not optional when it comes to living as a Christian. So what does it mean to truly be filled with the spirit? When we are born again the spirit of God transforms us into new creations. Yes, His spirit resides on the inside of us, but there is a second experience awaiting.
Take a look at Acts 19: 1-2, 6;
“While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. 2 “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”…6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.”
If the believers in Ephesus were already filled with the Holy Ghost, why would Paul ask them, “Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?”. At the very moment that Paul laid his hands on them they “spoke in tongues and prophesied”. Paul told them that this was not a one time event but that they should be filled and keep on being filled.
Let’s take a moment and ask ourselves — Are we truly displaying the characteristics of a spirit-filled life?
Do we have a song in our hearts?
Do we give thanks?
Do we listen to others?
Homework
As we begin this week reading chapters 1-3 keep these characteristics in mind. Our goal for the next 13 weeks is to have each of these truly displayed in our lives.
Post in the Facebook Group this week! We want to hear what you got out of the first 3 chapters. The chapters are short so you can do it!