Athens Vineyard Church

In the message, Interpreting Signs, I concluded that the Pharisees and Sadducees were blind to the signs at work around them.  Well, I don’t want to be guilty of the same thing.  What are the signs of God’s work around us?

The most overriding one is how God fills us with his Spirit in our time.  Through his presence in us, he transforms us, guides us, heals us, prompts us, speaks to us, and leads us.

But we leak.

I guess I’ve been thinking about it quite a bit this week.  Shouldn’t we be ashamed that we leak?

I noticed several people on Sunday talking about being Spirit filled and apparently didn’t feel the need to get filled again.  Honestly, if I don’t get filled, like at least daily, then I can really tell a difference.  I mean, I’m more fleshly, more prone to sinful thoughts and actions, more irritable, less patient, less obedient, on and on.  Am I really worse than everyone else.  you wish

In Eph 5:18, Paul gives an order – “be filled with the Spirit”.  That tells me at least 2 things.

1. You need to be filled again and again – one filling doesn’t last forever.
2. You need to know how to make it happen – or else he wouldn’t have told you to do it.

Well, at least I need not be ashamed when I leak.  Nor should I pridefully pretend I am when I’m not.  AND neither should I pretend I’m not when I am.

What works for you?  What do you do to get filled?  I’m thinking at LEAST ask.  Jesus said God gives the Spirit to those who ask.  You may want to wait after you ask.  You don’t necessarily have to feel anything, but I do believe that he gives us those occasional powerful experiences partly so we will know what being full of him feels like.  Go after it.  Does music work for you?  Reading the Word?  Getting alone?  Getting around contagious Christians? Listening to message podcasts?

It’s too important.  It’s how God is working in our time. Get filled with the Spirit.  At least every day.