FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT
A good friend and former pastor, Robert Francis, had a heart for God. He epitomized the two basic tenets I’ve tried to follow in my life: (1) Be filled with the Spirit and (2) have a childlike faith. One of Robert’s most meaningful questions to me as I grew as a Christ-follower was, “If you get tipped over, what comes out?” It’s a thought- provoking question as we travel through this earthly life. What are we full of? If we aren’t filled with the Holy Spirit, anger, obscenities, whining, or something similar are likely to be what spills out when life sets us back with what we consider bad events. And those will inevitably happen, even (and maybe even more particularly) to the most devout among us.
An analogy of What’s Inside Is Important might be found in the automobile. Most cars are designed to be fueled by gasoline or diesel. If we filled the tank with water, would it operate as designed? What about three-fourths gas and one-fourth water? Varying from design has bad consequences.
When speaking of the Spirit, Paul pictured us as containers (jars of clay). From 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 (ESV) we read, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;”
What is your life full of? It’s a choice to have your life filled with something other than the Spirit. Many of the replacements are very important. However, you can have a very full schedule and have a very empty life. We shortchange God, ourselves, and those around us when we decide to follow our own will rather than the Spirit’s. Pastor Harry alluded to this on Sunday when he shared his own testimony of preaching two sermons one Sunday. The first was scripted and the second was led by the Spirit. We all know which was more productive. Be filled with the Spirit and have the childlike faith to follow Him in all situations.