Actions associated with being filled with The Holy Spirit
In my last blog about our Path To Pentecost I suggested that we should be careful to not think of being filled (under the influence) with The Holy Spirit in our lives as uniquely a feeling. Sure, there may be feelings associated with the Ministry of The Holy Spirit but one should not think that this is the only feature of one's experience with The Holy Spirit.
The passage in Ephesians 5:18 that has been the basis of thinking about being continually filled (under the influence) with the Holy Spirit gives insight into what this filled life "looks like." This is because of the structure of the passage.
The verb, "be filled," is the command of the passage. And what follows are 4 participles. These 4 participles function adverbially as they explain what it is to be filled with The Holy Spirit. The "be filled," as it relates to the command to be filled with The Holy Spirit, is not set in isolation or a command that hs no connection with the rest of the passage.
The 4 participles give specific content to what being filled with The Holy Spirit looks in action. These 4 participles begin in Ephesians 5:19 and go through verse 21. I will just list them today and will come ack and give some thoughts in coming days.
The actions of the life that is filled (under the influence) with The Holy Spirit are: "addressing one another,, singing, giving thanks," and "submitting." These 4 participles are expressions of the verb "be filled."
Now are these actions just human actions or are they empowered actions as we live our lives under the influence of The Holy Spirit?
REFLECT: Has your view of being under the influence of The Spirit (filled) been this specific?