The Spirit Filled Life

The Spirit-filled life means to live in oneness with God, Romans 8:24 says all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. The Bible always stresses a balance between the content of one’s beliefs and the resulting conduct in one’s life. As Christians, believers, and followers of Jesus Christ, we are told to live our lives being led by the spirit.

A good example is found in Ephesians 4:1-3. “I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”.

Living a Life Worthy Of Your Calling

Paul admonishes us to live worthy of the calling with which you have been called. He means that we must live a life worthy of our high calling in Christ Jesus.

Our practice should equal the teachings of our doctrine (a belief or set of Bible beliefs held and taught by a Church Leader). We should take great pains to see that our lives are lived in perfect balance. The Biblical principle for living the Christian life is quite simply stated: The believer puts into daily practice the principles of the Word of God by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

How can a Christian live a life worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ if he does not know what the Christian life is all about?

The Christian life is not the same thing as the culturally accepted norms of today\’s society. Anything and everything is going. The world is living in opposition to the Christian way of living. At the same time, we must never detach the importance of putting into practice what we understand to be true.

In 1 John 2:15-17 we are told to 15 not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[a] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever!

In order to live a balanced Christian life, there must be good sound Biblical teaching. A mature Christian has a good understanding of the teaching of the Word of God and has a healthy prayer life.

The bible says ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; 1 Peter 2:9

The New Birth

We were once spiritually bankrupt, emotionally in bondage, and morally corrupt. However, when we were saved or born again God awakened us to a new life and gave us the power to live that new life. We are now spiritually alive in Him!

God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in transgressions,(sin) He made us alive together with Christ – by grace you are saved! (Eph. 2:5 ) The apostle Paul wrote, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Cor 5:17 )

The Spirit-filled believer is a Spirit-controlled person whose purpose and calling is to be more like Jesus. Jesus says take my yoke on you and learn from me because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matt. 11:29). Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5 ). Meek means to have a gentle and quiet spirit, bearing with one another in love.

Walking in Love

As Spiritually led Christians we are to walk in love, the first call of love is to Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30.

How we respond to the unloving behavior of other Christians toward us. Paul suggests here, to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace? (v. 3)Paul is saying the Holy Spirit has already given us this unity when we put our faith in Christ.

We are not called upon to create this unity, but to “keep the unity. Pride destroys this unity in the Spirit. Overpowering self-assertion destroys vital relationships with other believers.

Being short-tempered, rude, and non-extending our love to those who act ugly to us destroys all efforts at keeping this unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Paul tells us not to grieve the Holy Spirit through anger. The word grieve means to pain, to hurt, to cause sorrow. When the Christian allows anger and bitterness to infect his life, God is hurt. The indwelling Holy Spirit is affected by the attitude of the Christian. Ephesians 4:29-32

Let’s be determined to walk in this Spiritual Journey in the Spirit of Love and keep ourselves under his control.

How Do You Know if You Are Walking in Love?

Corinthians 13:4-8 saysLove is patient love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.