“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:15–20, ESV).

The previous post in this series discussed several priorities for walking in the light of Christ, spelled out in  Ephesians 5:15–20. This is essentially how we can reflect the light of Jesus, exposing the darkness around us and radiating Christ’s love to those who need it. We are called to make wise use of the time and opportunities that God gives us, and to seek His will in every area of our lives.

God is relational. He does not merely give us a list of tasks and obligations, demanding that we do our job right. He draws us into relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. A major element of that relationship is the presence  of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We cannot walk in the light without being led by the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, to effectively shine the light of Jesus around us, we must allow the Holy Spirit to overflow in our lives. “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” Some people think this is mainly an injunction against alcohol abuse. However, it goes deeper than that.

Most adults are only mildly affected by a single alcoholic beverage. One 12-ounce bottle of beer or a single glass of wine has little impact on most people’s behavior; they might feel more relaxed, but that may be all. However, after several drinks, things change. When a person is heavily intoxicated, the alcohol essentially takes control of their behavior, and they may do things that would never do while sober. Frequent abuse can lead to alcoholism, which essentially negatively alters the drinker’s personality.

The Holy Spirit can and should have an opposite effect. Many Christians are willing to invite Him to have just a mild impact on them; they will pray and worship God until they feel good, and then leave His presence. God wants more, though. He wants to fill us with the Spirit, immersing us in His presence and power. He wants the Holy Spirit to alter our behavior; indeed, He wants His Spirit to transform our personalities and lives.

This is not accomplished all at once. God wants us to enjoy landmark occasions in our lives where the Holy Spirit makes a memorable impact. We should seek a baptism in the Holy Spirit as a defining moment in our lives. However, after that experience, we should tap into His presence and power on a day-by-day, hour-by-hour, and minute-by-minute encounter. There are several ways to experience that power in our lives. The above passage provides a short list of ways to experience the continual infilling of the Holy Spirit.

Foremost is praise and worship: “Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.” Music affects our souls in unique ways. The unified blend of melody, harmony, rhythm, and lyrics has a way of grasping our emotions and drawing our minds in, emotionally transporting us to distant times and places. Earlier this week, I was singing along with a song on a CD and felt emotionally transported to a time in my life nearly 20 years ago. The song grasped me in ways that a conversation never could. Good music has a way of doing that to a listener.

Nowadays, Christians can enjoy a wide variety of spiritual music. The musical genres range from traditional hymns, to southern gospel, black gospel, rock, pop, folk, rap, and virtually every other musical genre imaginable. Find some music that you enjoy, with lyrics that glorify our Lord and draw your entire soul into an awareness of His presence. A spiritual song that stirs your soul will keep the Lord’s presence at the forefront of your attention.

This should not be restricted to your time alone. Ephesians 5:19 tells us to “{address} one another” in song. We often treat music as only a source of entertainment. Many churches seem to use music to make people feel good. Music should encourage, admonish, and teach us. It should be a tool by which we minister one to another. Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Corporate worship is important. It is virtually impossible to consistently walk in the power of the Holy Spirit without it. We do not sing in church merely to feel good. We are there not for entertainment, but to encourage and bless one another. Good worship music is part of that.

Finally, we should remain thankful in all circumstances, “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” True biblical thankfulness does not deny reality. Instead, it views all of reality from the perspective that God is always working in our lives (Romans 8:28).

Even in difficult circumstances, we should give thanks. Times may be difficult, and things may not go as you planned, but the Spirit-filled believer seeks to know how God is at work through the problems. Even if we cannot see what God is doing, we can acknowledge that He is working all things together for our good. We can trust Him to bring forth a result that exceeds our expectations and brings forth His fruit in our lives. For that, we can and should be thankful. For more thoughts on the subject of thankfulness, see this post from several years ago.

Jesus calls His disciples to be the light of the world, even as He is the light of the world. We are called to reflect His light into the darkness around us. Our lifestyle, worship, and witness can be His vessels to draw those who have been lost in darkness into the glorious abundant light and life He gives. We have a noble calling as His servants. Let us go forth in His name to conquer the darkness of sin and death with the light and life He alone can give!

Copyright © 2018 Michael E. Lynch. All rights reserved.