The Spirit-Filled Life

 

By Andrea Merrell

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; 

but be filled with the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18 KJV

“You’re so different,” the woman said to her friend. “What has happened to you? What’s changed?”

The friend smiled and said, “Everything has changed. I’ve gone from living a despair-filled life to living a Spirit-filled life.”

She want on to explain that when she finally surrendered to the Lord and invited Him to be her Lord and Savior, she gave up her old life and embraced a new one—a life filled with peace, joy, and a love beyond comprehension. “While I used to depend on alcohol to keep me going, I now depend on the Spirit of God to sustain me,” she admitted. “I’ve finally found purpose and fulfillment.”

The Bible tells us not to be drunk with wine but to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Word for You Today explains the difference:

• One causes you to be out of control, while the other enables you to be in control.
• One is counterproductive, while the other is productive.
• One makes you powerless, while the other empowers you.
• One brings you sorrow, while the other brings you joy.

Being filled with God’s Spirit doesn’t end all our earthly problems, but it gives us a different perspective. Helps us change our focus. Enables us to stay positive and hopeful in a negative world.

Are you living a Spirit-filled life?

Photo courtesy of FreeDigtalPhotos.net and tuelekza.