Ephesians 5:15-18
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,
16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”
At the end of verse 18, the Bible tells us “but be filled with the Spirit.” This is a continuous instruction. Now remember, when Apostle Paul was speaking to the church in Ephesus, he knew very well that they had already received the Holy Spirit since the time they believed, which is why it was called the great church of Ephesus. But that didn’t make Paul think they had “arrived.” Instead, he urged them day after day to be filled with the Spirit because he knew the Spirit can be quenched in a person, and likewise, He can increase or decrease depending on how alert or careless one is in their salvation.
Even we, Christians of these present days — which are far more wicked than the days of the Ephesian church — it is not enough to merely say “I’m saved” or “I received the Holy Spirit,” while our relationship with God remains unclear. That cannot take us to heaven. Rather, we must be filled with the Holy Spirit day after day until the day of the Rapture finds us.
Because if we ignore this matter, we will be like the foolish virgins we read about in Matthew 25 who were waiting for their Lord but didn’t have enough oil to last until the moment of meeting Him. As a result, when the hour came for their Lord to appear, they suddenly realized their lamps were going out… and while they went to buy more, the bridegroom had already arrived and taken those who were ready into the wedding feast. The others who returned found the door shut. Their effort in waiting for the Lord was wasted. Even though they were also virgins — saved people waiting patiently for the Lord — because they neglected the crucial matter of oil in their vessels, they missed the banquet.
Oil is always symbolic of the Holy Spirit. When we first receive the Holy Spirit at the time of salvation, we receive just enough oil to light the lamp for the journey. But if we become content with only that, we won’t get far.
Brethren, to survive this deeply evil generation, we must continually be filled with the Holy Spirit.
You might ask: What should I do to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit can continue to fill us through at least four major practices:
1. Through Prayer
Luke 11:13
“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
If you are a person who prays and resists laziness in prayer — committing at least an hour a day — your spiritual oil will increase, and the Holy Spirit will have greater room to govern your life day by day.
2. Through Diligent Study of the Word of God
The Word is the food for a person’s spiritual life. If you are not diligent in studying the Word of God, in seeking the matters of life, do not assume the Holy Spirit will have room to teach you anything. God dwells in His Word (His voice is His Word).
If you are saved but feel lazy to study the Bible, then know the Spirit of God has already been quenched in you for a long time. And when the Rapture comes, you’ll be among the foolish virgins.
3. By Staying Away from Sin
Sin is always attractive, but its end is destruction. When we tolerate sin in our lives, we hide God’s face from us, and as a result, the Holy Spirit is quenched or departs completely from within us.
Isaiah 59:2
“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”
4. By Sharing the Good News
When you teach others, the Holy Spirit also teaches you. When you open the treasures of the Word of Life to others, the Holy Spirit finds room to reveal more to you and to use you to save His people. Because you are doing His work, He is obligated to keep filling you with His Spirit so you can continue in His service.
Therefore, let us not settle for our current spiritual state, hiding behind the phrase “I am saved.”
We must ask ourselves:
Do we have enough oil to last until the Lord’s return?
If not, then now is the time to trim our lamps — to ensure that every single day, the Holy Spirit has space in our lives. So that on that unknown day which will come suddenly, we can be assured that we won’t miss the Rapture.
Be blessed.
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