And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.
– Ephesians 5:18
To be filled with the Spirit is to be saturated with Christ. The drunk is dominated by another influence; the Spirit-filled believer is animated by the presence of Christ Himself. The Spirit mediates Christ’s life to us, bringing His thoughts to our minds, His affections to our hearts, and His power to our actions. The call to be “filled” is not a one-time experience, but an ongoing openness to God’s presence that renews and redirects our entire being.
When we are filled with the Spirit, Christ becomes tangibly present in and through us. The Spirit does not make us other than human, but more fully human, that is, redeemed humanity expressing divine character. Living out Christ means yielding moment by moment to the Spirit’s filling, allowing Him to occupy every room of our inner life. The more space we surrender to Him, the more the likeness of Christ becomes visible in our speech, attitudes, and responses.
Prayer
Lord, thank You that my old self was crucified with You. Help me to live each day by faith in You, who loved me and gave Yourself for me. May my life bear the marks of Your cross and the beauty of Your resurrection. Amen.
Meditation
What does it look like in my daily life to let the “I” decrease, so that Christ may live more fully through me?