Avoiding Debauchery
For at least 4 weeks now I have asked every pastor/staff person in our office, every friend in my community group, read a book, and consulted random strangers on the street about the what, when, how, who, and whatever about the Holy Spirit; specifically in regards to my children. It has been a month of great discovery in the Overly house and it is not at all a coincidence that I am writing today on the topic of being filled with the Spirit.
We, as human beings, are chronic fillers. We fill up our days, we fill up our calendars, we fill up our bank accounts only to empty them again, and we fill and refill our gas tanks and the hampers in our closets. We fill up our lives with what we think is important and we have occasion to overfill on things that make us feel good at the time, but end up leaving us more empty than when we started. Paul’s advice to us in the few verses before this one, “Be careful how you live” could easily translate, “be mindful how you fill your time, your body, your day…” Be careful how you fill your body. If you fill it with too much wine or beer you are headed to debauchery. (I looked this up: immoral self-indulgence.) I promised my husband that I would not post stories of my personal experiences with this. Instead let’s take a look at how to avoid those situations!
Since I have received some expert insight from those people who surround me at work, home, and in small group, I will now attempt to teach you about being filled with the Holy Spirit with my remaining 76 words. God made us. He made each of us with a personality that can, and does, and will bring Him glory. Within those different and unique personalities, God leaves room for himself. He leaves places where we are weak. Places where we will always have to rely on Him. When we are weak, the Spirit comes and fills those empty places with His strength. I am personally weak in the area of self control (I could point back to those stories of which I am not allowed to speak…) so when the Spirit is alive and active and engaged in my story, in my life, you will see Jesus’ ability to be self controlled. Not mine. I made a drawing for my kids, because that is what I do when words don’t work. It was me and I was full of holes. But inside those holes I filled in the Spirit. The places where I was weak, broken, I could show them that He fills them up!
As a believer in the Messiah, what is filling you up? Are you filling your body with wine and debauchery? Are you filling your days with work? Are you filling your home with chaos and anger? Or are you asking the Spirit of the living God to fill you with love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self- control? The evidence of a Spirit filled life is kindness when your flesh tells you to be mean; it is peace when you should be afraid; it is self-control when you feel like heading toward debauchery. Let Him be STRONG where you are weak.
Great stuff, Jen. I really needed to hear this message today, and every day for that matter. Thank you so much for your insight and your reminder that we are called to lead a spirit filled life.
Thanks Jen. I think you’ve taken this abstract idea and made it understandable and applicable – the mark of a great teacher! I’ll definitely use this for myself and when explaning to others.
The picture really helps too. Really!
As you know, Jon, I am famous for my graphic artistry