Let the Word of Christ Dwell in You Richly…

 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.—Ephesians 5:18-21

The results of of being filled with the Spirit is found in verses 19-21 above. 

Many years ago John MacArthur’s words and illustrations on these verses helped me to see what walking in the Spirit looked like practically. There is never a moment when I am not grateful for his ministry of the word  The following insights are from his teachings. 

Now read Colossians 3:16 which is a direct parallel to this verse because you have the same response…

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Do you see the similarity?

You have exactly the same response to being filled with the spirit as you have to being dominated by the word.  To be filled with the spirit means to be dominated by the word.  The word is part of you.  The word of Christ in your heart and in your mind is the handle or the steering wheel by which the Holy Spirit turns your will.  When the word of God dwells richly in your heart it is the same as being controlled by the Spirit. 

Beloved… Fill yourself with the word of God...Let it dominate and control you...these are the guaranteed results.  You will teach, admonish, and sing as you go about your day.  When you are tried…the Spirit using the word of God will direct your path.   Give Christ, who is the Word of God, absolute pre-eminence in your life.   Doing this will not only bless you both temporally and eternally it will also bless your family and others around you.  Leave them this legacy…demonstrate this to them and they will have everything they need to get through this life…no matter what they face.

Father

May I live continually under the grace and influence of Your Spirit that dwells in me.  Help me to take my anxious and fearful thoughts captive and focus instead on those things that are above.  This is Your will for me. You have not given me a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  Your perfect love casts out my fear…For I have not received the spirit of bondage to fear, but I have received the Spirit of adoption by whom I cry out to You as a precious daughter, “Abba! Father!”  As a father pities His children, so You pity those who fear You.  You are mindful of our frame. You remember we are dust.  

May the abundance of my heart be Your word. May Your Spirit use it to direct my path and may I depend moment by moment on Your power to get me through this life. May I live in an ever conscious presence of my Jesus.  May his mind and His word so dominate me that the beautiful result will be as it says in verses 19-21.  

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.