And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).
The Message paraphrase of this verse reads: Don’t drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. And Weymouth’s translation declares: Do not overindulge in wine–a thing in which excess is so easy – but drink deeply of God’s Spirit.
The Greek verb in this verse is in the continuous present tense. It should read: be being filled with the Spirit, indicating progressive continuous action. When a person is born again, the Holy Spirit enters his or her body and changes their spirit from spiritual death to spiritual life; from darkness to light; from the power of Satan to the power of God.
When a believer receives the baptism with the Holy Spirit, that person enters into a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit immerses the person into Himself!
There is only one experience of the indwelling of the Spirit that we receive in the new birth. There is only one instance in a person’s life of receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit. But there should be many instances of a believer being filled with the Spirit! If you are born of the spirit, but have not yet received the baptism with the Holy Spirit, then go and read the following, and ask God to baptize you with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:1-8; Acts 2:1-4; Acts 10:44-46; Luke 11:10-13).
We have a spiritual leaking problem! As we go through life we use up our Holy Spirit inspired spiritual energy reserves, and they must be replenished. Being filled with the Spirit needs to become a daily experience for all of us!
Here’s how. Get alone; go into your “closet” where you privately fellowship with the Lord (a long, walk, a secluded room, just a real private place). Begin to worship, singing songs in English and singing in tongues! Tell the Lord of how wonderful He is and how thankful you are that He has and is transforming your life. Sing some more. Pick up your Bible and read a passage out loud. Lift your hands and praise some more. Sing some more in tongues. And just keep this regimen going for a while. Then pray, pouring your heart out to the Father, mentioning the things that trouble you to Him. Go into great detail, and ask Him to help you! Talk to Him about your personal weaknesses, and ask Him to help you overcome them! Then, lift your hands and sing and praise some more. Sing songs that you know, and sing in tongues. You may not “feel” it, but you’re being refreshed and filled with the Spirit as you to this!
Make the previous paragraph a daily thing! Be being filled every day! Speak to yourself in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. That is , make up your own songs and sing them to the Lord. Who cares how they sound, It’s your heart expressing itself to Jesus and He loves it! So sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord! Stay close to Him. Mediate the Word. You’ll stay filled with the Spirit, and the challenges of life will seem smaller in comparison to your amazing God. Satan and his minions will run and hide when you show up. You will be walking in the power of the Greater One that has risen within you!