Prophetic Tidbit: Being filled with the Spirit.
Once I was as spiritually dry as a bone in a desert. I was going to Church and tithing faithfully, serving in ministry, honoring my wife, and working regularly. But my life had become quite ordinary. Despite financial success, something was missing. Within me was a deep hunger to be filled with the Spirit of God. On the brink of desperation, I cried unto the Lord. I then heard, “Return to your first love.”
As I said “Yes” the Spirit of the Lord came upon me. By the leading of the Spirit, whom Jesus called the “Spirit of Truth, I search the Scriptures. I learned the key to being filled with the Holy Spirit noted in Ephesians 5:16-19, was to SING AND MAKE MELODY from my heart to the Lord. This revelation, which was in plain sight, launched me into a lifestyle of directing my heart to the Lord with songs of love, praise, and adoration. Soon, my spirit became energized with the life of the Spirit's presence.
I also learned to GIVE THANKS always for all things unto God (Eph. 5:20). Through many trials and tribulations, hard times, and oppression, I offered thanks to the Lord. Although things may not have changed around me, a well of life sprang up from within me. In time, I not only felt peaceful inside but the abiding peace of the prince of peace, Jesus Christ, who crushes Satan under our feet.
Then came the lesson of rejoicing. Before my salvation, I rejoiced when I had joy. Once I was in the Kingdom, I received the life-giving joy of the Lord as I celebrated His goodness, love, and mercy with thanksgiving. The amount of joy we have is determined by the amount of our rejoicing. Paul tells us to “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4).
That doesn’t mean that we like everything that is taking place around us or that which is happening to us. Despite these things, the power of rejoicing with thanksgiving will keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. The joy of the Lord, which is our strength comes from abiding in the Spirit “For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink: but rightlessness, and peace and joy IN the Spirit” (Romans 14:17).
His joy is the key to good mental health. The power of joy brings health to our heart, heals the brokenhearted, delivers the oppressed and gives us strength – His strength “For the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).
In summary, the keys to living a Spirit-filled life is FIRST, to develop a lifestyle of worship offered from your heart to the Lord with songs of praise for “God inhabits the praises of His people” (Psalms 22:3).”
AND SECOND, to give thanks to the Lord knowing that “All things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28). And THIRD, the power of rejoicing as we place our trust and heart in the hands of our heavily Father. As King David proclaimed, we declare with thanksgiving,
“You will show me the path of life: in your presence is fullness of joy: at your right hands are pleasures forevermore (Psalms 15:11).
In Closing
When your life is In the Spirit, like a water fountain out of your belly will flow rivers of living waters. Living the Spirit-filled life, or having true peace and joy, is not determined by our present circumstance or situation. At any time we can cast our eyes towards heaven, and direct our hearts to the Father.
As we enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise, the Lord with open arms will set a table before you. Here in His presence before your enemies, He will anoint your head with oil until you proclaim with great joy as King David did, “My cup runs over.”
In His amazing grace and love,
Roy Roden
