“be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18) is to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. This is a present continuous action and requires a believer to be (a) daily yielded to God, (b) daily in repentance with confession with godly sorrow, (c) daily allowing the word of God to richly indwell the inner man. Being controlled by the Holy Spirit empowers a believer (a) daily in spiritual battle (Spirit versus flesh) and, (b) daily in living out the person and character and conduct of Christ and in being obedient to the will of God.

The Absence of the Presence of God
Imagine how amazing it must have been for the Israelites in the wilderness to know that the very presence of God lived just on the other side of the curtains of the Tabernacle. God, in all His power and glory, was… right there! But in time, they began to take God’s presence for granted, and their hearts turned away to idols. As a result, they lost His presence! Did you know that God still longs to dwell with us today, but He will not do so if we have any other “gods” before Him. Are we actively cultivating our hearts to be a pure, holy, welcoming place for God’s presence to dwell?
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