Years ago, when my mother was still living in Houston, a hurricane struck the Gulf Coast and swept up I-45 through her area. Trees were toppled, power lines cut. She was without electricity for days. I don't know what I thought I could do, but I felt I should be there. So I drove down, arriving late at night. Using a flashlight, I made my way to my bedroom.

Early the next morning I used that same flashlight to find my way down the hall to the bathroom, so I could shave. With my electric razor. In the glare of the flashlight I found the razor. I plugged it in. I turned it on. When nothing happened, I held it up in the flashlight's beam and said out loud, "This thing's broken." But it wasn't--it just needed power.

Being "filled with the Spirit" is the secret to the joy of Jesus and power of God. So, how are we "filled with the Spirit"? Ephesians 5:15-20 gives us five steps; we have taken three already.

First, the text assumes that we have already received Christ as Lord, and thus his Spirit in our lives. As we learned last week, when we make Jesus our Savior, his Spirit takes up permanent residence in our lives. Second, as we have already seen, we ask God to forgive anything which is wrong in our lives. This is the Holy Spirit, and he can only control that which is clean and holy. Third, as we saw yesterday, we seek God's will. We turn our minds, words, attitudes and actions over to him.

Now we consciously ask the Spirit to take control of us. Unconditionally, without reservation, holding nothing back. We give him a blank check for this day. He can use only what he owns. God has given us free will, and chooses to honor it. Only when our lives are at his disposal can they have his power.

Last, we believe by faith that the Spirit has taken control of us. Nowhere does the Bible tell us how it feels to be filled with the Spirit. No particular gift is promised, no special proof is offered. It takes as much faith to believe you are controlled by the Spirit as it did to trust in Christ as your Savior and Lord. We step out in faith, believing that God has done what we have asked him to do. And he will.

Do you have a War Room for your soul? Did you begin this Thursday there? Will you meet God there during the day? Let's conclude our series tomorrow.

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