Walk in Wisdom
Bible Devotional
Church Scripture Verse for today:
Ephesians 5:15-21 (ESV)
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
How do you walk in wisdom? How will you know if you are making the right choices in life? [How do you know if the other person is giving you wise advice? And, what would that sound like?] So, we will address this later as we go through our study for today. Let’s begin!
Throughout the book of Ephesians, it’s been telling us to “walk.” Before you knew Christ, you used to “walk” the ways of this world. We were “walking in darkness,” meaning we were walking apart from God in all of God’s ways because we did not have a relationship with God. But now, as a new believer, God reminds us, “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called.”
And in Ephesians Five, it gives us three additional types of walk:
We are to walk in love
We are to walk in the light
We are to walk in wisdom
So, when we hear the word “walk,” it means living out our daily lives in light of what God has done for our eternal salvation.
Walk - How we live and apply our Christian life. A consistent, purposeful practice.
Ephesians 1, 2, and 3 tell us that God has saved us and rescued us from sin, and that we share in God’s inheritance and in God’s promises. Now that we received this amazing grace and blessings from God, what now? What will you do with God’s blessings? And that is Ephesians chapters 4, 5, and 6 comes in. You have received God’s blessing; now walk in it. Now, live out that new lifestyle.
There was a paralytic man at the pool of Bethesda, and he was paralyzed for 38 years. He encounters Jesus, who heals him and tells him to do something.
John 5:8-9 (NL T)
Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” 9 Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath,
“Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” You were paralyzed physically, and emotionally, you lived in depression for 38 years. Now that Jesus has healed you physically and emotionally, “stand up, pick up your mat, and walk in the new life! You are a new creation in Christ. Now walk the New You!” Take off the old clothes and put on the new clothes that God has given to you. “Apply your new Christian life!”
But maybe some of you were like this paralytic man. For many years, you used to “walk” in depression, with your shoulders down, and your chest compressed, but God, in His rich mercy and grace, brings you life, and he tells you, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” This is the new you, so don’t walk like your past life, but walk in the new life.
So, in chapter five, Paul adds an additional walk.
Ephesians 5:2 Amplified Bible
and walk continually in love (What does it mean to walk in love?) [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.
Listen, a lot of Christians really struggle with this. I certainly have, and sometimes I feel like a hypocrite. I have not always continually valued or loved another person, especially with empathy and compassion. When I am in a disagreement or in conflict with another brother or sister in Christ, I don’t jump right in and think, “How can I love this person? How can I feel what the other person is feeling?” So, how do you walk in love?
Luke 9:23 (NL T)
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.
“You must give up your own way”: In other words, let go of your control and let God be in control. That’s why it says, “take up your cross daily, and follow me.”
This is for all of us, including myself. We are to practice “giving up our own way daily and intentionally,” And we have to do this as an ongoing, consistent new spiritual practice. Because your old nature did not want to do that, but your new nature in you tells you to do that.
This is where you really have to pray and say, “God, decrease my flesh, so that you can increase!” And, the more you pray on that, God’s supernatural power will come upon you, and you will see for yourself that God is working.
Now, I went to verse 2, and skipped verse 1, so let me go to verse 1.
Ephesians 5:1 (ESV)
Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children.
Question: How do you imitate God?
People have a tendency to imitate others, right? Growing up, I used to imitate my favorite martial arts people like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. I would try their kicks and do stunts like Jackie Chan, only to end up with broken bones like Jackie Chan. When you're young, you don’t think straight, so I ended up with a lot of injuries. But then, as I got older and started my own business, I began to emulate some well-known businesspeople, follow their business advice, and purchase all their teaching materials. When you have a business, you want to have success and do well.
But then, as I followed and imitated all these people, I noticed a common issue among them: they were all flawed and sinful. They made a lot of money, but their personal lives were in chaos. One day, this millionaire that I looked up to came up to me and actually asked me for marriage advice. He was on his third or fourth wife, and he asked me about how to have a healthy marriage. And that is when I realized a few things.
I wanted success on the outside, but I was not having success on the inside. And that was when I realized I was not growing spiritually, because I was not imitating Christ. When you have success on the inside, you will amplify that success to the outside. So, what does “be imitators of God” look like?”
What Paul is telling us is for us to imitate God’s holiness. Not for us to be God, or achieve perfection, but separate from the world and darkness. Remember that walking in darkness means we are walking separate from God. And a bad walk will not only tear you down personally, but ruin your entire family. Because people around you and connected to your walk, whether good or bad. So, verses 3-7 tell us that we were once walking in that darkness, but now we are children of the light.
Ephesians 5:8-10 (NLT)
For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.
Walking in darkness means walking apart from God.
Walking in the light means that you now walk in a relationship with Jesus.
Now this then leads us to Ephesians 5:15.
Ephesians 5:15 Amplified Bible
Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people],
So, if you don’t walk carefully, living a life with honor, purpose, and courage, shunning those who tolerate and enable evil, you become a fool. But a wise person is someone who is sensible, intelligent, and has discernment. In other words, if I am careful with my walk, then I will be a wise person.
By the way, the word “intelligent” in this verse is not intellectual knowledge, but someone who practices God's truth in daily life. Listen, I know a lot of people who are really smart and have many Master's and PhD degrees, and I also know many of them who don’t make the right choices in life and are very unwise. And, many of them live in darkness.
Question: Why would God give you and me, the believers, wisdom?
To grow you spiritually, help you take off your old clothes and put on new clothes, but most importantly, freedom from sin. Then why should God help us grow spiritually?
1 Corinthians 1:30 (NL T)
God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.
So, Jesus Himself became “wisdom” for our benefit. And that wisdom can sanctify us, and make us pure and holy, and free us from sin. Remember, sin is our natural disobedience against God, right? No person ever has to teach anyone how to be jealous. No one has to teach you how to hate. We do this on our own, right? That is sin.
So in 1 Corinthians 1:30 it says that “For our benefit God made Jesus to be wisdom Himself.” So the stronger your relationship with Jesus, the wiser you become, and the greater the benefit. How many of you want benefit from Jesus?
Question: What does that wisdom sound like?
“Pastor Joseph, should I marry a non-Christian?” My response, “Sure, you can marry a non-Christian, but that would not be a wise decision.” Here is another question: “Can you jump off the airplane without a parachute?” Yes, but that would not be a wise decision.”
So what the Bible teaches us is that if you need to know what decisions to make in life, the wisdom of God that is upon Jesus is available to us by the power of the Holy Spirit. God will give you the wisdom you need to walk in your calling in life. When you are close to Jesus, you will receive the wisdom to make the right choices in life, know which direction you need to go, and have a strong sense of purpose and meaning. That is the wisdom of God, and you will find it in the Word of God. Let’s continue.
Ephesians 5:16 (ESV)
making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
“Days are evil”: So, you and I need to be careful on how we walk with wisdom, because the days are evil. Whenever you read the Bible, and it says, “days,” it typically refers to the current age or era. In other words, what Paul is saying is that in this “day and age,” there is a lot of opposition to God’s will and plan. If you are a Christian or a believer, you will have a lot of opposition going against you. In other words, you will encounter much “spiritual warfare.”
1 Peter 5:8 (NL T)
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
“Making the best use of the time”: We live in a fallen world, so that’s why God tells us, the believers, we are to be the children of the light in darkness. That is why God wants us to make the best of our time. Meaning because Jesus is coming again to judge the world, so take advantage of the opportunity to do good, making the most of every advantage to share the love of Christ.
A few years ago, a young person was headed towards work and was in a major car accident, and died. There was a father of two children, while watching television, he had a major heart attack and died. Listen, heart disease is the leading cause of death in America, with 1,870 deaths every day in 2024. Cancer is the second leading cause of death, with 1,690 deaths per day. Listen, we need to do our best physically and mentally, but we also need to do our best spiritually. So, we need to make the best use of our time.
The word time in Greek is kairos pronounced kahee-ros' meaning a measure of time, an opportune moment, and seasonal time.
So what Paul is saying is that you have been given, in this season of life, the opportune time to seize what God has given you for God’s kingdom expansion, spiritual growth, and love for others. Our time is running out, so don’t lose the opportunity that God has given to us. He is saying, “Seize the moment!” And, when you do that, you will be wise, and you will know the will of God for your life. Turn to your neighbor and say, “Seize the moment!”
Ephesians 5:17 (ESV)
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Paul is like, “This is the opportune time. Seize the moment. Don’t act carelessly or thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.” Because when you are “making the best use of the season of your life that you are in, then God will reveal to you what God’s will for you.” The days are evil, and this era will end. So don’t be a fool and waste your time, seek the Lord’s will for your life.” Seize the moment!
Question: Pastor Joe, I want to know what God’s will is for me.
Let me make this very simple by asking this question: “If you are a married person, and you believe in Jesus, then should you commit adultery?” No! Of course not. God’s will for you as a married person is not to commit adultery. In other words, God has already put the framework in the Scripture to know our will for the Lord. Basically, when you follow your walk with Christ in His timing, God will reveal His will for you through the Word.
So, think of this. In a playground, you will have a monkey bar, swing set, seesaw, slides, merry-go-round, climbers, tubes, and a spinning circle thing. When you are in a relationship with God and walking in the calling, the light, and the love for others, God places you in a spiritual playground for you to play around in. And then eventually, you might start to enjoy the swing set more than any other playground equipment. What you might find is that particular swing set becomes your passion for the Lord’s work, and the Lord starts to open up a larger swing set for you. And you eventually find out that is what I want to do till God calls you home. So God’s will for you and your passion will fuse into one smooth operation.
Ephesians 5:18 (ESV)
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
“And do not get drunk with wine?” Why is Paul bringing this out? “Don’t be a fool, and understand God’s will for you, and by the way, don’t get drunk with wine, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Where did this come from?
I want you to know that Paul uses being drunk on wine as a metaphor because it was a common practice among the people of Ephesus.
Greek god known as Dionysus or Bacchus - wine-making, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, dance.
So, the people in Ephesus would go to the shrine of Bacchus in the middle of the night, and they would take raw meat with a lot of blood and sing to the god of win-making while getting drunk. And they would act in a way that they are filled with the power of the spirit of Bacchus. The god Bacchus was being filled by these people who were eating raw meat, singing, dancing, and drinking on behalf of this god.
Paul was just taking the context and telling the Ephesian believers, now that you are a Christian, to come together and not be like the people who dance, sing, and get drunk to the god of Bacchus. But now be filled instead by the Holy Spirit.
Remember, this is not about being “drunk with wine,” it is about anything and everything that will get you to have intoxication or anything that will break you from Jesus. The wine was just a metaphor. Listen, anything outside can influence my inside.
Because when you get drunk, it influences your thoughts (you can’t think straight), speech, and behavior, right? So, when the Holy Spirit fills you, then He will influence your thoughts, speech, and behavior.
Outside Influence (drunk) - impacts your thoughts, speech, and behavior
Holy Spirit influence - impacts your thoughts, speech, and behavior
We know that the fruit of being filled with the Spirit impacts your thoughts, speech, and behavior, but does that mean to be “filled with the Holy Spirit?”
Ephesians 1:13 (ESV)
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
You, the Christians in Ephesus, already possess the Holy Spirit. So, it’s not like you need to possess it again, right? It’s a one-time deal. But you need to continue to be filled daily. So, here is what being filled looks like.
Be Filled by the Holy Spirit
Being drunk is a temporary escape, like watching a movie or playing video games, right? And its influence is short-lived and ends. What Paul is saying here is that when the Holy Spirit dwells in you, you will have a continuous flow of God's empowerment as you actively submit to the Spirit of the Lord.
Question: What is one of the important reasons for the filling of the Spirit in
the believers?
Galatians 5:16 (NL T)
So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
This “filling of the Spirit” is essential for living out the Christian faith effectively and combating the sin that separates us from God.
Question: What does the filling of the Spirit look like on a daily basis?
This is another way the filling of the Spirit looks.
Ephesians 5:19-20 (ESV)
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
“Addressing one another or speaking to one another in Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, and making melody to the Lord with your heart (Or, Spontaneous, Spirit-prompted melodies that testify to God’s work)”: In other words, God calls believers to be vocal encouragers, shaping one another’s faith through words saturated with Spirit-filled worship. In other words, encourage one another with spiritual praise. This is what happens when you are filled with the Holy Spirit.
“Giving thanks always for everything”: Even when bad things are happening, or when things are not turning out the way you want, when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you just start singing praise songs and thanking God. Because when you do this, you will see that what the devil meant for evil, God will turn it for good.
Ephesians 5:21 (ESV)
submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Did you know that one of the most difficult things to do for a human is to submit to another human? Now, you can force submission, right? But then that would be slavery. So, God is not commanding us to be forced into submission, but when we are “filled with the Holy Spirit,” and because we “revere,” and tremendously respect, and out of pure “reverence for Christ,” we voluntarily or willingly “submit” to one another. Not by force, but as a response to Christ’s sacrificial love and lordship.
There was a scene in which Jesus, that evening, was to be betrayed by one of his own disciples, Judas. Late that evening, Judas would lead the temple guards and betray him for 30 pieces of silver. But earlier that evening, Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the Mount of Olives to pray. There, Jesus prayed knowing that His time was near, and that He would be the sacrifice to the world.
Jesus is fully God, but He is also fully man, and in His flesh, He knows that the time is near. Jesus, as fully human, did not want to go through this pain and suffering, but He was willing to submit to God the Father so that the prophecy would be fulfilled. And, this is Jesus submitting to God, because He knows that there is a great purpose to that submission.
Luke 22:42 (NLT)
“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
Jesus, in His humanity, submitted Himself to God the Father. Why? Because of His great love for us. God has a purpose and a plan, and that plan started with submission. So, submission leads to God’s plan.
So, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we naturally want to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. So, through Christ, when we submit to one another, we end up putting someone else, and their needs, above ourselves. This happens when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, and we do this out of reverence for Christ.
“Pastor Joseph, because I am not filled with the Holy Spirit, I don’t want to serve that person or submit to that person?” No, that is intentional sinning against God’s commands. “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ, is NOT a suggestion but a command.” So, if you are struggling in that area, then pray and ask the Lord, “God, you increase, and let my flesh decrease.” And, my friends, God will answer your prayers.
How do you walk in wisdom? How will you know if you are making the right choices in life?
The more you submit to God, you will have a greater your understanding of God’s will will be, which will lead you to thankfulness of life, and the outpouring of His wisdom will be upon you, all because you are walking in His light. And whatever the outcome or result will be, you will trust in God’s wisdom over your heart.
And, how would you know if the other person is giving you wise advice? If the other person has also submitted to Christ and has a relationship with the Word of God, and is walking in the light.
Ephesians 5:15-21 (ESV)
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
How do you walk in wisdom? How will you know if you are making the right choices in life? [How do you know if the other person is giving you wise advice? And, what would that sound like?] So, we will address this later as we go through our study for today. Let’s begin!
Throughout the book of Ephesians, it’s been telling us to “walk.” Before you knew Christ, you used to “walk” the ways of this world. We were “walking in darkness,” meaning we were walking apart from God in all of God’s ways because we did not have a relationship with God. But now, as a new believer, God reminds us, “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called.”
And in Ephesians Five, it gives us three additional types of walk:
We are to walk in love
We are to walk in the light
We are to walk in wisdom
- Walk in Love: Before Christ, we really did not know what genuine love meant. Our love was just superficial, but after Christ, our love extended beyond to people who do not even deserve love.
- Walk in the Light: Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12). So, walking in the light basically means to follow Jesus.
- Walk in Wisdom: Our primary focus today is to understand how to walk in wisdom.
So, when we hear the word “walk,” it means living out our daily lives in light of what God has done for our eternal salvation.
Walk - How we live and apply our Christian life. A consistent, purposeful practice.
Ephesians 1, 2, and 3 tell us that God has saved us and rescued us from sin, and that we share in God’s inheritance and in God’s promises. Now that we received this amazing grace and blessings from God, what now? What will you do with God’s blessings? And that is Ephesians chapters 4, 5, and 6 comes in. You have received God’s blessing; now walk in it. Now, live out that new lifestyle.
There was a paralytic man at the pool of Bethesda, and he was paralyzed for 38 years. He encounters Jesus, who heals him and tells him to do something.
John 5:8-9 (NL T)
Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” 9 Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath,
“Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” You were paralyzed physically, and emotionally, you lived in depression for 38 years. Now that Jesus has healed you physically and emotionally, “stand up, pick up your mat, and walk in the new life! You are a new creation in Christ. Now walk the New You!” Take off the old clothes and put on the new clothes that God has given to you. “Apply your new Christian life!”
But maybe some of you were like this paralytic man. For many years, you used to “walk” in depression, with your shoulders down, and your chest compressed, but God, in His rich mercy and grace, brings you life, and he tells you, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” This is the new you, so don’t walk like your past life, but walk in the new life.
So, in chapter five, Paul adds an additional walk.
Ephesians 5:2 Amplified Bible
and walk continually in love (What does it mean to walk in love?) [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.
Listen, a lot of Christians really struggle with this. I certainly have, and sometimes I feel like a hypocrite. I have not always continually valued or loved another person, especially with empathy and compassion. When I am in a disagreement or in conflict with another brother or sister in Christ, I don’t jump right in and think, “How can I love this person? How can I feel what the other person is feeling?” So, how do you walk in love?
Luke 9:23 (NL T)
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.
“You must give up your own way”: In other words, let go of your control and let God be in control. That’s why it says, “take up your cross daily, and follow me.”
This is for all of us, including myself. We are to practice “giving up our own way daily and intentionally,” And we have to do this as an ongoing, consistent new spiritual practice. Because your old nature did not want to do that, but your new nature in you tells you to do that.
This is where you really have to pray and say, “God, decrease my flesh, so that you can increase!” And, the more you pray on that, God’s supernatural power will come upon you, and you will see for yourself that God is working.
Now, I went to verse 2, and skipped verse 1, so let me go to verse 1.
Ephesians 5:1 (ESV)
Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children.
Question: How do you imitate God?
People have a tendency to imitate others, right? Growing up, I used to imitate my favorite martial arts people like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. I would try their kicks and do stunts like Jackie Chan, only to end up with broken bones like Jackie Chan. When you're young, you don’t think straight, so I ended up with a lot of injuries. But then, as I got older and started my own business, I began to emulate some well-known businesspeople, follow their business advice, and purchase all their teaching materials. When you have a business, you want to have success and do well.
But then, as I followed and imitated all these people, I noticed a common issue among them: they were all flawed and sinful. They made a lot of money, but their personal lives were in chaos. One day, this millionaire that I looked up to came up to me and actually asked me for marriage advice. He was on his third or fourth wife, and he asked me about how to have a healthy marriage. And that is when I realized a few things.
- I was imitating people like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.
- I was imitating wealthy business people, so I could be like them.
- But I was NOT imitating the most important person in the universe, and that was Jesus.
I wanted success on the outside, but I was not having success on the inside. And that was when I realized I was not growing spiritually, because I was not imitating Christ. When you have success on the inside, you will amplify that success to the outside. So, what does “be imitators of God” look like?”
What Paul is telling us is for us to imitate God’s holiness. Not for us to be God, or achieve perfection, but separate from the world and darkness. Remember that walking in darkness means we are walking separate from God. And a bad walk will not only tear you down personally, but ruin your entire family. Because people around you and connected to your walk, whether good or bad. So, verses 3-7 tell us that we were once walking in that darkness, but now we are children of the light.
Ephesians 5:8-10 (NLT)
For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.
Walking in darkness means walking apart from God.
Walking in the light means that you now walk in a relationship with Jesus.
Now this then leads us to Ephesians 5:15.
Ephesians 5:15 Amplified Bible
Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people],
So, if you don’t walk carefully, living a life with honor, purpose, and courage, shunning those who tolerate and enable evil, you become a fool. But a wise person is someone who is sensible, intelligent, and has discernment. In other words, if I am careful with my walk, then I will be a wise person.
By the way, the word “intelligent” in this verse is not intellectual knowledge, but someone who practices God's truth in daily life. Listen, I know a lot of people who are really smart and have many Master's and PhD degrees, and I also know many of them who don’t make the right choices in life and are very unwise. And, many of them live in darkness.
Question: Why would God give you and me, the believers, wisdom?
To grow you spiritually, help you take off your old clothes and put on new clothes, but most importantly, freedom from sin. Then why should God help us grow spiritually?
1 Corinthians 1:30 (NL T)
God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.
So, Jesus Himself became “wisdom” for our benefit. And that wisdom can sanctify us, and make us pure and holy, and free us from sin. Remember, sin is our natural disobedience against God, right? No person ever has to teach anyone how to be jealous. No one has to teach you how to hate. We do this on our own, right? That is sin.
So in 1 Corinthians 1:30 it says that “For our benefit God made Jesus to be wisdom Himself.” So the stronger your relationship with Jesus, the wiser you become, and the greater the benefit. How many of you want benefit from Jesus?
Question: What does that wisdom sound like?
“Pastor Joseph, should I marry a non-Christian?” My response, “Sure, you can marry a non-Christian, but that would not be a wise decision.” Here is another question: “Can you jump off the airplane without a parachute?” Yes, but that would not be a wise decision.”
So what the Bible teaches us is that if you need to know what decisions to make in life, the wisdom of God that is upon Jesus is available to us by the power of the Holy Spirit. God will give you the wisdom you need to walk in your calling in life. When you are close to Jesus, you will receive the wisdom to make the right choices in life, know which direction you need to go, and have a strong sense of purpose and meaning. That is the wisdom of God, and you will find it in the Word of God. Let’s continue.
Ephesians 5:16 (ESV)
making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
“Days are evil”: So, you and I need to be careful on how we walk with wisdom, because the days are evil. Whenever you read the Bible, and it says, “days,” it typically refers to the current age or era. In other words, what Paul is saying is that in this “day and age,” there is a lot of opposition to God’s will and plan. If you are a Christian or a believer, you will have a lot of opposition going against you. In other words, you will encounter much “spiritual warfare.”
1 Peter 5:8 (NL T)
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
“Making the best use of the time”: We live in a fallen world, so that’s why God tells us, the believers, we are to be the children of the light in darkness. That is why God wants us to make the best of our time. Meaning because Jesus is coming again to judge the world, so take advantage of the opportunity to do good, making the most of every advantage to share the love of Christ.
A few years ago, a young person was headed towards work and was in a major car accident, and died. There was a father of two children, while watching television, he had a major heart attack and died. Listen, heart disease is the leading cause of death in America, with 1,870 deaths every day in 2024. Cancer is the second leading cause of death, with 1,690 deaths per day. Listen, we need to do our best physically and mentally, but we also need to do our best spiritually. So, we need to make the best use of our time.
The word time in Greek is kairos pronounced kahee-ros' meaning a measure of time, an opportune moment, and seasonal time.
So what Paul is saying is that you have been given, in this season of life, the opportune time to seize what God has given you for God’s kingdom expansion, spiritual growth, and love for others. Our time is running out, so don’t lose the opportunity that God has given to us. He is saying, “Seize the moment!” And, when you do that, you will be wise, and you will know the will of God for your life. Turn to your neighbor and say, “Seize the moment!”
Ephesians 5:17 (ESV)
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Paul is like, “This is the opportune time. Seize the moment. Don’t act carelessly or thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.” Because when you are “making the best use of the season of your life that you are in, then God will reveal to you what God’s will for you.” The days are evil, and this era will end. So don’t be a fool and waste your time, seek the Lord’s will for your life.” Seize the moment!
Question: Pastor Joe, I want to know what God’s will is for me.
Let me make this very simple by asking this question: “If you are a married person, and you believe in Jesus, then should you commit adultery?” No! Of course not. God’s will for you as a married person is not to commit adultery. In other words, God has already put the framework in the Scripture to know our will for the Lord. Basically, when you follow your walk with Christ in His timing, God will reveal His will for you through the Word.
So, think of this. In a playground, you will have a monkey bar, swing set, seesaw, slides, merry-go-round, climbers, tubes, and a spinning circle thing. When you are in a relationship with God and walking in the calling, the light, and the love for others, God places you in a spiritual playground for you to play around in. And then eventually, you might start to enjoy the swing set more than any other playground equipment. What you might find is that particular swing set becomes your passion for the Lord’s work, and the Lord starts to open up a larger swing set for you. And you eventually find out that is what I want to do till God calls you home. So God’s will for you and your passion will fuse into one smooth operation.
Ephesians 5:18 (ESV)
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
“And do not get drunk with wine?” Why is Paul bringing this out? “Don’t be a fool, and understand God’s will for you, and by the way, don’t get drunk with wine, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Where did this come from?
I want you to know that Paul uses being drunk on wine as a metaphor because it was a common practice among the people of Ephesus.
Greek god known as Dionysus or Bacchus - wine-making, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, dance.
So, the people in Ephesus would go to the shrine of Bacchus in the middle of the night, and they would take raw meat with a lot of blood and sing to the god of win-making while getting drunk. And they would act in a way that they are filled with the power of the spirit of Bacchus. The god Bacchus was being filled by these people who were eating raw meat, singing, dancing, and drinking on behalf of this god.
Paul was just taking the context and telling the Ephesian believers, now that you are a Christian, to come together and not be like the people who dance, sing, and get drunk to the god of Bacchus. But now be filled instead by the Holy Spirit.
Remember, this is not about being “drunk with wine,” it is about anything and everything that will get you to have intoxication or anything that will break you from Jesus. The wine was just a metaphor. Listen, anything outside can influence my inside.
Because when you get drunk, it influences your thoughts (you can’t think straight), speech, and behavior, right? So, when the Holy Spirit fills you, then He will influence your thoughts, speech, and behavior.
Outside Influence (drunk) - impacts your thoughts, speech, and behavior
Holy Spirit influence - impacts your thoughts, speech, and behavior
We know that the fruit of being filled with the Spirit impacts your thoughts, speech, and behavior, but does that mean to be “filled with the Holy Spirit?”
Ephesians 1:13 (ESV)
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
You, the Christians in Ephesus, already possess the Holy Spirit. So, it’s not like you need to possess it again, right? It’s a one-time deal. But you need to continue to be filled daily. So, here is what being filled looks like.
Be Filled by the Holy Spirit
- Is controlled and empowered by God (heart given to God).
- It involves a continuous, active submission to the Spirit.
Being drunk is a temporary escape, like watching a movie or playing video games, right? And its influence is short-lived and ends. What Paul is saying here is that when the Holy Spirit dwells in you, you will have a continuous flow of God's empowerment as you actively submit to the Spirit of the Lord.
Question: What is one of the important reasons for the filling of the Spirit in
the believers?
Galatians 5:16 (NL T)
So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
This “filling of the Spirit” is essential for living out the Christian faith effectively and combating the sin that separates us from God.
Question: What does the filling of the Spirit look like on a daily basis?
- Ongoing surrender. “God, help me today, in all that I must do.” It is simply about giving God the first priority.
- Bearing Fruit Spiritually (what comes out of you) - love, joy, peace, and more. “Has the love for someone I do not like grown?”
This is another way the filling of the Spirit looks.
Ephesians 5:19-20 (ESV)
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
“Addressing one another or speaking to one another in Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, and making melody to the Lord with your heart (Or, Spontaneous, Spirit-prompted melodies that testify to God’s work)”: In other words, God calls believers to be vocal encouragers, shaping one another’s faith through words saturated with Spirit-filled worship. In other words, encourage one another with spiritual praise. This is what happens when you are filled with the Holy Spirit.
“Giving thanks always for everything”: Even when bad things are happening, or when things are not turning out the way you want, when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you just start singing praise songs and thanking God. Because when you do this, you will see that what the devil meant for evil, God will turn it for good.
Ephesians 5:21 (ESV)
submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Did you know that one of the most difficult things to do for a human is to submit to another human? Now, you can force submission, right? But then that would be slavery. So, God is not commanding us to be forced into submission, but when we are “filled with the Holy Spirit,” and because we “revere,” and tremendously respect, and out of pure “reverence for Christ,” we voluntarily or willingly “submit” to one another. Not by force, but as a response to Christ’s sacrificial love and lordship.
There was a scene in which Jesus, that evening, was to be betrayed by one of his own disciples, Judas. Late that evening, Judas would lead the temple guards and betray him for 30 pieces of silver. But earlier that evening, Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the Mount of Olives to pray. There, Jesus prayed knowing that His time was near, and that He would be the sacrifice to the world.
Jesus is fully God, but He is also fully man, and in His flesh, He knows that the time is near. Jesus, as fully human, did not want to go through this pain and suffering, but He was willing to submit to God the Father so that the prophecy would be fulfilled. And, this is Jesus submitting to God, because He knows that there is a great purpose to that submission.
Luke 22:42 (NLT)
“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
Jesus, in His humanity, submitted Himself to God the Father. Why? Because of His great love for us. God has a purpose and a plan, and that plan started with submission. So, submission leads to God’s plan.
So, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we naturally want to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. So, through Christ, when we submit to one another, we end up putting someone else, and their needs, above ourselves. This happens when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, and we do this out of reverence for Christ.
“Pastor Joseph, because I am not filled with the Holy Spirit, I don’t want to serve that person or submit to that person?” No, that is intentional sinning against God’s commands. “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ, is NOT a suggestion but a command.” So, if you are struggling in that area, then pray and ask the Lord, “God, you increase, and let my flesh decrease.” And, my friends, God will answer your prayers.
How do you walk in wisdom? How will you know if you are making the right choices in life?
The more you submit to God, you will have a greater your understanding of God’s will will be, which will lead you to thankfulness of life, and the outpouring of His wisdom will be upon you, all because you are walking in His light. And whatever the outcome or result will be, you will trust in God’s wisdom over your heart.
And, how would you know if the other person is giving you wise advice? If the other person has also submitted to Christ and has a relationship with the Word of God, and is walking in the light.
Posted in Weekly Devotional