May 17th: Gods Spirit In Me... How Does That Work

Devotional

Day 1: Thrones of Dead Men

The room smells of mildew and cracked leather. Paul’s words cut through Ephesian complacency: Once you were dead. Not sick. Not confused. Dead. Your lungs filled with saltwater rebellion, your heart a stone carving of Satan’s graffiti. The natural person breathes tomb air, mistaking darkness for dawn. No Spirit-wind stirs these bones. [10:27]

Jesus didn’t whisper life to Lazarus—He shouted. Resurrection begins with brutal honesty. The natural state isn’t neutral ground. It’s a corpse wearing perfume, a throne room where sin issues decrees.

Where does your breath come from today—the musty cellar of old habits, or the open window of Christ’s “Arise!”? When did you last feel the Spirit’s pulse beneath your ribs?

“Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.”
(Ephesians 2:1-2, NLT)

Prayer: Confess one area where you’ve let rebellion sit enthroned. Demand it vacate in Jesus’ name.
Challenge: Underline every active verb in Ephesians 2:1-3. Circle the word “dead.”

Day 2: Milk for the Immature

The Corinthian believers squabble over spiritual trophies. Paul hands them sippy cups. I couldn’t address you as spiritual. Milk dribbles down chins. They clutch toys—jealousy, division, pride—while the Spirit waits with steak knives. Immaturity chooses comfort over conquest. [16:52]

Carnal Christians build sandcastles where fortresses should stand. The Spirit dwells within, yet we let temper tantrums drown His voice. A throne exists, but two claim it: Christ and the petulant child demanding control.

What spiritual milk have you clung to—a grudge, lazy habits, half-obedience? What meat have you refused to chew?

“Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature.”
(1 Corinthians 3:1-3, NLT)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to reveal one “baby food” habit you’ve outgrown but still crave.
Challenge: Write down a verse that challenges you. Read it aloud three times today.

Day 3: Breathing in the Spirit

Dry sponges crack. Yours strains in clenched fists—control’s death grip. Be filled isn’t a one-time dunk but tidal rhythms: inhale “Holy,” exhale “Thanks.” The sponge surrenders, absorbing Living Water through pores of release. [27:10]

Jesus designed lungs to teach souls. Each breath mirrors dependence—oxygen grace, carbon dioxide confession. Filling requires empty hands. The Spirit won’t wrestle for the throne; He waits for your white flag.

What clenched fist keeps your sponge dry? When will you uncurl those fingers today?

“Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
(Ephesians 5:18, NLT)

Prayer: Breathe in while whispering “Fill me.” Breathe out whispering “Thank You.” Repeat five times.
Challenge: Set three phone alarms labeled “Breathe.” Obey them.

Day 4: Fruit in Barren Places

Thorns grow best in drought. The Galatian list—love, joy, peace—aren’t greenhouse orchids but desert blooms. God plants grace in cracked earth: patience with the coworker who steals credit, kindness when the diagnosis comes, joy in the funeral’s shadow. [44:03]

Fruit isn’t forced. Vines simply abide. The Spirit’s sap flows through surrendered branches. Bitter soil? Perfect. He specializes in impossible harvests.

Where’s your current desert? What fruit seems least likely to grow there?

“The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
(Galatians 5:22-23, NLT)

Prayer: Thank God for one “thorn” that’s producing fruit. Name it specifically.
Challenge: Text encouragement to someone in your driest relational desert.

Day 5: Grace in the Unanswered

Paul’s thorn remains. Three prayers denied. Weakness becomes a cathedral where Christ’s strength echoes loudest. My power works best in weakness. The unanswered plea isn’t rejection—it’s the Spirit’s chisel, carving reservoirs for grace. [47:22]

Your “thorn” has a name: chronic pain, singleness, betrayal. The carnal person resents it. The spiritual one leans into it, feeling the Spirit’s heartbeat through the wound.

What thorn have you begged God to remove? How might His grace be enough there?

“Each time He said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”
(2 Corinthians 12:9, NLT)

Prayer: Tell Jesus one weakness you’ve hidden. Ask Him to display His strength there.
Challenge: Write your thorn on paper. Below it, write “MY GRACE IS ENOUGH.” Keep it visible.

Sermon Summary

A searching question tests the heart: has there been a season when a believer felt closer to God than now, and what has happened since to create the gap. The sad truth inside many churches shows up like this: past forgiven, future heaven, but the present feels like a hot mess. Spiritual life rides a roller coaster, prayer is thin, Scripture engagement is spotty, boldness fades, attitudes sour, pride stiffens, and a stubborn sin keeps winning. The diagnosis lands in two places. Either the person has not been born again and keeps leaning on self, or the person has been saved but keeps trying in their own strength. The Holy Spirit’s presence and power is the missing piece.

Scripture names three positions. The natural person is dead in sin, blind to the Spirit, with sin on the throne and life scattered like blue dots. The spiritual person lives under Romans 8:6, with the Spirit on the throne, the sinful nature still present but not ruling, and life marked by real peace even when problems remain. The carnal person is a true believer acting like the world, an infant in Christ, with the sinful nature back on the throne and chaos returning. Romans 7 gives the inner voice, I can will it but I cannot do it. Romans 8 supplies the answer. The Spirit takes the throne more and more.

The aim is a Spirit-filled life. Spirit baptism is once at new birth. Spirit filling happens again and again. The goal sounds like this: never sinless, but over time sinning less. Ephesians 5:18 issues a command, be filled. That charge is plural, for all believers. It is present tense, a repeated action as normal as breathing. It is passive, because the Spirit does the filling, yet it requires surrender. The sponge only soaks when the grip is released. Let go, and the Spirit takes the seat.

When the Spirit fills, the marks show up: speaking life to one another, singing to the Lord, giving thanks for everything, and submitting out of reverence for Christ. Emotions are present but not driving. No goosebumps are required. The Presence shows up at the sink, on the job, in the carpool. Problems and temptations do not vanish; the Spirit meets them with power to do the right thing in the middle of them. The Spirit gives gifts for the common good and grows fruit in hard soil. Love shines with hard-to-love people. Joy holds when things do not go a person’s way. Patience shows where entitlement flares. Self-control proves itself when no one is watching. Grace proves enough when the thorn remains. If this life feels absent, either new birth has not happened, or the grip has not been released. The church is a work in progress. The daily stance is simple: breathe in, Lord, fill me with your Spirit. Breathe out, Jesus, thank you for forgiving my sins. One day at a time.

Key Takeaways

1. Be filled is a daily rhythm Filling is not a one-time zap but a repeated surrender. The Spirit’s control is meant to be as regular as breathing, a steady posture that meets ordinary moments with holy awareness. A believer who prays while breathing learns to turn reflex into reliance. The result is not hype, but a settled walk. [27:10]
2. Letting go makes room for God The Spirit fills what is yielded, not what is clenched. The throne cannot seat the Spirit while self and the sinful nature keep a white-knuckle grip. Release is not passivity; it is trust that trades control for the Spirit’s wiser lead. The sponge only soaks when the hand opens. [29:42]
3. The carnal life breeds chaos When the sinful nature sits on the throne, life scatters like blue dots again. A true believer can live like an infant in Christ, saved yet sour, forgiven yet fruitless, gifted yet self-centered. That chaos is a signal, not a sentence, calling the heart back to surrender. [17:28]
4. Fruit ripens in hard places Love shows its colors around hard-to-love people. Joy holds when desired outcomes fail. Patience grows where entitlement flares, and self-control proves itself when no one watches. God often chooses rough soil so the fruit points to his Spirit, not human ease. [44:25]
5. Weakness becomes a doorway to power The “it” may not be removed, but grace will be enough. The Spirit meets limits with strength that fits the wound and the work. Dependence then becomes a practiced skill, not an emergency switch, and power shows up where self runs out. [46:51]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:36] - Closer to God question
[09:41] - Three spiritual positions
[13:18] - The spiritual person and peace
[15:54] - The carnal believer exposed
[18:20] - Romans 7 to Romans 8
[21:59] - Spirit-filled life, not one-time
[25:33] - Be filled: plural and present
[27:10] - Breathing prayer practice
[28:27] - Sponge lesson: let go
[31:32] - Marks of a Spirit-filled life
[37:37] - Problems and temptations remain
[42:22] - Fruit ripens under pressure
[46:22] - Power made perfect in weakness
[50:11] - One day at a time

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Ephesians 5:18 (ESV)
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.

Observation Questions

According to Ephesians 5:18, what two contrasting actions are presented, and what are their outcomes?
The sermon mentions specific "marks" of a Spirit-filled life (e.g., speaking life, gratitude, submission). What are these marks, and how do they connect to Ephesians 5:18-21? [31:32]
What analogy was used to illustrate the need to "let go" for the Spirit to fill us? How does this relate to the command in Ephesians 5:18? [28:27]
How does Romans 7 (described as the "inner voice") contrast with Romans 8’s solution for overcoming sin? [20:32]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Ephesians 5:18 use a plural command ("be filled") and present tense verb? What does this imply about how believers are meant to live daily?
The sponge analogy suggests that "letting go" is necessary for the Spirit to fill us. What might "clenching" look like practically in a believer’s life, and why does this hinder the Spirit’s work? [29:42]
The sermon states, "Fruit ripens in hard places." How does this idea challenge common assumptions about where spiritual growth happens? [44:25]
Why might God allow weaknesses or "thorns" to remain in a believer’s life, even after they surrender to the Spirit? [46:51]

Application Questions

Identify one area of your life where you’ve been "clenching" control (e.g., a relationship, habit, or fear). What would it look like to release this to the Spirit today?
The "breathing prayer" practice involves inhaling ("Lord, fill me") and exhaling ("Thank you for forgiving me"). How could incorporating this rhythm into your daily routines reshape your awareness of God’s presence? [27:10]
Think of a person or situation that feels "hard to love" or frustrating. How might the Spirit’s fruit of love, patience, or joy become visible in your response this week? [44:25]
Reflect on a recurring sin or struggle. How could dependence on the Spirit’s power, rather than self-effort, change your approach to this battle? [24:05]
What practical step could you take this week to "speak life" (e.g., encouragement, gratitude, or truth) to someone in your circle, even if it feels unnatural? [31:32]
When have you experienced God’s strength in a moment of weakness? How can this memory encourage you to lean into His power in current challenges? [46:51]

Sermon Clips

58s

“The sponge would get wet. Right? But it would not take in any water unless I did what? Let go. And folks, that's that's how you and I experience being filled with the spirit. It happens not because we are hanging tight, It happens because we let go. We let go and the spirit now has room in our heart to fill us. We have to let go. And when we let go, he fills us. He does it to us. But as long as we're trying to hang on and be the one who's sitting on the throne in our heart, he can't be in control.”

44s

“This is the carnal person. Now, notice what happens inside the carnal person. Their throne, their sinful nature is still sitting on the throne. God's spirit is with them. God's spirit is in them. But they are choosing to let the sinful nature be in control of their life. And notice what happens to the blue dots. They're chaotic again. Life is now random again. Life life the the the peace of life and and some of the purpose in life has been lost because their sinful nature is is back on the throne.”

44s

“This is what we're aiming for. This is what we're trying to do. And so, if you're looking at your life and you're saying, oh my gosh, my sins are forgiven in the past and I know that I'm going to go to heaven. I believe in Jesus, but why? Why can I not experience the love, the joy, the peace, the goodness, the kindness, the faithfulness, the gentleness, the faith, the the the self control? Why can't where is that at? Here's where it's at. This is where it is the holy spirit working in us that brings these things to pass.”

43s

“When God wants me to experience the fruit of the spirit called love, oftentimes he places me around people who are hard to love. He doesn't necessarily place me with the people who are easy to love, who I know will love me back. I get a taste of that. We all get a taste of that. But that's not the fruit of the spirit of love. The the the fruit of the spirit called love shines its best when we're with people who are hard to love and we're loving them.”

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May 17th: Gods Spirit In Me... How Does That Work

Devotional

Day 1: Thrones of Dead Men

Day 2: Milk for the Immature

Day 3: Breathing in the Spirit

Day 4: Fruit in Barren Places

Day 5: Grace in the Unanswered

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

May 17th: Gods Spirit In Me... How Does That Work

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