Lesson 20: Being Filled with the Holy Spirit (part 3)

Read: 1 Timothy 6:11-16- www.bible.com/bible/59/1tim.6.esv

The third thing we need to do to be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be submissive to Him. We understand what submission is, we may even WANT to practice it toward God, but it is perhaps the most difficult task for a 21st century Christian.

Let's look at three examples of submission in Scripture. The first, and most perfect, is of course, Jesus in Gethsemane. Jesus, being God, knew exactly what was waiting for Him both in the trials to come and on Calvary. He knew the pain He would have to bear, He knew the insults which would be tossed at Him, He knew temptation would be forced on Him by Satan, and most of all He knew the indescribable pain of separation from His Father which would come as a result of the sin to be placed on Him. He knew what submission would cost, and yet He submitted fully and completely to the will of His Father. His submission to God was so acute it began to break down His physical body (Luke 22:44). Of course, it is hardly possible for us to endure such tremendous pressure (Hebrews 12:4), but it should be our goal to reach for such totality in our submission.


The next example of submission is Mary, the mother of Jesus. In Luke 1, where the writer describes Mary's encounter with the angel Gabriel, we see Mary's submission to God. This submission was in the face of a tremendous consequence. Mary knew her pregnancy would be a source of great emotional pain for her because of the cultural prohibition of pregnancy out of wedlock. She probably believed Joseph would deny her, possibly even expected her family to do so, and yet she submitted to God's will for her life. After Jesus was born and Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the Temple, Simeon told Mary a sword would pierce her heart because of this Child. Though it was too late at that point for Mary to back out of giving birth to Jesus, she could have reneged on her submission to God and said, “I've had enough pain." She did not. She continued in her submission though she probably did not know at this time the extent of the emotional pain she would bear because she could not perfectly understand God's plan (Mark 3:32).

*Thought question: What is God asking of you today that you’re having a hard time submitting to Him?