Thursday - Be Filled With the Spirit

John 15:4-5 – “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

Ephesians 5:18 – “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”
“Be filled with the Spirit” is not a suggestion. It is a command from God. And it is a continuous command. The idea is to keep on being filled. Why? Because we leak. Life has a way of draining us. Sin, stress, distraction, worry, and self-dependence all pull us away from the source.

Jesus explained it perfectly by using the picture of a vine and branches. A branch does not produce fruit by trying harder. It produces fruit by staying connected. The moment it disconnects, it withers.

The Spirit-filled life works the same way. It is daily, moment-by-moment dependence on God. It is choosing His influence over every competing voice. Social media. Culture. Fear. Pride. Ambition. All of them want control.

Surrender is not a one-time event. It is the way we live.

So today, make a conscious choice to yield to the Holy Spirit in every decision, every conversation, and every thought. Stay connected. Stay dependent. Stay filled.