Be filled with the Spirit

Yahweh is looking for homes that are filled with the Spirit. Let's examine the book of Ephesians where we see that this is a need in every believer's life and that it relates very much to our home life:

Ephe 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of Yahweh is 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 

We must understand "what the will of Yahweh is". What is the will of Yahweh? Surely the will of Yahweh is that rather than being filled with wine and/or the cares of this life, we need to be filled with the SPIRIT of Yahweh. This is a commandment and the will of Yahweh to "be filled with the Spirit". It isn't a one time experience, but a whole lifetime experience. We must be continually filled with the Spirit. If we are filled with the Spirit, the fruit will manifest itself.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Messiah's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

These fruits are not necessarily something that we just strive to attain, but they are the fruits of the Ruach HaKodesh or Holy Spirit that should already be in us. If we have repented and accepted Yahushua the Messiah and are walking in His ways, the blessing of Yahweh's Spirit can be upon us:

Acts 5:32 "And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom Elohim has given to those who obey Him."

Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Notice that the Spirit is given to those who ask, and to those who obey Him. Let's continue reading the book of Ephesians and how it describes the life of one who has heeded the command to be "filled with the Spirit". These verses can paint a picture in our minds of how our homes can and should be like when we are all filled with the Spirit:

Ephe 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of Yahweh is 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to Yahweh; 

Does this not sound like a home that is filled with the Spirit? The joy and praise of Yahweh in the form of song is overflowing in such a place. The songs will be sung in the home with joy. But this isn't just a one time a day affair; it is a lifetime of joy, peace and walking in the Spirit.

20 Giving thanks always for all things unto Elohim and the Father in the name of our Master Yahushua the Messiah; 

When we are thankful for what we have been given in life, this makes it possible for the joy of Yahweh to grow in us. All of us should be thanking Yahweh. Husbands, wives, children praising and thanking and singing to Yahweh, loving Yahweh with all their heart. This is the kind of home we should be having! 

21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of Elohim. 

Every one of us should have a spirit of meekness, submission and humility. This means that sometimes the Father/Husband submits to his wife and children within the will of Yahweh. We ourselves know how many times Yahweh has submitted to our humble prayers when we were in need. Yahweh wants to fill our homes with His Spirit. 

22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto Yahweh. 

This is truly a beautiful picture that is being drawn. A home where wives know the power of submission, submitting their heart to Yahweh without fear of consequence. You will find no strife or argument between Mother and Father in such a home because the wife is filled with the Spirit and submits herself to her husband, as unto Yahweh.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Messiah is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Messiah, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Messiah also loved the assembly, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 

The picture gets more and more beautiful as we read. This is the picture of a home where the husband loves his wife. He is tender and gentle with her as Messiah is to His assembly. He takes care of her needs, spiritually and physically. And she knows that he loves her, not because he says it once a day but because she senses it coming out of his heart by the way he expresses himself in his home. I know that Yahweh wants to bless such a home. I know this is the kind of home I want! 

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 

Imagine a home where the husband leads his wife as Yahushua leads the assembly into absolute perfection, leading her as the Great Shepherd leads his sheep. 

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Master the assembly: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Messiah and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. 

Such a beautiful picture! One of the Messiah and His assembly. Everyday, right here in our homes. What a great witness this can be for our children! They see the love of Messiah in the Father and the humble submission of the Assembly in the Mother. What a blessing for them to know it and see it every day!

Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in Yahweh for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 

To me, this sounds like a home that has taken to heart the command to be "filled with the Spirit". Children who obey and honor their father and mother, There is no conflict or disrespect because the Spirit filled children love Yahweh and have great faith in that promise of Yahweh that they will live long on the earth. They see the righteous example of the mother's submission to the father and the father's love and care for the mother. Through this they learn how to submit to Messiah and how much Yahweh loves and cares for them.

4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of Yahweh. 

A righteous father guides his children gently, not yelling or jerking them around with a harsh and frustrated spirit, but gently guiding and directing them by the Holy Spirit in the way they should go. He teaches, nurtures, loves and disciplines them. 

So now have a completed picture, all of these things bringing together a home filled with the Spirit of Yahweh. Do we have a vision? Do we have a picture? Do we have a hope? We need it!

Proverbs 29:17 Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul. 18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Every one of us needs this vision for our homes, brethren. Yahweh demands that we have such a home. His word says it, we need to do it! It is the will and command of Yahweh. Happy is the home where Yahweh is there!

Psalm 144:11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood: 12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:  

Have you ever seen a plant or a garden that wasn't well cared for? You will see the sad and sorry shape of that plant. The leaves are wilted and brown, the ground dried out, there are no fruits or flowers to speak of and the garden is obviously without life. But a plant that has been cultivated, watched over, and watered, fertilized and nurtured is vibrant and bearing fruit. We need to take good care of our garden. If strange children and their influences are choking out your sons, remove the strange children from their presence! 

13 That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets: 14 That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets.15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose Elohim is Yahweh.

Happy is the home where Yahweh is Elohim, and love fills every word and every action. We must have a home like that! But our vision and desire for it must be clear and strong. We must desire it, like Jacob who wanted the blessing from the angel and strove all night to receive it. We must desire it, like Yahushua wanted to redeem His people. Like David wanted to be delivered from his enemies. Like Hannah wanted a child. Like Abraham wanted a son, so must we desire and want a home like this. Be assured that Yahweh wants homes to be filled with the Spirit in every place, not just one in that assembly or two in another.. but ALL homes that call upon His name. 

Without a home that is righteous and filled with the Spirit, there will not be a righteous, Spirit filled assembly! How can an assembly be righteous and filled with the Spirit of Yahweh when the homes are filled with anger, depression and strife? Home is the truth detector. Home is where the real character of a man and woman are revealed. This is reality, you cannot have a righteous and Spirit filled assembly without righteous, Spirit filled people within it! Do you want to know the true test of an assembly? Wait about 10-15 years and find out where the children are! We might lay claim to a great period of restoration in this age, but if in 10 years our children have gone the way of the world, what kind of restoration is that? What shame, what reproach on the name of Yahweh! We need a vision. There needs to be a vision for a torah-keeping home of righteousness.

Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. 

It is time that the people of Yahweh reach out into the world around us. Our witness is ruined by having broken homes, and rebellious children. One can lay claim to the keeping of the Torah/Word of Yahweh all they want, but unless they are heeding this guidance from Yahweh about our homes, they are not keeping the Torah at all.

Proverbs 11:29 He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

Do we trouble our own house by ignoring it and chasing after a career or seeking out the scriptures only for ourselves? We will inherit nothing.

Proverbs 15:27 He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.

We need to bring honor and glory to Yahweh's name by having a spirit filled home. What good is it if we seek the possessions of this world, and lose our children to it? What good is it, if we keep every feast day, every Sabbath, keep clean/unclean commands, and then our homes are a disaster? Yahweh said:

Isaiah 1:13 Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies -- I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. 16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.

Perhaps our hands aren't full of blood, perhaps our children aren't fatherless and our wives a widow. But is it so, spiritually? Are our children on the road to destruction? If they are young, it may not show up right away. But according to the Torah/Law of Yahweh, parents are held responsible for teaching and training their children in the ways of righteousness. Are our children spiritually fatherless? How much time is spent with our children in the Word? Do we fail to "talk of them" at all times? Are our wives spiritual widows? How much time do we spend in the Word with our wives? 

Why is Yahweh so concerned about the fatherless and the widow? Is it only because their physical needs must be met? Are not the spiritual needs just as important, if not far more important? Considering all the scriptures where Yahweh is angry because the fatherless and widow are neglected, woe to the fathers who neglect the spiritual needs of their wife and children! All the Sabbaths, calling of assemblies, feast days can be a burden to Him because He cannot endure the neglect. He cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Yahweh is VERY concerned about the wives and children, shouldn't we be? If, in Isaiah 1:13-17, Yahweh cannot endure the offerings, Feast Days and Sabbaths of those who are neglecting the physical needs of what used to be another man's wife and children (fatherless and widow), how much more so if we neglect the spiritual needs of our own wives and children? Consider:

1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Is it just the physical providing that Yahweh is concerned about? Surely, the spiritual is far more important. The first leads to physical death, the latter leads to spiritual death. So, are we worse than an unbeliever? Let it not be!

It is high time that fathers turn their hearts to their wives and children! No outreach ministry, feast/sabbath keeping or calling on the right name is going to save us if we fail to address the neglect in these areas. If Yahushua returns tomorrow and we find out that we didn't keep the feast at the right time or we made a mistake in our observances, we might be able to say "I desired the truth, but I was wrong, have mercy on me". We might then be able to observe it correctly under the direction of Messiah. But if Yahushua returns and says "Look, you didn't even provide for your own wife and children", there won't be any correcting brethren, the damage is done! Let it not be so among us. Fathers, turn your hearts!

Continue To Part 3 >>