“Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

                                                                                             Ephesians 5:14 

Are you spiritually awake? Are you enjoying a vibrant, personal relationship with Jesus? Are you walking daily in the power of the Holy Spirit? In today’s passage, Paul quotes from Isaiah instructing us to “awake.” He then provides no less than seven ways that we can know we are living a spiritually awakened life.

Passage #1: Utilize Your Time On Earth

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 

                                                                                                         Ephesians 5:15-16 

We are only on this earth for a brief amount of time. Although we are not guaranteed any measure of time, statistically, we live around seven, eight, or nine decades. What are you doing with the time that God has given you? Paul instructs us to “make the most of our time.” We live in a culture with multiple distractions all of which can cause us to miss the very point of our existence. Are we making an eternal impact on others around us? What about our family and our children? Is the gospel of Jesus Christ front and center in your household? Being spiritually awake means that we have identified why we are here and we operate in the purpose that God has given us. And that leads us to Paul’s second point.

Passage #2: Understand What God Wants You To Do 

So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  

                                                                                                Ephesians 5:17

God has given every believer gifts and talents that are to be used for the purpose of furthering the kingdom. These gifts and talents are unique to each individual. That means that you are the only one who can fulfill your purpose. Our gifts and talents are not merely designed to enrich us, make us wealthy, or afford a comfortable lifestyle for our family rather our purpose is to encourage, enrich, and establish others. Understanding the will of God is finding out what God has designed for you. It is safe to say that we can know we are making the most of our time when we effectively function in the fullness of this design. 

Passage #3: Be Filled With The Spirit 

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit… 

                                                                                                               Ephesians 5:18 

I believe that the key to all of Paul’s instructions lies in this truth. Have we been filled with the Holy Spirit and are we operating in His power? I find it interesting that Paul contrasts being drunk with that of being filled. The two are opposites and the one counter acts the effectiveness of the other. When we use substances such as alcohol and drugs (legal or otherwise), we are, in effect, numbing our minds. Paul says that this is dissipation. This word carries with it the idea of squandering our lives, our money, and our time. We understand that many in the world today employ this method in coping and making it through life, but Paul reminds us that this should never be the case for believers. Instead of putting substances in our bloodstream and our brains, Paul directs us to be filled with the Spirit of God. We are to worship in the Spirit (John 4:24), pray in the Spirit (Romans 8:26), and avoid pitfalls by the power of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). Born again believers need not “cope” with life rather we are to thrive in our lives! Operating in the power of God’s Spirit gives us the means by which we can accomplish the impossible. 

Passage #4: Encourage Others  

…speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…                                                                                               

                                                                                                Ephesians 5:19a 

We mentioned previously that our purpose is to positively affect the lives of those around us. Paul tells us to speak to one another in “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” What I find amazing about this passage is that it includes all types of Christian music that we have today. The Psalms obviously come from the days of King David (c 1000 BC). Hymns come from a great era of Christian history concentrated around the 19^th and 20^th centuries. “Spiritual songs” is a good and accurate description of much of our worship music today. Whichever style you prefer, the point Paul is making is that we are to encourage one another by speaking spiritual truth. There’s nothing wrong with talking about the events of the day, the scores of the ballgames, or just catching up with someone, but all of these conversations pale in comparison to when we encourage each other by speaking spiritual truth. 

Passage #5: Worship God With Joy  

…singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord… 

                                                                                    Ephesians 5:19b 

Do you enjoy daily worship? Have you arrived at the place in which you worship God all day long? We are designed to worship. When we choose not to worship God, we fill the void with something of our own making. This is the definition of idolatry. But because we are designed to worship, this constant attitude of the heart brings us tremendous joy. Paul describes this type of worship as “singing and making melody in our hearts.” If you are currently not experiencing this type of joyful worship, let me suggest that you begin even before you climb out of bed. May I suggest the following passage:

This is the day which the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it. 

                                                                                                Psalm 118:24

I have personalized this passage. You can simply speak that as you wake as an act of worship. This Psalm, which is at the center of the Bible, is a great place to begin in “making melody in your heart.” You don’t have to attend a church service to worship God. Some of the most enriching times of worship can come privately. As you begin to put God first, I believe that He will show you additional ways to live a life of worship.

Passage #6: Give Thanks 

…always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father…

                                                                                                             Ephesians 5:20

Do you live a life of contentment? It seems that today so many people are running around competing for the next promotion, position, or paycheck. God wants us to seek Him first and rely on Him to supply all of our need (Matthew 6:33). This doesn’t mean that we cease working, creating, or taking risks. But what it does mean is that regardless of our cultural, social, or economic standing, we live consistently thanking God for the blessings that we do enjoy. True peace and fulfillment come when we live in a state of contentment and thanksgiving.  

Passage #7: Respect The Value Of Others 

…and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. 

                                                                        Ephesians 5:21 

Finally, Paul tells us to “be subject to one another.” When we see the value of others around us, we are looking at others through the lens of grace. Consider the following:

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

                                                                                                            Philippians 2:3-4 

The Christian life is a life of serving others. It is putting the needs of others over and above our own. It is considering others as more important than ourselves. This is what it means to “be subject to one another.”

Go through each of the previous points and “score” yourself comparing Paul’s description of an awakened, spiritual life to the one you are currently living. Then spend some time talking to God about what you have discovered.