In the story of The Emperor’s new clothes, the emperor didn’t want to be exposed as stupid, he was hoping he was clothed. The early church knew they were clothed in Christ Luke 24:9

Colossians 3:1-12 4:1

Six ways we can tell a believer is clothed in power from on high:

1. Our attitude to others
   • Colossians 3:12-14
   • Galatians 5:22-23
   • If we’re filled with the spirit it’ll be evident in our attitudes towards other people. The Holy Spirit works on the inside to make us compassionate, loving, forgiving etc. to others and if we lack these (which we all do) it’s a measure of our experience of God, as so often our lives are full of us, not of the Holy Spirit .
2. The way that God guides us
   • Colossians 3:15
   • The word rule in the Greek, is an umpire, someone who has authority to rule and so Paul is saying let the Holy Spirit be the one to rule and guide you. We’re to listen to what the Holy Spirit says.
3. The way we worship
   • Colossians 3:16-17
   • One of the signs we’re filled with the Holy Spirit is we get excited to gather with others to sing and worship with others.
   • 1 Chronicles 12:18
4. The way they go about their daily life
   • Colossians 3:17
   • If we’re full of the Holy Spirit we do everything for Jesus, we don’t put him in a box, we allow him in every area in our life.
   • In 2 Chronicles 24:20 because the spirit of God was upon Zechariah he refused to conform to the sinful lifestyle of the rest of Judah.
5. Way they relate to others at home
   • Colossians 3:18-21
   • If we are clothed with the Holy Spirit the people we live with at home will notice and we’re to ask the Holy Spirit to help us in the home, to help us love our wives like Christ loved the church, to help us be Godly parents etc.
6. The way they act at work
   • Colossians 3:22 – 4:1
   • Spirit filled workers are cheerful and hardworking, because they know the work is not just for their employer but ultimately it’s for the Lord.
   • Those who are employers are told by Paul that those masters will stand in front of the Lord, employers are to be just, fair and full of grace.

Don’t be discouraged, if you feel like the emperor at times, because in John 7 Jesus says, come to me all who are thirsty and I will pour out living waters for you.

Being filled with the spirit is incredibly practical, let’s go into this week thinking that I will be clothed with power from on high or that I will drink and be filled with the Holy Spirit to go about my day. It’s something we need to do daily if not many times in the day.