A Pause to Ponder God's Word
"Drunk or Filled?"

Sadly, the scene is not uncommon. The inebriated person staggering down the street wrestling with every step to remain in an upright walking position. Hundreds of thousands of people have died, been crippled, or wounded because someone driving their car under the influence of alcohol was unable to control the vehicle and caused an accident. Today's reports reveal that binge drinking among students in U.S. colleges and universities is at an all time high and has caused the death or near fatal problems in many cases. Can the number of families destroyed, people scared, or lives adversely affected by drunkenness ever really be known? It is no wonder that the Scripture implores God's people, "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery." (Ephesians 5:18) It is a day when all who profess Jesus as Lord need to seriously consider abstinence as the only recourse to our country's present state.

Though this verse does address to this issue, we cannot stop here, for it not so much about "do not do," as it is "do." It speaks to a far broader matter than drunkenness with wine. The full verse says; "Do not get drunk with wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." There are two injunctions here. "Don't get drunk," and "be filled with the Spirit."

Though the verse specifically identifies being drunk with wine, drunkenness is a state which can be caused by many things in our world. Being drunk with wine is being surrendered to alcohol's influence, under its control. That is why it is often referred to as "being under the influence." Such a state can be caused by drugs. It can be cause by other things too. Have you ever heard someone being described as "drunk with power?" There is a sense that when we surrender ourselves to the influence of anything other than God we will become drunk with whatever we have surrendered to. We can become drunk with self; drunk with affluence; drunk with success; drunk with a relationship; drunk with sex; drunk with any number of things that intoxicate us. We are under their powerful influence.

"Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise, but as wise.... Do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." (Ephesians 5:15, 17). Drunken living is foolish living. Understanding and living out the Lord's will is wise living. And, as this passage indicates, His will is that His people be filled with His Spirit, totally surrendered to Him and is Lordship. Filled with His Spirit we are empowered to live holy lives and the Fruit of the Spirit is manifested in our daily lives.

God does not cleanse us only to have our lives filled with the things of this world. He does not make us new to become subjected to the influence of other things. He cleanse us so that He can fill us - fill us with Himself. This verse makes it abundantly clear: be filled with His Spirit, fully under His Lordship and control! Beloved, let us be wise. Not getting drunk with anything! Instead fully surrendered to God and be filled with His Spirit!

Keep Close To Jesus
Pastor Gerry


A Pause To Ponder God's Word is written and distributed by Gerald Whetstone, Ordained Elder and teacher in the Church of the Nazarene. These devotionals may be transmitted, duplicated, used in part or in entirety without permission for nonprofit purposes only. Responses welcome. To Subscribe Click Here.
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