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"Therefore do not be unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is.
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation;
but be filled with the Spirit."
(Ephesians 5:17-18)
I love when the Bible answers our questions so clearly. Our biblical text for today is an example of how Scripture answers a question every follower of Jesus will ask at one time or another: What is God's will for my life? It is God's will for you not to get drunk but to be filled with the Holy Spirit. First, do not get drunk. A pastor from North Carolina learned this the hard way recently. Unfortunately, he combined too much to drink with an Ambien sleeping pill, and well, the results were disastrous. He was sound asleep on his flight from Las Vegas to Detroit, and in his mind, he woke up to go use the bathroom. But in reality, he was mentally incoherent and ended up urinating on another passenger! He and his church are now being sued for over $2 million!
Second, be filled with the Holy Spirit. It is not God's will for you to get drunk and bring dishonor on yourself and your loved ones; however, it is God's will that you are filled with the Spirit. Just as the inebriated man is controlled by another substance (in this instance, alcohol), the follower of Jesus is controlled by another person, the Holy Spirit. The person under the influence of alcohol will speak and behave in particular ways. By the same measure, the person who is influenced by the Holy Spirit will speak and behave in ways commensurate with the Holy Spirit's positive influence.
If someone asks you what God's will for their life is, you can respond confidently by pointing them to our biblical text for today's devotion. It is God's will that they not be drunk but be filled with the Holy Spirit. Let us look in more detail to what Scripture is teaching us. In Greek, the verb form is a present imperative in the passive mood. This means that God gives us the command to keep on (present tense) being filled (passive voice) with the Holy Spirit. We have a part to play. Let me offer this helpful way to apply this passage of Scripture to your life. I learned this from a wonderful professor I had in seminary, Dr. Malcom McDow: Recognize that we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit; Repent of all sins; Request the Holy Spirit to fill us; and finally, Receive the Holy Spirit.
What is the evidence of a person who is filled and led by the Holy Spirit? Ephesians 5:17-21 describes one who is Spirit-filled. Also, a person who is filled with the Spirit has the fruit of the Spirit in his or her life (Galatians 5:22-23). Another indication of a person filled with the Holy Spirit is that he or she faithfully serves God with the gifts the Spirit has given him or her. (See Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12-14 for a listing of spiritual gifts.)
Are you filled with the Holy Spirit? If not, ask Him to fill you, even now!
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