Get Intoxicated

The story is told about two men who worked on a large ocean-going vessel who sadly didn’t like each other. One day the mate, who normally did not drink, became intoxicated. The captain, who hated him, entered in the daily log: "Mate drunk today." He knew this was his first offense, but he wanted to get him fired. The mate was aware of his evil intent and begged him to change the record. The captain, however, replied, "It's a fact, and into the log it goes!" A few days later the mate was keeping the log, and concluded it with: "Captain sober today." Realizing the implications of this statement, the captain asked that it be removed. In reply the mate said, "It's a fact, and in the log it stays!"

Get intoxicated – boy there are a lot of people who love to here these words! They are always looking for a reason or an excuse to get “lit” up – “filled up” – intoxicated up! Some people live for the party don’t they!

Well did you know that the Bible tells us to “get intoxicated” – to get filled up? It does. Turn to Ephesians 5:18-20 and here you will see the Bible’s insistence on becoming intoxicated! Read…

Ephesians 5:18–20 NASB95

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

Well of course the Bible isn’t talking about becoming intoxicated with alcohol but becoming intoxicated with the Spirit of God! As we focus on this passage today, I want you to see 2 things God emphasizes to His children here. 1st…

1. LET THE HOLY SPIRIT BE THE DOMINANT INFLUENCE IN YOUR LIFE.

A. Here Paul deals with the issue of control.

- In doing so, he deals with a common problem in the society of his day – alcohol and drunkenness

- My how things haven’t really changed much in this area! Alcohol is still one of the leading problems in our society!

- Here he draws a sharp contrast between the spiritof alcohol and the Spirit of God!

- Paul may well have had in mind an allusion here to the orgies of Bacchus or the Greek festivals that celebrated and honored that pagan god. He was “the god of wine” and during those festivals men and women regarded it as an acceptable act of worship to become intoxicated and with wild songs and cries to run through streets, fields and vineyards.

- Some things we know about drunkenness:

1) It is a work of the flesh.

2) It leads to uncontrolled behavior.

3) It leads to other sins of the flesh: partying, loose behavior, exposure of the body, sexual thoughts, immorality, violence, physical abuse, etc.

4) It excludes a person from the Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-10. )

1 Corinthians 6:9–10 NAS

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

B. Here Paul makes it clear who should be the dominant influence in your life.

- For the Christian to be controlled by anyone or anything other than Christ is clearly a bad formula.

- Paul’s words here are not so much a prohibition against drunkenness (though they are). Rather, they urge the need for Christians to be controlled and heavily influenced by the Spirit of God living in them! In other words, don’t be controlled by anyone else or anything else! Be controlled by the Spirit of God!

- In making this emphasis, Paul commands Christians to “be filled with the Spirit.”

- The question naturally arises: How then can I be filled with the Spirit?

- The answer is 2-fold: 1st of all:

1) It’s by receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior – when you do the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of you – you become sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of your redemption! And you receive ALL of the Holy Spirit right then – not just a portion of! The question becomes: how much of you does the Holy Spirit have…which leads to the 2nd part of this answer.

2) It’s by yielding yourself to the Holy Spirit’s daily control of your life! The tense of the verb Paul uses here means “to continually be filled with the Spirit.” This is a day-by-day process – part of the Christian life! You have to daily yield yourself to the Holy Spirit’s control. What does this mean? It means you get up in the morning and say, “Lord, I give you full control of my life today. I yield my self to you. I am here to serve You not me. Take control. Guide me. Use me. Empower me.”

C. So the real important concern this morning is this: who or what is in control of your life? Either the Holy Spirit is or something else or someone else is. And whatever else it may be, it’s a poor substitute!

TS – Well, this leads us to the 2nd thing God wants you to see this morning…

2. THE TRAITS OF A SPIRIT FILLED PERSON. (Vs. 19-20)

A. Here Paul presents the traits of a Spirit filled person.

- We all know the traits of an alcohol controlled person but what are the traits of a person who is under the control of the Holy Spirit – a person who is continually being filled with the Spirit?

- Just as drunkenness is evidence of too much wine, there are evidences of a Spirit controlled life.

- Well let’s look at the traits of a Spirit-filled person. There are 4…

B. The traits of a Spirit-filled person:

1) A Spirit-filled person has an edifying spirit.

- “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” – psalms, hymns and spiritual songs were filled with great doctrinal content and Godly teaching.

- A Spirit-filled person speaks (shares) these wonderful truthswith other brothers and sisters seeking to edify them and grow them in their faith and walk with the Lord.

2) A Spirit-filled person has a singing spirit.

- This is in contrast to a drunken person – the mention of singing is a picture of joy and happiness – the worldly person often seeks his joy and happiness in drinking and partying.

- This isn’t the case with the Spirit-filled Christian – he seeks his joy and happiness by being filled with the Spirit of God and singing to the Lord in his own heart! Have you ever been driving down the road or walking and started singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord? This one trait of being filled with the Spirit.

3) A Spirit-filled person has a thankful spirit.

- This is in contrast to a drunken person. You don’t find most drunks being thankful but many times belligerent and obnoxious.

- The Spirit-filled person recognizes and understands what he owes to the Lord! Note the words “always” and “all things” – the Spirit-filled person understands that his life is in God’s hands and he can therefore thank Him for all things, no matter what the things are!

4) A Spirit-filled person has a submissive spirit.

- He is willing to humble himself and submit to the authority of others rather than falling prey to pride or arrogance. He doesn’t have a spirit of dissension, criticism, divisiveness or selfishness.

Conclusion

A group of pastors back in the 1800’s gathered to make plans for a citywide evangelistic campaign. One of the men suggested that the well-known evangelist D. L. Moody be considered as a possible speaker. The pastors discussed the suggestion and several spoke favorably about Moody. But one young preacher who wasn't in favor of inviting him stood up and said with a note of sarcasm, "From the way some of you talk, you'd think Mr. Moody had a monopoly on the Holy Spirit."

The room became quiet. Then another pastor said, "No, Mr. Moody doesn't have a monopoly on the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit does have a monopoly on Mr. Moody!"

Wow…the question today to you is this: Does the Holy Spirit have a monopoly on you?

What are you intoxicated with – what do you intoxicate your body/life with – the Spirit of God or something else or someone else? You’d better get intoxicated with the Holy Spirit!