Be Filled With the Spirit
Ephesians 5:18 "And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit"
I. Legalistic People
A. Do not know who they are in Christ
B. The Christian life becomes equated with rules and regulations
C. They become no different than those who follow the Old Testament law
D. They must be guided by outward law because they do not have a revelation of the Holy Spirit Who dwells within them
II. We live in two realms
A. We live in a spiritual realm
B. We live in a natural realm
C. Paul begins the book of Ephesians teaching about the positional truth of who we are in Christ
D. Paul makes a transition in the book of Ephesians to teach how we can apply who we are in Christ in our everyday lives
III. The world needs to see the righteousness of God through our lives
A. We should be the best workers
B. Our families should be blessed
C. Our finances should be blessed
D. Our health should be blessed
E. Our lives should bring glory to God in all that we do
IV. Born-again, Spirit-filled people can act like sinners
Ephesians 4:17 "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind."
V. We are to imitate God
Ephesians 5:1 "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children."
VI. Believers can be "asleep among the dead"
Ephesians 5:14 "Therefore he says, Awake you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light."
A. A Christian out of fellowship with God is described as "asleep among the dead"
B. You have to look very closely to tell the difference between someone who is dead and someone who is sleeping
C. A believer who is out of fellowship looks and acts like an unbeliever and you have to check very closely to see signs of life
VII. We are to walk as light in the world
Ephesians 5:14-16 "…arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
A. We are seated with Christ is heavenly places, but on earth, we are to walk circumspectly before men
B. We are light walking in a world of darkness
C. Darkness cannot put the light out in our lives
D. We are the only one who can keep our lives from being effective
VIII. God's will is that we walk according to His Word
Ephesians 5:17 "Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
A. God's will is His Word
B. We are to hide His Word in our hearts that we might not sin against him (Psalm 119:11)
C. His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. (Psalm 119:105)
D. His Word is the way we get guidance daily
IX. Guidance comes by the Word of God and by the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 5:18 "And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,"
A. There must be a balance of both the Word of God and the Spirit of God in our lives
B. People who only have the Word will eventually dry up
C. People who only concentrate on the Holy Spirit can become imbalanced and get unusual ideas that do not line up with the Word of God
Romans 8:26"Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
Ephesians 5:19-20 "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
X. "Wine" in the New Testament
Matthew 9:17 "Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runs out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved."
A. "Bottles" actually refers to wineskins
B. Wineskins were made from the carcass of an animal
1. The carcass was cleaned out
2. Wine was put into the clean carcass
C. In ancient times, if wine was put in a wineskin that had been sitting in the sun too long, the wineskins would burst
D. Wineskins needed to be refreshed from time to time
E. After wineskins were refreshed, new wine was put into them
XI. Three different kinds of wine are listed in the New Testament
A. "Oinos" was a fermented or an alcoholic type of wine
1. This is the predominant word used for "wine" in the New Testament
2. This was a stronger type of wine
Matthew 9:17 "Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runs out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved."
ohn 2:10 "And he said to him, Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine; and when guests have well drunk, then the inferior: but you have kept the good wine until now."
I Timothy 3:8 "Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money,”
Titus 2:3 "The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things..."
B. "Gleukos" was sweet wine
1. Did not have enough time to ferment
2. Was only slightly alcoholic
3. Could drink much of this type of wine with little affect
Acts 2:13 "Others mocking said, ‘They are full of new wine.’"
C. "The fruit of the vine" was grape juice
1. This type of wine had no alcoholic content
2. This is the type of wine Jesus had with his disciples prior to going to the cross
Matthew 26:29 "But I say unto you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom."
Mark 14:25 "Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."
XII. Types for wine in the Word of God
A. Wine is used as a type of joy
Proverbs 9:2, 5 "She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table." "Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled."
B. Wine is used as a type of prosperity
Deuteronomy 14:26 "And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the Lord thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, andthine household."
Deuteronomy 33:28 "Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew."
Isaiah 25:6 "And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined."
Joel 2:19 "Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen."
Psalm 104:14-15 "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart."
C. Wine is a type of the joy of the new birth
Isaiah 55:1 "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."
D. Wine is a type of the infilling of the Holy Spirit
Acts 2:15-16 "For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel."
"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is Ephesians 5:18 excess; but be filled with the Spirit."
E. Wine is a type of the blood of Jesus which He shed for the remission of sins
1. In ancient times wine was used for medicinal reasons and poured directly onto wounds
2. The Good Samaritan poured oil and wine into the wounds of the man laying on the road for the medicinal effect
3. The blood of Jesus (represented in the wine) was a type of cleansing for us
a. When it comes into us we become a new creation in Christ
b. It cleanses us when we confess our sins
Matthew 26:28 "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
"And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he Mark 14:23-24 give it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many."
Luke 22:20 "Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you."
John 6:53-56 "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him."
F. Wine is a type of the judgment of the Lord
Psalm 60:3 "Thou hast shown thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment."
Psalm 75:8 "For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them."
Jeremiah 51:7 "Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord's hand, that made all the earth drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad."
G. Wine in excess (drunkenness) is a type of apostasy and reversion from the Lord
Isaiah 13:12-17 "I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, into the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up; they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.
Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.
Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.
Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it."
Isaiah 28:1-13"Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!
Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.
The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:
And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.
In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,
And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the beasts.
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people."
"And they have not cried unto me with their Hosea 7:14 heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me."
Joel 1:5 "Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth."
"And be not drunk with wine, wherein Ephesians 5:18excess; but be filled with the Spirit."
XIII. Drunkenness is a sin and is condemned in the Bible
Isaiah 5:11, 22"Woe unto them that rise up early in them morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!"
"Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink."
Isaiah 28:7-8"But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in visions, they stumble in judgment.
For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean."
Proverbs 20:1 "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."
Proverbs 21:17 "He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich."
Proverbs 23:20-21 "Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags."
Romans 13:13 "Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying."
I Corinthians 5:11"But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat."
"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is Ephesians 5:18 excess; but be filled with the Spirit."
XIV. Bible characters were condemned for drunkenness
A. Noah
"And he drank wine, and was Genesis 9:21 drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent."
B. Lot
Genesis 19:32-36"Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
And they made their father wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father."
C. Nabal
I Samuel 25:36-37"And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.
But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabel, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.
D. Ephraim
Isaiah 28:1"Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!"
XV. Isaiah 28 is a parallel of Ephesians 5:18
A. The priests, who were the leaders of the land, were getting so drunk they were passing out on the tables
B. The entire chapter of Isaiah 28 is about the uselessness of religion and the power of the Holy Spirit
C. The priests of Ephraim had a form of godliness but denied the power thereof
D. Isaiah 28 points out that the true power is the Holy Spirit
XVI. Drunkenness and gluttony are equal sin
A. When a person gets drunk they get drowsy
B. When a person overeats they get drowsy
Proverbs 23:20-21"Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags."
Ecclesiastes 10:16-17"Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!"
C. Overeating is called "drunkenness"
D. Ecclesiastes 10:16-17 is saying "Woe to the land" when people are eating because it is time to eat rather than because they are hungry
E. Overeating is called "surfeiting" in Luke 21:34
1. Overeating can spiritually affect your heart
2. What we do with our bodies affects our inward man
Luke 21:34"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares."
XVII. Certain people are to avoid drinking
Leviticus 10:8-9"And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying,
Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations."
A. Leviticus 10:8 says that when Aaron or his sons were on duty to perform rituals and sacrifices for the people, they were not to drink
B. Kings and princes were not to drink at all
"It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink Proverbs 31:4-5 wine; nor for princes strong drink:
Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted."
XVIII. There are times in the Word of God where drinking wine in moderation is condoned
Proverbs 31:6-7 "Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more."
I Timothy 5:23 "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities."
XIX. The dangers of drinking too much wine
Proverbs 23:29 "Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder."
XX. Qualifications of a bishop or an elder
A. The scriptures do not say that a bishop or elder cannot drink
B. The scriptures say that a bishop or elder must not be given to wine; they must be moderate
I Timothy 3:3 "Not given to wine, no striker not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous."
"Likewise must the deacons be grave, not I Timothy 3:8 double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre."
Titus 1:7 "The bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre."
XXI. Jesus turned water into wine (oinos)
"And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of (John 2:1-11) Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
(And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine "oinos").
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come.
His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine (oinos), and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine (oinos); and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine (oinos) until now.
This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him."
XXII. We are to walk in love and not flaunt the liberty we have been given
A. If we stand clean before God and our hearts do not condemn us, we can walk in liberty (ie-eating certain foods, watching certain television shows, etc.)
B. We must be sensitive to not walk in the liberty given to us by God if it would cause offense to another (ie-watching certain television shows in their presence if you know it is offensive to them, etc.)
Romans 14:1-7 "Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself."
Romans 14:14-17 "know, and am persuraded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
XIII. The Word of God is vital because our convictions are a result of what we have been taught and should line up with the Word of God
XIV. We are to pursue that which makes for peace between believers
Romans 14:19-23 "Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
If he (judged) And he that doubteth is damned eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin."
XV. We should walk in balance and moderation concerning natural things (ie-food, drink, television, etc.)
"And do not be drunk with wine, wherein is Ephesians 5:18-20 excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."