Spirit Filled - Eph 5:18-20

Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Prov 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.


Everything in moderation. If you must drink wine, do not drink to excess. Some people drink wine and alcohol to forget their problems, perhaps to get a momentary lift. Those who drink too much are taken over by evil spirits that torment the family. The meek and gentle husband, may become abusive.

What is it to be filled with the Spirit. First we must be bornagain of God, by His Spirit. Then we are to be filled; some call it the baptism of the Holy Spirit because Jesus came with the Holy Spirit and this is his baptism.

Mat 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Mat 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Salvation begins with faith in Jesus, followed by salvation and the filling of the Holy Spirit.

Under the Old Covenant the Holy Spirit came upon certain Holy Men and it could be removed again. David prayed that his sin with Bathsheba would not result in the removal of the Holy Spirit.

Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

In the New Covenant in Jesus' blood we are sealed by the Spirit and He stays forever.

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

If the Spirit is within He will show himself in the believer with gifts of the Spirit. Some insist on the gift of tongues as at Pentacost. There were many languages present when the gift of languages came; the Holy Ghost and tongues like as of fire.

Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Acts 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
Acts 2:6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

There are other gifts for the edifying of the church; teaching is one of the gifts and prophesy. See 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 for a list of the Spiritual gifts. Let me make this clear; the filling of the Spirit is the presence and power of God at work in us to glorify him. It is not of the flesh or of personality, or of intellect or anything of human thought or reasoning, it is from God. We may submit to him with our flesh, soul and body to be used for his glory by the filling of His Holy Spirit.

The flesh is in opposition to the Spirit. Paul describes this fight between the flesh will and the will of God in Romans 7.

Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

Eph 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Eph 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Eph 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Paul gives the answer to this dilemma in Romans 8; we are to be filled with the Spirit.

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

We are to submit our human will and mind to the Spirit of God.

Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.


Unfortunately there are those who sometimes quote the Bible, who do it out of the flesh mind and not out of God's Spirit; they may not have His Spirit, so they are not really of the body of Christ.

Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Rom 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

So how can we go from the flesh mind with it's worries and concerns into the filling of the Spirit? One way to get in the Spirit is to encourage our self through Spiritual songs, hymns and psalms. Make joy in your heart, a fruit of the Spirit; instead of looking at what is evil and becoming discouraged; thank God for His goodness to you.

Eph 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Eph 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

1 Th 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Th 5:19 Quench not the Spirit.


We give thanks to our God and Father for Jesus and we pray in Jesus name. When I have the Spirit of God and the new life in Christ, I need not indulge in the wine of the world, nor marijuana or drugs, to bring me joy. We have joy in serving Jesus. Let us be a thankful people, a positive and joyful people full of the Spirit of God.

Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Eph 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

1 Cor 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1 Cor 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.


Be filled with the Spirit and be filled with the power of God. Don't go out without Him.