Discipleship | Lesson 5 | Devotion 2
Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.
We’ve all seen the control that alcohol and even other substances can have on someone. Some deny the power that these addictions have over people, but the fact is people lack control when filled with these foreign substances.
The Bible uses this as an illustration when it refers to the Holy Spirit. Just as a drunkard is controlled by what fills him, so should a Christian be controlled by what fills him. Whether or not we are controlled by the Holy Spirit or by alcohol, we are controlled by something. There is something that leads and guides us into the decisions that we make. For some this may be a love of self that drives them. For others, they may be controlled by finances or popularity. These are all man-made counterfeits to God’s perfect way.
As we become filled with the Holy Spirit, there is a lot less room for the things of this world. There is a lot less room for pride or anger and other things that may control us. Not only do those things begin to fade, but we begin to see that the filling of the Holy Spirit controls us in good ways. When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, that person who used to irritate and annoy you is someone you love and pray for. Your marriage is not marked by anger or bitterness. The words you used to use so frequently begin to change. All of this occurs as we yield control to the filling of the Spirit.
The filling of the Holy Spirit changes our lives! It makes Christians better co-workers, spouses, parents, neighbors, and more. It is the mark of Christianity that the world desires to see, but so few Christians exhibit. Imagine for a moment a church filled with Spirit-filled members. Imagine the difference in your life when you give control to the Holy Spirit. Choose to live a life controlled by the Holy Spirit of God.