How to Have a Good Time

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit
(Ephesians 5:18 – ESV)

The verses surrounding our text speak of what being filled with the Spirit looks like. Being filled with the Spirit means doing His will, and part of how that is lived out is explained in the chapter. Be sure to notice that marriage time IS spiritual time!

Yes, this verse is telling us, “Don’t get drunk”, but we should consider the fuller context. Paul is using drinking to excess as a tool to show things that are unwise (vs.15), selfish uses of time (vs.16), foolish, and out of God’s will (vs.17). This applies to anything we are addicted to or anything that is a waste of godly time. Get excited about godly things that will fill you with true joy, not excessive exuberance brought about by a false hope you’re using to cope. You have got to change what you think is a good time. Paul is saying that if we want a Spirit filled revival in our lives, we need to wake up (vs.14).

No one drinks like that to bless people; you don’t get drunk in order to submit to God or others. It is about the self, the opposite of the Spirit. It may be the means you use to cope right now, but now is the time to learn God’s way. The problem isn’t simply that you can’t do it right now; I believe you when you think you can’t. However, it starts by developing a lifestyle of obedience; you must learn to be filled with the Spirit. Little obedience leads to big obedience; a lifestyle of obedience begins small.

Are we drunk on defeat because we are waiting for God to instantly cause us to be obedient? That isn’t walking in the Spirit; it is walking in a stupor.

When you are filled with something it is what you are full of, nothing else gets in at all, you are filled full. The process of filling is doing God’s will in certain moments, it is all you think about, and in those moments you are filled. If that doesn’t make sense, then how about this: consciously seek to obey God. Is that plain enough?

The context of being filled with the Spirit is living that out in loving relationships. It is speaking to one another, singing to each other and in our hearts (vs.19), sanctifying our relationships with prayer and thanks to God for each other (vs.20), and submitting to one another in our God given roles (vs.21). Again, speaking, singing, sanctifying, and submitting. This is giving the praise to God.

Are people who are getting drunk or wasting their time on ungodly things doing this? Of course not, and no wonder they aren’t filled with the Spirit, as much as they may say they want to be. We need to heed all of this, it isn’t just the speaking and the singing, but the sanctifying and the submitting too, it all counts toward the goal of living Spirit filled. Sometimes we have the excitement of being together, but we still aren’t together, know what I mean? Instead of speaking, sanctifying, and submitting we go for slander, spoiling and subversion. Instead of the sweet songs from God we hear the sounds of Satan in our hearts, and we even “get in the groove” with it and think everything is fine. Oh, by the way, don’t tell me you are filled with the Spirit if you don’t go to church. This passage makes it obvious that you are not.

In the morning you give your will to God. You say that you want to be willing? Well then give God your will and don’t follow your flesh. Take up your cross and cause your flesh to be dead every day, learn to obey. You are teaching yourself to obey or not; all those little things you think don’t matter really do. Instead of grieving the Spirit we ought to be about cultivating the Spirit, and obedience is where it’s at, my friend.

It isn’t about conquering the world or even conquering your world it is about Jesus conquering you, letting his mission become your mission. What is your mission? What is the best use of your time? It is time to get wise, and be wise about choices, and you do that by asking God (James 1:5).

So how much time are you giving to God? Let me tell you something, you should be giving God all your time. However, that doesn’t mean what you might think. You see, this is not simply about time management; it is about Jesus and you. If we got saved and that was it, we would instantly go to heaven. But we remain for a purpose, to glorify God. This is just like the fact that Christ could have died right after the Incarnation, but He fulfilled all righteousness by living a sinless life in our place. It is not just His death but His life that counts. Be filled with the Spirit so that it is not just in your death, but in your life that Christ counts. You have got to learn how to have a good time, full of the right kind of Spirit.

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©