ON THE VANGUARD

LET'S GET DRUNK
"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit."
Ephesians 5:18

Personally, I am not one who drinks anymore. I have had my moments both in college and after, but since being convicted by the Holy Spirit about my behavior after drinking, I have decided to stop. I remember hearing that people who are drunk get either silly or angry. Unfortunately I was one who would get angry. That being said, I have never physically hurt my children when drunk, but I have seen how my drinking caused fear in them as they were unsure when I would fly off the handle.
I heard a pastor speak this week about being drunk from the passage in Ephesians 5. He took the time to relate the similarities between a physically drunk person verses the spiritually drunk person. While I have no intention of taking his message and calling it mine, I do want to share what God spoke to me as I listened to him speak.
First, as I was growing up I had been told that the term 'be filled' in Ephesians 5:18 was a mis-translation. It was told to me that the verse in the Greek should read, 'be being filled continually'. I took it as truth. But today, I decided to look it up myself. The Greek word here is PLEROO, which means to make full, to cause to abound or supply liberally, to make complete in every particular. This same word is used in Acts 2:2 where we read that suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a mighty wind filling the house where the disciples were awaiting the Holy Spirit. This makes a great deal of sense. Just as the Holy Spirit completely filled the Upper Room where the disciples were, so we are told to allow ourselves to be filled completely by the Holy Spirit. This cannot be a one time thing, because as we pour out, we need to be refilled.
As I sat under the message being preached, God began to challenge me personally as to the level of my fullness. I began to wonder if I am full or empty. I pour out here in these daily thoughts, but am I allowing myself to be refilled? Am I taking another drink of the Holy Spirit? To the best of my knowledge, I think I drink in waves. Maybe better said, I think I am a spiritual social drinker. If we are told to be constantly drunk in the Holy Spirit, then I can honestly say I am not. I drink from the Spirit when things are going bad, but not always when things are going well or average. I am not drinking to celebrate what God is doing, but more often than not I am drinking to pick myself up from where I am.
If we think about it, all our spiritual ancestors were drunks. Obviously the disciples were as they received their first drink at Pentecost, and Paul was as he is the one in Ephesians telling us to get drunk. Jesus was drunk following His baptism (Matt 3:16). With these examples, isn't is wise that we ourselves get drunk? I'm not sure about you, but I am tired of letting the junk of life get me down. As a result, I am going to drink of the Spirit. But I am also wanting to rejoice in the wonders and blessings that God performs for me, so I will drink of the Spirit in celebration. As I stay drunk in the Spirit, not only am I living out the Word, but I am walking in a continual freedom in life. With that said, let's get drunk and meet ON THE VANGUARD!