Living God’s Way: Filling up on the spirit, not wine

Getting drunk from drinking wine has always been something human beings have done. In contrast, Paul instructs Christians, those who are “imitators of God,” to fill themselves with the Spirit, not wine (Ephesians 5:18). When one gets “drunk with wine,” they are affected by the alcohol in the grape juice to the extent they lose self-control, especially of their behavior and speech, often resulting in loud parties where one will begin to sing in a frivolous manner; they are not behaving in their normal manner. While this may seem pleasurable for the time being, it often leads to impaired thinking, slurred speech, or slower reaction time. Paul says this is “dissipation,” which