“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God” (Ephesians 5:18-21).
Wise people understand the brevity of life, their purpose of existence, and the importance of time. Therefore, a wise man seeks to live with focus and steadfastness, not in dissipation and waste.
In the verses above, the apostle Paul concisely describes the fundamental difference between those who live foolishly (i.e., they are filled with spirits) and those who live wisely (i.e., they are filled with the Spirit).
God’s strong desire is that you understand His will, and thus you live wisely by walking circumspectly, by redeeming your allotted time on earth—investing today’s opportunities by laying up treasures in heaven—and by being filled with the Spirit (i.e., letting Christ’s word richly dwell in your heart so that joy, thanksgiving, and a submissive, reverent spirit result).
What a contrast exists between the woe, sorrow, contentions, and grief which come to those who are filled with spirits (cf. Proverbs 23:29-30) and the joy, thanksgiving, and peace enjoyed by those who are filled with the Holy Spirit!
