Applying Ephesians 5:18 Without Opposing Other Scripture

Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; KJV

This is not teaching believers that they need a continual filling of the Spirit but to avoid getting drunk by not drinking wine in excess.

This is Paul saying be don't get drunk, but remain sober. By inferring to temperance which is a fruit of the Spirit, thus remaining in self control as filled with that fruit of the Spirit, rather than sow to the flesh by drinking wine in excess to reap the work of the flesh called drunkenness.

Reasons why you cannot apply Ephesians 5:18 to mean a continual filling of the Spirit is because it runs contrary to truths in other scripture.

You are always filled with the Holy Spirit as a testimony that you are saved.

Matthew 9:17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

No believer need to ask for the Holy Spirit again for that would make the Father look evil as if He did not give you the Holy Spirit the first time.

Luke 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Only one drink of the One Spirit is the testimony we all suppose to share per 1 Corinthians 12:13

Only one baptism of the Holy Ghost per Ephesians 4:4-6 which was received at the calling of the gospel along with the belief of the truth per 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15

May God cause the increase.

 

The commands are linked together in that verse as being the same thing; do not be drunk with wine wherein there is excess but remain filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit which is temperance; also known as the fruit of self control.

By not getting drunk, you are to remain sober.

To take it to mean believers are to seek to be filled with the Person of the Holy Spirit is to infer you are a leaky vessel in denying this truth in scripture for how God testifies of us as always saved thus always filled with the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 9:17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

That is how Jesus is keeping His promise to you for after you had come to & believe in Him, you would never hunger nor thirst to be filled again.

John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

You cannot claim Matthew 9:17 & John 6:35 for yourself if you apply Ephesians 5:18 to mean for believers to seek a continual filling of the Person of the Holy Spirit. This wrongful dividing the word of truth of Ephesians 5:18 is the same as denying Him.

Repent for you cannot align the rest of scripture with how you & others are applying Ephesians 5:18 to mean

 

In context, verse 19 has to be taken with verse 20, otherwise the reader would not know what that meant.

1 Thessalonians 5:19 Quench not the Spirit. 20 Despise not prophesyings.

We are to prove all things with His help in abstaining from all appearances of evil as He can only confirm any rightly dividing the word of truth to you.

21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. 23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Do not slain in the spirit & holy laughter movement occur by invoking the Holy Spirit to come & fall on them? Does not these movements and others of confusion testify that God is not the author of it?

1 Corinthians 14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Is there not one drink of the One Spirit that we are all suppose to share in speaking the same thing?

1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Then that is proof that Ephesians 5:18 is about being sober in staying away from drunkenness as we are to abstain from all appearances of evil of losing self control.

Thus as other scripture aligns, there is no more filling of the Person of the Holy Spirit, but keeping the work of the flesh out.