Under the Influence

Vicky Moots

Eph. 5:18: “And be not drunk with wine wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”  Paul, in this verse, is contrasting two different situations in which a person can be found to be “under the influence.”  To be “under the influence” of something means to be under its control.  The first situation, physical drunkenness, is condemned in the Scripture because it is harmful.  Wine is not condemned, but drunkenness is.  The second situation mentioned by Paul is one that should be desired by every Christian: to be under the influence and control of the Holy Spirit.  I am going to explain this in more detail by first describing the way in which alcohol adversely affects our physical bodies and then compare that to the beneficial spiritual effects of being filled with the Spirit.

Drunkenness affects the entire body, but the most visible outward signs are its effects on the speech, the difficulty walking, and the actions of the person involved.  When a person is physically intoxicated by alcohol, it is usually obvious to those around him because of these signs.  Alcohol affects the brain in different stages.  It is quickly absorbed and reaches the brain within five minutes.  The first thing that happens is a release of dopamine, a feel-good neurotransmitter, that makes you more relaxed and talkative, and can even trigger you to desire more of it.  As you continue drinking, it affects your cerebral cortex which controls your thinking and judgment.  Next, the cerebellum which controls your balance and coordination, is affected resulting in impaired speech and gait.  A person who is intoxicated is under the influence of the alcohol and loses control of all of these functions.  These impairments will continue until the alcohol has been metabolized by the liver, which requires about one hour per ounce.

On the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the 120 believers in the upper room, they all began speaking in other tongues.  When the multitude that was in Jerusalem heard them rejoicing and speaking in tongues, some of them mocked, saying, “…These men are full of new wine” (Acts 2:13).  They assumed that their joyfulness and altered speech was due to intoxication.  However, Peter stood up and declared, in v. 15, “…these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day [9:00 a.m.].” 

But those that mocked that day were partially right.  The 120 believers were all “under the influence” and control of the Holy Spirit.  Just as alcohol controls the tongue, actions and walk of those who are under its influence, so does the Holy Spirit.  However, the results are different.  

The effects of alcohol’s control over a person are exceedingly harmful, but the Holy Spirit’s control is completely the opposite.  He controls our tongue to speak God’s Word.  He controls our walk so that we can walk a straight path instead of stumbling or staggering.  He controls our actions so that they will glorify God rather than bring shame.  The joy of the Holy Spirit is a true joy that lasts.

Unfortunately, many Christians today don’t want to be “under the influence” of the Holy Spirit.  They only want to take a little sip, just a little taste.  They want to remain in control of their lives, their thoughts, their tongues and their actions.

Back in our verse, Eph. 5:18, the word “filled,” regarding the Holy Spirit, is a continuous action verb in the Greek, so it actually means to be “continually filling” with the Spirit.  We are to drink and keep on drinking, so that we remain continually “under the influence.”  It is more than a one-time event.  We need the Holy Spirit’s influence and control every day in our lives for every circumstance.