The evidence of a Spirit-filled church is joy, gratitude, and harmony. God teaches us in this passage how to be filled with the Spirit and experience the fullness of life available in Christ.

Tyler’s Main Points

• Drunkenness is in opposition to your new life in Christ.
• Be filled with the Spirit for that is the way of experiencing the new life.
• Being filled with the Spirit makes us joyful, grateful, and mutually submissive.
  

Key Takeaways

• The result of being controlled by the Spirit is relationships marked by joy, gratitude, and harmony.
  

• Drunkenness is sin, leads to the loss of control, and oftentimes additional sin and pain. In contrast, the Spirit leads to self-control, wisdom and understanding, and the fruit of obedience.
  

• With alcohol at the center of culture, the church remains in danger of becoming dependent on alcohol as its functional savior.
  

• Too many Christians are prone to pour a glass of wine to cope with their issues instead of pouring their heart out to God in prayer.
  

• Whether you are controlled by alcohol or any other master besides Christ, the right response is to admit, confess, and repent of your sins. The good news is we have God’s Helper to overcome what we cannot.

• All believers have been baptized, indwelt, and sealed by the Spirit at the time of conversion. To be filled with the Spirit is to be under His control and influence.

• God’s Spirit does God’s work through God’s Word.

• God calls us to crucify ourselves, our desires and will—and be controlled by His Spirit and conformed to the image of His Son.

• The Spirit-filled Christian sings loudly and with sincerity out of the overflow of joy and gratitude for God’s lavish grace.

• True greatness is the act of self-sacrifice for the love and benefit of others.

• How great is our Father that He would not only send His Son to save us, but His Spirit to empower us to overcome temptation and experience the fullness of life in Christ!
  

Discussion Questions/Application

Personal application:

• Is the word of Christ richly dwelling in you? What competing affections, priorities, and practices are hindering you from experiencing a more Spirit-filled life?
  
  
• Write out a gratitude list of all you have to be thankful for in Christ—past, present, and future.
  

Discuss with your community group:

• Describe your current relationship with alcohol. How is it affecting your witness and/or keeping you from the fullness of life found in Christ?
  
  
• What are you most prone to exalt as your master apart from Christ? Why is Christ a better Savior and Lord?

Passages Referenced for Further Study
Ephesians 5:18-21; Colossians 3:16; Ecclesiastes 9:7; Proverbs 20:1; Ephesians 4:17; 1 Corinthians 6:12; Proverbs 14:12; Proverbs 3:7; Luke 22:24-27.