Drunk In, On, Or With The Holy Spirit

Drunkenness is a sin, and claiming to be drunk in the Holy Spirit is blasphemy. 

Nowhere in the Bible are believers encouraged to seek to be “Drunk in the Spirit”. When the Bible speaks of being drunk, it's always in the negative sense. The only place in Scripture that speaks implicitly of the idea of “spiritual drunkenness” is Isaiah 29:9-14, which refers to God’s judgment against sin and apostasy. In other words, the Spirit brings drunkenness and blindness as a punishment against Israel because of her refusal to listen to and obey God's instruction.

Those who promote being "Drunk in the Spirit" misuse Acts 2:13 as justification for their experiences, belief and practice. At Shavuot (Pentecost), while the (Holy Spirit filled) apostles were preaching the Gospel, some in the crowd said, “They have had too much wine.” The accusation was a mockery of the apostles, and Kefa (Peter), their spokesman, unequivocally denied this assertion of drunkenness (v. 15). In fact, to speak of being "Drunk in the Holy Spirit," is to impugn His character, because anyone who causes or participates in inebriation commits sin. Is the Holy Spirit capable of sin? A curse on that idea!

Shaul (Paul) the Shaliach (Sent One/apostle) wrote, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:15-18).

Shaul is saying that getting drunk is part of our former sinful way of life, and that to be drunk is debased and “leads to debauchery” (compare Colossians 1:21; Romans 13:13). The Greek word asotia translated debauchery or excess, means “lawless, excess, riot”, the modern equivalent might be Anarchy (manifest lawlessness).

Shaul deliberately contrasts the state of drunkenness (a loss of control, chaos, the opposite of self-control, which is a fruit of the Holy Spirit) with the indwelling of the Spirit of God (through Whom we gain self-control, the opposite of drunkenness) [Galatians 5:19-23].

Galatians 5:19-21 lists drunkness along side the works of the flesh (fallen nature), which are, "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, contention, foolish zeal, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders..." and goes on to say, "Those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

While we may have ecstatic experiences of the Holy Spirit, He does not cause drunkenness, nor is being filled with the Holy Spirit measured by ecstatic expression. Rather, the measure of a person's being filled with the Holy Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Yeshua says, "You will know them by their fruit" (Matt. 7:16-20).

God is a God of order, drunkenness (chaos) is disorder, the fruit of Ha-Satan (The Accuser, Devil, Enemy).

Acting drunk and attributing it to the Holy Spirit of God is a blasphemous sin, and being made drunk by a spirit requires deliverance and should be discerned by those who have the gift of discernment, which is given by the Holy Spirit.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control: against such things there is no law." -Galatians 5:22-23

© 2019 Yaakov Brown