Man cannot be drunk with wine and simultaneously filled with the Spirit. The two elements are completely inconsistent and stand in direct conflict. Man will be either yielded to the control of the Spirit or yielded to the control of alcohol but cannot be yielded simultaneously to both. “[B]e not drunk with wine” is a commandment to avoid sin. “[B]e filled with the Spirit” is a commandment to yield to righteousness. This dichotomy should be an easy choice for each and every believer to identify and formulate. On one hand, the individual can choose to indulge in alcoholic beverages, resulting in a choice to displease the Saviour. On the other hand, he can yield to the Holy Ghost, resulting in a decision pleasing to His Lord. No believer should ever be deceived into believing that he can fill himself with both the world’s drink and God’s Spirit. It does not work, it will not work, and it cannot not work!
A believer should be controlled only by the Lord. At no point should a man be controlled by the cravings of his body, even that of his appetite. No doubt, Paul’s words above covered a much broader scope than simply a man’s appetite, but he too understood the need to control one’s cravings. The Bible records several instances where Paul was hungry and had nothing to eat (2 Corinthians 11:27). Solomon warned his son about the need for controlling one’s appetite when seated before rulers at a meal. He admonished, “When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite” (Proverbs 23:1-2).
Fasting should play a prominent role in the life of a Christian. Just as believers ought to pray, witness, study, and give, we should also fast. In fact, the Lord's words assumed the Christian would fast when He said, “when ye fast” (Matthew 6:16), not IF ye fast. The question was never to be whether or not we would fast, but how we would do so “when” we fast. Fasting was not prominent among the disciples, but the Lord explained that His departure would signify an elevated need for fasting (Mark 2:20). The life of the apostle Paul confirmed this as he said he was “in fastings often” (2 Corinthians 11:27). It was a common practice of Paul’s devotion to the Lord to deprive his flesh of food, drink, and physical pleasures. The Lord not only desired for the early believers to fast, but His people ought to have times of fasting until He returns.
