Wine has the power to make you talk rough and alcohol makes you walk tough, causing you to argue and fight people (Proverbs 20:1). Remember, I told you that in an earlier post. And this is the case whether you’re a Christian or not. Alcohol doesn’t discriminate. To curb illicit behavior, the world says to drink responsibly by not drinking and driving and limiting the number of drinks you have. But with Christianity, being responsible with alcohol means don’t get drunk or don’t drink at all because in either case you promote spiritual development. Practicing sobriety for some may not be easy, but it is necessary. Here are some points to help you:

1. Remember how consuming alcohol

a. Affects you—In addition to talking rough and walking tough, drinking alcohol may destroy your Christian testimony (See ‘b’ below), cause emotional, relational and physical anxiety, cause memory lost, and cloud your judgment (Proverbs 23:29-35, 31:1-9).

b. Affects others—If non-Christians and Christians who aren’t as mature in the faith see you drink, they may get the wrong impression about your walk with Christ and Christianity. One, non-Christians may think that Christians aren’t any different from non-Christians. Two, if you get drunk, non-Christians may think that drunkenness is an acceptable part of Christianity. Three, non- and immature Christians are likely to dismiss anything you try to teach them about Christianity; you’re no longer credible in their eyes. Four, immature Christians may think your drinking gives them license to drink and they are unaware of the parameters, like not getting drunk and not drinking at all so they won’t cause a person younger in the faith to stumble.

c. Affects God—God showed great wrath to the Israelites for getting drunk (Isaiah 5:11-16, 22-25, 28:7). Scripture doesn’t detail for us consequences of our alcohol abuse, but we are told the general consequences from God—that He will destroy our bodies (2 Corinthians 3:16-17).

2. Pray

a. For God to help you remember items in #1.

b. For strength to abstain.

c. To want what God wants for your life more than what you want for your life (Matthew 26:42).

If you keep in mind the consequences of consuming alcohol and pray that God’s will be done in your life, expect a great outcome. “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15).

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith