“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit…” ( “..addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ” ) ~Ephesians 5:15-18 (19-21)
Today, I want to talk about something personal to me, something that’s been weighing heavily upon my heart for quite a long time. Someone that I love and care about is facing the devastating repercussions of alcoholism, and it is not pretty. I’ve experienced firsthand how something that began small — casual, even “controlled” — grew into a force that steals joy, health, relationships, and hope. In fact, there’s very little that it hasn’t stolen, and some of those things can never be attained again.
Now, I want you to know, I’m not here to claim that Christians can’t ever touch alcohol. Yeshua’s first miracle was turning water into wine, after all (John 2), and Scripture even speaks of wine as a blessing in certain contexts (Psalm 104:14–15). For some, an occasional glass of wine can be enjoyed in moderation, even offering health benefits. And for many, a pint of beer with the boys, or having a glass of champagne to celebrate an achievement of some sort, is perfectly normal and acceptable.
But for others — I’m sure many that dont even want to admit it — alcohol is not simply “a drink.” It becomes a master. And the longer it’s allowed to grip the hand, the deeper it grips the heart, mind, and soul.
1. The Spiritual Corrosion
Paul warns us to walk wisely because “the days are evil” (and boy oh boy is that ever true today). In the same breath, he tells us not to be drunk with wine but to be filled with the Spirit. These aren’t arbitrary pieces of advice — they are the opposite.
Alcohol has a way of dulling spiritual sensitivity. It blurs discernment, clouds judgment, and silences the still, small voice we need most. The Bible calls us to be sober-minded (1 Peter 5:8) — not only in avoiding drunkenness, but in staying alert to the enemy’s schemes.
And the more you drink, not only the further you get from God, but the closer you get with the enemy – whether you realize it or not (and you will realize it, at some point…).
I’ve watched faith struggle to stay afloat under alcohol’s influence — prayer life drying up, joy in worship practically non-existent, hunger for God’s Word replaced by an appetite for another pour. And it doesn’t always happen in a dramatic fall. Often it’s a slow leak, unnoticed until the spiritual tank is empty. By then, you no longer have the joy of the Lord, because you’ve let go of the Lords hands. Instead, you’re holding tightly to the drink….
….and what do you think is holding onto the other side of that drink?? What is it that makes sure it’s there to watch every sip you take; not because it cares or is there for you, oh no, exactly the opposite, in fact. It hates you so very much and enjoys watching your misery, your downfall, and hopefully (as far as it’s concerned, anyway) your separation from God, so thoroughly, that it doesn’t want to miss a moment, if possible, of watching you give up God, joy and eternal salvation, for Satan & his demons, misery, and eternal damnation!
2. The Personal Fallout
Alcohol doesn’t just touch the soul — it leaves fingerprints on the body, mind, and life.
•Health: liver damage, heart problems, high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, weight issues, and poor sleep, memory issues, mood issues
•Finances: the habit that quietly drains a bank account.
•Relationships: arguments, broken trust, distance between loved ones (be it a spouse, children, and/or friends).
•Loss of self: personality shifts, diminished self-control, sudden outbursts of anger, and the hollowing out of once-strong character.
What starts as “just one more” can become a thief that steals your days, your peace, and eventually your sense of who you are. And by the time a person realizes it’s a problem, not only do they feel powerless to stop, but more often than not, things have gotten so bad, they haven’t the faintest idea how to go about trying to fix everything. It’s just so overwhelming!
3. The Ripple Effect & Generational Curse
We haven’t even talked about the hardest part that one has to face; and that is that alcohol never just affects the drinker. It ripples outward — touching spouses, children, friends, even co-workers and neighbors; reaching all the way down to grandchildren and beyond!
When a parent normalizes alcohol, whether through too frequent use or visible dependence, children absorb the lesson that this is an acceptable — even expected — way to celebrate, relax, cope, or just to live in general. And for far too many, that “inheritance” will be far more costly than any financial debt, and far more ugly than any “unappealing gene” could ever be.
But there is good news, even amidst tragic addiction, and that is that we have a choice. We can continue patterns handed down to us, and then hand them down to our own children and grandchildren and so on, OR, we can break them.
For the sake of your children and your children’s children, you can draw the line today and proclaim, “It ends here!” You could be the one to pass down a legacy of spiritual strength instead of spiritual stumbling. And the love that motivates that choice will echo for generations.
A Final Word of Hope
If alcohol’s grip has already tightened around your life, know this: freedom is possible. Christ doesn’t just forgive — He delivers. He doesn’t just remove the cup from your hand — He fills it with living water that satisfies far more deeply than any drink ever could.
So walk wisely. Be filled with the Spirit. And let your life be the kind that leaves a sweet aftertaste in the hearts of those you love and care about now, as well as in the hearts of those who come after you.
And never forget – it doesn’t matter what you’ve done, you have never done too much or have been too bad, for God to forgive. If God can forgive Rahab being a prostitute; David impregnating a married woman, then successfully arranging her husband’s murder so no one would find out what he had done; Paul hunting down and killing believers; Peter denying Yeshua three times in one night; if He can forgive all of them, all of that, He can forgive you.
I always say that if God can forgive us for nailing spikes through His Only Sons hands and feet, for brutally torturing and crucifying Him, then He can forgive us for anything, so long as we go to Him with a truly repentant heart. Because His mercy is deeper than your sin. His grace is stronger than your past. And His arms are still open. As long as you have breath to breathe, Gods forgiveness is there for the taking.
SundayMorningCoffeeAndChrist 
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