Laying Down Alcohol
Mark and I have been born again Spirit filled Christians for 15 years. During this time, we have heard many views and opinions on drinking alcohol. After doing a Bible study and seeing that Jesus turned water into wine and that He was called a winebibber (which means ‘a habitual drinker of wine’) we concluded that drinking alcohol wasn’t a sin, but drunkenness is.
For myself I would only ever drink a couple glasses of wine when socialising but never at home. Mark would drink socialising and also at home on occasion. Being in Ministry I would always worry about how drinking alcohol could impact our Ministry if other Christians viewed it as a sin. I would often ask God about this and never hearing anything about it just continued in what I believed was okay.
Today (08/08/2024) I received a word about this. This is what I believe I heard ~ “Drinking alcohol is not a sin, but drunkenness is. What is drunkenness? No longer being of sound mind. You and Mark both drink alcohol. It is time to give this up. Why would I ask this? Many view alcohol as a sin. When I call you to higher positions in the body of Christ, I sometimes ask you to give up things that can affect that position. If something you do offends your brother or sister in Christ give it up.
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of rules about food and drink, but is in the realm of the Holy Spirit, filled with righteousness, peace, and joy. Serving the Anointed One by walking in these kingdom realities pleases God and earns the respect of others. So then, make it your top priority to live a life of peace with harmony in your relationships, eagerly seeking to strengthen and encourage one another. Stop ruining the work of God by insisting on your own opinions about food. You can eat anything you want, but it is wrong to deliberately cause someone to be offended over what you eat. Consider it an act of love to refrain from eating meat or drinking wine or doing anything else that would cause a fellow believer to be offended or tempted to be weakened in his faith (Romans 14:17-21, TPT).
It is better to be seen as ‘doing right in the eyes of others’ than for them to misconstrue who you are. I am calling you higher and that sometimes takes sacrifice. Drunkenness is a sin and many associate drinking alcohol with drunkenness, and automatically judge you as a sinner even though you are not sinning. It is time to give this up. Alcohol and Christianity – there is such a fine line. High positions require higher sacrifices. It is part of the call. This is a sacrifice I am asking you and Mark to make”.
(PRAYER) – “Father God in Jesus name I repent for anytime I sinned while drinking alcohol. I repent for drunkenness, lewedness, uncouthness, bad language and any time I did not conduct myself in an upright holy manner. I command all demons associated with these sins to leave now in Jesus name.”
If you have been asked by God to give up alcohol
“Father God, I come before You and thank You for the leadership position You have called me into for Your Kingdom. This position means being a role model and not causing offence to fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. I am willing to give up alcohol for this reason so thereby lay it down at the foot of the cross and agree to no longer partake. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.”
By Tania Francis