SELF-DESTRUCTION
Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise. —Proverbs 20:1
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit… -Ephesians 5:18
Alcoholism and drug addiction are major blights on our culture. Adults (ages 18+): 16.6 million adults ages 18 and older3 (7.0 percent of this age group4) had an AUD (alcohol use disorder) in 2013. This includes 10.8 million men3 (9.4 percent of men in this age group4) and 5.8 million women3 (4.7 percent of women in this age group4). About 1.3 million adults received treatment for an AUD at a specialized facility in 2013 (7.8 percent of adults who needed treatment). This included 904,000 million men (8.0 percent of men in need) and 444,000 women (7.3 percent of women who needed treatment).5 Youth (ages 12–17): In 2013 an estimated 697,000 adolescents ages 12–176 (2.8 percent of this age group7) had an AUD. This number includes 385,000 females6 (3.2 percent of females in this age group7) and 311,000 males6 (2.5 percent of males in this age group7). An estimated 73,000 adolescents (44,000 males and 29,000 females) received treatment for an alcohol problem in a specialized facility in 2013 http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-facts-and-statistics “Illicit drug use in the United States has been increasing. In 2013, an estimated 24.6 million Americans aged 12 or older—9.4 percent of the population—had used an illicit drug in the past month. This number is up from 8.3 percent in 2002. The increase mostly reflects a recent rise in use of marijuana, the most commonly used illicit drug. Marijuana use has increased since 2007. In 2013, there were 19.8 million current users—about 7.5 percent of people aged 12 or older—up from 14.5 million (5.8 percent) in 2007.” http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/nationwide-trends
Substances are not meant to be induced to control us. Yet our culture is set on getting drunk and high. This is not a surprising outcome though of a nation who is turning/has turned its back on God. Now our government is moving in the direction of legalizing marijuana. We are becoming more and more a drugged up, dumbed down, death inoculated culture that is internally destroying itself.
I was talking with a brother and friend that works in the medical field yesterday. He was telling me of a new drug that has hit the streets. It is 100x more potent than heroin. When you shoot yourself up with it you instantly die. That drug is illustrative of where our nation is headed— a self-induced death.
The above verse in Proverbs tells us that this is foolishness. There are those who are pushing these laws to legalize drugs who think they are wise, but they are fools according to the verse above. We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God. He is the One who is to be controlling our lives. But, Satan is the “god of this world” and is out to use whatever he can to blind people from the truth about Jesus and what He has done for us on the cross and through the resurrection (II Corinthians 4:4). Satan is the one who ensnares people into addictions, holding them captive to do his will (II Timothy 2:25-26). Let there be no mistake about it. This is spiritual warfare.
Dear Father, be pleased to work through me to help others who may be addicted to substances or headed in that direction. I thank You that that You protected me from becoming an addict in my early years. Yes, I am so grateful that You saved me from that life and gave me new life in Jesus!