Lesson 5 The Lord's Battle Plan
Questions 3 and 4
Being filled with the Spirit is the opposite of, and much better than, being drunk with alcohol. Throughout this course, we will look at how to be filled with the Spirit and what it means to be filled with the Spirit. For now, suffice it to say that being filled with the Spirit is what we are looking for when we turn to drunkenness (or drugs/smoking, etc.), but being filled with the Spirit leaves none of the “aftertaste” (ruin, guilt, shame, hangovers, etc.).
Additionally, being filled with the Spirit is “intoxicating” to our inner man, as the Spirit controls our new self. This fills us with the fruits of the Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, and self-control (see Galatians 5:22-25).
Now you might decide it’s best not to drink anymore for the rest of your life, or maybe you will decide that having one drink is acceptable for you. Either way, let’s acknowledge that getting drunk with alcohol is what Scripture forbids, not drinking alcohol itself.
Abstaining from alcohol may be what is best and right for you (1 Corinthians 6:12), but this should not be a rule that others impose on you or that you impose on others, but rather something that the Holy Spirit tells you. The way that you will know if you’re able to have one drink or not is when you are being filled with the Spirit, walking by the Spirit, fellowshipping with the Spirit, and experiencing the fruits of the Spirit (one of which is self-control Galatians 5:23).
If you're the kind of person who can deceive yourself, saying, "I'll just have one drink" when you know it will lead to drunkenness, then maybe for you, it is best to avoid alcohol entirely. It can be a slippery slope to say "just one," and then you end up drunk.
But if you are walking by the Spirit and therefore not fulfilling the lusts of your flesh, and you are evidencing the fruit of the Spirit, one of which is self-control, then maybe for you, having a drink is neither sinful nor detrimental. Let's not impose "laws" on people where Scripture doesn't.
We’ll talk much more about this subject in the coming days; for now, let’s move on to our teaching for today by reviewing our principles of freedom:
Question 3. What are the three foundational principles of freedom?
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When it comes to developing a battle strategy against substance abuse, the world (and sometimes even the church) offers many well-reasoned plans that lack the one essential thing - gospel power. If we want to find freedom, we must first consult with the Lord and get our plans from Him.
Question 4. When considering a battle plan against substance abuse, why do you think it’s important to turn to God, to read His Word, and to get help from Him?
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