FROM A TAPE ON FININCIAL BLESSING BY CLIVE PICK:
“About fourteen years ago I used to enjoy drinking red wine, maybe too much. I went with Esther to the Canary Islands. I went out to a beautiful spot feeling good. I felt the palm trees moving in the wind/wine. God said, “Clive, how can I use you?” I knew what He was saying, so I said “Well Lord, after the holidays I’ll deal with this.” There were three days left of the holidays. Best to obey right away, because when he got back he started making deals with God. He said, “Well, Lord, since I am a businessman, perhaps You would allow me to have the odd glass with a customer when I’m entertaining.” There was no confirmation on that one. A month or two had gone by and Clive said, “Perhaps just on holidays and Christmas time to be festive.” No confirmation on that either. So he said, “Well, Lord, I’ll not drink alcohol again, until I can drink the new wine.”
At that time I was working for a company that was selling gift foods and we were having an exhibition in London that was selling international gift foods. I went in on Friday to set up our stand, and Saturday I didn’t get there. Sunday was the first day of the exhibition. When I got there my little stand was surrounded by others. I didn’t know who they would be. To my horror I noticed I was surrounded by German wine producers. Everywhere I looked I was surrounded by bottles of wine. I said, “Lord, this is going to be a difficult week.” As soon as I said that this big German guy comes up to me and says, “We are going to be neighbors, let’s be friends. You see these little glasses of wine on my counter—they are for tasting—for my friends there are big glasses—help yourself.” I said, “Thank you very much. I’m sure my staff would love to take you up on your offer.” He said, “We can have some of your biscuits?” I said, “Yes.” It was obviously a trading agreement. As the days went on I looked at the little glasses and said, “Well, that is not really drinking, that is tasting.” So as the week went by I heard two voices. One was saying, “That’s only a little taste.” And the other voice was saying, “Clive…” By the time Friday came I thought, “Yes, I’ve done it.” And I really was excited that I’d not given in.” As I was looking into all this I really had a sense of joy in my Spirit.
Friday afternoon we started to break down our stands. What happens in these exhibitions is people start to swap the merchandise. As people were trading jam for biscuits, meat for confectionary, bottles of water for other stuff—just general trading. You couldn’t take back to your warehouse things that had been on display. Suddenly this man comes to my stand. He’s about 5’10”, very stocky. He had long strands of silvery hair just down to his shoulders. It was like strands of wire. Very unusual hair, it shone like chrome. He came straight up to me, past everyone else and he was pulling a shopping trolley. He said, “I’ve got something for you.” I said, “Thank you.” And he opened a shopping bag and pulled out three bags of non-alcoholic wine—a strawberry wine, a grape wine and an apple wine. He gave them to me and I asked him if he would like some jam or biscuits. He said, “No, no, they’re for you.” I said, “Thank you very much.” He zipped up his little bag and walked off the stand and started to walk down the corridor—only a few yards. As I was holding these bottles of wine he suddenly disappeared. As I was looking at him he evaporated into nothing. It didn’t dawn on me till a bit later to realize God had sent an angel to say, “Well done, Clive, I appreciate what you have done.” God had actually spent time to come tell me He was pleased. “
This testimony by Clive Pick illustrates that God cannot use to a great extent those who drink even moderately. When we drink alcohol (which is a drug) our minds are clouded by demonic forces and even a little affects our ability to reason justly:
“They will eat but not have enough, they will engage in prostitution but not increase, because they have deserted the Lord to give themselves to prostitution, to old wine and new, which take away the understanding of my people…” Hosea 4:10-12 Alcohol ‘takes away the understanding of my people’.
Notice "of my people". Although in the Old Testament the Jews were referred to by God as "my people", Christians often apply that phras to themselves (wisely so) auxh as:
"if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chrohnicle 7:14 God WILL heal our land if we seek His face so we will realize how we are sinning and repent.
Alcoholic beverages are called “spirits”. The Bible even tells the names of two of the spirits:
“Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.” Proverbs 20:1 Mocker and brawler are two of the spirits. It seems that those who drink wine are more likely to mock God and His truths, and those who drink beer are more likely to brawl or be violent.
God expects us to be holy: “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." 1 Peter 1:15-16
RULERS ARE NOT TO DRINK ALCOHOL
Two classes of people that were told "not to drink wine or other fermented drink" in the Old Testament of the Bible. Priests and kings were ordered to abstain from alcohol:
“Then the Lord said to Aaron, "You and your sons are not to drink wine or other fermented drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean, and you must teach the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses." Leviticus 10:8-11
“…not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, lest they drink and forget what the law degrees, and deprive the oppressed of their rights…” Proverbs 31:4-7 Kings and princes were not to drink so they could tell the difference between right and wrong and be fair in their judgment of the people who came before them.
The book of Revelation states that those who have accepted Christ as Savior are kings and priests:
“…To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father…” Revelation 1:5-6
The apostle Peter also says that those who know Jesus have became kings and priests. We are members of a royal family:
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9
Because of our salvation through faith in Christ we have become children of the King. We are members of the King’s family, and the orders that went out to the kings and priests apply to us. We are not to drink so that we will have clear judgment and discernment as God’s representatives in this world:
“…As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” John 20:21 As Christians we are sent to witness, to teach the people. This is the responsibility of the believer:
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…”Matthew 28:19:20 In order to teach we must know the difference between right and wrong.
BITES LIKE A SNAKE
"…Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper…" Proverbs 23:29-35 Don’t be deceived when the wine swirls around in the cup—it will eventually bite like a snake.
If you have alcoholism down the line in your family back through the generations, you can be sure you have a weakness in that area and the devil will be watching to snare you like he did your ancestors. It is in the soul that we see the effects of our forefathers. Some of these things have become giants or Goliaths in our lives. God is always looking to break the curse, but we must do our part by not deliberately sinning. The tortures of alcoholism can be completely avoided is if one never drinks.
“indeed, wine betrays him…” “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies. You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and be exposed! The cup from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.” Habukkuk 2:5, 15-16 Those who drink can commit shameful acts because drinking will weaken the will. People who have been drinking lose self-control:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is…self-control…Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:22-25
Christians who think it is alright to drink do not plan to drink too much, and they do not plan the poor choices that come from drinking too much.
WICKEDNESS IS ASSOCIATED WITH DRINKING
A number of things go hand in hand with drunkenness: immorality, rebellion against God, the destruction of man:
“They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, each seeks his own gain. ‘Come,’ each one cries, ‘let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better.’” Isaiah 56:11-12 The wicked are characterized as drinking alcohol.
“…As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone…That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain…” Daniel 5 Could one honestly praise God with alcohol? Yet it is natural to praise other “gods” this way.
JUDGMENT
This wickedness leads to judgment:
“…acts of the sinful nature are…drunkenness, orgies…that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." Galatians 5:19-21
“For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” 1 Peter 4:17
Though true believers will go to heaven, they will still be held accountable for what they do under the influence of alcohol, perhaps even more so than those of the world because they are bringing dishonor to God.
Sometimes God allows drunkenness itself to be the consequence of sin:
"…This is what the Lord says: ‘I am going to fill with drunkenness all who live in this land…I will allow no pity or mercy or compassion to keep me from destroying them.” Jeremiah 13:13-14 God allows the consequences of alcohol use as a judgment. Later in the same book:
“Make her drunk for she has defied the Lord. Let Moab wallow in her vomit; let her be an object of ridicule.” Jeremiah 48:26
God has allowed the consequences of drunkenness to bring destruction to a nation. History reveals that sixteen civilizations have fallen because of drunkenness. When we see the tragic increase in alcoholism we cannot but wonder whether God is going to allow this means of bringing judgment.
"…nor drunkards…will inherit the kingdom of God…" I Corinthians 6:9-10 The worst consequence is drinking is hell for all eternity. Would you want this for those you influence?
BAD EXAMPLE
"It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to stumble…" Romans 14:21-23 Perhaps alcohol will never become a problem for you. But suppose someone to whom it would become a problem sees you, a Christian, drinking and thinks it is alright to drink moderately. If he becomes an alcoholic, whose fault is it?
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble…even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” 1 Corinthians 10:31-33 Does drinking alcohol bring any glory to God? Some people might say, “We can associate with those who drink if we drink.” But is your association bringing clear understanding of what Christianity is? Isn’t it making the differences between a Christian and a non-Christian foggy?
In fact, not drinking alcohol gives a chance to present the gospel. We had a pastor in Montreal who had been a chaplain during the war in Vietnam. He had been required to be at the social functions where alcohol was consumed in abundance. He could tell anyone who asked why he abstained from alcohol and tell them about Jesus Christ.
JESUS DID NOT DRINK ALCOHOL
Satan loves to twist what God does.So Satan has perverted wine. The good or best wine that Jesus miraculously made in Cana (John 2) was fresh, new—straight from the vine. It is not good because of its high alcoholic content as alcoholic wine can be defined. In an excellent book review on the internet, proof is given that Jesus did not drink nor Scripture advocate the use of alcoholic beverages. See:
Wine in the Bible: A Biblical Study on the Use of Alcoholic Beverages A Preview of Wine in the Bible Samuele Bacchiocchi, PH. D., Andrews University. Even the preview of this book which is given on the interest is much more complete than this article.
SUMMARY
Those who belong to Jesus are “a royal priesthood” and commanded not to drink alcohol.
It “bites like a snake”—destroying the life of many even though it seems harmless or even pleasant. No one knows who will become addicted.
Drinking alcohol is assocaited with wickedness.
God will judge those who abuse alcohol. He used alcohol abuse itself as a judgment.
Others could start drinking because they see you drinking. Drinking alcohol is a bad example of Christianity to unbelievers who instinctively know it is wrong. Not drinking helps give a clear understanding when the gospel is presented.
Jesus did not drink alcoholic beverages.
Let’s not get as close to evil as we can without (supposedly) suffering consequences; let’s stay as far from sin as we can.