VICTORY OVER ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG ADDICTION

Text: Proverbs 23:19-35 "Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction and understanding. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice. My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men. Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babblings? who hath wound without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea or he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shall thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again."

"Alcoholism" and drug addiction have long ago reached epidemic proportion in the United States. Millions of Americans are enslaved by chemical dependency. Chemical dependency has no respect of persons. The rich - the poor - the educated - the illiterate - the young - the old - are all alike in the grips of addiction to alcohol and other drugs.

My message today will deal primarily with alcoholism since it is by far the worst of all chemical dependencies.

Nearly 40 years ago, January of 1959, this church bought a165 acre farm in Appomattox County, VA, near a littlecommunity called Stonewall. There was an old dilapidated farm house on the property, plus several farm buildings and a small lake. No one had lived there for years. The house was about to collapse and the grounds were grown up and virtually difficult to walk or drive through.

God had laid on my heart a burden to start a resident ministry for alcoholic men. Other drug-addictions were not a national problem at that time. The Elim Home for alcoholic and drug-addicted men was founded.

Our people renovated the farm house and cleared the grounds. The Lynchburg newspaper (Jim Murdock) ran a front page story which the AP wire picked up and we got regional coverage. The men began to come. The rest is history. Earl Thompson... George Ragland... Cleveland Brooks... Ralph Shaner... and hundreds more came. Miracle conversions occurred from the start. Bill and Ethel Greene were our first directors.

Later, in 1964, Ray and Amanda Horsley gave us property in Amherst County... much closer to the church... and the change of location occurred. Ray and Amanda then became our new directors at the present site. Their son, David, and his wife, Judy joined the Elim ministry in 1979. David's son, Clint, and his wife Paula have recently joined the leadership staff at Elim.

Why is drunkenness on the increase? Why do people drink? Is social drinking sinful? Is it more sinful for women to drink then men? Who is to blame for the general acceptance of drinking in the U.S.? Is drunkenness a disease? Is there hope for permanent and complete deliverance? The answers to these questions give us the key to understand this overwhelming problem in our land and in finding the remedy.

 

A CHANGING SOCIETY

This is an era of change. This generation has experienced an unbelievable transition. In ninety years, we have gone from the wagon to the space shuttle - from the Pony Express to the internet - from the rifle to nuclear bombs. At this moment, the acceleration of change is staggering. A man without a Saviour, in this whirling society, is bound for a future of confusion and despair. Thousands are cracking up. One out of every five Americans will move this year. The pressures and tension are too much for unredeemed men and women.

Along with all the other changes, moral standards are undergoing radical reappraisals. We are being told now, by many "experts," that excessive drinking by a majority of the public is here to stay, and we must learn to accept it and to acclimate ourselves to the problem. A Harvard professor recently said that we should begin teaching our children "how to drink." What about this?

 

IS SOCIAL DRINKING WRONG?

Someone frequently asks - "Is social drinking sinful?" Opinions are exchanged on this subject almost every minute, somewhere. What mere mortals say means absolutely nothing. The important thing is - "What does God say?"

I suggest you read our text for this message very carefully. You will see that God forbids our drinking or even looking upon strong drink. In Habakkuk 2:15 (ìWoe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!î), we are forbidden to handle or sell strong drink. In Galatians 5:19-21 (ìNow the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.î), drunkenness is categorized with murder, adultery, etc., and is called one of the works of the flesh. Dozens of other passages support these verses in telling us that drinking to any degree is a transgression of God's law and therefore sinful.

It is just as sinful to drink a thimble full of liquor as a barrel. When God says it is wrong - it is wrong. It doesn't matter what we think about it. God has spoken.

And, without any Scriptural overreaching, it is simple deduction to add any intoxicating beverage or drug, in any form, to this clear prohibition by God Almighty.

God says that lying is sin. Therefore, there is no such thing as a white lie. God says stealing is wrong. To take one penny is as wicked as stealing a thousand dollars. The same principle applies to murder - to adultery - to the use of alcohol and drugs- for the purpose of intoxication or inebriation. This has nothing to do with the use of drugs for medical purposes. It has to with the use of chemicals to escape. to hide, to find release from reality, to find false courage and strength.

 

IS ALCOHOLISM A DISEASE?

The word "alcoholism" is a relatively new term. It isn't found in the Bible. The Bible word is "drunkenness." This new word has been coined of late to make drunkenness respectable. We are being told today that drunkenness is really a medical disease. This gives those who have a drinking problem a crutch to lean on. Instead of calling drinking sin - we are trying to excuse it by saying it is a physical sickness. In the first place, if it were a physical disease, someone would certainly have learned something about how to treat it. There is no doctor or hospital claiming to have any permanent way of deliverance. As we have already seen in our text for this message, drunkenness is sin. Since it is sin, there is only one cure. That cure is "the blood of Jesus Christ." I John 1:7, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

Some organizations which are making an effort at helping the alcoholic tell us that "once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic." This is not true. II Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." This verse is self-explanatory. When a sinner, no matter what his besetting sin may be, comes to Christ seeking salvation, the Lord Jesus comes to dwell in his heart personally. At that same moment, his sins are washed away in the blood of the Lamb. This is called the "New Birth." This is the same spiritual birth spoken of in John 3, where Jesus and Nicodemus conversed. When a child is born into this world, he has no past. He is a new creature. The same is true of a newly converted Christian. He has no past. He has no record.

In the church which I pastor, there are many men who have been gloriously saved out of a life of drunkenness. Many of them are now proving to be fine servants of the Lord. I could give you scores of illustrations of men and women who have been delivered from such a life by the grace of God, and are now living a life of true dedication and concentration to the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

THE ONLY WAY OUT

A drunkard can never be saved until certain things happen in his life. First of all, he must be brought under a deep conviction by the Holy Spirit of the sinfulness of his sin. As long as he feels that what he is doing is not terribly wrong, he cannot be helped. This is where Christian friends can render a great service. Prayer is the only tool that I know about which will bring a sinner under conviction of sin. Of course the Word of God must find its way into the sinner's heart. But this Word must be bathed in the prayers of the saints. I have seen many a hardhearted sinner brought under deep conviction by some dear children of God holding him up before the throne of God in intercession. Nagging and condemning will never do the job. A wife with a drinking husband will never help him by nagging and aggravating him. I always suggest to wives who have drinking husbands to live the Christian life before him, and at the same time, pray for him daily. When God gives the opportunity, a word of love and kindness can be spoken. Anything more than this will simply make matters worse.

Not only must the drunkard be brought under conviction over the sinfulness of his sin, but he must also awaken to the fact that he is totally helpless to do anything about it. Someone frequently misquotes the Bible by saying, "God helps those who help themselves." The Bible never says this. The Bible says that God will help those who come to Him acknowledging their total helplessness. When once the drunkard abhors his sin and his iniquity, and realizes he is on a one-way road to hell, with no help coming from any direction but God, he can be delivered.

Many a drunkard has come this far, and then by obtaining poor advice, missed the mark. Some are advised to join the church, be baptized, and begin doing the best they can. This sounds good, but it simply doesn't work. The church surely plays a major part in the future life of a converted drunkard, but the church has no magic powers of its own. The only proper advice to be given to a drunkard who has come under conviction of his sin and hopelessness, is that he should fall upon his face before God and give himself wholeheartedly to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Himself is the only one possessing the power to deliver a drunkard. For that matter, He is the only one possessing the power to save any sinner. Men like Billy Sunday, Mel Trotter and thousands of others, would give testimony to the fact that the Lord is the only answer.

 

AFTER CONVERSION - WHAT

After the alcoholic has confessed to God that he is a sinner, and has received the Lord Jesus Christ as his only Saviour, then begins the long process of growing in grace. Just as we do not leave a new born babe to make it for himself, we do not leave a newly converted sinner to himself. Immediately, other Christians should begin offering spiritual help and fellowship. The new convert needs to get into a good Bible preaching church right away. He should submit himself for scriptural baptism, thus giving forth a clear testimony to the world that he has trusted the Lord and is beginning a new life. This helps him to burn the bridge behind him. Spiritual habits need to be developed at once. Daily Bible reading and prayer should begin the first day. He needs very much to be in every service of the House of God. Every time the church doors are open, he should go through them. All Christians need this fellowship, of course - but particularly the converted alcoholic.

Some bad habits also need to be put away in the strength of the Lord immediately. The Bible clearly teaches that a child of God is to come apart from the world and be a separate person. This does not mean that we are to become obnoxious and impolite to those who know not Christ. But it does mean that we can no longer fellowship with the works of darkness. The converted alcoholic must definitely stay away from the old drinking associates and friends. He must determine not to spend his time in places where alcoholic beverages are sold or used. II Corinthians 6:17-18. It is important to put away everything that does not glorify the Lord. Lester Roloff said, "an alcoholic is in reality a flesh-a-holic." This means he is a servant of the flesh. That is why it is most important for him to break all habits which indulge the flesh. The use of tobacco is another indulgence which simply keeps the flesh in control of the life, instead of the indwelling Spirit. The Bible teaches us that we can only serve one Master. The converted alcoholic, like every Christian, needs to break all ties with the flesh. He needs to come completely under subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

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It all begins with a clear understanding of the Bible plan of salvation. If you are unsure where you will spend eternity, please listen to what God has said in His Word.

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FIRST...GOD LOVES YOU!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

 

SECOND...MAN IS A SINNER AND SIN HAS SEPARATED HIM FROM GOD!

"For there is not a man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not" (Ecclesiastes 7:20). "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

 

THIRD...JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY REMEDY FOR SIN!

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" (I Peter 3:18a). "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

 

FOURTH...YOU MUST RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR PERSONAL LORD AND SAVIOUR.

Jesus calls this experience the "new birth." He told Nicodemus: "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God"(John 3:3b).

I invite you now to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. Upon doing so you will become a son (daughter) of God forever. "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John 1:12).

 

Pray this prayer and mean it with all your heart:

Dear Lord, I realize that I am a sinner and cannot save myself. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ to die for me on the cross of Calvary. Please forgive me of my sins. I now place my trust in Christ as the Saviour and Lord of my life. Thank you for forgiving me my sins and for giving me everlasting life. Please help me to be the kind of Christian you want me to be. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

If you prayed this prayer in all sincerity, you are now a child of God. Please contact us so that we can send you a free copy of my book, "How to Get Started Right." This book will help you grow in grace and knowledge of Christ.

 

Thomas Road Baptist Church

Lynchburg, Virginia 24514