Do Not Be Drunk, Period!

# 11 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 1:12 And it happened, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli watched her mouth. 13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 14 So Eli said to her, "How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!" Hannah, in great anguish is mouthing the words of her prayer in full view of Eli the priest. She is such a mess that Eli mistakes her condition for that of a sobbing drunk. (In v 10 we are told that she “wept in anguish.”) Have you ever been in the presence of a sobbing drunk? Have you ever BEEN a sobbing drunk? It's not a very pretty picture. I've been in both places and I thank God every day for His deliverance. You don't have to live like that! You don't have to be a slave to alcohol! Jesus is able to deliver you from your affliction. Eli rightly says, Put your wine away! The Bible forbids drunkenness, and remember that God never makes demands of us that He will not give us the power to carry out. Eph 5:18 says, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,” God is more than willing to replace any high you may get from substance abuse with the “high” of being filled with the Spirit. Ask Him! The next time you decide to go out and party, God's Word does not say “do not be drunk with wine unless it's a special occasion,” He says, “Do not be drunk, period! It is sinful excess! Father, I pray that you will give those struggling with substance abuse, a taste of Your Holy Spirit, help them to overcome and set them free.