Isaiah 5:11-12 – Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!  And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands.

Proverbs 23:21 – For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

The drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty.  If drunkeness is a disease, it is one of the few you can buy and then infect yourself with.  The Bible makes it pretty clear that it is not a disease but rather a sin of the flesh.  I am not saying that addictions do not exist with alcohol.  However, there are addictions that develop over time with any sin of the flesh.  Eating is another example.  You start to love rich, sweet, fattening food, and sooner or later it will become addicting.  You will not be able to stop, will get fat and likely have poor health.

The reason the world wants to constantly relabel sin as a disease, or part of our genetic make up, is because then it is something outside the control of the individual.  There is no longer a conscience decision made to commit a sin with the free will.  Instead, the sin is relabeled as a disease so that you and I are no longer responsible for our sin.  God makes it clear this is a sin of the flesh in Galatians 5.

The sin of drunkeness, or any addiction, destroys lives.  It can destroy your income and fortune.  How many times have you heard of young children going hungry because of a drunk father spending his paycheck on liquor.  Or maybe they lose their job or drivers license and are no longer able to support their families.  Drunkeness causes poverty and destroys families.

I think the worst part of the drunkards life is that they regard not the work of the Lord and they do not consider the operation of his hand.  When someone does not regard God’s work, they are putting no value or importance to salvation, the Bible, church, prayer or anything else to do with God.  They also do not see his providence and guidance in their lives.  They can’t because they are consumed with alcohol.  It has become a god unto them.  It is controlling them rather than the Holy Ghost.  If a drunkard is saved, then they have two masters, the alcohol and the Holy Ghost.  The Bible even refers to the Holy Ghost’s controlling influence being similar to someone being controlled by wine.  It cannot be both at the same time.  One will have the dominance.

None of us should be under the control or influence of anything but God’s Spirit, but especially alcohol.  Is there any controlling influence in your life besides the Lord?  You need to get rid of it and let God’s Spirit control you.