Today’s devotion is from Ephesians 5:18-20 (TPT)
Don’t get drunk with wine, which is rebellion; instead be filled with the fullness of the Holy Spirit. And your hearts will overflow with a joyful song to the Lord Jehovah. Keep speaking to each other with words of Scripture, singing the Psalms with praises and spontaneous songs given by the Spirit! Always give thanks to Father God for every person He brings into your life in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is a word wide addiction epidemic! Addiction to opioids is spreading like wildfire… opioids include heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, morphine, and many others. From 1999 to 2016, more than 200,000 people died in the United States from overdoses related to prescription opioids. Overdose deaths involving prescription opioids were five times higher in 2016 than in 1999. Drug overdoses killed about 72,000 Americans last year, a record number that reflects a rise of around 10 percent, according to new preliminary
estimates from the Centers for Disease Control. During 2017, the US president declared the opioid crisis a national public health emergency. Globally, there is an estimated minimum of 190,900 premature deaths caused by drugs annually. This only includes deaths recorded and then reported as such, so the actual number far exceeds this.
Numbers of drug overdoses leading to death are sadly also very high amongst clergy, ministers and believers. Primary causes for drug uses are stress, emptiness, depression, emotional pain and hopelessness. Drug use for actual needed medical reasons hardly factors when it comes to addiction, drug overdoses and drug related deaths. People, including believers are stressed out, depressed, despondent and empty and not coping. Drugs offer temporary relief but only compound the problem long-term.
The answer is found in the New Covenant… Don’t get drunk with wine; INSTEAD be filled with the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Alcohol, drugs and every mind-altering substance is the devil’s counterfeit to being full of the Holy Spirit. Believers who drink the living water of the Holy Spirit simply do not thirst for anything else! Drinking the new wine of the Holy Ghost takes away all emptiness, inner pain, hopelessness, stress, depression and despondency. Being full of the Holy Ghost infuses life, liberty, happiness, euphoric joy, peace, fulfillment and completeness into your life. Then your hearts will overflow with a joyful song, singing the Psalms with praises and spontaneous songs given by the Spirit!
One of the greatest scriptural ways to get filled to overflowing with the Holy Ghost is to speak and sing in tongues. The bible says that doing so will edify you and build you up in your inner man. Declaring words of life in our heavenly language releases a flow of Holy Ghost power into our inner beings. This Holy Ghost power is far more powerful than any drug.
Believers that are not filled with the Holy Spirit and do not speak in tongues are not walking in the fullness of the New Covenant and endure needless pain and emptiness. Many turn to drugs and fall into the addiction trap of the enemy.
Jesus has provided the answer to this worldwide epidemic that we are facing. It is the ONLY answer! Family, we need to get the good news out there! Use social media, knock on doors, use your phone, use any and all things that you have access to and help me preach this powerful, liberating gospel to every creature, in Jesus Name!