The Bible speaks to many aspects of life, including how we care for our bodies and minds. While modern terms like “getting high” might not be found in Scripture, the principles of living soberly, avoiding temptation, and keeping our focus on God are. These Bible verses help us understand God’s view on avoiding intoxication and maintaining a clear mind.
Also Read: Bible Verses About Drinking in Moderation
Be Sober-Minded
The Bible encourages believers to be sober-minded and vigilant. Intoxication clouds judgment and keeps us from fully serving the Lord. By staying alert and self-controlled, we can avoid falling into temptation and maintain our focus on spiritual matters.
1 Peter 5:8
“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”
1 Thessalonians 5:6
“So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.”
1 Peter 1:13
“So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.”
Titus 2:12
“And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God.”
Romans 13:13
“Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy.”
Honor God with Your Body
Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and God calls us to honor Him by taking care of our physical and spiritual well-being. Engaging in behavior that harms the body, like drug use or overindulgence, goes against this principle of stewardship.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”
Romans 12:1
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.”
1 Corinthians 3:16
“Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?”
Proverbs 20:1
“Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.”
Ephesians 5:18
“Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Guard Your Mind
Maintaining a clear mind is a crucial aspect of the Christian life. By guarding our thoughts and being mindful of what we allow into our minds, we are better equipped to follow God’s will and resist the temptations that can lead to poor decisions.
Philippians 4:8
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
2 Timothy 1:7
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
Colossians 3:2
“Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”
Romans 8:6
“So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.”
Isaiah 26:3
“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”
Flee from Sinful Desires
The Bible warns us to flee from sinful desires, which often come with temptations like intoxication or addictive behaviors. By actively turning away from these things, we are able to pursue righteousness and live a life that honors God.
1 Timothy 6:11
“But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.”
2 Timothy 2:22
“Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.”
Galatians 5:19-21
“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:13
“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”
James 4:7
“So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Seek God’s Peace
Many people turn to substances as a way to find peace or escape stress, but the Bible teaches us to seek peace through God, who provides comfort and rest for our souls. His peace surpasses all understanding and sustains us in difficult times.
John 14:27
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
Philippians 4:7
“Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Isaiah 26:12
“Lord, you will grant us peace; all we have accomplished is really from you.”
Psalm 4:8
“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.”
Romans 15:13
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Avoiding Drunkenness
Drunkenness is often associated with a loss of control and poor decision-making. The Bible consistently warns against this behavior, urging believers to live in a way that honors God, showing self-control and responsibility in all areas of life.
Proverbs 23:29-30
“Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns, trying out new drinks.”
Luke 21:34
“Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware.”
1 Corinthians 6:10
“Thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusers, and swindlers—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.”
Galatians 5:21
“Envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”
Isaiah 5:22
“What sorrow for those who are heroes at drinking wine and boast about all the alcohol they can hold.”
Walking in the Spirit
To walk in the Spirit means to live a life that is guided by God’s Spirit rather than by the desires of the flesh. The Bible teaches us that when we walk by the Spirit, we produce fruit such as self-control, peace, and patience, which help us resist temptations like substance abuse.
Galatians 5:16
“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”
Galatians 5:22-23
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”
Romans 8:5
“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.”
Romans 8:14
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”
2 Corinthians 3:17
“For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
Seeking God’s Strength in Temptation
God promises to provide strength and support when we face temptation, including temptations that could lead to substance abuse. These verses remind us that we can turn to Him for help, trusting in His strength to overcome our weaknesses.
1 Corinthians 10:13
“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”
James 1:12
“God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
Psalm 50:15
“Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.”
Hebrews 4:15-16
“This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”
Psalm 46:1
“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”
Also Read: Bible Verses About Passion
What Does the Bible Say About Getting High
The Bible, in its wisdom, offers guidance for many areas of life, and one area where people often seek understanding is whether it is right or wrong to get high. Getting high, in today’s world, usually refers to using substances like drugs or excessive alcohol to alter the way one thinks or feels, and many people look to the Bible for direction when it comes to such things because they want to know if it is acceptable in the eyes of God or if it goes against His teachings.
When we think about getting high, we should remember that the Bible teaches us to be clear-minded and self-controlled, which is hard to do if someone is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and this is one reason why many people believe that getting high is not in line with what the Bible teaches.
In several passages, the Bible warns against drunkenness and excess because it leads to reckless behavior, loss of self-control, and actions that can cause harm to ourselves and others, and in the same way, getting high can make people lose control of their actions, making decisions they would not normally make, and doing things that can hurt their relationships with God, others, and even themselves.
In Ephesians 5:18, the Bible says, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,” and while this verse talks specifically about alcohol, the principle applies to any substance that alters the mind and takes control away from a person.
The Bible encourages us to fill our lives with things that bring us closer to God and not things that pull us away from Him. Instead of getting high and seeking temporary pleasure or escape from reality, the Bible teaches us to rely on God’s peace and comfort, and to turn to Him in times of need, knowing that He provides everything we need for our well-being, both spiritually and physically.
Another point to consider is that our bodies are referred to as temples of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, which says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price.
Therefore honor God with your bodies.” This passage suggests that we should treat our bodies with respect and not engage in activities, such as getting high, that can harm our health or impair our ability to live in a way that honors God.
Ultimately, the Bible calls us to live lives that are full of self-control, clear thinking, and dedication to God, and getting high can interfere with all of these. So, while the Bible may not explicitly mention getting high, the principles it teaches about sobriety, self-control, and honoring God with our bodies suggest that it is not a path that leads to a life of faith and righteousness. Instead of seeking an escape through substances, the Bible encourages us to seek peace, joy, and fulfillment in God.