Jesus Made Wine—So How Did Alcohol Become the Devil’s Playground?

If Jesus turned water into wine, why is alcohol destroying so many lives today? How could His first miracle involve something that fuels addiction, tears apart families, and is literally called “spirits”? Some argue this act proves drinking is biblically acceptable. Others believe it opens the door to spiritual danger. But maybe we’ve been asking the wrong question all along. Maybe it’s not about what was in the cup—but what it was meant to reveal.

The message was not “Drink up,” it was 
“Behold, the glory of God has come.”

Let’s dig into it—because the truth behind that wine goes far deeper than what’s fermented.

In John 2, Jesus performs His first miracle at a wedding in Cana, turning water into wine. Not juice. Real wine. This is confirmed by the steward’s comment:

“Everyone sets out the fine wine first, then, after people are drunk, the inferior. But you have kept the fine wine until now.” (John 2:10)

Clearly, the wine had the potential to intoxicate. So the miracle wasn’t symbolic juice—it was legitimate, fermented wine. But here’s the key: The miracle wasn’t about promoting alcohol—it was about revealing the glory of Jesus.

Wine Then Isn’t the Same as Alcohol Today

Biblical wine was real, but not as potent as today’s heavily fermented or distilled spirits. Ancient wine often had lower alcohol content and was regularly diluted with water. It was also used medicinally (1 Timothy 5:23) or ceremonially—not as a casual intoxicant.

What we have today—vodka, tequila, strong liquor—goes far beyond anything common in biblical culture. The intention behind it has changed too. Now it's often about escape, excess, and indulgence—not celebration in God’s presence.

So Why Would Jesus Use Wine If It Causes So Much Harm Today?

Because the issue isn’t the substance—it’s the spirit behind it. Throughout Scripture, wine is used symbolically for both blessing and judgment.

• “Wine gladdens the heart of man…” (Psalm 104:15)

• Yet drunkenness is condemned (Ephesians 5:18, Proverbs 20:1).

It’s the abuse of the gift that brings destruction. Just like sex, money, or food—God created them for good. Sin perverts them for harm.

 Wine as Symbol vs. Wine as Snare

God often uses wine symbolically in Scripture:

• A cup of blessing (Psalm 116:13)

• A cup of wrath (Isaiah 51:17)

• A cup of fellowship (Luke 22:20)

The same symbol—depending on who holds it—can either bless or destroy.

Today, Satan has twisted that symbolism. What was once used to celebrate covenant has become a weapon against it, tearing apart marriages, dulling minds, numbing pain that was meant to drive us to Christ, and tempting leaders into disgrace.

And let’s not forget Noah and Lot—both men of God, both brought low by wine. It didn’t start as sin. But it ended in nakedness, shame, and generational consequence (Genesis 9:21, Genesis 19:33–36).

Noah (Genesis 9:21)

After the flood, Noah planted a vineyard, drank the wine, and became drunk. In his intoxicated state, he lay uncovered in his tent. His son Ham saw his nakedness and dishonored him by telling his brothers instead of covering him. This led to Noah cursing Ham’s son Canaan, marking a generational consequence tied to that moment of shame.

Lot (Genesis 19:33–36)

After fleeing Sodom, Lot lived in a cave with his two daughters. Believing they had no future descendants, his daughters got him drunk with wine on two consecutive nights and slept with him, each bearing a child by their own father. This resulted in the birth of Moab and Ben-Ammi, ancestors of the Moabites and Ammonites—nations often in opposition to God’s people.

In both cases, the story didn’t start with sin—but alcohol lowered their defenses, and what followed was deeply dishonorable, 
tragic, and far-reaching.

But Why Is It Called “Spirits”? Is There a Demonic Element?

The word “spirits” for alcohol isn’t just a coincidence. In some cultures, distillation was literally viewed as capturing the spirit of the liquid. And spiritually speaking, alcohol lowers inhibition and opens doors—and yes, demons love doors.

Proverbs 31:4 warns kings (leaders) not to drink wine or strong drink lest they pervert judgment. Ephesians 5:18 makes a sharp contrast:

“Do not be drunk with wine…but be filled with the Spirit.”

Why the comparison? Because something is going to fill you. And alcohol is a counterfeit spirit.

The Danger of “Spirits”

When alcohol is referred to as “spirits,” you’re not just hearing an old-world term—you’re hearing a truth the world doesn’t want to unpack.

Alcohol is a mind-altering substance. It suppresses your spiritual awareness, makes you more emotionally volatile, and gives you the illusion of control when in reality, you're letting go of it. That’s why Scripture contrasts wine with the Holy Spirit—because they produce opposite fruits.

Wine numbs. 
The Holy Spirit awakens. 
Wine confuses.
The Spirit teaches.
Wine leads to debauchery.
The Spirit leads to holiness.

That’s not accidental. That’s war.

So How Do We Make Sense of Christians Drinking Today?

This is where Paul gives a powerful guideline in Romans 14:21:

“It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles…”

Just because something is permissible doesn’t make it beneficial (1 Corinthians 10:23). For many, wine becomes a stumbling block—an open door to addiction, broken homes, or spiritual confusion. So while drinking a glass of wine might not be a sin, encouraging or normalizing it without discernment might be unwise.

Liberty vs. Love: The Greater Law

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 8 and Romans 14 that love always trumps liberty. If what you allow causes another to stumble, you’re not walking in love. You’re exercising freedom at the cost of someone else's faith.

• Your freedom to drink may become your child’s bondage.

• Your casual sip might be someone else’s slippery slope.

• Your justified liberty might embolden someone weak to fall hard.

What you call harmless, Heaven may call harmful—
if it harms another’s walk.

The enemy is strategic, not random. Have you ever noticed that in nearly every culture where alcohol is celebrated, spiritual sensitivity seems to vanish? Where alcohol flows freely, domestic violence follows closely behind. Where clubs and bars thrive, prayer meetings tend to disappear. And where intoxication becomes normal, clarity, discernment, and conviction grow dangerously dim.

Satan doesn’t need to invent something new to derail a soul—he’ll gladly use what’s already “legal,” socially accepted, or even biblically referenced if it means dulling your awareness, eroding your influence, and slowly dismantling your calling.

He’ll serve destruction in a wine glass if he can’t get you to sin any other way.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t just a cautionary tale—it was my story. And it’s the story of many others.

It started with just two glasses of wine. I didn’t realize I should stop. I felt the shift almost instantly—an artificial sense of freedom, a heightened mood, like something had been unlocked. But what I thought was “me” feeling free was actually something else guiding me. That’s the deception of alcohol—it doesn’t just change your mood; it alters your authority.

From wine, I moved to tequila. I tried to soften the blow with water bottles, thinking I could balance the damage. But it was too late. Alcohol doesn’t politely ask to leave your system—it lingers, festers, and opens doors. It gets worse before it gets better. Because by the time you realize you’ve stepped into the snare, the snare’s already tightening.

What began as two glasses of wine and a shot ended with me bobbing alone in the middle of a dark lake at midnight—drifting in a life jacket while the boat sped ahead, completely unaware that I had fallen off. They were laughing, intoxicated, caught up in the moment. It wasn’t until much later they realized I was gone. I could hear them yelling. My husband calling my name over and over—but I didn’t answer. I knew in that moment their minds had gone to the worst.

Emergency boats came out, scanning the water with lights and thermal sensors. Thank God for the over-sized life jacket. Even with alcohol in my system, I somehow had enough awareness to swim toward the shore. I wasn’t even phased by the thought of snakes or alligators in the water—alcohol will do that too: numb you to danger.

When I finally made it to shore, police and rescue teams were everywhere—swarming the yards like ants, searching for someone they feared was already gone. The moment they pulled me out, the helicopter that was on its way was canceled. I was found. Alive.

But right before I reached land, I heard God speak so clearly in my spirit:

“I’ll save you this time. But if you do this again, you’re on your own.”

That hit different.

Because I knew God had been dealing with me about alcohol for two years. I knew He’d been prompting me to lay it down. But when you surround yourself with drinkers, it’s easy to blend in. And my resolve—truthfully—wasn’t strong enough to stand alone.

That was nearly four years ago. I haven’t touched a drink since. That night, the only thing louder than the voices yelling my name… was the voice of God saying, “Enough.”

So What's the Righteous Approach?

It’s not legalism. It’s leadership. It’s not “don’t drink or else.” It’s “you were made for more.”

Paul didn’t say don’t drink—he said don’t be enslaved (1 Corinthians 6:12). Jesus didn’t say you can’t have wine—but He did say cut off anything that causes you or another to stumble (Mark 9:43-47).

Jesus Turned Water into Wine—But He Also Spoke of a Cup He Wouldn’t Drink Again

In Matthew 26:29, Jesus said:

“I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

He abstained after that point—because His focus shifted fully to the mission, to the glory to come, and to the purity of what was ahead.

Maybe that’s the model. Not Can I? but Should I?

Not Is it allowed?  but Is it aligned?

And for those wondering how far to go with alcohol, maybe the most powerful answer is:

“Until the Kingdom comes, I’ll drink something better—His Spirit.” Thats me.

So the real question for the believer isn’t “Can I drink?” 
It’s “Does this glorify God and build others up?” 

And if the answer is no—then you already have your answer.

And here’s the truth no one wants to say out loud: drunkenness shuts the door to the Kingdom of God. Scripture doesn’t mince words.

“Do not be deceived… drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9–10).

That’s not harsh—it’s holy. God warns us not to be lulled into false freedom while the enemy is planning our fall.

“Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.” (1 Peter 5:8).

And Jesus Himself said the thief comes “at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44).

There’s one more thing I need to say—because it never left me. Every time I saw a Christian sitting at a bar, four drinks in, something in me recoiled. And this was before I quit drinking myself. Even as I sat with a glass of wine in hand, watching them, I couldn’t take them seriously. They were loud, sloppy, and unaware of how they sounded—no filter, no discernment, no sense of how far they’d drifted from the holiness they claimed to carry.

I didn’t see strength in them. I saw compromise. And maybe that moment wasn’t just my heart reacting—it was God’s heart revealing.

A drunk Christian is a contradiction the 
world instinctively mistrusts. And so did I.

Purity is golden. Holiness speaks without a word. And your vessel—whether you realize it or not—testifies on your behalf or against you to anyone watching with spiritual discernment. That moment made me uncomfortable, not because I was better, but because I saw what I was becoming. God used their stumbling to hold up a mirror. And what I saw wasn’t judgment—it was a warning: Don’t let what’s in your cup rob what’s in your calling.

If the enemy can catch you with your guard down, clouded by a counterfeit comfort, he will. The danger isn’t worth the drink. The moment isn’t worth the eternal cost. What the world calls “taking the edge off” might be the very thing cutting you off from your calling. Stay sober. Stay ready. Stay free.

Amanda Allen, the author of Kingdom Revelations, holds the copyright to her work, art, graphics, and videos. Copyright © Amanda Allen, Kingdom Revelations, 2025. All rights reserved. This article may be most definitely be shared with acknowledgment of the author and the original source of the Bible, the Word of God, created by Amanda's Bible Studies. Enjoy!