(OPINION) In the Gospel of Luke chapter twenty-one, Jesus is warning us of all of the signs that would proceed his return at the end of the age. In this passage, he covers everything from wars, famines, earthquakes, and even great and fearful sights from Heaven. He then shifts his focus to us as believers and gives a stark warning that we need to closely examine. Let’s look at what he said:

“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch, therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” – Luke 21:34-36

In this passage above the lord is warning believers to be on guard for three major strongholds that could entangle and cause our hearts to be “weighed down” at the time of the end prior to his return. This phrase literally means to be overloaded and burdened or even oppressed.  Let’s closely examine these three strongholds and why we need to be on close guard for these before it’s too late!

The first stronghold mentioned is carousing, The King James translation uses a word called “surfeiting”. This is an interesting word that means “To feed or supply to excess, Overindulgence in something such as eating and drinking. the giddiness and headache caused by drinking wine to excess”.

Let’s stop and think for a moment about how society today is overindulging itself with social media and entertainment. According to recent data, the average person spends 3 hours and 15 minutes on their phone each day. And 1 in 5 smartphone users spends upwards of 4.5 hours on average on their phones every day. What’s even more shocking is the fact that the average screen time for teens is around 7.5 hours every day.

The ramifications to our health from this are breathtaking and include the likes of depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD and alcohol use disorder. Excessive smartphone use is associated with difficulties in cognitive-emotion regulation, impulsivity, impaired cognitive function, addiction to social networking, shyness, and low self-esteem.

Medical problems include sleep problems, reduced physical fitness, unhealthy eating habits, pain and migraines, reduced cognitive control, and changes in the brain’s gray matter volume.

Another thing to think about is, look how Church has changed since the introduction of smartphones and social media. When you attend most services today, you will notice many people in the congregation looking down at their phones surfing the web, looking at social media and etc, and not really paying attention to the Word being presented.

So, this stronghold is not just gripping the unsaved but it has a grasp on believers in this hour as well. In fact, it has brought out the good, the bad, and the ugly regarding “Christians” on the web. If you look at the comment sections on most posts on social media you will see some of the most ugly and condescending remarks made by self-professed Christians hiding behind keyboards and smartphones.

I’m reminded of what Jesus said in the Gospel of John chapter four verse thirty-five where he said “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! It’s time as believers we lift up our eyes from our phones and pay attention to the harvest field before us! Don’t allow this stronghold to weigh you down as we await the Lord’s return!

The next stronghold Jesus warns believers to be aware of and not be entangled with is “drunkenness”. The meaning of this word is being “intoxicated” with alcohol or substances that impair the senses.

Honestly, it’s very sad that Christ has to warn believers of this stronghold as we should be sanctified and set apart from this stuff to begin with but the Lord knew the days would come in the time of the end when more and more professed Christians would be entangled with this stuff.

In fact, a huge percentage of professed Christians today see nothing wrong with drinking alcohol. Drinking is nearly as prevalent among practicing Christians today as it is within the general U.S. population, a new report from Barna Group reveals. Some 67 percent of American adults ages 21 and over — including 60 percent of practicing Christians — consume alcohol at least occasionally, Barna found.

Researchers defined practicing Christians as self-identifying Christians who attend church at least once a month and say their faith is very important in their lives. Though evangelical Christians are less inclined to imbibe, nearly half of U.S. evangelicals over age 21 (46 percent) nevertheless confess to drinking.

The late, David Wilkerson once said, “This nation is fast becoming a sodden society of too many intoxicated citizens. Alcohol is now the modern golden calf, and millions of people, young and old, male, and female, have been seduced by it. The teetotaler, the prohibitionists, and all the others who have for years fought against this flood of booze have been laughed out of existence.

We laugh to scorn those old-fashioned little ladies who went around smashing barrels of whiskey and shutting down bars and honky-tonks, and taking pledges of abstinence. To me, the real tragedy is that so many who call themselves “Christian” are now drinking. I call them “sipping saints,” because that is how it all begins – one sip at a time.

These shocking figures keep mounting higher each month. The permissive attitude toward social drinking is fast creeping even into the most conservative, evangelical church circles.

I have spoken at Charismatic conventions where thousands of “Spirit-filled” saints of God lifted hands in praise and adoration to God – and after being dismissed, numbers of them walk out into the parking lot, open their car trunks and pull out a couple of six-packs and pass them around to fellow worshipers. Others order mixed drinks with their restaurant meals, in between the praise sessions. They return to speak with “pickled tongues.”

This can be seen with the rise of Churches in bars or pubs over the recent years. In an article for The Wisdom Daily, Irwin Kula, says, “People have gathered for ‘Beer and Hymns’ in Portland, ‘Church-in-a-Pub’ in Fort Worth, ‘What Would Jesus Brew’ in Michigan, and the ‘Bar Church’ in D.C…

Kula urges his readers to note the welcome message from one group in Boston, which reads: “Welcome to the Pub Church! We are a church in a pub, and the Spirit is with us.

In this place, feel free to move about, help yourself to food and drink, and express yourself openly! We come together with a variety of thoughts, stories, talents, hopes, and hurts; all we bring is welcome. We pray that in coming together with all our differences and with the Spirit, we participate in a new divine reality. This is sacred space.”

According to the Christian Post, Supporters of this venue for worship argue it is an unconventional way of doing church, but it’s also in response to the decline of institutional religion in favor of a new kind of church experience.

It draws people who would never attend a traditional church and it’s less judgmental, they say. It’s devoid of religiosity and focuses on relationships. A bar is a place, they believe, that one would likely find Jesus if he were here today.

Folks, this is dangerous territory that we have embarked upon as believers! The Bible clearly warns that drunkards shall not enter the Kingdom of God! “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?

Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. – 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

If we as believers are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, why on earth do you need to be filled with an intoxicating substance?
The Apostle Paul said “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,”

Oh saints, please do not allow this stronghold to take you down! It won’t only take you down but it will come for your sons and daughters as well!  John Wesley once said, “What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace”.

Our sons and daughters have a mighty prophetic promise over them from Joel Chapter 2 that God is pouring out his spirit upon all flesh including sons and daughters, and we as believers have to help guard them from strongholds like alcohol.

Another major intoxicating substance that is putting many believers in captivity is marijuana. Again, you would be shocked at the number of professed Christians who will justify smoking weed and see nothing wrong with it and even tell you that it is a gift from God for us to enjoy.

A national poll released by the Public Religion Research Institute shows that 50 percent of young Christians support legalizing marijuana and that an overwhelming majority of Americans don’t think it’s a sin to get high. Once again, who is influencing believers in this hour? Did you know that the Book of Revelation, warns of the practice of “Sorceries” in the time of the end and that men would not repent of this evil deed?

This Greek word for the word “sorceries” is not what many think when reading it from the English translation but actually is derived from a word called “pharmakeia” where we get the modern English word for drugs; and is associated with pharmacy and pharmacist. This is giving us a picture that during the tribulation humanity will be bound by various forms of drug abuse and will refuse to repent of its practice.

The last stronghold is likely one that we all have to really be on guard against and that is “The cares of this life”. When we read the Gospel of Luke it gives us a pretty clear understanding of what Christ is speaking of here.

Jesus speaks of a sower sowing seed and some seed failing among thorns that ultimately choke the word out and prevent fruit to grow. “Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.” Luke 8:14

Jesus gives another example of this in a parable of the “Great Supper” where everyone was invited but everyone began to make excuses for why they couldn’t attend. “Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’

But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ – Luke 14:16-19

These three major strongholds have a grip on many believers in this hour and it’s time to acknowledge this and take action! Look what the writer of Hebrews says! “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”. – Hebrews 12:1-3

If we don’t allow the power of the Holy Spirit to break off these strongholds they will become snares and we could literally be in danger of being left behind at the coming of the Lord that Christ warned would “come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth” but to us, he commanded to “Watch, therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”