The Gateway Nobody Wants to Talk About

And because our culture has normalized these gates, our children walk through them without fear, hesitation, or conviction.

The enemy knows the power of normalization. He knows that if he can desensitize a generation, he can disarm them spiritually. God warns us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). But our kids are being discipled by TikTok, YouTube, celebrities, classmates, and social acceptance long before the Church gets a chance to speak. The devil doesn’t change his weapons; he changes how people perceive them. If he can make sin look safe, he has the battle won.

Marijuana is one of the most camouflaged doors. Today’s THC levels are dramatically stronger than decades ago, affecting memory, motivation, mood, and the developing teenage brain. Yet culture calls it “natural,” “relaxing,” and “no big deal.” Proverbs 14:12 warns, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Kids don’t see the ending; they only see the acceptance. Marijuana becomes the first door at the party, the first compromise, the first numbing agent — and the enemy smiles because he knows where it leads.

Alcohol remains the most socially endorsed intoxicant on the planet. It’s in commercials, music videos, sports events, family gatherings, and even some church potlucks. Kids grow up thinking alcohol equals adulthood, celebration, belonging, and “just having fun.” But the Word of God cuts through the fog with clarity: “Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1). No one takes the first drink expecting addiction. But addiction doesn’t need expectation — only permission. The first drink opens the door to broken boundaries, lowered judgment, and internal agreements that become spiritual footholds.

Tobacco and vaping might seem less threatening, but they’re often the first “taste” of dependence. Vapes, especially, are designed to attract kids — candy flavors, neon colors, sleek designs, marketed as safer than smoking. But what they’re really doing is teaching the brain to crave, to self-soothe, to chase a feeling. Jesus said, “Whoever sins is a slave to sin” (John 8:34). Vaping is often the first chain, the first invisible shackle — quiet, subtle, disguised as harmless. But spiritually, it’s apprenticeship to addiction.

The enemy’s strategy is slow, patient destruction. He doesn’t need a child hooked instantly; he only needs the door cracked open. He knows that once a young mind begins using substances to cope, escape, relax, or fit in, the spiritual foundation weakens. The brain is still developing until age 25. When drugs or alcohol enter early, they don’t just change moods — they rewire identity, confidence, and spiritual sensitivity. That’s why the Bible tells us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23). The enemy goes after the heart by going through the mind.

Most hardcore addicts didn’t jump from childhood innocence to fentanyl. They walked a path — a predictable path — through one of the gateways. And because culture has normalized these gateways, the devil doesn’t need to hide anymore. The trap looks friendly. The bait looks harmless. The doorway looks popular. Jesus already told us the truth:  “The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10).

What begins as “just trying it” becomes the first brick in a road that leads downward. The enemy disguises the first step so that no one sees the last step. He shows the laugh at the party but hides the tear in the jail cell. He shows the vape cloud but hides the bondage. He shows the buzz but hides the brokenness. This is why Paul warns us, “Do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:27). A foothold always starts small — a moment, a compromise, a curiosity — until it becomes a stronghold.

But here is the hope: the same Jesus who exposes the path of destruction also provides the path of freedom. “I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). He doesn’t just save from overdose — He saves from the first compromise. He doesn’t just break chains — He keeps us from ever putting them on. He rescues with truth, guards with wisdom, and protects with His Spirit.

This is why parents, churches, mentors, and communities must speak up early. We cannot wait until the overdose to address the gateway. We cannot wait until the slavery to warn about the first step into it. Love warns early. Love protects quickly. Love tells the truth — even when the world calls it overreacting.