Recovering from Addiction – A Work in Progress
By Pastor Jim May
One of the greatest weapons that Satan is using against mankind today is the power of addiction. He knows how we were made and what drives us, and he has been busy since the Creation of mankind, perfecting ways to control and dominate the hearts and souls of men. Addiction is a powerful force that takes hold first of the mind, then the body and ultimately the very soul of those who get caught up in it.
Addiction can come in many forms. Most of us when we think of addiction, we think of the cocaine, or heroine addict, or perhaps the alcoholic who staggers out of the bar, gets into a car and then kills some innocent victim on his way home. But addiction goes much farther than that.
According to New Scientist.com, a study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcoholism claims that drug abuse and alcoholism increased dramatically between 1991 and 2001.
The use of Marijuana, the mind altering and mood altering drug that many want legalized like tobacco, increased by over 18% during that decade. The rate of increase was much higher when separated into ethnic groups. The increase in marijuana use was 40% for Blacks and 54% for Hispanic people.
According to another source, LifeSite.net, “Pornography was compared to crack cocaine …when a US Senate hearing discussing the dangers of the addiction called on members to endorse a public health campaign warning of the dangers.”
According to an article in the New York Times, May 20, 2001, "There were 11,000 porn video titles last year [2000] verses 400 movie releases from Hollywood last year...[and] 70,000 pornographic web sites."
In case you haven’t noticed, the Internet has become the fastest and easiest medium to spread pornography, and now it is reaching down and taking hold of even of our youngest children because of sexual predators that lure them over the computer screen. Almost every day we hear of ministers, teachers, parents, doctors and people of all ages and every walk of life, whose lives have been ruined as a result of addiction to pornography.
But Alcohol, drugs and pornography are only the beginning. There are a lot more that we don’t hear as much about. Not much is said about nicotine anymore because it became an economic issue when cancer from smoking began to cost society so much. We are concerned about the social issues, worried about the moral issues, and cry about the destruction of families due to addiction, but when it starts hitting the wallet, well, that’s when we really get serious because we don’t want anything taking that “god” away from us.
There are a lot of groups operating right now who are trying their best to help people with the problems of addiction. I have heard of, and read about, many of the treatment centers in America, especially the drug rehab centers that are operated medically, where medication is used to help addicts overcome the effects of illegal drugs. The limited experience that I have had with these programs is that they help the addict overcome one drug but then he is still dependent upon another drug to stay free from the first drug. I also know that those whom I have known to go through these programs often tell me that they were able to get whatever drugs they needed even while they were in treatment and supposed to be protected from outside drug sources. I am no medical doctor so I won’t fault them for what they are trying to do. They are doing the best they can and I applaud their efforts, but the fact is that very few are really successful over the long haul in my experience.
I have also read much about the “AA” or Alcoholics Anonymous, including Al-Anon and AlTeen, groups that do all they can to help alcoholics of any age to overcome their addiction to alcohol. I have read about DA, or “Debtors Anonymous”, which is a program based upon the AA model that encourages fiscal, or financial, responsibility. It is intended to help those whose life has become unmanageable because of credit card debt and overspending. Then there is the GA, or Gambler’s Anonymous; a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and recover from a gambling problem. There is the NA, Narcotics Anonymous that directs its efforts at helping drug addicts. Then there is the OA, Overeaters Anonymous that offers a program of recovery from compulsive overeating.
It’s not just people with these problems that are addicts either. I am convinced that all sinners are “addicts” after a fashion because they are all addicted to sin and the ways of this world and cannot break free without divine intervention from Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Every one of these “Anonymous” programs are based upon the original 12-step program of the AA. And each of them has had some limited success at helping addicts to overcome their addictions. I applaud the efforts of men to help those who are in trouble, but I am convinced that there successes are limited and short-term in most cases. The reason is that they are not just dealing with an emotional, physical, mental or chemical problem. They are dealing ultimately with a spiritual problem. The number one cause of all types of addiction is sin in the heart of man and none of us are immune.
The 12 step pattern that is used by all of these programs begins good but often brings a false hope to the addict. They will lead him right to the edge of the real answer to his addiction, but never really make it clear. They will tell him that he must trust in a “Higher Power” and that’s right, but then they say, “Whatever that Higher Power is to you”. Let me tell you friend that there are only two sources of “higher power” and you better know which one you are relying on.
Satan is a “higher power”, but if you think that he is going to set you free from addiction, you had better stop and think again. He is the one who put you there to begin with through his power of deception. His ultimate goal is to kill your body, and then destroy your soul in hell forever. Even though he may allow you to be “free” for a while, he will never let you be totally free – ever. That’s why part of their 12-step plan says that you will always be an addict in recovery.
The only “Higher Power” than can truly set free, and keep you free is the Power of God through the Blood of Jesus Christ.
Don’t just take my words for it. Read the Bible and see for yourself. Go to Jesus Christ and see if what I say isn’t true. What have you got to lose other than your addiction? You can also check out the “Faith Based” addiction recovery centers like Teen Challenge or Home of Grace or some other similar group based upon the power of Jesus Christ to set you free and you will see that their success rate is far higher than those of the secular programs.
I know, based upon God’s Word, that the only reason the success rate of addicts being set free in these programs isn’t 100%, is that the addict often doesn’t follow through with his commitment to God. God’s power can, and will, set any addict free, but He won’t set them free if they don’t want to be free and choose rather to go back to their old life of drugs, alcohol, ungodly friends and sin. He will not override their freedom to choose, but He will help those who make that quality decision to serve Him and forsake their old life.
This morning I want to give you another 12 Step Pattern for deliverance from Addiction. This pattern is guaranteed to work as long as the addict sticks to the pattern and does not deviate from it. I promise you, based upon the Word and promises of Almighty God, that this program of deliverance will help you get free and stay free forever.
This is a 12 Step Pattern based upon the Word of God as found in the Holy Bible and in the Saving, Healing and Delivering Power of the Blood of Jesus Christ!
John 8:32, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
This is your Promise to God and to your Godly counselor that should be read and renewed every day:
I will concentrate upon being drug, alcohol and/or tobacco free every day, one day at a time, realizing that each day brings me one day closer to deliverance and breaking these terrible habits that are destroying my life. I will also continue to work toward full recovery, and spiritual liberty one day at a time. I will seek peace with God and man, search for the true happiness and joy that knowing God can bring, and I will believe in Jesus to help me find the end to my suffering from all forms of addiction that may be in my heart and life. I will do my very best, each day, to fulfill the promises that I will make to God in these 12 Steps and will continue to do them for as long as it takes, until I am free at last. I will continually praise God and thank Him for His Word, His love, His mercy, His grace and His power to set me free – and I WILL BE SET FREE BY THE POWER OF GOD; FOREVER FREE AND AN ADDICT NO MORE!
1. I must admit that I am powerless over my drug addiction and that do have a problem with addiction. I admit that I don’t have the will power, nor the ability to control the cravings of my body, my heart and my mind. I admit that my life has become unmanageable and that I need the help and power of Jesus Christ to deliver me.
Matthew 9:36, “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”
Romans 3:23-24, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"
1 Corinthians 2:5, "That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."
Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
2. I confess and believe that Jesus Christ is greater than I am, and that He is greater than this addiction that controls me now. I also believe that He has all power in Heaven and in the earth to recreate and restore my rightful thinking and my reasoning abilities, and to set me totally free.
Philippians 2:13, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."
2 Timothy 1:7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
1 John 4:4, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."
John 16:33, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
3. I have made a decision, and I now turn my will and my life over to the care of the Lord Jesus Christ since He alone is the only Lord and Savior, having all power over all things, knowing that He is ever by my side. Jesus, you are the very Son of God and I confess my sin of addiction to you right now. I ask you to forgive me and come into my heart. Through your death on the cross and your resurrection power and am now confessing that it is only by your shed blood and power that I will be free.
Luke 9:23, “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
Romans 10:9-10, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Matthew 28:20, "…I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
Acts 4:10-12, "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
4. I will daily examine very closely, the desires of my heart and life, taking stock of what I have done right and where I have gone wrong, and I will bring these things to God in prayer seeking His guidance and forgiveness, while I will do everything in my power to obey His Word as I learn of it.
Romans 8:27, “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
1 John 2:1, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:"
Psalms 63:1-2, “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary."
5. I will admit to God first, then to myself, and finally, to other trusted Christian friends and counselors, the exact nature of my sins. I will be very careful in choosing these friends and counselors since not all people are as they appear to be.
James 5:16, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
6. I am ready to have God remove all these sins from my heart and I will seek his forgiveness and His healing and delivering power every time I fail. I renounce the old life that I was living, and I give it all to Jesus in repentance. I am determined to not do those things ever again. I am a new creation in Christ and I am beginning with a new life in Him.
I John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Ephesians 4:22-32, "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you."
2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
7. I will humble myself and ask Jesus, with a heart desiring salvation and deliverance, to remove my sins each and every day, for there may be times when I do not remember or know where I may have failed God.
James 4:10, ”Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.”
8. I will think of all the people that I have harmed, or that have hurt me, and I am willing forgive all who have hurt me. I will also forgive myself, for I know that I was acting under the power of sin and the influence of the devil and I must forgive myself before I can truly forgive others.
Matthew 6:14-15, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
9. I will make things right with everyone I have hurt whenever possible, except when doing so would only hurt them more, or place me in a position where my faith may be compromised. If they do not accept my forgiveness, or will not forgive me, then it will be in God’s hands, for that is all I can do.
Matthew 5:24, “Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled with thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil."
10. I will continue to take personal inventory, constantly all through the day, and when I am wrong, I will promptly admit it with a repentant heart and seek forgiveness. I also recognize that my recovery is an ongoing and progressive thing and that there can be times when I will fail. But God will not allow me to fall and stay down if I do all I can to get back up and start again.
Romans 12:3, "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
Proverbs 23:1-7, "… consider diligently what is before thee: And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. [not a literal knife, but a spiritual knife, saying that I will not swallow this garbage again]. Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat. Labor not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not?[not rich or wise] for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee." [don’t fall for Satan’s deception because his “goodies” always lead to eternal death in hell]
Matthew 18:21-22, "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." [God is always there to forgive us if we confess our sin and start over again. He is not willing that anyone should die in sin.]
11. I will seek God’s help, through prayer, meditation and Bible study I will work diligently to improve my relationship with Jesus Christ. I will seek to know His will for me and I will ask for wisdom and courage, along with the power of the Holy Spirit to carry out that will.
Mark 2:30, “And thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”
Psalms 119:9-11, "… Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."
Ephesians 5:17-21, "Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God."
James 1:5, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." [God won’t get mad if you ask for wisdom and help.]
12. I will be a witness of the message of deliverance, through Jesus Christ, to other addicts as the opportunity arises, and I will practice the principles of living a Holy life in all of my personal affairs. God is with me and He will help me to overcome my addiction if I continue faithfully to fulfill these steps to recovery.
Galatians 6:1, "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also shall be tempted.”
Ephesians 3:20-21, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."
Mark 16:15-18, "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
As I stated before, I know that this program will work because it is completely based upon God’s Word that cannot fail. Jesus is the only way that an addict can be forever free. Sin must be dealt with first through the Blood of Jesus Christ. Then and only then can an addict be set free.
If you know an addict, or someone who is dealing with an addict, tell them about Jesus and share this 12-step plan with them. They will be forever grateful.
