Maybe you have been under some sin habit for years,
and you feel trapped and hopeless. Perhaps you have tried everything to free
yourself of this terrible sin, but you have failed each time. If you are like
most, including myself, after a while you give up hope. God can deliver you
from whatever your addiction or bondage is! Jesus Christ is the true deliver.
God can do in our lives what we are incapable of doing. Don’t believe the lies
that you will always be this way, or need to run back to your comfort.
So what is it that you run to first to bring you
comfort, relieve stress, or escape from life? Is it food, alcohol, drugs,
pornography? For me, it was alcohol. I turned to alcohol as a way to escape
life. As far back as I can remember, I have been running to alcohol. Yes, I am
a believer in Jesus Christ, and have been for many years. I have even ran
several successful ministries, all while running to that nasty addiction. But,
deception creped in, and I believed I really could handle my alcohol and I
could stop anytime I wanted. However, as much as I believed that, I would
always run back to the alcohol under stress, painful times, and to numb myself.
It replaced God in my life, and I did not even know it! I was deceived.
But I have good news! I’m not speaking from something
I don’t know of. I have tried AA, Celebrate Recovery, and quitting on my own
strength and will-power, with failure each and every time! I was defeated and
felt this sin in my life will always be there.
What
is it that you have struggled with for years, and maybe sought sometime of
treatment for with no lasting recovery?
I can attest to the power of Jesus Christ, and His
mercy and grace. You see, I was just about to give up that I could never be set
free of my addiction. Don’t you know God has a way of getting our attention
though? A series of things happened in my life, some might say would be “bad
luck,” but I say, “No, that was God getting my attention.” I felt He tell me
one day that if I don’t turn to Him for help now, the next occurrence would be
more difficult to endure like a DUI. I did not want to believe that God would
do this to me, so I went on with my life and continued the things that I was
doing. God got my attention again. He was gentle but firm. He said, “Stephanie,
this is your last warning to come to me, I love you, and this is for your
good.” Shortly afterwards, I repented to Jesus and confessed all my sins. I
asked Him to help me for the first time with this particular sin, and He did!
Recovery is different for everyone, and God has an individual plan for
everyone. He gave me a plan that was just for me. He lead me to “Setting the
Captives Free Ministry” online. I believe God desires you to be free to!
Steps
to Freedom in Christ:
1. Invite
God into your sin. Share with Him your struggles. Admitting your sin is the
first step, and is the first step of any recovery group.
2. Confess
your sins to God. Don’t leave anything uncovered. Repentance includes asking
God to forgive you, but also turning away from your sins.
3. Confess
your sins to someone you trust. Preferably a Godly, mature person.
4. Get
rid of all that represents your addiction. Go through your home and rid it of
all that serves as your addiction.
5. Ask
God to give you an individual plan for your recovery. It may look different
than someone else in recovery, so don’t compare.
6. Stay
away from all sources of temptation for at least 90 days, and after 90 days, be
mindful of the places and people you are around. Rule of wisdom: If you are not
able to handle certain people and environments, never jeopardize your sobriety
or recovery!
7. Find
other healthy sources of comfort and relieving stress, such as, gardening,
painting, and writing.
8. Take
the next 90 days, as they say in recovery “is the most important time period in
your recovery,” to rebuild your relationship with God, than others, and then
look to service of others. It must go in this order. God first, then rebuilding
relationships with others, and then service to others. Service to others comes
only after your “dry well” has been filled again. If you have been using a
substance to cope with life other than God, your “well” is dry.
And
they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of
their testimony…Revelation 12:11
Feel
free to leave me a comment and share your story. I would love to hear your
story, or perhaps your testimony.
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