Signs of Recovery from Addictions

The opposite of learning is blaming. I have said it many times before, but I don’t think I can say it too much. It’s true in a general sense, but when it comes to addictions, the issue of blame shifting is even more exaggerated. Ask an addict why they started and continue using drugs and/or alcohol, and their answer usually has to do with what someone did or said to them, or a circumstance they found themselves in, followed by excuse and excuse.

In The Solid Rock Road Christian recovery ministry, we have learned to identify patterns of behavior. The most obvious sign that a person is not ready to quit their drug of choice is that they blame shift incessantly and refuse to look at themselves in an honest way. Another bad sign is justification. They may admit they’re doing wrong, but then offer a long list of reasons why they continue doing it.

So what are the positive signs of recovery from addictions? The first is accountability – making yourself accountable to another person. The second is an act of true repentance. Since repentance is the process of making a complete u-turn, you will change your direction immediately. And the third sign is the willingness to look in the mirror, admit your mistakes and open yourself up to learning.

If you’re in the midst of your addiction, or you’re dealing with someone who is struggling, here are the top 3 questions to ask yourself or them.

1. Will you own your own stuff? Will you take full responsibility for your current condition? Without looking at anyone else’s behavior, how did you end up where you are?'
2. What is one thing will you do to change your current situation.  Words alone won’t do. What ACTION will you take today, and will you follow it up with more action?
3. Will you tell the truth? Not some of it, but all of it. Will you tell someone how much you’re using, how you’re paying for it, how you lie and manipulate those you love, and any other acts of darkness that need to be in the light?

We understand that recovery from addiction can be difficult, so we suggest you begin reading the book of John in your Bible, and pray longer and with more conviction than ever before. Don’t just pray for yourself. Pray for those you have hurt, and pray for those who have hurt you. 

If you need additional support, you can call The Solid Rock Road at 541-778-8680. We also have a book titled “Follow The Solid Rock Road:Pathway to Radical Recovery, and resources on our Solid Rock Road website.

Overcoming Evil: Christian Recovery

We are born with a sin nature, but having been born again, we have been gifted with the Holy Spirit. Jesus referred to the Spirit of God as the power by which He cast out demons. And we know that Jesus dealt with evil because of the 40 days he spent in the desert being tested by Satan. And of course, the devil and his demons were at work during the entire three-year ministry of Jesus. Their efforts failed, so we can use Jesus as our example of how to overcome evil.  

If Jesus had to deal with evil, it makes sense that we do too. The difference is that we often let our sinful nature control our lives while Jesus prayed to His Father in Heaven and was led by the Holy Spirit.

But you can be more like Jesus if you continually eliminate your sinful nature from your thoughts, actions and decision making. To do that, you must refuse to allow your emotions and incorrect thoughts to dictate your behavior. If what you feel isn’t in line with the Word of God, you have to forego your emotions and instead, do what’s right.

The following are 3 ways that you can overcome evil and act more like Jesus:

1.     Read your Bible:  The words written in the Bible are necessary for your transformation. You must understand the promises, purposes and plans of God so that you can discover your destiny.

2.     Hang around strong Christians:  Many times our familiar circle of friends have the same old thought processes that God wants us to change. Therefore, it is wise to connect with faith-filled Christians who can help you think more like Jesus. Later, you can reconnect with your old friends so you can share what you have learned.

3.     Go to church:  Many people falsely believe they don’t need to go to church to be a Christian, but the Bible says differently. And if we look at Jesus as the model, he held church services constantly. The Gospels are filled with red letters, which are the words of Jesus as he preached and taught his followers. Surely, you can devote one or two hours of your day to listen to a sermon and connect with other Christians.

Of course, there are many other important aspects of your Christianity that should not be overlooked when trying to overcome evil. My book “Follow The Solid Rock Road:Pathway to Recovery” provides great insight into the promises, purposes and plans of God. Plus it shows you how to continually win the spiritual battle for your soul.

Christian Recovery and the Word of God

While God is love, the Bible describes the Word of God as a sword, a hammer, and a fire. It cuts, it clobbers, and burns. That’s not exactly gentle, but that’s often what it takes to destroy the lies and tricks of the devil.

We take the Bible very personally, believing that every word was written for us. When we pray, we don’t doubt that God is listening intently, ready to respond with an exhortation, a sign, scripture, symbol, word of truth, or some form of imagery. And some of our favorite moments are when we’re contemplating something we’ve seen or heard from God or about God, getting insight into our lives, and getting inspiration for others.

You know you should read the Bible, think about what it says, and pray to God. But what you may not understand is that all three of these actions must be performed to stay fully connected with God, who is your source of life and energy.

This connection allows truth to penetrate your soul and your spirit to rise above your sin nature. When you disconnect from God, you are in human default mode. This means that you are being directed by your inner voice, which has gotten you into trouble your whole life.

Your inner voice wants to protect your sin nature and 
will war against the truth of God. 

We don’t have to remind you what your sin nature looks like. But what about that inner voice of yours that keeps reciting old news, has a tendency to obsess over negative events in your life, and loves to send you places well off God’s beaten path? What does it tell you and how does that voice affect your relationship with God, yourself, and others?

We have to fight against the voice of Satan who wants to minimize our ministry. It says a lot of things that are hurtful and make us doubt, fear, and become frustrated. But we have learned to silence those voices and listen intently to the voice of God. You can do the same, though it does take some practice.

(Excerpt from our Christian recovery book titled “Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery on Amazon.com.)

You can learn more at www.thesolidrockroad.com

Christian Recovery: Real Resolutions

It’s a New Year, and time again for your New Year’s resolution. Yes, the one you have made every year for the past too many years. You’re going to quit drinking and/or doing drugs. Or, you’re going to slow way down, or just plan to party on weekends or special occasions. Well, like every year, you’ll do okay for a short while, and then return to your out-of-control habits. And like clockwork, things will get worse and your addiction will get stronger.

The problem with your resolution is that you’re speaking about change, but not making the necessary changes. In order to get clean and sober, everything has to change.  This starts by first understanding what the word ‘resolution’ means. One online definition describes the word ‘resolution’ this way: “a firm decision to do or not to do something.”

A firm decision is different from a flimsy one. A firm decision is one that is set in stone. You can’t move it. You can’t change it. It’s set!  A flimsy decision is weak. It is when you decide to ‘try’ to do something while allowing yourself the freedom to fail at it. Therefore, your flimsy New Year’s resolution gives you an excuse to continue abusing alcohol and/or drugs. You can tell yourself and others how hard you tried, but to no avail.

So, this year, I have three suggestions for making a New Year’s Resolution:

·         Stop making flimsy New Year’s resolutions. They are ridiculous. If you don’t plan to actually quit your addiction, then don’t say you will.

·         Make a real resolution to get set free from drugs and alcohol. In other words, decide that no matter what, you will quit, once and for all.

·         Don’t expect God to make it easy. God can deliver you from your addiction if He chooses. But often times, he expects us to stand on his promise… to follow through with our promises… to white knuckle our freedom if that’s what’s necessary.

Years ago, when I decided to quit drinking, I suffered from withdrawals for three weeks. And I was tempted to relapse every day because my husband was still drinking, Of course, he made sure alcohol was in the house at all times. But I had RESOLVED the issue in my mind. I had declared myself free, and I resisted the temptation. No, it wasn’t easy, but I knew that with God I could do it. And with GOD, I did it! And you can too.

I wrote “Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to RadicalRecovery” to give you the truth and inspiration you need to declare yourself free from addictions. There’s never a good time or a better time to quit, so just make up your mind right now and DO IT!