Overcoming Issues of Life

Christian Recovery

 

It’s Biblical to cry out to go God for help in times of need. In the book of Psalms, David wasn’t afraid to yell "Help"' or to reveal his true emotions. But David didn’t continue in his distress. Instead, he thanked God in advance for coming to his rescue and began to praise through his problems. David’s prayers and conversations with God were full of praise because his love and trust for God overpowered his fears.

If you want to be an overcomer like David, you will need to enter a deeper dimension of prayer, praise, and worship. Only then can you make the great exchange from fear to faith. Like David, you can enjoy a sense of impending blessing in the midst of a trial or disaster. You just have to remember that God’s intended end for you is always good, even when things look bad. And, you will have life-changing prophetic revelation in times of need, rather than fear the future as it appears to be unfolding.

As a Christian, God’s truth replaces our logic. We come to understand that two plus two doesn’t always equal four. With God things don’t have to always add up, they can multiply. If God wants, He can subtract or square things off. If God is God, He can stretch your income beyond mathematical laws. God can choose to give you back more than you allowed the devil to take, and He can give you blessings well beyond your highest expectations.

When you learn to praise and worship in your times of need or in the midst of a crisis, you will discover that it really is possible to have peace when there’s trouble brewing and negativity surrounding you. It’s possible to be content even though you don’t have what you want, or even what you think you need. Simply put, your peace and happiness don’t depend on what you get, but who you get to spend time with.

If you’re struggling with a stronghold or addiction, you can get set free because God’s power is available. For more help, visit www.thesolidrockroad.com or call 541-778-8680.

 

 

 

Freedom from Addictions - Christian Recovery

So many people ask the question, “How does a Christian quit addictions?” The initial response is quick. We answer, “Through the transforming power of God.” But that answer doesn’t answer everything. In fact, it offers new questions. What is the transforming power of God? How does God’s power help with addictions? And how do I start the process of recovery from addictions?

When you are transformed by the power of God, you have been completely changed from the inside out. This kind of change can't happen through a natural process. It is supernatural. It requires God’s intervention. But it also requires that the addict surrender his life over to God.

Surrendering seems like such a big deal. “You mean you want me to surrender my entire life to God?” Yes, that’s what must be done if you want to be set free from your addictions. And besides, you have surrendered your entire life to Satan. Wouldn’t surrendering to God be wiser? The fact is, we are always surrendering to someone. We’re just not conscious of it.

Your surrender to God gives God the ability to use His power to set you free. But let’s get real. The problem is that often times addicts who say they want freedom from addictions don’t want that freedom more than they want their drug of choice.  They’re not happy with the consequences of their addiction, but they still love the drug more than anything else.  They still choose to get high over living the Christian life of sobriety. If you really want to have freedom from addictions, you can! 

So you may have to suffer from withdrawals, and you may have to resist temptation, but that’s why Jesus died on the cross for you. That’s what His Grace is all about. Grace is God’s enabling power! "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Cor. 12:9

So surrender means that you want freedom more than anything else. And it means that you will do what it takes to get clean and sober.  This is how you start the process. Of course, starting the process of Christian recovery is the first step.  The goal of very Christian in recovery is to stay on the path of God.

Our book “Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery” helps guide you from the process of surrender to the path, and to your destiny in God.

You can follow us Facebook and Twitter, and use our website as a resource for your person Christian recovery. www.thesolidrockroad.com.

Christian Recovery: Why Can’t I Quit My Addictions?

Over the years, we have had many Christians in addiction ask us the question, “Why can’t I quit drinking?” or “Why can’t I quit using drugs?” Many of these people are questioning God because He has not delivered them from their addictions.

Our answer is always the same. God gets to choose how He works with us. He has his reasons, and His lessons for each one of us. In some cases, he instantly delivers a person out of addictions. This is what happened to my husband Jerry. One night while Jerry was in the midst of his addiction and at his bottom, he had a battle with an angel or God who kept telling him to go home to his wife and get right with Him. He refused at first, but several hours into the experience, Jerry gave in and said, “Okay. I will do it.” He fell right asleep and the next morning, everything was different. The world looked like a beautiful place and he had peace in his heart. From that point on, Jerry never drank or did drugs again. And even better, he has never once had a craving. Now, eightenn years later, Jerry is the senior pastor at Destino Cristiano, a bilingual Christian church in La Paz, Mexico.

While many people say that Jerry was lucky, I say that he became completely surrendered, and this is what brought about his deliverance. It was a blessing to be delivered and Jerry has always been grateful for that gift. But he has learned the value of deliverance and preaches about holding onto it with everything he has. "Never take deliverance for granted" is his motto.

My story is much different. I was not delivered from my addiction to alcohol, even though I begged God to take my cravings from me every day. Looking back, I understand that God set a specific path for me to follow. My journey of recovery was all about using the strength of God to get me through. At the time, Jerry was still an addict, and he had alcohol in the house every day. I would open the refrigerator and there it was, staring at me in the face. But I asked God to give me strength, and He did. I continually quoted the Scripture, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13)

Everyone in Christ has the ability to get set free. Some, like me, must suffer to get there, and this is where addicts often fail. They refuse to endure withdrawals and temptations, or claim they just can’t. Of course we are weak, but this is when God loves to show up. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9)

So in answer to the question, “Why can’t I Quit My Addictions?” I say, you can, if you are willing to do what God wants you to do, and if your path is like mine, to truly suffer all the way to the cross. Remember, Christ suffered for you. He suffered so you could be set free. He suffered and died, but then he rose again in a resurrected life, and that’s what can happen for you if you follow the model of Jesus. You suffer and you die to yourself, so that you can be a new creation in Christ.

If you want to connect with me, write to TheSolidRockRoad@gmail.com or call 541-778-8680. You can also visit the website at www.thesolidrockroad.com. You can also find my book on Amazon. Click here to check out Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.

Christian Recovery and the Value of Getting Wise Counsel.

Christians can get off the path when they believe they have heard from God when it's actually their inner voice being directed by their sin nature. While this may make you insecure about whether you are divinely inspired or not, but there is a system you God set up to ensure what you are hearing is truth.

First, check it against Biblical instruction. Second, get in the habit of seeking counsel from your leaders. Even small decisions can have a major impact on your Christian life. Your leaders have been given the grace for you and are responsible for your soul according to Hebrews 13:17. Therefore, they have wisdom and good counsel to offer you.

Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety." To prove this point, Solomon writes something very similar in Proverbs 15:22, “Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established.”

The best advice is to leave nothing to chance. When making decisions, don’t get prideful and religious; get guidance. Most importantly, if several wise people agree on an answer, take their advice. This may mean that you have to do something you don’t want to do, or you can’t do something you want to do. At first, you’ll hate this accountability process, but I guarantee you’ll love the long-term results.

You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad. And look for a book I've co-written called Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery. It's coming out in February 2010 (or early March.)

God's Grace is Sufficient for Christians in Recovery

Many Christians who battle with addictions believe that grace means that God is quick to forgive. While God forgives when we repent, it's vital to understand the true work of grace in our lives.

There is a saving grace and an empowering grace that follows. It's the grace of God that enables Christians to get set free. Grace is the way of escape. Think of the acronym that many people use for the word grace: God's Riches at Christ's Expense.

If we have God's riches, then what could we possibly be missing? If God delivers, then we have deliverance. If he heals broken hearts, we're healed. The only thing that's missing is a complete understanding of what Christ accomplished at the cross.

Christian recovery really depends on Christians living in grace as defined in the Bible.

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad