The Pathway to True Recovery
by Dr. Robert Tucker
As we begin our journey along the true path to recovery, we find that there are things that need to be done, steps that need to be taken, in order to achieve the fullness of the promises that are revealed in the 12-step programs. One of the biggest gifts we can receive is the gift of “true inner-peace and joy.” We can see peace in the eyes of some of the “old timers,” those that have pioneered before us. They are living examples to follow. Their serenity, their “inner-peace and joy,” comes from the effort they put forth in making the necessary changes in their lives. For the most part, this “peace and joy” comes from God through changes that He makes on the inside of us. God is the giver of true “peace and joy.” The Bible tells us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace.”
Understanding a little about God’s power, and realizing how much He loves us are essential factors in the process of recovery. Once you’ve “cleaned house” (with His help), and are allowing Him to manage your life, things will begin to flow more smoothly. His peace and joy is something that fills us from the inside, and nothing in this physical world can duplicate it, or take it away. The counterfeit, the fulfillment that comes from the things of this world, are temporal. They are counterfeits of the “real thing,” and have the ability to do serious damage. Their short-lived satisfaction (or escape) always ends with disappointment, heart-ache and destruction. The emptiness we sometimes feel deep within our gut is something only God can fill. It’s a spiritual void that came into existence when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. They became separated from God, leaving a vast emptiness with-in, and we’ve all inherited that “gut-deep” void. We try to fill it with all kinds of counterfeits things such as drugs, alcohol, sex, money, pornography, and other obsessions also known as “fixes.” The Bible calls them idols. An idol is anything we put in place of God. When we are seeking something from a person, place or thing that should be coming from God, it would fall in the category of an idol. Those that have received Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and continue to apply His principles into their lives, (hanging out with, trusting in, and being obedient to Him) have found the “true inner-peace and joy” that only comes from Him. They’ve learned to practice the steps with Him at the center, (which are Biblical principles) in every situation and in all areas of their life. These steps are “a spiritual prescription of scripture” (a gift from God) written specifically for the obsessive sinner. If they are worked properly, and applied properly, they have the ability to transform lives. The true path to recovery is here
God has provided everything we need for recovery. Addiction is not the initial problem, but an outward expression of much deeper problems. Addiction actually becomes an extension of the underlying problem. The root is spiritual and needs to be dealt with through spiritual solutions. You will never resolve a spiritual problem with a physical solution. Step three suggests that we “let go and let God,” the Bible tells us to “deny the flesh” and “walk in the spirit.” As we get more familiar with His Word, and begin to experience His love, His transforming power changes us into the person He created us to be. Giving our will and our life over to His care means that we must make Him our Lord as well as our Savior. We must sincerely put our trust in Him, and obey Him, especially not ignoring the part about obedience to Him. Most of us are more than willing to receive Him as our Savior, but for convenience sake, are not willing to give Him the position as Lord over our life. He is Lord and we must come under His authority if we expect to experience the life He has planned for us. True path to recovery is available.
We can see this accomplished in many that have pioneered before us. We see a big difference in the ones that “came to believe.” The main contributing factor in the growing success of the 12 step programs is through attraction, not promotion. The newcomer is drawn to the “glow” of hope he sees in the eyes of some of the members that have already found freedom. If he is willing to follow their path, being completely honest with God, himself and others, keeping an open-mind, he will begin to receive the promises (the blessings) that God has for all those that are truly walking with Him.
It sounds pretty easy to accomplish. How come most of us find it so hard? We need to understand that even though these precious gifts are freely given by God, we must take some level of action on our part. First we must accept defeat and surrender. Then we must be willing to follow suggestion and work the steps. We need to learn about them, and then we must put them to work for us. We must learn the meaning of application, because they are useless until we initially work through them, and then apply them into our daily living. God uses “our surrender,” and “our willingness to let go and let Him,” as an invite for Him to enter in and clean up the mess we’ve made of our lives.
We also need to be aware that there is an enemy, ours as well as God’s, that doesn’t want us to receive anything from God. Satan will do anything and everything possible to prevent or trip up the recovery process. He’s actually the one that’s been leading us astray all along. He tempts our sinful, lustful flesh into following his ways. Of course we have a choice, (a free will) but unless we have the power of God residing in us, and choose to follow God’s ways, we will fall short and be lead astray every time we are tempted. Satan comes to kill, steal, and destroy lives. Awareness of a problem is the first step towards a solution. Drugs and alcohol are some of what he uses to loosen a man up. With it, he knows, we’ll do many other things that we wouldn’t normally do. Once we’ve bought into “his snare,” “his lure,” “his lies,” it’s just a matter of time before we get desperate enough, and are willing to do practically anything for more. It’s a powerful tool of Satan’s. It’s time to realize what’s really been going on behind the scenes.
The Bible warns us in Eph. 6:10-12 A final word: Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.
1 Peter 5:8-11 Control yourselves and be careful! The devil, your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to eat. Refuse to give in to him, by standing strong in your faith. You know that your Christian family all over the world is having the same kinds of suffering. And after you suffer for a short time, God, who gives all grace, will make everything right. He will make you strong and support you and keep you from falling. He called you to share in his glory in Christ, a glory that will continue forever. All power is his forever and ever. Amen. A true path to recovery is good
We must be educated, or at least aware, in order to survive. God says that His people perish out of ignorance. We need to be able to recognize Satan’s schemes, realize he is nothing but a liar and a tempter, has no power over us (except for the power we give it to him), and that we have all the power necessary, in Christ, to survive his attacks (only if we utilize it).
Satan is a real and potentially dangerous force in the world today, leading the evil side of the spiritual world just as he has throughout human history. Often, Satan will act in subtle yet clever ways to try to turn people away from God. Recognizing his strategies, then drawing on Christ’s power, will enable you to successfully survive.
Here are some ways Satan operates – and some ways you can effectively respond: No true path to recovery loses.
Realize that your mind is the site of many spiritual battles. Satan often tries to get people to think in ways that are contrary to God’s Word, and then to act in ways that contradict God’s will for them. Read your Bible frequently, and think about what it says. Pray for the Holy Spirit to renew your mind.
When you look for a quick fix from something rather than trusting God to act in His time, and in His way, beware. You’re making yourself vulnerable to evil, because Satan frequently tempts people who seem frustrated by God. Focus on God rather than on what you want, and trust that He will always act in love, according to what’s best for you. true path to recovery loses.
The way God works sometimes doesn’t make sense to us, because our perspectives are limited, and God’s aren’t. Satan would like you to put your trust in your human reason, but standing firm in your faith in God, especially when His ways seem mysterious, will prove much more powerful.
When you encounter ethical dilemmas in a variety of situations, Satan and his evil forces will try to influence you to bend God’s Word to justify choices that seem more appealing than the Biblical ones. Commit to rely on Biblical principles in all situations, and pray for the strength to do so. Ask someone close to you to hold you accountable, and help hold that person accountable.
Selfishness, expressed through pride and a lust for power, led to Satan’s fall from his glory as one of God’s angels. Satan yearns to convince you that thinking and acting selfishly is best, but it will never bring you fulfillment. Rather than seeking your own satisfaction in life, let your love for God and others be your motivation. If you do, you’ll be blessed.
This is the true path to recovery.
Our clinical directors are well known published authors whose materials are used throughout the country and even the world. New Life Spirit Recovery was established in 2005 and has been recognized by many credible ministries such a Focus on the Family and Calvary Chapel.
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