So often people think or feel there is nothing they can do to help someone who is suffering through addiction or withdrawal. But there is something almost everyone can do and that is pray for increased faith in those who want to help themselves and others to help. Yesterday I read a poet’s blog post titled 3 Days Without about Heroin Addiction. (www.douglassteelepoetry.com) One of the lines in Doug’s poem is “help him help himself.” I wrote the following comment on his site

Deep within
deeper than the heroin vein
Therein lives the power
to overcome death
hour by hour

Deep within
is a seed of faith
yet to blossom
and help him win
True Life
and clean new veins

Help him help himself
pray for his faith
that is deep within
to bloom and overcome
his despair.

Faith has helped numerous people to overcome horrendous addictions. Faithful friends and Intercessory Prayer help. Jesus said that whoever hates their life in this world will gain it in the next. Addicts can have a ‘next world’ experience on earth when they hate their addiction enough to grab on to hope and sobriety and withdraw from the evil drugs and dealers that despise [and ruin] their lives.

Many people who are in recovery cling to their hope and faith in Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit to help and save them from their addictions. It’s never good to try to overcome addictions alone, there are many support groups and many churches who host them.

In the book Praying Our Way through Stress, there is a prayer on page 114. “Lord, please replace my addiction to ____________ with a desire for you and your living word. AMEN”

There are steps to overcoming addiction and the first step is having a desire to overcome. Believing the addiction can be overcome is so crucial to an addict taking this step. Who would take the step towards a clean life if they didn’t think it was possible? I truly believe that if people looked around they would see that there are more people who have overcome addictions than have died because of them. They overcame because they took the first step.

On page 116 is another short, powerful prayer. It’s found on page 116. It’s a poem/prayer about anger. Anger is a large part of overcoming addictions. Jesus can help us overcome our anger when we turn it over to him. It’s important to understand that anger in and of itself is not sinful, it’s what we do with our anger that makes it sinful or not. Addicts often feel powerless over anger, it’s important to teach them how to overcome.

People have told me this book has helped them understand the Bible, understand their relationship with Jesus better and that the prayers and songs have helped them in their life.

The book is available through the author, Westbow Press and on Amazon.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, you have promised to give your spirit to everyone who asks without favoritism. Please inspire those who are suffering from addictions to ask for your Holy Spirit. Then Lord Jesus, send your Holy Spirit speedily, and mightily to help and save them to the glory of your name. AMEN