MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014
ADDICTION AND SURRENDER

While praying with a young woman to surrender her life to Christ after a church service, her husband listened intently, but declined to surrender that same night.

The Refiner's fire must have been scorching because the following week her husband, who had lost his law practice due to his cocaine addiction, returned to our Wednesday meeting. After speaking with him, I shared that he was trying to clean himself up as part of his own self-restoration program instead of coming to the Restorer to get cleaned up. He was incarcerated in pride's prison of pretense, and he needed the Master Key of full surrender.

"You're right, Mitch," he replied. "And if that's the case, then I need to do this right now."

He fell to his knees and prayed to God in his broken words, "I can't. You can. I can't free myself from the penalty of my sin. You can. I can't free myself from the power of sin and be lord of my life. You can."

The Restorer was at work, and He was not finished.

The following week the wife returned alone to share with me that her husband had stolen $100, pawned their wedding rings, and went out to buy cocaine in a church parking lot. This time his binge was different. For the first time, he felt guilt and remorse for what he had done. I told her to have him come back the next week and not let this be the deal-breaker for his life. Sometimes, restoration involves taking two steps forward and one step back.

The couple returned a week later, and he shared the story of his binge with the rest of the group. It was the last time he ever used illegal drugs. He later went on to earn his degree in pastoral ministry and volunteered at a local church as a teaching pastor. He also decided to work on reinstating his license to practice law in order to provide legal services as a ministry to people in need.

Only God can truly satisfy our desires when we surrender to Him. David wrote to the Creator: "You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing" (Psalm 145:16).

Are you or is someone you know suffering from an addiction? An addict completely understands the concept of surrender; he is simply misguided on the object of his surrender. Turn to the One who designed you and say, "I can't. You can." He will lead you on a new fulfilling journey down Restoration Road.

Happy New Year!

For more, watch:

Episode 5: The Deal Maker : The Greatest Auction

Hardcover

336 Pages
Credo House Publishers
1st Edition (March 2010)

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Study Guide

12-Week Series
80 Pages
Credo House Publishers (2010)

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DVD

12-Week Series
120 Minutes
Credo House Publishers (2010)

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