Helping Others Overcome Addictions: How God's Grace Brings Lasting Freedom
Ebook
Overview
Does Christianity have an answer for addiction? As longtime pastor Mike Quarles’s alcoholism worsened over eight years, churches and Christians referred him to treatment, 12-Step programs, therapy…nothing worked. Steve McVey, also a pastor, repeatedly dished out the same advice Mike received, with similarly poor results…
…Until, in their frustration, God led them back to basic, addiction-breaking truths of His Word. The authors explain these for readers who want to help someone or who struggle themselves, because freedom from addiction is found only when Christians
- fully believe what God says about their identity
- move beyond the 12-Step concept of inescapable “addict identity”
- stop harboring unforgiveness, get radically right with God, and dwell in who they are in Christ, which excludes engaging in addictive behaviors as a lifestyle
Material on codependency is included, as is information on implementing recovery/support groups for those leaving addiction and starting to live in God’s glorious freedom.
Top Highlights
“In God’s answer the emphasis is always on what He has done. His answer is not to learn to cope or get by the best way we can. It is always perfect and complete because it is from Him, and He doesn’t provide partial answers.” (source)
“drug. Both are confessions that they believe they are addicts, and these beliefs keep them in bondage” (source)
“Billy Graham has said that only 15 percent of Christians are experiencing the abundant, victorious Christian life. Dr. Neil T. Anderson was recently heard to say that only 5 percent of Christians are experiencing their freedom in Christ. That doesn’t mean they are struggling with drugs, alcohol, sex, or some other obvious addiction, but there are many other things that can keep a Christian in bondage, such as codependency, perfectionism, fear, depression, workaholism, materialism, unforgiveness, and so on.” (source)
“Spirit. The key to revelation is desperation. Only when all our plans and agendas are in the toilet and we are convinced that apart from Christ we can do nothing are we able to receive God’s answer. This sounds devastating—and it is—but it is a wonderful place of release where we find our freedom.” (source)
“A stronghold is a mindset impregnated with hopelessness, which causes us to accept as unchangeable what we know to be against the will of God. This is an accurate description of what every Christian who is struggling with an addictive behavior is experiencing.” (source)
Product Details
- Title : Helping Others Overcome Addictions: How God's Grace Brings Lasting Freedom
- Authors:
- McVey, Steve
- Quarles, Mike
- Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
- Publication Date: 2012
- ISBN: 9780736947473
Steve McVey is the president of Grace Walk Ministries, a discipleship-training ministry based in the southeastern U.S. He has authored the bestselling Grace Walk (over 250,000 sold), The Grace Walk Devotional, Walking in the Will of God, and 52 Lies Heard in Church Every Sunday, and has also coauthored Helping Others Overcome Addictions. He and his wife reside in Georgia.
Together with his wife, Julia, Mike Quarles directs Grace Walk Recovery Ministries. Out of his experience as a longtime pastor and apparently hopeless alcoholic, he now spends his life spreading the message that God has provided an answer to addiction in His Word of Truth, the Bible. Mike is coauthor of Helping Others Overcome Addictions. He also authored Freedom from Addiction and its companion resources together with Neil T. Anderson, founder of Freedom in Christ Ministries. Mike and Julia live in Georgia.