Stories for dealing with addictions?

[Stephen M Young II]

More and more I am encountering people who need discipling through addictions and I was wondering if any of you have found any Bible stories or story sets helpful in discipling people through addictions.

I've met several people who have addictions in these categories, but am not experienced in counseling people through these kinds of addictions.

alcoholism
drug addictions
sexual addictions and homosexuality

Has anyone got any ideas?

[Stephen M Young II]

OK, J.O. Terry was kind enough to talk with me over skype (and me on dial-up). He mentioned the epistles of Paul and the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, and he also mentioned Daniel chapter one.

I used the Daniel 1 story yesterday. Great, great success in communicating the necessity of preserving our bodies for the Lord and in so doing becoming healthier and wiser, in order to serve better and have better opportunities. One woman who accepted Christ this past week has been using Crack for years. She heard and retold the story and said she no longer desires the drug. If you read this pray for her. You can call her Ana C.

[Stephen M Young II]

Ana C received her paycheck and made it about half a day before she went and got some crack. Keep praying.

[J.O.Terry]

Stephen, get in touch with Stephen Bowers and his wife Susan in Colombia. She is working on alcohol addiction storying.
[e-mail]

JOT

[Stephen M Young II]

Thanks I'll do just that.

Our pastor here went to a willow creek conference here in Brazil and is all excited about starting "Celebrate Recovery" I am not really familiar with the book, but I know that most of the addicts here can't don't or won't read.

This may be a very helpful contact. I appreciate it.

[Chuck Huckaby]

I was in jail with an addict Sat. First of all, if you will visit DickB.com you will realize that the Fellowship of AA began as a Christocentric group. I therefore have no problem with the 12 steps and interpret them in light of the Gospel.

With this addict we ended up discussing dependence and trusting God instead of pursuing our schemes. I have been teaching the stories of Abraham's life and Abraham's transition from the schemer who told his wife to pose as his sister to the man who would not let Sodom enrich him is instructive.

Addicts who are not honest about their sin are the former. By God's grace we are the latter. Of course, then it is the latter who like Abram see God's covenant promise as the answer to their fears and receive from the Lord the signs of God's promise (Gen 15) to sustain them in believing God is sufficient (baptism and Lord's Supper in NT terms!)

The 12 steps are used for every type of "group". Learn them and you will see appropriate stories! I hope that helps some.

Chuck

[Chuck Huckaby]

Stephen, here's an interview with Dick B you may like too...

http://www.reformationucc.org/2008/09/22/dickb-christian-history-aa...

[Stephen M Young II]

Okay, I've written to those you mentioned and also researched the 12 steps as presented in Celebrate Recovery... Each one is linked to a verse... for oral learners, we would want to link these to stories.... Here's my go at it... If you have some more ideas.... please post them... just put the number and the story.

1.We admit we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors. That our lives have become unmanageable. (Romans 7:18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.)
The Demon Possessed Man (Gadarene)
The Prodigal Son

2.Believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. (Philippians 2:13 For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.)
The Demon Possessed Man (Gadarene)
Nicodemus and Jesus
The paralytic (your sins are forgiven)

3.Make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God. (Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.)
Zacchaeus
John the Baptist

4.Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. (Lamentations 3:40 Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.)
Zacchaeus

5.Admit to God, to ourselves, and to another human being, the exact nature of our wrongs. (James 5:16a Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.)
David and Bathsheba

6.Be ready to have God remove all these defects of character. (James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.)
David and Bathsheba

7.Humbly ask Him to remove all our shortcomings. (1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.)
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

8.Make a list of (or Remember for Oral leaners) all those we had harmed and be willing to make amends to them all. (Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.)
Zacchaeus

9.Make direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. (Matthew 5:23-24 Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.)
Peter and Cornelius

10.Continue to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admit it. (1 Corinthians 10:12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!)
Peter during the Passion story and his restoration

11.Seek through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only (should we include only here?) for knowledge of His will for us and power to carry that out. (Colossians 3:16a Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.)
The boy with the demon that could only be removed through prayer and fasting

12.Having had a spiritual experience as the result of these steps, we try to carry this message to others, and practice these principles in all our affairs. (Galatians 6:1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.)
The Story of Paul
The Demon Possessed Man (Gadarene)
The Woman at the Well

[Doug Tapper]

Stephen your correlation of Bible stories to the 12 steps is great. I'll need to print them off and use them in the jail. I believe the true stories of folks who have found hope in their struggles to overcome addictions can be a powerful tool as well. Recently, I shared the story of Josephine Genialle a Native American women who had all five of her children taken away from her and placed in foster care. She was sexually abused by relatives, suicidal, and roamed the streets of Winnipeg as an alcoholic. While in a woman's prison, God rescued her from the life that she was living. You can listen to her story here: http://withoutreservation.org/stcds/ and perhaps find other true stories on this page to assist you in your ministry to addicts.