LK 18:27 Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

I would just like to talk to any Christians who have been trapped in an addiction and who want to get free, and live free for good. I was addicted as a Christian to everything, full of fear and sin, I went to two treatment centers and 11 detoxes in one year, went to 3 AA meetings a day, on manditory antibuse, was "released" from the military, was a pastor and worship leader in full-time ministry, and all of this while I was a Spirit-filled, Jesus loving, Christian.

Now for those who are thanking God that they are not a sinner like me, I just want to say that there are always roots to addiction whether you are a Christian, or not. Christians just don't talk about it. Almost everyone in my family line were alcoholics, my mother was killed by a drunk driver while coming home from a bar when I was ten, and since my father was a drunk I never knew him, so at ten I was made a babysitter for my aunt who partied for days.

But the bottom line here is that there is an epidemic of addiction in the church right now. Internet pornography, online affairs, self-injury, smoking, swearing, drugs, sexual perversion, alcohol, eating disorders, adultery, you name it; it's just as active in Christian's lives, than in others. How do I know this? I have served in the Christian addiction recovery ministry for over 15 years now, and I run an online Christian recovery group with over a thousand people in it.

JN 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

While I worked in the ministry I still had problems with addiction so I knew that something more had to be done to set me free. So I cried out to God for help one night and I then saw a vision of a valley of people marching to their judgment. I was in this crowd and I saw Jesus high up on a hill. As I passed by Him I yelled "I shouldn't be down here, I am a Christian!", He turned to me and said "unless you repent, you will suffer the same fate as these others".

Ever since that vision the Holy Spirit began to teach me how to overcome addiction from the inside out. He took me back to the many painful unhealed things that I had buried that had been fueling my addictions, and He spoke truth to me that healed all of the lies that I had believed about myself, my parents, God, and others. After a while I noticed that I didn't need so many pain relieving addictions anymore, because the pain was healed at the root.

I have been free from all addictions for many years now because of the direct help of God's Holy Spirit and word, and I was truly an impossible case. You see, all lasting freedom from addiction comes only by cooperating with the Holy Spirit's daily direct help and God's words of truth applied to our lives. What had been impossible for me for so many years was made possible because God gave me practical help. You too can be free if you let Him help you.

JN 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Here is a prayer to pray if you need it:

"Dear God, you have seen my life and everything that has happened so far. You also know all of my unhealed pain and the sinful pleasure I have been using to relieve it. I ask that you would forgive me Lord for every act of sin and pleasure idolatry that I have ever committed in word, thought, or deed, and I ask that you would set me free from all adictions and any evil spirit's connected to those addictions. I break every curse of addiction over my life in Jesus name, and I thank you for setting me free this day. In Jesus name I ask and pray, amen."