Getting The Monkey Off Your Back

by J. EMIL TERRY

Overview

This book was written for the sole purpose of setting people free from addictive behavior. If a person struggles with an addiction to alcohol, drugs, over-eating, pornography or sex, gambling or any other type of addiction, this book gives clear direction for recovery. It clearly explains and challenges the various approaches to recovery; moreover, it gives the reader step by step guidance in experiencing a recreation of their lifestyle establishing power, manageablility and stability. There are many self help books produced and published for the purpose of helping people over-come addiction, but not until now has anyone published a book that challenge the disciplines of the behavioral sciences, the twelve step process, psychology, psychiatry, and the biblical based approach. The questions are being answered as to whether these approaches really work, and then the process for recovery is given in a simple format. If you don’t need this book buy it for someone who does!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781468541588
Publisher:	AuthorHouse
Publication date:	03/14/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	124
File size:	224 KB

Read an Excerpt

Getting The Monkey Off Your Back

A COMPREHENSIVE PROCESS OF PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT BY PULLING DOWN STRONGHOLDS

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By J. Emil Terry

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2012 J. Emil Terry
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4685-4160-1

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Chapter One

The Problem

Identifying the Struggle

"Getting the monkey off your back" is a phrase used in characterizing someone controlled or bound by some type of malady. In most cases the condition exists due to substance dependence; but it may also be a practice that produces negative results. According to Merriam-Webster, the term "Monkey on One's back" dates back to approximately 1859. Merriam-Webster characterized this phrase as "a desperate desire or addiction to drugs—often used in the phrase monkey on One's back; broadly: a persistent or annoying encumbrance or problem." When people are struggling with what the world defines as addictive behavior or an emotional disorder, often the problem is identified as either psychological, physiological or both. When the disorder is associated with substance dependence the malady is recognized as a disease, and this is interpreted by some as rendering the victim helpless and in some portrayals hopeless. Also, it removes responsibility for the actions of the individual plagued by the Malady; because when one has a disease she/he is a victim deemed helpless due to that condition. What message does this send to those who make the choice to indulge in and become abusers of alcohol, drugs, gambling, pornography, and other addictive behaviors? Conversely the Bible identifies these maladies as strongholds. There is an old saying that is prevalent in the secular support groups of recovery. Once an alcoholic or drug addict, always an alcoholic or drug addict. What is the nature of the problem? Is it psychological, physiological, or both? Is it spiritual, or all three? Identifying the problem will be the primary focus of this chapter. Discovering the solution will be the objective, resulting in a suggested method of recovery and/or deliverance for the reader.

Nature of the Condition

Destructive behavior is an indication that a person has a heart condition. This condition is not only psychological or physiological, but it is spiritual in nature as well. Listen to the various portrayals of the virulent heart and see if any of these are familiar.

"Do not eat the bread of a miser, nor desire his delicacies; for as he thinks in his heart, so is he. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, but his heart is not with you."

"Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward."

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it?"

"Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies." There is sufficient evidence biblically to determine the nature and source of destructive or evil behavior. Jesus said to the Scribes and Pharisees:

"Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."

He pointed out to this same group of people that it is, "Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."

Whether it is what one does in terms of speech or actions it is initiated in the heart and carried out through verbal or physical actions. In fact one must guard their heart against evil influence, since the heart is the gateway to the mind. Listen to the wisdom writer's exhortation:

"Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life." There is only one person known to mankind who can replace corrupt hearts, and His name is Jesus Christ.

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

When one receives Jesus Christ a tremendous process of transformation is in progress. The immediate transformation changes the spiritual status of the recipient, but there is still the on-going process of progressive sanctification. Progressive sanctification is that process in which the recipient grows spiritually over a period of time. This is based upon his/her life experience as well as time spent studying God's word and applying it to his/her life.

Transformation is Required

The corrupt heart must be replaced, because fixing it will not be sufficient. It must be a new heart that produces positive, pure thoughts and actions. "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." In this passage Paul tells the reader that he/she must not be conformed to this world, and the Greek word for conformed, suschematizo actually means to be conformed to the same pattern, or to fashion one's self according to the world's system or way of doing things. He goes on to point out that one must be transformed by the renewing of their mind. The transformation that Paul is referring to comes from the Greek word metamorphoo or metamorphiste, which is the English translation metamorphosis. The word metamorphosis means to change or transfigure; and the renewing refers to a present passive imperative tense, "keep on being transformed." This word transformed or metamorphosis puts one in the mind of an unattractive worm called a caterpillar that turns into a beautiful butterfly. There is a very important factor about this great transformation that takes place with the caterpillar and that is, when it turns into a butterfly it never goes back to being a caterpillar. Once it becomes a beautiful butterfly, it remains a butterfly until it dies, and it dies in the form of a butterfly. The renewing of the mind comes only when the heart is transformed, and when the heart is genuinely transformed the mind will automatically be renewed. There will be an overwhelming desire for renewal.

"And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation [asotia—wasteful, riot- like living]; but be filled [pleroo—influence or controlled] by the Spirit."

When one is influenced or controlled by the Spirit, that person will have an insatiable desire for renewal. The spiritual condition of the heart can directly impact the spiritual, emotional, and physical health of an individual. If the heart is not spiritually fit, then emotional disorders may be the result. In essence, everyone has a spiritual heart condition upon birth, therefore each person born should at some point in life receive the Lord Jesus Christ so that their spiritual heart condition can be healed. Listen to what the Psalmist says about the spiritual condition of the humans at birth and the condition of the heart.

The spiritual condition of the heart at birth:

Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones? Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men? No, in heart you work wickedness; You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth. The wicked are estranged from the womb; They go astray as soon as they are born speaking lies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; They are like the deaf cobra that stops its ear, Which will not heed the voice of charmers, Charming ever so skillfully.

The condition of the fool's heart:

The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside. They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one

Determining Emotional Disorders

The DSM-IV, the manual used by psychologist and psychiatrist to diagnose Substance Use and Emotional Disorders proposes seven criterions to determine the validity of Substance Dependence. The clinician determines a valid diagnosis of Substance Dependence based upon "a cluster of cognitive, behavioral, and physiological symptoms indicating that the individual continues use of the substance despite significant substance-related problems." Whether an individual struggles with emotional disorders of various types, or are abusers of alcohol, drugs, gambling, over-eating and other addictive behaviors such as practicing homosexuality or involvement with pornography, God associates these spiritual maladies with sin.

Certainly it is not an individual's fault if they are born with an emotional disorder or physical abnormality, but the malady originated in the Garden of Eden. God told Adam not to eat from the tree in the middle of the garden or he would die. Adam's disobedience in the garden brought about spiritual as well as physical death to all mankind as a result of the malady, which is sin. Not until Adam sinned did anything ever die; moreover, the process of aging did not exist until after Adam sinned. Very seldom do any of the experts identify the problem as being of a spiritual nature unless of course he/she holds the Word of God in high esteem.

Sufficiency of Scripture

There are those who claim to be Christians and yet they don't believe that Scripture is authoritative or sufficient for all things. These individuals do not hold Scripture in high esteem. Listen to what one expert says about the word of God and the significance of Scripture.

"Beware the person of one book," we are told. For some people the central message of a book becomes a cause; religious books such as the Bible or the Koran are examples. Although causes empower people, we should beware when a person believes that all he or she needs to know is in one book. Such a person remains closed to new ideas and growth. Certainly all taught about helping cannot be found in one book.

This is an example of how confused so called experts are about what the Bible is, verses other books. In response to the statement "such a person remains closed to new ideas and growth," King Solomon told us:

"And there is nothing new under the sun."

Certainly Solomon was better informed than the so-called experts of this post modern era, since the Bible tells us that he was the wisest man to ever live. The Bible is not just a book but a divine living organism within itself. The Bible is God-Breathed.

It is for this reason that the Apostle John begins his Gospel with the argument that Jesus is God. He refers to Jesus as the Word. Listen to what the Apostle Paul says about the preeminence of Christ.

"And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence."

Preeminence is defined by Webster as "having highest rank;" and the Greek transliteration of the word proteuo meaning to be first in rank or influence," points out all one need to know in seeking the solution. The reason why people are unable to overcome strongholds is that they refuse to believe in the only source that can deliver them from the destructive behavior that they are ensnared by.

Testing Behavioral Science

Is there a legitimate need for the Behavioral Sciences? There are some advances and methods that have aided clinicians in treating emotional disorders and substance abuse. Some progress has been accomplished through those who practice psychology and psychiatry; moreover, there are medical advances and technology that only a decade ago seemed impossible. Surgeries are being performed without ever cutting the flesh with a scalpel, and there are drugs for everything. If a man has erection difficulties there are drugs that can be taken by mouth to produce an erection. If a man would like to increase the size of his genitals, then there are drugs that will enable him to do so. Women can take drugs to enhance the size of their breast, and there are patches that prevent pregnancy. There is nuclear medicine used to combat cancer and medications that dissolves tumors. However, medicine can be tested and proven to be effective or ineffective. Can the Behavioral Sciences really be tested and proven? Here is the problem with the theory of Behavioral Science. Is Behavioral Science really scientific in nature? Listen to the statements of scholars from the Master's College [Master's Seminary] and their sources.

As we noted earlier, psychology is not a uniform body of scientific knowledge like thermodynamics or organic chemistry. When we speak of psychology, we refer to a complex menagerie of ideas and theories, many of which are contradictory. Psychology has not ever proved capable of dealing effectively with the human mind and with mental and emotional processes. Thus it can hardly be regarded as a science. Karl Kraus, a Viennese journalist, made this perceptive comment: "Despite its deceptive terminology, psychoanalysis is not a science but a religion—the faith of a generation incapable of any other."

Conflicts of Psychology

Can Christians trust psychology? According to Bulkley, this question is essential when considering the integration "of psychological concepts and Scripture in Christian counseling." Bulkley goes on to point out William Kirwan's presentation on the issue of integrating psychology and theology in his book entitled Biblical Concepts for Christian Counseling. His belief is that psychology is "the science of mental processes and behavior." Bulkley goes on to say "if psychology is a science along the lines of medicine, one could expect a fair amount of agreement within the trade." This is the problem that was pointed out earlier in this chapter concerning the legitimacy of the so-called disciplines of the psychoanalytic model. Bulkley and the sources he incorporates in his book may be the sobering reality that will create clarity in settling the argument concerning the validity of the Behavioral Sciences. One must take into consideration whether or not psychology is trustworthy, and to give credence to this issue Bulkley has produced a convincing argument.

Indeed, newcomers normally view psychology, psychiatry, and other forms of counseling as a rather unified discipline. Those who have studied the field, however, know that there are literally hundreds of distinct and contradictory therapeutic approaches to counseling—with thousands of conflicting techniques—all claiming to cure the human psyche.

Unlike the conflicts or contradictions of psychology, scripture is in complete harmony. Scripture has been tested time and time again and it has always proven to be consistent and in agreement regardless of what the issues may be. Historically the Bible is the most accurate document on this earth. The Old Testament is prophecy and the New Testament is prophecy fulfilled. That means what has been foretold in the Old Testament has come true in the New Testament. This is the reason why the Bible is authentic, authoritative, inerrant, infallible, and sufficient for every situation. Is it possible to make the same statement for the DSM-IV and the disciplines of psychology? It appears that the scholars' statements given previously would refute the legitimacy of the DSM-IV, and the disciplines of psychology. This is not to say that every aspect of the theory surrounding the disciplines of psychology and psychiatry are totally wrong, but if the theory cannot be tested no one can genuinely know if it is legitimately working. Therefore psychiatrist and psychologist may present a theoretical process in treating those with inappropriate or uncontrollable behaviors and emotional disorders; but unless the theory can be tested and proven it is nothing more than a presupposition. However, the believing psychiatrists and psychologists are most effective in their practices, because they recognize scripture as being authoritative and sufficient. Scripture has proven to be the ultimate source of deliverance and healing.

Source of Christian Counseling

Another problem arises with the so-called Christian counselor using the DSM-1V, the manual used to determine psychological disorders mentioned earlier in this chapter.

There are those who attempt to integrate scripture with the theories of the psychoanalytic perspective. Although the proceeding quote is from over three decades it renders an accurate assessment currently. "Nearly all recent counseling books for ministries, even conservative ones are written from the Freudian perspective in the same that they rest largely upon the presuppositions of the Freudian ethic of non-responsibility." The first problem is the fact that presuppositions are only opinions that in most cases cannot be proven. Finally, failure of one to take responsibility for his/her actions contradicts Scripture. The reason that the Bible requires the sinner and the saint to confess and repent alone requires that one take responsibility for his/her short-comings.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Getting The Monkey Off Your Back by J. Emil Terry Copyright © 2012 by J. Emil Terry. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Acknowledgments....................iii
Foreword....................ix
Introduction....................xi
Chapter 1 The Problem....................1
Identifying the Struggle....................1
Nature of the Condition....................2
Transformation is Required....................3
Determining Emotional Disorders....................5
Sufficiency of Scripture....................6
Testing Behavioral Science....................7
Conflicts of Psychology....................8
Source of Christian Counseling....................10
Is Help a Reality....................10
God's Purpose....................12
Desire is a Prerequisite....................12
Root of the Problem....................13
Chapter 2 Seeking The Solution....................15
Dealing with Sin....................15
Divine Revelation....................16
Divine Intervention....................20
Abstinent or Clean....................21
Reality of Deliverance....................22
Condition of Relapse....................22
Messianic Overtones....................23
One Salvation Source....................25
Prevenient Grace....................26
Chapter 3 Dealing With Resentment....................27
Removing Stumbling Blocks....................27
Silent Killer....................28
Sin is the Culprit....................28
Spiritual Warfare....................29
Clothed and Armed for Warfare....................30
Repentance is Recovery....................33
Believer's Defender....................34
Sin Makes Recovery Necessary....................35
Detriment of Resentment....................36
Chapter 4 Element Of Forgiveness....................39
Prayer, Forgiveness, Fellowship....................39
Types of Prayer....................39
Forgiveness Unleashes Blessings....................40
Love, Integrity, Credibility....................43
Epitome of a Forgiving Spirit....................44
The Social Ills of Unforgivingness....................45
Forgiveness Restores Fellowship....................46
Chapter 5 Called To Serve....................49
Called for a Purpose....................49
Called to Ministry....................50
Called to Glorify God....................51
Spiritual Gifts for Service....................52
Labor of Love....................55
Chapter 6 Carrying The Message....................59
Messenger of Recovery....................59
Sponsorship vs. Discipleship....................60
The Gospel Message....................61
Believers as Recruiters....................62
The Legitimate Witness....................64
Chapter 7 Accountability....................69
Role and Responsibility....................69
Reaching the Unbeliever....................70
Only One Way to God....................71
Authenticity of Scripture....................72
What Should Follow Conversion....................74
Revelation of God....................77
Believer's Responsibility....................82
Chapter 8 Family Membership....................89
Family Composition....................89
Functionality....................90
Personal Responsibility within the Family....................91
Membership in the Ecumenical Family....................92
The Godly Family Unit....................93
Parents' Responsibility to Live Godly....................94
Mutual Respect and Consideration for Family....................97
God's Sovereign Will....................100
God's Intentional Will....................103
God's Permissive Will....................105
Difficulty of God's Permissive Will....................105
Conclusion of the Matter....................106
Benediction....................107
Bibliography....................109