Helping Others Overcome Addictions: How God's Grace Brings Lasting Freedom

by Steve McVey, Mike Quarles

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780736947473
Publisher:	Harvest House Publishers
Publication date:	08/01/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	775,367
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

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.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Big Myth 9

Part 1 The Truth We Need to Help People Find Freedom from Addictive Behavior

Chapter 1 The Lie the Church Believes About Addiction: And how it keeps so many from finding freedom in Christ 15

Chapter 2 It's Worse Than a Disease: A biblical perspective on addiction and its root cause 25

Chapter 3 The Prerequistie to Freedom from Addiction: What has to take place before a person can receive their freedom, and why many never experience it 37

Chapter 4 The Birthright of a Child of God: God has already provided everything we need to be free in Christ 47

Chapter 5 If I'm So Good, Why Do I Act So Bad?: Why we struggle, fall, and fail-and why we don't have to 61

Chapter 6 The Most Liberating Thing You Will Ever Do: Forgiving from the heart: An act of spiritual warfare 71

Chapter 7 It's Not Up to Us: We can't free or sanctify ourselves, but God has already done it 83

Part 2 Practical Ways We Can Point People to the Truth

Chapter 8 What We Can Do to Help Others-and What to Stop Doing: Speaking the truth in love and exercising tough love 97

Chapter 9 A Ministry of Grace in the Church: Welcoming, accepting, loving, caring for; and attracting those who struggle with addictive behaviors 115

Conclusion

Living in the Freedom Christ Has Provided: Summing up the truth and reality of who you are and what you have in Christ 125

A Final Encouragement 133

Appendix: Format for Freedom

Setting Up a Ministry, Part 1: Presenting the right content 137

Setting Up a Ministry, Part 2: Formats and resources 147

Resources

A The Ultimate Deception 163

B What's Wrong with the 12 Steps? 165

C The Finished Work of Christ 167

D Thirty Things Mike Tried to Get Free from Addictive Behavior 171

E Declaration of Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory in Christ 173

F The Way to Live the Victorious Christian Life 177

G Grace Walk Recovery Resources 179

H What Grace Walk Recovery Ministry Can Offer Your Church or Recovery Ministry 181

I Guidelines for Group Leaders 185

J Prayers to Begin and End Recovery Meetings 189

K Guidelines for Group Discussion and Sharing 191

L Guidelines for Mentors 193

M Selecting a Mentor 195

N There Is Now No "How" for Those Who Are in Christ Jesus 197