Dear Editor
Dear Editor
I am ashamed to admit that I am a drinker. I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. I realize I am dirty because I constantly get drunk. I do not want to be a drinker anymore. I want to dedicate my life to be a missionary. Can you offer me some advice?
Thank you.
Dear Carlos,
Praise the Lord! A lost sheep has been found, my fellow brother in Christ!
“The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18) Carlos, you have been honest in admitting you have an alcohol problem. I believe you are sincere about asking for help. My ultimate advice is to pray. Only God can help you. Ask God to help you with your alcohol problem. You cannot do this alone. You need God and other believers to help you. I suggest you look for other believers to support you and pray for you as well. “You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.” (Matthew 21:22) If you believe what you are praying for, you will receive it. You will be relieved from your alcohol problem. God will help you.
“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) The Holy Spirit is a gift from God. “And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38) Since you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you realize that God bought you with a high price by His Son Jesus Christ dying for you on the cross. The alcohol problem you have is not the best for your body as your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit. “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.” (Romans 8:26) Alone, you are not strong enough to solve your own drinking problem, but the Holy Spirit will help you. You might not know exactly what to pray for, but the Holy Spirit will help you. Also, I also suggest finding other believers to be with you during the time when your body “needs” alcohol.
Another piece of advice I want to give you is to read God’s Word. Not only do you need to speak to God, you need to know what God will tell you through His Word. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Reading Scripture will equip you to do good and correct you, or more specifically your body, from its constant “need” for alcohol.. “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (Matthew 26:41) So watch what is happening and keep praying. Your body is weak, but the Holy Spirit is willing to help you break free from the drinking problem. It is going to be hard for your body and for the rest of you. When you fall into temptation ask other believers to be with you during that time to distract you from thinking of alcohol. Also to stop the habit of going near places that offer alcohol, maybe by taking another route, so you will not see those places that serve alcohol. Another way to get rid of your alcohol temptation is to seek professional help that will help your mind realize that your does not need alcohol.
“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) For example, God has provided the Holy Spirit to help you and also other believers that will take your mind off the alcohol and they will also pray for you. You will be able to withstand the temptations you are facing because God knows you are capable to overcome it. “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) You can overcome it, especially with Him because He will strengthen you.
Your drinking problem is no match for the Almighty God. He will help you overcome it if you ask him to help you and you believe in what you are praying. That is my advice to you.
The Editor
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