Ministering Life, Hope and Restoration

Practical Counsel
For Christians In Recovery
© Victory Family Care Ministries

1) The time to be set free is today. Set Free means learning to stand firm, not letting ourselves be burdened again by those things that enslave us. See Galatians 5:1, Matthew 11:28-30

2) Recovery is a process and not just a one time event. We must stand firm on a daily basis. It will take time for our mind and body to heal and time for us to mature in the Lord. See Mark 8:22-25

3) We should never give up if we relapse. While we are still on this earth it is never too late to get back on the right track. God is the God of second chances and more to those who confess and repent from their heart. However, we should never use this as an excuse to relapse. See 1 John 1:9

4) We should never wrestle with our struggles  in our own strength. We must rely on God’s strength and power. See Gal. 5:16; Phil 4:13

5) We must avoid people, places, and things that are not in the best interest of our journey to healing.  See 1 Cor.15:33; 2 Cor.6:14

6) Don’t be surprised when we are tempted. Temptation in itself is not sinful, it is what we do with it that matters. See Nahum 1:7; 1 Cor.10:13; James 1:13-15

7) Recognize that it is easier to lie to ourselves than to anyone else we know. We must be aware of our ability to rationalize wrong attitudes and wrong behavior. See Jer. 17:9; Ps. 51:6

8) We should not become proud and self-sufficient once we are set free from those things that enslaved us as we cannot claim credit for our recovery. See Prov.16:18

9) Standing firm against those things that enslave us is not the ultimate goal of the recovering Christian. It is a good place to start, but the journey continues. Realize that God desires us to be transformed. Don’t be deceived by the lie that says; it’s more than I can handle. See Romans 12:1-2; Gal. 5:19-26

10) Have confidence in God. He has our best interest at heart. Murphy’s laws do not control the life of the Christian. See Rom. 8:28

11) Walk with God one day at a time. He knows our problems and our needs.
See Prov.27:1; Matt. 6:25-34

12) Take time to pray everyday. Prayer is the "glue" that keeps us close to God. It is through prayer that God hears us. See Phil. 46-7; James 5:13-16

13) We need to study the Bible everyday. God’s Word has the answers for our problems and the direction we need. We also need to apply what we study to our lives. See Pro. 3:5-6; 2 Tim. 3:16

14) We need to plug into a recovery friendly, Bible teaching fellowship. A fellowship that faithfully teaches in a Spirit of Love and Christ-like-ness. See Heb. 10:24-27

15) We need to maintain a support system of other recovering Christians with whom we can share our struggles and receive encouragement. See Gal. 6:1-2; Hebrews 3:13; James 5:16

16) After a relapse did you ever say to yourself; "things seem to be getting seven times worse"? See Matt. 12:43-45.