The roots of the modern disease theory of addiction can be traced back to the archaic medical philosophies of the eighteenth century. This popular theory is based primarily on the assumption that so-called addicts are physically unable to resist the call of addictive chemicals. They are presumably stricken from birth with this unlucky condition and all but helpless in the fight against the unhealthy symptoms of the so-called disease. The problem is that contemporary addiction research shows that substance abusers are not genetically or biologically different from anyone else. In fact, a growing group of physicians and researchers contend that addicts are simply guilty of making self-destructive choices in response to the commonplace stresses of everyday life. When addicts begin to take responsibility for their calculated chemical choices, they ultimately come to view their abusive behaviors in terms of not sickness but sin. They can then learn how to achieve forgiveness of their sins and deliverance from their addictions by offering their hearts, minds, and bodies to Jesus Christ. This is a skillfully written and powerful book about addiction and recovery. Having seen the devastating effects of addiction first hand, Mr. Mason was able to use his own personal experiences to develop a one of a kind text that dispels the myths about addiction and beautifully outlines the connection between the Spirit and recovery. After 14 years of working in the field of chemical dependency, I have never found a more complete and insightful view of addiction, recovery, and spirituality. Cindy Tidwell, MS, LPC Professional Addiction Counselor

Substance abusers, addicts with a physical dependency, and those who cannot stop some type of pleasurable activity can gain insights and practical help from the hopeful message from the Bible regarding addictive thoughts and behavior.

Don Williams powerfully relates in 12 Steps with Jesus that by allowing Jesus to fill the emptiness that leads to addictive behavior, readers can leave addiction in the dust! Churches must lead people to dependence on Jesus. When we give ourselves wholly to Christ, He will fill us wholly, replacing the hollowness that results in addictions. In twelve practical steps, Williams reveals how to achieve spiritual fulfillment in Christ, discover freedom from addiction, and embrace the abundant life that God promises to all of His followers.

Experiencing Healing from Painful Spiritual Abuse When religion becomes a means to avoid or control life, it becomes toxic. Those who possess a toxic faith have stepped across the line from a balanced perspective of God to an unbalanced faith in a weak, powerless or uncaring God. They seek a God to fix every mess, prevent every hurt, and mend every conflict. Toxic Faith distinguishes between a healthy faith and a misguided religiosity that traps believers in an addictive practice of religion. It shows how unbalanced ministries, misguided churches, and unscrupulous leaders can lead their followers away from God and into a desolate experience of religion that drives many to despair. Toxic Faith shows readers how to find hope for a return to genuine, healthy faith that can add meaning to life. In the words of the author, “I want to help you throw out that toxic faith and bring you back to the real thing.”

Michael Wrenn lost his military career, marriage and other blessings because of his addiction to alcohol and drugs. When three rehabilitation facilities failed to provide him with the help he needed, he reached out to God for help. God answered the cry for help, setting him free from addiction. He now enjoys a life free of addiction, and in this inspirational account he shares ten steps that helped him beat addiction. Learn how to find the plan that God has for you; recognize the people God has sent to help you; overcome the guilt and shame that comes with addiction; and make God an ally in your fight against addiction. The author has experienced the pain, misery, and loneliness of addiction. He shares a message of hope for addicts, recovering addicts, family members and pastors who desire to help them. By following God's Addiction Recovery Plan, addiction can be traded for a life of abundance, victory, purpose, peace and joy.

The current success rate for addiction treatment is less than 30 percent, which means that 7 out of 10 recovering addicts are not being cured of the so-called “disease of addiction.” Why doesn’t treatment work? The answer is simple - addiction is not a disease. In fact, the mainstream mythology of “Once and addict, always and addict” falls apart upon close inspection. Therefore addictive behaviors must be evaluated within the context of not sickness but sin. Through the study of the Bible, so-called “addicts” can learn how to achieve forgiveness of their sins and deliverance from their addictions by offering their hearts, minds, and bodies to Jesus Christ. They can then be taught how to take advantage of the powerful indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit to wage war against their persistent addictive thoughts. Ultimately, this study has been designed to help substance abusers to focus their minds on God (instead of chemicals) in order to subdue their stubborn cravings for the seductive forbidden fruit of intoxication.

Conscious Contact with God is a new paraphrase of the Psalms that reflects the experience of addiction and living in recovery. It will speak powerfully to anyone who shares those experiences and struggles to find God present in the midst of them. Ideal for personal prayer, reflection, and meditation, as well as for praying and reflecting in groups, these thoughtful and inspiring texts are rich in the vocabulary and vision of the Twelve Steps. This new resource fills a gap that has unfortunately existed until now for anyone addicted to alcohol, drugs, food, sex, or other substances or experiences. Here they will find compassion, understanding, and strength.

Discusses the causes and characteristics of addiction, examines its psychological, neurological, and theological aspects, and explains how grace can can help overcome addiction.

We must lay down our certainties and honestly admit our doubts to identify with Jesus. Rollins purposely upsets fundamentalist certainty in order to open readers up to a more loving, active manifestation of Christ's love. He explores how the Good News actually involves embracing the idea that we can't be whole, that life is difficult, and that we are in the dark. By joyfully embracing our brokenness, and courageously accepting the difficulties of existence, we truly rob death of its sting and enter into the fullness of life.

This inspirational memoir shares one man's journey through addiction, recovery, and the eventual realization that God is his savior. Mitchell Green has been to hell and back. For more than thirty years, demonic forces intertwined within him, tearing his life apart, testing his sanity, and destroying every good thing he ever found, created, or was given. In his moving testimony, Green shares his inspiring life story of addiction and of the glorious heights to which a soul has the potential to riseeven after its descent into darkness. In his candid portrayal of life before, during, and after addiction, Green recalls sitting in drug dens, his face sunken, skin ashen, eyes wild, and pumping cocaine into his systemall while wondering where he would find the money for his next hit. Most of all, Green remembers running. But when he was charged with assault during a robbery, the running stoppedat least for the next eleven years. As Green shares the challenging journey of his recovery, he describes the joyless process that it became until the voice of a loving God spoke to his suffering soul and revealed his true identity. The Gods of Addiction is an inspirational story about the power of the gods of addiction to destroy lives and the power of God to save them.