Jesus, it is extremely difficult for me to be struggling with alcohol issues and continue to be defeated while heading toward deliverance. Help me see that it can be confusing for me to be exposed to a wonderful way of life and still be living in the old one. But, teach me that it is actually a condition where I have one foot in the new life and the other in the old one. Show me that it is like taking a long journey. When I first start out, I am making progress but it doesn’t seem like it. I am heading in the right direction but have a long way to go. I would like to just find out about a new life and be there the next day. However, help me except the fact that this isn’t the way these things work. It is going to take me some time, effort, and patience in order for me to get set free from alcohol issues. BUT, empower me NOT to let that scare or worry me; help me realize that You will be right there with me all the way. Help me see that it will be a time for me to develop a wonderful relationship with You.

Mat 11:28 (NIV) Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Jesus, help me see that this is what I am doing; I am making my way to You so You can give me the things I need. But, help me see that I must have a special attitude so I will make the journey to You. Then I will go with You to the place of blessings, healing, and help. Gal 6:9 (NIV) Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Make it clear to me that the problem is, human determination, commitment, resolve, and tenacity don’t work in Christianity. Once I give this my best, make up my mind, put forth an all out effort, and try to do what it takes, I will fail; and, that really hurts me. But, if I start looking to You to give me Your help and power, I will be able to stay the course. Teach me that because Christianity has a living God Who wants to show me what He can do for me, He requires that I put my faith, trust, and reliance on Him and His abilities.

Mat 11:28 (NIV) Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Jesus, the confusing issue about working with You is for me to know what my responsibility is and what Yours is. Show me that Come to Me is my responsibility; and, that is what I am doing. Help me see that I will give you rest is Your responsibility. It is Your responsibility to work the miracles in my life. Help me see this additional example of the way Christianity works: Rev 3:20 (NIV) Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me. Show me that in this case my job is: If anyone hears My voice and opens the door. Your job is: I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me. Also, teach me this: How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him! Make it clear to me that my job is to ask; God’s job is to give good gifts to those who ASK Him!

Rom 12:1 (NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Jesus, help me learn that when I face things I can’t control, that is my battle I am fighting against the drives, emotions, reactions and weaknesses of my body. Help me understand that my spirit on the inside of my body, doesn’t get mad, jealous, frustrated, selfish, or act or react inappropriately; it doesn’t get depressed, sad, down, feel lonely, issolated, or hopeless; teach me that my body is the source of these things. You have a way of empowering me to bring my body under Your and my control.

Jesus, teach me that once I open some doors in my life, they can never be closed again without the supernatural power of God. Teach me that once I start experiencing some emotions, they will dominate my life without the supernatural power of God. In all the other programs where You are left out of the process, I would just be learning how to live with my body’s cravings, philosophies, emotions, and weaknesses. I would be spending a lot of hard effort and time learning how to adjust my life so I could live with a drive, emotion, reaction, or weakness that would be with me for the rest of my life. But with You, I will be learning how to defeat the drives, emotions, reactions and weaknesses and make them stop. Help me see that this alone will make it worth the journey. And, once again, show me that this isn’t all I will be receiving from God.

Jesus, make it clear to me that through all these studies and prayers, You are progressively moving me into a new way of living life. I am currently taking steps that will bring incredible joy, happiness, pleasure, fun, and satisfaction. Show me that as I learn how to yield to them rather than negative thoughts and emotions, You will use them to help me face my issues with alcohol.

Jesus, help me understand that the important thing for me to know about You and Your help is, these new emotions will never be something that addicts, controls, or dominates me or tries to take my God-given free will away from me. You will always honor my God-given free will. It will be a way of life I choose to be involved in because I want that kind of life. Help me see that it won’t be like bait on a fish hook that offers benefits and pleasure but gets me hooked and then reels me in to a way of destruction. Help me understand that my emotions will be blessed and enhanced so I can fight my battles with alcohol while having emotions that help me FEEL like a winner.

Luke 6:38 (NIV) Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Jesus, teach me that one of the things that will give me a much better life is the opportunity to share what I have with others. Not only will I finally reach the place where I am set free from alcohol issues, You will be teaching me concepts that I can use to help my friends be set free. Help me discover a wonderful purpose for my life. Let me be able to help hurting people find deliverance and blessings for their lives.

Jesus, show me that the excitement and confidence I will demonstrate will help those around me want what I have. Help me see that I won’t be experiencing some strange, mystical healing that I won’t understand. I won’t receive help through “experts” who have training and techniques that are way over my head. Teach me life-principles that I will understand and take advantage of for myself; and, help me be able to use them to help hurting people as You and I work together.

Jesus, teach me that like in the Luke 6:38 principle of giving, I must try to get my help using Biblical, spiritual principles. Help me realize that I am currently learning how to get help from You. You are teaching me that You have to be approached in a certain way or nothing happens. Like the fact that You require me to give, and it will be given to me. And like the fact that You use the Biblical principle: For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. there are rules that regulate what You will or will not do. In this next phase of the study, show me how to “do what it takes” to get the help I need so I can live the kind of life I want. Teach me that all I have to do is come to God, while using the correct methods, and You will get me on the right track; and, that is what You and I will work on next.