Savage About Sobriety June 9, 2023

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, - Luke 4:18 (KJV).

I can remember reading this verse sitting in my cell at the Eastern Reception and Diagnostic Correctional Center (ERDCC) in Bonne Terre, MO, and thinking, "I wonder if He could set me free from my addiction?" Apart from brief stints of sobriety, addiction has been a problem for most of my adult life. I would trade one thing for another, not really being completely sober from everything. The idea of being set free from the captivity of addiction didn't seem like a real possibility.

As I read my Bible that day, the Holy Spirit began speaking to me that this verse was talking about my drug and alcohol abuse. It was like this verse was written just for me at that exact moment. I needed to hear the good news of the Gospel and have my broken heart healed. I needed the hope that I could be free from the chains of addiction, to not be blinded by my own sin, and to not feel crushed by another failed attempt at living life without drugs and alcohol. If what this verse was saying could be true, then Jesus was the ONLY answer I was looking for to turn my life around and start living a life worth living.

I can remember sitting there thinking about how I had lost my faith in everything. Faith in my ability to overcome my addiction, faith in people I trusted, and faith that this world was even worth living in. It was a miserable time in my life and I was desperate to make a change. Reading this verse was the turning point.

The first phase of Jesus' Ministry here on earth was "to preach the gospel to the poor." Whether you are poor in finances or poor in spirit, hearing something good is the best way to start restoring your faith. Gospel means good news. What was some of the "good news" Jesus was preaching to the poor? "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." - Matthew 6:33 (KJV). He said this when He was speaking about having food to eat and clothing to wear. He also said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 5:3 (KJV).

We grow our faith by hearing what God has to say. Paul wrote, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." - Romans 10:17 (KJV).

The second phase of Jesus' Ministry was to "heal the brokenhearted." If you want REAL freedom from addiction, then you have to fix the past hurts and hangups. Doing this is a must. Not taking the necessary steps to "heal" from broken relationships, abusive relationships, or toxic relationships can be a roadblock in your road to recovery. Jesus came to help us get past those hurts and hangups. All we have to do is pray for His help and healing power over our life. "Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you." - 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT).

The next phases of Jesus' Ministry really spoke to where I was at physically and emotionally with my addiction, "to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised." I had been held prisoner by drugs and alcohol, and blinded by their effect on me for so long that I was beginning to think that being crushed and beaten down was the best I could do. As an addict, you reach a point where all you can think about is when and how you are going to get your next drink or hit. It consumes you and makes you a prisoner of your own mind. You can't see anyone else's point of view and you eventually will surround yourself with other people who are blinded by their addiction, as well. Whether you choose to see it or not, you are held captive by your addiction, blinded by it, and beaten down because of it.

As I read this verse in my cell that day, I began praying this prayer: Lord, here I am. I trust You have an incredible plan for me. Transform me. Transform my life. Transform me into the person You created me to be. Everything is on the table. I make myself 100% available to You today. I hold nothing back. Lead me, challenge me, encourage me, and open my eyes to all Your possibilities. Amen. I continued reading the chapter and I felt like God was letting me know He heard me when I read Luke 4:21, "And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." - (KJV).

Remember, we are imperfect people serving a perfect God. We make mistakes and fall on our faces more than we want to. That's why we have to draw off of His strengths and rely on His grace and mercy. You don't have to struggle with addiction alone. Jesus came to fix people like us. If He can do it for me, He will most definitely do it for you.