Oh, beloved brother, we hear the deep anguish in your heart, and we are grieved by the weight of your suffering. You are crying out to the Lord, and that is good—for He alone is your refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. But we must speak truth in love, for we see areas where the enemy is seeking to deceive and destroy you, and we will not stand by without warning you of the snares in your path.
First, let us address the most urgent matter: you are teetering on the edge of returning to alcohol, and you speak of drinking beer and smoking pot as if they were solutions. But the Scriptures are clear: *"Don’t you know that you are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, which you are"* (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, WEB). These substances will not bring you peace—they will only numb you temporarily while deepening your bondage. The Lord does not call you to escape your pain but to face it with His strength. *"No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it"* (1 Corinthians 10:13, WEB). Turn away from this path, brother—it leads only to destruction.
You ask, *"Why, God, is my back so bad? Why are you letting this happen to me again?"* We do not know the full reasons for your suffering, but we know this: the Lord is sovereign, and He allows trials for purposes we may not yet see. *"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says Yahweh, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future"* (Jeremiah 29:11, WEB). Your pain is not in vain. The Lord may be refining you, teaching you to rely wholly on Him, or preparing you for a testimony that will bring others to Christ. But we must also ask: have you sought the Lord’s wisdom in how to care for your body? Have you consulted godly counsel, both medically and spiritually? *"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be healthy, even as your soul prospers"* (3 John 1:2, WEB). The Lord cares about your physical well-being, but He also calls you to steward your body wisely.
You speak of your job with great fear—fear of failure, fear of losing it, fear of your bosses and coworkers. But the Lord commands us: *"Don’t be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus"* (Philippians 4:6-7, WEB). Have you surrendered this job to the Lord? Are you seeking His wisdom in how to manage your projects and proposals? Or are you relying on your own strength, which is failing you? *"Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight"* (Proverbs 3:5-6, WEB). The Lord is not surprised by your struggles—He is waiting for you to turn to Him in full dependence.
We must also address your mention of the lottery. Brother, this is a dangerous and deceptive hope. *"But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows"* (1 Timothy 6:9-10, WEB). The Lord does not call you to trust in chance or in wealth—He calls you to trust in *Him*. Your desire to "stay home and lay on my bed and drink beer and smoke pot" is not a godly desire—it is a desire for escape, and it will only lead you further into bondage. The Lord has better for you. *"For I know the plans that I have for you,’ says Yahweh, ‘plans for peace, and not for evil, to give you hope and a future"* (Jeremiah 29:11, WEB).
You mention your wife and your fear of losing your house and job again. Brother, we urge you to lead your family spiritually. Are you and your wife praying together? Are you seeking the Lord’s will for your marriage and home? *"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it"* (Ephesians 5:25, WEB). Your wife’s heart may be hardened because she sees you turning to alcohol and despair instead of to the Lord. Show her a different way—show her a man who trusts in God, who seeks His face, who leads his family in prayer. *"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land"* (2 Chronicles 7:14, WEB).
Now, let us pray for you with all our hearts:
Heavenly Father, we lift up our brother to You, knowing that You see his pain, his fear, and his desperation. Lord, he is crying out to You, and we ask that You would meet him in this moment with Your mighty power and tender mercy. Father, break the chains of alcohol and substance abuse that are threatening to ensnare him again. Give him the strength to turn away from these false comforts and to run to You instead. *"Create in him a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within him"* (Psalm 51:10, WEB).
Lord, we ask for Your healing touch on his body. You are Jehovah-Rapha, the God who heals. We pray that You would restore his back and legs, that You would give wisdom to his doctors, and that You would provide for him financially during this time of need. Help him to complete his SDI paperwork with clarity and favor. *"By his stripes we are healed"* (Isaiah 53:5, WEB), and we claim that promise over him now.
Father, we rebuke the spirit of fear that is gripping his heart. You have not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Give him Your peace that surpasses all understanding. Help him to cast all his anxieties on You, for You care for him (1 Peter 5:7). Soften the hearts of his bosses, coworkers, and customers toward him. Give him favor in their eyes, and help him to work with excellence and integrity, as unto You.
Lord, we pray for his marriage. Soften his wife’s heart, but also give him the grace to lead her spiritually. Help them to seek You together, to pray together, and to trust You as a family. *"Unless Yahweh builds the house, they who build it labor in vain"* (Psalm 127:1, WEB). Bind them together in unity and faith.
Father, forgive him for his despair and for the times he has turned to his own ways instead of Yours. Wash him clean with the blood of Jesus, and fill him with Your Holy Spirit. Give him a vision of the hope and future You have for him. *"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says Yahweh, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future"* (Jeremiah 29:11, WEB).
Lord, we ask that You would provide for his every need—financially, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Open doors that no man can shut, and give him the courage to walk through them. *"My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus"* (Philippians 4:19, WEB).
Finally, Father, we pray that You would fill him with Your joy and strength as he returns to work. Help him to see this not as a burden, but as an opportunity to glorify You. Give him wisdom, focus, and divine help to complete his projects and proposals with excellence. *"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men"* (Colossians 3:23, WEB).
We declare victory over this season of his life, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Brother, we urge you: do not give in to despair. The Lord is with you, and He will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6). Turn to Him with all your heart. Seek godly counsel—perhaps a pastor or a Christian counselor who can walk with you through this time. Surround yourself with believers who can pray for you and hold you accountable. *"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up"* (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, WEB).
You are not alone. The body of Christ is here to stand with you. Reject the lies of the enemy that tell you to give up. The Lord has a purpose for you, and He will see you through this storm. *"We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair; pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed"* (2 Corinthians 4:8-9, WEB). Keep fighting, brother. Keep trusting. The Lord is your strength and your song.
