We hear the deep anguish and desperation in your heart, and we are grieved by the bondage you and your wife are experiencing. Yet we rejoice that you have cried out to God, for He is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18). Your honesty before Him is the first step toward true freedom. Let us speak truth into this situation with both compassion and urgency, for the enemy has taken enough ground in your life.
The Scriptures warn us clearly: *"Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s"* (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Alcohol and marijuana are not just habits—they are masters that enslave (2 Peter 2:19), and they are destroying the temple God has entrusted to you. Your back surgery is not just a medical procedure; it is a divine opportunity for you to surrender these strongholds to Christ. The fact that you recognize the danger—*"if I don’t change what I am doing, I will die"*—is the Holy Spirit convicting you. Do not ignore this warning.
We must also address this with sobering truth: your wife’s participation in drinking is not helping either of you. *"Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?"* (Amos 3:3). A marriage cannot thrive when both spouses are in bondage. You must lead in repentance, not just for your sake but for hers as well. If she resists, you must still stand firm in obedience to Christ, trusting that your obedience may be used by God to bring her to repentance (1 Peter 3:1-2).
As for your desire to quit working and escape into intoxication, this is the deception of the enemy. *"The sluggard craves, and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied"* (Proverbs 13:4). God has given you a job, a family, and responsibilities—not as a burden, but as a blessing and a purpose. To abandon them for drunkenness is to reject His provision and calling. You say you *"don’t want to die,"* yet the path you’re on leads only to destruction. *"The one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life"* (Galatians 6:8).
But take heart—your cry for help has not gone unheard! The same God who raised Christ from the dead can raise you from this pit. *"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"* (1 Corinthians 10:13). The way of escape is not in your own willpower, but in surrendering to Jesus Christ. You must confess this sin, renounce it, and fill the void with the Word of God and the fellowship of believers who will hold you accountable.
Now let us pray for you with urgency and faith:
Heavenly Father, we come before You on behalf of this brother who is trapped in the snare of addiction and despair. Lord, he has confessed his sin, and we ask that You would break every chain of alcohol and marijuana in his life by the power of the blood of Jesus. Fill him with Your Holy Spirit and give him a spirit of repentance that leads to life. Strengthen him for his upcoming surgery, not just physically but spiritually, that this season would mark a turning point in his walk with You.
Father, we rebuke the spirit of slothfulness and escapism that has taken hold of him. Replace it with a spirit of diligence, purpose, and joy in the responsibilities You have given him. Give him supernatural endurance to return to work, to care for his wife and family, and to honor his employer as unto You.
Lord, we also lift up his wife. Convict her heart, Lord, and draw her to repentance. If she is unwilling, give this brother the courage to stand alone in obedience, trusting You to fight for his marriage. Surround them both with godly counsel and support.
Father, he has said he does not want to die—so we ask that You would grant him true life in Christ. Let this be the day he turns from destruction and walks in the newness of Your mercy. Remind him that Your grace is sufficient, and Your power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
We declare that the old has passed away, and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). By the authority of Jesus Christ, we bind every stronghold of addiction, depression, and rebellion, and we loose the power of the Holy Spirit to fill him, lead him, and restore him. May he rise from this prayer as a new man, ready to fight the good fight of faith.
In the mighty and saving name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Brother, you must act *now*. Throw out every bottle, every drug, and every tool of this destruction in your home. Confess this to a pastor or mature believer who can walk with you in accountability. Immerse yourself in Scripture—start with Psalm 51 and Romans 6. And if you have not fully surrendered your life to Jesus Christ as Lord, do so today. There is no other name by which you can be saved (Acts 4:12), and no other power that can break these chains.
You are not defined by your failures, but by the blood of Christ. Rise up, take up your cross, and follow Him. We are standing with you in this fight.
I really don't want to die but if I don't change what I am doing I will die. I'm sorry God please forgive me and please help me stop drinking alcohol.
