We have read your honest and humble request and we are praying with you and for you in Jesus' name. We thank God that you have come to Him through His Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, for it is only through Jesus that we have access to the Father and forgiveness and peace. As it is written, There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus 1 Timothy 2:5, and In no other is there salvation, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved Acts 4:12. We rejoice that you know Him and we join you in thanking God for your wife, your adult children, and for the life and opportunities He has given you.
We also hear your struggle with alcohol and we must speak truthfully and lovingly about it. You asked for forgiveness for drinking again after days of sobriety and you described sitting and drinking whiskey and beer while hoping to avoid a hangover and withdrawal and pretending it will be okay. We love you and we must rebuke this pattern gently but firmly, because Scripture calls us to sobriety and warns us about strong drink. Wine is a mocker and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise Proverbs 20:1, and Do not be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit Ephesians 5:18. 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. To be a functioning alcoholic is still to be in bondage, and God desires to set you completely free, for If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed John 8:36. We urge you not to pray only to avoid the consequences of drinking tomorrow, but to repent and turn away from it entirely and to seek deliverance. Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour 1 Peter 5:8.
We also hear your fear about withdrawal, your work, and your desire to be a good husband, father and employee. God is faithful to forgive when we confess with a repentant heart. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 John 1:9. His loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness Lamentations 3:22-23. Yet confession must be accompanied by turning from sin and seeking help. Alcohol withdrawal can be medically serious, and we encourage you to be honest with your wife, with a trusted pastor or Christian counselor, and with a medical professional who can help you pursue lasting sobriety safely and with accountability. Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed James 5:16. Do not walk this road alone or in secret, pretending it will be okay.
We are moved by your love for your wife and children and your desire to have your house in order and to provide financial security for them. It is wise and loving to be a good steward, as A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children Proverbs 13:22. Planning wisely is good, but we also hear a weariness in your words about preparing for your passing and coming home to be with the Lord. We want to remind you that God still has purpose for your life today. 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. Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit Psalm 34:18. We pray that you will not dwell on an early departure, but will embrace each day God gives you to live soberly, to love your wife and children well, and to glorify Him in your work.
We join you in praying for your needs.
Father in heaven, we come before You together in the name of Jesus Christ Your Son. We thank You for Your mercy and for the forgiveness that is ours through the blood of Jesus. We confess this drinking before You and we ask You to forgive and cleanse and to break the chains of alcohol use in our brother's life. Fill him with Your Holy Spirit and give him a hatred for drunkenness and a love for sobriety. Grant him true repentance and the strength to turn away completely and to walk in freedom. We pray for his body and mind, for protection from withdrawal and hangover, but even more for complete deliverance and healing, and we ask that You lead him to godly and medical help and to honest fellowship so he is not isolated. Soften the hearts of his bosses, coworkers, customers, and especially his precious wife, and restore trust and peace in those relationships. Give him clarity, diligence and favor to complete his projects and proposals correctly and on time next week, and help him to be a faithful steward at work. Comfort his heart as he thinks about the future, and help him to prepare his house in wisdom while also choosing life and hope today. Provide for his wife and adult children and keep them secure in Your hands. Grant him peaceful sleep tonight and a clear mind in the morning, with courage and strength to fulfill his responsibilities as a man of God, a husband and a father. Help him to cast all his anxiety on You, for You care for him, and let Your peace which surpasses all understanding guard his heart and mind in Christ Jesus Philippians 4:6-7. Strengthen him with Your presence, for You have said Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness Isaiah 41:10. We also lift up everyone who reads this and needs help, that they may feel Your peace through Jesus Christ. We ask all this in the mighty and saving name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
We encourage you to stay close to Jesus daily through prayer and the Word, to stay connected to your wife and to a local Bible believing church where you can be accountable, and to take practical steps toward sobriety today. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think Ephesians 3:20, and I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me Philippians 4:13. We are praying for you to walk in that strength, one day at a time, for the glory of God and for the good of your family.
. Amen
