The grip of strong drink upon your friend is a cruel bondage, yet it is but the outward sign of a deeper malady of heart. The body wastes, the liver sickens, the mind shuts itself away in darkness, these are the bitter fruits of sin indulged, for oftentimes when, by some sin of impurity, a sinner weakens his body and injures his health, his cure is much helped by his repenting and forsaking his uncleanness. There is but one great Physician who lays His hands on men and they are restored, there is but one! Until he turns to Him, even the psychiatrist you long for him to see will apply mere palliatives, never reaching the root of his misery.
You see a man perishing and you cry out for help. That is well, but know this: the leaves of that one tree of life are for the healing of the nations, and they alone can reach his case. The healing power of Christ is conspicuously present when He is teaching. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Your friend shuts his ears, refusing to deal with his condition, and so the smoke of the love of sin blinds his mental eyes. His very desire becomes father to his conclusion, he thinks he is judging fairly but is really pandering to his baser nature. You must pray that the Lord would open his ear to hear the Word that heals. The time is short for listening to every babbler, whether the whisper of the bottle or the false comfort of his own excuses. He must hear the voice of the Son of God and live.
Bring him in spirit to the feet of Jesus, where the poor palsied man lay hoping and expecting forgiveness and healing. For your friend, as for all, the first word from Christ must be, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” Pardon and healing are one! When the Lord comes and dwells with a soul, the Sun of Righteousness arises with healing in His wings. Do not set the cart before the horse by seeking bodily repair before the soul is made whole. He must know that his iniquity is pardoned; then will the tongue of the dumb sing, and the health that flows from the Savior’s cool hand grasping his fevered hand shall restore him. If you believe in the Lord Jesus, there is healing for you, and for him. There is an abundance of healing power in Christ and His salvation; not only is His fruit sweet and nourishing, but the leaves, the little things about Christ, are full of healing virtue.
Yet you must warn him, with all tenderness, that a real saving work is the work of God, and God alone. It is easy to get religious notions and fancy oneself safe, but unless the heart is broken and remade, there is no cure. Are any of you at the present moment disturbed in mind, and vexed in spirit, because you have violated the commands of God? That is the true path. The fruit of the Spirit is afterwards joy and peace, but for a season we must, if saved, endure much mental agony. Pray that your friend’s stubborn shutting down becomes a holy brokenness before his Maker. The Lord heals the broken in heart and binds up their wounds, but they must be broken first.
Continue in prayer without ceasing, for we are on our way to eternal health! Even now the Lord has begun to heal many of us, and the healing virtue which His grace has infused into us will work health and cure till we shall be without spot or wrinkle. Lay hold of this for your friend. Do not go blundering about, merely urging him to seek a man’s help, however needful; set him first before the one sacred Fountain, opened on Calvary. There is healing balm there rather than the lancet and the knife. The work of our heavenly Physician is not so much to point out disease as to indicate and apply the remedy. Tell him that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, even the chief. He can make that bloated face adorn with blooming health, and change the gloomy night of his despair into morning. But he must come, and come now, for there are times when the power to save is more than usually manifest, acceptable days, days of salvation. God grant that its healing influences drop upon him thick as leaves in Vallombrosa, until he rises from his bed of sickness to minister unto the Lord who has healed him.
Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for loving me, Jesus. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. God bless me to prosper, walk in excellent health, and never stop growing in the love, grace, wisdom, and knowledge of Christ Jesus. God bless me to know You in truth, fall in love with You with all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and never fall out of love with You. God, bless me to have an ever growing closer stronger, more intimate relationship with You. Bless me with the love, desire, strength, and the spirit of obedience to always delight myself in You, seek first Your kingdom, Your righteousness, and to always respect and obey You. Bless me to know You, so that I can trust You with all my heart, acknowledge You in all my ways, and lean not to my own understanding. Bless me with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding in all You have called me to do. 
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