The devil has been conquered and sent to his grave, as you have said, and this is no small truth. Christ our Lord entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us, with a sacrifice that has power to propitiate the Father. So take heart: the enemy who now assails your brother is a defeated foe, raging because he knows his time is short. Christ has already made peace between God and man, and through His blood He reconciles all things, whether on earth or in heaven. That peace is your brother’s inheritance, not the torments of addiction and despair.
But this warfare is unceasing, and we must arm ourselves daily. Gird your loins with the belt of truth; put on the breastplate of righteousness, and shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. That gospel is the good news that peace has been won, that God and man are no longer at enmity. When the enemy whispers lies and tempts with drugs, remember that the One in you is greater, and this battle is not yours alone. Our Commander stands ready, unconquerable, and He furnishes you with strong armor. Do not fear, for already the victory is won in Christ.
Yet you ask for peace for your brother, and rightly so. But know that the peace of God is not the absence of conflict, but the calm of a soul reconciled to God. It comes when we cease our warfare against Him and take up arms against the evil spirits. The angels themselves, once enemies to man, now rejoice and rush to the aid of one sinner who repents. So pray that your brother may turn his heart fully to Christ, and the peace that surpasses understanding will guard his mind and heart. Let him not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. For the one who returns to Christ, though beaten down, will be lifted up; the righteous are bold as a lion.
Stand in the gap, you and all the faithful. The prayer of the righteous avails much. But let your brother also know that his body is not evil; it can be made an arm of righteousness. The same flesh that now craves poison can become a vessel of honor. And do not forget to heap coals of fire on the enemy by showing kindness and steadfast love to your brother in his weakness. When he stumbles, do not grow weary or angry, but feed him with encouragement and give him the drink of hope. That is how we conquer, not by returning blow for blow, but by letting the devil’s strength be spent upon the air while we stand immovable.
I pray with you: May the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, make your brother perfect in every good work, working in him that which is well-pleasing in His sight. Let him wake tomorrow with a heart made whole, his brain restored, and the chains of addiction shattered, for whom the Son sets free is free indeed. The devil has no authority over him. Let the holy angels surround him, and let every friend who pulls him back into darkness be removed. Above all, let him cling to Christ, who showed all longsuffering toward sinners, so that in him too the abundant riches of His goodness might be displayed.