Addiction and its behaviors create a powerful compulsive mindset within an atmosphere of anticipation, moods, and self-absorption. The BWGI material is designed to attack that compulsivity by helping the person to create a completely different approach to the inner life.  The Recovery Movement restructures a person’s life and relationships. It specializes in helping people with the life of the heart so that the dreadful scourge of temptations, compulsions and addictions can be nullified and replaced by the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, and peace.

A harsh reality needs to be faced. Addiction cannot be beaten. Addiction takes on a life of its own and it can easily become the king of the person’s life.

The Success of Alcoholics Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous is considered to be the world’s most effective organization at dealing with the addiction of alcoholism. Spreading throughout the world, A.A. has developed a well-earned reputation for helping people who appear to be hopelessly enslaved to the problem. Yet their program begins with a paradox: the addiction cannot be beaten. This is expressed by Step One of the Twelve Step Program, “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable.” What they ask the person in outpatient rehab or inpatient rehab who wants to face the addiction is this: attend ninety meetings in ninety days to start breaking the habit. During those meetings the alcoholic is asked to admit that, without the intervention of a higher power and a spirituality transformation through learning how to have a personal relationship with God, addiction will not be beaten.

Paul’s Struggle

Paul the Apostle also agrees with what Alcoholic Anonymous has to say about the human heart’s inability to deal with addiction. The Bible verses of Romans 7 is a classic statement about the inability of a human being to obey moral laws in the face of their appetite.

What Paul said is that he was spiritually alive apart from the rules and the regulations of the Old Testament Law. But when he became preoccupied with the rule, “You shall not lust!” he discovered to his shock and consternation that he was not able to control his appetites. As he tried to keep the tenth commandment, “You shall not lust!” he found a powerlessness and confusion that deadened his relationship to God and made shipwreck out of his spiritual life.

A Modern Example

A story is told that after the Empire State building was erected, people would sometimes throw things from the top floor. Attempting to stop that practice, the officials put up a sign saying, “Do not throw things!” From that point on thousands of objects have been hurled from the top. That story and Paul’s point is that rules just seem to ignite the appetite and do not curb or control it.

Another joke also illustrates the point. “If you want something done, do it yourself, pay someone to do it, or tell a teenager not to do it.” The high impulsiveness and curiosity of a teenager sets that person up for risky behavior. In the same way many people prone to addiction have really not worked their way through the growth stages in life so that they have less impulse control than teens. But whether old or young the central assumption of Bible verses on the subject is that unaided humanity cannot keep rules.

Alcoholics Anonymous and the central belief of the Bible is that out-of-control human appetite cannot be managed without a profound intervention from a “higher power” and a spirituality transformation. Or, to put it in biblical terms, without the help of God Himself.

How to Break the Pattern

Since the habit is impossible to break by simple force of character and thinking differently, what can be done? The first thing a person in outpatient or inpatient rehab needs to do is to realize that substance addiction, as with any addiction, cannot be directly challenged. The cloud of lust is too thick, the wind of appetite too powerful, and the mind too confused. Instead the addiction has to be challenged indirectly or  obliquely. Two things have to happen:

1. The person has to begin to completely rearrange the inner and outer life.
2. The person has to withdraw completely from alcohol and drugs.

Merely overcoming addiction, however, is not the goal. Overcoming addiction through a learning how to have a personal relationship with God is the goal.

This excerpt is taken from the book Alcohol and Drug Addiction: Supplemental Readings for Becoming What God Intended by Dr. David Eckman.

Aphesis [af-uh-sis]:Greek word meaning release from bondage or imprisonment, forgiveness or pardon of sins.
(Strong’s number 859; Definitions taken from the New Testament Greek).

An Aphesis Group is a special growth opportunity for people who want to go deeper in their understanding of and relationship with God, self and others.

An Aphesis Group is a 22 week small group discipleship process that effectively addresses the complexity of issues in believer’s spiritual, emotional, and relational life brought about from western culture’s unhealthy influences and disintegrating family structure.

THE EXPERIENCE is unique and theological. It walks believers through the process of coming to terms with life’s challenges. It offers real hope through discussion and deep contemplation of the transforming truths of scripture.

THE GOAL of this small group experience is to impart a new and more accurate understanding of self, others and God; resulting in the spiritual, emotional and relational health that all of us long for and few actually experience.