Our Help is in the Name of the Lord

OUR HELP IS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD,

WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH.

Psalm 124:8

While reading this scripture from the book of Psalms, I could only image the dangers David and his people were delivered from as a result of God’s help alone; whatever the case may be, he sure made it known that the Mighty name of God made a way of escape, but in today’s society we are led to seek a higher power or a god of our own understanding.

There are countless believers who can truly relate to this verse of scripture. All the help I needed to break free from the stronghold of addiction was found in the name of Jesus Christ. But in today’s society there is an eerie agenda lurking in rooms of what the world calls Narcotics Anonymous. Let me point out that this organization encourages confessing powerlessness over their addiction, encourages anonymity as a spiritual principle, and states that addiction is an incurable disease of mind, body and spirit.

According to Colossians 2:8, this organization promotes and is being influence by the basic principles of this world and NOT according to Christ. It is said that this organization has helped many people change their lives and stay clean through the working of the steps and its literature, but I beg to differ. This organization has only helped people to abstain their flesh for a certain amount of time. I could go into the success rate and all that, but seriously what would that accomplish since there is no real way to get a accurate count of how many people have relapsed countless amounts of times in order to receive the freedom they so desire. I can’t even count the amount of times I have witnessed people go in and out of treatment and in the rooms of AA and NA. My main concern is with the 3 statements I have read in their literature, which I have underlined above.  When a person is recovering from this sort of bondage it is imperative that they realize that we need to be saved from this State of being, which is our natural state as sinners needing a Savior. Nowhere in AA or NA’s literature does it imply that salvation is needed or offered. For the believer who is seeking to recover from addiction, it is imperative that we know who we are in Christ, why he died, and what were the results of  Him dying for our sins. It really saddens and grieves my heart when I see Christians following the ways of the world and denying Christ in the process. In the rooms of NA no one can speak the name of Jesus because they believe that anything can be your god. They welcome all of society’s beliefs in order that they might not offend anyone, but help all. The trouble with that is Deuteronomy 6:14, which says, “You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are all around you.” Not to mention what is says in 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” Am I missing something or does fellowship still mean friendship, association or partnership.  As Christians and bible readers, we are told that Life and Death are in the POWER of our own tongue. (Prov. 18:21)

 So I believe it is safe to say that when a believer confesses that he or she is powerless over their addiction, they are actually speaking defeat and hopelessness over themselves. My purpose is to bring people near by the blood of the lamb and by exposing the lies of the enemy by telling the truth in God’s word.

Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (Ephesians 2:11-12)

I am pleading with the body of believers to come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch the unclean thing, and I will receive you.” But first let me clarity what the word ‘touch’ means in this text. According to the Blue letter bible – lexicon it means to fasten one's self to, adhere to, cling to. So many of God’s children who have confessed Christ are being deceived into believing that AA and NA is of God, but in actuality it is not. I could go into the origins and the beliefs of the founders of this organization and how it began; as a matter of fact, I think I will. One of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous whose name is William Griffith Wilson aka Bill Wilson, was one who participated in what I call an experiment with curing addiction. As stated in the NY Times article, “In October 1909, Dr. Alexander Lambert boldly announced to a New York Times reporter that he had found a surefire cure for alcoholism and drug addiction. Even more astounding, he stated that the treatment required “less than five days.” The therapy consisted of an odd mixture of belladonna (deadly nightshade), along with the fluid extracts of xanthoxylum (prickly ash) and hyoscyamus (henbane).” Bill Wilson was one of the patients involved in this so called cure all treatment of addiction. The article also stated, “Although Mr. Wilson made some progress in temporarily abstaining, he relapsed after each of the first three hospitalizations. It was around this time that he reunited with a drinking buddy named Ebby Thacher. Unlike previous times, when they went out on wild binges, Mr. Thacher told him that he quit booze and was a member of the Oxford Group, a church-based association devoted to living on a higher spiritual plane guided by Christianity.” http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/health/20drunk.html?_r=1

Obviously this was not a cure all. If anything it was making him worst. The effects of the belladonna were enough to drive him crazy, not to mention the side effects of the additional drugs. The article also stated that even before the promotion of this drug being a cure all for addiction, it was known to cause hallucinations.  Belladonna hallucinations are normally based on recent discussions the person had but become far more fantastic.

Now that I have shared this information, I can understand why Mr. Bill had this so called spiritual awakening he so passionately explains in this you tube video I watched.

One of the other statements that concern me is anonymity being a spiritual principle. Let’s look at what is found the NA’s How It Works, How and Why literature (pg132)

“Anonymity, the spiritual foundation of our traditions, supports NA unity as well. When we apply anonymity to the first tradition, we overlook the differences that would separate us.” Now let’s look at what the 1^st tradition is, “Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on NA unity.” What kind of foolishness is this? Anonymity mean secrecy and if people apply secrecy to this tradition it would mean that you have NO say, personal opinion or individuality in your recovery process. So in other words, keep your opinions and beliefs to yourself because NA unity is more important than your personal recovery. In my opinion this influences fear of speaking your mind and is a form of bondage; it only holds you to conform to their way of living. For the believer it is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that is most important.

In Romans 8:14-15, it says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God; For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” For when our time is up on this earth everyone is going to have to give an account for themselves. God is not going to ask you “What did the Big Book or the NA book say and did you follow it. Please take a look at two of the most enlightening scriptures that some believers I believed have overlooked. The first one comes from Matthew 10:33, which says, “But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” and Luke 9:26, which says, “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.” These two scriptures put to rest this so called spiritual principle of anonymity. As it says in Matthew 12:36, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the Day of Judgment.” The whole concept of their 1^st tradition is centered in building groups [with no voice] and NOT Faith in Christ. I will say this until the day my Lord and Savior calls me home, “We grow in the Grace and Knowledge of Jesus Christ, not in the knowledge of the steps and NA literature. Jesus came that we may have life and have it more abundantly, he did not come to give us a program. Another statement that needs to be exposed is found on pg. 132 of Its Works, how and why is this, “In the context of unity, anonymity means that the message of recovery is for every addict who wants it. We learn to set aside our prejudices and focus on our common identity as addicts.” Now I hope you can see what I mean concerning being conformed to this world’s way of thinking. This statement is only speaking of a person’s sinful nature without Christ, and in the context of identifying yourself by your past performance. Romans 8:5-14 says, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.  So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Now you tell me who is the liar; God or this program. The Father quickened us together with Christ and has raised us together and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2: 4-6) The only help I know is found in the name of the Lord. Our help is not found in any other name on the face of this earth. I am not concerned with what people say against me nor am I concerned with how established this organization is. My only concern is with doing the work of the Lord and walking in Faith while being a Minister of reconciliation. I leave you all with this:

Ephesians 5:11
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.