PRAY: Prayer for Those Who Are Battling Addictions
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| Photograph © Andrew Pieper, 2012 |
“Today marks one year of sobriety for me,” my friend wrote. “A year ago I could not imagine one day without a drink, let alone an entire year.”
He wrote to give glory to God and to ask prayer for others who suffer from addiction. I know many, and I’m sure you do, too.
For a few weeks, I’ve served as part of a small online prayer group that encourages a young mom who’s made the bold step to stop letting her addictions win. Her honest sharing about tearing down these idols has challenged me to look at the things I put above my relationship with Christ.
Not long ago, I met another young friend at a conference. God has used her to speak and write about her victory over addiction. But in the swell of victory comes the temptation, once again, to defeat. And so I’m lifting all of these and more before Him today.
Lord who is our Strong Tower, We know we can run to You and find safety. We can cling to You and find hope. We can hide in You and find rest. So I pray all these things for my friends battling addictions today.
Yours is the name above all names. You tell us to place nothing and no one above You. You are a jealous God because You are an all-loving God. And like any parent, You long to see Your children walk in wholeness.
By Your power and grace, our most precious Father, we lay our idols down. We surrender our cravings for things of this world and ask You to replace them with holy desires and longings. Help us, God, to look not to a drink or a smoke or a pill or a powder, not to shopping or exercise or a slice with a razor blade but only and always to You.
God, some of us don’t recognize our addictions. We’ve buried them in beauty. We’ve couched them in socially acceptable patterns. And when we haven’t done that, we’ve made excuses. We’ve lied. We’ve stolen. We’ve broken relationships. And we’ve wasted time, effort, and money on things that do not bring honor to You.
Forgive us, Lord Jesus. Draw us near to You. Be our everything. Give us Your strength to walk away, to turn it down, and to reach out to others for help. Move in us that we might live in You. Smash the enemy’s temptations and don’t give him one ounce or inch of victory in our lives.
Allow us, Lord Jesus, to run to You. Live in us as the true and only desire of our hearts. The power that raised glorious life from overwhelming death is the power that brings victory—this day, every day, and forever. In Your holy name I pray—AMEN.
Do you have a loved one battling addiction? Are you fighting against one yourself? Feel free to share a prayer request in the comments below or email me. I count it an honor to pray for you.
Thank you for this. As one who battles the food addiction daily, I struggle at every meal or every tummy rumble. It is true that only with God’s grace have I been able to meet and ovecome some (not all) of the battles that I wage daily or sometimes hour by hour. If I turned to God every time I thought about desiring food, I’d be one of the strongest and closest followers of His. Instead I wallow in what can I eat?, when can I eat? when can I eat again? or why did I eat that? I’ve printed 2 copies of this prayer and hung one on my mirror in my bathroom, and am carrying on in my wallet.
Thanks for your kind words, Linda. You’re a great example of someone who’s opened up (to a huge family) about your addiction and is continuing to find healing. But I realize outward success and inward peace are not the same. Thanks for your honest heart-sharing. I’ll keep praying.
please pray for me i am a addict who really wants a good christian life but i seem to fall back everytime i feal i am killing myself and i need help with this
I’m praying, Danielle. Lord, help her lay this idol down and keep reaching out to You. Protect her from the enemy who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. He has no place or power in her life. Help her know You more. Give her the help she needs and let her find true and lasting peace. in Your name I pray, AMEN.