Page 87 - Overcoming Addiction

frequent occurrence where I live. Many of those who ask for money say it is
needed to buy food, or gas, but it ends up at the liquor store or in the pockets of
the drug dealer. Knowing this to be a frequent occurrence, many Christians simply
decline to give people money when they ask. Others give money without question,
believing it is their responsibility to give to the one who asks, and it is up to the
recipient what they do with it.
As I thought on this matter, and prayed asking the Lord for wisdom, I was
anticipating that He might lead me to some Scripture that would provide a means
of determining what my response should be in each instance. Instead, the Spirit
declared that He did not want me to rely on a formula, but that He wanted me to
trust Him to give me direction at each moment as I was faced with these requests.
He revealed that some times He would have me to meet the request without
question. Other times He would direct me to purchase the item the person said
they needed. Still other times He would instruct me to withhold what was asked
for, or to respond in an altogether different manner.
I realized that my soul would have preferred that God simply provide some
Scriptural formula upon which I could judge these requests. His ways are higher
than ours, however. He much prefers that we abide in Him, and that we learn the
sensitivity of spiritual listening. As we develop our spiritual senses we will find in
the end that it is a much simpler way to walk, and we will always discern that
which Yahweh desires when we are attuned to the voice of the Spirit.
Some people who read this book will find themselves involved in some form
of ministry to those who struggle with addiction. Your own church may have a
ministry, or a program, to reach out to such ones. You may ask, “Is it wrong to
have a program, and to have a specified course of instruction and activity that we
lead the people through?” I do not believe it is wrong to have a program, but we
must keep in mind that no program will ever serve as a substitute for being led of
the Spirit.
It should be an emphasis of every ministry to the addicted that those
ministering are Spirit led and Spirit empowered in all they do. The ministers must
be men and women who are full of the Spirit. We see this pattern in the book of
Acts when the apostles were seeking to appoint men to oversee the ministry of
caring for widows.

Acts 6:3
“Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation,
full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.”

If the ministers meet these qualifications, then there is no need to concern
oneself about how they are carrying forth their duties. Neither is there a need to
hand them a book of policies. What will come forth will be a living and breathing
ministry, full of the life of the Spirit of Christ. Programs and policies can actually
discourage those involved from being Spirit led. Things may be so regimented and
inflexible that there is no room for the Spirit to move.
It seems a much more precarious position to take, to allow individuals to
hear from God and make decisions, rather than instructing them in all they are to
do. Doing so involves risk, but life is risky. God is always leading us into situations