Christian Counseling
Many Christians struggle with chemical dependency. Rejection and shame often keep them from reaching out for help. Positive Recovery – San Antonio recognize addiction as a serious disease that affects the mind, body, and spirit, rather than moral inadequacy. For those who desire to incorporate their Christian faith into their recovery, group and individual counseling is provided which includes recognition of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
Those clients who desire to may participate in the Christian Recovery Program. These special counseling groups explore Biblical scripture and the relationship to the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, the spiritual nature of human relationships, the importance of forgiveness in healing, and other essential components of spirituality in recovery. Gaining insight about the important aspects of recovery and learning how it interrelates with Christian faith, helps recovering Christians experience renewed hope through their core beliefs.
While in treatment, clients will be encouraged to participate in Christian based 12 step meetings at local area churches.
Many times we struggle with addiction and sin in our lives. We can’t explain why we continue in spite of the consequences. We can’t explain to our families why we continue to use. This scripture describes addiction to the addict and the family questioning “Why?” Paul is talking about the struggle we have with abiding by the laws (10 commandments) God has given us. When I am an addict, my sin is my addiction. It takes my eyes off Jesus. It takes my focus off God. My addictions own me and I become a slave to sin, the greatest of my sins is my addiction. I can’t focus on God I because the most important thing in my life is my addiction. (Inserted in blue are my thoughts)
Romans 7: 14 – 8:2 14 The law is good, then. The trouble is not with the law but with me, because I am sold into slavery, with sin as my master. (I know that God gives me order and instruction to live a life that is blessed, but the addiction or sin in my life is more important than my spouse, family, friends, work, school, spiritual beliefs, money and abiding by the laws of this land)
15 I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. 16 I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 But I can’t help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things. 18 I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can’t make myself do right. I want to, but I can’t. (When I am in my addiction I am separate from God and I keep doing the things the addiction leads me to do.)
19 When I want to do good, I don’t. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. 20 But if I am doing what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it. 21 It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. (In verse 23, I emphasized mind. This is where the struggle occurs. When we have stopped using for a few days, weeks or months, the struggle and desire to use again is in our minds…we aren’t physically addicted anymore, it is a craving and obsession that drives addicts to use. This is the reason we need to be in fellowship with a group of people who are overcoming their addictions. We can use Christian fellowships like Celebrate Recovery or community groups like AA or NA. The law that “wins the fight “ is spoken of earlier in Romans 7:5 When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced sinful deeds, resulting in death.
24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. 1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death. (The blessing is that there is a solution. God has an answer. If we were still under the rules of the law, we would all be condemned and lost. But with God’s grace we have a solution, we have a path to walk on that is free of condemnation…as long as we chose to stop the behaviors and start walking the path set by our Father and His Son.)
All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name. Acts 10:43
If you have a problem with an addiction, please call. You can stop on your own, but you will only be addressing the physical. You need to learn to deal with emotions, thoughts and reconnect spiritually through a fellowship and get the help you need. If it was as simple as accepting Christ as our Savior, everyone would be sober. There would be no addicts or alcoholics in the church. We are part of the body, part of a fellowship of God’s children. There is a solution and we want to help. Don’t struggle alone anymore. Let us help you find the answer with a proven solution that works.
If you have any further questions, please contact us at:
Alamo City Treatment Services
Addiction Counselor Training School-San Antonio
12042 Blanco Rd., Suite 101
San Antonio, TX 78216
210-541-8400