The Secret To Healing Your Addiction (and every other problem)

Welcome to the Recovered Christian, the podcast for believers who want to break the chains of addiction and live a recovered life. Join host Suzanne Bloomer each week as she shares her personal journey of recovery, provides encouragement for yours and takes a deep dive into the scriptures. God wrote a book, and the Bible is full of hope, wisdom and practical applications for all of us. So whether you're just starting on the road to sobriety or are hoping to take the first step, this podcast is for you. Tune in each week for a biblical shot of courage and let's recover your life, one devotion at a time. Now here's Suzanne with Today's Show.

Welcome friends. This is Suzanne and I am so glad you're here today. When you're in active addiction, there's little you want more than to be healed. I cried out for healing all the time. When you're on the hamster wheel of using and sickness and wanting and finding, and using and sickness and wanting and finding, you just want to get off. I wanted to get off. I wanted God to take it all away, to take the need and desire and hurting away. I just wanted to be normal again, without the burden of addiction weighing me down every second of every single day. For 20 years I prayed for God to heal me. I begged Him to heal me, but did I believe he would or could? And even if I believed he could, did I believe I was worthy of receiving it? Do you believe it? Here's a story from Mark, chapter 10, verses 46 to 52. Then they reached Jericho and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus was sitting beside the road. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me, be quiet. Many of the people yelled at him, but he only shouted louder Son of David, have mercy on me. When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said Tell him to come here. So they called the blind man, cheer up. They said Come on, he's calling you. Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up and came to Jesus. What do you want me to do for you? Jesus asked my rabbi. The blind man said I want to see. And Jesus said to him Go, for your faith has healed you Instantly. The man could see and he followed Jesus down the road. Wow, Bartimaeus was a beggar. He was blind and apparently he was annoying. He wasn't a scholar or a rich merchant or a follower already. He was just a man sitting on the side of the road begging. But Bartimaeus had this going for him. He believed Jesus could heal him. He believed and he asked for the healing. When he heard Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he started shouting for him. People tried to shush him, but he kept on going. He knew Jesus, the son of David, would and could heal him and he wasn't going to let that chance pass by. The Bible tells us that Bartimaeus leaves his cloak on the ground when Jesus calls him. That cloak was likely all he had in the world and his leaving it on a crowded road, unable to see. It shows how much trust he had that Jesus would heal him, even if he knows the area well from his days of begging. Bartimaeus will be hard pressed to find his cloak again. It could be stolen or moved. He could be leaving his only possession behind. But he does. He throws his coat aside and jumps up to go to Jesus. Jesus asks him what do you want me to do for you? And Bartimaeus says I want to see. And he does. Instantly Jesus tells him Go, for your faith has healed you. Jesus knew Bartimaeus' heart and knew the belief in him that lived there. He didn't ask him Do you think I can heal you? Do you think I will heal you? He simply did it. Do we have that kind of faith in our hearts, not on our tongues. It's easy to say we do, we always say we do. But do we have it deep down in our hearts, where our secret desires and thoughts live? Do we believe Jesus will heal us, that Jesus can heal us? Do we believe we are worthy of that healing? If Jesus said to you today, throw down your most prized possession and come to me, would you? Would I? Will you throw down your wine or your porn or your cigarette and go to him. What about your job or your home or your kids? Will you leave what you love most on the side of the road to stand humbly before Jesus and hear him ask what do you want me to do for you? Bartimaeus did, the blind beggar on the side of the road did. Why do we do less? And if Jesus did ask you that question, what is your answer? Seven years ago, I would most definitely ask to have my addiction taken from me. No question, I longed to be free of it. I wanted to start living again for real, not just getting through each day in one piece. Now I'm with Bartimaeus. I want to see. I want to see the blessings. I want to see the Holy Spirit at work. I want to see the world turn from their sin and turn back to the Father. I want to see my life dedicated to the purpose he has called me to. I want to see. Bartimaeus was instantly healed and he followed Jesus down the road. No longer a beggar, no longer blind, he's a follower, now a student, of the King of Kings, the Messiah. His faith, pure and true, brought about this sudden change of circumstance. The Bible doesn't say, if he went back for his cloak, it implies that he didn't. He traded his only worldly possession for something so much more valuable. Did I believe Jesus could heal me? I think so. Did I believe I was worthy of it? Honestly, no, I don't believe I did Not in my heart. But, friends, I was worthy of that healing, and so are you. You are the beloved child of God. He knows your name, he has counted every hair on your head and he loves you so much he sent his son to die for you so you could receive that healing. And here's the really truly amazing thing Jesus is asking you right now, this very moment what do you want me to do for you, this very second? He is waiting for your answer. Tell Him, erase any doubt in your heart about the ability of Jesus to heal, about your worthiness to receive that healing. Fill your heart with the certainty that God wants you to be whole, and tell Jesus what you want. He's waiting to hear from you. So answer Him. I'll see you next time.

Thanks so much for tuning into this episode of the Recovered Christian with Suzanne Bloomer. If you're enjoying the show, please rate, subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. Community and support are so important in recovery. We'd love you to join our Facebook group, the Recovered Christian, where you can fellowship with believers walking the same road, or visit our website at therecoveredchristiancom. Links to both are in the show description. Once again, thanks for listening and we hope you'll join us again on the Recovered Christian.