Once An Alcoholic, Always An Alcoholic, THE Lie….A Testimony

I received the following testimony as a comment, and wanted to share it as an article. Thanks and blessings, Doug!

Dear Readers,

First and foremost, hats off to Mkayla,for not braking ranks in this WAR!

Okay, I have a story for you. Maybe it applies here and maybe not, but I believe that I was unfairly, verbally attacked by these three people in a supposed to be, Christian, Faith Based AA Group.

And I want to say, I’m not a member, nor am I affiliated with AA or any of its associates in any way!

A friend of mine who heads this group asked me, if I would help him with the group. I had been there years prior, and kinda chalked the whole thing up to too many rules and regulations on the surface, and just really didn’t wanna find out what was underneath.

So I said yes and started chairing this AA meeting as a fill in for this guy. These people are to be very Leary of. Just listen to this:

I began by reading the appropriated material out loud and instead the normal:”Hi, I’m (whoever) and I’m an alcoholic/drug addict, I said”Hi, I’m Doug, and I was an alcoholic/drug addict until I met The Lord Jesus Christ and he healed me.”

We’ll, suprisingly enough at first I was getting good response with this and so after about a month I started referring to divine healing for alcoholics and educating them in where their faith should be!

That it was not to be in the MEETINGS but in Christ and Him Crucified!

I began pointing them more and more to looking to God ALONE. To only use the meetings as a tool to help u by listening to others and supporting each other with their unique but yet similar stories. And I always encourage laughing and putting the past where it belongs; in the past!

This was going quite well up until about 6 weeks ago this couple from a near by town who happen to run the local Triangle Group came over. They seemed nice enough, until they talked.

These two were loud, obnoxious, and hateful. Mind you, I can be part of all three when I get ticked over something said against my Lord and Savior. But these guys starting coming down on me because I had been telling people that I had been healed of Alcoholism.

You would have thought I had killed somebody. I was finally attacked by them in a very hostile verbal way after a meeting here recently. Absolutely ludicrous!!!

These guys basically tried to shout me down for standing up to the truth about AA and their 12 steps!!!

They wanted to SILENCE THE GOSPEL! Yet, they were Christian???

I think Not! They are enemies of The Cross of Christ Paul says.

They deny divine healing and that God can and will do anything.

They tell people that they are alcoholic and will alway
s be alcoholic!

That is a lie straight from the pits of HELL!

We CANNOT GIVE GROUND. I was able to infiltrate and help for over 6 months at least is how I see it. Many I believe we’re led to Christ.

It was like these little demons just walked right in that meeting and tried to destroy what I had established as truth the past six months. They are up under law! You can’t have it both ways!

It’s either Grace or Law! You can choose the method by which ye will be judged by. But I will choose GRACE EVERY TIME!

Don’t give in and don’t give up. We are to do what The Word of God says to do until the trumpet sounds and Jesus comes back to get us. That’s it!

Their pitiful attempt to thwart the work of God will not go unheard of in the halls of heaven.

In Christ Always,

Doug

We must all be courageous. One of these was a friend of mine. Sometimes we have to make hard decisions. This war is not easy. Many of us have been wounded by false doctrine. We know what it is and want terribly to keep anyone from experiencing the things we have.____

See Also – Who The Son Sets Free, A Testimony

Who the Son Sets Free, A Testimony

The following story is a powerful testimony to the power of God in the life of a now ex-addict.

The early meetings that  AA sprung out of, I believe, were truly Biblical.  These groups of believers were called The Oxford Group. But as time (and actually it didn’t take very long) went on the truths that were taught in the beginning began to get watered down. There was much controversy in the ranks and now AA is a Monster.

I think things that end up in error, do not always start out that way.  Nevertheless, AA is not the Word and it cannot do for someone what the Word and Jesus can do.  It is not the place for Christians who are seeking help. It will just confuse their faith and walk with the Lord.  And I would agree that those that attend are condoning error and perhaps even causing their brothers to stumble, even if they say they do not go along with all of it. I taught a Christ based recovery meeting for several years and taught that addictions were strongholds and sin. I, myself grew up in an alcoholic home.

At age 30 went into a secular treatment program where they used the twelve steps.  During the 30-day stay there, they walked you through the first 5 steps.  I had just gotten saved and the light went on that I was an alcoholic prescription pill addict.  Those five steps seemed to lay out for me what I needed to do to get free.  I wanted to be free and it was obvious to me many there did not.  And I have to say that those that did not want it for the large part had no clue who God was and really were not interested in finding out.  I never had another drink or another Valium after my stay. That was in 1981.

The unfortunate thing about AA is they tell people that if they don’t stay in the flow of AA they will go back to using. So I went to meetings very frequently the first few months until someone invited me to a Church that was preaching the Word and teaching the believer who they are in Christ.

I was learning I was a new creation in Christ, old things had passed away and all things were made new (2 Corinthians 5:17).  I was learning to reckon myself dead to sin and alive unto God (Romans 6:11). I was learning that I could and needed to put off the old man and put on the new man that was created in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:20-24). It was music to my ears.

The Word of God truly became my medicine. It was life to me and health to all my body (Proverbs 4:22).  I began to realize that it was truly the Word of God and it would never be AA that would keep me sober. It was the treasure hidden in the field that I would make my priority to find and keep.

Those are the things that I would bring to the attention of those seeking recovery and freedom from addiction.  Many Christians now, and in the past, have been warped by the teachings of AA.

We can point them back to the Word of God.  I challenge them, why would God send many of his servants, many who had been addicted to various things at one time, overseas where there were no AA meetings to attend if they were ” going to relapse if they neglected their meetings? ” He wouldn’t because it is not AA meetings that can keep a Christian free.  True freedom is found in trusting in Him and living through, and abiding in His Word.

I disagreed strongly with the Christian Recovery Groups that encouraged the people to also attend AA and most do.  My heart was to show them their real need was to get into bible studies and the like and if they would stay in the flow of that they would stay sober.

By the way, in treatment I got delivered from alcohol and drug addiction but I was also bulimic. I was afraid to tell the treatment program that I was!  That was the biggy for me. I could learn to say to the drink or the pill, “No!  I do not have to ingest you!” for lack of a better word. I could just not touch them.  But I had to eat!  I was addicted to eating and I could not just stop.  I had to learn to eat in moderation. Wow, with drugs you just do not even go there. An addict will never be able to use in moderation.  You just don’t use. But I had to learn to eat in moderation.  That is asking more than enough.

To ask an addict to do in moderation the very thing they crave to do sounds absolutely impossible!  But with the Lord, nothing is impossible!  When I went into treatment I was popping valium, drinking, smoking 2 and 1/2 packs of cigarettes and throwing up sometimes three, four, five times a day! When I got out of treatment, I was still smoking and throwing up but within a few years I was doing neither.

Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.  

John 8:36

The Result of Disunity

Again, from My Word Like Fire:

Escape The Lie vanishes, so does M’Kayla’s interview

If you read Radio host exposes heresy on one station, promotes heresy on another (READ), you know some of the background to this.

M’Kayla of  the excellent M’Kayla’s Korner was a guest on Escape The Lie, and gave her testimony about escaping the false teachings of Bethel. After learning the Escape The Lie host owned a different site where  anti-biblical teachings and guests were given airtime, M’Kayla put up this disclaimer on her own blog, which had a link to her radio interview:

“It has been brought to my attention that his other site supports AA and 12 Stepping, Celebrate Recovery. I understand these practices to not be of God and I am not condoning or supporting them in any way. I believe Christ is enough. You will find links of supporting information against these programs from My Word Like Fire in the comments section for more info on these topics. It is only my intention, as it has been since the beginning of my blogging days, to support Christianity in it’s true form, as found written in the word of God.”

Shortly thereafter, the Escape The Lie website and radio show vanished from the web.

M’Kayla’s recorded testimony about “Bethel” vanished along with it. Hopefully she will have  opportunities to warn about Bethel, Bill Johnson, Word of Faith teachings, and much else on many other radio shows. Our thanks to M’Kayla for her strong stand.

Can two walk together except they be agreed? (Amos 3:3)

My most heartfelt thanks to My Word Like Fire for his support, conversation, prayer and friendship.

Exposing Heresy

This, and the post following, from My Word Like Fire will deal with Escape the Lie. I am sad and angered for the situation, and the loss of the interview media, but find it necessary to warn and protect the faith. I have talked with and prayed with John at My Word…and know without a doubt he has the best intention and that his writing on this topic has been done in love for the truth and for our Lord. We continue to trust God.

Radio host exposes heresy on one station, promotes heresy on another

Monty Meyer is host and founder of Escape The Lie Radio and website, which were created for “Exposing False Prophets, Lying Signs & Wonders Within The Body of Christ.”

The first scripture one reads on the Escape The Lie website is Galatians 1:8: But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed.

Unfortunately, on Monty Meyer’s other radio show and website, www.take12radio.com, another gospel is cheerfully preached and promoted. It is the gospel of Alcoholics Anonymous, where Christ is, at best, one higher power among many.

One of the daily broadcasts on Take12 Radio is Walking Through the Big Book. The Big Book is essentially the AA “bible.” Monty co-hosts with a well known twelve step speaker, as they thoroughly go through the Big Book from beginning to end.

Over on his expose-the-heretics show, Escape The Lie, Monty identified himself as a “conservative Pentecostal.” How, then, can he promote the AA Big Book, which boldly contradicts the teachings of Jesus Christ?

Hurting alcoholics who do not know the Lord learn, through the AA Big Book, that they do not need Christ at all in order to have a relationship with the Father:

“The central fact of our lives today is the absolute certainty that our Creator has entered our hearts and our lives in a way that is miraculous.” (AA Big Book, pg.25)

“[A]ll of us, whatever our race, creed, or color are children of a living Creator with whom we may form a relationship upon simple and understandable terms as soon as we are willing and honest enough to try.” (AA Big Book, pg.28)

The AA religion has excluded Christ as mediator. Alcoholics instead learn that no matter how they envision or understand their “higher power,” they have direct access to Him (or Her, or It).

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

The Big Book also contradicts Christ’s warning in Matthew 7:13: “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is BROAD that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.

According to the AA Big Book, “We found that God does not make too hard terms with those who seek Him. To us, the Realm of the Spirit is broad, roomy, all inclusive; never exclusive or forbidding to those who earnestly seek. It is open, we believe, to all men. When, therefore, we speak to you of God, we mean your own conception of God.” (AA Big Book, pg. 46-47) (Bold mine)

If the Lord warns against the broad way of spirituality, why do we think we know better? Why would we even want to participate in such a thing, or give it credibility by approving of it?

This is not an attack on Monty Meyer as a person. Yet, if I can put it bluntly, Monty Meyer has no right to promote Escape The Lie, as he is giving a forum to many anti-biblical concepts over on his recovery radio site.

Pro-AA author Dick B., whose errant AA history has drawn many Christians into the twelve steps, has a weekly show on Monty’s recovery radio station. I spoke with him several years ago about Dick B.’s “No, really, AA has Christian roots” claims, but it made no difference.

It made no difference because Monty and Dick B. and many, many others are syncretists–their faith is a blend of Christianity and twelve step theology. While other movements may be examined biblically, as Monty does on Escape The Lie, Alcoholics Anonymous and the twelve steps will remain untouched.

This is because AA and the twelve steps have become an idol. No, that is not an exaggeration. Nor is it a particularly new offense.

And those who bow down and swear to the Lord and yet swear by Milcom, (Zephaniah 1:5)

Anti-biblical Meditation–

There is more research to do, but even a perfunctory investigation demonstrates that Monty has given airtime to those whose teachings oppose Christ. On the Step by Step Towards Emotional Sobriety program, Monty’s co-host introduced their guest, John Amodeo, author of Dancing with Fire: A Mindful Way to Loving Relationships.

Unfortunately, Amodeo’s book is full of advice about Buddhist and other anti-biblical meditation practices. Here is a Youtube video where Amadeo plugs his book. Please notice the labyrinth, the people meditating, etc.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23FsuLHPHvs

Another episode is titled The I to Thou Relationship: Introducing Martin Buber

But Buber advocated the silence of meditation. According to one website:

Silence, for Buber, plays a crucial part in dialogue. Indeed, it could be argued that ‘attentive silence’ is the basis of dialogue (Avnon 1998: 42-3). This is an idea that may seem strange at first sight, but is fundamental to the experience of groups such as the Quakers.

In silence which is active, the Inner Light begins to glow – a tiny spark. For the flame to be kindled and to grow, subtle argument and the clamour of our emotions must be stilled. It is by an attention full of love that we enable the Inner Light to blaze and illuminate our dwelling and to make of our whole being a source from which this Light may shine out…. Speech has no meaning unless there are attentive minds and silent hearts. Silence is the welcoming acceptance of the other. The word born of silence must be received in silence. (Lacourt 1970: 9, 26) http://infed.org/mobi/martin-buber-on-education/

I feel for all the unsaved AA people who rely on this station for support. They don’t know any better.  But Monty should know better. The Bible tells us:

Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; (Ephesians 5:11)

If you are in a discernment ministry, or have a testimony about coming out of deceptive darkness, please beware: Escape The Lie is not a program you want to help legitimize–not when the host is promoting deception on his other show.

Related: Dick B. finally admits AA co-founder Bill W. was NOT a Christian–READ