An Introduction to the Bethesda 12-Gate Program™
The twelve week Bethesda Recovery treatment program is a journey toward deliverance and restoration. We will be looking at Nehemiah and the restoration of the gates of Jerusalem to give you a biblical avenue for true restoration. We will also look at Exodus as a biblical example of true deliverance. Recovery of any kind is a long hard road and nothing is ever simple on this road. These are only tools to help in the process. As we look at biblical examples we will also take a look at current life examples of restoration and deliverance. We will explore our own lives. We will learn to pray and meditate because prayer is a vital part of recovery. Life changes are very difficult and filled with stressors and prayer and meditation can help add serenity and peace to a difficult time.
This series is designed to assist the alcoholic/addict during the crucial first phase of recovery. Phase One lasts about one to two years and this time can be divided into a set of cycles. The first critical time is about three days into sobriety. This is when the initial cravings become the strongest as the physical and mental aspects of the addiction are in full power. If the addict can make it past the three day mark he or she has achieved the first milestone in the recovery process, which is a lifelong event. We have found that it is critical for someone to be with the addict at all times-they must be kept confined and under close supervision, especially those addicted to crack cocaine or meth.
The next important time is the seven day mark and the next at twenty one days. If the addict can make twenty eight to thirty days their chances of recovery are good-but they need to be aware that there are cycles all through the recovery process. After the initial twenty eight days they occur on roughly a twenty eight to thirty day schedule. It is imperative for the addict and those attempting to help him to be aware of the cycles and be able to anticipate them.
This series will take a more in-depth look at cycles and various subjects dealing with recovery such as relapse signals, triggers, connections and more. We hope that it will become an essential part of your recovery and that you will keep a recovery journal. This will help you learn what your triggers are; when your cycles occur and will help you chart your own recovery journey. The way is not easy, but a life of sobriety is worth whatever it takes to maintain it. You were willing to give all you had to stay in your addiction, now you must be willing to give all you have to staying sober. May God bless you as you learn how to live without chemical dependency but instead learn to depend on Christ to meet your every need.
Each week you will be given information about the steps and the sin/disease concept of addictions. You will also be given a gate to restore in your life, a teaching on deliverance, written prayers to pray that will help you establish or reestablish your relationship with God, yourself, others and your community. Actions to take to change behaviors and form new and better habits will be given in addition to the other information. If you will commit to this program reading these prayers each day or night while you are here and develop the new habits you will begin to see changes and feel those changes
Introduction
The following few pages are a brief overview of the book of Nehemiah and the story of Exodus. We will look at these two books in more detail during the upcoming weeks. Please read these two books of the Bible to get a full understanding of what the stories are about. Following the overview of the two books there are four rules that will help you in your continued pursuit of recovery.
Nehemiah was, according to scriptures, a cupbearer to the king. He was in a pretty comfortable job as long as no one was trying to assassinate the king. He was at the side of the king for every meal, every snack, and every drink of water for nothing touched the lips of the king without Nehemiah tasting it first. In the context of our society today here’s a man with a good job, nice house, well behaved children and a place of significance and position. He had arrived, as we say. He was comfortable and surrounded by elegance and sophistication, yet Nehemiah was haunted by the conditions of his people. This comfortable Jew in exile had family in Jerusalem who were trying to rebuild a city completely destroyed and ravished. He didn’t see himself leaving on the first bus out to rebuild the city, but he was a Jew after all and he was curious to know what was going on in Jerusalem.
One day his curiosity got the best of him and he asked a message bearer how things were going. Nehemiah was surprised to hear that things were not going so well. The message bearer told Nehemiah that the workers were discouraged because the progress was slow. It seemed that each time the workers rebuilt parts of the city enemies would run through the walls and take anything and everything leaving the workers to constantly build and rebuild.
The temple was not yet finished due to the discouragement of the workers and the fact that they felt they had to protect their own families by fortifying their own homes. Nehemiah was concerned and took the matter to prayer. While in prayer the Lord laid out a plan to Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem and help his people. Feeling the urgency to do something, Nehemiah was quite overtaken with responsibility as well as fear for what the king might do to him if he would take a leave of absence. The Bible says that Nehemiah’s countenance was heavy and the king asked him to explain his mood. Nehemiah at once told the king about his desire to help his people and the rest is history. Nehemiah left with money and provisions from the king to begin the work of restoring the walls of Jerusalem.
So much of the work of recovery is restoration. There must be restoration of morals, mind, body, relationships, job skills and on and on goes the work of fixing what has been broken and ravaged by the addiction. Just as Nehemiah left on the journey of hard work of restoration, so must we if we are to put together our lives. We need a plan of action and prayer is just that plan of action. Based on the rebuilding of the walls and what each gate represented to the people of Nehemiah’s day, we can begin the prayers that lead to the rebuilding of our lives.
Nehemiah knew by the help of God that the gates had to be rebuilt or the city would never stand. He knew that God would help him but God was not going to rebuild the gates by creative design or some miracle. Nehemiah needed the help of the people involved. What was Nehemiah’s plan? To rebuild each wall and gate with the help of those in Jerusalem until all the gates were restored and the walls fortified the city. What came next? Nehemiah organized and enlisted the help of the people for rebuilding the walls. He continued by example until the walls were restored.
Exodus begins with the story of God’s people who have been in bondage for four hundred years. These people were slaves to a power that controlled everything in their lives. That power was Pharaoh.
The more difficult life became for the children of Israel the more they cried out for help. At first their cries were to the Pharaoh himself but that only brought more bondage. Then their cries went out to the gods of their land and that gave no relief. Finally they called out to the God of Abraham, the one true God and He heard their cries and sent a deliverer. Moses was prepared to deliver his people. As we will learn in the next few weeks, preparation takes time.
Moses was raised in the palace of Pharaoh but was trained in the wilderness. Moses thought he knew exactly what to do, but he was wrong. He was even rejected by those people he wanted to rescue. He was exiled into the wilderness and then sent back to Egypt for his lifes work. When Moses was sent back into Egypt he faced much opposition by Pharaoh as well as the people he went to rescue. Finally, at the appointed time, Moses led the people out of slavery but their problems were not over. Moses led them right to the Red Sea and Pharaoh pursued them. Between the Pharaoh and the Red Sea, God showed the people that He was truly in charge of their deliverance.
There is much more to the story of their deliverance but as they traveled in the wilderness they were given a chance to go on to the Promised Land. The obstacles they faced were too large for them to trust God and so that same generation that God had delivered died in the wilderness. Only the next generation was able to go to the land of their true freedom. These people were freed from the slavery of Pharaoh but not from the bondage of their own minds.
This is typical in recovery. First of all so many get discouraged when they hit the “Red Sea” and the enemy is pursuing them. Secondly, they refuse to trust God for His promise and so many return to their Egypt or die in the wilderness unfulfilled. Freedom can only be found in going on to the Promised Land or the goal of our life. It is difficult to find freedom when we are stuck in the fears of the past and struggling with the pain of our old wounds. The decisions the Israelites made will help us see the right choices we must make to go into a life of fullness.
When Moses led the people to the foot of the mountain they chose to let Moses continue to speak to God for them. They refused to speak to God directly and to have communion with Him themselves. Moses went to meet with God but did return right away. The people became impatient and worshiped the golden calf instead of waiting on God to manifest His presence.
When the twelve spies were sent out to look at what they were promised their report was negative and they refused to face the giants because of their fears.
When God gave them manna, they wanted meat. When it got too hot they grumbled and when the water wasn’t sweet they grumbled. They complained and grumbled and even wanted to return to Egypt. Over and over in the book of Exodus we see a pattern for addiction and recovery.
Four Basic Rules
During the next twelve weeks we will look at what it will take for you to complete the process of restoration and deliverance. As we walk this journey together, there are four rules that we will need to follow.
Rule Number One: After seeking God, know what your plan is and always stick to it.
Rule Number Two: After continuing to seek God, ask for help when you need it and don’t forget what your plan is.
Rule Number Three: Stay with your plan.
Rule Number Four: Don’t ask somebody else to something you can and should do for yourself. Take personal responsibility for your actions. Never give your responsibilities to someone else. Stick with the plan.
Let’s Look at these Four Rules More Closely
Rule 1: Seek God to get a plan
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Getting sober and staying sober is the plan. To get sober and stay sober means stopping the addictive behavior and staying that way. At Bethesda House of Mercy we believe that addiction is both sin and disease. The sin part is initial choice on the part of the person. The disease is the part that takes control and becomes obsessive and habitual. Habitual sin makes you woozy with emotions and drunk with wrong decisions. Any habitual sin that is not easily laid down is an addiction. Habitual sin causes the chemicals in the brain to react in a similar pattern to that of chemical addiction. The excitement of concealing the sin, plus the thrill of doing it without getting caught can be quite stimulating. Sin means to miss the mark, as in missing a bullseye. No one ever wants the world of addiction to be the mark of their life. When you aim at life and you begin to go off the mark sin is involved. Missing the mark of your life is sin. Nobody ever decides to become an addict, but they do decide to take the first, second and next drink.
The disease of addiction is a disease of the brain. The chemicals of the brain are changed. We like to explain it like having a stroke. When a stroke victim is recovering, he has to train his brain to operate around the damaged portion of the brain. He may need to learn to walk again, or speak again using other parts of the brain. That is what happens when addiction damages the brain. The person in recovery must train his brain to think a new way. This takes time. It takes one month for every month of using to retrain the brain. So if you started using 15 years ago, then expect at least 15 months of retraining of the brain to help assure long term sobriety.
The plan to get sober and stay sober starts with eliminating the addictive substance or behavior. Any plan that does not include this is not a plan at all. The plan must be drug and alcohol free. Eliminating any substitute addictions is essential in the plan.
What are obvious temptations? How will you get rid of the obvious temptations? What will you do to rid your house and your car of the obvious temptations? How will you get rid of phone numbers, addresses, etc. that will open a door to the past?
Write down your plan to get sober and stay sober. To get sober means to have your mind functioning without the added chemicals influencing your decisions. This can take a while, so don’t think that because you haven’t used in a day or so that you are sober. Your plan to get sober must include time to get your mind and body back to a normal functioning ability.
Rule 2: Ask for help
Psalms 121:1-2 “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
Nobody can carry out their plan without help. Everybody needs people to help them make right decisions and to keep making right decisions. It is important to establish positive relationships. Often it is difficult to determine positive relationships because negative relationships have helped us stay in addiction so while in treatment learn as much as possible about how to make positive relationships. During the next few weeks we will be discussing what good relationship building skills are. Honesty is one of the biggest traits to develop during this time. Start by being honest with yourself. Be honest with yourself about your feelings, learn to describe what you are really feeling as you keep a journal. This journal will not need to be a diary, but a journal of what you feel and what you are learning.
Asking for help doesn’t mean you are weak, it means you are getting smarter. Asking for help means you are learning from others and you are becoming teachable. Who will you ask to help you? When will you ask for help? Who are some of the people you should not ask to help you?
Rule 3: Stick to the plan
Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
No matter what happens being sober is the number one priority. Keeping to the original plan to get sober and stay sober is more important than getting a job, where you live or anything else. But if you can’t get a job, or have a place to live, this can be very disturbing and could trigger a relapse. Always plan for the worst and hope for the best. When making and sticking to your plan consider every possible negative thing that can happen and practice what you will do in that situation. It is better not to be surprised. When your plan includes alternative solutions, then you have a better chance to avoid the relapse.
What is your worse case scenario? What will you do to overcome that scenario? How will you manage? What will be your attitude?
Rule 4: Take responsibility
Galatians 6:5, “For each will have to bear his own load.”
It is your personal responsibility to change your life. The disease of addiction can be controlled if you can learn to take responsibility for yourself. You cannot change anyone else but if you want your life to change, you have to take ownership of yourself and begin to take the responsibility for a sober lifestyle. You are not responsible for other peoples actions but you are responsible for your actions.
Blaming the past or others will only add to frustration. The past is over and others who have hurt you are long gone from this situation. It is time to let go of those things and move toward freedom. Nobody else can do this for you. You must step up and do this for yourself. You can have help, but it nobody’s fault but your own if you don’t ask for that help.
Post a note card in a very visible space reminding you that you are responsible for your sobriety.
I am responsible for my sobriety.
I can only change me.
What is your first step to accepting responsibility?
What is your second step to accepting responsibility?
What will you take responsibility for?
In what ways will this be different that your past?
A Quick Overview of the 12 Weeks of Study
First you will come to understand what addiction really is. We say it’s any habit, sin or lifestyle that becomes obsessive or overwhelming. Addicts must be willing to give up every ounce, every last wishful thought regarding their addiction. If they don’t, they will most certainly return to it. We say, if you leave here looking forward for one last party, you will party again. It’s not until you come to the end of yourself, and give up every last hope of getting high or drunk, that you can begin the process of recovery. Soon you will learn to replace the idealistic thoughts of your addiction and learn how to live a satisfying sober life.
With these pieces in place, you will begin the process of restoring your life. The Bethesda Recovery program focuses on four key areas of restorations:
1. Recovery to God
2. Recovery to one’s self
3. Recovery to the family
4. Recovery to the community.
Full recovery happens when all four areas of our lives are reestablished.
In the Bethesda Recovery 12-Gate Program:
- Gates One, Two and Three deal with restoration to God
- Gates Four, Five, Six and Seven deal with restoration to self
- Gates Eight and Nine deal with restoration to family
- Steps Ten, Eleven and Twelve deal with restoration to community.