Author: lastwordrecovery

Tetelestai Recovery

Group Purpose

lastwordrecovery

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Tetelestai is the Greek word which Jesus spoke from the cross in His final moments of mortality. The English translation, “It is finished!” (John 19:30), is the basis for this program.

We believe that Jesus’ words hold miraculous power. We speak these words into our own lives and into the lives of other survivors. We are confident that a spiritual principle is set in play when our statements come into alignment with the words of God.

So also, will be the word that I speak: it will not fail to do what I plan for it; it will do everything I send it to do. Isaiah 55:11

Since Jesus gave witness on the cross, “It is finished,” we align with Him in calling an end to our disease of addiction and dysfunctional behaviors. We testify in agreement with Jesus and thus, the matter is resolved.

Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. 2 Corinthians 13:1

We believe that the disease of addiction and its accompanying dysfunctions can be over-powered by two distinct elements:

  • Christ’s blood as a divine transfusion which heals us from the inside out.
  • The words we speak testify to this truth.

And they have defeated the powers of darkness by the blood of the Lamb and by the words of their testimony. Revelation 12:11

Therefore, we join forces in the spirit realm through our spoken words as we gather together. We each testify to the power of Christ who heals and delivers us from what we fear most – ourselves.

Tetelestai Recovery

The Power of Praise

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As we progressed up the path in the Tetelestai Realm of Recovery, we discovered a powerful weapon against the onslaught of obsessions, compulsions, and other dysfunctional thought patterns. The weapon was praise and it turned out to be more powerful than we ever imagined.

We came to see that when we praised God, we experienced a higher level of satisfaction in our lives, and we became more deeply aware of His goodness surrounding us. We also noticed that when our praises declined, so did our sense of well-being.

From simply a human point of view, this made perfect sense to us. We were easily able to confirm the effect praise has on all creatures. Praise given to a pet or a child is the way to convey approval and appreciation. Praise offered to a co-worker is received with gratitude and goodwill. Praise given to a spouse, partner, or family member can bridge a strained relationship or energize an exhausted soul.  

We realized that when we praised God, we were verbalizing our trust in His divine plan. When praising God, we were simultaneously attracting angelic presence and repelling demonic entities. Knowing that neither angels nor demons can read minds, we put great emphasis on verbalizing our praises.

In our study of the praise process, we noticed in various groups of people, when praise was offered to an individual, idea, or accomplishment, others in agreement would gather round to voice their commendation. However, there were occasions when an opposing individual or group would disapprove of the admiration. Those particular individuals or groups would generally withdraw and exit the area.

We found this research to be incredibly enlightening. When paralleled with the spirit realm, we began to understand the impact our praises might have on the atmosphere surrounding us. If angels love to praise God, we could expect them to gather round those who are doing the same. In like manner, the demonic spirits, who refuse to offer their praises to God, would be repulsed by such joyful admiration of our Father.

With this scenario in mind, we began praising for every element of beauty, comfort, or protection we encountered. After only a brief time of this practice, we found that the demon of depression lifted, the spirit of selfishness released its grip, and the antagonist of addiction grew weaker. Based on our hypothesis, we continued our conscious effort to offer praise to God regularly throughout our daily duties. The results led us to a most rewarding conclusion.

Tetelestai Recovery – Chapter 10, The Power of Praise

https://a.co/d/epPzyhW

A Date With Destiny

Giver

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2 Corinthians 8:12

If you are eager to give, God will accept your gift on the basis of what you have, not on what you don’t have.

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You are known for your thoughtfulness when it comes to giving. You remain alert to the needs of others and are excited to fulfill them.

You are a generous person. You willingly offer your time, energy, and expertise to those who are in need of assistance.

You enjoy giving your time, energy, and resources to others. You find that this brings you an enormous sense of purpose. You are motivated to act when you see a need and have the ability to help meet it.

God is pleased by your generosity and accepts it is as an expression of your faith. No matter how small the gift, it is significant.

When you encounter a need which appears too great, and you wish you could do more, you give what you can and trust God to give the increase.

As you give of your time, energy, and resources, you experience replenishment rather than depletion.

This is the manifestation of Christ’s Kingdom at work on the earth.

As you willingly become the answer to someone else’s prayer, your generous spirit pleases the King.

A Date With Destiny Birthday Series – August 12

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A Date With Destiny

The Value of Wisdom

lastwordrecovery

Proverbs 8:11

Wisdom is more precious than rubies. Nothing you want is equal to it.

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You have invested your time and energy into the pursuit of something more valuable than mere monetary gain. You understand that the most valuable asset a person can hold is the divine gift of wisdom. Your contributions of commitment and loyalty are invested freely into the Kingdom of God and His returns never disappoint.

Supernatural wisdom comes to you like a divine download, and you are often amazed by the sudden level of understanding that seems to hit you out of nowhere.

You actively seek wisdom from God, and as a reward for your humble request, the Holy Spirit infuses you with the creativity to discover solutions which are beyond your natural range of comprehension.

You prove yourself to be a trustworthy protector of what is sacred. You give honor to God and respect to His creation.

As you invest in God’s Kingdom, the dividends of wisdom are compounded daily, sustaining and guiding you to your destiny. 

A Date With Destiny Birthday Series – August 11

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Tetelestai Recovery

Word Seeds

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We believe in the scriptural principle of sowing and reaping. We see the effects of this principle in the natural realm as well as the spiritual. We are certain that an oak tree will not grow from a thistle seed. Therefore, we do not expect to receive hope and healing by speaking of our addiction as a lumbering giant which threatens to steal our sobriety.

We dare not speak of relapse, as this seed grows into a massive, poisonous vine which produces an itchy sensation known as irritable, restless, and discontent syndrome. We dare not speak of our past indiscretions as a boastful or laughable matter, for this seed will grow into a field of dandelion memories with brightly colored egotistical blooms. How quickly they turn to hollow puffs of fly-away seeds, searching for another ego to embed! We dare not speak of our resentments, for this is the thicket which depletes our energy and slows our progress.

The words which produce a harvest we don’t want ought never to be sown by our voice. The negative words which have been spoken to us, or about us, or by us, must be pulled up by the roots before the harvest ever comes.

We begin our day with a simple statement from our own lips, “I cancel out any negative words which have been spoken or written to me, about me, or by me, in the name of Jesus. I ask the Holy Spirit to destroy any growth which may have occurred from these cursed seeds, and to remove them by the roots.”

Those things which we believed of ourselves, based on the things we were told by other sick people from our past, had emerged as a thicket of tangled thoughts and continuing behaviors. As we walked through the steps of our recovery, we found undergrowth which kept tripping us up. When we released our recovery into the hands of Jesus, the Holy Spirit began to guide us regarding the removal and elimination of these parts of us we didn’t know how to manage. Some of us needed counseling, some needed medication, some needed a change in diet or activity, but all of us needed supernatural healing in many layers.

Tetelestai Recovery – Chapter 9, Saying is Sowing

https://a.co/d/2YrZd9u

Tetelestai Recovery

Self Destructive Tendencies

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We found the facts of the first story in Mark chapter five, concerning a demon possessed man who cut himself and lived in tombs, to be tragic and disturbing. We also identified with him in a way that few others can. This man was out of his mind, and everyone knew it. The historical facts had proven that human power was no match for a demon. Evil was an entity to be feared and avoided.

When we were lost in our addiction, we were self-destructive, violent, fearful, crazy, and more conspicuous than we cared to admit. The demoniac man is one we relate to with deep heartbreaking empathy. We walked his path. Like him, our path led to Jesus. And in like manner, Jesus called out our demons and returned us to our right minds.

  • Fact: this man was violent and dangerous.
  • Fact: anyone who got close got hurt.
  • Fact: the man had been this way for many years.
  • Fact: there was no treatment or remedy available for him.
  • Fact: no mortal man could throw down with a legion of hell hounds and live to tell about it.
  • Fact: the demoniac man ran toward Jesus.
  • Truth: Of all these facts, only one held any significance: He ran toward Jesus.
  • Truth: When he ran to the Prince of Peace, with his frightening facts, they were overpowered by the Truth.
  • Truth: The man’s sanity was restored, and his life changed forever.

Oddly, the story states at this point that the people were afraid. Sadly, when we were delivered from our addiction, some of our friends and family were afraid too. They were afraid it wouldn’t last; afraid it was too good to be true; afraid it was a manipulation technique; or just afraid of being hurt again.

Tetelestai Recovery – Chapter 8, Facts are Changeable

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A Date With Destiny

Timing is Everything

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Genesis 8:8

Meanwhile, Noah sent out a dove to see if the water had gone down.

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There are times when you are ready to move into a new phase of your journey, but you have not been given the signal that it is time to move forward. Like Noah waiting for the water to subside, you may have to be patient and wait before taking the next step.

As the anticipation about an exciting new project builds, the wait can sometimes seem unbearable. However, without a signal from God that the time is right, an otherwise successful mission might become a disastrous mess.

If Noah had skipped the waiting period and began unloading the ark as soon as the rain stopped, the passengers and animals might have all perished in the flood waters.

While the ark may not have been the most desirable place to be, it was the safest. It may have been quite smelly and dirty, but it was the place for Noah to wait until God revealed that it was the right time to leave.

The dove in Noah’s story played a significant role in initiating the start of a new era. Noah was selected to rebuild civilization on a planet which had been washed clean by the flood.

Many centuries later, the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove which appeared at Jesus’ baptism. Once again, a dove gave the signal. It was time for the Son of God to leave the carpenter shop in order to establish the new era of grace.

As an avid bird-lover, you appreciate the symbolism of doves. You find their presence soothing. It reminds you that God’s is always near and His Spirit will let you know when it is time to move forward into something new.

A Date With Destiny Birthday Series – August 8

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Tetelestai Recovery

Not Just Another Statistic

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Truth can change the facts but the facts can never change the Truth.

We discovered within the Tetelestai realm of recovery, we were no longer destined to remain stuck in our sickness and disoriented in our dysfunctions. We were painfully aware of the facts concerning statistics, relapse, and case studies. We also knew the facts of our past, our failures, and our crimes.

We could not rely too heavily on these facts however, for if we subjected ourselves to natural results, we would forfeit the opportunity of a supernatural override. If we allowed ourselves to be enclosed by a fence of facts, we would once again fall victim to the old status quo. In agreement with Christ, we declared, “Tetelestai,” against becoming just another statistic.

We looked to the fifth chapter of the gospel of Mark to discover Jesus’ total disregard for facts. In this one chapter, we found three unique and unrelated accounts of individuals who desperately sought to change the facts of their reality. Each case study contained significant details which would negate the likelihood of change. To change an unchangeable fact is outside the realm of reality. We, like the characters in Mark 5, rejected typical reality based solely on facts. We believed that our righteous Judge could and would overrule the facts to establish His trademark justice which is lovingly steeped in mercy.

When we claimed the powerful declaration of Christ, “Tetelestai,” over our sickness, poverty, strained relationships, and criminal records, we were, in essence, asking Jesus to override our human facts in preference to His divine truth concerning our divine purpose and potential.

Tetelestai Recovery – Chapter 8, Facts are Changeable

https://a.co/d/hGqluhL

A Date With Destiny

Honoring God

lastwordrecovery

Deuteronomy 8:6

Obey the instructions of the Lord your God. Live as he directs you and honor him.

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You realize that nature is the expression of God and all human beings are His children. Therefore, you honor Him by honoring them.

You pay respect to your Creator in the way you live your life. You walk gently on the planet and show gratitude for the resources it provides. You lovingly protect the environment and lead by example to create positive change in your world.

You reject flashy fanfare and showy performances.  Instead, you choose the more noble path of walking quietly and humbly with your God.

A Date With Destiny – August 6

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Tetelestai Recovery

Faith and Doubt – The Alternating Currents

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We imagined an electric fan. We could manually spin the blades and create a slight breeze. Obviously, we would have to consistently place our fingertips on the top of the slowing blades to give it another spin. Our entire attention would be devoted to managing the spin of the blades. Our obsession with keeping those blades spinning would consume us, and we would be able to accomplish little else.

If, however, we became willing to plug the fan in to an electrical socket, the blades would spin without effort, in a smooth rhythm, independent of our attention. The effects would be much more noticeable, yet effortless. We could remain active and alert with the more important duties of life, comforted by the breeze of an unseen power.

Faith and doubt, while appearing to be polar opposites, are the alternating currents which work together, generating an absolute belief in Christ. We cannot fully resolve our doubts within our faith. That’s why Jesus tells us time and time again, “Only believe.”

Faith in wholeness, when we felt so broken, was more work than we anticipated.

We worked to believe that somewhere in time, we would possess this shalom which Jesus had bequeathed us before His death.

We worked to believe, when doubts bubbled to the surface after losing our temper, feeling depressed, or experiencing muscle cramps from the lingering effects of the toxins we had used.

We worked to believe our shattered lives could be put back together when legal issues remained unresolved and court cases loomed in our future.

We worked to believe that Jesus’ wholeness could restore us to our original value when we found ourselves faced with the wreckage of our past and the rejection from our families.

We worked to believe in the wholeness of Christ coursing through our veins, restoring the health of mind and body when our inner voice kept telling us we were being foolish and naive.

Finally, we concluded that the only way to test this hypothesis was to presume the words of Jesus were true and choose to believe that they might actually be able to work for us. It seemed worth a shot. After all, we were out of options, so what did we have to lose?

Tetelestai Recovery – Chapter 6, Shalom

https://a.co/d/fwitIMs