We needed a new mind, a new purpose, and a new sense of identity. It was in this prison of despair, we found the key to our freedom.
From this verdict of our King, emerged an energy which annihilated the grief of guilt, the harassment of hopelessness, and the agony of addiction. We noticed that Jesus’ final word, “Tetelestai,” translated into the English phrase,“It is finished,” seemed to imply a sense of giving up. We found this to be an unfortunate language barrier.
As it turns out, in the original Greek language of the New Testament, Tetelestai is a declaration of victory, completion, and success.
We needed a new mind, a new purpose, and a new sense of identity. It was in this prison of despair, we found the key to our freedom.
From this verdict of our King, emerged an energy which annihilated the grief of guilt, the harassment of hopelessness, and the agony of addiction.We noticed that Jesus’ final word tetelestai, translated into the English phrase, it is finished, seemed to imply a sense of giving up. We found this to be an unfortunate language barrier.
Tetelestai is the comment an artist might whisper after completing his final brush stroke on a masterpiece.
Tetelestai is the report a soldier would bring to his commanding officer when a battle was over, and victory had been secured.
We believe our Savior used His final breath on the cross to declare for all time, to all creation, in every dimension, that there is nothing left undone: It is finished; Tetelestai.
There is no more drudgery to sobriety and no more anguish to recovery. There is no self-effort which must be added to what has been declared, Tetelestai.
IT IS FINISHED
In matters of our recovery from substance addiction and the mental dysfunction which accompanied it, we were completely helpless. We had no thought which could heal our thoughts. We had no disclosure which could remove our secret shame. We had no detour which would lead us out of the darkness. We were lost. We were alone. We were afraid.
But suddenly, in a random, unexplainable moment, the gift of Tetelestai was revealed. We had run out of options, yet in that barren wasteland of emptiness, we stumbled upon a treasure trove of truth.
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6
Tetelestai Recovery: Finding Total Recovery in the Words of Christ, “It is Finished” https://a.co/d/bDUe2X7
There is an overpowering conflict which occurs within the mind of anyone who has encountered the desperation of addiction. The struggle to escape one’s own mind by flooding it with toxic levels of mood-altering chemicals is the true definition of insanity. Yet, many of us suffered from this fatal and debilitating disease, consenting to the madness as if there were no other option.
In search of total recovery, we discovered we were not only seeking to be delivered from our dependency on mind or mood-altering substances, but we also searched for freedom from our thought processes, our twisted perceptions, and our obsessive fears.
In this emotional state of chronic crisis, we were exhausted.
We struggled to be free from a mind which plotted its own demise. Our thoughts quite literally tormented us to the point of insanity. We needed a way to manage our feelings and silence our sickness.
Our problem was not that we felt guilty. The problem was that we were guilty.
We were damaged and we had caused damage.
We were hopeless and infused hopelessness into everything we touched.
We were in a death march toward nothingness and our lives had no direction.
Our primary purpose was to find a reprieve from ourselves.
Our public self was known by our private self as a fraud.
Tetelestai Recovery: Finding Total Recovery in the Words of Christ, “It is Finished”
Not all of our changes felt comfortable. There were great risks involved.
We feared that a person who was compassionate and cooperative might easily be mistaken as weak. We knew that a person who was trusting, had the potential to be conned. We struggled with the concept of humility, for within our vulnerability lurked the danger of humiliation. We were concerned that if we relinquished control, we might become powerless.
In our old lives, we had well-developed self-defense techniques which would protect us from harm, and maintain our position of control. The power plays, manipulations, and rhetoric we formed, became so deeply ingrained in our personalities, we didn’t know who we were without them.
As God delivered us from our sense of self-obsession, and led us to a life of service in His Kingdom, our old methods of self-preservation seemed to stop working. When we disrespected others, we felt disgraced. When we shouted our aggression, we were repulsed by the sound of our own voice. When we played our manipulative mind games, we became sickened by our own maneuvers.
This left us in a peculiar predicament. Our former defense mechanisms and power plays were useless. The methods we had developed and perfected were worthless. There was nothing left of any value in our bag of tricks. The old life and the new life were out of sync. The disharmony in our souls sounded like an elementary school orchestra warming up before a concert. The conflict was deafening and the sound of chaos nearly drove us mad.
Thankfully, our old ways became so frustrating and futile, we finally let go. We felt like a gymnast on the uneven parallel bars. Releasing our grip on what had previously stabilized us, we spun helplessly in mid-air, hoping to catch hold of the new life when it came within reach. We prayed for the strength to hold on as we spiraled upward toward a higher level of existence.
Eventually, we found some stability within our new normal. The old comfort zone had become uncomfortable. Our former stability had become unstable. The discomfort turned out to be our assurance that we were changing. We learned to embrace our instability, for it revealed the cracks in our old foundation. We grew to appreciate the sounds of disharmony, for in its chaos, we discovered what was out of tune.
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 that 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 good will. 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.
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 in order to establish His trademark justice which is lovingly steeped in mercy.
Demon possession, insanity, hemorrhaging, sickness, death; all of these issues were factual information. The facts of each case were well established by many witnesses. The demoniac was known by the townspeople as a stark raving lunatic. The hemorrhaging woman was diagnosed and treated by several physicians. The severity of Jairus’ daughter’s illness was confirmed by her prominent, well-respected father. Her subsequent death was confirmed by his servants and the mourners at the home.
We discovered plenty of facts which presented themselves as evidence. We knew that facts typically make very compelling arguments. However, we also saw in each of these three cases, that the unchangeable facts were, in fact, changed.
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 true purpose and potential.
We found the facts of the first story, 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 believe. 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.
In a world of competition and comparisons, you sometimes wonder if your value is measured by what youdo, rather than by who youare.
This is a concern for many human beings. Some struggle to do more, or to be better than everyone else in order to feel significant. Others think that money, talent or popularity will make them feel important. Sadly, these schemes are worthless.
Knowing that you are handmade by the Creator of the universe assures you of your value. Since you are so special to God, He designed you in a unique and wonderful way. Before your mother even knew you existed, God was already weaving together the strands of your DNA.
Imagine His excitement as He selected your eye color, your voice tone, and your sense of humor! He gave you a love for animals and the ability to connect with them on a level other humans may not understand. He infused you with a high level of curiosity and compassion.
He placed within you, specific gifts and talents which you are just beginning to discover.
Your value is far beyond what you do or say. You are much more important than your achievements or your awards.
You are a person with a destiny; designed by the God of the galaxies.
You play an important role in the future of humanity. Each day you spend on this planet becomes a significant part of history.
God knows the value of your unique human spirit. He knows that your heart is filled with compassion, determination, and enthusiasm. He has given you a mind, body, and temperament which will are ideal for your journey.
Long before anyone knew you, God was sketching out a plan; designing you perfectly for the destiny which will be yours.
Ezekiel 3:9: ‘I have made your forehead like a diamond, harder than flint. Don’t be afraid or discouraged.’
Your tenacity and determination may cause you to be labeled ‘hard-headed’. While it might not always seem like a gift, this character trait is a valuable asset God has granted you for your particular journey.
When others may get discouraged or give up, you continue to persevere. You do not see quitting as an option. You find your greatest success comes from the simple practice of persistence.
There are times when life is hard, but the difficulties never get inside your head. God has protected your mind with an unyielding resolve which enables you to resist both internal and external pressures. There are times in your life when fear may seem to be the logical response. Other times, discouragement may cast its shadow across your path. But you have been designed by the Creator of the universe and He has constructed you with a supernatural ability to withstand such destructive forces.
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its salty taste, it cannot be made salty again. It is good for nothing. It must be thrown out for people to walk on.
Matthew 5:13
Jesus compared His followers to an element which never loses its purpose or potency. Could this verse reveal a hidden message of hope and fresh perspective for those who feel they have lost their purpose?
Purpose
Some foods stand the test of time well. Salt is one of them. Can salt go bad? The answer is both yes and no. Natural salts without any additives can never go bad. After all, salts have been around for thousands of years, and they were used for food preservation in ancient times. That means salt can actually prevent bacterial and microbial growth in meat and other foods. Foods spoil only when bacterial, fungal, and microbial growth take place.
That was for the ‘no’ answer. What about the ‘yes’ part?
If salt goes bad, how can salt lose its saltiness? Although natural salts can never spoil, table salts with additives can lose their flavor and texture over time. Refined table salts contain iodine to enhance flavor and health properties and anti-caking agents that protect it from clumping.
What would qualify as an ‘additive’ in the spiritual sense?
This verse in Matthew was first spoken by Jesus, long before the periodic table of elements had been developed. The disciples understood what Jesus said, based on their own experience and knowledge. We, however are able to gain deeper meaning from his words, based on the extra 2000 years of scientific study we have at our disposal.
Thus, because creation and science go hand in hand, we look at Jesus’ words from a scientific perspective. His feet walked the paths of ancient Palestine, but His knowledge of biology and chemistry was far more advanced than any of the most brilliant scientists known to us today. He was present when the minerals were hidden under rocks. He stood at His Father’s side when the salty ocean waters were gathered together; held in place by sandy shores.
Therefore, he understood much more about the chemical make-up of Sodium Chloride than the first century believers, but he used it as an object lesson which would inspire them and mystify future generations.
Salt, the Multi-Purpose Mineral
As a Seasoning
Colossians 4:6
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (New International Version)
Your speech should always be gracious and sprinkled with insight so that you may know how to respond to every person. (Common English Bible)
Beginning with the most common use of salt, we examined the basic facts. As a seasoning, it just makes things taste better. It enhances flavors in different, yet distinctive ways. Salt magnifies the unique essence of food. Adding salt to something bland makes it more interesting and enjoyable. Shaking a little salt on certain fruits, such as watermelon, deepens the flavor, while putting it on sour fruits, such as grapefruit or tart apples, causes them to taste sweet.
Salt is quite versatile when it comes to creating tasteful results. It’s not very good by itself, but when it is blended with other flavors, there is a noticeable improvement.
Jesus has called us the salt of the earth. From a food perspective, this means we are the subtle influence which brings out the best in people, groups, or organizations. We are called to enhance, but never overpower.
To Promote Healing
Salt can aid in the healing process for sinus infections and dental procedures when a small amount is dissolved in water. However, salt is never to be used full strength on an open wound.
The water of the word, warm and clear, infused with a dash of salt disinfects, soothes, and restores balance.
To Promote Buoyancy
Why can people float in Great Salt Lake?
There are around 4.5 billion tons of salt in the lake. This gives the water a density that is approximately ten times more than a normal ocean. This density is higher than the mass of a standard human so you become buoyant.
Based on this information, what are we as believers called to do for those around us?
As a Preservative
How does salt preserve food?
Picture what happens when you sprinkle salt on a sliced cucumber; within a few minutes, the salt is dissolved in a pool of cucumber juice. That’s because water flows through food cell walls towards greater concentrations of dissolved particles, proteins, and pigments. When you rub salt on a vegetable or meat, it dissolves in the food’s exterior moisture, creating a concentrated solution that draws more water from the interior to the surface.
This process illustrates salt’s role in preserving meat for jerky, ham, or hard-cured salami. The salted meat is placed in circulating air, which evaporates emerging water so the meat dries out. Because microorganisms need moisture to survive, drying meat makes it inhospitable to molds and bacteria, thereby lengthening the storage life of some sausages and hams for months.
If we are the Salt of the Earth, what are we called to preserve?
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, brightly colored egotistical blooms which turn to hollow shams 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 be sown by our voice.
Eventually, we found true stability within our New Normal. The old comfort zone had become uncomfortable. Our former stability had become unstable. The discomfort we felt was assurance that we were changing. We learned to embrace our instability, for it revealed the cracks in our old foundation. We grew to appreciate the sounds of disharmony, for in its chaos, we discovered what was out of tune.
Finding Total Recovery in the Words of Christ, "It is Finished!" 