Can alcoholics and drug addicts be healed through a Christian conversion?

Psychiatrist Tove Dahl was asked the above question. At the same time she was asked how she as a Christian and as a psychiatrist relates to the testimonies of alcoholics and drug addicts who are healed through a conversion to Christianity.

-What is it that actually happens? Is it concerned with suggestion, or has God a special love for addicts and thus heals more of them than others?

-What happens? Tove Dahl says: -My experience is that something does happen. I have had many problems related to alcohol in my work and know how hard and difElcult it is to be freed from addiction. However, I have also met people with a long addiction career behind them, who talk about a complete healing after they have received the Lord Jesus as Saviour. They don't only talk about it, but I can see the change in their lives. If this is suggestion, then the experts ought to start many suggestion courses!

-No, it's not as simple as that. Many treatment institutions have actually experimented with the strongest form of sug gestion, hypnosis. Their results cannot compare with those of a complete healing through a total Christian conversion.

-Does this mean that you believe that this is a question of a supernatural divine healing?

-Both yes and no. Purely psychologically speaking. I have registered that alcoholics, consciously or unconsciously, have a strong experience of an inner loneliness and emptiness, even if they are with other people. Alcohol addiction gives a passing feeling of the inner loneliness and emptiness being taken away. It also gives a kind of confidence, which leads to the intoxicated person allowing himself or herself to say and do things he or she would not otherwise have said and done.

-How is Christianity involved in this?

-I must talk as a Christian now, and share something of how I see things from a spiritual point of view. I belive that everyone is empty inside, with an emptiness only God can fiil. Most people usually manage to fill their lives with people, things and activities, so that they hardly notice the emptiness they have without God. However, this is not enough for the alcoholic. He must also have addiction, says Dahl and continues: - When a person submits to the living and resurrected Lord Jesus and asks Him to enter their innermost being as Lord and Saviour, He comes in and fills the emptiness. "Here I am. I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3,20). We must understand this literally, as a specific reality.

An alcoholic who receives the Lord Jesus, does not need alcohol any longer in the same way. The inner loneliness has been replaced by fellowship with the Lord. The alcoholic is ½healed+ like this through a conversion to Christ, and this is a specific expression of the miracle of salvation, which every longing person can receive by faith and through grace alone.

David Østby is the Pastor of Norway's largest Pentecostal Church, Philadelnhin

The Gospel Centre is a "Good Samaritan" who has helped many who have lain by the wayside. The Gospel is being practised as the Lord Jesus commanded us to do. We still see that love in action is a stronger power than sin.

Today there is a large body of people who stand as clear proof that the Lord Jesus does a miracle when He raises them up from sin and burdens and creates new possibilities for a meaningful life.

The Gospel Centre challenges us today to take responsibility. In a time when the authorities stand helpless before alcohol and drug abuse, the Gospel Centres have been a positive work, which demonstrates that it's worthwhile to helD in the name of the Lord Jesus.

18 years in darkness

Heidi and Vidar Larsen, in their early thirties, were one of the first married couples who came to the new centre for families called "Svanviken" in the district of Eide. They share with us below, how they have used some of the ½best+ years of their lives.

We lived as alcoholics for 18 years of our lives. As we look back now, in a sober condition, we realise it was like a hell on earth.

Red spirit, window screen liquid, beer and spirits, were our daily meals, often instead of food. We lost our flat very early on and had to give up the right to the responsibility as parents for our children. Life in prison was not unknown to us and we experienced many periods in the drunk cell and in hospital.

We received money from the Social Welfare Office, but this didn't last us long, and the next thing was housebreaking and violence. It became so bad in the end that our district no longer wanted to have anything to do with us, and the police chased after us.

A burden for the community

We also tried other things, such as hash sniffing,pills and other dope, but the bottle had now become our ½friend+. We didn't trouble to use our money to buy food, but often ate anything we could find, somewhere outside. As time went by, we began to steal the food we needed.

After some years we got a very small one-room flat in Dr°bak. We weren't able to be on our own very much, because there were many who didn't have a place to live. We shared what we had with them, as best we could. Almost every day the police and ambulanse were

One day we were visited by a man who said he was a Christian. He wanted to give us some cassettes, and they were of course Christian music. We played them a lot and actually liked them as well.

The things we had listened to, had made a greater impression on us than we cared to admit. We were invited to a meeting in Drøbak and it was there that Vidar said yes to the Lord Jesus. Nevertheless, he didn't manage to stop drinking straight away, but the amazing thing was that alcohol no longer had the same effect on him. Some days later, Heidi also obeyed the inner voice of the Lord, who had been speaking to her, and followed Vidar in accepting Him.

We were invited to join a tour to Sarons Dal, a Christian conference centre in Southern Norway, which was paid for us by the Welfare Office. We were very run down and full of abstinence symptoms, and arrived trembling and perspiring.

There is still hope

Whilst we were there, Vidar suddenly decided that he wanted to be baptised, and something remarkable happened to him at that time. As he stepped down into the baptismal water, he felt his whole body quieten down and all the bad feelings disappear. I was more difficult for Heidi to make up her mind, but when she took the same step as Vidar, then that it really became clear to us the Lord Jesus was a reality in our li

Arrival at the Gospel Centre

We were able to come to a Gospel ce two years ago, and since then have had one "fall". We have been at Ørje for half a year and were also able to Svanviken from the time it opened.

Our children visit us every other week now. We reckon on having the rigE responsibility for our children back E a time, and want to give all of the g to God for this. We have become de] dent on the Lord Jesus in our daily and know that if we keep near to F all will go well.

We are so thankful for the op tunity we have been given, and know have received something we will n loose.

We are also very happy that we c her to Svanviken, because it's r good to be here. We have becom~ fond of the couple who are in ch; here, Inga Lill and Erik Hansen, and other workers. We also want to thank you for the fine time we hal Ïrjetun. Those of you who work t] have a place in our hearts as well. Th you for the good time we had with We send greetings with Psalm 40: 1

It began like this

They had a dream of giving a helping hand to friends and others who wanted to get their lives into shape. They had found a completely new life themselves - a life with the Lord Jesus, without addiction.

They wanted to help

Early on in their Christian lives, Ludvig and Lise Karlsen had a great burden fol their former drinking comrades. Ludvig himself had a long life behind him, living on the streets and doing time in prison. He understood so well the sort of life they lived. He not only understood their material need, but also understood so well the emptiness such a life gives.

Ludvig's wife, Lise, became very interested in the idea as well, and on July 2nd. 1983, the first Gospel Centre at Roa, became a reality. Forty people, both single, and married couples, were united in purpose and said that they were willing to each give 10.000 kroner over a 10 year period. In addition a 40.000 kroner loan was taken and the old Police Headquarters at Roa in Hadeland were bought. Believing brothers and sisters were willing to give their services voluntarily in the big task of preparing the buildings, so that they were able to be taken into use little by little.

No one could have reckoned with the fact that so many would apply for help so soon. Before the official opening there was already a waiting list.

-However, in due time, other new places were opened, (see the survey of the homes in this magazine) and churches and ind;viduals from the whole of Norway, helped with this venture.

The need, however, is just as great today. he cries for help from people who desire a change in their lives are becoming louder. One has taken this into account and continually increased the contact net, in order to include as many as possible in this rescue work.

The story of the Gospel Centre's coworkers is a chapter in itself. Most of the approximately 100 co-workers are themselves former addicts, who have received help through the Gospel Centre work.

They show their thankfulness in this way, for the help they have received, by going into the work. They are a recourse which has proved itself invaluable.

A Christian purpose

The Gospel Centre does not make a secret of it's Christian objective. Each individual who asks for help is made aware of this at their first meeting, so that there is left no doubt about what we lay weight upon.

When we meet people again at meetings around the country, we receive clear proof that this treatment is right for very many people.

However, we are not the only ones who believe this. Positive statements from people and institutions, who do not share our Christian point of view, should prove this. Another proof is that they are also being followed by the country's Social Offices, who are using our services. Beside the fact that we have a reasonable offer, they also see that it gives results.

The same must be said of our central Government Authorities, who in the past years have recognised the Gospel Centre by giving a grant above and beyond the State budget. We regard this as an important recognition, and we will do our utmost in the future too, to give help to those who ask us for it.

½We thank God, the One who gave us this service of helping people in need. We also thank all of those who stand behind us in this work. They include about 300 Pentecostal Churches, several thousand individuales and Church communites, and last but not least, our faithful co-workers,+ say Lise and Ludvig Karlsen.

There is still hope 25

Arrival at the Gospel Centre 26

It began like this 27

They wanted to help 27

A Christian purpose 28