Not by Might, Nor by Power
Tomorrow, June 29th, is my second birthday.
It marks a new life without addiction.
I will not name the kind of addiction, because some testimonies are meant to be shared with wisdom and covering. I have had many battles over the years, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, I have overcome most of them one surrender at a time.
It has been a process.
But two years ago, I faced the worst one.
For many years, this addiction had been socially accepted. It was not always counted or understood as substance abuse, but that did not change what it had become in my life.
It was still bondage. It was still slavery. It was still an addiction; I refuse to water it down.
And when the Holy Spirit opened my eyes, I confessed. I repented. I cried out to God. But I also knew this was not a battle I could fight alone.
The Holy Spirit told me to call for backup.
I needed safe people—people who would pray, stand with me, fight for me spiritually, and help keep me accountable. I needed people who would not shame me, but who would not excuse the bondage either.
This addiction was like a narcissistic lover.
It had comforted me, deceived me, controlled me, and convinced me I needed it. And when I tried to leave, it did not let go easily.
I knew this was going to be a battle like no other.
It was a battle of the flesh.
I had nightmares. One of the most frightening dreams was of a man of darkness pointing a gun at me. My son was in the dream, and he told me I needed to pray. Then a man of light intervened.
Even my body fought against me to the point that I had to go to the emergency room. When I told the doctor what was happening, I was surprised when he confirmed that my body was going to fight me.
The nightmares continued for several weeks.
Some of them revealed what Scripture calls the deeds of the flesh. That is when I began to understand something deeper: fornication is not only sexual. It can also be the way we give ourselves over to the cravings of the flesh. Addiction can become a false union, a counterfeit comfort, a master that promises relief while tightening the chains.
When I realized how deep I was in sin, I cried out to the Lord because I knew I could not do this alone.
And He led me to Zechariah 4:6:
“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the LORD Almighty.
That became my battle cry.
Not by my strength or willpower. Not by my shame, or by my hiding.
Not by pretending I did not need anyone.
But by His Spirit.
On June 29th, two years ago, I was born again—again—into a new life of freedom from the slavery of addiction.
The Lord did not just forgive me. He delivered me.
He did not just expose the chain. He broke it.
He did not just call me out of bondage. He walked me into freedom.
And Today, I give praise and glory to God Almighty.
Because I know who set me free.
Sacred Pause
Lord, thank You for the day You brought me out by Your mercy. Thank You for mercy.
Thank You for repentance; repentance is a gift from You. Thank You for Holy Sorrow.
Thank You to the safe people who loved me and desire good for me.
Thank You for deliverance from the sins that lead to death; in this case, substance abuse.
Thank You, Jesus, for freedom by Your Spirit. Wherever You are, there is Liberty.
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Repentance
Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for my second birthday.
Thank You for opening my eyes when I could not see the depth of the bondage. Thank You for loving me enough to convict me, correct me, rescue me, and restore me.
Lord, I repent for every place I gave my flesh authority over my Spirit. I repent for every counterfeit comfort I ran to instead of running to You. I repent for the ways I justified, minimized, hid, or protected what was harming me.
Thank You for not leaving me in slavery.
Thank You, Holy Spirit, for telling me to call for backup. Thank You for the safe people who prayed, stood with me, fought for me spiritually, and helped me stay accountable. Bless them, Lord, for the way they helped carry me when I was weak.
Jesus, thank You for breaking the power of addiction over my life.
Thank You that freedom did not come by might, nor by power, but by Your Spirit.
Keep me humble. Keep me watchful. Keep me close to You. Let my testimony bring hope to others who feel trapped, ashamed, or afraid to ask for help.
Let them know there is mercy. Let them know there is deliverance.
Let them know there is freedom in Christ.
All praise and glory belong to You, God Almighty.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Today’s Truth
Freedom is not always a single moment. Sometimes freedom is a daily surrender.
But the same God who opens the prison door also teaches us how to walk out.
Scripture References
Zechariah 4:6 — “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the LORD Almighty.
John 8:36 — “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
Galatians 5:1 — “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”
Galatians 5:16–17 — The Spirit and the flesh conflict with one another.
Romans 8:13 — By the Spirit, we put to death the misdeeds of the body.
James 5:16 — “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”
1 Corinthians 10:13 — God is faithful and provides a way out under temptation.
Works Cited / Acknowledgment
Scripture references are drawn from the Holy Bible.
Reflection shaped with assistance from OpenAI, ChatGPT, for devotional editing, structure, and prayer formatting.