I battled with drinking for years. Every day, I would drink until I passed out. I hated it. It made me sad and scared because I was drinking so much I had fatty liver disease, which could lead to something worse. I thought I was going to die.

I did everything I could from rebuking the enemy to fasting, but I could not stop drinking. After a binge I would pray for forgiveness, and every single time the Lord would talk to me with loving, kind, and encouraging words. I was expecting condemnation but all I kept getting was His love.

There were times I thought about giving up and waiting to die by the consequences of drinking. But God would always poke me and say lovingly, “It’s not over.” I would say to Him, “Lord, I cannot move, I cannot pray, I am too depressed.” And His reply would be, “If you cannot move, then wiggle. If you cannot pray, then just say a single word or send a thought toward Me. I count that as praying.”

God never allowed me to give up because He would never give up on me. That was what I learned throughout all those years fighting this bad habit. God always loved me, no matter what.

I even woke up one night and realized I had my right arm up, and I was talking in tongues! The Holy Spirit of God was within me, interceding and praying for me. I was still a drunk, far from being a holy vessel, yet His Spirit never forsook me, never condemned me, and never abandoned me. I was also able to finish college and achieve a lot of other good things in my life.

One day, I “accidentally” turned on my television and there was Pastor Prince preaching about God’s grace and unconditional love for me. God used Pastor Prince to teach me to declare that I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. So after trying everything else, I started talking to bottles of alcohol.

Before drinking, I would say to the bottle, “I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. You have no power over me. You are defeated and I am free from you in the name of Jesus.” Then I would start drinking.

Deliverance didn’t happen at once. It took time but God never let me waver, and so I kept declaring my righteousness in Christ to the bottles of alcohol. Slowly, I started drinking less. I went from drinking hard liquor to drinking lighter drinks. And one day, I just stopped drinking. Now I am free from drinking. Thank You, Jesus!

I am amazed at how perfectly understanding and loving Father God is. He delivered me slowly and gradually—I didn’t have to go cold turkey.

Declaring, “I am the righteousness of God in Jesus,” worked. Not giving up on God worked. Believing He loves me even when I am at my worst worked. He loved me even when I was binge drinking. I do not understand it, but I love it!

Do not give up! Keep believing! Our God never fails!