Prayer for Deliverance From Addiction
A prayer for deliverance from addiction asks God to do what you can’t: break the hold that alcohol or drugs has on you and set you free. Scripture is clear that God is a deliverer. It’s also clear that He usually rescues people through other people, so a real deliverance prayer ends with you reaching for help, not waiting alone. Here is a prayer you can pray now, for yourself or someone you love.
A prayer for deliverance
“Lord God, You brought Your people out of slavery in Egypt with a strong hand. I am in slavery too. This addiction has chains on my mind, my body and my family. I have tried to break them myself and failed, over and over.
In the name of Jesus, I ask You to set me free. Break every chain. Silence the lies that say I need this to get through the day. Take away the shame that keeps me hiding. Fill the empty place with Your Spirit.
I don’t ask You to do it while I sit still. Open the door to the help I need: a doctor, a meeting, a pastor, a friend who will tell me the truth. Give me the humility to walk through it. Keep me from the first drink, the first pill, the first hit, today. I belong to You. Amen.”
What the Bible says about deliverance
Jesus began His ministry by reading Isaiah’s words about freedom for captives, and said they were fulfilled in Him.
““The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,”
Paul wrote that freedom is what Christ died for, and warned not to go back into slavery.
“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
The psalmist cried out in distress, and God answered by bringing him out of darkness and breaking his chains.
“Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart.”
For more of these promises, see Bible verses about freedom from addiction.
God frees, and He sends people
When Peter was in chains, an angel woke him, but Peter still had to get up, put on his sandals and walk out. Then he went straight to a house where the church was praying. Deliverance often looks like that: God moves, and you take the next step toward His people.
Some of the ways God sets people free from drugs and drink:
- Doctors, who can help you come off substances safely and look after the damage.
- Meetings, where people who were in the same chains show you how they got out.
- A sponsor or mentor, who knows your tricks because they used them too.
- Your church, where you can confess, be prayed over and belong.
- The steps, which walk you through surrender, honesty and making things right.
Coming off alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines and some other drugs can be dangerous. Don’t quit drinking or using cold turkey without talking to a doctor.
Safety first. If you drink heavily every day, stopping suddenly can be dangerous. Talk to a doctor before you quit.
If you or someone with you may have overdosed, call 911. If you’re thinking about ending your life, call or text 988.
Talk it through with Jimmy or Sarah — first month free
Jimmy and Sarah are AI sponsors who know the Twelve Steps and the Bible. They'll listen, walk the steps with you, and keep pointing you to real people: a meeting, a sponsor, a church.
Free to download · first month free, no card · adults 18+
After the first month, talking with Jimmy or Sarah needs Plus ($9.99/month or $59.99/year).
Something to do right now
Pray the prayer above out loud. Then do one thing that puts your feet on the road out: call your doctor’s office, look up a meeting for tonight, or text someone, “I need help with my drinking (or using). Can we talk?”
Common questions
Is addiction a demon that needs to be cast out?
Scripture takes spiritual warfare seriously, and many people feel their addiction as a real spiritual battle. But addiction also has physical and emotional sides. Treating it only as a demon can lead people to skip the medical care, honesty and community they need. Pray, and get help.
Why didn't God deliver me the first time I prayed?
Some people describe instant freedom. Most find God frees them over time, through daily prayer, other people and hard choices. A delay isn't a no, and it isn't proof you lack faith.
Can I pray this prayer for someone else?
Yes. Put their name in it. You can't make another person want freedom, but you can ask God to reach them and to send the right people their way.
Talk it through with Jimmy or Sarah — first month free
Jimmy and Sarah are AI sponsors who know the Twelve Steps and the Bible. They'll listen, walk the steps with you, and keep pointing you to real people: a meeting, a sponsor, a church.
Free to download · first month free, no card · adults 18+
After the first month, talking with Jimmy or Sarah needs Plus ($9.99/month or $59.99/year).
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