“Getting sober without salvation is like giving a painkiller to a cancer patient.”
That’s how John Elmore describes the difference between behavior modification and true transformation. He'd know. He was on the verge of ending it all with a shotgun when he finally realized his problem went deeper than just the alcohol. In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, John shares how he spent nearly two decades in the grip of alcoholism—trying everything to fix himself except surrendering to Jesus.
From age 13 to 30, alcohol was John's solution, not his problem. But when everything fell apart, he encountered the only thing that could actually save him: the Gospel. Today, as the teaching pastor at Harris Creek Baptist Church in Waco, TX, and the author of Freedom Starts Today, John helps others discover the same freedom that changed his life.
In this episode, we talk about what it means to go from death to life, why sobriety without Jesus will never be enough, and how real recovery happens when grace becomes the motivation instead of guilt.
This is about coming to the end of yourself and realizing there's not just something better, but someone better.
We explore:
— Why “getting sober” isn’t the same as being saved
— How sin’s power is greater than willpower
— Why alcohol wasn’t the problem—it was the “solution”
— What happens when you aim for Jesus instead of behavior management
— The spiritual warfare behind addiction and shame
— Why every idol eventually destroys what it promises
— How to find freedom one day at a time through repentance
— John’s ACT framework: Ask, Commit, Talk
— What daily dependence on Christ looks like after recovery
— Why transformation is only possible through the gospel
Follow John Elmore on Instagram.
Book: Freedom Starts Today
Follow Jon: @jonseidl
Order Jon's new book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic.
Watch this episode and get daily motivation: www.theveritasdaily.com
Support the Show: https://www.jonseidl.com/
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