During the 26th annual "Just Pray NO!" to drugs Worldwide Weekend of Prayer and Fasting April 2-3, Christians around the world will join in intercessory prayer on behalf of those who are addicted to drugs, as well as pray for the families affected. Abuse of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs costs the United States more than $700 billion annually in costs related to crime, lost work productivity and health care, according to National Institute of Health current statistics.

Steven Sherman, founder of "Just Pray NO!" Ltd.,  said few people know how God used a young boy's tragedy and a heartfelt prayer to touch lives around the world.

In 1990, Sherman said if he were asked if he believed in miracles, he probably would have answered, "No." He had been teaching junior high/middle school in New York for 23 years, and  had seen an abundance of depressing, grim occurrences.

But, one evening, he said he was reading several newspaper stories, which all were related to drugs and violence. One article caught his full attention:  "A young boy, just one day before his twelfth birthday, refused to smoke crack with the neighborhood bully. He just said, 'No!' It was winter. The bully hit the other boy over the head with a snow shovel and dragged him into a basement. He tied the boy up to a radiator with his socks, placed the boy's schoolbooks on his chest and then set him on fire. When the boy's socks burned through, he was able to escape and roll in the snow. His life was spared, but he sustained burns on 80 percent of his body."

Sherman said he cried and cried, then said to the Lord, "How can we just say, 'No?' It's not working."

"The Lord, in the still quiet voice of the Spirit, spoke to me audibly. He said, 'Just Pray NO!'" said Sherman. "This message burned in my bones. I shared this divine inspirational message with friends at church. Everyone was enthusiastic and supportive." Their prompting launched this thematic annual prayer weekend.

Organizers of the event remind that substance abuse has been directly linked to violence and sexual immorality, and is a major source of income for organized crime. They said the weekend also is about people to be delivered from pornography, gambling, obesity and smoking. Put on the full armor of God and fervently pray in spirit and in truth.

Sherman said God's word is His medicine.