How to Overcome an Addiction: Part 1

About ten years ago I met a man who helped change my life. His name; Steve Curington. Steve taught me 10 rock-solid, faith-based, life-principles that if applied to my daily living would keep me free from addictions.  I want to take the next few blog posts and share with you these ten principles that changed by life. These principles will not only help you or a loved one get clean but will help you stay clean. Let’s check these out together.

Principle #1 states:  “If God’s against it, so am I!” 

Throughout the Bible we see passages indicating behavior that God is against.  He has asked that we avoid behaving in this way.  He warns that participating in certain behavior will bring sorrow, punishment and can even lead to a shorter life.  We have seen this to be true in not only our own lives, but in the lives of many others as well.  It is called the law of sowing and reaping.  This simple law says if you sow (or spread) destructive behavior, you will reap (or receive) destruction in your life.  But if you spread good behavior patterns, you will receive blessings from God. 

Check out this verse from the Bible: “Now the works (deeds) of the flesh (humans) are manifest (revealed), which are these; Adultery (sex with other than your wife), fornication (sex outside of marriage), uncleanness (sexual impurity), lasciviousness (sexual excess),  Idolatry (things in your life that are more important than God), witchcraft (sorcery), hatred, variance (causing strife or discord), emulations (being jealous), wrath (sinful anger), strife  (selfish ambition), seditions (dissentions), heresies (organized divisions or cliques),  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings (excessive eating) and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21 (KJV)

The Bible was written to tell us what is right, what is not right, how to get right and how to stay right.  If God’s intention was to inform us of what is, what is not, how to get and how to stay right, then it is our responsibility to conform each area of our lives that is revealed to be wrong.  He will help us to do this.  He gives new believers His Spirit and a hunger to be right. 

This new presence and new desire for good is what God uses to mold our new Christian character.  If we draw a line and do not overstep this line of behavior that is considered by God to be wrong, then He will reveal more and more things that He would like to change in our lives.  As we continue to adopt these revelations of God’s will for us, we will find ourselves farther and farther from the original line (which is to not indulge in our addiction).  Eventually, we will find ourselves so far from our original line in the sand, so to speak, that even when we have a bad day, the thought of using or engaging in our addiction is not even a remote possibility.  This is a joyous place to be. 

To this end, we see that all who want to be free from addiction in their lives must accept Christ’s offer for Salvation first and foremost: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” . John 3:16 (KJV)

Then we must draw a line and say, “If God is against it, so am I!” In my next blog let’s discuss where our addictive desires come from.

Questions/Comments? Email me: info@dayspringbaptist.com