As human beings we all face addictive behavior. For those in the audience who claim Christ as Savior and Lord, we are not exempt from such human tendencies.
Habitual traits are only natural. The good news is we can all gain control of our future behavior.
Discovering the secret of complete recovery from our addictions is certainly possible!
I’m not talking about successfully kicking a habit for a few months or a few years. I’m talking about total lifetime recovery — knowing that the addictive behavior will not linger below the surface waiting to rear its ugly head when you are most vulnerable.
Sadly, recovery groups frequently witness some of their members falling back into the cesspool of their addiction.
Primitive Form of Idol Worship
Have you ever considered your personal addictions as no more than a primitive form of idol worship?
Somehow, we can become dependent on a certain habitual behavior and it becomes like a god to us. Our whole world can revolve around our addiction of choice and it can negatively impact all facets of our lives.
Some addictions are certainly worse than others, but all can cause physical, mental and emotional misery.
There are a few steps I’ve experienced personally that I know will work for you as well, if you sincerely want to be free of any number of unhealthy habits.
The first step is getting past your denial, listening to true friends and really desiring to totally walk away from the addiction.
If you can’t see the negative impact it has on your life and the lives of your loved ones, you are not ready to take the next step.
Ceding Control
Listen to what King Solomon has to say to those who stray from the path of righteousness, from Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”
Yes, God Almighty can truly remove any addiction, if we just allow Him to take control of the situation!
We’ve all seen and heard of others overcoming addictions through counseling and sometimes even “cold turkey” — at least it appears that way. But, we all have been born with a sin nature that can sadly take us down when we are most vulnerable.
Sensing personal victory over any bad habit sets us up for a potential future fall where demonic spiritual forces can elusively bring us to our knees.
That’s not such a bad place to be, if we are prepared to ask the Lord to help us in our personal battle. He can bring the necessary strength to overcome whatever torments our soul.
That’s when professional help can be most valuable. Christian-based programs work best when the Holy Spirit can work seamlessly in the life of the afflicted soul.
When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, the process of complete recovery can be so very simple.
The Apostle Paul succinctly presents the answer in Philippians 4:13: “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
And let me conclude with the words of Jesus in Matthew 19:26: “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”