I always think in terms of BIG sins and small sins… My small sins are ok in church, but the prostitute really shouldn’t be where my kids are…
In the same way, I tend to think about addiction: Addicted to golf, is not the same as addicted to pornography…
Some people call it bad habits in an effort to make it more acceptable… Like the druggies saying they “boost stuff” instead of “stealing” – If it sounds more acceptable, I can defend my actions.
The Bible, however, has a different definition of addiction, it looks not at the subject of our addiction, but what the addiction causes. It looks at the damage to our calling, it looks at our purpose being sidetracked. It looks at what it does to our relationship with God.
“Addiction is choosing or pursuing something other than God in a habitual, patterned, or repetitive way in order to meet a particular need,
(despite the inadequacy of the coping mechanism and the negative consequences that occur.)
The point is that whether you call it an addiction or a bad habit, it is something that detracts from your relationship with God, because:
First: You do not Love God more than anything else anymore… ”this thing” has taken the place
Second: You start to disrespect yourself more and more the longer your struggle continues, and;
Third: Loving your neighbour just goes out the window (unless you are King David, in which case you have a whole different set of problems!)
Rick Warren has a plan that I quite like to get a grip on the bad habits so that we can control the addictions, The following steps are based on his teaching:
1. Proverbs 27:1
”…Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring…”
Begin Today! – Stop postponing, Stop procrastinating. Trying to stop tomorrow will just be a little bit harder than stopping today…. and next week will be much harder than this week.
Decide today. Start today.
2. Proverbs 19:3
”There are some people who ruin their own lives and then blame it all on God.”
Refuse to blame others – To break free, you have to assume responsibility for the bad habits in your own life. They are yours… Own them
3. Lamentations 3:40
”Let us examine our ways and test them,
and let us return to the Lord.”
Examine your life – Time to sit down and look at your life. Where did this thing creep in. What happened that your guard came down? Why did your doors open to let this monster in?
Ask yourself:
– What are my weaknesses?
– When am I tempted?
– How long have I had this problem?
– What are my frustrations?
(By the way… This never stops… we always have to examine ourselves. It’s like looking for tics after a day in the African bush… better to find them now and get rid of them quick, before they let their presence known to you!)
4. Romans 6:12-13
”Sin is a dethroned monarch; so you must no longer give it an opportunity to rule over your life, controlling how you live and compelling you to obey its desires and cravings. So then, refuse to answer its call to surrender your body as a tool for wickedness.”
Ask Christ to take over your life – Either Christ will rule or sin will rule… it really is that simple.
5. Romans 13:14 & 2 Timothy 2:22
”Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”
and;
”Run as fast as you can from all the ambitions and lusts of youth; and chase after all that is pure. Whatever builds up your faith and deepens your love must become your holy pursuit.”
Stay Away from Temptation – Plan to avoid temptation.
The key to overcoming temptations is to decide in advance that you will! And act on that decision. Do not wait until temptation is standing in front of you. Plan ahead… Do not go there, do not buy that, do not mingle with those people.
We don’t want to do it because we want to have an excuse of “one thing led to another…” – It is considerably harder for the thief to steal from your house if all the windows are closed, all the doors are locked, wouldn’t you say?
If you decide to play with the scorpion, claiming it to be harmless, you must surely know that at some point it will sting you. So do not act surprised when it does!
6. Proverbs 4:23 & Luke 6:45
”…Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it…”
and;
”A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
Focus on something better – Protect your innner being, protect your heart!
We may not even realise it but what the heart chases after is what our mouth will automatically reveal, whether we want to or not.
7. Romans 12:18
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
Restore Broken Relationships – You broke it… you really need to fix it. God is ALL ABOUT relationships.
Make peace
Restore relationships
Rebuild the trust
8. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
”Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”
Get a Support Group! –
People that love you unconditionally.
People that love you enough to call you out on your nonsense.
Containing at least one Someone willing to wreck your friendship for the sake of your life…
9. 2 Corinthians 1:4
“He always comes alongside us to comfort us in every suffering so that we can come alongside those who are in any painful trial. We can bring them this same comfort that God has poured out upon us.”
Extend your hand to others –
God will use our problems, and our victories to help others. He’ll take your greatest weakness—the one you’re most ashamed of—and make it your most effective ministry.
(Genesis 50:20)
10. Galatians 6:1
”Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.”
Watch yourself – Watch yourself when helping someone else… The Devil Doesn’t Like it! You are messing in his business. You will be tempted, you will be attacked. Your family, your relationships, your children are all fair game.
Get your Prayer Game strong. Get your Armour on!
Lastly… Plan to Fail…
“For the lovers of God may suffer adversity and stumble seven times, but they will continue to rise over and over again.”(Proverbs 24:16 TPT)
Whether you are stuck, or you are helping someone that is stuck… know this:
You will fall…
They will fall…
It’s ok. Plan for it. Watch for it, be ready for it and get up right away. Just because you had a setback or a failure of commitment, doesn’t mean its the end of the world. Decide before you start: I will get on my knees, ask for forgiveness and then take the hand Jesus offers me, stand up and lift my head up.
I will start again. I will reach what God has planned for me… even if I fall 7 times… I will get up eight!
