Not only what is obvious are addictions. Following is a quote from gotquestions.org:
“Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, and nothing else can be allowed to take priority over our conformity to His will. No habit or recreation or ambition can be allowed to have undue control over our lives; only Christ has that authority.”
Quite possibly,there are more addictions in our lives than we recognize or admit.
Several scriptures set the standard:
We should do not anything we feel does not please God:
“Everything that does not come from faith is sin.” Romans 14:23
If we are not sure if something has too much control in our lives, we should specially pray about it and ask God’s wisdom:
“Everything is permissible for me—but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me—but I will not be mastered by anything.” 1 Corinthians 6:12
Our bodies belong to God; we are obligated to honor God with our bodies:
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
We should do everything for “the glory of God”:
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17
Does something hurt our relationship with God, our relationship with others or harm the relationship of others to God?
“It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.” Romans 14:21
Usually addictions are obvious to ourselves and others. To overcome an addiction, we need all the help we can get. Hopefully, some of these suggestions will add to the wisdom you have already acquired.
Most important is that we believe in Jesus Christ:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17
Just tell Jesus you believe in Him and will follow His commands.
He can and will work in us to change us so we will be set “free from every sin”:
“Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin…” Acts 13:39
If we admit and repent (change our mind so that we see the seriousness of our sin), He will “purify us from all unrighteousness”:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
People do give up addictions without knowing Jesus, but a relationship with Jesus is the most important decision we can make for eternity, and is also beneficial for this present life.
Pain often causes addiction, and what is needed is more than a pat answer. It can require fulfilling a deep need. We have believed a lie, if not intellectually, in our hearts and emotions. We need to realize a truth. God can bring circumstances that expose a lie and bring the truth to life. Maybe it will be through a book, a counselor, a sermon or a stranger, etc. Often the Scripture reveals truth – it IS God’s Word. Jesus is the Word:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… Through him all things were made…In him was life…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-14
Jesus is the truth:
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
He is the only way to real freedom:
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32
Two main causes of emotional pain are fear and shame:
Sometimes fear is good, but often it is unnecessary or harmful. The opposite of worry or unfounded fear is faith or trust. God is pleased with faith:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded and unstable in all he does.” James 12-8
He promises wisdom to anyone who asks. It does not matter what we have done or if we feel worthy – we will receive wisdom if we ask.
God promises to give wisdom to all who ask. Wisdom gives power, including power to overcome addiction:
“A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength;” Proverbs 24:5
It takes time to gain knowledge (if that is what is necessary), but God will led us to the knowledge we need if we listen to Him.
God works in us to produce faith:
“for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Philippians 2:13
When we see Him working in our lives, we get to know Him and His goodness.
We can help by studying His word:
“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” Romans 10:17
Listening to, memorizing, studying and meditating on the Scriptures help us to have faith.
Shame is another reason for addiction. Shame can be good, also. If we feel guilt, it could be conviction of the Holy Spirit who wants us to give up our sin. Conviction means we can do something that will be beneficial to ourselves and others – we can give up a sin.
However, condemnation is harmful. If we feel condemned, we feel that we, as a person, are worthless, and there is nothing we can do (at least beneficial). Addiction can start because we get momentary relief from a certain behavior that eventually hurts ourselves and others.
God loves you. He does not condemn you:
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2
It is important that we realize how much He loves us:
“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19
Jesus’ death on the cross paid for our sin:
“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel… ” Colossians 1:21-23
“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed" (Isaiah 53:5).” 1 Peter 2:24
Because of Jesus’ death we can “live for righteousness”
If we believe in Him (if we “fear him”) our sins are removed “as far as the east is from the west”:
“The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.” Psalm 103:8-13
His death on the cross means that we are not held accountable for our sins. He has taken our place; we should have died:
“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” Colossians 2:13-15
When He died on the cross, He also took away Satan’s legal claim to the earth. When Adam sinned, he gave the authority of the earth God had given him, to Satan. Jesus took it back.
Realize addictions are demonic. God has given those who believe in Him authority to defeat the devil and his demons:
“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing ill harm you.” Luke 10:19 (See Matthew 10:1 Mark 6:7 Luke 9:1).
We are His disciples if we believe in Him.
Be vigilant. The devil does not play fair, and will attack us when we are down:
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
We are not who we were before we became a Christian; we are a new person:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17
We do not have to be ashamed:
“As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” Romans 10:11
Jesus even paid for sins we commit after we are Christians.
Sometimes, a person feels that their sin would be exposed by a vengeful person, or example if they leave a relationship – almost a form of blackmail. The demonic is often directly involved; someone can pray to or worship Satan or his demons. Even then, God can do the miraculous, if we obey:
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
“And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.” 2 Corinthians 10:6
Using spiritual weapons (truth, obedience, showing love, faith, wisdom, Word and prayer – Ephesians 6:10-18) we can “demolish strongholds”: Strongholds in ourselves are lies we believe after being wounded. Addictions are often partly due to lies we believe:
“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.” 2 Corinthians 10:4-6
Knowing and doing what we know to be God’s will demolishes strongholds. Perfect obedience brings a perfect solution.
Sometimes, a person can feel guilt or shame when they have done nothing wrong. Tamar was raped by her half-brother and had to bear the shame forever although she had done nothing wrong (2 Samuel 13).
“Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornate robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went.” 2 Samuel 13:19
God has recorded the stories of people in the Bible that would fit the circumstances of our life to show us we are not alone and He understands.
God knows the perfect solution for each of us. He will do all He can to help us understand that solution.