Growing up as children, all of us have seen an addiction or bondage of some
sort in our families, which has the power to be passed down from generation
to generation. Not only that, who we choose to surround ourselves with can
determine what habits we pick up, what addictions we choose to have or what
chains of bondage weigh us down, because having bad company ruins good morals
(1 Corinthians 6:12 NLT). For some us unfortunately, we were exposed to it
at a very young age by friends or a trusted family member and the sad part about
this is, it wasn't our fault that we are addicted to the thing that we are addicted
to. It only takes one time for the seed of addiction to be planted and take root
in our hearts, which then has the power to control our lives and create bondage.
First things first, what is an addiction? The Webster dictionary defines addiction
as a compulsive, chronic physiological or psychological need for a substance, behavior,
or activity having harmful physical, psychological or social effects on the body.
Addiction affects our spirit, mind and body. Addiction can essentially have 3 different
effects on us as humans: spiritual effect, mind effect and body effect. A spiritual
effect is when we ultimately replace God as the center of our lives with something or
someone else. A mind effect is repeated patterns of poor decision-making which makes the addiction stronger and disrupts our thinking. A body effect
are the consequences from our poor decisions which can cause stress and anxiety.
Research from doctors using SPECT and MRI scans show how addictions can rewire our brain circuitry.
Whether it be a substance (nicotine or tobacco, pills, illicit drugs, etc), marijuana,
alcohol, pain killers, having sex, pornography, an attitude, gluttony (binge eating),
greed, pride, lust, lying, shopping, exercising, plastic surgery, gambling or social media, all of us can be or have been addicted to something that fills the spot in our life where we feel most
insecure, or to self-medicate ourselves from the reality from life's let downs or even past trauma.
Addictions can be for many things: to feel good (a feeling of pleasure or getting high),
to feel better (to relieve stress or anxiety), to perform better (at a sport, working out or even sex), a
nd curiosity resulting from peer pressure. What is your escape route? What gives you a way out from
the stresses of life? What do you do to self-medicate the pain or the loneliness that you are experiencing? What gives
you that temporary thrill of excitement? What helps you focus? Take a moment,
write down the things that may bring you comfort or things that you may go to when you
begin to become stressed or anxious. It can even be something that you feel you can't go a day without.
Throughout this book we are going to beat the ongoing battle that addiction has on you
mentally and spiritually which then eventually creates bondage. The first and the most
important step to beating an addiction and receiving deliverance from a problem that you
may be wrestling with is being honest not only with yourself, but with God. God cannot fix
or help us where we are not being 100% honest with him at. Yes, God already knows everything
about you, he knows your weaknesses, he knows your addictions, he even knows the numbers of hairs
on your head (Luke 12:7 NLT). But the God we serve is a gentlemen, he will not just come into
your life and help fix what he is not invited into.
In the book of Revelations (chapter 3 verse 20: NLT) Jesus says "Here I am! I stand at the door
and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you. And you eat
with me." This verse in itself is very powerful and should bring all of us some comfort and trust
in Our Lord and Savior. Him seeing our problems, our addictions, things that we were exposed to
at a young age, us willfully partaking in the addiction that we know we need help with, in chains
of bondage that we may have put ourselves in is so gracious, so loving and so caring that he is
willing to knock on the door of our lives and sit and help us and comfort us, and even hear us out
as we open up to him about our problems and needs. But the question is, Will you invite Jesus into
your life to fix the problems that you struggle with? I want to challenge you today to let our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ into the addiction or problems in your life and have a conversation with
him, no matter how far gone you may think you are. The addiction is not bigger than you, but you
are bigger than the addiction! Not only that, the Lord is bigger than the addiction, and through
Christ we are all more than conquers and can accomplish or beat anything in this life that comes
our way through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Romans 8:37 NLT).
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I confess I have a problem. I need you in my life and I invite you into
my heart and my life today. I want to sit with you in communion and discuss my addiction and problems
with you. I admit that I can do nothing and I cannot beat my addiction on my own with you. Strengthen
me during this battle and help me grow my faith and trust in you. In Jesus name, amen.