Battling Addiction, Bondage and Temptation
The War Between the Flesh and The Spirit
by
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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.
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About the Book
In Darrian Cobb’s book “Battling Addiction, Bondage and Temptation: The War Between The Flesh and The Spirit” are the practical ways to beat any type of addiction and bondage that you may be struggling with. Whether it be to a substance, a habit, an activity, unwanted thoughts, anxiety, depression, fear or failure, Darrian wants to inform his readers that no matter what they may be going through that God loves them, sees them and has a purpose for them. It is Darrian’s heart and passion to use his testimony to point other people to Jesus. In this book throughout majority of the chapters, Darrian includes his own personal struggles to make the reader comfortable and to ensure that the reader is not alone in their feelings or struggles. To get the most out of this book, you should set aside some time each day to focus on the God who loves you and cares for you. Do not put your focus on your current struggle, what you have been doing or what you’re currently even addicted to. Instead, focus on your freedom that you will obtain if you read this book and apply it to your life, the new habits/hobbies that you will pick up on the way and your testimony after you do come out of this victorious. Everybody has a story and a unique purpose in this world even when things do not look or seem right. Are you ready to go on the path? “I hope and I pray that you hear the voice of God and feel the Spirit of God through my testimony and the words that are in this book. If you are reading this it is no coincidence. You were meant to have this book in your hands or on your coffee table. God has made you for a purpose and you are not an accident nor too far gone. I pray this book ministers to your heart and points you to Jesus. I am praying for you.” — Darrian Cobb.