Overcoming Addiction
Overcoming Addiction
Over the years I have counseled so many different people that have struggled with addictions, particularly regarding their purity. Addiction makes you feel like a slave to what you can’t stop doing. It can also make you feel like an animal, living for your urges and unable to think rationally about them. And Satan loves to lie to people under addiction by telling them they are too dirty/unclean to approach God, and that they must overcome their addictions on their own first before they can return to the Lord. That lie contradicts the Gospel completely. It was BECAUSE OF our sinful nature that God came to us. We can NEVER approach Him apart from acknowledging His grace.
Here are some simple steps for overcoming addictions…
1. The first step is to confess your addiction to someone with spiritual maturity and anointing (small group leader, pastor, someone not weak in their faith). James 5:16 says if we confess our sins to each other and pray for each other that we will be healed. Confession is powerful!
2. Whoever you are confessing to MUST see you for the future and not for present or the past. In the past you were a sinful person, lost apart from God. In the present you are struggling with sin and feel addicted. But the truth is you are an eternal being and 1Peter 2:9 says you have been called out of darkness and into God’s marvelous light. God doesn’t see you for your past or present, He sees you for your future… who you are in heaven and who you truly were made to be. Jesus called His disciples “clean” in John 15:3, despite knowing Peter would betray Him that night and that they would all abandon Him. Jesus called them clean because He saw them through faith, knowing they were on the right path. Your future is your true identity, and the person you confess to must see you in this way (the eyes of faith).
3. Whoever you have confessed to should become your accountability partner (if they are willing) and be God’s audible voice to you along the way. The Bible is clear that if you read it and know it that it will set you free (John 8:32, John 8:36, Psalm 119:9, Psalm 119:11, Psalm 119:105). To not only read the Bible but to have someone with spiritual authority declaring the truth in the Bible over you will bring extra strength and power. Your accountability partner must know how to yield the Word of God like a sword and bring conviction through Scripture whenever you begin to falter (there are clear verses about every sin/addiction, with 1Corinthians 6:12 being the most obvious about addictions in general). If there are any false identities you are carrying (“addict,” “dirty,” “failure”) then you need to renounce them in front of your accountability partner and claim your true identity in Christ. Your partner should then follow you in prayer and declare the truth again, coming in agreement with what you prayed. An example of your prayers can be, “I renounce that I am an addict, I declare that I am more than a conqueror through Christ (Romans 8:28). I renounce that I am dirty, I declare I am pure by the blood of Jesus (Isaiah 1:18). I renounce that I am a failure, I declare I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). Your identity in Christ is critical. Any false identity must be renounced and the Truth must be put in its place.
4. Find some people who have already overcome your addiction and listen to their testimonies. Testimonies release faith in the atmosphere! The worst thing you can do when addicted to something is find other people who are also addicted and have a pity party together. That only releases doubt, fear, and depression. Finding people who have overcome is what releases hope, strength, and vision. Eccelesiastes 1:9 says there is nothing new under the sun. What has been done will done again. There is no addiction that is new, not even the strange ones. If you’re having trouble finding people who have overcome the same addictions, tune in to New Philadephia Church in Seoul, Korea (www.newphilly.cc). Various core leaders/pastors of the church have struggled with drug addictions, alcohol/cigarette addictions, sex addictions, abortion, rape, abuse, eating disorders… you name it, there are plenty of leaders who have been in the sin/trauma and have been healed and delivered and are walking in true freedom. God is good!!!
5. Set goals and keep accountable. Sometimes short term goals can help estabish momentum for the future. In the past I’ve led accountability groups with a challenge that if a guy gives in to impurity during the week then he will fast for one day. This can help create momentum, because as a person is able to overcome something for longer and longer the power of the addiction fades. While goals can help, in the end you have to know that God is better and that life without the addiction is better than life with the addiction. As this truth consumes you there is true victory.
If you mess up don’t throw a pity party. Confess your sin, repent, and move on. If a lie lingers on you, renounce it and declare the truth, with your accountability member/spiritual authority also coming in agreement with the truth. God has no desire for you to dwell on your mistakes. He would much rather you be running into His marvelous light and enjoying His amazing love.
Psalm 34:8 – Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
Psalm 63:3 – Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.
God bless!
