“The only way to whip an addiction is by saddling up with God and out-working the devil.” ~Jay Meyer
We are in the final four days of our lenten journey of ticking off the devil by saying NO to his fear-based schemes. Although I am writing specifically about addiction in this blog, there are times in our lives where we may not be addicted but we are in bondage to something. Being in bondage means something has a “grip” on us and it is causing us to be someone we know we aren’t. The ultimate form of bondage is addiction.
The devil loves for us to live in the world of “cant’s and problems,” whereas God’s world is a world of potential with “can-do’s and solutions.” The devil dwells in negativity, God lives in positivity. The devil loves to cause our focus to go inward; God opens our eyes, ears and hearts to the world around us. The devil works in the world of limitations with lots of dead end streets; God works in the world of abundance in an eternal/infinite setting. At the end of the day the devil’s world is fear-based and God’s world is faith-based.
The devil’s tool of addiction is a multipurpose, fear-based tool which helps him achieve all of his goals noted above.
Over the years I have watched many lives destroyed through various addictions whether it be drugs, alcohol, gambling, shopping, lust, relationships, pornography, internet games, work, money, food etc…and if you haven’t learned anything else over the past 43 days I hope you’ve learned the devil loves to destroy lives.
Most addictions are born out of a fear of “something is wrong with me, or something is wrong with my world,” (a lie the devil loves to feed us). We seek outside “resources” in order to make us feel better. Sometimes addictions are stumbled upon through innocent curiosity and a simple desire to “take the stress off” or feel good or feel better. My experience also tells me there are some people more susceptible to addiction than others.
Anything addicting in the beginning, makes us feel better. As we repeat the act, we begin to crave the “better feeling” and when repeated enough times, we find we are unable to live without the “better feeling” and it becomes a part of our routine and then “BAM,” the addiction turns on us and we cannot get enough and we over indulge and begin to deteriorate mentally, physically and spiritually. And in extreme cases like mine, we no longer want to live because of the addiction.
I view practicing addicts as people the devil loves and very seldom needs to “check in” on. He knows we will get up every day and slowly kill ourselves and/or our relationships as addiction is a progressive disease which only gets worse.
Addictions are a bitch! Whipping an addiction is not about will power, I have plenty of will power but could not “will” myself to stop drinking or drugging once it gained control over me. Beating my addictions a day at a time is the most difficult thing I’ve had to do in my life.
Plain and simple, the only way to whip an addiction is by saddling up with God and out-working the devil.
As I’ve mentioned many times over the past six weeks, God beats the devil every day of the week if called upon. Calling upon God through prayer and daily conversation is not the only tool needed to whip an addiction as addicts not only suffer from a spiritual anomaly, but also a mental and physical one.
Next it is important to call upon God’s people. Those people come in the form of professional counselors with expertise in your addiction. It is also important to talk with others routinely who’ve learned how to live “sober.” Attending 12 Step Meetings and doing the 12 Steps which are 12 spiritual steps that help you clean house, find God, and help others, are other key tools in order to whip addiction.
Where many people stumble is when they think they have an addiction whipped and they stop doing what they need to do in order to keep it whipped. This is a trick the devil tries to use on us.
Addiction is like having Insulin-Dependent Diabetes, it never goes away but as long as we take our “insulin” we can live quality lives. Never forget that an addiction is a spiritual, mental and physical disorder, it is more than a bad habit. A bad habit can be stopped and will go away with minimal work when compared to the work involved in keeping an addiction in check.
If you think you have an addiction begin praying for God’s help and He will most likely come with help in the form of His people, so make sure you open your eyes, mind and heart to the world around you.
Picture your life without the bondage to addiction, plan your life without the bondage and then begin to create a “whatever it takes attitude” and take your “medicine” daily by practicing what you need to do a day at a time…I write from experience.
For those of you who love someone who is an addict; the best thing you can do for that addict is get help for yourself. An addict will only get help if they want to get help. Part of the devil’s plan is to not just destroy the addict, but to destroy as many people as he can surrounding the addict.
P.E.A.C.E
Jay@EagleLaunch.com
Galatians 5:16-25, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature…
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things where is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
