Overcoming Addictive Behaviors

OVERCOMING THE DESTRUCTIVE COMPULSIONS IN OUR LIVES

Pastor Rex E. Faile, Sr.

Lakewood Christian Church

ad·dict (…-d¹kt“) tr.v. ad·dict·ed, ad·dict·ing, ad·dicts. 1. To devote or give (oneself) habitually or compulsively. 2. To cause to become compulsively and physiologically dependent on a habit-forming substance. --ad·dict (²d“¹kt) n. 1. One who is addicted, as to narcotics. 2. A devoted believer or follower. --ad·dic“tive adj. (internet dictionary)

1 Cor 6:9-20

9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders

10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

12 "Everything is permissible for me"-- but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"-- but I will not be mastered by anything.

13 "Food for the stomach and the stomach for food"-- but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.

15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!

16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh."

17 But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.

19 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;

20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

(NIV)

I. Types of Addiction

A. Habits - Behavioral (change routine)

B. Spirits - influence or posession

Luke 11:24-26

24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.

25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.

26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

(KJV)

C. Psychological (emotional ) depresssed ; happy ; anger ..bosom of fools Eccl.7:9

D. Physical - dependency

II. How do these happen?

A. Peer pressure

1 Cor 15:33

33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." (NAS)

Prov 13:20-21

20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

21 Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.

(KJV)

B. Escapism or denial

C. Pleasure

Heb 11:24-26

24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

(KJV)

III. Process of addiction

A. I like it

B. I want it

C. I need it

D. I crave it

A man takes a drink, a drink takes a drink, a drink takes a man

IV. Sin or Sickness (disease)

1 Cor 6:10

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (KJV)

Rev 21:8

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (KJV)

V. Freedom from our addictions

Luke 4:18

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (KJV)

I Jn 5:12

12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (KJV)

John 8:36

36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (KJV)