Sermon Central
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Spiritual Addictions
Contributed by Dr. Ronnie Grizzle on Sep 22, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: This message shares four things that are good addictions for the Christian to have.
Spiritual Addictions
Thompson Creek Baptist Church
September 23, 2007 (a-m)
There are all types of Addictions. Many people are addicted to the wrong things. Drugs, Alcohol, Sexual addictions, shopping addictions, food addictions.
I believe that a person can become addicted to just about anything. Are all addictions bad?
There are four things that I believe we as Christians should be addicted to, and I want to call them Spiritual Addictions.
1Co 16:15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)
1—We need to be addicted to God for Salvation
Pro 23:26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
We need to be so addicted to God as a Christian that we can literally observe the ways of God in our own lives. We need to give our heart to God completely.
Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
God is the only addiction where we can find hope and salvation.
Many are addicted to drugs and alcohol so they can escape there problems and sins. The problem is, after the high wears off, the problem is still there.
The only way of true escape is through Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. God is the only means of Salvation.
Another Spiritual addiction we need is:
2—We need to be addicted to Prayer
Jas 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
The reason many Christians are immature and lacking in their spiritual growth is because of a lack of prayer.
A lack of communication and fellowship with God. “We have not because we ask not.”
Expect Great Things from God...Attempt Great Things For God.
Pray! Pray Often! Let God know the desires of your heart and you may just be surprised—He just might answer!
Listen to what Jesus says:
Mar 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
3—We need to be addicted to Spiritual Praising!
Psa 150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
Let EVERY THING that hath Breath Praise the Lord!
Do you PRAISE the Lord? You can praise God in any circumstance in which you find yourself.
Do you praise God for EVERYTHING?
We have every reason to praise God for everything we experience in this life—SALVATION!
Paul says, “Count it ALL joy!” Some people look like they haven’t had any joy since birth!
Being born was such a bad experience they are doomed to frown all their lives.
Jesus said, “the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.”
God seeks spiritual worship. Where is your spirit. It’s on the inside. God wants worship that comes from the inside, the heart.
He doesn’t want lip worship, He wants spiritual heart worship.
How do you worship the Lord?
4—We need to be addicted to Church Attendance.
Psa 122:1 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.
Are you glad when Sunday morning rolls around and you can come to God’s house? What about Sunday morning at 10:00 AM?
What about Sunday evening? Wednesday evening?
How many of you believe that if something is in the Bible, then a Christian should do it?
You know, there is an entire Psalm about coming to church at night.
Psa 134:1-3 Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD. (2) Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD. (3) The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.
Now, how many of you will be back tonight?
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
There are many addictions that each of us needs to get rid of. There are some spiritual addictions that we need to cultivate.
How does one become addicted to something? Got to try it don’t you? Why don’t you try these four things and see if you can’t become spiritually addicted?
Try it you might like it. That is what we tell our children to get them to try new things.
If you’re lost, try God, and become addicted to him for salvation. Christians, give God your heart once and for all and observe His ways as the Psalmist said.
Become addicted to God, Prayer, Praising, and Church and see if you don’t grow spiritually in the Lord.
