Christians With Addictions

Because the addict seldom quits his addictive behavior even when it is severely damaging to his life, he is actually abusing himself. Today, addictions are categorized either as substance addictions, like drugs and alcohol, or process addictions, like sex, eating, gambling, or workaholism. They convinced the Israelites that they were to be trusted as friends. In the same way, the Hivite giants of today present themselves as our friends.

It is only later that we learn the dangers involved in inviting them into our lives. Some counselors believe that sexual addiction can be one of the most difficult to treat. It many times has all the traits of a drug addiction because the pornography, fantasy, and masturbation trigger endorphins and adrenaline in the body. Although the most comprehensive information concerning addictions in the Bible is found in the story of Samson's life, a number of other addictions are mentioned in the Bible. Nabal possibly died of an alcoholic seizure.

King Saul was addicted to rage and domestic violence. Solomon was addicted to work, sex, and possibly alcohol. Eglon and Eli were most likely addicted to food, and Lot struggled with homosexuality.

In addition, the Bible deals with drug addictions under the more inclusive name of sorcery. A way to understand addictions is to consider the analogy of a person who has gangrene in his arm. He does not want to admit that he has a sickness that is poisoning his whole body, so he covers it with a bandage and takes a painkiller so he cannot feel the pain. Similarly, the addict often feels badly about himself due to toxic shame that has piled up throughout his life and most often dates back to his childhood.

Rather than deal with this emotional pain, he attempts to deny its existence and tries to kill the pain of it through some type of drug. External things cannot fix internal problems! As an example, how much food will a lady who tries to medicate her feelings of worthlessness have to eat before she feels good about herself? The problem is that the more she eats, the heavier she gets, and the worse she feels about herself. Consequently, all the food in the world will not suffice. Therefore, the harder the addict tries to fix the internal problem, the worse it gets.

The denial is the bandage and the painkiller is the alcohol, drugs, sex, work, food, or codependent relationship. The addict continues to avoid dealing with the problem even when it gets worse. This is because he does not see or feel like he has a problem. He knows that in order to get help, he will have to give up the pain killer, rip off the bandage, and expose the wound. He believes that this emotional pain would be too great to bear. As he becomes more powerless over the addiction and his life becomes progressively unmanageable, the addict begins to believe that he is so worthless and so addicted that he cannot be helped.

His problem is either not really that bad or the problem has progressed so far that recovery is impossible. Consequently, many addicts go to their graves without ever seeking help. On the right you will find a chart labeled "The Law of Sin and Death" which summarizes the addictive process. When our basic internal needs for love, security, worth, and significance are not met, we are motivated to do something about it.

We select a method of meeting our own needs based on our prior experiences. If we reach our goal through the flesh, these methods provide temporary partial satisfaction along with condemnation if we believe that what we have done is wrong or sinful. Operant conditioning suggests that if we do something and it results in immediate gratification, we will be disposed to do it more often. This is how desire for something turns into lust. This is how in the long run the initial feelings of worthlessness increase. These short-term gains, which result in long-term shame, set the process of addiction into motion.

After one complete loop of this chart we have: Increased the desire for the substance. Increased the level of toxic shame and internal neediness. Increased the level of denial about being addicted. At this point, when the addict "tries harder to quit," his failure to stop only adds to his shame.

Biblical Answers for Addictions

Finally, out of extreme despair, he may even turn to self-destructive behavior or suicide to relieve himself of his intense level of internal emotional pain. This is the point where most addicts are willing to enter recovery. However, many go on to their deaths through medical complications or suicide. These individuals are frequently convinced that they are already too bad, they cannot recover, or there is no way out.

This chart is labeled the Law of the Spirit of Life. It depicts the biblical method of recovery from addictions. This chart contains three separate circles of flow that end in very different results. By making two critical choices, we determine the consequences for our life. The choice to believe God to meet our needs through the Spirit results in a process that increases our faith and our desire for the spirit-led life. It also decreases our selfishness and dependence on the addictive process.

The end of this circle is love, which results in actual need satisfaction. The choice to trust in the flesh to meet our needs results in sin, shame, and the development of a lust for the addictive agent.

If we choose to admit our sin and trust God for forgiveness, our shame or guilt is removed so that it does not become toxic shame. This process is called grace. If we choose to hide our shame, we enter a circle exactly like the Law of Sin and Death that for the Christian is called legalism. Toxic shame leads to increased need, strengthened lust, and our defenses hide our ever-increasing addiction.

This explains why Christians can become or remain addicted.

Understanding Addictions (from the book Transformation)

The two critical questions that each of us answer every time we are tempted are: How we answer these questions will be determined by our faith in God. At the first decision point, if we truly trust God to meet all of our needs, we will rely on His Spirit to fulfill our emptiness. If we do not, we will rely on ourselves and the flesh to meet our needs. At the second decision point, our choice will be based on whether we believe that God still loves us in spite of our sin, will forgive us, and will restore us to Himself.

The Gangrene Model of Addictions

If we do not believe this, we will attempt to cover up our sin and fall into the trap of legalism. Without trusting in Christ for the power to make the right choices, an addiction cannot usually be overcome. This subject is explained in more depth in the book of Romans.

Romans Chapter provides what I believe is the most biblical, effective, and rapid deliverance from addictions for Bible-oriented Christians. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. John wrote this in a letter to the first generation of Christians, to encourage them to live up to their beliefs. A new start is always possible. Alice Cooper, musician, after giving up alcohol: Everything is always for you; yourself is God.

Why Christians Make Miserable Addicts | HuffPost

Humans make lousy gods. We have to let God be God and us be what we are. Drew Barrymore, actress and film director: Life is very interesting … In the end, some of your greatest pains become your greatest strengths. Clarissa Dickson Wright, cook and television presenter: I was on my knees. Is there anything I can do for myself?

I was morally, spiritually, physically, economically bankrupt. So I thought, well I could try telling the truth.

1. Why Christians Make Miserable Addicts.
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3. Dating on the Super Highway.
4. Un amor de fantasia (Deseo) (Spanish Edition)!
5. Addiction - Christian Enquiry Agency!
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Hubert Selby Jnr, North American writer and novelist, — We choose to live the dream instead of choosing to live the life. Marguerite Duras, novelist, — All it replaces is the lack of God.

Practical suggestions Information, advice and support for both those with addictions and their carers is readily available from your doctor, or start by finding out what is available for you at: What the Bible says about it An extract from the Bible: Where to find it: And they said… Alice Cooper, musician, after giving up alcohol: