“New Ways of Seeing and Walking Free” Part 11

Note from Pastor: “Addiction” New Ways of Seeing and Walking Free, Part 11

“The unfolding of Your words gives life; it gives understanding to the simple.” (Psalm 119:130) In this series we have highlighted some biblical metaphors for addiction (idolatry, adultery, foolishness, disease/illness, being attacked by wild beasts) to help us understand God’s perspective on the issue. The Bible makes the case that the worldly disease model to describe addiction is inadequate and does not offer true hope (For more on this please request previous installments of this series). Recently we have been emphasizing the need to “declare war” on one’s desires when they start to grow into ungodly proportions (1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Ephesians 6:11; 1 Peter 1:13). When we think of war, we often incorrectly think of a short-lived skirmish that is quickly over. But in reality, a war is a long series of skirmishes, some won and some lost, over a long period of time; sometimes years! A proper understanding of the Holy Spirit helps us to realize that the battle is good. It is a sign that the Spirit is on the move! We have to commit ourselves to “the fight” against our sinful desires and destructive addictions for the entire war, not just for a few short skirmishes and then give up. Engaging in the battle and fighting is a sign that we are spiritually alive in Jesus, and that we are in the midst of progressive sanctification (growing in The Faith). Often times when there is not a quick victory, the addict begins to question whether the Spirit is really powerful enough to conquer his addiction, and the Bible gradually becomes something impractical, unhelpful, separated from his daily life. The real spiritual battle is something like the way the Israelites were delivered from Egypt and taken to the Promised Land. “I the LORD have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Exodus 3:8) This was God’s promise. He said He would bring His people out of slavery and give them their own land in Palestine. Here is a key principle that helps us fight addiction: The land was theirs, but they still had to fight for it. Furthermore, not all the battles were successful for them. There were even times when Israel entered into battle without the LORD! (because of their disobedience, and ignorance about how to fight according to God’s plan) We too have been promised something remarkable by God through Christ: a holy, blameless life. Then, we are told to fight for it! Just because we are born again as a gift of God’s grace through Jesus Christ, doesn’t mean we do not have to fight to “put off the old man and put on the new man.” What does Philippians 2:12-13 say? “It is God who is at work in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. So continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” God is at work in you on both the desire level and the behavior level, and so you too need to get to work! Next time we will learn more about how to get to work.

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