Recovery

There are many addictions: workaholism, video games, food, nicotine, alcohol, drugs, gambling, pornography, sex, anger, control issues, risk, spending money, stealing, TV, tobacco, and more. As humans, simply put, we are susceptible to bondages that wreak havoc on our health, happiness, and even our lives. There is hope. God is more powerful than our bondage. He can and does deliver us, but it is on His terms.  An addiction is an uncontrollable habit that defeats our will, or rather, our self-effort to stop. Without outside help and accountability partners to support our recovery, few ever find deliverance.

Here is an important passage from the book of Romans: However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you….So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” (Rom 8:9-15)

Consider this. The Bible says a lot about the nature of the flesh, given to appetites, and the nature of the spirit, given to yielding to the Holy Spirit. We want to cry out, “Abba! Father save me!” But, our freedom only comes upon being led by the Holy Spirit who by His power enables us to put to death the deeds of the body. In so doing, or to say another way, as we walk by the spirit we manifest the fruits of the spirit, one of which is self-control. Our prayer is that you will begin to walk daily, inviting God’s Spirit to abide within.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)