Addiction Is Idolatry In Disguise

Today we are talking about ADDICTIONS. Let us look at the definition of addiction? The definition given to us on the mentalhelp.net website explains it very accurate and understandable to me and I quote it for u: “Addiction is the repeated involvement with a substance or activity, despite the substantial harm it causes, because that involvement was (and may continue to be) pleasurable and/or valuable”. We can say that any thought or behaviour that became a habit is an addiction and any such thing or even a person that makes you feel good or is of more value to you than God is, it is idolatry, and God says very specific in (Exo 20:5) that He is a jealous God and will tolerate NO IDOLATRY.

There is also a misconception around the term. People automatically think when they hear the word addiction – drug or alcohol abuse. While I was doing some research on the subject I realized that we really have a distorted or inaccurate idea concerning the subject of addiction. There are so many things we can get enslaved to. Just naming a few like television, cell phones, smoking of any substance, drinking of alcohol or any substance, immoral sex habits, compulsive eating habits, compulsive shopping, star forecast, fortune-telling, gambling and more. Let me challenge you just as I was, to become still and think what addiction is present in your life, even if it’s not listed here. Even the smallest little thing, can become a big thing and it’s a very hard journey to recovery.

There are different reasons why people have no resistance to becoming a slave to addiction. There can be physical as well as physiological reasons.

1. Physical: The environment you live or stay might play a role. Your parents believe and attitude and also peer or group pressure. Genetics can also be a factor. If you experiment with drugs or any substance your brain’s development is influenced for example taking drugs. At first, it’s a “light” drug and then a “heavier” one, and then the constant changing will bring a change in how your brain experience pleasure, there will be an effect on the communication between the neurons and neurotransmitters. If there is a family history of addiction, you are more likely to have a predisposition genetically, but I want to tell you that if you practice enough self-control you won’t fall into the same trap. Ok, I had to deal with many issues and I didn’t know why at the moment, but I do now. The lack of family involvement can also push you over the edge if you are not strong. When a or both parents are absent in your life or even brothers and sisters (meaning that you constantly need reassurance that you are good enough) you will begin to seek another source to feel accepted. If that source is not God you’ve got trouble. Then there is the Mental Health Disorder factor. If you suffer from any one of the disorders, for example, depression etc. and you continue to experience with anything to make you feel better or wanted and any other source for strength or trust than God, your problems will only grow bigger.
2. Physiological: Physiological studies have shown that there are also physiological reasons why someone can become an addict. We all know that a habit can be learned. Good or bad. If it is a bad habit against God’s will and you and I don’t have enough self-control the journey to recovery will be tough, but the other side is also true that habits can be unlearned.

If you need to get rid of some habits, you can just ask help and I am also going to give guidelines or “tools” God gave us. Your believes and thoughts can also be your own enemy. If we don’t undergo a mind shift we won’t have the courage or strength to fight any addiction. The reason why I want to share the fact with you is that we need to remember, where the battle is won. Right here in our minds. Doesn’t God command us to overthink His word day and night? So, think, where do our thoughts come from? Inside our minds, and therefore if we keep on feeding our minds with Scriptures like my God is bigger than the one in the world, addiction also has an effect on your mental development. If we are mentally immature we start making decisions that are taking our focus off of the things that really matter. Normally the reason why people also struggle is their lack of problem-solving skills and guidance of a strong support system.

I want to emphasize the fact that most addiction starts off with a game and then before you know it is a habit and you are bound. Before becoming enslaved to anything there is a spirit of seduction. Remember Satan will never warn you that there is potential harm for example if you get drunk and get violent, you may do things you would never have done if you were sober. Satan won’t tell you that in the liquor bottle is potential violence, potential rape, potential murder and death while speeding. Will you do those things if you are sober and if God is in charge of your life?

Let us look at some “tools” (as I see it in my life) and guidelines God gave us in His Word:

Here is a very useful way to start your day. In (Eph 6:13-18) is the “Amor” which God gave us to put on to give resistance to any of the temptations that might cross our paths. However, I want to emphasize the warning in verse (12) that our struggle are not against the flesh but against the powers of the authorities of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. God also gave us the gift of the 9 fruit of the spirit as guidelines (love; joy; peace; forbearance; kindness; goodness; faithfulness; gentleness and self-control). If you practice them in your life it will help you master the tools.

1. Tool one – most importantly remember that you and I can’t find God through anything or anyone. Jesus declares in (John 14:6) that He is the only WAY to God so if you try to find God elsewhere it can lead to destruction and later on to death. Death doesn’t necessarily mean physical death. If you choose to seek God THIS way, then you are exposing yourself to a spirit of destruction and death in your health, wealth, family, your dreams and your total destiny. I know many of you don’t believe in spirits and the reason why I call it a spirit is that because Satan is NOT ever-present or ubiquitous like God, he needs to use spirits to do what he wants to do and his main purpose in life is to kill, steal and destroy (1 Pete 5:8-9).
2. Tool two – God warns us through Paul that we mustn’t enslave ourselves to anything (1 Cor 9:12) – God is our source of strength and He died so we can live. He set us free ().
3. Tool three – we can read (Rom 13:1-5, 1 Pet 2:13-17) were it is commanded that we must be subject to all authorities that God has put in place over us. What does that mean – it means that we mustn’t get involved in anything illegal. God gives us His Law in (Exo 20).
4. Tool four – in 1 Cor 6:19-20 & Rom 12:1-3 we specifically read that we must keep our bodies clean. The Holy Spirit lives inside of us; therefore, we mustn’t take or do anything that will contaminate our bodies. Your body is also a living sacrifice to God.
5. Tool five – is so simple – keep on praising self-perseverance; self-discipline and self-control.

Now that we discussed the reasons why we can be exposed and also the tools and guidelines God gave us to resist enslavement we can be more observant to these things. God never said we will not be tempted or be seduced in this world but we know He said that He already gave the outcome we need. How awesome is it that He supplied us with whatever we need and He promised that no temptation will take you beyond what you can’t bear but He already created a way out when we are tempted?