ANSWERS ABOUT ADDICTIONS!

Some answers to Some questions that

Some Christians might have regarding

Addictions and sin.

Are you reading this because you're a Christian?

Are you reading this because you're an addict?

Or an Alcoholic? Or struggle with other sin?

Are you reading this because you're looking for the 

answer to staying Clean and Sober without Relapse?

Are you a Born Again Christian?

Are you Confident of your Salvation?

Do you study God’s Word, The Bible?

Do you believe it to be the Truth?

Do you believe God can set you free?

Do you believe God’s will is for you to be set free?

Do you believe that you deserve to be set free?

     If you've answered YES to all of these questions, you're on the right track. If you've answered NO to any of them, your Recovery will be delayed until you've answered them all with a resounding YES!  If you believe God can’t help you, or that you need more help than God can provide, you’re on the wrong track! If you've answered yes to all of the above questions and are still struggling with addictions, something’s missing in your relationship with God. There are several things that many Christians often fail to recognize as being vital in having a healthy and Blessed relationship with God, and crucial  in addiction recovery!  
      The first one is usually a lack of Faith. Many claim that they trust God and have Faith in Him, until the first trial comes along, and their prayers, (if there are any), are not answered immediately. This is not Faith! God’s Word is clear, Matthew 17:20, He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” You said above that you believe God’s Word is the truth. Those are Jesus’ words in Matthew 17:20. Are you calling Jesus a liar? Or will you choose, right this minute to accept all of the Gospel as the absolute Truth which it is, and begin living your life in victory?  You must learn to grow your Faith. One way to do this is to learn to “pray without ceasing,” 1 Thessalonians 5:17, or pray until your knees bleed! Pray in Faith until the Prayer is answered. Recognizing all the while that God often “tests” His sheep by delaying His answers until He knows you've passed the test. You must learn to live and accept his words in Matthew 6:10, may “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven,” Not “our will.” Until we learn not to be part of the “Ye of little Faith” crowd, we can expect trials and tribulations in our lives until God is done molding us into the person He’s created us to be according to His purpose and will for us, not ours. Going through the “Refiner's Fire” is as important in building our Faith as any other part of our relationship with God. Paul tells us in Romans 8:28, “Whatever the reason for your trial, know that God has purpose in adversity and that He has allowed it for your good.” We refuse to allow Him to mold and shape us when we cower in the corner whenever God asks us to serve Him in some way, to “take up our cross and follow him,” to lead a bible study, or start a ministry, etc. We need to have the Faith of a mustard seed before we can take the tiniest leap of Faith.   
     Another shortcoming many Christians seem to encounter, is failing to recognize that God expects us to repent of our sin and to be obedient to His Word and commands. Psalm 103:17-18 says, “But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children 18, with those who keep his covenant  and remember to obey his precepts.”  Most of Gods promises are “conditional” upon our obedience. A very popular example is one of several places where Jesus tells us He will “Set us Free”. John 8:31-36 is one of those places for example, but rarely, if ever is there any emphasis put on verse 32, where Jesus says “If  ye continue in my word,”(KJV), or in NIV it translates to “If you hold to my teaching,” or in the NKJV, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” The emphasis here is on the word “IF,” which of course means that we have to do something to be “set free.” We must follow God’s teachings, we must be obedient. This exact scenario plays out in hundreds of verses throughout the Bible, relating to many subjects including Salvation. The primary condition to be saved is “Faith,” Ephesians 2:8, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 
      Another reason many fall short of living a Blessed life with Christ is a total lack of communication with God. Their prayer life, and time spent reading His Word is a disaster! Studying, praying, and meditating over His Word or through His Word, is the only way to develop a relationship with Him. It’s the only way to get to know and understand God and His plan and purpose for you. And there is not a more wasted life, than the life of a Christian who doesn’t know his purpose in God’s Kingdom. That Christian will miss out on many of God’s Promises and Blessings. That Christian may suffer many more trials and tribulations as God tries to reach them and get their undivided attention. The sooner we learn to communicate with God, the sooner we'll start receiving His answered prayers and Blessings. Many, don't even ask god, Matthew 21:22, And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Many wait until the peak of a trial, and then ask their friends and neighbors to pray for them! Many have no idea what it means in, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18,  Rejoice evermore., 17 Pray without ceasing., 18 In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Many have yet to learn or understand the concept and significance of my favorite quote to those asking for prayer in the midst of a trial, “Are your knees bleeding”?   
     Still another reason for finding ourselves in dark places, and asking “why God?”, is that we refuse to surrender to God. We might feel that we've repented and turned to God, but are we constantly looking over our shoulder, lusting after certain elements of the world that we've left behind? Do we have one foot in God’s Kingdom, and the other stuck in some worldly vice? Are we easily swayed by the enemy into believing false doctrine because we're spending too much of our time participating in worldly activities, rather than Godly activities? God wants our total surrender, not just an hour or two on Sunday. You might be breaking God’s Heart if you're out playing golf, at a football game or a motorsports event, on a hunting trip, shopping at the mall, or just sitting on the couch hypnotized by the TV, at a time when He wants to have fellowship with you. If we're busy breaking God’s heart much of the time, why should we expect any blessings from Him, or for him to answer our selfish prayers?      
     I believe that once we've learned to surrender enough of our “old self,” to reach a point that when we do look over our shoulder, instead of experiencing any lust, we'll only feel gratitude that we no longer live there, that once we've reached a point that we know what it means to pray until our knees bleed, we'll finally begin to recognize God’s voice, that once we've become obedient to God’s Word and commands, and that once we've developed the Faith of a mustard seed, we'll begin to feel the peace that accompanies God’s many blessings. That we'll begin to see fewer and fewer trials and tribulations. We'll see less temptation to sin and fall into relapse of our addictions, until eventually we can claim victory over them through Christ and see ourselves as SAVED and SOBER!