The Answer to Addiction

We are all created with a need deep within us. God put in each person a need only He can fill. However, as we journey through life, we attempt to fulfill that need with things of this world. These things fit into one of three major categories: pleasing, pride, and the need to control. They were the same three temptations Satan presented to Jesus after His 40 days in the dessert.

Think about Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:6.

⁶ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

Eve chose pleasing herself and the pride in gaining wisdom over God’s command. Adam chose pleasing Eve over pleasing God. If we loose focus on God, we will do the same.

I have learned that the issues we generally call addictions are weaknesses in our character that Satan uses to beat us down. He wants us to believe we are hopelessly addicted and total losers. If Satan can keep us focused on our desire and we continue to give in to the addiction, he will have crushed our spirit and won.

The Apostle Paul wrestled with this issue and addressed it in a letter to the church in Corinth. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9-

“⁷I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

As Paul prayed to have this nagging “thorn” taken away from him, God showed him a better answer. It is the same answer we all need. We are not capable of turning away from our own weaknesses in our strength, but “God’s grace is sufficient”.

If we recognize what God was telling Paul, we can see this is a spiritual issue and a matter of learning to leaning on God’s strength and not our own. The answer is we must believe God’s grace is greater than Satan’s temptation. If we stop trying to fight the temptation with our strength and let God show us how He can fill that need He gave us to be His child and help us see His way, the addiction to the temptation is eliminated.

The basis of all sin is self-centered thought. If we think “what’s in it for me” or “my life isn’t fair and I deserve this thing I want”, we will be led astray. In Scripture we read repeatedly “love one another”. There are two passages I believe are the picture of leaning on God’s grace versus living in our strength. They are commonly referred to as “the Love Chapter” and “the Fruit of the Spirit”. As I read through these passages, I realize without God’s help I cannot live this way. Read slowly thinking about each phrase.

I Corinthians 13:4-8

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸ Love never fails.

Galatians 5:22-25

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Contrast the Fruit of the Spirit with what Paul calls “the acts of the flesh in Galatians 5:19:21.

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

Scattered in between sins we might say we would never commit are sins like hatred, discord, jealousy, selfish ambition, dissension, and envy. These are sins, or addictions, that leak into our life if we don’t let the Holy Spirit guide us moment by moment.

I have found the answer to addiction is seeking to understand God’s ways and letting His Spirit guide me when temptation comes. I have learned to turn to Him and say, “Lord, what do You think I should do”. He brings Scripture to mind and helps me see the situation through eyes that are not focused on me, but how my actions might affect others.

There was a book written several years ago titled “What Would Jesus Do?” People used to wear bracelets that had the letters WWJD on them. The story was about a pastor and a challenge he gave his congregation to ask that questions before they made any decision, what would Jesus do. I have found it to be a life-changing question.