Addiction

Addiction has been a part of my life since maybe since I can remember but in the past 15 years I

was abusing alcohol hidden wounds that I would like cover up with alcohol and it would help me

numb the pain and not think and not feel and avoid going into what was actually hurting or what was

actually bothering me. I never felt I could be forgiven for some of my sins. I did have sins

that I never thought in a million years that I was gonna confess and I always felt that they

were too big even though I knew Christ had died on the cross for me and his blood has washed my

away. It was more words than something that I like had for myself in the bottom of my heart.

That's a belief. Since I started working on my traumas and my shame and my guilt and actually

addressing the problem and trusting God can help me deal with issues from the past even though it

hurts and it's hard work. I know that I can replace that shame and that guilt by the love of God that

I know that he has for me. I know I am his child. I know that my sins all of them are going to be

forgiven. Even the big ugly ones that I didn't want to acknowledge. All of my sins are forgiven

by his blood. I don't have to go to alcohol or anything else to hide and I know that I am his

masterpiece. I'm ready for his work. Amen. What a smile, right? Yeah, beautiful. Thank you. Thank

you. Listen, thanks for joining us today here at Eden Prairie, the chapel, Chaska,

Pocatello, and online. You know, this morning we're going to wrap up our three-part teaching

series called The A-List. And in this short mini-series, we have talked about the topics

then of anger, anxiety, and then today, obviously, we are going to look at what the Bible says

about addiction. It was funny, a couple weeks ago, I got a great email kind of talking about

this series. This guy said this, hey, Troy, your sermon last week on anger really ticked me off.

Next week's sermon on anger, I'm going to look at what the Bible says about addiction.

Next week's sermon on anxiety made me nervous and stressed. The final sermon on addiction,

I'm really looking forward to. I'm really hooked on those messages.

So the guy's name rhymes with Steve Phillips. He's a funny guy if you know Steve. But really good

stuff, right? So listen, when it comes to addiction, let me just say this, right? I am not a doctor,

nor do I play a doctor on TV, so I am not going to address kind of the disease model of addiction at

all. But I am going to unpack

some transformational insights, I think, from God's Word and how to like combat wisdom, think

about addiction, and then literally let God do a work in us even today that can bring us out of

addiction, right? Give us victory over addiction. And it's clear that we need help. I'll share some

stats with you on the screen here. This is 2022. We know that about 9.7 million young adults aged

18 to 25 battled with substance abuse addiction in the past year.

Which equates to 27.8% of this population, 18 to 25. Approximately 36.8 million adults

aged 26 or older, or 16.6% of this age group, struggled with substance abuse addiction in

the past year. And my guess is it's probably not stretched to say that most all of us have been

impacted in some way, shape, or form by addiction. Either in our family, someone close to our family,

right, have been touched by this incredible struggle and issue called addiction. And while

those numbers are massive, they don't even include the behavioral addictions of, for example,

pornography and gambling. Now, we know this. We know that addicts come in all shapes and sizes.

Some are CEOs. Some are business professionals. Some are coaches. Some are lawyers. Some are

doctors. Some are pastors. Some are personal trainers. Some are homeless and live on the street.

Addiction is not a respecter of people or professions. And I think everyone, every one of us

is susceptible to some degree. Now, more often times than not, people begin addictive behaviors,

I think, in response to trials, to hurt, to pain, to suffering that they don't know how to handle.

And because they want peace, they want relief, they want pleasure,

so badly, sometimes they will make a desperate decision to get their needs met in harmful,

sinful, and even dangerous ways, right? I mean, when we don't turn to God, when we sin or when we

suffer, we then turn to ourselves for solutions. And since most people are vulnerable to the quick

fix, most of us are vulnerable to that, give me something quickly to fix the pain, to numb the

pain, et cetera.

Many will choose a substance to find relief or satisfaction instead of what I call playing the

long game of Christian discipleship. Thus, a pathway to addiction is forged as an increase

in intensity and frequency is now necessary to keep feeling those feelings of relief and pleasure.

At some point, right?

So, the Bible talks about addiction as a form of slavery and then as an act of idolatry.

So, the Bible talks about addiction as a form of slavery and then as an act of idolatry. First,

slavery.

The Bible would say this, right? There is no fix, no freedom in drug use or drunkenness, right? There

is no fix or freedom in any type of sin. And so, we have to understand that sin is not rational.

It doesn't make sense. It doesn't look into the future. It's not considering what's good for us.

It doesn't consider the consequences of our future behaviors. All sin does is this. It enslaves,

enslaves us. And so, addiction is a habitual sin that has mastered us. Jesus talks about it. Paul

talks about it. Peter talks about it. John 834 says this, Jesus answered them, truly, truly, I say to

you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. Paul takes this same concept and idea and kind of

teases it out like this. Do you not know that if you present yourself as a slave to sin, you're not

slaves to anyone, as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey. And then he

positions what this slavery looks like then. You're either a slave of sin, which leads to death,

or you are a slave to obedience, which leads to righteousness. You're a slave to sin. You're a

slave to obedience. One leads to death and one leads to life and righteousness. Then Peter says

this in 2 Corinthians.

2 Peter 2 and 19. It says, they, false teachers, promise them freedom, but they themselves are

slaves of corruption. And then he says it, right? For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is

enslaved, to that she is enslaved. And so, I want you to notice the commonalities of the truths here

from Jesus, from Paul, from Peter. Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. And so,

you don't sin freely. You know, like, I'm just out there doing my thing, being free. Oh, no, no, no.

You don't practice sin freely. You get enslaved by sin. And then Paul says, you're either a slave

to sin, which leads to death, or you're a slave to obedience, which leads to righteousness.

Peter says it like this. Whatever overcomes you, whatever controls you, to that, you are a slave to sin.

You are enslaved. So, think of it like this. Addiction, addiction is like voluntary slavery.

And so, addicts make choices. They're in control, and they are committed to kind of managing their

way of life. Yet, they are also enslaved and out of control. They're overpowered by what John would

say, the world, the flesh.

James even says it like this, that our desires that are in us, they go rogue. They go rogue and

start doing their own thing and trying to get their needs met in sinful ways. And what do we

know about sin? There's no freedom in sin. Sin always enslaves us. So, when we practice sin,

we become enslaved to sin. This is why addiction experts no longer wait to intervene,

until someone hits rock bottom. There's actually no such thing then as rock bottom, right? If you

think about this logically, there's no rock bottom that brings clarity or empowers an out of control

enslaved person. Meaning, people who are enslaved to their sin don't all of a sudden

wind up in control of their sin. One Christian counselor said it like this. I'll put it on the

screen. This will be on the Grace app, by the way.

Addiction occurs when you repeatedly satisfy a natural appetite and desire with a temporary

pleasure until you become the servant of the temporary object of pleasure rather than its

master. It's why Paul said, all things are lawful for me. I'm allowed to do all these things,

but not all things are helpful. So, just because it's not breaking the

law doesn't mean it helps you, right? And we need to think about that with wisdom even here

today. All things are lawful for me, Paul says, but not all things are helpful. All things are

lawful for me, but then look at what he says. I will not be dominated by anything. I will not

be dominated by anything. I will not be controlled by anything other than the Spirit of God in me.

And so, notice this.

The declaration Paul made, I will not be dominated by anything, means this, that there are boundaries

that he will not cross because of his theology. He doesn't want to give his life over to being

enslaved by sin. I'm not going to be controlled by anything. I'm not going to be dominated by

anything. Why? He understands the doctrine of sin. They don't play around with sin. You're not a free

agent out there doing your thing with sin. Sin enslaves you. Sin gets its hooks inside of

you, and it becomes your master. Now, I did a little study and found that there's virtually

no encouragement at all in the Bible toward alcohol as you study the Scripture. But there

are tons of warnings about its abuse. And so, I want you to see this, right? Not only does addiction

enslave us, it also endangers us in other ways, too. So, for example, the biblical view of

drunkenness, kind of the prototype of all addictions, reveals other devastating effects

of addiction and substance abuse. So, go home this afternoon, read all of Proverbs 23. I'm

going to pull selected verses from Proverbs 23. So, we understand that one of the devastating

effects, then, is that we're not going to be able to drink. We're not going to be able to drink.

We're not going to be able to drink. We're not going to be able to drink. We're not going to be able to

of excessive use of alcohol, drug abuse, substance abuse is confusion. Proverbs 23, 33 says this,

your eyes will see strange things, right? And so, the first hazard of drunkenness is confusion.

Abusing alcohol and or drugs will make you see strange things, robbing you of the ability to

perceive reality.

robbing you stealing from you the ability to discern wisely and to be a good decision maker

drunkenness blurs life and death distinctions and muddies up the commands of God a second great

danger of alcohol abuse is is what the Bible calls perversion look at the last half there of

Proverbs 23 33 your eyes will see strange things confusion and your hearts utter perverse

things so here's what you notice in scripture scripture repeatedly repeatedly ties drunkenness

to immorality especially sexual immorality so in the preceding verses here to verse 33

the wise father says in verse 26 my son give me your heart like listen up here

let your eyes observe my ways for a prostitute is a deep pit an adulteress is a narrow well

she lies in wait like a robber and increases the traitors among mankind who has woe who has sorrow

who has strife who has complaining who has wounds without calls who has redness of eyes again tying

back to this whole picture of of drunkenness now I read that and I'm like wow like

why move like so quickly from prostitutes to wine glasses that's a quick sprint isn't it

and here's why because the latter often leads to the former excessive alcohol exaggerates the

pleasures of sin and it obscures the costs and consequences of sin one pastor wrote and this is

really really well done here and really well said here

he said this drunkenness makes a deadly pit look like a well a bloodthirsty thief like a trustworthy

friend and a forbidden woman like a secret stream of delight and so what's the warning alcohol

draws the perversity out of us we say things that we would never say if sober we do things that we

would never do if sober the third thing that we would never do if sober is to be sober

the third great danger of alcohol abuse is instability look at verse 34 of

proverbs 23 you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea like one who lies on the top

of a mast so essentially the proverbs writer is saying that alcohol leaves the person asleep

at the wheel alcohol leaves a person uh unaware unalert when alertness is

required in certain dangerous situations it's why that alcohol is not only a danger to us

but it's also a danger to everyone around us who depends on us when we kind of sleep through the

storms at sea we imperil everyone else in the boat the fourth great danger of alcohol abuse is

what i will call paralysis look at verse 35 they struck me you'll say but i was not hurt

they beat me but i didn't feel it and i would say

of of the four dangers this may be the most frightening of the four so it means that

drunkenness numbs a man or a woman to reality and specifically to all that to all that potentially

threatens him or her meaning his his or her senses have been dulled so that he can't even feel it

when someone beats him right he's hurt but can't feel hurt which means that he can't detect

danger anymore now

the progression i think the progression of addiction then is i think it begins as as kind

of the as kind of the sin of the naive i'm hurting uh i'm in pain i'm suffering i'm struggling

i just want a little relief i just want to numb the pain a little bit i just want a quick fix

so it begins as kind of the sin of the naive and then develops into the sin of the naive

of one who is who is hardened and trapped why because we know that addiction and sin

leads to slavery anyone who practices sin is enslaved to sin secondly the bible presents

addiction as idolatry as idolatry so addictions begin with either sinful desires or or supersized

legitimate desires

pursued then outside of of god's boundaries outside of god's will outside of god's laws

it becomes an attempt to find relief and and refuge and here's how you do that you either

find that relief and refuge in in god himself or you find it in yourself by yourself and so

addictions are the lusts to satisfy passions with idols

and so addictions are the lusts to satisfy passions with idols

and so it's interesting trying to write a sermon on on this right there's not a lot out there and

you kind of study and you learn a lot of things one thing that i learned is this that scripture's

most essential insight into addictions is that addictions are about god addictions are actually

about god and so think of it like this addictive substances become a momentary

brain

grief, refuge, and strength.

So there is a temporary, oh, that felt good.

There is a temporary, oh, that helped out.

There is a very, very temporary,

like I found a little peace in this.

There is, right?

But here's what we know.

In the end, it only deepens the pain and the trouble

that we're trying to avoid.

I'm gonna put this on the screen.

It's a great quote for us to think through here.

But Ed Welch said this.

Addictions are ultimately a disorder of worship.

We worship our desires over God.

We desire the things of the earth

more than the one who rules it.

This being so, worship is the true deepest need for addicts,

as it is for all people, right?

We all need this.

It is during worship that we are most fully human.

And then notice this.

Here's the key, one of the huge keys

for success over addiction.

As we worship, the Spirit changes us.

Sometimes this change is the more ordinary,

imperceptible, and gradual change

that is similar to the growth of a child, right?

Kind of a slow go.

At other times, worship changes us more dramatically.

Either way, when our hearts are pointed

toward the risen Christ,

we can't help but be changed in some way.

This change too.

It teaches us to remember

when we hear the stories of how God transforms people.

It reminds us that God is making us to be like God

in true righteousness and holiness.

Isn't that a great quote, a thoughtful insight?

And so you need to take a step back

and understand that the stronghold of addiction

leads to slavery.

If you practice sin, you become enslaved by sin.

And the reason,

the reason for this is because all sin is rooted in idolatry.

That's exactly what the Bible teaches.

So addiction as a form of slavery

and addiction as an act of idolatry.

So let me leave you just with just a couple,

a couple of thoughts, a couple of takeaways, okay?

Number one, and you're gonna love this, okay?

And I expect some applause on this, okay?

Number one, Jesus is in the liberation business.

All of God's people said, amen, hallelujah.

Yes, and yes, and yes.

And so I want you to hear me.

Like other therapies can offer sobriety,

but only the gospel of Jesus Christ

is powerful enough to liberate the soul, amen?

And that's what we're after.

So Jesus came to set people free.

He can forgive any sin.

He can break any change.

He can make you a brand.

He can make you a brand new person.

He can change your heart.

He can change your mind.

He can change your desires.

He can change your appetite.

He can change your focus in life,

your priorities in life, your purpose in life, right?

He can set your feet on a rock.

That's what Jesus Christ can do.

Too he is.

And so I'm gonna ask you to do

what 1 Thessalonians 1, 9 says.

I love this.

So Paul talking to the church there in Thessalonica says this,

for they themselves report,

concerning us the kind of reception

that we had among you.

Here it is.

And how you turned to God from idols

to serve, not sin,

but to serve the living and true God.

The first order of business is this,

turn from idols to God.

And notice it doesn't stop there.

It doesn't stop there.

Turn to idols, turn from idols to God.

Why?

To serve the living and true God.

Because here's what we know.

There is no refuge or strength in a pill or in a bottle,

but rather in the person of Jesus Christ.

Now in the recovery world, here's what I've noticed.

Because I've been in it too as a probation officer

all those years ago.

In the recovery world,

there's a lot of talk about spirituality.

I just want you to know,

I want you to hear from me.

You don't need spirituality.

You need a savior, right?

You don't need a higher power.

You need the king of kings is who you need.

Like name the name.

And you don't get to decide who the higher power is.

There is a higher power whose name is Jesus Christ.

Amen.

And so it's him.

There's only hope found in him.

Because here's what I know.

And here's what you know.

A life apart from Jesus is never free.

It's never full.

And it is never fixed.

It's just not.

And so yes, the goal is to be sober.

But the goal is to be saved.

Amen.

It's to be saved.

You can be sober and not know Jesus.

And your life is still in danger.

So we want you to be sober.

We want you to know Jesus Christ as savior.

Moreover, a lot of popular literature on addictions

identifies making amends as a key step

in the process of recovery and healing,

which is awesome, which is great.

But it never identifies repentance before the Lord.

Here's the pattern, okay?

Get right with Jesus first,

then make amends with people later.

Right?

So we skip this whole repentance thing.

We're trying to fix everything with everybody else.

You're not fixed unless you know who Jesus Christ is.

So get right with Jesus first and then others.

And I'm gonna tell you this.

Our region ministry here at Grace

is going to tell you the exact same thing.

So Jesus Christ is in the business of liberating people,

of changing people's lives, changing their desires,

changing their futures,

and changing their lives forever.

Second takeaway is this,

battle, battle against your flesh.

You know, like it's gotta be harder than that.

Well, it is harder than that.

I know it's more difficult.

And I know it's more dynamic than that.

You know, addiction, I get it.

It's more complicated, more messy than this.

But don't skip this.

You have to battle against your flesh.

So stop yielding to your flesh.

All over the place, right?

I'm talking to you.

of the time. Stop letting your desires enslave you to sin. Now, obviously, I'm not talking about

doing it in your own strength or by your own willpower, so don't email me. I get all that.

I get all that, right? But Paul said this, and this is great. Look what he said.

I do not, 1 Corinthians 9, 26, 27. So I do not run aimlessly. I do not box as one beating the air

in this race called the Christian life. But notice what he says in verse 27. But I discipline

my body. Other versions say, I beat, I beat my body and keep it under control. I discipline my

body. I keep it under control, lest, here's why, after preaching to others, I myself should be

disqualified based on what I do. I keep it under control, lest, here's why, after preaching to

others, I myself should be disqualified based on what I do. I discipline my body and keep it under

control, lest, here's why, after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified based on

what I do. And so here's what Paul is saying. He's saying that as I look at this Christian life,

this race, I'm super intentional about following Jesus Christ. I'm not just out there running.

Hey, just running, running, running. No, I don't run aimlessly. I'm not just boxing into the air.

Like I'm in a real battle here. And

And when you understand that, what do you do?

You discipline yourself.

So Paul's like, listen, my body isn't gonna beat me.

My body's not gonna like pull me here and pull me there

and tell me to do this and tell me to do that.

I'm not gonna let my flesh rule my life.

Why?

What does he know?

Because if you practice sin, you become a slave to sin.

And so Paul makes a decision.

I'm going to be in charge of my body,

not the other way around.

Because he knows this, if not,

I could disqualify myself in some way.

And so in the Christian life, right,

there is need for self-discipline and self-control.

And again, I'm not saying do it in your own strength,

in your own power.

You don't have the strength.

You don't have the willpower to do it, the willpower to do it,

nor do I ask the Holy Spirit to empower you in particular

to say, here's a big word, no.

We say yes to ourselves all the time.

Our flesh speaks.

I'm like, yes?

Our flesh says yes.

We're always yes, yes, and more yes to our flesh.

And I'm just saying, give yourself a little more no.

Practice saying no.

No is a liberating thing to say.

And be creative in telling yourself no, right?

Eeny, meeny, miny, no, no.

No more to you.

No.

No, that's exactly what he's saying.

And listen, the Bible says this,

that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit.

We know that.

So part of the way that the Spirit of God is at work in us is what?

We have the power to say no.

But we also need the skill of saying no to sinful desires,

even when it hurts.

So stop saying, this is what Paul is saying,

stop saying yes to your flesh all the time.

Beat your body.

By the power of the Spirit, I'm going to say no.

I'm going to say no to those desires that are going to kind of lead me

to find relief and peace.

Peace and satisfaction outside of the laws of God.

I'll put a quote up here.

It's a good way to think about this.

As a way to practice saying no, consider small fasts.

You could, you could give up food, desserts.

People are like, no.

You could give up food, desserts, computer games,

or other activities important to you.

This is not a way to punish yourself.

For what you've done,

it's simply a way to have more practice at self-control.

Remember that self-control is a skill that develops with practice.

Have you noticed this about yourself?

I noticed this about me.

My guess is that it's in you too.

My flesh tends to tell me at various times,

especially in this arena of food,

I deserve a dessert.

I deserve it.

Not that I want it.

I deserve it.

I've been really good.

I've been really intentional.

I've been focused in watching what I eat.

I now deserve this.

And that's what the flesh does.

Hey, you do this.

The flesh is always kind of entreating us to not say no.

And what Paul is saying is like, no, no, no, no.

I beat my body.

I discipline my body.

I say no to myself.

Why?

Because he understands that when you say no,

you're saying yes to something way bigger and way better

and way more glorious, right?

Which is a relationship and freedom that comes from Jesus Christ.

And so in other words,

I think the ability to break the hold that sin has in our lives when addicted

comes from a,

a saving faith in Jesus Christ,

and then a growing deepening,

maturing walk with Jesus Christ.

We could say that God's recovery program is sanctification.

It's spiritual growth and development.

It's learning how to put off sin and put on Christ.

It's learning how to,

it's learning how to,

it's learning how to say no because you're saying yes to something greater.

It's about wanting Jesus more and more and more.

I read this quote and I'll,

I'll share this with you then close.

The diagnosis of sin is never the last word.

How many of you are glad to hear that?

The diagnosis of sin is never the last word.

Instead,

the last word is always Jesus Christ.

The way out of addictions is more Jesus,

our redeemer and liberator.

The biblical arithmetic is this for every one,

for every one look at your sin,

take 10 looks at Jesus Christ.

Amen.

That's the key because here's what we know.

The Bible says that addiction leads to slavery and that the root of addiction

is idolatry and we want to be free and there's only one way to be free and that

is through the person of God.

Jesus Christ.

You're like,

isn't that really simplistic?

Yeah.

And I,

I get there's a lot of other stuff to consider and I'm not downplaying that.

I'm just saying it begins with him.

You're never free.

You're never full.

You're never fixed apart from Jesus Christ.

Even if you're sober,

you need Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ.

So here's what I want to do today.

Okay.

Um,

my guess is like all of us,

in some way,

shape or form are struggling with this either personally,

someone in our family,

someone on our friend network.

Uh,

so I want to encourage you today.

If you'd stand with me,

I'm gonna encourage you today to slip out of your seat.

We want to come and pray.

We had a bunch of people coming and praying this morning.

We're going to do this in the chapel at Chaska in Pocatello,

certainly here in EP.

And I'm going to invite you just to kind of slip out of your seat as kind of a

sign of surrender.

I'm going to come and I'm going to kneel down at this altar.

I'm going to kneel down at this altar.

I'm going to pray for my,

my own struggles with anger,

anxiety,

or addiction.

Uh,

I have friends and family members.

I want to come and pray for an intercede for,

but you slip out of your seat,

pray for yourself,

your family,

your kids,

your grandkids.

You know,

what's going on in your home.

This is an opportunity for us as the body of Christ to go,

Hey God,

we're going to cast all of our cares on you because we know that you care for

us.

Amen.

So we're going to,

we're going to worship together.

You slip out of your seat,

come and pray.

Some of you need to get into the region ministry,

right?

And get help.

And I want you to know if you came here today,

feeling like helpless and hopeless,

Jesus Christ can give you help and he can give you hope.

And let me tell you how strategic God is.

I'll give you an example.

So after the first service today,

this guy comes up to me and he's like,

Hey,

you're not going to believe this.

He goes,

my name is John.

I live in Seattle and I am here this weekend for a sex addicts conference.

And I Googled,

I Googled churches near me in this conference.

And I,

I saw that your church is close by and I walk in and I see that you're

talking about addiction here today.

I think we think maybe God has a word for you today.

And that just like God,

it's just like the right word,

right time for the right person.

Like I can't manufacture that nor kids you.

And so as a church,

man,

this is an opportunity for you to come,

you to pray.

You don't have to wait and you slip out of your seats and you come and pray.

And we're going to worship together.

And then pastor Jim's going to come.

I'm going to close this here in just a few moments.

Okay.

So this is your time for you to do business between you and the Lord,

where you can intercede for yourself.

Intercede for your family.

Okay.

So you come,

I'll quit talking.

I'm going to close this here in just a few moments.