Facing the Giant of AddictionSample

It’s a process 

‘Unwrap him and let him go!’ John 11:44 NLT 

Whenever you accept Christ, He changes you from the inside out. But certain experiences in your past can slow you down, keep you bound, and determine how you see yourself. While the Holy Spirit does the initial work, transformation is a process. It doesn’t happen overnight; it takes time. When Jesus stood at His friend’s grave and called, ‘Lazarus, come forth’, His friend who’d been dead for four days shuffled out, still bound from head to toe like a mummy. Notice, his old grave clothes, which were a major hindrance to him, didn’t just fall off the minute Jesus called him. No, Jesus told his friends, ‘Unwrap him and let him go!’, and with their help, Lazarus was freed to pursue a new life. The Bible says, ‘anyone...in Christ...is a new creation; the old has passed away... the new has come!’ (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV). When Jesus saves you, you emerge from the tomb wrapped in the grave clothes of your past. What past? a) negative influences and thought patterns, b) low self-esteem, c) old addictions and habits, or d) destructive relationships. That’s why God sends people to love you, unwrap you and release you into your potential. It’s important that you identify these relationships and build your life around them. It’s also why you need to develop an intimate relationship with God through prayer and Bible reading. Through His Word, you get an accurate picture of how He sees you. Through prayer, you get to know His heart and start seeing yourself through His eyes. When that happens, you’ll never see yourself the same way again! 

Prayer Point:

Lord, I know that You’re changing me from within and that the process takes time. Please help me to have patience as You transform me from the inside out. When I’m feeling that things are just too much for me, or they’re taking longer than I think they should, help me to meet them with prayer and worship instead of impatience and despair. Help me to see things from Your perspective, Lord, and trust in Your goodness and strength. Amen.