A U-Turn From AddictionSample

One of the reasons people stay stuck in addictions is because they base their thought patterns on lies. An enormous lie that contributes to addiction is that you can fix the flesh with the flesh. But Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 10; we do not war according to the flesh. The flesh can’t fix the flesh. Yes, you might try to manage it, and that might work for a while. But you can never fix a sin problem with your sinful flesh as the cure. What you must do is go first and foremost to the truth of God’s Word. It is His truth that sets you free. It is His truth that breaks through and brings life. His truth unravels the lies that have you bound in a stranglehold of suffering and keeps you stuck in your sin and its consequences.

Seeking to release yourself from the stronghold of sin through your own efforts can be compared to your grandmother seeking to clean clothes with a washboard. It would take days to do it, and still, the clothes would be less clean for all the effort. They would wear thin while your grandmother would be worn out, achy, and frustrated. God has provided the solution to our sin through the washing of the salvation provided through His Son. Jesus’ sacrifice gives us access to the power of the Spirit within. The Spirit enables us to discern and receive truth (John 16:7-11). The Spirit helps us to do what Jesus told us to do in John 8, which is to “continue in My word.” The term “continue” means to hang out, abide—stay. You must abide in the truth, not just visit it. 

How successful have your fleshly efforts been for overcoming your addiction? What is a better approach?