A U-Turn From AddictionSample

Many of God’s children are spiritual POWs. They are trapped in a sin cycle that they have been unable to break. Whether it is alcoholism, materialism, bitterness, envy, gluttony, personal-pity, pornography, drugs, gaming, profanity, social media, negative self-talk, rage, or resentment—addictions to emotional or chemical patterns confine far too many people today. 

The biblical term for what we know today as addiction is stronghold. An addiction, or more accurately—a spiritual stronghold, is an entrenched pattern of negative thoughts and actions which are burned into our minds. We believe and function as though our situation is unchangeable, even though it is against the will of God. Sin becomes a slave-master that rules our thoughts, decisions, and actions. 

The first step to turning around addiction is to want to be set free. Jesus would ask people whether they wanted to be made whole (John 5:6). If a person is stuck and wants to remain stuck, there’s nothing anyone else can do to get them moving in the right direction. Freedom from addictive behavior has to start from within. If you find yourself trapped by an addiction and influenced by negative patterns of thought, it can feel like a snake has wrapped itself around your mind. 

It’s time to choose a new direction toward freedom. Freedom starts with choosing to get off your existing path and head in a different direction. 

Are you really ready to say goodbye to your addiction and let Jesus set you free?