Can true Christians have addictions?
Hi.
Welcome to today's Little Lesson.
We're going to talk a little bit about the subject of addictions, which a lot of people
struggle with, including those who are endeavoring to follow Christ.
Probably the first one that comes to mind is addiction to tobacco.
I have heard that the tobacco addiction can be tougher to beat than some addictions to
things that are considered to be hard drugs.
I don't know.
I've never been addicted to cigarettes or to drugs.
I certainly have known my share of folks who have struggled with addictions to cigarettes.
Of course, obviously it's a physiological thing.
We're playing with chemicals in our bodies and in our brains when we're addicted.
It's not just a matter of, an easy thing or if I just could muster up enough willpower,
although some people, have apparently been able to do that, but not so many, so there
are different ways that people have to be able to give up smoking.
Then there can be other addictions.
Of course, people can be addicted to caffeine.
Just I got to have my cup of coffee.
I got to have my cup of tea, and there can be addictions to alcohol, which are, oh, that's
you know, who wants that?
Because that can lead to terrible, terrible things.
So first of all, is it possible?
If you're addicted to cigarettes or caffeine, does that prove you're not really a Christian?
I certainly don't think so, and I don't think there's any biblical evidence of that.
Of course, cigarettes weren't around back in Jesus's day.
Alcohol certainly was and the bible does warn that no drunkard will inherit the kingdom
of God.
So, if you're in that category, finding yourself overcome by at times, drunkenness, you are
in a very precarious position.
Now here's the good news.
Here's the good news.
We all believe as Christians that we have the Holy Spirit in us.
God is able to do exceeding, abundantly beyond all that you could ask or think, according
to the power that works within us.
So, obviously there's enough power within us to break any physical addiction that we
might have been suffering or struggling against.
I would say there's a starting point of faith.
I think that comes into play in our struggles against any form of sin or doing things that
we don't really want to do.
To believe that Christ is the liberator, if he can set people free from demons, powerful
demons, people who are running through the tombs naked, cutting themselves, you know
with stones, as we read Jesus doing for a guy in the scriptures.
We're talking about the God of the universe who put the planets and the stars in their
place.
That's the power that's in us, and so, I would go to work on first of all, having, building
my faith that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, okay?
Now, I have had myself I think a mild addiction in past times to caffeine.
Anytime I would fast, which is something I've talked about here, not too long ago on our
Little Lessons, one of the first symptoms I'd have would be withdrawal from caffeine
giving me a headache, but I would recommend that you might also consider fasting.
That's not giving up water, but giving up food, denying yourself food, as a discipline
and also in conjunction with looking for deliverance from anything else that has got you, any kind
of physical addiction, right?
Because the desire for food can be pretty strong, as I told you when we discussed fasting.
The more frequently you fast, the easier that it gets to fast, but the first time you fast,
it can be really, really tough and miserable.
You think you're going to die, okay.
To get past that, those addictions, putting your body in the subjection to your will and
fasting, denying it food, not denying it water, I believe could also be a helpful method in
seeking to be delivered from these other physical addictions.
I have seen people delivered from a lot of addictions over the years.
I've seen, I'm thinking of one guy right now, who was delivered instantly, almost instantly
from a cocaine addiction that had him for years.
Oh my goodness, if God can deliver you from a craving for cocaine, he's obviously able
to deliver you from anything.
I'm very thankful for secular and Christian rehabs, where people go to find deliverance
from this stuff because they work on other things besides the physical side, but also
of the mental and emotional side.
I'm no expert on that, but the one that has, to my knowledge the absolute best results
is one called Teen Challenge, started by David Wilkerson years ago.
It's a heavy, heavy discipleship program, Jesus is right smack in the middle of it.
People aren't sitting around watching TV all day at Teen Challenge.
They're involved in bible study and they're involved in prayer and they're involved in
work and service, keeping their minds occupied and their hands busy and so forth.
They have a great rate of success.
My understanding is, more so than the non-Christian rehabs.
And you have to commit yourself there.
It says, they call them Teen Challenges, but it's not just for teens.
It started off that way, but older people go with addictions who just can't find deliverance.
They won't take you if it's smoking.
They won't take you if it's caffeine, but if it's drugs, that would be a good place
to look to see if you could find help.
But to answer my, the original question, and this is a Little Lesson, okay.
We need to have mercy and compassion upon those who are struggling with these things,
and be careful in condemning people who are struggling with these things.
Let's encourage them.
Let's pray for them.
Let's trust God together with them to find the deliverance they're looking for, and let's
not even suggest that, oh you must not be a Christian because you smoke cigarettes.
Okay?
That's just, I don't think that's right.
I think that's passing judgment.
I don't think you have any bible warrant for that, okay.
When you look at the hearts of some of these good folks who struggle with these things,
you know that they really would love to be free, and we just want to encourage them,
so that's what I'm doing today, all right?
Thank you so much for joining me on this Little Lesson.
God bless you.