Breaking Free From Addiction

Addictions come in many forms, such as, alcohol, drugs, food, sex, gambling, and pornography. Addiction happens when we have a compulsive, repetitive desire for a certain thing and we act on the impulse.

Nothing else will do until the craving we are after is fulfilled. Have you ever noticed how people go to great lengths to obtain their addiction? Why, you might ask? Every time we fulfill that desire for our addiction it changes pathways in our brain for pleasure. In other words, the pleasure chemical dopamine is released every time we go after our addiction. In essence we become addicted to the release of feel-good dopamine, but the problem is we need more of whatever we are addicted to each time to have the same initial “high” we got the first time. That is the craziness of addiction, you will never get the same feeling you got the first time you watched pornography, had a high from a joint, or became intoxicated when you won money gambling.

I come from a family of addicts, mainly drugs and alcohol. I as well have endured these same addictions, but have found the way out of the trap. I use the word trap to describe what addiction is like. You never mean for it to last as long as it does, and when you try and get free from it, you are pulled back. Some addictions are a result of genetic predisposition that is why you see alcoholism run in families. No matter how the addiction formed, the enemy is always pushing you to stay in it. Why? Because addiction destroys families, careers, and ultimately the enemy wants the addiction to kill you. The enemy will initially show you fun times and pleasure with your addiction, but it fades as you realize you can’t get out. Addiction will turn you into a liar, cheat, and thief. This all makes the enemy very happy, while it grieves the Lord. We cannot be all that God wants us to be chasing after our “idols” of addiction (an idol is anything you place higher than Christ).

The cycle of addicting can be broken, but only through the help of Jesus Christ. Self-help groups or your own strength is not sufficient enough to beating addiction.

Tips on breaking free from addiction:

1.      Ask Jesus for His help. This cannot be underestimated. Nothing can break the chain of addiction long-term like Jesus can. He can set the captives free from addiction.

2.      Get rid immediately of ALL that represents your addiction, such as if you are addicted to alcohol get rid of all alcohol in your home, wine glasses and if you are addicted to food, get rid of the food that cause you to emotionally eat.

3.      Change your friendships, or at least the ones who encourage your appetite for addiction. For example, I was in a Christian ministry group where many of the members drank alcohol and spoke of drinking often. Even though, I enjoyed them and they are Christians, I had to part ways with them to stay sober. I don’t judge what THEY do, but as for me, it “wets” my appetite to want to drink when I hear about their drinking. I begin to “lust” after what they were doing.

4.      Change where you go and what you do. If you are addicted to gambling, don’t go to the casino just to eat or play one round of blackjack. Since I had a strong addiction to alcohol, I no longer eat in restaurants that serve alcohol.

5.      Prayer is a powerful weapon against the strategies of the enemy that could cause us to stumble. Take the time to listen to God as well, He will let you know insights such as, don’t go there, or it is not good to hang around that person for it might cause you to be hindered.

6.      Read the Word daily and meditate on the Word. Let the Word renew your mind that has been darkened by addiction.

7.      Find a healthy activity to replace your addiction. Exercise is a great way to reduce stress, but it also increase the pleasure chemical dopamine in our brains.

8.      Tell someone about your struggles. Find someone you trust and become accountable to them.

9.      If you need additional help such as a detox program for drugs/alcohol or a Christ-centered recovery program like Celebrate Recovery, get the help necessary.

10.  Journal and begin asking the Lord to uncover the “roots” of why your addicted. Most people become addicted to something as they are trying to fill a void in their lives and numb themselves from pain. Get to the root!

11.  Be mindful of stressful times that can heighten your desire for the addiction. Stress is a precursor or warning flag that you need to heed to, lest you fall into your addiction again.

You can break free from whatever addiction masters you, but only with the aid of Jesus Christ. Don’t try and go it alone. It usually takes 21-30 days to form a habit or break a habit, the first 30 days will be the hardest, and thereafter you will still need to be guarded by knowing your triggers. The first year of recovery will be a time of readjusting and rebuilding. The first year of sobriety may seem strange and unfamiliar to you, and your brain will need time to adjust chemically back to normal. Never think or believe, “I got this and I can do whatever I want.” For instance, if I begin to believe that because I have not had alcohol in a long time and now I can go to a nightclub or bar, I could set myself up to fail. The enemy knows your weakest points, and trust me he will exploit them at any chance he gets. If you are tired, stressed, sick, or even feel you “got this,” beware! The enemy looks for opportune times to get us to sin.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with temptation He will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

What has been helpful to you in breaking free from addiction? Please share to help others

Jesus Christ is the True Deliver: 8 Steps to Freedom in Christ

Maybe you have been under some sin habit for years, and you feel trapped and hopeless. Perhaps you have tried everything to free yourself of this terrible sin, but you have failed each time. If you are like most, including myself, after a while you give up hope. God can deliver you from whatever your addiction or bondage is! Jesus Christ is the true deliver. God can do in our lives what we are incapable of doing. Don’t believe the lies that you will always be this way, or need to run back to your comfort.

So what is it that you run to first to bring you comfort, relieve stress, or escape from life? Is it food, alcohol, drugs, pornography? For me, it was alcohol. I turned to alcohol as a way to escape life. As far back as I can remember, I have been running to alcohol. Yes, I am a believer in Jesus Christ, and have been for many years. I have even ran several successful ministries, all while running to that nasty addiction. But, deception creped in, and I believed I really could handle my alcohol and I could stop anytime I wanted. However, as much as I believed that, I would always run back to the alcohol under stress, painful times, and to numb myself. It replaced God in my life, and I did not even know it! I was deceived.

But I have good news! I’m not speaking from something I don’t know of. I have tried AA, Celebrate Recovery, and quitting on my own strength and will-power, with failure each and every time! I was defeated and felt this sin in my life will always be there.

What is it that you have struggled with for years, and maybe sought sometime of treatment for with no lasting recovery?

I can attest to the power of Jesus Christ, and His mercy and grace. You see, I was just about to give up that I could never be set free of my addiction. Don’t you know God has a way of getting our attention though? A series of things happened in my life, some might say would be “bad luck,” but I say, “No, that was God getting my attention.” I felt He tell me one day that if I don’t turn to Him for help now, the next occurrence would be more difficult to endure like a DUI. I did not want to believe that God would do this to me, so I went on with my life and continued the things that I was doing. God got my attention again. He was gentle but firm. He said, “Stephanie, this is your last warning to come to me, I love you, and this is for your good.” Shortly afterwards, I repented to Jesus and confessed all my sins. I asked Him to help me for the first time with this particular sin, and He did! Recovery is different for everyone, and God has an individual plan for everyone. He gave me a plan that was just for me. He lead me to “Setting the Captives Free Ministry” online. I believe God desires you to be free to!

Steps to Freedom in Christ:

1.      Invite God into your sin. Share with Him your struggles. Admitting your sin is the first step, and is the first step of any recovery group.

2.      Confess your sins to God. Don’t leave anything uncovered. Repentance includes asking God to forgive you, but also turning away from your sins.

3.      Confess your sins to someone you trust. Preferably a Godly, mature person.

4.      Get rid of all that represents your addiction. Go through your home and rid it of all that serves as your addiction.

5.      Ask God to give you an individual plan for your recovery. It may look different than someone else in recovery, so don’t compare.

6.      Stay away from all sources of temptation for at least 90 days, and after 90 days, be mindful of the places and people you are around. Rule of wisdom: If you are not able to handle certain people and environments, never jeopardize your sobriety or recovery!

7.      Find other healthy sources of comfort and relieving stress, such as, gardening, painting, and writing.

8.      Take the next 90 days, as they say in recovery “is the most important time period in your recovery,” to rebuild your relationship with God, than others, and then look to service of others. It must go in this order. God first, then rebuilding relationships with others, and then service to others. Service to others comes only after your “dry well” has been filled again. If you have been using a substance to cope with life other than God, your “well” is dry.

And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony…Revelation 12:11

For more information on Setting the Captives Free Ministry: www.settingthecaptivesfree.com

Feel free to leave me a comment and share your story. I would love to hear your story, or perhaps your testimony.

Find me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HopeandEncouragement4Women

God Can Deliver Your Addiction!

Battling any addiction can be difficult, whether it is an alcohol addiction, drug addiction, gambling addiction, or food addiction. You may feel trapped, and that there is no hope. You may have even tried to get free from your addiction numerous times, and failed each time to stay clean. It is possible with each failed attempt, you are now feeling hopeless.

God wants you to know, not to give up! He can and does desire to completely remove your addiction. God can remove all desires, cravings, and psychological aspects of your addiction. You must get honest though. Have you truly asked God to take away completely your habits? Like most people who suffer with addiction, they do not want God to “completely” take away their crutch. You may have fear of the unknown, such as, what will happen if you fully let-go of your comfort. Is it possible you have replaced God for another comforter? Is it possible you run to the thing that brings temporary pleasure, rather than running to God? Getting real, and getting honest are your first steps to having God deliver you. What are you hiding from? What purpose does your addiction serve? Where is God, is He first?

You must get serious about how your addiction is hurting yourself and others. Have you begun to hide your addiction from others? How do you cope with pain, stress, and trials? Are you coping with life in unhealthy ways? You have to admit you have a problem first. If you do not believe you have a problem, then it will be hard to get free from it. Denial says, “Oh, I can stop anytime I want, or it’s not that bad.” Take an inventory of how your addiction is hurting you. Write it out, and ask God to reveal to you ways you have been in denial.

It is equally important that you rid your home and other places you are often of all your addictions, such as alcohol, wine glasses, etc. Anything that represents your addiction, you have to get rid of, and keep your home free of these things. Be careful of the places you go, such as bars, casinos, and the like places. Avoid people who will encourage your addiction. You will become like who you hang around with.

Share with a trusted, Godly, mature friend. Have them hold you accountable and pray with you. Find someone you can trust to share with. Fill your time with new activities that will promote health and healing, such as a new hobby, exercising, or something you will enjoy. Most of all, spend intimate, quiet time alone with God. It is important that you have regular time with God alone to hear His voice and for God to give you the healing you need. God will have to go deep with you to heal you. There is a reason you run to your addiction for solace and comfort. Those “roots” must be uncovered, dealt with, and healed. God is a great counselor, friend, and comforter.

Begin to surrender your entire life to God, all that you try to control, all you fears, and get honest before God about your lack of trust towards Him and others. And when you have gotten completely honest with God, then you will be ready for His deliverance. When you’re ready, pray something like this:

Heavenly Father,

I come seeking you today, and ask that you would forgive me of not trusting you, and taking matters into my own hands. I admit, I have used_____________, to bring me comfort and to numb my pain. But God I am ready to be free today. I believe you can deliver me from all that hinders me. I ask you to remove all desires, cravings, and psychological aspects of my addiction. I believe you came to set the captives free, and I am a captive to this addiction. Father, take it permanently from me. In the name of Jesus Christ, I bind the spirit of addiction off of my life, and that it goes back to the pit of hell where it came from. Help me God to learn to trust you first, then others. I believe you can remove this addiction from my life, as I do my part to keep it out of my life, in your name Jesus I pray.

Christian Recovery Resources:

Celebrate Recovery: www.celebraterecovery.com/

Spirit-led Recovery Addiction: www.facebook.com/SpiritLedRecoveryFromAddiction

Addiction Warfare Prayers: www.isawthelightministries.com/warfare.html