How to Defeat Harmful Habits (Counseling Through the Bible Series) (59 page)
THE LIFE-CHANGING WORLD OF SALVATION:N
o one is “born” a bulimic, no one starts life a sex addict, no one comes into this world an alcoholic or a compulsive gambler, eater, or spender. Yet somehow along life’s tumultuous journey, we can become hooked on harmful, addictive habits—horribly hooked.
So how does this “somehow” happen? Consider what our greatest need is as humans. Some say food, clothing, or shelter—focusing primarily on our outer needs. Others say love, significance, or security—prioritizing our inner needs. And while all these are vitally important to our lives, addressing these needs will not fulfill the deepest part of our inner being. Many have longed for an inner healing that has eluded them for years—a true healing for painful brokenness.
From God’s perspective, then, what is our greatest need? The Bible tells us that every person who has ever lived has thought thoughts, said words, and done deeds that fall short of God’s perfect standard (what the Bible calls sin). And the punishment for sin is spiritual death (meaning an eternity separated from God).
Typically, people won’t want to be separated for all eternity from God. That being the case, our greatest need
is to have our sins forgiven
. That is, to not have our sins counted against us. Only then can we receive true spiritual healing.
In truth, because of God’s great love for us, God doesn’t want us separated from Him. He has provided a way for our sins to be forgiven so that we can become all He created us to be
today
and live with Him
forever
.
This is the
why
of Jesus. Although we can’t change the fact that we’ve sinned, Jesus doesn’t want us separated from Him either.
Realize that the all-powerful Trinity is comprised of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. And Jesus, who is God the Son, chose to leave heaven and come to earth for the purpose of dying on the cross for our sins. Understand that He wasn’t a victim of the cruelty of His crucifiers. Jesus said about His own life, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:18).
Spiritual healing begins with a personal belief in what happened at Calvary almost 2000 years ago—Jesus Christ died in our place for our sins. By entrusting our lives to Christ—giving Him control of our lives—we gain forgiveness for our sins and therefore the free gift of eternal life! The Bible makes it clear that spiritual healing, or salvation, comes only through Jesus Christ. And while religious activities (like attending church, reading the Bible, giving offerings) can be forms of worship, they have no power to bring spiritual healing.
Complete
emotional healing
from destructive addictions can take several years, but that’s not the case with
spiritual healing
. At the moment of belief (when someone places their entire dependence solely upon Jesus as Lord and Savior), spiritual healing occurs—
instantaneously
. Every sin—past, present, and future—is cleansed.
So while you’re seeking God’s help for overcoming your harmful habits, you can allow the Four Points of God’s Plan (given below) to lead you into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He will meet your greatest need, the one that counts for all eternity!
Listen to this plea found in the Bible:
“Heal me, O
LORD,
and I will be healed;
save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise”
(J
EREMIAH
17:14).
1.
God’s Purpose for You…Is
Salvation
• What was God’s motivation in sending Jesus Christ to earth?
– To express His love for you by saving you! The Bible says…
“God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him”
(J
OHN
3:16-17).
• What was Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth?
– To forgive your sins, to empower you to have victory over sin, and to enable you to live a fulfilled life. Jesus said,
“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly”
(J
OHN
10:10
NKJV
).
Your Problem…Is
Sin
• What exactly is sin?
– Sin is living independently of God’s standard—knowing what is right, but choosing what is wrong. The Bible says,
“Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins”
(J
AMES
4:17).
• What is the major consequence of sin?
– Spiritual death, or eternal separation from God. Scripture states,
“Your iniquities [sins] have separated you from your God…The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”
(I
SAIAH
59:2; R
OMANS
6:23).
God’s Provision for You…Is the
Savior
• Can anything remove the penalty for sin?
– Yes! Jesus died on the cross to personally pay the penalty for your sins. The Bible says,
“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”
(R
OMANS
5:8).
• What is the solution to being separated from God?
– Believe in (entrust your life to) Jesus Christ as the only way to God the Father. Jesus says,
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me…Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved”
(J
OHN
14:6; A
CTS
16:31).
Your Part…Is
Surrender
• Give Christ control of your life by entrusting yourself to Him.
“Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross [die to your own self-rule] and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose
it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?’”
(M
ATTHEW
16:24-26).
– Place your faith in (rely on) Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and reject your good works as a means of earning God’s approval.
“It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast”
(E
PHESIANS
2:8-9).
The moment you choose to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior—and entrust your life to Him—He comes to live inside you. Then He gives you His power so you can live the fulfilled life God has planned for you. If you want to be fully forgiven by God and become the person God created you to be, you can tell Him in a simple, heartfelt prayer like this:
What Can You Now Expect?“God, I want a real relationship with You. I admit that many times I’ve chosen to go my own way instead of Your way. Please forgive me for my sins. Jesus, thank You for dying on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. Come into my life to be my Lord and my Savior. Change me from the inside out and make me the person You created me to be. In Your holy name I pray. Amen.”
With this spiritual healing and the Lord in your life, you can know that never again will you struggle alone with a harmfully addictive habit. Realize that God’s supernatural power can break the most powerful stronghold. He longs to be your Helper, your Hope, and your Hand of Protection.
When you feel weak, lean on His unsurpassed strength. Allow Him to help you break free from your bondage and start walking in freedom. And take comfort in these compassionate words from Jesus:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”
(2 C
ORINTHIANS
12:9).
THE MOUNTAIN CLIMBERH
ave you ever faced a mountain and thought,
It’s just too high
? Have you ever gazed at steep, rocky crags and said to yourself,
It’s just too hard
? Anyone who knows anything about mountain climbing would be quick to affirm that the hike to the top is anything
but
easy.
In many ways, conquering a mountain is the same as conquering an addiction: Both take planning, preparation…and
perseverance
.
In my early experience of hiking the Colorado Rockies, I learned several techniques for increasing stamina and
perseverance
.
• You make it to the top not by sprinting, but by
pacing your steps evenly
, by setting a hiking stride. This may sound simplistic, but it works. You put one foot in front of the other at a steady, even pace. You try not to break the rhythm, but maintain it. This will
enable you to persevere
.
• You make it to the top not by focusing on the top, but by
focusing on short-range goals
. As I hiked, my focus was to make it to the next fir tree…to the next small bush…to the next huge rock. All along the way I spotted small, achievable goals. As a result, one step after another, one goal after another, I was
able to persevere
.
• You make it to the top not by refusing to stop, but by
planning needed stops
. I needed to bandage a blister, tend to a cut finger, and rest my aching muscles. I also needed to stop to take in the right kind of refreshment—water and food for nourishment. When hiking, oranges were my favorite food item because they serve as a fast source of energy. When you are on the climb, you need to stop…pause…then
continue to persevere
.
• You make it to the top not by refusing to fall down, but by
knowing that slipping and falling does not mean defeat
. Each time I slipped or a rock gave way and I fell, I struggled back onto my feet. And each time you slip and fall, you need to make the
choice
to struggle to your feet. Those first critical steps are necessary for survival. Each forward step thereafter becomes a tiny victory that echoes the resolve that truly “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13
NKJV
). That is why, whenever you fall,
you must get up and persevere
.
Attaining victory over any addiction is like climbing a mountain. And that mountain is not insurmountable—victory is yours for the taking! That’s why the climb is worth the effort. The Bible says, “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised” (Hebrews 10:36).
The climb becomes harder after you’ve ascended above the foothills, for you’ve still got a long ways to go to reach the peak. From that point onward, it’s not realistic to expect you can continue your ascent upward in a straight path. Rather, you have to zigzag, move laterally, and even backtrack to eventually make it to the top. That’s where strategy, training, and equipment come in, along with the necessary commitment and courage—the very same “gear” needed to conquer the craggy world of addictions.
Without these tools, many an ill-equipped climber has bottomed out—discouraged, disoriented, defeated—and not just once, but over and over again. Fortunately, that climber need not be
you
. Not any longer. You, my friend, now possess the specialized tools to traverse this tough terrain, and the spiritual toughness to triumph.
Let’s survey your newly acquired “climbing gear”:
•
An atlas of knowledge
filled with Definitions, Characteristics, Causes, and Solutions that will help you find freedom from harmful habits and addictions
•
A spiritual compass
, direction from the Word of God, which can point you in the right way and provide you with time-tested understanding and wisdom
•
Travel advisories
from others who have gone before and can provide you with firsthand testimonies, including warnings about rockslides, switchbacks, and trail conditions
•
Location maps
for finding established routes and back trails, refuge from bad weather, and refreshment (mountain streams) along the way
With these four travel tools, you have in hand the ironclad assurance that the trek up and out of the world of addictions is not only possible, but worth every painful, hard-fought step. For when you make it to the top, you will experience an unparalleled victory and an irrepressible spiritual high.
And don’t be surprised if, in His timing, God equips
you
to become a guide to help a friend make it up the mountain—to the summit of freedom. With the four travel tools you now possess, you’ll be a guide with the right gear!
Now, if you find yourself still stuck at the base camp, there’ll never be a better time than
this very moment
for you to step up and out in faith. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Eventually you
will
make it to the top.
Whether you travel now as the guide or the guided, one thing is certain: You need not travel alone. God is with you, for you, and ready to guide you. He has prepared a path just for you. Let this be your prayer:
“Show me your ways, O L
ORD,
teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long”
(P
SALM
25:4-5).
Imagine for a moment stepping upon the peak of the mountain and silently surveying the breathtaking panorama all around you. Imagine gazing down in awe at the low place where you once lived and seeing incredible opportunities all around.
As you raise your arms in exhausted yet exalted victory, you realize they are in a posture of praise. You find yourself praising the merciful God who gave you His grace and the strength to survive. And not just survive, but overcome. So now, at last, you stand free! Totally free…victoriously free…forever free!