UNDERSTANDING ADDICTION
INTRODUCTION
People with addiction do not have control over what they are
doing, taking or using which includes substance abuse as well as behavioral
such as abuse of gambling. The pleasurable feelings they get from such act
makes them to go back to engage in doing such again and again. There are great
withdrawal symptoms when what one is addicted to is taken away improperly. Most
of these addictions are demonically induced and so must be treated as a case of
release from demonic encroachments or deliverance. Only the truth of the Word
and the Son of God are empowered to set you free without a withdrawal syndrome!
Addiction tends to usurp our identity, possess power over our
will, lie to us and promise us things it cannot deliver on, and wants to harm
us and those we love. One could be addicted to food, sexual addictions [for
example masturbation and nymphomaniac], drugs, alcohol, cigarette smoking [nicotine],
spending, masturbation, porn, caffeine products like Coffee or Coca Cola soft
drinks etc.
Addiction is a coping method that helps us avoid pain or
anything that is too vulnerable, too shameful, too scary, or simply too much
for us to handle. Addiction offers a
withdrawal, a distraction, a way to avoid hard issues. It’s highly personal too, meaning your
addiction is as unique as your pain. The
greater your pain, the greater your shame about yourself. And the greater your shame, the greater your
addiction. As the addiction grows the
more the feeling of powerlessness grows until a switch takes place and you feel
as if you no longer have the addiction, but the addiction has you. Even if you know it will do you great harm,
and even if you know it will cause great harm to those you love, and even if
you know it will destroy whatever is good in your life, you still choose it
like being involved uncontrollably with multiple sexual partners called
nymphomaniac.
An addiction is formed when we try to use something other
than God, to meet our need to be loved. When our ability to receive God's love
into our hearts is hindered, we will feel like something is missing, and seek
to fill that void with something else. When that thing, whatever it might be,
fills that void, we grow to love it because it's meeting a need. Over time, we
establish a relationship with that thing, and when it comes time to depart,
it's like breaking up a relationship. That's why addictions are so addicting;
we've relied on that thing to meet a need and we've established a relationship
with it. Now when it's time to break up the love, it isn't so easy to say
goodbye.
Under this one may be infatuated with what is contrary to
God’s ordination like one who has a beautiful wife but visits regularly an ugly
or old woman sex mate outside his matrimonial jurisdiction. Some have nasty
habits that are hygienically unclean like chewing tobacco. One could be drug
dependence [including prescription drugs] and some do without taking controlled
substances or narcotic drugs like Indian hemp, cocaine or as simple as
cigarette nicotine dependence. Such may be obsessed, fixated or fanatical about
what others enjoy at a moderate level like alcohol or wine. Craving have to do
with illicit, wrong or lustful desires like ungodly sexual acts outside the God
ordained marriage. Stolen waters may be sweet but the end thereof is that such
will be ensnared, caged or handcuffed up by demonic agents that are assigned to
such immorality.
REASONS FOR ADDICTION
Sin breaks the edge of protection and allow the strong man to
be in charge. Sinners cooperates with the devil.
“Or do you not know
that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:
Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex
with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers
will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you
were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” 2 Cor. 6:9-11
Unconfessed sin:
Any sin that we have not confessed to God and repented from could serve
as a foothold for the enemy to continue to oppress us [1 John 1:9]. Some strategic footholds include occult sin,
unforgiveness, pride, lust, idolatry, family sin, and murder.
“For sin shall no longer
be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace” Romans 6:14
Oppression from evil
spirits: Sex sin, alcoholism and occultism are common
doors evil spirits (demons) can use to gain influence over us. Demons can block every step of our recovery
efforts - even our confession and repentance from sin if we continue to fall
away. It is possible for people to
exercise their authority in Christ and dispel the evil spirits that are
troubling them, but it may require help from other believers who will pray deliverance
and stand in faith with the person. We
know from the Bible and personal experience, however, that evil spirits resist
being cast out. Even the disciples had
difficulty in casting some types of evil spirits out (Mark 9:18, 28-29).
Failure to develop a
relationship with God: This is usually reflected in the lack of a
daily meeting time with God. The
"quiet time" helps us to reload our mind with God's words from the
Bible, to talk with God through prayer and to worship him. As we walk out of addiction, we should shift
our attention, resources and energies to pursuing God and doing his work. If we don't do this, the vacuum left by our
addiction will certainly refill with trivial pursuits or a worse
addiction. The typical excuse used is
being too busy. If we can't make time
with God a priority, our efforts toward freedom will be powerless. When we submit to God and resist
every strategy of Satan, he will flee from you [James 4:7]. Keeping company with bad eggs will
ensnare you … “Do not be
misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” [1 Cor. 15:33]
Lack of faith:
Faith is a common ingredient in many of the healings that occurred in
the scriptures. If we don't believe that
we can be a new person in Christ with God's help, we won't. Unfortunately, some theologies can weaken
our faith by suggesting that God doesn't heal and or that God wants to punish
us by sending evil on us.
Jesus put it quite
clearly, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who
believes" Mark 9:24 NKJV
Failure to die to sin
and or crucify the flesh: These must be done daily in our
walk with God and typically involve exercising control over our eyes and
thoughts. Unfortunately, many people
never learn how to practice and develop these skills, which are essential for
survival in our pornographic culture. If
we have been freed, yet fall back into our old habits, our condition will be
worse than if we'd never been free [2 Peter 2:20-22]. Flee away from every
appearance and enticement to do evil.
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but
rather reprove them.” Ephesians 5:11
Emotional and spiritual
wounds from past abuse or trauma: The devil hates
people regardless of age, but he especially loves to prey on children because
the early years are strategic times for emotional and spiritual
development. Sex abuse, physical abuse,
divorce, accidents and traumatic entertainment (bad movies) can all be sources
of wounds that we need healing from. If
these wounds have never been dealt with in prayer, they are potentially serving
as footholds for demonic oppression like sex addiction or alcohol abuse. When we invite God to cleanse and heal those
past wounds, the footholds for oppression are removed. Healing prayer and Christian counseling are
effective ways to work through these wounds
Curses: Curses can act like demonic
oppression in that they can block our healing and development of a relationship
with God. All curses can be broken in the
name of Jesus Christ, but often they must be identified by name and
specifically broken by the blood of Christ [Galatians 3:10-14]. Family sin is a common source of curses, but
there are many additional possible sources, including:
Possession of occult
objects and books
Participation in non-Christian religious ceremonies, rituals
or celebrations
Visitation of pagan shrines, witch doctors, temples and altars
Involvement in witchcraft, sorcery, divination and other
occult activities
People sending curses intending to harm or control (e.g.
Voodoo, witchcraft)
Words spoken over us (example: a father says "you will never amount to
any good" to his child)
Sin:
Certain sins mentioned in the Bible are linked to curses: occult, sexual
immorality, family disobedience, church disobedience, giving (lack of) and
others.
Failure to fight the
battle with spiritual weapons: The process of
dismantling sexual and other addiction strongholds [2 Cor. 10:3-5] is nothing
short of spiritual warfare. People who
rely on the Lord for the strength, authority and discernment to fight the
battles will be successful. People who
try to fight in their own strength and rely solely on help aids like accountability
groups and counselling will probably not succeed. Self-denial and help aids are good, but they
are not to be our power source for freedom but the Spirit of God.
Failure to internalize
God's word: I
believe this may be the biggest reason people fail to get free. In the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15),
Jesus explained the importance of properly hearing and applying God's
word. He identified three ways the word
can be hindered from taking root in our hearts:
The devil takes away the word from the heart, so that the
person will not believe
The person lacks
"firm roots" - initially they hear and receive the word with joy, but fall away in
times of temptation
The person goes their way after hearing the word and it is
choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures.
As a result, the word bears no fruit to maturity in them.
SPIRITUAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALING
Our culture treats addiction like a medical problem, like a
disease for example the Alcoholic Anonymous Group. Certainly there are chemical and biological
issues at play, but emotional and spiritual healing cannot take place simply
through “will power”. It must be
addressed in relationship because under every addiction there is a yearning for
relationship and when the trauma of a broken or abusive relationship leaves you
fragmented, the craving for and repulsion for relationship is intensified and
that’s where the addiction grows. For example a man that is jilted by fiancée
goes into alcohol drinking orgy that cannot mend his broken heart.
The problem that is see with such group is that they do not
take time to fill the void in the person so delivered from addiction with the
WORD and the SPIRIT of God so it is easy for that demon and a host of others to
come back in.
“For there is hope of a
tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch
thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the
stock thereof die in the ground; Yet through the scent of water it will bud,
and bring forth boughs like a plant” Job 14:7-9
Such groups operate like cutting off the branches of a tree
but leaving the stump and the root intact; soon the plant will bud again when
mineral salts and water is absorbed through the roots [lusts and evil desires] and
leaves will begin to grow again. What we need to do is to completely cut off
the root as we initiate salvation and deliverance in that person.
THE ANSWER
Since addiction relates to how we respond to God and His Word
and will for our lives, addiction is, at its core, a spiritual condition that
cannot be cured by an external source, i.e. medicine, counseling, etc. The root
of addiction is sin; therefore, getting into a right relationship with God is
the first step of cure for addiction!
The answer is not rehabilitation, reformation, nor education;
but regeneration through faith in Jesus Christ. There must be transformation by
the renewal of our minds and our body must be laid on the altar as a living
sacrifice, holy and acceptable in God’s sight after our spirit has been reborn
[Romans 12:1-2].
Just having a sin forgiven and the bondage of that sin broken
does not mean that the collateral damage that has occurred as a result of that
sin has all been erased.
Medical attention is often required for the body when the
addiction involves ingesting addictive substances. Though the medicine is not the cure, it is often required to
aid the body in coming off the substances being abused, and in recovering from
the abuses of those substances.
“To open their eyes,
and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God,
that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are
sanctified by faith that is in Me” Acts 26:18
It is evident from these Scriptures that there are more
demons than victims, for the Bible says this demon had a difficult time finding
a body to possess. Thus, we see the vulnerability of those who open themselves
up to demonic possession or oppression.
“When the unclean
spirit is gone out of a man, he walk through dry places, seeking rest, and find
none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and
when he is come, he find it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goes he, and take
with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in
and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even
so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.” Matt. 12:43-45
There are demons waiting in line to move into the body of
those who are unsaved and vulnerable even if they have been delivered before
now. In fact, the Old Testament Hebrew word for “sorcerer” is the same root
word from which we get the modern term “pharmacy.” Demons, drugs and alcohol
are synonymous.
First, an unsaved person who is ignorant of the Scriptures
and worldly is vulnerable to Satan. Second, the demon brings additional spirits
with him that are wicked more than himself if the person has not been redeemed
by the blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact it is quite easy for
these demons to get back into former ensnared person if they are spiritually
empty and not born again.
DEMONS ARE EVIL SPIRITS
Demons look for human weakness and vulnerability. Alcohol,
illicit sexual acts and drugs are popular mediums through which demons (evil
spirits) are able to infiltrate a person's soul and corrupt their behavior.
Some of the most atrocious crimes ever committed were done by drunkards
including rape and robbery.
Although a born-again Christian cannot be demon-possessed
so-to-speak, they can be demon influenced. A demon cannot reside in the temple
of the Holy Spirit (which is the body of the believer 1 Cor. 3:17). However,
Christians who dabble in occultism or sin uncontrollable; fornication,
pornography and alcoholic beverages are opening themselves up to demonic
influences and often they become harassed, oppressed, repressed, depressed and
impressed.
Demons are under orders from the Prince of the Power of the
Air (Satan).
“Wherein in time past
ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the
power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience” Ephesians
2:2
The children of disobedience are all Christ-rejecters—those
people who have not obeyed the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ [2 Thess. 1:8-9].
Few people understand that the human spirit is highly vulnerable to spiritual
influences both good and bad through movies, music, books, magazines,
doctrines, et cetera that is everything detected through the five senses
(sight, hearing, taste, feel and smell) are harmful to our spiritual wellbeing.
YOU MUST CHANGE FROM
BEING A NATURAL MAN
“Now the Spirit speaks
expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving
heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” 1st Timothy 4:1
Demons SEDUCE people through false teachings and the love of
things of this world which is instrumental to being captivated by these evil
spirits.
Man is created in God's image. Just as the Godhead is triune in
nature, so also is mankind that is he is a spirit, lives in a body [the
tabernacle of the soul and spirit - 2nd Corinthians 5:1], and possesses a soul
[will, intellect and emotions. He has a heart to feel; a mind to think; a will
to decide]. We must do away with all superfluity of naughtiness and receive
with meekness the engrafted word that is able to save our soul.
Our spirit is who we really are inside. An unsaved person is
spiritually dead by birth. Every human being is born spiritually dead with an
inherited sin nature from Adam (Romans 5:12).
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit
of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because
they are spiritually discerned.” 1st Corinthians 2:14
The unsaved people or natural man cannot understand the
Bible. If you study the Bible without the presence of the Author (God), you are
guaranteed to misinterpret the Scriptures and teach or believe heresy. Everyone
needs to get saved so you'll understand the Word of God.
“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be
that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of his” Romans 8:9
Every Christian believer has the Holy Spirit living
(indwelling) within their body. If you do not have God's Spirit in you, then
you are not saved (Heb. 12:6-8).
Once you believe the Gospel and receive Christ's death,
burial and resurrection as payment for YOUR sins, you are eternally saved and you
are now the child of God and He is your Father. Everyone is either a child of
God or a child of the Devil. You may be the most moral, honest and kind person
in your town, but you are still a child of the Devil if you have never been
born-again by the Spirit of God by faith in Christ Jesus. And you may be
cranky, have a short-tempter and be impatient, but you are still a child of God
if you have believed the Gospel.
BREAKING ADDICTIONS
Many times there is a root that needs to be pulled up, alongside
casting out any
residing spirits that are holding the person in bondage to the
addiction. Getting to the root of the addiction is the key to bringing a person
lasting genuine freedom. I am going to address the most common roots to
addictions, and hopefully give you an idea of how this particular type of
bondage works so that you can minister lasting freedom to those caught up in
this type of bondage. The prison warder must be released of his job. The
anointing of the Holy Spirit has been released such that the prison doors
holding the people of God bound can be opened [Isaiah 60:1-3].
The root of most addictive behaviors is a lack of love being
received by that person. Many of us have been damaged emotionally by rejection,
abandonment, abuse, etc., and thereby our capacity to receive love has been
reduced. Only an emotionally healthy person is capable of both giving and
receiving love as God intended.
If we want to be in faith, we need to BELIEVE what Jesus did
for us, and part of that believing is seeing ourselves as forgiven and clothed
with the righteousness of God [2 Cor. 5:21], which is upon all who believe in
the finished work of Christ. Without faith, it is impossible to please God
[Hebrews 11:6], so if you want to please God, start taking the finished work of
the cross seriously, and begin to see yourself as forgiven, washed clean, and
clothed in the righteousness of God. For the righteousness (right standing with
God) is upon all who believe.
Learning to see yourself as God sees you, and forgive
yourself because you want to please God and be in faith and be thankful for
what Jesus did for you, this is the biggest step in overcoming negative self-worth
issues.
Can two be together except they be agreed? Amos 3:3
A person must be in sync with a demon agent in order to
cement a bondage or affliction, and appoint time and place, when and where they
shall set out, what road they will take, and whither they will go; without such
consultation and agreement, it cannot be thought they should walk together; and
not amicably, unless united in friendship, and are of the same affection to
each other, and of the same sentiments one with another; or it is much if they
do not fall out by the way. The design of these words is to show, that without
friendship there is no fellowship, and without concord no communion. Any time
that you get tired of this lopsided relationship, you can give Satan and his
cohost a letter of divorcement and quit.
CASTING OUT DEMONS
"The thief cometh
not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might
have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10 KJV
There are spirits that may need to be driven out as well,
such as spirit of pornography, self-hate, guilt, condemnation, suicide, alcohol
addiction etc. Many of such came to
ensnare the saints of God and they do not leave peaceably until forcefully
ejected through deliverance. Believers have been empowered to bind demonic
entities on earth that has been cast out of the third heavens
“And these signs shall
follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils …” Mark 16:17 [also
Matt. 4:24]
Jesus cast out demons even from those who were possessed by
demonic agents using His word to cast out them out.
"When the even was
come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he
cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it
might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took
our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." Matthew 8:16-17
The Savior, by his death, wrested the dominion from them, and
seized upon what they had captured as a conqueror seizes upon his prey. Satan
and his legions had invaded the earth and drawn its inhabitants into captivity,
and subjected them to their evil reign. Christ, by his death subdues the
invaders and recaptures those whom they had subdued. We must operate from this
vantage point that Satan has been defeated when conducting deliverance for the
addicted
“[God] disarmed the
principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display
and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross]”
Col. 2:15
The Christian is a freeman. His great Captain has subdued all
his enemies, and we should not allow demonic poweres again to set up their dark
empire over our souls.
"For verily I say
unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be
thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that
those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he
saith.” Mark 11:23
Jesus is talking about moving mountains in this passage of
Scripture. The mountain of which He is
speaking symbolizes human problems.
Sometimes problems in our lives appear to be gigantic mountains that
could never be removed. However, Jesus
said in the Bible that all things are possible with God. (Luke 1:37) No matter what you may be addicted to today,
tobacco, alcohol, drugs, pornography, immorality or any type of compulsive
human behavior, disorder or demonic behavior, you can and will be free, if only
you believe. If the Son set you free, you shall be free indeed.
My deliverance from nicotine came as a result of releasing
faith through the words of my mouth. My
spirit man, the real me, was not addicted to nicotine. My body was addicted to nicotine. I had to
deny self, carry my cross and follow Christ.
As I continued to
speak the Word of Faith out of my spirit, it was just a matter of some months
until my addicted body finally caught up with my free spirit and the
supernatural occurred that is the Son of God set me free! The Laws of Nature were overridden as I
continued to hammer away at them with the Unfailing Law of Personal Faith and I
went free, supernaturally.
You can do this. It does not matter what you’re addicted
to. Just simply tell the devil, “Release
me, in Jesus’ Name. I’ll serve you no
more. Jesus, You are my choice.” Then begin to say, as I said, “Father, I
thank You that I am no longer addicted to [addiction] in Jesus’ strong Name.”
[John 14:13-14]
