Dear Addiction,
Where do I begin? I cannot trivialise how much we’ve been through together. We’ve been to hell and back and I just want to put the record straight between us. You were very clever in fooling me to put my faith in you, a created thing, rather than God, the Creator Himself. In my former life we shared some seemingly good times together. In fact, at some point, we were inseparable as I felt it was impossible for anyone to like the real me without you involved. I was so shy and you made me believe that you could trust you to embolden me. What a liar you are! It was you who stole my peace away. It was you who took my confidence and led me to reply on you as a crutch. It was you who left me filled with shame and worsened my insecurities. It wasyou who laughed at me when I turned to you for solace. Worst of all, it was you who kept me from loving relationship with my Creator, who craved nothing more than to see me happy and free from your clutches. Oh how I wish I had listened to the soft voice that kept warning me about you. I was so stubborn and fixated on my need for you that I failed to see God’s hand outstretched towards me , waiting to lift me up from my mess. The rest you promised and failed to provide for me has finally been made available by God. My Father has shown me that your claim that I was worthless without you was a big fat lie. He loves me more than I could ever imagine and I curse the day that I met you! The dream you promised me turned out to be my worst nightmare but thank God that I am finally walking in His dream for me because of His son Jesus. I will now turn that passion I had for you against you as I give myself to exposing the truth to all those trapped in your web of deceit. You have become my enemy and I will fight you through Christ who strengthens me. You
might as well pack your bags and say goodbye because the weakling you once bullied and influenced with your lies is now sitting on the shoulders of a loving Giant. When I am weak, He is strong. Listen carefully to me addiction: “In Jesus name, get thee behind me”. That is truly where you belong and by God’s grace, that is where you will reside for the rest of my life. – Christian
Key Scripture: Romans 1:25
25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
Today’s blog post is a very serious one because it tackles an issue faced by more Christians than would care to admit. Addiction is a problem that is particularly predominant in our culture today. The bible clearly tells us that idols are constantly competing with God for our worship. In effect, addiction is the worship of created things rather than the actual Creator. Have you ever heard someone say something like: “ I can’t stop fornicating”; or “I had to take another hit because I simply could not help myself”. We’ve all heard and made statements like these albeit in different contexts but what we can observe is that the idol, which could be cigarettes for example, starts off promising to help you relax. The idol competes with God for your attention and those who fall for it miss out on the only true source of relaxation. After a while, the cigarettes or idol starts to take more and more control over your life and a single stick has progressed to social smoking. Before you know it, the idol or cigarette starts to tell you that you cannot enjoy a simple evening indoors without it and then you start smoking at home. Can you notice how the so-called freedom to smoke is actually ending up enslaving you to a destructive habit that God would not want for your life? Idols are a serious matter and are behind every single addiction. They ultimately want to lead us to our death in one way or another. It could be drugs, food, sex, money, power etc.
Although I put up this post some months back, I really felt led to share this letter with you guys again. Perhaps there is one reader out there who needs to read this. God is reaching out to you right now so please don’t shut Him out.
I adapted this letter from Soul Revolution, a book by John Burke. I hope this letter will be a timely reminder and a tool for exposing the lies that are addictions under the scope of God’s truth. Who the Son sets free is free indeed. Be set free in the name of Jesus.
Wow….that was an extremely “powerful” letter. Thank you so much for sharing it….
Thanks for reading it Robin. That letter changed my attitude to addictions when I wrote it out two years ago. It really did have an impact.
I can see why…it was wonderful to read…Slowly I’m reading your other post. You have a wonderful sight and I know God blesses you for your teachings….God Bless
Thank you Robin. Your blog is a blessing to the kingdom. Every seed you sow on that blog will reap a harvest in its time. God bless
I thank God I have never had to deal with an addiction like smoking or alcohol or drugs; but your words have me searching my heart for anything else that I do not realize God might view as an addiction. Thank you.
I pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal any hidden addictions in your life Drusilla. If there’s any then He’ll help you overcome. If there’s none then He’ll keep you away from them. I pray Jesus will always take first place in our hearts. Thanks Drusilla
Addictions are a huge tool of Satan. When we have any gaps or holes we are not letting God fill – any places we are not letting Him in to heal us and satisfy us – we are prime targets for addiction. Being “empty” is not an option for us. We were made to be filled with God. If we aren’t, we will become addicted to things…addiction is Satan’s twisted version of love. Thank you for this post, Watchman. I agree with you that addiction is growing at a rapid rate. People are addicted to other people (relationships), power, money, jobs, internet/social networking, education, philosophy/worldviews, food, as well as the “usuals” like alcohol, drugs, and sex.
God, break us all free, so that we can worship you like we were made to do!! Bring every idol, every addiction into the light. Let this post reach someone in need. Come, Lord Jesus! In your mighty name – Amen.
Amen wp! Thanks for that heartfelt prayer. Addiction truly is a menace these days and it’s interesting how it’s now taking unconventional routes to ensnare unsuspecting people. Let’s be watchful not to allow anything take the place of God in our lives. Addiction and idolatry go hand in hand. Thanks for your unique perspective on the issue wp.
Hi Watchman , I was a chain smoker but I was able to put it away 30 years ago, with the first 3 days the withdrawal from the physical addiction is strong but then comes the emotional addiction, the dependency that needs to be broken, it is much harder even three years later I was dreaming of smoking and at times wanted one but it passed… My motivation for giving up smoking was illness, I was not a Christian but I started my walk with Jesus not long after, yet my real heart repentance was only 14 years ago, it was a this time that I was to really begin my deliverance in Christ Jesus and so my walk of faith begun.
Before this there was even a worse addiction that I was to live through so strong and so soul destroying that the on going destruction of it almost lead to my suicide but God rescued me and set me free, that was 14 years ago and I have walked in His victory over gambling ever since , at one time Satan tempted me as I walked passed a Pub …go on just have a look at them you don’t have to play them …I asked Jesus to give me the strength to keep walking and He did.
Thank you for your message, Watchman if we are not aware of the danger we will fall into the trap God bless you greatly – Christian Love Anne
Thanks again Freedomborn. Can I call you Anne? I just want to thank God for your awesome testimony of deliverance from two powerful addictions. I can totally relate because I too was freed from two addictions that I never thought I’d be free from. I too was once a smoker and I know exactly how difficult it is to break free from the habit. Like you, I’m so grateful that Christ set me free from that. It is only by His grace that we can overcome such addictions. I hope that someone reading these comments will be encouraged not to give up hope. I thank God for your life Anne. Your testimony is an encouragement and living proof of the power of Christ. Thanks for sharing.