Upon glancing at a newspaper this week, I stumbled upon an article titled “How to Fight Addiction” that never talked about how to fight addiction. The article, written by William Moyers (Vice President of the Hazelden Foundation, one of the world’s largest nonprofit addiction-treatment centers), unfortunately was concluded by saying, “There is still no cure for addiction–more research is needed. But there is a solution that includes personal responsibility.”
While I agree with the personal responsibility behavioral component, that alone will not suffice when an addict is overwhelmed and overtaken by a controlling substance to which they have become chemically and neurologically addicted.
Psychologists and therapists often fail to acknowledge and mention the triune nature of mankind — that is we are spirit, mind and body. Overcoming fleshly compulsions and tendencies require our minds to be renewed and are spirits awakened. If we only fight and battle the fleshly tendencies and pull on us mentally, we will sometimes cave and yield to the flesh.
Yet if our spirit is energized, awakened and activated to participate in the battle — the common sense of our mental faculties combined with our quickened spirit within will outweigh the flesh and be able to overcome it.
Jesus Himself said: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). Christ’s prescription therefore was that we should pray so we don’t fall prey to and get taken over by temptation.
The prophet Zechariah declared, “It’s not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit saith the Lord” (Zechariah 4:6).
The apostle Paul acknowledged his “vile body” and fleshly weakness (Philippians 3:21), but said the key to overcoming the flesh is with the power of the Spirit.
“If you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify (crucify) the deeds of the body, you shall live” (Romans 8:13).
“They that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. To be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:5-6).
Energy flows where focus goes.
Most addicts are so engrossed in their addiction physically that when therapists and psychologists tell them mentally to fight it, they become overwhelmed by the whole process and further enamored with the very substance they are trying to resist.
It is no different with sin. If you continually behold and focus on something, eventually it is likely you will give in and attend to it.
Therefore the way to freedom is to focus on something else and live purposefully by arousing your mind and spirit to attend to something more meaningful and fulfilling.
We become what we behold. Therefore lift up your eyes to heaven where your help comes from! Upon looking upon our Creator and Lifegiver above, we will be filled afresh with His life and love to thereby love ourselves sufficently to break free from substances unnecessarily entangling and dwarfing our lives.
“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2Corinthians 3:17-18)
This is why taking responsibility is not enough. Because if you put an addict in a room with other addicts desirous of “taking responsibility” and humbly acknowledging their addiction, they all still sit there bound beholding one another. Beholding a room full of addicts may make you feel responsible, but it does not liberate your spirit and soul.
You must lift up your eyes and reposition your focus. Otherwise freedom will never come as long as you continue to behold your bondage and sit in a room with the bound.
The apostle Paul acknowledged his frail and pitiful state in the flesh saying, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24)
His revelation which led to his great deliverance and liberation – I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (verse 25)
Jesus was a “child of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18).
When we therefore connect with Christ and “live in the Spirit” the constraints of the flesh can be broken and our lives freed.
“Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).
Herein is the addict’s solution, deliverance and liberation.
Prayer for freedom from addiction. Fall to your knees and pray out loud:
“Wonderful Jesus, thank you for dying for me so I can live free! Forgive me for my sin and dishonoring my body. I believe You rose victorious over sin, death, hell and the grave Jesus. Now come mightily and deliver me from this torment of addiction. Fill me to overflowing with your blessed Holy Spirit so I can experience liberation, become a new creation and fulfill my purpose powerfully for your glory. Reverse the curse for me and help me live in liberty. Come Lord Jesus and reign in me giving me newness of life. Amen.”
If you prayed that prayer, please write and tell me.
info @ PaulFDavis.com
http://www.PaulFDavis.com/supernatural-power – worldwide minister and author of Supernatural Fire
I pray the fire of God’s Spirit will continue to burn bright and hot within you, burning away the chaff and every addiction that robs from you so you can be fully consumed with newness of life and live happily from this day forward in God’s marvelous and miraculous glory that sets the captives free fully!
