FACING BAD HABITS AND ADDICTIONS

Would I be correct in saying that everyone hearing this message today has struggled with bad habits and addictions in your life?

Those things which 'enslave you' and you feel in 'bondage' to?

1 Corinthians 6:12 says "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."

From this passage we see that Our Lord does not intend for any of His Children to be 'enslaved' to habit or addiction!

I read recently where 30% of all Americans are being treated for some form of addiction.

I would suppose that everyone is this auditorium found out pretty quickly after you were saved that you still had temptations to do wrong things and think wrong things....

Just because you are saved doesn't mean that automatically all of your bad habits and cravings for addictions in your life.....go immediately away!

You see, when we are born-again, we do become a new person as the Holy Spirit comes to indwell us and positionally speaking we are a new person with a new standing in Christ....

2 Corinthians 5:17  "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

We are now are justified in God's Sight and we are His children now.  In that sense, all things are new..

But, as long as we live on this earth with this body of flesh, we still have that 'old nature' or 'the Flesh' and its sinful desires and cravings...and we will have to battle that enemy within us until we get to heaven! 

I hear of some folks that immediately lose their desire for liquor when they are saved, and that is great!   Others speak of great changes in their lives and that is wonderful!  

But that doesn't mean that is true for all people who are saved to the same degree!  Some folks trust Christ and are saved, and yet struggle with bad habits and addictions long after they have been born-again..  Some take the struggle to their death.

Moses Struggled with his temper all of his life, to the point God would not allow him to enter the Canaan with the rest of the Israelites.   Peter had a temper.   David struggled with lust during his life.  I would imagine if you are honest with me today, you too have struggled and perhaps are struggling with certain 'besetting sins' in your life today!

People who come to Christ come from all different backgrounds and environments.  Some who have practiced certain habits for years, such as foul language, a craving for nicotine, pride, worry, etc.  still struggle with these 'temptations' long after they are born again.  Depending upon our environment and the encouragement we get at home........and if we get involved in a good church.....some Christians progress nicely in their Christian life!

Others, however, have a struggle that might last much longer!

This process in the Bible is known as 'Progressive Sanctification' by which the Holy Spirit helps us to grow in our Christian walk and become more like Jesus every day.....as we study the Bible and seek to obey its teachings!

Some Believers don't have the 'growth' that others do.....at the same rate...for various reasons....and we must be careful to 'judge' that they are 'not saved' just because their 'change of lifestyle' might not be very evident....

If you have trusted Christ as your Savior, you need now to grow in your walk with Him and with the Holy Spirit's help.....achieve 'mastery' over these bad habits and addictions which are robbing your joy and effectiveness for the Lord.......and while you will never be 'perfect' in this lifetime...you can have victory over habits and addictions and not be enslaved to them anymore!

The Bible gives us some helpful points on Temptation and habits and addictions in 1 Corinthians 10:11-13......

11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

I finally came to the point in my life where I wanted victory over bad habits and addictions in my life, and this passage helped me.  Now I am not saying you will never be tempted again.....but at least here is a way to be 'freed' from those habits that are making us miserable and affecting those around us!

We can learn from these Bible examples of people who let temptation overtake them and we can see the terrible consequences that can happen...

I decided I didn't want those CONSEQUENCES....and realized I would see them if I didn't deal with the habits and addictions in my life right now....

I wonder if you are thinking the same thing?

Some of you feel trapped to:

....a dependence on alcohol

....addiction to drugs

....cravings for nicotine

....the lure of sensual lust

....the compulsion to over-eat

....being 'hooked' on gambling or the lottery

....computer pornography

The list could go on to include more subtle addictions and habits such as:

A temper, Anger and bitterness; Gossip; Worry; Foul language...etc.

As you think of your 'habit' or 'addiction', you would probably admit that no one 'forced' it on you....

Rather, it was YOUR CHOICE to begin indulging in it...

WHY DO WE START HABITS OR ADDICTIONS?

The reasons could be many....

Peer Pressure, to feel accepted and loved;  to be 'cool'; an 'act' of rebellion...

Or simply giving in to our 'lusts' and desires...

Perhaps we have been INFLUENCED by the wrong people.....

We want to satisfy these desires in ways God has not approved or even forbidden......and now we are 'hooked'....

WHERE DOES TEMPTATION TO DO WRONG COME FROM?

The Bible says from 3 sources:  The World, the Flesh, and the Devil.

The world offers many 'attractive' things that our body or 'flesh' desires and craves, and the devil uses these to try to tempt us to satisfy our 'needs' outside of God's Guidelines!  The Devil uses these temptations in order to entice us to do evil....

Temptation to do wrong never comes from God, but He does ALLOW the temptation in order to 'test' us....

We take tests in school in order for the teacher to see what we have learned.  God sometimes allows 'tests' to see what we have learned!  We never know if we have learned things in our Christian walk until we are 'tested'...

Being 'TEMPTED' is not sin, because Jesus was tempted!

However, GIVING IN to the temptation IS SIN!

J. Wilbur Chapman said, "Temptation is the tempter looking through the key hole into the room where you're living and SIN is drawing back the bolt and making it possible for him to enter..."

From this passage in 1 Corinthians 10:12-14 we learn that God does provide a way of escape with every temptation! 

 Here are some principles I have learned from this passage on how to deal with habits and addictions:

HOW TO HANDLE TEMPTATION AND HOW TO BREAK HABITS AND ADDICTIONS

1. THINK ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF CONTINUING WITH THIS SIN OR ADDICTION.

What will it do to me and those I love?

Ask God to help you see the long term perspective of continuing with this habit or addiction.  You see, Satan, only wants you to see the pleasure NOW of giving in to the activity....He doesn't want you to see the CONSEQUENCES that could result...

Notice 1 Corinthians 10:12 said to 'Take heed'....and that means to sit down and really think this thing out....

If I continue with this habit or addiction or sin, what consequences will it have on....Me?    Others?     The Lord?

WHAT EFFECT WILL IT HAVE ON ME PERSONALLY? 

....loss of joy? loss of my health? Affect on my Job and Career?  Loss of my reputation?  Loss of my  testimony as a Christian?   The Lord unable to use me in His service as He formerly could? 

WHAT EFFECT WILL IT HAVE ON OTHERS CLOSE TO ME?

If I continue with this, how will it affect those I love?  My family? My Wife?  My Children?   My Relatives? 

Will it affect my marriage? 

Will it cause my children to stumble and lose respect for me?

Remember...

The sins I dabble in........my Children will INDULGE in.....

WHAT WILL IT DO TO MY LORD?

Will it grieve the Holy Spirit?   Is this habit and addiction hurting fellowship with my Lord?

I then must ask the question, Considering the consequences of falling to this temptation and continuing with this habit or addiction....

AM I PREPARED TO PAY THE PRICE?

If I continue with this habit and addiction and sin.....

There WILL be a price to pay, my friend....

Satan would try to get us to look at the pleasure RIGHT NOW of indulging in this sin, but we need to look at the BIG PICTURE and see the consequences.....I strongly suggest you walk through the consequences in your mind.   Stroll slowly.....Ponder the details.

LEADERSHIP MAGAZINE had an article that sums this point up better than any I have seen.  The article was entitled "Consequences of a Moral Tumble".   It gives us some pretty good 'food for thought' if we're contemplating moral sin.....

*Grieving the Lord who redeemed me....

*One day having to look Jesus....in the face and give an account of my actions....

*Inflicting untold hurt on....your best friend and loyal wife...losing her respect and trust.

*Hurting my beloved daughters...

*Destroying my example and credibility with my children, and nullifying both present and future efforts to teach them to obey God....

*Causing shame to my family...

*Creating a form of guilt awfully hard to shake.  Even though God would forgive me, would I forgive myself.?

*Forming memories and flashbacks that could plague future intimacy with my wife. 

*Wasting years of ministry and service to the Lord for a long time, maybe permanently...

*Undermining the faithful example and hard work of other Christians in our community. 

*Bringing great pleasure to Satan, the enemy of God and all that is good...

*Possibly bearing the physical consequences of such diseases as gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, herpes, and AIDS;  perhaps infecting my wife or, in the case of AIDS, even causing her death.

*Possibly causing pregnancy, with the personal and financial implications, including a lifelong reminder of my sin....

*Causing shame and hurt to my friends, especially those I have led to Christ and discipled...

Wow.  Enough said.  Gives a different perspective on things, doesn't it?

So I must ask the next question as I consider the temptation and habit that is attracting me...

6. IS THERE A BETTER WAY TO GET THIS NEED MET?

Has God provided a way to meet this need I seem to have other than the way I am contemplating?

I have found that I have certain weaknesses and I bet you do too.

The Bible calls these 'Besetting sins' which we are especially prone and susceptible....

Hebrews 12:1 "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,..."

We need to especially beware of places, things, and PEOPLE who particularly give us the most trouble, and STAY AWAY FROM THEM!

8. VISUALIZE A PLAN TO DEAL WITH TEMPTATION AND THE PARTICULAR HABIT OR ADDICTION.

Ask God to help you do this...think it through in your mind or write it down....what you should do when temptation comes again.   Are there particular times I am tempted most?  What are those times?  What are those places and situations?  How will I react? What will be my plan?   I like one preacher's idea.   He had the word HALT written in this bible....

H - Never get too hungry

A - Never get too angry

L - Never get too lonely

T - Never get to tired

Pretty good guide to follow, huh?

9. BE ACCOUNTABLE TO A FRIEND.

Do you have a real close friend you can be accountable to?  Someone you can trust to be confidential?  Someone who really cares for you and will help you and pray for you and encourage you....even when you fail?   

10. HAVE A SET TIME ALONE EVERY DAY WITH THE LORD AND HIS WORD.

Psalms 119:9  Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

Did Jesus resist the devil by quoting the Word of God when He was tempted?

We need to do the same.  Find some particular Scriptures relating to your particular sin and memorize them....and be ready to use them when you are tempted.

Pray and ask God to help you that particular day to be true to Him and to be the Witness for Christ that you should be before you start each day!

10.  REMEMBER THAT CONQUERING YOUR HABIT OR ADDICTION WILL BE A PROCESS....

You didn't pick up that habit or addiction in one day and you probably won't conquer it in one day. 

If we have used foul language for years....in most people...that habit will take a while to break...even with God's help!

Someone said a habit is like a cable....we weave a thread of it every day, and at last it is so strong we cannot break it....

It is going to take time most likely to break this habit.  When you fail, get back up...confess the failure to the Lord...and ask Him to help you not do it again...and eventually you will win victory over it!

When you fail, confess it and get up and walk away... Don't keep looking back and feeling guilty and having a pity party... ready to give up! 

12. GET BUSY SERVING THE LORD.

It is true, IDLE HANDS are the devil's tools.  If we have time on our hands, most all of us will get in trouble.  I have found if I keep busy for the Lord, doing something down at my local church for Jesus Christ, it helps keep me too busy to get into trouble...

Remember, it was when David was at home lingering on his balcony that he noticed another man's wife....

If he would have been at battle with his men, like he should have been, he wouldn't have gotten into trouble and seen that woman taking a bath that night, would he?

Get in your church every time the doors are open!  I have heard folks say, "Well, I just don't get fed..."   Could it be that you're not HUNGRY?


My Friend, if you are not born-again, you need to trust Christ today!  Realize your lost condition and call upon Christ to save you before sin destroys everything that is valuable to you!  Believe that Christ died on the Cross for you and shed His Blood to pay for your sins, and call upon Him to save you!

Romans 10:13 says, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

If you are a Christian, follow these guidelines above. Get into Church every service you can.  Listen to good Bible preaching and study the Bible yourself daily and pray!  Get busy in your church using your talents and abilities for the Lord!
 

You can win and have victory over those habits and addictions!