About 6 months ago I celebrated 10 years clean and sober. WOW! This is a major milestone in my life. I am very proud of myself but I must give credit where credit is due. My continued success over addiction is solely attributed to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You see, my weaknesses are exactly where God can step in and help. When I think to myself, “I got this”, I render Him powerless because at that moment it’s all about me and what I think I can do.

Luke 9:23 (again…I quote this verse frequently) Jesus said, If anyone would come after Me he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow Me.

Note…He didn’t say if you got this then take up your cross and follow me…He did say to “deny yourself.” A very humbling thing to do. To admit I can’t handle this. To profess my weakness.

You calling me weak Brian?

Well, if the shoe fits….wear it

Addiction is man or woman at their weakest. When you have no control over your self ordained dependence I would say that is feeble. When you have a persistent compulsive use of a substance that you know is harmful. When you are unable to resist the temptation. When you will do anything to get this vice again and again no matter who it hurts. When you are characterized by tolerance and well defined psychological symptoms. When you rationalize your usage. When you try to quit but find it impossible.  When you lie, cheat or steal to feed your habit you are weak.

How about this…

Are you easily upset and turn to your vice to smooth things out? Are you unable to handle the pressure or sustain the weight of a situation so you go to your comfort zone? Have you ever hid from others to avoid condemnation for your behavior?

These are just a few questions and if you answer yes to one or more then yes, you are fragile. Your strength is lacking.

But take heart, you are not alone.

There are millions of us who have struggled or do struggle with addiction.  Some of us end up in jail ( some more than others ) some in the hospital. Many of us homeless. The majority of us barely survive regular life. Moving from place to place, barely putting food on the table, struggling to pay bills, going to the bathroom only to realize there is no paper, always looking behind you because there is no insurance on your car or truck. The list goes on. We live a meager existence and justify it by saying, “This is the hand I was dealt.”

Dare I say that this lifestyle is not normal.

How do we start out and/or end up this way?

Since the beginning of time man and woman have been deceived into thinking that nothing will happen if we do these things that we know are wrong.

Journey with me back in time to Genesis. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God instructsd them not to eat of a certain tree. Satan comes along and basically tells them that’s not what God said. They believed the lie and ate the fruit. (Genesis chapters 2 and 3) As soon as they ate it they knew something happened but there was no physical evidence that anything happened. They went on about their day with some behavioral changes but still thinking nothing happened.  Until God shows up as He did everyday and they hid their self in fear and shame.

We are much the same and one addiction starts much the same as the next. The first time you use the desired effect is achieved and nothing terrible happens. You didn’t physically die, didn’t go to jail, no hospital visit. Nothing bad happened…in the physical.  So you give it another go….then another…and so on.

But there is so much more to life than physical.  We are actually a spiritual being housed in a physical body. When we sin (and believe me abuse and addiction is sin) we separate ourselves from out Creator.  God physically put Adam and Eve out of the garden to show us today of the separation.

That is the problem with nothing.

In the physical we don’t see any change. In the spiritual we become distant from God and our fear and shame keep us there. The physical tells you it was so good you want to do it again. Soon enough you become anesthetized to the spiritual separation and all that matters is the physical. At that point we have bought the lie.

John 10:10

The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. I (Jesus) am come that you might have life an dc have it more abundantly.

Abundant life begins when you realize your weakness and inability to control your life. When you reach out to God to tell Him you are sorry for rejecting Him. You admit that you are powerless without His power.

If you are at this point in life and ready to start 2018 free from addiction, full of joy and at peace with yourself and with God, pray this prayer with me.

Father God, I know I have done wrong. I have sinned against others and I have definately fallen short of what You made me to be. Please forgive me God. I want to change. I need You to help me change. I give my life to you God. I believe Jesus came as my savior, died for me and in my place, paid my price for my sins and now lives as my mediator so that I can once again be right with my Heavenly Father. I give my heart, body, mind and soul to You God. I pray this in the Mighty name of Jesus Christ, amen.

If you prayed this with sincerity you are now a child of God, your past is forgiven and it’s time to move forward in the new life that is now yours.

If anyone is in Christ He Is a new creation. Old things are passed away and all things are made new.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Find yourself a copy of The Holy Bible, dig in and start to grow. Get yourself baptized. And pray. Talk honestly with God. Lastly seek out a Bible believing and teaching church who will love you and support you in your new found faith. If you need guidance and direction in this new found walk of faith please feel free to contact me here or on FB and I will do my absolute best to help.

My prayer is that it’s going to be a GREAT 2018 year as we walk and grow in our Lord Jesus. May His richest blessings be yours!!!