Overcoming Drug Addiction
Are you enslaved or troubled by habitual use of various narcotic, stimulant, or mind-influencing drugs (including alcohol)? Do you have symptoms of physical, emotional, or mental addiction? You may not have a sickness, but a sin problem that causes enslavement and sickness.
Jesus Christ has done something about your problem. He came to liberate you from such problems and enable you to gain self-control, a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22,23).
What Scripture Says
Everything is permissible for me — but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me — but I will not be mastered by anything” (I Corinthians 6:12).
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).
The Spirit of the Lord is on me because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him, and He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What is this teaching? With authority and power, He gives orders to evil spirits and they come out (Luke 4:18-21, 36).
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Colossians 2:15).
He who does what is sinful is of the devil because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work (I John 3:8).
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature, rather, serve one another in love (Galatians 5:1, 13).
What Can You Do?
Take seriously the bondage in which you are involved. God cares about you and has a solution.
Your real problem is not an incurable illness, but sin. And Jesus came to deal with sin (I Corinthians 5:11). You need to be spiritually reborn and baptized with the Holy Spirit. You need to change your life patterns. You also may need help for deliverance from drugs and healing.
Be bold. Take a fearless inventory of your life. Ask for help from your family, Christian friends, a local pastor, The 700 Club (call 800-759-0700), or another Christian ministry that cares. Or call Teen Challenge or a local drug hotline.
It is said that it takes thirty-one days to break a habit. Drug addiction is a “life dominating” problem, so radical changes must be made regarding associates, social atmosphere, places frequented, etc. Replacement, not abstention, is the key.
You need to keep busy and occupy your mind with new things (Philippians 4:8,9). Learn to yield yourself to Christ rather than to drugs, old friends, self-pity, guilt, fear, etc.
How to be Spiritually Reborn
God has a plan for your salvation. Call on the Lord to save you mind, body and soul (I John 1:9). Receive Him as your Savior and Lord (John 1:12). Believe Him. He said He would not turn anyone away. He loves you and gave His life for you (John 3:16,17).
How you can know you are forgiven:
The Bible, God's Word says:
You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God's gift to you, and you have done nothing on your own (Ephesians 2:8).
For those who put their faith in Jesus: He gave them the right to be the children of God… God Himself was the one who made them His children (John 1:12-13).
The Role of the Holy Spirit
Once you become a Christian, you can have God's power available through the Holy Spirit. You will be able to live as God intended (Ezekiel 36:27). The Holy Spirit empowers you to help others (Acts 1:8), He aids and teaches you (John 14:26; I Corinthians 2:13), and guides you into truth (John 16:13) and in life (Acts 10:19; 13:2; 16:6).
You may want to ask someone already baptized with the Holy Spirit to pray with you. Just as you asked the Lord to forgive your sins, believing He would, ask Him now to baptize you with the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). He promised to do so, so take Him at His Word that He does what you ask. Thank and praise Him for being a God who does as He promises.
Tell someone else what you've done. Other Christians and the church will rejoice with you and help you. The angels rejoice with you. God rejoices with you.
As You Pray
Thank God for His love, concern, and power to save and deliver. Renounce the drugs, old friends, and hangouts connected with your drug problem. Yield yourself to Jesus. Thank Him for coming into your heart and filling you with the Holy Spirit. Take Him at His word and thank Him for delivering you from drugs.
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Tony Francis is from the Middle East. He is grounded in the scriptures and has a licensed degree in biblical studies from MTI, the school of ministry, and a certificate in EPL (effective personal leadership) from LMI. He has authored many books and is the founder of Healed Nations Ministries (www.healednations.com). Tony mentors people in the prophetic and served as the prophetic leader of Patricia King's ministries. Tony is studying to be a mental health coach.
www.healednations.com
