Overcoming addictions

“Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:7-10)

This past Sunday, I preached about how the gospel helps us in our personal growth, as we seek to overcome addictions and struggles, move past fears and anxieties, and become the men and women God has created us to be. The central point I made was how underneath every sin and struggle is an idol, something besides God that we are finding our joy and self-worth in, and underneath every idol is something we are disbelieving about God and the gospel. While we can improve ourselves to a limited extent through hard work and external helps such as accountability or rewards and punishment, the true, heart-level change comes through an increased love for God and belief in the truth of the gospel.

I believe that one of the most important Bible verses for overcoming addiction is John 10:10, which tells us that while Satan’s goal is our destruction, Jesus came that we might have life to the full. Whether we struggle with drinking, overeating, shopping, gambling, lust, gaming, or any other addiction, the lie we are believing is that life to the full is found in indulging that behavior. We believe that our addiction will save us from the pain of life and bring us happiness and pleasure, even if only for a moment. To fight our addictions, we can employ any number of worldly techniques – accountability, therapy, medication, or even getting rid of things that tempt us. But to truly change the heart underneath the action requires increasing our trust in God and desire to be like Jesus.

When I am tempted to find my joy in things of this world, in addictions that I know won’t truly satisfy me, I try to remind myself of John 10:10. I tell myself that life to the full is found in knowing and following Jesus, and that whatever my addiction is promising me is a lie. Behind that addiction lies the enemy, whose mission, Jesus tells me, is to steal, kill, and destroy. The challenge is that I am at war with myself. While the Spirit within me desires God, my sinful nature does not naturally want to follow Jesus, but stubbornly insists on doing its own thing, no matter what the consequence might be. It is not easy to crucify that sinful nature, but I have found John 10:10 to be a verse that speaks words of life to me and words of death to that sinful nature.

Jesus, I believe that you love me, and that you are good, and that life to the fullest is found in knowing and walking with you. Help me to trust that your way is better than the way offered by my addictions. I believe that the enemy wants to steal, kill, and destroy me, but that you want me to have life to the full. I ask for your help in resisting Him and choosing to walk with you instead. Amen.