BREAKING OUT OF HABITUAL SINS (ADDICTIONS).

    

 If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

    Addictions are strongholds, that is anything that holds one hostage out of the will of God for one's life. Like a chain or cage, its holds one down. It makes one to actually fall short of going into God's purpose for ones live, rendering such live useless. Of what use is an object if it is not performing the function for which it was made or if it being abused? Addiction is nothing but the device of the devil to prevent God's purpose from coming true in a man's life. To direct man's attention away from what really matters. Remember at the beginning he enticed Adam and eve to eat of the forbidden fruits. Knowing fully well that God has placed man over him, he wanted (and still do) by all means to bring man down. He renders such persons useless and can even close their eyes to the fact that it is actually sinful to do these things, and that they are not in the right place God wants them to be. Probably it has escaped our mind, we need to remind ourselves again that everything immoral(that doesn't glorify God) we do to our body (the temple of God) are sinful (1 Corinth 6:18, Galatians 5:19-21). These are just lusts of the flesh that crept into the body of man gradually and became an habitual sin. And God cannot abide in such body.    

    Lots of people are fighting certain strongholds in their lives in one form or the other. Teenagers and young adults especially, finds themselves entangled with several addictive habits both drug related and non drug related. Among these habits are smoking (say marijuana), sniffing(say cocaine), masturbation, pornography to mention a few. They have done lots harm to these victims than they would have ever imagined when they dabbled into it. They get entangled in these dangerous acts that no matter how much they tried to stop, they still ended up engaging in it (Galatians 5:17). Some don't talk about it and since they can't help it,  they just continue that way till help comes their way somehow. While others, in a bid to curb this menace of a habit, and doing so too in our human self sufficient attitudes place the solutions to the problem in the hands of some counselor/rehab somewhere which they think will help rehabilitate such persons(victims of such habits). Well, that can take care of the physical and psychological aspect of the problem..... But can it take care of the spiritual aspect of it? We have to realize that for everything that transpires in the physical, there is always a spiritual part to it. And when it is hard to break some habits (addictive or not) , we should approach it rightly (spiritually) having understood the main components of it. The Bible says; for though we walk in the flesh,we do not war after the flesh, for the weapon of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4). We have all sorts of spiritual powers fighting against our lives and we can't fight them by using mere physical, psychological or even chemical approach. It can only be tackled by the Spirit and power of God (Ephesians 6:11-13) The point here is that to every physical happenings(or object) around us there are spiritual components to it.

    After series of counselling and medical intervention, you still go back to that addictive habit (say marijuana)? Although you talk about it to a confidant that you feel will really help you through, but nothing happens. It is simply because these solutions only approach the physical component of the problem (brain damage, lack of concentration, ) and not the spiritual. Unless we take the bull by the horn, nothing can really change! The same habits keeps happening on and on....since these are addictive habits, the brain and body is already used to this kind of pleasure and will always seek for it.....even more and more as times goes and it becomes uncontrollable. You want to stop, but you can't. Infact the last time it happened, you promised yourself from the depth of your heart that it will never ever happen again. But then few days after things seem to be going fine,  you're back at it. Broken down and miserable afterwards. These are all the devil's merchandise, to distraught GOD's plans for your life. There is no good plan for his life and so he is looking for partners, people whose life he'll destroy and make useless like his.  The devil uses these tools to keep you off track of God's path for your life and you can't even think of anything else apart from getting high in the few minutes pleasure  these habits brings about. You are more occupied with getting into the act than any other relevant and purposeful thing is to do, and gradually you can feel your whole life crumbling at your feet. You basically live in guilt, anxiety, fear, depression and all that. That's the devils aim, to pilfer the time, resources and virtues God has provided for you to have a fruitful life. The bible says: The thief (devil) comes to steal to kill and to destroy, but Jesus is here to give you life more abundantly (John 10:10). This sums it all up. With God  you would free,full of life and recover your happiness, virtues purpose and goals back from the devil. 

    First of all, having known all these things to be sinful, You have to REPENT of it all; Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sin may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord (Act 3:19). After you have realized how much the devil has lured and tempted you into this sin against the temple of God (which is your body), you genuinely seek His face and ask for forgiveness. And you will be refreshed and renewed.  He was also tempted by the devil, and since He was in human form then...He felt what you are feeling at the time of enticement by the devil (Hebrews 4;15).  Yes, He conquered the devil by the power of God. The same thing you would want to do now because you have no power of your own. You have to go to the Father, and you can only go to HIM through our Saviour who died for our sins (John 14:6).  The  devil might be trying to put thoughts of condemnation, guilt in you. That you have gone too far into this thing and that God will not forgive you. Never mind that, It is only his way of preventing you from receiving forgiveness and freedom in Christ. He creeps into the thoughts of man and make believe things that are not even true! God has called you to come boldly unto the throne of grace, so that you might obtain mercy, and find grace to help in times of need (Hebrews 4:16). That's it. He is waiting for you to come, even boldly to Him and receive freedom and enough grace. Remember, God is not a liar (Numbers 23:19), the devil is!(Latter part of John 8:44). Go God now, go to Him, confess everything, repent of them and He will forgive you and make you a free man (John 8:36).

    Now that that you have been redeemed from the 'destroyer's grip'. You also need to stand firm both in the Word and prayers! Yes... He will still try to come back just like he did to Jesus (Matthew 4). He tempted the Him three consecutive times, and Jesus overcame him with the Word these three times. That was Jesus Christ.....how much more you! This is when you have to be well grounded in the Word. There is no way you're going to fall again. Use the word of God to counter the devil. God has given you dominion over everything, including Mr devil himself through Christ! The Word is power, it is your authority over devil. You don't want to nail Christ to the cross again by going back! Do you? Use the Word.....it is your weapon against devil. Talk back to the devil! 

Also watch and pray (Matthew 26:41). Watch.....make sure you don't put yourself in circumstances that will put you back in this pit of temptation and sin. Don't give the devil a helping hand by hanging around friends that are into these things your are trying to get out of. It's dangerous. You may be lured back into it.

Pray (Jeremiah 29:12)..... The power of prayers cannot be overemphasized in a man's life. No, never. It is important that you pray and seek the face of God to help you to constantly stand and not fall. He will surely answer. A prayerless Christian is a powerless one! 

Your thoughts are powerful, take care of them too!  Everything we do most of the times comes from our mind. Make sure your thoughts are beautiful, lovely and pure ones (Philippians 4:8)

Now (that you're saved) is the time to seek and do only things that please God and not fall into temptations again (Colossians 3:1)

Reading and digesting the Word helps you key into God's promises.Not only that, as much as we love to get the promises, there are statutes for us to follow in the word of God. His statutes are His commandments to guide us through life and prevent us from committing sin, and If you don't study it, well you can't know and there are higher chances of falling into sin. 
The word of God also encompasses what God is saying about you, therefore you can know who you are in Him.  He has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus(Ephesians 2:6). Meaning you are raised higher than any form of enticement. temptations and gimmicks of the devil. High up with Jesus and you keep enjoying the freedom, grace and mercy in HIM. Above every evil manipulation, that's who you are.The devil cannot get you because you are you're greater than him. You now have God's grace and mercy working for you.Tell me, what can beat that?

 Another good news is that, Christ is the fullness of God and as you are now complete in HIM, which is the head of all principalities and power......and from time past He had spoiled and made an open show of them(disgraced their plans) triumphing over them for your sake (Colossians 2:9,10,15). Isn't that wonderful? God fought for you already. You are no longer held down in guilt and depression by the power of the devil through those habitual sins. You are a winner and conqueror in Christ!

    Yes! Since you have gotten to this point of grace,  continuously relying upon this provision of Grace will go a long way.  Grace so abundant and inexhaustible that will help you to steer clear of those habits that held you down. It is a battle and the whole victory over it is about the grace of God. God gives greater grace than our mess..... that is why only Him can help us stand fast and not fall again. His grace is greater than how far you think you have gone into those habits. And in His infinite mercy He has decided to clear out the mess. 

How do you get into the abundant grace of God? It is simply by submitting yourselves to Him (James 4:7) Submission is you putting down all the might you think you possess and surrendering to God, saying "I am weak without God,  I am lost without Him and I can't do nothing without Him". Completely submit to Him. We can't do no right thing ourselves except that God helps us to do so (Philippians 2:13),it is better to leave ourselves in His hands so that He will propel us to do the right things.

Submission to God is already cancelling self sufficiency (which It is simply raising our shoulders that we can sort ourselves out when obviously we have no power of our own, we are as helpless as 'the word helpless' itself). ...if we are too self sufficient, we won't be able to break free from these strongholds.
Without God we are nothing and can do nothing! In any corner of our head and hearts that self sufficiency might be hiding, it has now being replaced by a mind of God-sufficiency as we submit completely. Therefore let all the self sufficiency dwindle down and replace it with God-sufficiency. He is enough for you. 

    God does not want anyone to be miserable. Infact it is His will that we prosper in all things He has put in our hands (3 John 1:2). He has called you Forgiven, Redeemed, Acceptable, Justified, Beloved, Holy, Blameless, Triumphant, Fellow heir with Christ, Full of life, Success, Victory, Conqueror, Blessed and  much more. You see how much God want good things for you, how He loves you and has given you beautiful names. The devil doesn't have the opportunity of such that is why he is so bent on making you loose yours. But now he has failed over you and he is such a big loser!  Continuous recitation and affirmation of these to yourself with faith in God will counter and incapacitate all the devices of the devil against you. It will continue to remind you that you were created for better things than what (those evil habits) the devil coated to be good and nice and then lured you into it. 

Am sure you don't want to loose the promises beautiful things God has for your life and your generations for some unnecessary pleasure or cheap crack somewhere that the devil is using as his tool. And apparently, you don't want to miss heaven too! Take a step today to break out of those habits that held you down for so long. Make up your mind and tell it to God. 

I pray that as you take the steps to break those habits,  God will help you and you shall break free and free indeed in Jesus name, Amen!!! 

Thanks for reading and God bless. Jesus loves you and I love you too😀