How to Overcome Addictions?

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MaxPC
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How to Overcome Addictions?

Post by MaxPC »

KingdomBuilder wrote:
Signtist wrote:Now this deserves it's own thread. Maybe we should have a "How to Overcome Addictions" thread as well as a thread on how we can help those who are addicted
Sounds like a good idea
Here's the thread suggested. Lester brought up accountability below.

Any other ideas/suggestions?
lesterb wrote: I think that all of the above recognize the need for community of some sort in the battle to overcome. Whether it's Tops (for people with eating addictions) or AA (for alcoholics), or what ever. I think the local church should be a major factor in the battle to overcome. Too often we ignore such people.
So true. Those programs addressing addictions that have the highest success rate have community accountability methods: regular meetings and sponsors that help the person attend those meetings regularly. Accountability and community supports the person's need for maintaining sobriety or other program.
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lesterb
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Re: How to Overcome Addictions?

Post by lesterb »

Another help is admitting that we have an addiction. So many addicts are sure that they could stop anytime they want to.
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Re: How to Overcome Addictions?

Post by gcdonner »

lesterb wrote:I think that all of the above recognize the need for community of some sort in the battle to overcome. Whether it's Tops (for people with eating addictions) or AA (for alcoholics), or what ever. I think the local church should be a major factor in the battle to overcome. Too often we ignore such people.

Another help is admitting that we have an addiction. So many addicts are sure that they could stop anytime they want to.
As noted by lesterb above, there are "step" programs that do help, but without the help of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of the church (ie, members within the church, not necessarily just the leadership) they all fall short, since the real power to overcome any kind of addiction or wrong behavior is founded in true repentance, empowerment by the HS and accountability to spiritual friends/brothers.
I use the term friends here, because too often within the church, some get involved who just stand in judgment without helping. Judgment/condemnation are a hindrance to the work of the HS in these situations. Let Him do His job and we do our jobs without trying to be gods on our own.
Jesus died for two reasons, imo, to deliver us from the penalty of sin, but also to deliver us from the power of sin. Paul addresses this whole issue in Romans 6.
Resistance to sin is expected by God
Jas 4:5  Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 
6  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 
7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 
8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 
9  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 
10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
 
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Re: How to Overcome Addictions?

Post by JimFoxvog »

I read The Cross and the Switchblade in the '60s. One powerful point was people becoming free from addictions by the power of the Holy Spirit. Since the book was written, Wilkerson found out that being baptized in the Holy Spirit did not always free someone from heroin, but God still works through his Spirit.
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Re: How to Overcome Addictions?

Post by gcdonner »

JimFoxvog wrote:I read The Cross and the Switchblade in the '60s. One powerful point was people becoming free from addictions by the power of the Holy Spirit. Since the book was written, Wilkerson found out that being baptized in the Holy Spirit did not always free someone from heroin, but God still works through his Spirit.
This is certainly true, but without his help we are hopeless. The issue is not with the Holy Spirit, however, but leaky vessels who don't follow his guidance and leading. The Pentecostal experience is NOT a one time thing, contrary to many Charismatics and you can take that from a former Pentecostal preacher.
As the old song goes, ♫...I need thee every hour...♫
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Re: How to Overcome Addictions?

Post by temporal1 »

gcdonner wrote:
JimFoxvog wrote:I read The Cross and the Switchblade in the '60s. One powerful point was people becoming free from addictions by the power of the Holy Spirit. Since the book was written, Wilkerson found out that being baptized in the Holy Spirit did not always free someone from heroin, but God still works through his Spirit.
This is certainly true, but without his help we are hopeless.

The issue is not with the Holy Spirit, however, but leaky vessels who don't follow his guidance and leading.

The Pentecostal experience is NOT a one time thing, contrary to many Charismatics and you can take that from a former Pentecostal preacher.

As the old song goes, ♫...I need thee every hour...♫
george, i appreciate what you have to say about God's power to heal, and the importance of the Holy Spirit in overcoming (sin.) you wrote about this on MD, i'm glad you're continuing to share about it on MN.

programs like AA acknowledge the presence of "a (generic) higher power" (i believe is their wording.)
but, you are correct, they maintain "once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic."
which does conflict with scriptures about God's power, and the Holy Spirit.

these programs are generally accepted as the best there is.
i don't mean to devalue them! i don't sense you do, either ..
but, i believe you are correct: there is room for improvement in better understanding of God's Word.
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temporal1
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Re: How to Overcome Addictions?

Post by temporal1 »

From "What is an Addiction?" Page 2 ..
(the source of this thread's OP quote)
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=122&start=10
gcdonner wrote:I'm not sure if this perspective has been implied in the posts above, but...

There is a chemical imbalance that takes place with addiction to anything, from coffee to cocaine and everything in between.

That imbalance can be passed on to offspring making them susceptible to addiction.
It all does begin with sin, whether in the first generation or the 10th.

:arrow: The first step in healing is repentance and then the imbalances can be dealt with according to their symptoms.

Alcohol is sin when used in excess and it does alter normal behavior as a result, which is why Paul exhorts to "be not drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit." It is a matter of choice which kind of spirit[Spirit] you want to be filled with.

:arrow: Simply attempting to abstain without the Helper, is a fools errand and human history verifies this fact.

:arrow: It most often does take time to cleanse the system, though God chooses to miraculously heal according to his wisdom and knowledge.

The admonition to flee temptation is not without reason.

To simply tell someone to come clean is heartless and ignorant.
To walk beside someone while they overcome and help them on the path to wholeness is our duty.

AA has a good reason for their meetings.
Addicts need accountability, but let's not be as vain as they are and never be able to confess that "I am healed".

:arrow: To continue to call oneself a "recovering addict" is to predispose oneself to failure.
There is complete deliverance in Christ.

:arrow: Even Jesus used methods in his healings, not all were instantaneous.

Think about it.
you point out the first step as repentance.
above, "denial" was mentioned as a stumbling block.
to stop denying, and to repent, go hand-in-hand.
this, for all sins.
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Re: How to Overcome Addictions?

Post by Josh »

I think it would be useful for some people who've actually had addictions (and I mean real addictions) to comment on how they've overcome them. It's not very useful for people who don't really know what an addiction is like to remark on how they think people should overcome them.
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Re: How to Overcome Addictions?

Post by gcdonner »

Josh wrote:I think it would be useful for some people who've actually had addictions (and I mean real addictions) to comment on how they've overcome them. It's not very useful for people who don't really know what an addiction is like to remark on how they think people should overcome them.
I was addicted to cigarettes for a number of years before coming to Christ. I had at least a pack a day habit. The night I committed my life to him I was delivered instantaneously and have never had another cigarette since nor had a desire to in 32 years.
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Re: How to Overcome Addictions?

Post by lesterb »

gcdonner wrote:
Josh wrote:I think it would be useful for some people who've actually had addictions (and I mean real addictions) to comment on how they've overcome them. It's not very useful for people who don't really know what an addiction is like to remark on how they think people should overcome them.
I was addicted to cigarettes for a number of years before coming to Christ. I had at least a pack a day habit. The night I committed my life to him I was delivered instantaneously and have never had another cigarette since nor had a desire to in 32 years.
That isn't the case for everyone, however. A friend of mine was delivered like this from drugs and alcohol at his conversion. However, six months later, when the Lord convicted him about smoking it was different. He was victorious over that too, but it was a definite battle for him.

God knows what we can handle, and what we need to learn yet. Let's not judge people just because it goes differently for them than it did for us.
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