Addiction Addiction Being abnormally tolerant to and dependent

Addiction

Addiction: • Being abnormally tolerant to and dependent on something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming (especially alcohol or narcotic drugs) (Word Web) • The condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or involved in something. (American Heritage Dictionary).

2 Timothy 3: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

Lovers of themselves

Lovers of money

Slanders

Lovers of pleasure Alcohol

Smokers lung on left Nonsmokers lung on right

Meth rots your teeth Drugs For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

Pornography

Watching TV

Serving others

Romans 6: 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

1. Do you keep repeating what you are doing over and over? 2. Has you desire for this thing become stronger? 3. Are you setting aside more and more time to engage in this activity? 4. Can you stop doing it for 4 weeks or even 6 months or does the thought of quitting seem impossible? 5. Do you find it emotionally fulfilling to do it? 6. Is what are doing taking away quality time away from your family or kids? 7. Is it affecting your ability to live life? 8. Is it causing you to neglect serving God or studying His Word as you should? 9. If you told someone what you were doing with your time, would they be shocked and horrified? 10. Is what you are doing causing harm to your body? 11. Is what you are doing a sin?

2 Corinthians 13: 5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? -- unless indeed you are disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9: 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

2 Peter 1: 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to selfcontrol perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

5 things that will help overcome addiction 1. Prayer Hebrews 4: 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 2. Addiction won’t be fixed overnight, so don’t ever give up trying to kick the addiction.

3. Hang around those that can strengthen you. Proverbs 13: 20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.

4. Study God’s Word daily 2 Timothy 3: 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Peter 1: 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, You see everything we need to know on how to exercise self-control can be found in God’s word.

5. Keep your thoughts on righteousness Proverbs 23: 7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. 2 Corinthians 10: 5 bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,