The Real Answer to Addiction

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:13-14

Addiction is a worldwide epidemic. 

Over 60,000 people die each year from drugs.[1] Over 19 million American adults are currently battling a substance abuse disorder.[2] All of these numbers are the highest ever recorded. Not to mention the other addictions to things like pornography, food, and smartphones.

For a big portion of my life, I was one of these statistics. I lived solely to fill the gaping hole in my soul with anything I could get my hands on. Heroin was the only thing that seemed to work; at least for a season.

If you are currently struggling with any type of addiction, you know the pain of waking up every day, desperately empty, trying your hardest to just do the right thing and not give into the desire, only to find yourself caving in yet again. You may have burned bridges with your parents, friends, and maybe even your spouse or kids. Depending on the specific object of your addiction, you may have severe health and legal issues. I couldn’t even stand not to be high or drunk even for a few hours. I couldn’t stand to be in my own skin. All pathways from here look dark and hopeless.

My hope over the next few days is to not only provide you with the pathway to real freedom from addiction, but also to show you the real answer to the underlying emptiness that is our real problem. Whatever your situation, there is hope.

Freedom is possible. 

APPLICATION:

• What is the object of your addiction? (Alcohol, drugs, porn, smartphone, etc.)
• What have you tried to overcome this addiction?
• Are you willing to try another way? (if so, keep reading)

Scriptures: Psalms 16:11, John 3:16, Romans 10:9-13

What if addiction isn’t the main issue, but is a fruit of a problematic root?

The leading treatment methods and our attempts to escape usually fail because we are treating the fruit rather than root. Addiction is not primarily a physical or mental problem, but a spiritual one. This means the answer to addiction is spiritual.

CS Lewis, once wrote, “If we consider the unblushing promises and staggering nature of rewards found in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”[1]

Addiction is like jumping from slum to slum looking for better mud. What if the Answer to addiction is found in finding a Holiday at Sea?

This Holiday at Sea is found in a relationship with God. In the context of this relationship is where we find peace, security, acceptance, love, belonging, comfort, pleasure, identity, meaning, and joy. God’s design is for you to be in such unity with Him that you have no addiction, no fear, perfect identity, clear purpose, and feel completely okay in your own skin. This is the Holiday at Sea we long for.

As we can all tell, something has gone terribly wrong with this. We are separated from this life-giving relationship because of sin. This separation leaves us empty, searching for pleasure anywhere we can find it (alcohol, sex, popularity, power, drugs, etc.). As we continue to indulge in these faux pleasures, our heart, mind, and body become more and more enslaved. Addiction is running to anything other than God in order to fill our vacancies, which eventually enslaves our heart, mind, and body. Like a straitjacket, the more we fight, the tighter it gets. The natural end of this progression is death and eternal separation from God.

The Good News about God is He is not just a Holy Judge, but He is also a Loving Father who cares deeply about you. Rather than leaving us in our desperate condition, He made a way that we can be brought back into a right relationship with Himself to live the abundant life He has promised. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay for all the wrong we’ve done and who we are apart from Christ. Jesus was murdered, taking the punishment you and I deserve. “For while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). 

After Jesus was proven dead, He was put in a tomb, but he did not stay there long. On the third day, in the most important moment in human history, Jesus literally rose from the grave. By doing this, Jesus proved all He said was true, including His claims to be God. Sin, addiction, and death were defeated. This is the Gospel! God loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to live a perfect life in your place, die the death you deserve, and be raised from the dead to raise you into brand new life of freedom.

This is the answer to addiction. Addiction is slavery to anything other than God, but now we are free to be addicted to God.

APPLICATION:

• Where are running to fill your vacancies?
• Have you ever placed your faith in Jesus? If not, genuinely pray something like this: “Dear Heavenly Father, I know I have sinned against You and have not wanted anything to do with you. I am sorry I have worshipped drugs and other mediocre gods, rather than You. I know I can’t save myself and I can’t earn back your approval. But I believe that You can save me. I want you to save me. I believe you died on the cross in my place. I believe you rose from the dead. I repent of my sin and I place my faith in You. I give you everything. Take over my life. Fill me with Your Spirit. Lead me for the rest of my life. Please save me now. I love you Jesus.”
• If you have placed your faith in Jesus at some point in your life, but have strayed, pray a similar prayer as the one above. God is waiting with open arms for you to come home.

Scriptures: Luke 15:11-32, Ephesians 1:3-14

When a child is adopted, instantly their last name changes. Without doing anything right or changing any of their behavior or value system, they get a new identity. 

Because of what Jesus has done on your behalf you have been adopted into the family of God and you have a new identity! This happens immediately when you place your faith in Christ and isn’t determined by your actions or values. Now you will begin the lifelong process of adopting Kingdom family values and behaviors. 

In Luke 15, Jesus tells a story showing what happens when we begin a relationship with God and what gifts He gives us. A son of a wealthy man asks for his inheritance and leaves home to go find happiness. He wastes it on partying, prostitutes, and possibly drugs. He eventually runs out of money, experiences a famine, and shamefully comes back home, fully expecting to be scolded and punished. Rather than being punished, his Father embraces him, showers him with gifts, and throws a party.

Each one of the gifts illustrates an aspect of the son’s new identity. Like a father who’s adopting a child, who gives them a birth certificate, social security card, and a new last name, these gifts are crucial to your future. God is showing us what changed when we ran into His arms.

ROBE– The son shows up in dirty rags wreaking of pig dung and last night’s party, but his dad clothes him in an expensive robe made for a prince. This is a picture of how Jesus covers our shame and clothes us in His perfect righteousness.

RING– This symbolizes full acceptance and authority as a son. The young son was hoping to be accepted as one of the hired servants, but instead, his Father gives him the family signet ring, fully restoring him into the family. Likewise, you are now a child of God.

SHOES– in Jesus’ day, the feet were the most disgusting part of the person’s body. The fact that the Father gave his son shoes was a picture of how He covers the worst part of us.

FEAST– When the son left home, he was looking to get his fill in the world, but he ended up starving in a pigpen. The feast he was looking for was back at Dad’s house the whole time. The pleasure we were seeking in addiction is now on our plate every day in Christ.

Before we were in Christ, we had no choice in our addiction because we had a sin nature. We were enslaved. Our heart was in love with drugs, our mind was set on the flesh, and our body served sin. Now, the core of who you are has changed, but your heart, mind, and body must continue to be transformed. That’s what the rest of the devotional is about.

APPLICATION: 

• Find a quiet place to get alone with God for a while without any technology.
• During this time, write down who you used to be before you received Jesus. After you have finished this, draw a cross over your list and burn it. The old you has died.
• Read Ephesians 1 and write down your new identity. Who are you now that you are in Christ? Keep this somewhere you can see it every day. The new you is here to stay.

Scriptures: Genesis 1:26-28, Acts 2:41-47, Hebrews 10:24-25

To experience the fullness of life as a human we must live in community. It’s what we are made for! God’s original design was for us to have a perfect relationship with Him and a perfect relationship with others. The Gospel not only reconciles us back to God, but it also forms us into a family. As we do life with other Christians, our hearts, minds, and bodies will continue to be transformed into who God created us to be. Here are three ways we can pursue connected community:

1- CHURCH– For thousands of years, Christians have gathered to worship God. Finding a good church family to be a part of is one of the most crucial aspects of continuing to follow Jesus and living in forever freedom.

2- 3AM FRIENDS– Who we hang out with is who we eventually become. We must take a strong look at the people we are spending the most time with and make some serious changes. “The righteous choose their friends wisely” (Proverbs 12:26). I’d recommend cutting out every addiction relationship for at least a year. Begin spending time with people who are where you want to be.

3- SPIRITUAL MENTOR– Not only do we need godly friends, but also godly mentors. We need more mature Christians, who are typically older and the same gender, to show us how to continue to follow Jesus. They live as an example to us, helping us work through our past, and teaching us how to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.

For years, we have lived in isolation. Now, God has saved us and adopted us into His family. As we begin to do life with other people, we will quickly find that community is messy. People will let us down, and vice versa. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. You’ll surely find your heart, mind, and body becoming more like Jesus. Community will help you continue to live in freedom and not return to the mud pies in the slum, as you begin to enjoy this Holiday at Sea. 

APPLICATION: 

• What church are you going to plug into? How can you immerse yourself in this community?
• How can you find some 3am friends? Reach out to them and let them know what you are hoping for out of that friendship.
• Who do you know you need to cut out of your life for a season? Take the necessary action steps to make this a reality.
• Who is the person you’d like to mentor you? Reach out to them today.

Scriptures: Colossians 3:5-8, Matthew 5:29-30

Colossians 3 says, “Put to death, therefore, what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living (one version translates this word “addicted”) in them. But now you must put them all away” (verses 5-8a). 

Once we’ve been saved and given a new nature, our lives must be brought in accordance with these spiritual realities. The phrase “put to death” implies a violent attack. Not so much a nice funeral service, but a ruthless murder. God has given us a new nature, now we must brutally murder our old desires, thoughts, and actions if we are going to experience the full richness of intimacy with God.

These extreme measures echo Jesus’ words: “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell” (Matthew 5:29-30). We must be willing to cut anything out of our lives that keeps us from God.

A life of addiction brings with it a laundry list of shameful secrets, resentments, and fears. One way to “cut off your hand” is by writing down and confessing all the things still affecting you from the past, so the light of the Gospel can shine on each specific situation.

This process of evaluating the past is like having soul surgery. It hurts terribly and there is a long recovery process, but just like having surgery to cut out a cancerous mass, the process is worth the payoff. The pain of not addressing the cancer is much greater than the pain of surgery. Open yourself up to the Master Surgeon and allow Him to cut out all of the pain, hurt, and sickness. Cutting off your arm is worth the freedom it will produce!

APPLICATION: 

• What practical steps do you need to take to put addiction to death?

Scriptures: Psalms 63:1, Matthew 12:43-45, Ephesians 5:18

Many people stop just short of true freedom. They go to treatment, clean out their proverbial house, sweep the floors, make amends, go to the meetings, but soon find themselves in a worse state then when they started. I’ve tearfully watched hundreds of my friends go down this painful path. Jesus said this would happen:

“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also, will it be with this evil generation” (Matthew 12:43-45).

It’s not enough to get the bad out; we must also fill the empty space with something, or really Someone. Real freedom is not found in the absence of something (like drugs or alcohol), but in the presence of Someone. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17). If we are going to experience lasting freedom, we must not only clean our spiritual house as we talked about in the last devotional, but we must also be filled with the Spirit of God. We must not only pull the weeds; we must also plant good seeds. 

In Ephesians 5:18, Paul says, “Do not be drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but instead be filled with the Spirit.” God’s alternative to addiction to drugs and alcohol is satisfaction in God. We are not supposed to “just say no,” but rather, replace it with something better. The opposite of drunkenness and addiction is not sobriety but being filled with the Holy Spirit. It’s not white-knuckled abstinence but being immersed in the joy of knowing God. 

APPLICATION: 

• What are the current ways you are enjoying God?
• Ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit and to teach you how to drink deeply of Him.
• As you read the next day in this devotional, construct a plan of how to pursue God with the same vigor that you pursued alcohol or drugs.

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Matthew 6:9-13, Psalms 19:7-10

God encourages us to look at the training regimen of athletes as examples to follow in our spiritual lives. “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27a). Most great athletes train in pursuit of medals and fame that will pass away when they do, but we are training for a prize that doesn’t fade with time.

There are dozens of spiritual training exercises that you can apply in your daily life will grow you in godliness and allow you to experience more joy in God. Here are just a few you can start with:

PRAYER– Just how any relationship is cold and distant without communication, our relationship with God will grow cold if we never speak to Him from our hearts. As we learn to come to God to just talk, listen, adore, intercede, thank, and ask, we will find our hearts growing more in love with Him and we will experience greater depths of freedom.

BIBLE– Just as prayer is the way to talk to God, the Bible is one of the main ways God talks to us. The Bible is literally God’s Words to us. God spoke the universe into existence by His Word, and it still holds that much power today. As we read it, we experience His life and breath into our souls.

NIGHTLY REVIEW– Just as a professional athlete and his coach regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the training regimen in order to continually get better, we must also regularly evaluate each day to continue to improve. Taking some time each night to get alone with God and review your day will lead to lasting fruit.

The late Jim Rohn has famously said, “We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.” Every person has this choice. Will we discipline ourselves today and experience the benefits, or will we punt on the pain of today surely to reap impending remorse in the future? 

I have looked at many addicts in their eyes as they tearfully experience this throbbing regret. They knew the right way to go but chose not to embrace the pain of discipline. Don’t let this be your story. Fully surrender everything to Jesus and live a life full of trust and training. Let’s run this race with discipline, knowing the eternal prize of endless joy is ours for the taking.

APPLICATION: 

• Construct a plan of how to pursue God through spiritual training with the same vigor that you pursued alcohol or drugs.
• What time(s) each day you will carve out to be with God in a more focused personal way?
• Where in the Bible will you begin reading? (if you don’t know where to start, I’d recommend starting in John)

Scriptures: Philippians 2:3-8, Mark 16:15, Matthew 28:17-20

I used to be at the center of my own universe, and I expected everyone to revolve around me, including God. My opinion is what mattered. Everyone and everything were created to meet my needs and serve me. This is the mindset of most people, especially people in addiction. The truth is, God does not revolve around us like some sort of deified butler; we revolve around Him. People are not here to meet our needs; we’re here to serve them and point them to the real Center. I am not the crown jewel of the Universe; God is.

When this miracle happens, everything begins to shift, and we reap the benefits. Our joy is multiplied when Jesus takes His rightful seat at the center of our universe

Self-centeredness is the antithesis of joy in God. When we are consumed with ourselves, we’re miserable, but when we die to ourselves and God becomes our new center, we come alive. Rather than expecting people to serve us, we are called to give up our lives for the good of others. Rather than being served and miserable, we’re called to serve others out of an overflow of joy in God. 

The antidote to a miserable, selfish life is selflessness that flows from a heart that has been transformed by the Gospel. The most pleasurable life is one lived for the fame of God and the good of others. Jesus laid down his life, “for the joy set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2), and we are called to do the same.

This can look like holding a door for someone, giving money to the poor, letting someone stay with you for a season, or giving someone a ride. It could look like starting a non-profit to feed the poor, care for orphans, save people from the sex slave industry, or help others find freedom from addiction. It could mean being a missionary, planting a church, or thousands of other things, but the pinnacle of this love is sharing the best gift–the Gospel.

Jesus commands us, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16). Once we’ve experienced the grace and love of God in salvation we are not only saved, satisfied, and set free, but we are also sent on mission to bring the Kingdom of God to earth and tell others about how they can be saved too. Our purpose is to enjoy God and share Him with as many people as possible. You have an unlimited supply of the vaccine this world is dying for!

APPLICATION:

• Who is at the center of your Universe? How can you make Jesus the center?
• How can you begin serving and loving others today?
• Who can you share your story and the Gospel with today?
• What would it look like for you to devote the rest of your life to wild mission? Spend some time in prayer, asking God to use you to change the world.

Scripture: Luke 8:4-15

Many addiction specialists have declared that relapse is part of the recovery process. The graves of thousands have taken their advice, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Many have been set free for good, never to return to their ex-lover. The Holiday at Sea has become their eternal home. How can this be your reality? How can you have forever freedom?

Jesus sheds some light on this in Luke 8, in the Parable of the Sower. In this parable Jesus shows us the spiritual journey of four different types of people. Three of them fall away, but one perseveres until the end. These examples shed light on some of the main pitfalls we need to watch out for, as well as give us hope and show us the pathway to remain faithful and free forever.

PITFALL #1- The Enemy

The first pitfall Jesus tells us to watch out for is demonic opposition. In the parable, the devil prevents the hearer from ever believing, but he is a continued antagonist for the believer. We must be on guard at all times against the schemes of the enemy, putting on the armor of God every single day, and stay consistent in prayer and time in the Word. 

PITFALL #2- Testing and Persecution

The second person in Jesus’ parable is one who seems to receive Jesus with joy, but once they face opposition and persecution, they fall away. The Bible is clear that following Jesus will not be easy (John 16:33). When we face difficult times, we can either turn away from God, shaking our fist at him because our lives aren’t perfect, or lean into His promises, trusting that He will sustain us through it all.

PITFALL #3- Earthly Pleasures

The last pitfall Jesus addresses has to do with “the cares and riches and pleasures of life.” This is likely the most dangerous and discrete pitfall because the “choking” Jesus mentions isn’t instant. It’s a slow fade. We start out strong in our spiritual lives, bearing lots of healthy fruit, but we allow money, success, relationships, possessions, and other good things to choke out the God things. We slowly drift into loving the stuff God gives, and away from loving God Himself. We must be vigilant against this sneaky pitfall.

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

Although the opposition is fierce, Jesus does not leave us without hope in the parable. “As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.” He says there is a pathway to remaining faithful and fruitful forever. To these people, he promises a life that impacts the world a hundredfold what anyone could have thought or dreamed. This is a promise God loves to make good on!

APPLICATION:

• What are some of the main lies the devil puts into your mind on a regular basis? How can you replace these with truth?
• What will your response be when people persecute you for your faith?
• What are the main ways you are tempted by the pleasures of the world? How will you respond when these desires come?
• How is life going to look if you continue to stay faithful to Jesus? Spend some time journaling about the “hundredfold” life that Jesus is promising you.

Scripture: James 1:2-4

C. S. Lewis said, “Pain insists on being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, he speaks in our conscience, but he shouts in our pain. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

When many first become Christians, they have the false impression that everything will now go well for them in every aspect of life and suffering will be eliminated. The Bible does have some promises of prosperity, but Jesus also promises we will suffer. “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:12). God does not promise you an easy life on this side of eternity, but He does promise He will be with you through it all and He will be enough regardless of your circumstances. 

We will all experience internal and external pain on this side of eternity, but there are some benefits of suffering that will allow us to suffer well.

1- Intimacy

One of my mentors has said, “The Christian life is a series of mountain peaks and deep valleys. The mountain peaks are where you get to see God, but the valleys are where you get to know Him.” I’ve found this to be true throughout my Christian journey. When I am in the pit, I experience desperation for God and my intimacy with Him expands. Earthly pain is not opposed to joy in God; sometimes it’s actually a catalyst for more joy in Him.

2- Growth

The other incredible thing to point out about mountaintops and valleys is not much grows on top of a mountain, but the most fertile soil is typically in the deepest valleys. God sometimes allows pain to come into our lives to plant new things that will give us more abundant life in the future.

3- Purpose

God is the master of taking awful circumstances and using them to help others. Whatever your pain, God can use it to help others. Rather than playing the victim role, you can echo Joseph’s reaction to extreme pain. “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20).

4- Eternal Life

Maybe the most encouraging thing to focus on amid pain and suffering is the reality of eternal life. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). One fragment of a second in the presence of God is going to be worth decades of intense suffering. The sublime joy of heaven and life in the new earth is going to make every moment of suffering worth it.

When you face hard times, both internally and externally, you have a choice. You can either run back to the porn, pills, or a pipe to numb your pain for a minute or you can fight to keep your eyes on Jesus. Running to your addiction will satisfy for a moment but end in more pain and destruction. Running to God will increase your intimacy, grow you spiritually, give you massive purpose, and fill you with hope for everlasting joy. Following Jesus is not easy, but it’s worth it.

APPLICATION

• What are the hardest things happening in your life right now, both internally and externally? How are you currently dealing with these pain points?
• Based on what we’ve discussed, how can you cultivate more intimacy with Jesus during hard times?
• How could you use your pain to help someone else today or in the near future?
• Is there anything in your life where you are not following God’s will because you think you know better? How can you surrender that to Him today?

Scripture: Luke 8:26-39

In Luke 8, Jesus meets a man oppressed by a legion of demons. Jesus cast the demons out of the man, and he was saved, set free, and sent on mission. Jesus tells the man, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you” (verse 39). He listened and “went away proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.” Historians have hypothesized that this man went on to flip his city upside down for the gospel and leave a legacy of freedom and joy in Jesus for generations to come.

Since I met Christ, I have thought a lot about what my life will mean. As I’ve attended more funerals, I’ve heard many speeches and gazed at many tombstones. I’ve sometimes wondered, What will people say at my funeral? What difference will I make? What will the dash between my birth date and death date represent? What will my life speak when I’m not here anymore? What will change in eternity because of my life? What legacy will I leave?

For many people with pasts like you and me, the answer to that question is to stay sober or not be addicted anymore. This is definitely a noble cause worth shooting for, but I believe God has more in store. 

Jesus didn’t just tell the demoniac to attempt not be possessed by demons anymore but told him to spend the rest of his life making an eternal impact and leaving a legacy. Jesus’s words are still speaking to you. “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” Devote the rest of your life to leaving something that will outlive your life and will matter in eternity. Your remaining years are exploding with kingdom potential.

APPLICATION:

• If you have yet to turn your entire life over to Christ, do it now. Get on your knees and genuinely repent, turning everything over to Him.
• Spend some time dreaming about what you want your life to mean. What is God saying? Write it down, and put it somewhere you can see it.
• Thank God for saving you, setting you free, and satisfying your soul. Ask Him to use your life for His glory and your joy.