“Our Daily Bread”     http://odb.org/

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie    http://www.harvest.org/devotional

Written by bruce r. mills for “God’s group” @  www.Godsmanforever.com

[Reposted from 2/09/2019]

“Why I need God, because of my addiction to…”

Every man, woman, and child, old enough to understand and obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, needs God in total control of their lives, whether they know this now, or not !!

This is a statement of fact, if you are a “born again” Christian, where there is no room for debate…That is, if you are walking in and by the Full power of the Holy Spirit…  See 2. below for an amazing commentary of the following scripture, penned by the apostle Paul, in…

Galatians 5:16…  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (ESV)

I write this series of posts starting today, for every person I am friends with, including my Facebook friends, whether I know them personally or not !!  This includes some atheists I know, at one end of the spectrum…when it comes to “Why I need God !!…all the way to the “born again” Christian at the other end of the spectrum, who is doing their absolute best to walk with the Lord…  We can walk with the Lord, if we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us (to take total control of our lives), as seen in this scripture, penned by the Apostle Paul, in…

Ephesians 5:18-20…  And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,   (NKJV)

Today I focus on people with all kinds of addictions…  The main addictions that come to mind are drugs and alcohol…pornography…gambling…excessive time playing video games…and spending much too much time on social media…  Oh, and let’s not forget over eating and too much TV, especially concerning politics (this is my personal problem), along with professional sports…   These are all addictions that “gratify the desires of the flesh”, for any number of reasons…

Satan loves it, when we are addicted to anything which will keep us from either finding God, or from living “Christ centered”, Spirit filled lives, once we become “born again” Christians…  [See 1. below, for how one becomes a “born again” Christian, from God above…John 1:10-13]

I have heard it said…”I don’t need God !!”, by some people not saved by God’s grace…  Anyone who believes this, has been blinded by Satan to understanding the truth God want them to know…   Satan is the father of lies, and the ruler of this world…  We see this penned by the apostle Paul, in…

John 8:44…  You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.   (ESV)

For those who have not become “born again” Christians, they will have an extremely hard time to quit their addiction to drugs, alcohol, pornography, and gambling…which I classify as the toughest addictions to overcome in our own strength…

We see in this scripture penned by the apostle Paul, that Satan is the god of this world, and he blinds unbelievers to the truth God wants them to understand…

2 Corinthians 4:3-4…  And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.⁴ In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  (ESV)

You say you don’t need God’s help to quit your addiction ??   But I am here to share the truth from God’s Word, for those who can’t help themselves…  Jesus tells us in the parable of the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-30)…that it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to get into heaven…  When His disciples heard this they gasped, and asked Jesus…“Who then can be saved?”, because in those days it was thought that the rich could buy their way into heaven by giving alms to the church…  Jesus responds to His Disciples with this truth, in…

Matthew 19:26-27…  When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”²⁶ But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”   (ESV)

Jesus was speaking about being graced by God with eternal life in heaven…  But we see in this and other scriptures, that God can do things for us, and open doors we could never open on our own…  Some other pieces of scripture showing the supernatural power of God, are found in…

Philippians 4:13…   I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  (NKJV)    And we see in this scripture about being strengthened by God’s power, in…

Ephesians 3:16-20…   that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— ¹⁹ to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,  (NKJV)

If you are truly trying to quit an addiction on your own, without God’s help as an unbeliever…it will be an uphill, sometimes impossible task…  But when the Holy Spirit opens your eyes to this truth, that with God all things are possible…it just might be time to humble yourself, and to seek God’s help while He may still be found (Isaiah 55:6-7)… God wants to take your burdens away, as seen in this scripture, in…

Matthew 11:29-30…  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  (ESV)

God uses the “good news” message of the cross to save sinners…  You can be saved by God’s grace, through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, found in 1. below…

And if you are a “born again” Christian, trying to quit an addiction in your own strength…you should get down on your hands and knees and ask God to search your heart, just like King David did, in… Psalm 139:23-24…    God wants you to put Him first in your life…

Psalm 139:23-24…  Search me, O God, and know my heart;  Try me, and know my anxieties; ²⁴ And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.  (NKJV)

God promises to hear any prayer that is in His will for your life, in…1 John 5:14-15…  And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.  (ESV)

You want to quit that addiction, or any sin that is controlling your life with God’s help ??  The Apostle John gives us scripture to pray to God, in order to confess, repent, and turn from our sinful ways, in…

1 John 1:9…  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (NKJV)

God gives us free will…  You have to decide if you really want to quit that addiction or controlling sin, by seeking the help that God wants to give you…  Not only can God give you the power to stop your addiction dead in its tracks…God will bless His obedient children with the nine fruit of the Spirit, that the apostle Paul pens in…

Galatians 5:22-23…   But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  (ESV)

This Spiritual fruit will grow and mature, as the Christian continues to walk in and by the power of the Holy Spirit…  So what are you waiting for ??

Gracious God and heavenly Father…I pray You will draw those who are not yet “born again” Christians to Yourself (John 6:44); and that the Holy Spirit would urge them to open and obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, as presented in 1. below…  I pray Father, that any of Your redeemed children who are struggling with any addiction or any other sin, would be urged to confess their sins before You…and by the power of the Holy Spirit, that they would be able to be free from any and all addictions, and temptations to sin…  I pray Father, that once they experience the blessings You promise to shower upon Your obedient children…that the joy of their salvation would continue to grow…as they seek to live lives that will be pleasing to You…  I pray for this fullness of Christ in all of our lives, in Jesus’ most precious name, and for His sake…Amen…

Blessings in Christ,  bruce

References:

1. If you are not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth for this most important days writing, about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes. This, after the Holy Spirit changes your will to understand and then obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…    https://godsmanforever.com/2016/12/19/the-gospel-of-our-lord-jesus-christ-12182016-written-by-bruce-r-mills/

2. Commentary on Galatians 5:16…    https://bible.org/seriespage/5-spirit-work-spirit-filled-life

3. Satan is Ruler of this World, by John Piper –  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82PP2vyxBx8

Picture credit:  https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1SQJL_enUS832US832&sxsrf=ALeKk02QBGcWnWMbZ1L0m57KmcCCA_hDFg:1629720946885&source=univ&tbm=isch&q=Image+God+I%27m+tired+of+this&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjkqvzQj8fyAhVnRN8KHTBDBTsQjJkEegQIBxAC&biw=1365&bih=927#imgrc=HsrSj8LUMmI98M