How do I get over my addictions?
Posted in Pastor Says.


Would my talking to them change things?

Answer:

In handling addictions, you’re to speak to yourself not your addictions. Proverbs 25: 28 tells us that “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” This means that when you don’t have control over your spirit, anything can gain access into your life– the enemy can come in anytime.

Hence, it’s important that you have mastery over your spirit. The good news is that God’s Word tells you that you have the ability to control yourself to do what you ought to do and withhold yourself from not doing what you ought not to do. This is what 2 Peter 1:6 refers to as temperance. When you read from the 5th verse, you’re told to “add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance.” Did you notice that it is your responsibility to do the adding?

“Temperance” in the scripture above is from the Greek word, ‘egkrateia’ which means “self-control”, “holding yourself back”. It’s the ability to restrain yourself. Yes, you can do something about your addictions. However, you’re not going to be talking to your addictions but you’re going to be talking to yourself, to your own spirit. You’re going to be saying to yourself– “I will not do this!” And when you say that, because you have control over yourself, you’re not going to do it. One beautiful thing that happened to you when you receive Christ into your life is that your recreated human spirit is enabled with certain qualities, one of which is temperance; it’s one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). So if you’ve got temperance in your spirit, you cannot say “I have no rule over my spirit, I have no self-control; I can’t do this” No! You can, because you’re born again. Rather, you say this: “I have self-control; I can rule over my own spirit and I’m going to put it to work.” So, that’s the talking you’re supposed to do; not to talk to the addictions but to your own spirit.
Comments  
0 #2 Martha Owet 2016-03-02 05:07
Wow. Thank you Pastor. I am not a teenager, but l found myself reading the Q & A. There was a question that been running through my mind. That why is it, that my local just left us like this, is this going to be my life, that ibwould alway had to go through something? Pastor, all iIwas seeking is to peace God service him with everything within me. I am know seeking opportunity to service him in my local church. Sometime i felt like i am not wanted but i still go to church because i had no other place i rather be. But i want to service him more. Now my local Pastor leaving the church wit