Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Suffer The Cross To Overcome Addictions

When you do what Jesus says, you will have victory with Him:

Mark 8:34
When He had called the people to himself, with his disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

When you deny yourself and take up your cross to follow Jesus, you cannot at the same time follow after sin. So, you will refuse to give in to a temptation; you will suffer in your flesh. But if you are willing to deny your flesh and suffer with the help of God, you will see his deliverance. You have to count not sinning (offending God) as more precious than avoiding pain and diving into sin. That’s a self-sacrifice you would make out of love for God because you want to please Him and no longer serve/please yourself and your flesh and continue to sin (1 Peter 4:1-3, Romans 6:16).

The key to victory is true repentance. This is what fuels the addiction: constant surrender to temptations to sin (therefore surrender to the devil to do his will - 2 Timothy 2:26) rather than surrender to God to do his will. It’s an idol you have in your heart, something you value more than God. It's up to you to make a choice and act according to the choice you have made to serve God rather than to serve your “self” and go on sinning. And the results will follow according to God's promise: "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you..." (James 4:8).

James 1:12
Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been tested, he will receive a crown of life, which Go
d has promised to those who love him.

Luke 6:46-49
46 "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say? 47 Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words, and does them, I will show you who he is like. 48 He is like someone building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But he who hears, and does not do, is like someone who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."

John 14:15
If you love me, keep my commandments.

1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

1 Peter 4:1-2

1 Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin; 2 that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for human desires, but for the will of God.

You have to show God that you are serious and that you trust Him to help you when you have made the decision to stop sinning no matter what comes your way. You need to have the faith to face the unknown with God when you stand your ground and refuse to give in to the temptation, even when it is very strong and you’re at your wit’s end. Focus on Jesus and expect his help. That’s how the rubber of your faith hits the road to freedom from your addiction. Believe that Jesus will come and rescue you, and by his grace He will give you power to be an overcomer and not be overcome.



See also:
Freedom From Sin

Is Repentance Just a Change of Mind?

How To Crucify The Flesh

Connecting with God through Jesus (Book)   




Are We All Sinners?




Freedom From Porn Addiction - video playlist







ADDENDUM

Prayer  Only Is Not The Answer.
You also need to be doing what God expects you to be doing. Your deliverance is not going to come suddenly from just praying for deliverance (either your own prayers or the prayers of other people for you). You have to be fighting, too. Have you ever resisted doing something you knew was a sin, and it was hard and you still stood fighting and in the end, you did not commit the sin? If you have done that once, then you can do it again. You can do it every time you are tempted to sin. But if you never resisted the devil so that you would not sin, you are not showing to God that you really want to be done with sin. You are not showing to God that you have faith in Him bringing you to a new life where you are no longer struggling with sin. So, prayers won't be answered if your attitude is wrong about sin and about not sinning (Isaiah 59:1-2, 1 Peter 3:12). But if you are fighting, God will strengthen you and you will be stronger for every new fight until you are overcoming sin and not struggling any more. That's the plan and you need to keep it in mind. Listen to this video below a few times attentively and make notes on how you can start fighting. Your love for God is key. 
 
 
 





 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQKBVZh0-tlLQ9tcwoYBOyf0te8V7CNh4

 
 












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