28 Jan De-Hooked – Learning to overcome addiction in your life PART 3

The Bible tells us, “He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengthens for himself among the trees of the forest; he plans an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.  Then shall it be for a man to burn; for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yes, he kindles it and bakes bread; yea, he makes a god and worshippeth it; he makes it a graven image, and falls down thereto.  He burns part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eats flesh; he roasts roast, and is satisfied: yes, he warm himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire; And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falls down unto it and worships it, and prays unto it, and saith, Deliver me, for thou art my god” (Isaiah 44:14-17).

In these powerful verses, we can see how man takes a good thing such as fire and warms himself.  Warming yourself is good. He then makes bread with it…also good. He then roasts meat with it…again, good.  Lastly he makes an idol out of it…not good.  Remember this:  Idolatry occurs when we take good things and turn them into god things.

Before we continue let’s review…

Over the past few weeks we have shared that…Without knowing it, we begin to turn a good thing into a god thing.  We turn to it in time of need (instead of God) and ask it in essence to “deliver us”. 

We then shared with you “Four Addiction Aspects”:

1. We turn to something in time of anxiety
2. We try to get something from it that it does not have the ability to provide
3. We then turn to higher levels of it to gain the same experience (or high)
4. Addiction occurs when you no longer have it…now it has you.

We began to share…

Four Hooked Horizons:

1. Don’t admit you have a problem (Jer. 3:13).  Simply begin making excuses for yourself.

This week let’s continue with…

2. Gratify your fleshly desires (Gal. 5:16-17).

Have you ever seen a spoiled two year old in Walmart?  If not, let me share with you “Six Brat Barometers” that will paint a vivid picture:

1. Buy it!
2. Grab it!
3. Chase it!
4. Eat it!
5. Give into it!
6. If you don’t get it…throw a fit!

Have you ever seen any or all of these characteristics amongst two year olds at Walmart?  I have and it makes me want to spank their parents! I remember my missions director and I went to Russia to minister many years back.  We had an eight hour flight from New York to England. My missions director got stuck sitting next to one of these “Walmart children”. He was kicking his feet all over my missions director and his food tray for large periods of time.  His mother did absolutely nothing. I never laughed so hard in my life on an eight hour flight! I simply watched in delight as my missions director was being “hijacked” by a five year old “terrorist”!

Unfortunately, we do this all the time when we gratify our fleshly desires.  When we leave our phone unblocked. When we go to the grocery store hungry and bring back lots of junk food.  When we refuse to put integrity-oriented filters on our I-phone and computers. Then to top it all off we throw a fit when we don’t get what our flesh wants.  This is step two in getting hooked.

We will have to stop here for time sake.  I know, I only have you in step two of the problem, but if you stay with me over the next number of months, I will equip you to get “De-hooked!”

Join us next month as we continue our series…