Addictions

Addictions, Negative Thoughts, Temptations

Comfort, unmet love, addictions, temptations, and our flesh have a basis of unmet needs, longing, desires, and emptiness. Experiences with painful emotional memories of fear, trauma, hopelessness, hurt, neglect, rejection, abandonment, anger at real or perceived offences, negative thoughts of condemnation of shame, guilt, worthlessness, failure, and valueless can all lead to addictions.

Painkillers

Addiction is a trap people can fall into when they are in emotional and/or in physical pain. Substances help ease the immediate pain and stress, but the pain is still there because pain is tied to our memories. To truly overcome the addiction one is tempted with, one must eliminate the emptiness or emotional pain the addiction is temporarily soothing. Courage is a healthy way to overcome fear. Alcohol can also overcome fear temporarily, but unfortunately, alcohol overcomes moral resistance that leads to condemning thoughts of shame and guilt later on.

Our Worst Enemy

Negative thoughts pull many down, for we can be our own worse enemy. 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV) “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” which means we must control our thoughts based on what the Bible tells us. If our thoughts are saying we are valueless, worthless, a failure, shameful, or guilty, then we must say “No, I don’t agree because God’s truth says differently.”

Unfortunately, this is not that easy until we gain mature knowledge of who we are. We may have painful memories where parents, teachers, children, or others have programmed worthlessness or failure into our mind / subconscious by such comments as “you will never amount to anything.” For example, we can use food to fill a need of comfort that we didn’t receive back when we needed it as a child.

Our Need to Fill the Empty Hole

Strong temptation comes from our flesh or old nature in part as a result of the fallen world. Our old nature includes the generational sin of our parents, but also those events of our own life. If our need for love went unmet as a child, then we can be tempted in sexual ways because of our need to fill the empty hole. The truth is God’s love is sufficient. Our ministry will help people find God’s truth. What tempts each person depends on his or her greatest desires. Many times people with addictions suffer from depression and have relationship problems.

Renewal Leads to Transformation

It is critical to know who you are in Christ so you can defend yourself. James 4:7 (NIV) “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Romans 12:2 says we will be transformed by the renewal of our mind. Filling our minds with truth is good. However, this sets up a major conflict between truth and the lies of the past. The battle between conflicting thoughts and emotions can be exhausting and uncomfortable. Jesus said His yoke was easy. And indeed, He has shown us a better way.

In the process of renewing or rebuilding, the defective must first be removed. Then it can be replaced with good. The sinful lies of fear, anger, self-hate, shame, guilt, etc., must be replaced with God’s truth, and it is at this point that transformation begins. Our ministry will help you through the renewal process. Forgiveness is always an issue in recovering. Ministry will benefit people.

Further Information:

Addictions.Org Guide to Recovery
www.addictions.org

Addictions
www.enotalone.com/250-1.html

God’ Promise – Addictions
http://www.intouch.org/myintouch/exploring/promises/addictions_93807.html

Addictions
http://elishasmantle.freeyellow/com/addiction