I know that someone is dealing with an addiction on today, whether it is an addiction to drugs, alcohol, sex, shopping, cursing, cigarettes, that other man’s wife or that other woman’s husband but I stopped by to tell you, GIVE IT TO GOD! Yea, you’ve been praying for God to take the taste for the addiction from your lips but God can’t do that until you give it to him. Don’t you know if God takes anything that’s not his that would make him a thief? See, God didn’t give you the addiction but your flesh did so the only way for him to take it from your grasp, you have to give it to him. God doesn’t steal but he sure does heal, but you have to make the first step. If you’re holding on to something that you know keeps you out of the realm of God, give it to him. Will the desire for it disappear overnight, no but it’ll happen if you have faith that it can be done and then work towards it because God never fails. It won’t be easy but what is? 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” See, having an addiction is something that most have dealt with, so it’s not uncommon. As a matter of fact, everyone has somebody in their family that is addicts so don’t think you’re in this thing alone but there is help and hope for you, when you’re ready, because YOU have to be ready. Step away from whatever or whoever is holding you hostage in the state that you’re in. Throw away the drugs, cigarettes, pour out the alcohol, stop going to the mall/stores every day and change your phone number, email address and Facebook/Twitter name and then get down on your knees. Let God know that you’re giving him all of the things that are keeping you from being in his line of sight and then pray for healing. Now, get up off your knees and live!
God hasn’t judged you yet so stop allowing people too. You’ve been called a crack head, so what, crack the bible and now head in the right direction. You’ve been called an alcoholic, so what, drink the blood of Jesus now and repent because he has the last say so. You’ve been called an adulterer, so what; you’re an adult so stand up an act like it. Baby, it doesn’t matter what folks call you but it’s what you answer too. See, no one person is better than the other for the bible says in John 13:16, “I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him,” so why are you concerned with what they think anyway? If more folks would help those that are down, the world would be better but instead we kick those who are already down, knock over the ones who are already leaning and cut the rope of those who are barely hanging on. God isn’t pleased. Romans 14:1 says, “Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.” It’s not my place to tell whether what you’re doing is right or wrong but it is my place to tell you the word of God so that you can see for yourself but I can’t do that if I’m in my sin. How can I tell you to stop cursing, when I am cursing every time you see me? How can I tell you that you drink too much when I’m normally drinking with you? How can I tell you that cheating with that girl’s husband is wrong when I was the one that introduced you to him? How can I judge you when I’m also wrong? In order for us to get this thing right, we’ve got to help one another. I can’t talk about you on the left side and then turn around on the right and lend a helping hand because it’s in vain. I have to offer you genuine help in order for you to know that it’s genuine.
Romans 14:13 says, “So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.” I can’t make you sober but I can help you on the days when the temptation is hard. I can’t make you stop putting the drugs into your body but I can be there for you when you feel yourself falling. I can’t make you stop this or quit that but I can pray with you for guidance. Who am I to judge when I’m not perfect myself? I can’t judge you so I won’t but what I will say is it’s time to give your mess to God. Stop making excuses and start making a plan. You know what your addiction is doing to your life, so make a change. If your friends can’t be a part of your change or are not willing to accept the change that you’ve made, change your friends. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”” I’m not saying that they should have to change because you are but they should be acceptable to your change. If you tell your friends that you’ve quit smoking, they shouldn’t offer you cigarettes. If you tell your friends that you aren’t drinking anymore, they shouldn’t buy you wine as gifts. If you tell your friends that you are no longer seeing him/her, they shouldn’t be passing your number out or messages in. A real friend will be acceptable to the good changes you’ve made in your life, especially if they were there to accept the bad ones and you’ll quickly be able to tell the real from the fake as soon as the change is evident. How? Because misery loves company and if you’re no longer miserable, they are no longer available to be company and if they leave, let them go. Some folks are only meant to be in your life for a season/reason anyway but we find ways to hold on to them. When they leave, we go chasing them. When they stop answering phone calls, we send texts. When they don’t come over, we go to them. Let them go! Real friends don’t bail when times get hard but they strap on their battle gear and prepare for war. Real friends don’t allow you to go through things alone but they put knee pads on for the hours of prayer this will take. Real friends don’t wait for a phone call or text because they are already letting themselves into your house telling you to move over in the bed. Real friends can hear it in your voice and in the way you walk when something is wrong, they don’t need clues.
Stop worrying about what folks will say if they knew you had an addiction because they probably got one now or they had one in the past. If the thing that is tied around your neck is keeping you from floating to the surface, you need to cut it off before it drowns you. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Sober doesn’t necessarily mean from drinking because anything that has you addicted has your mind, so sober up, give it to God, pray about it, get up and walk on. God has designed your life so he knew this test will try you before you did but he made you strong enough to overcome it, that’s why Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” God set the path before you and he knew it would get dark sometimes but that’s why Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” God even knew the battle would get hard enough to knock you down and make you feel live giving up but he says in 2 Corinthians 4:17, “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” So, don’t give up on God but give up the addiction. When you give your addiction to God, it’s like you’re going into surgery. God tells you to count back starting from 20 and by the time you reach 18, you’re put to sleep (that’s giving him the addiction) but oh when you wake up you know automatically that something is different because you no longer feel the same (that’s God taking the addiction), yea, you got a little pain (temptations) but that’s just your recovery time but when it’s all over and done and you’re healed you feel new, you look new, your walk is new, your talk is new and you act new because 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” When you come out of God’s hospital he says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past (Isaiah 43:18).” Don’t look back yet look ahead to see all the things that God has for your life!
Lakisha, the Author 