Recovery After Conviction
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19
The action of partaking/participating of/in anything that is additive or leads to an addiction, is more about a “symptom.” Meaning, something has happened (usually in one’s childhood), and the action taken is an effort to avoid, numb, deal with, even comply with what had or is happening. Over time and day by day, the repetitive action leads the person into a worse problem = Addiction. An uncontrolled “practice” of a sinful activity.
Let me say the word “addiction” as it would be spoken of in the Bible: sin or even better, iniquity! Iniquity due to the sustainment or practice of the sinful activity.
The moment we view an addiction as sinful, the Holy Spirit can convict us in a GREATER way. By calling a “sin” just an addiction and thinking it as just an addiction, we are making effort to justify the sinful activity. Some say an addiction is a disease. Saying it is a disease is product of efforts to justify the sinful practice. Keep in mind, a disease has no affect upon the eternal. Sin has severe affect upon the eternal. A disease affects the flesh while an addiction, is a work of the flesh that became a “lust.” A BIG, very big, difference.
Once a person takes responsibility, and with Christ, they can be forgiven. And when the Holy Spirit is heeded, He will lead a person away from the sin. A “reNEWing” of the mind must take place and this process is a step by step process.
Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
It MUST be understood that the action(s) that led to addiction, has become sin (iniquity). Period! If this cannot be agreed with and FACED (confessed as sin), then there is work for the person and the Holy Spirit to do in “reNEWing” of their mind. Once the mind is reNEWed, then confessing the addiction as a sin, is surrendering OVER to God and THEN, the Holy Spirit will begin in the process of overcoming the sin.
The common denominator in just about all the ministry work we’ve experienced, a “hurt” led to an action. Defining “hurt” is very wide as all people are different. But whatever the “hurt” was, whatever actions became the symptoms of that “hurt,” leading one into an addiction, the Holy Spirit has always pointed out another sin. The sin of unforgiveness.
When a person admitted to unforgiveness, the Holy Spirit begins in helping the person overcome unforgiveness first. They are led back to a person or persons, who they need to truly forgive and once forgiveness was offered, the healing and true overcoming, began. The literal ripple effect of offering up that forgiveness, begins to wash away the works of the flesh and one is led to their healing of addition (overcoming).
A final comment. Once a person has overcome a sin and is forgiven by God, they are not “that” sinful person anymore. Such a person is NOT viewed by God as a recovered, “(enter addiction),” of “___” years. God sees them as righteous due to His Son. Also, a reNEWed mind will NOT see themselves as a “recovered” (___________).
They see themselves as God sees them… forgiven and free.