Freedom

Good morning church!

yesterday morning we heard a real lofe story by our guest speaker Cal Maskery who has experienced freedom from addiction and lofe controlling habits. What an awesome testimony it was! Here is a great devo by Chris Dew Ministries that goes along well with what we heard yesterday...

"What if addiction isn’t the main issue, but is a fruit of a problematic root?

The leading treatment methods and our attempts to escape usually fail because we are treating the fruit rather than root. Addiction is not primarily a physical or mental problem, but a spiritual one. This means the answer to addiction is spiritual.

CS Lewis, once wrote, “If we consider the unblushing promises and staggering nature of rewards found in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”[1]

Addiction is like jumping from slum to slum looking for better mud. What if the Answer to addiction is found in finding a Holiday at Sea?

This Holiday at Sea is found in a relationship with God. In the context of this relationship is where we find peace, security, acceptance, love, belonging, comfort, pleasure, identity, meaning, and joy. God’s design is for you to be in such unity with Him that you have no addiction, no fear, perfect identity, clear purpose, and feel completely okay in your own skin. This is the Holiday at Sea we long for.

As we can all tell, something has gone terribly wrong with this. We are separated from this life-giving relationship because of sin. This separation leaves us empty, searching for pleasure anywhere we can find it (alcohol, sex, popularity, power, drugs, etc.). As we continue to indulge in these faux pleasures, our heart, mind, and body become more and more enslaved. Addiction is running to anything other than God in order to fill our vacancies, which eventually enslaves our heart, mind, and body. Like a straitjacket, the more we fight, the tighter it gets. The natural end of this progression is death and eternal separation from God.

The Good News about God is He is not just a Holy Judge, but He is also a Loving Father who cares deeply about you. Rather than leaving us in our desperate condition, He made a way that we can be brought back into a right relationship with Himself to live the abundant life He has promised. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay for all the wrong we’ve done and who we are apart from Christ. Jesus was murdered, taking the punishment you and I deserve. “For while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). 

After Jesus was proven dead, He was put in a tomb, but he did not stay there long. On the third day, in the most important moment in human history, Jesus literally rose from the grave. By doing this, Jesus proved all He said was true, including His claims to be God. Sin, addiction, and death were defeated. This is the Gospel! God loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to live a perfect life in your place, die the death you deserve, and be raised from the dead to raise you into brand new life of freedom.

This is the answer to addiction. Addiction is slavery to anything other than God, but now we are free to be addicted to God.

APPLICATION:

• Where are running to fill your vacancies?
• Have you ever placed your faith in Jesus? If not, genuinely pray something like this: "Dear Heavenly Father, I know I have sinned against You and have not wanted anything to do with you. I am sorry I have worshipped drugs and other mediocre gods, rather than You. I know I can’t save myself and I can’t earn back your approval. But I believe that You can save me. I want you to save me. I believe you died on the cross in my place. I believe you rose from the dead. I repent of my sin and I place my faith in You. I give you everything. Take over my life. Fill me with Your Spirit. Lead me for the rest of my life. Please save me now. I love you Jesus."
• If you have placed your faith in Jesus at some point in your life, but have strayed, pray a similar prayer as the one above. God is waiting with open arms for you to come home."