|
May the God of peace Himself
sanctify you completely (set you apart for His purpose);
and may your whole SPIRIT, SOUL, and BODY
be preserved blameless at the coming of Christ.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:23
I enjoy relating to men each Monday evening at the Haven of Rest mission in Anderson, SC (photo above). So far, 140 men have attended the Freedom in Christ class I teach.
I don't teach only from head knowledge, but I primarily testify from heart experience of being freed from addictions myself. For you see, we all are born addicted to sin. Some addictions are just hidden or appear more positive than other addictions.
I've been addicted to deceptive thoughts, good works, etc. Some of my best friends have struggled with chemical and pornography addictions. A great definition of addiction is "a counterfeit for intimacy with God."
Addictions affect our whole spirit, soul, and body. However, the root issue of addiction is spiritual bondage, which means only God can set us free. And that is what He has indeed accomplished for us through the cross and resurrection!
SPIRIT
Addictive lifestyles start out spiritually because we all are born with a spirit that is dead to God but alive to sin. Secular counseling does not acknowledge a spirit in man who personally relates to God who is Spirit. Secular counseling can only refer to an addiction as a disease, and not as a spiritual problem.
SOUL
The soul is comprised of emotions and the mind. Addictive lifestyles are ways to cope with feelings of shame and guilt. The mind is used to deny an addiction problem, to rationalize addictive lifestyles, and/or to blame others for the bondage.
These ways of feeling and thinking become engrained habits. Secular counseling can only try to get a person to feel better or to think better, with the ultimate goal of behaving better. However, right beliefs, not right behaviors, set you free.
BODY
The body becomes physiologically dependent on the agent being used in an addiction. Secular counseling can try to get a person to abstain in order for the body to heal. However, abstinence is an incomplete goal because the habitual ways of thinking and feeling would still be unaddressed.
SANCTIFICATION
God sanctified us spiritually through the cross and resurrection of Christ! Jesus Christ took all of our addictions upon Himself!
He (God the Father) made Him (God the Son) to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:21
When we received Christ, we became united with Him in His death and resurrection. The root of our addictions in our spirits were crucified with Christ, and we received new spirits indwelt by the Spirit of Christ Himself, completely free from all addictions.
Our old man was crucified with Christ...
...that we should no longer be slaves to sin.
ROMANS 6:6
Embracing this truth results in experiencing the indwelling Christ healing emotions and renewing the mind from residual addictive habits in our souls and bodies.
Many of the men at the Haven of Rest have been made to be still in order to experience freedom through the indwelling Christ. We are all called to be still and know God intimately in this way!
He makes me lie down in green pastures...
...He restores my soul.
PSALM 23:2-3
 
PS, You are most welcome to go with me to the Haven of Rest any time. I leave my home in Simpsonville, SC every Monday around 4:45 pm to arrive at the Haven of Rest around 5:45 pm. The Freedom in Christ class is from 6:00 to 6:45 pm.
My heart is not to do ministry, but to share ministry. :)
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always making request for you with all joy for your partnership in the gospel.
PHILIPPIANS 1:3-5
|
