Untitled Sermon (4)

Overcoming Addictions in Christ

Put off, Renew, Put on (Lesson 5)

“This life, therefore, is not righteousness but growth in righteousness, not health but healing, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise. We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it; the purpose is not yet finished but is going on. This is not the end, but it is the road. All does not yet gleam in glory, but all is being purified.” Martin Luther[1]

Overcoming Addictions in Christ is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit applied to the Christian obediently following the Bible.

Ephesians 4:17-32 gives practical instructions to grow in Christ, which will help you Overcome Addictions in Christ.

· v.17-21, As an unbeliever, you lived in rebellion against God; if you’re a Christian, don’t continue to live in rebellion.

Pattern for Transformation

1. Put off the old self.

Ephesians 4:22 “that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,”[2]

a) Enabled by the Holy Spirit that indwells the Christian, you make the repeated decision to refuse to sin.

Colossians 3:5 “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.”

· Refusing to sin isn’t easy; however, you “discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” 1 Tim. 4:7

2. Renewed in the spirit of your mind

Ephesians 4:23 “and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind”

a) Because of sin, our thinking is wrong.

1 Corinthians 2:14 “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” (ESV)

· This doesn’t mean that people are as bad as they could be or that we never think correctly about anything. God’s grace softens the effects of the sin-damaged mind.

b) We must make an effort to learnthe Bible.

Psalm 119:9 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.”

· We learn to think and live according to the Word of God.

2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

· This isn’t a casual reading of the Bible from time to time; instead, we’re diligently learning and practicing the teaching of the Bible.

c) As you study, believe, and apply the Bible, the Holy Spirit heals your sin-damaged thinking, and you learn to believe and think the thoughts of God.

3. Put on the new self.

Ephesians 4:24 “and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

a) God commands us to obey the Bible.

James 1:22 “But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (CSB)

b) Applying God’s Word is how we overcome sin and live righteously.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

Examples of how to follow the Pattern for Transformation. (Ephesians 4:25-32)

1) Transforming from lying to being truthful

Ephesians 4:25 “Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.”

a) Put off: “laying aside falsehood”

· Stop lying

b) Renewed in the spirit of your mind: “for we are members of one another.”

· While there are many things the Bible teaches about lying that would apply, this verse is directed to Christians in the church. The Bible calls the church “the body of Christ,” and the argument is that it makes no sense to lie to your own body, so stop doing it.

c) Put on: “SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR”

· Tell the truth to one another.

· One way to apply this is, to be honest with your accountability partner about your struggle with addiction.

· Don’t wait to come back and confess after you’ve already given in; call them when you’re first tempted.

2) Transforming from looking to your addiction to give you pleasure to seeking pleasure in righteousness.

a) Put off: Stop making the satisfaction of your immediate physical pleasure the most important thing in your life.

b) Renewed in the spirit of your mind: Psalm 16:11 “You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”

· Your demand to have physical pleasure has made how you feel into an idol.

· However, the pleasure you get comes at a high price and will destroy you.

c) Put on: Believe God by seeking pleasure and joy in Jesus.

· Cultivate your relationship with Jesus by repenting honestly and actively practicing your faith.

3) Transforming from looking to your addiction to relieve your pain to seeking comfort and healing in Christ.

a) Put off: Stop justtrying to relieve the pain.

· Pain is a symptom of what’s happened to you, and it’s only part of the problem.

b) Renewed in the spirit of your mind: Psalm 10:14 “But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.” (NIV)

· The abuse or trauma you suffered matters to God.

· If you’re suffering from pain (illness, injury, depression, etc.), the God who created you knows what it’s like and how to help you.

Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”

c) Put on: Believe God by seeking help from your pastor, a biblical counselor[3], or a spiritually mature Christian friend.

· God offers to heal, but you must deal with the problem and not just try to cover the pain symptom.

This isn’t easy, but it’s God’s plan, and you can take heart that God will accomplish His plan.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”