Harmful Habits

The Bible does not talk about addictions very frequently, but it does reference drunkards, gluttons, and fornicators, those who are addicted to alcohol, food, and sex. Tonight we are going to look at how Solomon disregarded his own wisdom and gave in to his addiction to lust and adultery.

First Kings 11:3 states that Solomon “had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines.” Obviously, God “allowed” Solomon to have these wives, but allowance is not the same as approval. Solomon’s marital decisions were in direct violation of God’s Law, and there were consequences.

Solomon started out well early in his life, listening to the counsel of his father, David, as recorded in 1 Kings 2:2-3, “Be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.” Solomon’s early humility is shown in 1 Kings 3:5-9 when he requests wisdom from the Lord. Wisdom is applied knowledge; it helps us make decisions that honor the Lord and agree with the Scriptures. Solomon’s book of Proverbs is filled with practical counsel on how to follow the Lord. Solomon also wrote the Song of Solomon, which presents a beautiful picture of what God intends marriage to be. So, King Solomon knew what was right, even if he didn’t always follow the right path. Over time, Solomon forgot his own counsel and the wisdom of Scripture. God had given clear instructions for anyone who would be king: no amassing of horses, no multiplying of wives, and no accumulating of silver and gold (Deuteronomy 17:14-20). These commands were designed to prevent the king from trusting in military might, following foreign gods, and relying on wealth instead of on God. Any survey of Solomon’s life will show that he broke all three of these divine prohibitions! Thus, Solomon’s taking of many wives and concubines was in direct violation of God’s Word. Just as God had predicted, “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God” (1 Kings 11:4). To please his wives, Solomon even got involved in sacrificing to Milcom (or Molech), a god that required “detestable” acts to be performed (1 Kings 11:7-8). God allowed Solomon to make the choice to disobey, but Solomon’s choice brought inevitable consequences. “So the Lord said to Solomon, ‘Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates’” (1 Kings 11:11). God showed mercy to Solomon for David’s sake (verse 12), but Solomon’s kingdom was eventually divided. Another chastisement upon Solomon was war with the Edomites and Aramians (verses 14-25). Solomon was not a puppet king. God did not force him to do what was right. Rather, God laid out His will, blessed Solomon with wisdom, and expected the king to obey. In his later years, Solomon chose to disobey, and he was held accountable for his decisions. It is instructive that, toward the end of Solomon’s life, God used him to write one more book, which we find in the Bible. The book of Ecclesiastes gives us “the rest of the story.” Solomon throughout the book tells us everything he tried in order to find fulfillment apart from God in this world, or “under the sun.” This is his own testimony: “I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired . . . a harem as well–the delights of the heart of man” (Ecclesiastes 2:8). But his harem did not bring happiness. Instead, “Everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun” (verse 11). At the conclusion of Ecclesiastes, we find wise counsel: “Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).” It is never God’s will that anyone sin, but He does allow us to make our own choices. The story of Solomon is a powerful lesson for us that it does not pay to disobey. It is not enough to start well; we must seek God’s grace to finish well, too. Life without God is a dead-end street. Solomon thought that having 1,000 wives and concubines would provide happiness, but whatever pleasure he derived was not worth the price he paid. A wiser Solomon concluded that his life of pleasure was “meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 12:8), and the book of Ecclesiastes ends with the warning that “God will bring every deed into judgment” (verse 14).

There are over 25 million addicts in America. The life on an addict significantly affects 4 other people, which means that addiction affects well over 100 million people in America today.

Everybody knows somebody who is dealing with some sort of addiction.

When we think of addiction we usually think of drugs, alcohol, smoking, or pornography. It seems like everybody struggles with some sort of addiction. You are either addicted to a particular sin or just sin in general.

Am I addicted?

Do you love a certain destructive habit?

Do you think about this habit obsessively?

Do you feel the need to hide this habit?

Do you run to this habit to cope with stress or problems?

Do you find it hard to imagine your life without it?

Do you plan your life around this habit?

Have you ever tried to quit this habit and failed?

Are you wasting precious time or money on this habit?

Have friends or relatives complained about this habit?

Does this habit isolate you from meaningful relationships?

Has this habit stopped being fun?

Do you have a desire to break free from the control of this habit?

7 Daily Decisions for Victory

Search the Scriptures

Acts 17:11 KJV 1900

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

2. Pray

Psalm 86:3 KJV 1900

Be merciful unto me, O Lord: For I cry unto thee daily.

3. Praise God

Psalm 119:164 KJV 1900

Seven times a day do I praise thee Because of thy righteous judgments.

4. Exhort

Hebrews 3:13 KJV 1900

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

5. Take up your cross

Luke 9:23 KJV 1900

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

6. Die to self

1 Corinthians 15:31 KJV 1900

I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

7. Perform your vows (promises)

Psalm 61:8 KJV 1900

So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, That I may daily perform my vows.

Solomon was a good king. He was the wisest king, the wisest man, and the richest man that the world had ever seen. He would be worth about 2 TRILLION in todays money. He had everything he could ever want and ever need, but still struggled with an addiction.

Solomon points us to Christ because Christ has perfect wisdom but follows and obeys that wisdom. He is infinitely rich in glory, He was sinless and was our example. What did Christ do when He was tempted? He simply quoted Scripture back to his tempter.

Luke 4:1–14 KJV 1900

And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

There is always a way out of temptation:

1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV 1900

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.