Unholy Ties That Bind

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10

Today's Treasure: "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness' " (2 Corinthians 12:8-9).

(Amanda writes) "Addiction" is a word that always makes me think of illegal drugs. I was shown videos in elementary school of drug addicts who acted like complete lunatics. When they were high they pretended to be flying superheroes and they did things in desperation for a fix that hurt their families. The videos were supposed to scare us away from ever wanting to experiment with drugs. The scare tactics worked for me and that was one area of sin I wasn't really tempted in.

Unfortunately, I was unaware that I could become an addict in many other respects. Addictions to food, sex, gambling, alcohol, and work, just to name a few, plague believers and non-believers alike. I never considered any of those things addictions, but I wish I had possessed the same sense that these and other addictions could destroy me, whether physically or spiritually, just as easily as a drug addiction.

(Beth writes) Addiction is one of the cruelest of all yokes because it deceives us unmercifully and ruthlessly. It comes to us like a friend, promising to bring comfort. It kisses us on the cheek like Judas, stealing from our treasury, then rents us for a cheap fee to the opposition. Addiction is a yoke that convinces us we must wear it to survive. Nothing makes us feel more powerless. No ungodly master is a more unyielding dictator. Countless people, even those in the family of faith, have concluded they are helpless to overcome this relentless beast. After more failures than they can bear to count, many believers accept earthly defeat as compulsory and await a freedom that will only come in heaven. The accuser of the brethren chides them constantly with his tally of failures and convinces them that they are unable to derail the miserable cycle of self-loathing.

No matter whether your addictions are to substances or behaviors, God can set you free. What he requires from you is time, trust and cooperation. The immense power of an addiction is rarely broken in a day. You see, God has as much to teach us as he has to show us. He could show us His power by instantaneously setting us free from all desire for our stronghold. Often, however, God chooses the process of teaching us to walk with Him and depend on Him daily. Few things beyond our salvation are "once and for all." If He delivered us instantly, we would see His greatness once, but we would soon forget...and we'd risk going back. On the other hand, if God teaches us victory in Christ day by day, we live in the constant awareness of His greatness and His sufficiency. Hard lessons are often long-lasting lessons. Never forget that God is far more interested in our getting to know the Deliverer than simply being delivered.

Dear Jesus, I cry out to You for deliverance! I praise You because your strength is made perfect in my weakness. I am truly weak on my own and I need Your power and sufficiency to live a life free from addictions. Please open my eyes to areas of unholy bondage in my life. Help me depend on You each day to free me, step by step. Thank You for loving me and for Your grace. I pray to be willing to do anything You require of me for my freedom. In Your liberating name, Amen.

Adapted from Praying God's Word, by Beth Moore, pages 127-128. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2000. Used by permission.