Introduction
There are many things that are difficult to overcome that go along with a destructive habit. Behaviors such as deceit when the truth feels too transparent, self-medicating when we feel stressed or out of sorts, using other behaviors we deem not as bad as our addiction to take the place of the boredom or anxiety that often sets in. The truth is that stopping an addiction is hard work and is to be celebrated yet we often forget that the habits we formed as addicts are often transferred to other potentially sinful behaviors and can be very hard to break. To press on in becoming like Christ is the call for all Believers whether we consider ourselves addicts (Phil. 3:12). We all have a heart that sins in thought, word and deed and those thoughts and actions form bad habits even if it is simply to think of self-first. We all must press on out of love for the Savior that willingly went to the cross so that we could be called children of God (Col. 2:8-15; 1 John 3:1-2). As His children our task becomes loving Him to the point of letting go of the things that get in the way of glorifying Him. (1 Peter 2:21; Hebrews 11:1-2, 6; 12:1-2).
Our Call to be Overcomers
I have met people who have been told by significant people in their lives that if they do not refer to themselves as addicts, even years after they left their addiction behind, they are in denial and cannot be trusted. This highly disrespectful of this individual and his commitment to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is also the imposition of a secular, unproven, social construct. The biblical definition for those who battle their sin and find a new way of life living by faith is Overcomer.
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith1 (1 John 5:4).
Practice the Biblical Paradigm for Change
This change includes behavioral change, absolutely. But, the behavioral change, the external behavior of engaging in the abuse of choice, is but the observable. What enables the Christian to sustain change is the internal change (sometimes referred to as heart change. This begins with when we are called to change into the new person that we are in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 12:2; Galatians 5:25). To change into Christlikeness. I offer the following checklist to you to get started.
• Have the right attitude.
Commit to Him and His process of change out of love for and faith in Him (1 Peter 1:13-21). This is heart change. Paul captures this in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 where he writes in part, “ It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body [while he cites sexual immorality as his example, it certainly encompasses the abuse of alcohol and drugs, and whatever is the object of one’s desires] in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God….
• Identify the problem.
Be as specific as possible. (Psalm 139:23-24)
• Find scriptural support.
Find the different ways the problem is spoken of and illustrated in Scripture. Study these carefully, for example note the verb tense of 1 Corinthians 6:11. It is the aorist tense, indicative mood. In Greek grammar, the aorist tense generally describes an action as a complete, single event, denoting it as behind.
• Pray
Ask God to give insight to you, right thinking, proper desires and the ability to do what you should empowered by the Holy Spirit (Psalm 51:1-4; 139:23-24; 119:11, 105, Ephesians 3:16)
• Accountability
Get someone else, whom you trust, to pray for you and hold you accountable to change(Hebrews 10:23-25).
• Come up with a plan
Remember, between the put off and the put on of this passage, is the necessity of having the mind renewed. Our role in this is two-fold. First, we are responsible to give attention to the word of God daily (Joshua 1:8), and second, yield to the Holy Spirit’s teaching (Rom 12:1-2). Develop a plan you can follow to achieve the goal of change. When you put off the sinful desire and activity you must fill that space with a desire and activity that pleases God and changes the way you think about pressing on by faith (Ephesians 4:20-32).
• Commit to the process even if you stumble
You may fall (return to your vomit (Proverbs 26:11, 1 Peter 2:22) along the way. You must get up, ask forgiveness, repent and go on toward your goal. You must mourn what stumbling (sinning) has done to the heart of God but true mourning leads to a gentleness of spirit that gets up and presses on to please God (Psalm 37:3-6; Proverbs 3:5-6; Matthew 5:4-6).
• Don’t neglect the other areas of your life.
This area of change contributes to the whole of life continuing ‘on track’ with God (Ephesians 4:1).
Conclusion
Whether a drunkard, a heroin addict, a gossip or one who covets people (lust) or things that are not his or hers to possess each must strive to be overcomers by the power of God working in and through us (Romans 8).
Implementation Enabler
Above all you must be focused on Jesus which means centering your daily life, thoughts, and priorities on Him the author and perfecter (maturer) of our faith (Heb. 12:2) as the One for whom we change that He might be glorified in us (1 Cor. 10:31; Col. 3:17).
