Addiction

Pastor Bayo Adewuyi

It was time to return back to Isreal having lost her two sons and husband. Moreover, the famine condition which led to their exit from Isreal was beginning to improve. On her return back to Isreal she had lost more than she left Isreal with. Naomi the mother-in-law of Ruth and Orpah asked them to return back to their homeland and start a new life cum home again. Ruth her late son’s wife refused but insisted she was going wherever the Naomi went. What could have prompted this lady to take this decision not minding the cost? Definitely, it would have been addiction. Ruth was addicted to Naomi. Ruth 1:6-18

⁶ Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread. ⁷ Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. ⁸ And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. ⁹ The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. ¹⁰ And they said unto her, surely we will return with thee unto thy people. ¹¹ And Naomi said, turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? ¹² Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have a husband also tonight, and should also bear sons; ¹³ Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? Would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. ¹⁴ And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth cleaved unto her. ¹⁵ And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister-in-law. ¹⁶ And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: ¹⁷ Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me. ¹⁸ When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.

What Is Addiction?

Addiction is a habit. It is a state of being enslaved to a thing, person or situation. In this instance, Ruth felt she could not do anything else with her life without Naomi. Some people are addicted to smoking such that in every thirty minutes they must take a stick; while some other people are addicted to drinking alcohol. They can’t abstain from drinking alcohol every day. Yet, some other people’s addiction is reading. They read every day. Addiction has both positive and negative side. Addiction is a psychological phenomenon that takes place in the mind but manifest in the body. Addiction easily manifests itself in the things we do. Addiction is enslavement.

Characteristics Of Addiction

1. Addiction is habitual. It is formed over a time. It’s a master you can become a slave to. If you become enslaved to the flesh, you live in sin; if you become enslaved to the Spirit, you live in righteousness.  Rom 6:15-16 What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
2. Addiction is a craving. It is a very strong desire without which you can’t feel good. The moment it is done, the person feels good again.
3. Addiction requires devotion and consecration. It necessitates extreme devotion and commitment.
4. Addiction grows. It is not a sudden or automatic habit. It is developed over time.
5. Addiction is hard to break. This doesn’t mean it cannot be broken but requires extreme effort to break from it. What takes time to develop might also require time to conquer.
6. Addiction is subtle. It may operate without its victim aware of it. Even when you think you’re broken off it, it may still be working unknown or unconsciously in its victim.
7. Addiction requires divine intervention to conquer. Humanity is a product of divinity. When things go beyond the human ability, the next is to turn it over to God.

1 Cor 16:15 I beseech you, brethren, ye (know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)

Addiction is not all in itself bad. You can be positively or negatively addicted. For instance, to be ‘Jesus freak’ is to be positively addicted. And an uncontrolled desire to gratify a craving like lust, drunkenness or theft is negative. My emphasis therefore is positive addiction. This was the demonstration of Ruth and the family of Stephanas. They had positive addiction. Stephanas and his household chose to be addicted to be a blessing to the church and the saints around them. Therefore, my question is what are you addicted to?

Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Are you addicted to God, His word and faith? Do you feel bad when you have not studied the word nor pray for the day? Are you addicted to the will and purpose of God for your life? Abraham was called a father of faith because he was addicted to Him who called him. Rom 4:13-21.

¹³ For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴ For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: ¹⁵ Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. ¹⁶ Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, ¹⁷ (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. ¹⁸ Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. ¹⁹ And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb: ²⁰ He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; ²¹ And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

God is not our problem. Rather, our problem is our persuasion with the word of God. Our persuasion is our conviction of the unfailing materialisation of God’s word. Until he was fully convinced [totally addicted to God’s promise], then he was called the father of faith. You must come to a point of knowing; knowing by self-conviction and hanging your life on it that His word will never fail nor fall to the ground. Then your addiction will be: I can’t live nor survive without this promise; I am devoted to this promise. I believe in this promise, and then God can account it for righteousness.

The things of God don’t make sense to the flesh. They are unarguably pointless and absurd to the natural sense of reasoning. We are spirit beings and it takes the spirit to understand the things of the spirit. No wonder the bible says we should walk in the spirit.

1 Cor 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Gal 5:16 This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

God is looking for your persuasion. He is looking for those who are addicted to Him. Those who without failing build unshakeable trust in Him. Your conviction is tied to your belief.

Isa 53:1 Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

Three Ps Leading To the State of Addiction

1. The presence of the Lord. This is getting to the realization of knowing God is there [Jehovah Shammah]. 1 John 4:4, Col 1:27,
2. You need to be passionate about it. Be passionate about God.
3. It takes practice. This is a constant longing for God. It is a constant hunger and endearing desire to be in God’s presence.

CONCLUSION

Our God is a consistent God and will show up for anyone who will be consistent with Him. He that is unstable with God should not expect anything from Him. Addiction is a choice; chose to be addicted with God. And if there are negative addictions in your life¾like addiction to sin, self and the lust of world¾break out of it now. Tell it to God and ask Him to help you.

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Jam 1:6-8

CONFESSION

Hold up your bible and say: this is the word of God, I believe it; I chose to be addicted to it. I am addicted to it. I live by its dictate because His word works for me. By it I conquer nations; I live long; I am addicted to success; and I live in good health because it is the word of God.

God bless you.