Addictions, Part 2

Addictions, Part 2

Pastor Phil Vance

Highlights:

1. What God gives us is sweet, but bitter when compared to the world’s counterfeit. It is the enemies trick. Strawberries vs. Snickers. When the real fruit comes, we have developed a distaste for it.

2. Five essential characteristics that mark true addiction:

   1. Tolerance: The phenomenon of always wanting or needing more of the addictive behavior in order to feel satisfied.

      1. Tolerance is not something one is aware of. It happens insidiously. In a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects.

      2. Example: Money-if we just had more money we would be good, satisfied, happy

   2. Withdrawal Symptoms: Stress when the body is deprived of something it is accustomed to.

   3. Self-Deception: The creative power of the brain is used unconsciously to subvert each and every attempt to control the addictive behavior.

   4. A loss of willpower: One part of the will sincerely wants to be free. Another part wants to continue the addictive behavior. In any tru addiction, the second part is stronger and so resolution fails.

   5. Distortion of Attention: We have many addictions that we don’t even know about. Being obsessed with attention toward the attachment such that it consumes your time and blocks your function.

3. How do we get out of addiction? (Four points)

   1. Grace: You need God

      1. Grace is the invincible advocate of freedom and the absolute expression of perfect love.

      2. Grace is God’s gift that we are free to ignore, reject, ask for, or simply accept. It is a gift that is often given in spite of our intentions and errors.

      3. Grace cannot be possessed; it is eternally free.

      4. Grace seeks us but will not control us.

         1. Addiction is not something we can simply take care of by applying the proper remedy, for it is in the very nature of addiction to feed on our attempts to master it.

   2. Become desperate

      1. You don’t get out of addiction by becoming strong but by knowing you are weak.

      2. We will never really turn to God in loving openness as long as we are handling things well enough by ourselves.

      3. The power of grace flows most fully when human will chooses to act in harmony with the divine will.

   3. Identify the Trauma:

      1. Why do we turn to addictions?

         1. Relief from Pain

         2. Control

         3. Escape from Anxiety

         4. Deal with Loneliness

      2. So then the real question is not why the Addiction but why the pain?

      3. 2 Models of addiction thinking:

         1. It’s a choice

         2. It’s an inherited brain disease

         3. Possible 3rd: It is an attempt so solve a life problem. (tragedy or trauma)

            1. Every case of addiction usually originates in trauma. Addiction is our response to stress/trauma.

            2. What does Trauma do?

               1. It separates us from ourselves. We lose ourselves.

               2. Gives us a negative view of the world

   4. You need help

      1. Addiction is like quicksand. The harder you fight to get out of it, the deeper you sink. We need someone outside of our problem to help pull us out.

Discussion Questions:

1. Try out the strawberries and snickers illustration! Grab some fruit and grab some sweet candy. Eat the fruit first, then, eat the counterfeit. Now, try the fruit again. How is what God created affected by what has been made by man? How has this happened in your life?

2. Talk about where a habit, or a liking of something can cross the line into addiction. What is the difference between liking coffee in the morning and being addicted to coffee? Use Pastor Phil’s Five essential characteristics of true addiction.

3. We need others to get out of addiction. Be bold today. Share with the group or a trusted individual in the group, likely the small group leader, an addiction that you are struggling with.

Scriptures, Quotes, Definitions:

Addictus: A person assigned to someone else as a slave because they had debt that they could not pay back.

Addiction: any compulsive, habitual behavior that limits the freedom of Human desire. A self-defeating force that abuses our freedom and makes us do things we really don’t want to do.

Romans 7:15, 18b-19,21,25 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing. …although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. Thank be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Top 7 Addictions 2008

1. Love

2. Potato Chips (Processed Foods)

   1. These comfort foods deprive more Americans of years of life than any other substance.

3. Cigarettes

4. Heroin/Prescription painkillers

5. Psychotropic Drugs

6. Alcohol

7. Cocaine

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.