How to Conquer the Spirit of Addiction through Deliverance

I recently met with a young man who was sent to us by a spiritual leader in his life — We’ll call him Rafael. Rafael had grown up in church and still faithfully attended every time the doors were open. Known for serving, he had a reputation for being willing to jump in and help anywhere he was needed. He had a heart for others and loved sitting down with other Christians and sharing truths that had helped him in his own Bible reading. However, Rafael was addicted. Having been introduced to pornography at a young age, he had grown up in sexual bondage. Although he had confessed to his pastor and other spiritual leaders, sought accountability, and even checked himself into rehab and other 12 step programs, he compulsively sought out pornographic content for sexual gratification on a daily basis. Deepening the cycle of sin, repentance, and turning back to the same sin: Rafael increasingly felt like the dog described in Proverbs 26:11, turning back to his own vomit. Now, nearing his late twenties, his situation seemed hopeless. Demoralized and with nowhere else to turn, he reached out to us for help. 

The Bible tells us there are three sources of addiction: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Of course, a sex or drug addict will struggle with freedom if he has surrounded himself with other addicts who constantly use around him or invite him to participate in their own sin. He’ll also struggle with freedom if he has never built any character in his life to resist the temptation of the flesh. Read more about how these sources of temptation are combated by clicking HERE. I strongly recommend finding an accountability group or a program to help anyone struggling with bondage to gain victory over these two areas. There is, however, more to addiction than just the world and the flesh and as Rafael discovered; the presence of demonic strongholds can make any addiction impossible to overcome. 

YIELDING BRINGS ENTANGLEMENT OR FREEDOM

Romans 6 is a beautiful chapter about the believer and his triumph over sin. It crescendos into Paul’s key point about yielding in verses 16-19. 

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? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 

When Rafael got saved, he chose Christ’s gift of salvation and therefore yielded to God’s way. This yielding brought freedom, but his freedom had been given up. 2 Peter 2:20 explains, “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.”  Many Christians, like Rafael, although having been set free at salvation, are struggling against addiction, having chosen the bondage of drugs, alcohol, porn, gambling, or even food instead of their freedom in Jesus.

God’s word commands us not to be brought under the power of any sin or substance. (1 Corinthians 6:12 and Ephesians 5:18) It further instructs us in 1 Thessalonians 5:5-8 to watch and be sober — setting aside the desires of the world and our flesh to vigilantly wait for the appearance of Christ. Titus 2:12-13 summarizes beautifully, “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

THE ROOT OF ADDICTION

Jesus describes addiction as a root. In Luke 17:5-6 the Lord uses the metaphor of a sycamine tree to teach the disciples about the power of faith. The sycamine tree was an invasive plant species with a far spreading root system that would damage other crops and trees. This root system was so vast and hardy that cutting it off would only make it spring up in several other places. A sycamine tree on your property was a lifetime sentence to chasing this tree and cutting it off as it ruined every section of your property. Perhaps the worst part was its longevity: you would chase it, then your children would chase it, and your grandchildren would chase it. The metaphor stands for the spirit of addiction. Once it has been rooted in your life, you’ll be powerless to uproot it and cutting it off would only make it spring up in new areas in your life. The curse further extends beyond just your own life into the lives of your children and grandchildren with the generational aspects of addiction! Jesus’ promise, however, is that with just a little faith, you’ll command it to leave and it will be “plucked up by the roots.” Only the power of Jesus has such all encompassing power to eradicate what no 12 step program and accountability group can do. 

I’m excited to share that after a single meeting, Rafael broke the demonic stronghold of addiction in his life and has been walking in freedom ever since. True, temptation does not just cease now that Rafael has dealt with the demonic, however his capacity to resist the devil has been restored. What Satan made a compulsive and irresistable trigger into sin for Rafael has now been reduced back to a choice he has the power to resist through Christ and the character he has built over the years. This incredible story shows the miraculous power of what God can do to end an addiction that cannot be eradicated by man’s strength alone.

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If you are struggling with an addiction you cannot seem to get freedom from, take the step today to declare freedom over yourself: 

“In the name of Jesus, I claim freedom from my addiction to _______. I reject the lie that I’ll always be bound by this addiction and accept the truth that Jesus wants me to be free. I submit myself to God and His perfect plan for me. I choose not to be entangled with the affairs of this life, and formally reenlist myself in God’s army to war a good warfare and resist the devil. (2 Timothy 2:4) I reclaim all territory that has was claimed by satan in my life and claim it for the Lord Jesus. Father, I ask you to renew my mind and help me bring my body and decisions into subjection to your perfect way. Please guide me and help me to see as you see when the devil is fighting for a place in my life. Amen!”

If you would like prayer, spiritual guidance, and help consistent with the principles of Galatians 6:1-10 and James 5:14-20 reach out to us for free help today. Schedule a phone call at www.freedominjesusinitiative.org/contact