God's Response to Addiction | You Asked For It

Ever wonder what the Bible says about addiction? This isn't just about drugs or alcohol - it's about anything that masters us instead of God mastering us.

Scripture Foundation: 1 Corinthians 6:12, Romans 5:8, Galatians 6:1-2, Luke 9:23

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why addiction is really a heart problem, not just a behavior problem
• The difference between loving someone and enabling their addiction
• How to set healthy boundaries while still showing Christ's love
• Biblical strategies for helping those caught in addictive cycles
• Why we ALL struggle with the deepest addiction: self-worship

Key Verse: "'All things are lawful for me,' but I will not be dominated by anything." - 1 Corinthians 6:12

This message is for you if:

• You're personally struggling with any kind of addiction
• Someone you love is caught in addictive behaviors
• You want to understand how to respond with both truth and grace
• You're seeking Biblical hope for seemingly impossible situations

"What masters us, shapes us" - but God offers a different way. He offers freedom.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9

Listen now on your favorite podcast platform!

Drop a ❤️ if this message spoke to you, and SHARE with someone who needs to hear this today.

#AddictionRecovery #ChristianPodcast #Faith #Hope #Healing #Recovery #BiblicalCounseling #ChristianLiving #Transformation #Jesus #Freedom #Church

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Transcript

00:00:01.680 hey there welcome to Grandpoint Church our mission is to help as many people as possible take their next steps to find
00:00:07.919 and follow Jesus thanks for tuning in to the message  if you're new with us we've been exploring questions all summer
00:00:16.000 questions that you have submitted we've covered a lot a lot of ground here so far and tonight we are tackling the
00:00:23.600 question of addiction uh I'd have to say my first addiction
00:00:29.840 would have been Transformers anybody remember Transformers from the 1980s
00:00:35.040 okay some of you are getting me some of you are like "What's a Transformer?" Okay I just dated myself anyway and uh I
00:00:41.200 probably picked up my first Transformer around uh 85,86 they came out in ' 84 so I was a late
00:00:48.000 comer but all that to say the first Transformer you get always has to be
00:00:53.760 Optimus Prime you know it okay Optimus Prime i had the whole thing right there and then I also had to add his
00:01:00.559 archeneemy which was  Megatron  thank you come on you got to Megatron there it is
00:01:05.600 megatron and then I had to add to my collection Bumblebee and Starscream i
00:01:10.799 had them fighting it out and then Wheeljack and then uh Soundwave if you know any of that um all that to say my
00:01:18.720 addiction began right there uh just flying it all out i had to get all of
00:01:24.320 them i remember one time I was headed to Kmart i remember anybody remember Kmart
00:01:32.320 just dated myself again but anyway I'm headed to Kmart and they just came out with some new Transformers
00:01:38.880 hey mom it's just five bucks can I get a new Transformer and she said "Uh not
00:01:43.920 today Douggee Boy." Okay she called me Douggey Boy that's She's the only one allowed to call me that okay
00:01:51.200 all that to say I had a meltdown right there in the middle of the toy aisle because I didn't get my transformer that
00:01:58.320 day thank you okay I I feel your pain right there but all that to say my mom was
00:02:04.719 just watching bless her heart she just walked away what do you do with that situation i don't know she Do I know
00:02:11.920 this kid i'm not sure i don't know what happened to me i wanted what I needed it i felt like I
00:02:20.000 just had to have this i wanted what I wanted and I wanted it  now there it is
00:02:30.080 it didn't work by the way uh and I learned a hard lesson whenever I got home that night uh some of you know what
00:02:36.720 I'm talking about but all that to say we're answering the question tonight
00:02:41.920 what does the Bible have to say about addictions somebody here wants to know that answer
00:02:48.319 right all of us do whether that question came from somebody that was struggling in the throws of addiction someone that
00:02:56.319 was that had a loved one that was caught in addiction or someone that was just
00:03:01.599 searching for what does God have to say how are Christians supposed to respond to th to this idea of addiction we don't
00:03:09.440 know we don't know what they were bringing with that we don't know the story behind the question but I want to
00:03:16.800 touch on all of it tonight i want to share all of that perspective with you tonight because I think it's important
00:03:23.120 it's important that we know the answers to these questions because without
00:03:28.640 understanding a biblical perspective and without seeking God's freedom here's what's going to happen we will fall prey
00:03:37.440 to our own desires we will be consumed
00:03:43.519 by the very things that we are consuming are you with me church that's what we're
00:03:48.879 talking about tonight if we don't heed what God says it's going to eat us up
00:03:54.080 every single time every single time so what is addiction just to get us all on
00:04:00.080 the same page tonight I like this definition from regeneration recovery uh which is where I serve this uh here in
00:04:06.319 our church our recovery ministry here uh listen to any of the key words that strike you here's how they define
00:04:12.400 addiction addiction is the repeated misuse and unhealthy compulsive desire
00:04:20.639 and dependency of a legal or illegal substance which is
00:04:26.880 continued by the user with disregard of negative impact did you pick up on
00:04:34.160 some key words there dependency disregard for negative impact legal or
00:04:41.280 illegal substance i would I would even add based on current research behaviors
00:04:48.720 and devices are we talking about the same thing tonight yes we are in addition to
00:04:56.000 substances there's actually been some research out there you can check this out on the release of dopamine in the
00:05:02.320 brain that when we use alcohol and other substances they are the very same as
00:05:09.759 when we consume porn when we mindlessly scroll on social media when we engage
00:05:16.400 sexually when we eat enjoyable food when we exercise
00:05:22.000 what we're craving is this release of dopamine in the brain and it makes us
00:05:28.000 feel really really good okay that's what we're craving
00:05:33.759 and that's why it's so addicting so what does the Bible have to say about
00:05:39.520 addiction this is interesting you can research this the Bible actually doesn't use the word addiction you won't find it
00:05:47.199 in your English translation but while the Bible doesn't translate
00:05:52.240 that word it does address the experience of addiction absolutely it does i want
00:05:59.199 to start with a key text 1 Corinthians chapter 6 if you have your Bibles you want to turn there if you don't have a
00:06:04.960 Bible we'd love to hook you up with one come talk to us later we want to get the word of God in your hands it's important
00:06:11.280 1 Corinthians chapter 6 the Apostle Paul here's what's going on he was responding
00:06:16.720 to some reports of what was happening in the Corinthian church
00:06:22.720 questions to Paul from some of her leaders
00:06:27.919 kind of like what we're doing in this series we're answering some questions and at the beginning of chapter 6 you
00:06:34.880 got to check the context here he's actually responding to some questions or
00:06:40.000 reports about lawsuits between Christians can you imagine that people in our in
00:06:47.440 our church suing each other that's what was going on i don't want to read
00:06:52.560 between the lines or I don't want to read too much into this but I think the reason why he goes into this next
00:06:58.319 section talking about lawsuits and now he's going into this next section i think it could be the people of the
00:07:04.720 Corinthian church were suing some of the notorious
00:07:11.280 immoral people that were now coming to Christ and
00:07:16.400 getting involved in the church that's one way to get them out do you
00:07:22.319 see what's going on here put the chapter together and I think you understand there was some in some
00:07:29.360 territorialness going on in their church we don't like all these new people coming so we're going to sue them i
00:07:36.400 don't know i don't want to read too much into that but why does he address these two topics in the same chapter
00:07:44.720 here's what's going on he levels the playing field here verse 9 Paul says this do not be deceived
00:07:52.400 neither the sexually immoral nor idolattors nor adul adulterers nor men
00:07:57.440 who practice homosexuality nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards or revilers
00:08:03.199 or swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God and all the church people said "Amen
00:08:11.919 i see addictions all through this right?" But just in case anyone would have
00:08:17.440 started pointed fingers or make themselves look better than other people that were going to that church or if
00:08:24.319 anyone was starting to think that they deserved the kingdom of God here what I'm talking about paul goes on and such
00:08:33.440 were some of you such were some of you
00:08:39.360 remember where you came from remember where you came from but you were washed
00:08:45.920 you were sanctified you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and
00:08:51.440 by the spirit of our God that's all of us and then Paul gives this incredible
00:08:58.160 principle as he confronts a a common belief or a cultural norm a a common
00:09:04.000 phrase that was getting passed around in that day verse 12 he says this "All
00:09:09.040 things are lawful for me." That was what was in quotes that's what everybody was saying but not all things are helpful
00:09:16.800 paul says it again all things are lawful for me but I will not be dominated
00:09:25.120 or mastered in other versions by anything i'm not going to be mastered by
00:09:30.959 anything i'm not going to be dominated by anything in our culture what do we do
00:09:37.680 we might think we have the right to do whatever we want with our lives it's our
00:09:43.519 lives but is it helpful we might think we might we can do
00:09:48.640 whatever we want but is it going to enslave us that's the
00:09:55.360 bigger question here if we don't exercise caution what could happen you could be consumed by the very things
00:10:02.080 that you are consuming how many of you know you can easily easily become mastered and enslaved
00:10:09.760 even by the good stuff in our lives right it happens let's be honest many of
00:10:17.600 us are addicted to screens apps games social media whatever is on
00:10:25.839 here we get addicted and put our face right into this ignoring relationships in our lives
00:10:33.519 guilty uh some of us sleep right next to our phones we we tuck it in right next to us
00:10:40.560 on the bed make sure it's all plugged in make sure it's going to get its charge for that night
00:10:47.279 right next to us and some of us have sleep problems
00:10:52.959 because we're addicted to our screens nobody wants to say amen on that okay I
00:10:58.640 got you okay it's true look into it there's some
00:11:03.839 research out there also Amazon addiction is real folks husbands don't look at
00:11:11.279 your wives right now don't do it don't do it i'm just telling you hobbies
00:11:18.320 uh-oh hobbies can be addicting wives no elbows please just don't do it just don't don't
00:11:25.200 go there it can be addicting we can get addicted to pretty much anything that's
00:11:32.079 out there but this isn't anything new it's not anything new let's go back to
00:11:37.839 the beginning of time adam and Eve desired forbidden fruit
00:11:44.079 why because they believed the lie that they could be like God
00:11:52.399 if they w if they just had the knowledge of good and evil all they knew was good
00:11:58.320 but if they knew the knowledge of evil they would be like God and they believed the lie bitten by the very forbidden
00:12:07.360 fruit they took a bite of noah anybody know the story of Noah delivered
00:12:13.120 humanity through the flood his family survived what happened to Noah read a couple
00:12:20.320 chapters later he planted a vineyard and he got drunk passed out in his tent
00:12:27.279 jacob anybody know the story of Jacob driven by selfishness and greed his a
00:12:34.079 name actually means heel grabber he deceived his way to success at the cost
00:12:40.639 of his family yeah it's true david many of you know the story of David we call
00:12:46.800 him the man after God's own heart and yet in a moment of weakness mastered by
00:12:53.200 lust addicted mastered dominated the Bible's
00:12:59.760 full of stories of people that have been mastered by their own desires
00:13:05.440 that's what addiction is that's what it is you lose control and you put your
00:13:10.959 desire above everything else including God
00:13:16.720 scripture has another name for that it's called idolatry
00:13:21.760 idolatry tim Keller said this an idol is whatever you look at and say "If I have that then my I'll feel my life has
00:13:29.120 meaning then I'll know that I have value." An idol becomes anything we put in the
00:13:36.560 place of God to find meaning or value or relief or escape
00:13:43.120 that's not the life that God has for you and I god doesn't want us to be mastered
00:13:49.440 by anything because he knows this root this truth this reality whatever masters
00:13:55.440 us shapes us it's true whatever masters us shapes us james the halfbrother Jesus
00:14:03.360 he writes this "Let no one say when he's tempted," and we're all tempted can we agree on that right when you're tempted
00:14:10.320 I'm being tempted by God that's not true for God cannot be tempted with evil and
00:14:16.320 he himself tempts no one but each person is tempted listen up here when we are
00:14:23.199 lured in and we're enticed by what our own desires
00:14:30.720 it's us james is saying our sin and our idolatry it starts with us we can't
00:14:36.800 blame God we get tripped up by the desires that are already inside of us
00:14:43.839 and then James says this we then desire when it's fully conceived gives birth to
00:14:49.920 sin and sin when it's fully grown up leads to death
00:14:56.480 see if you know this i don't know anyone that started drinking alcohol because
00:15:01.839 they wanted to be an alcoholic you've heard that right other people have used something similar to that the same could
00:15:08.880 be said about people who are smoking using other substances the same could be said about someone that's using porn
00:15:16.480 someone that is addicted to social media any other kinds of addictions no one ever starts with this intention hey I I
00:15:23.760 want to be an addict have you noticed that it's always a slow roll it's
00:15:30.000 because we let our desire off the hook taking just small steps
00:15:36.560 until it's out of control and it's actually controlling us
00:15:43.040 since 1987 the medical community refers to addiction as a disease listen up
00:15:50.720 because the reality is that after a certain point addiction actually changes
00:15:56.480 the structure and the function of the brain that's why they call it a disease
00:16:02.480 because it harms an organ of our system okay and here's the thing after a
00:16:10.000 certain point this certain point whatever that is for each individual I would have to agree
00:16:16.000 it is and it's pervasive and it gets worse unless there's
00:16:22.000 intervention okay I believe I would agree but here's the thing at its core and at its very
00:16:30.399 beginnings biblically speaking addiction is a desire problem
00:16:39.360 addiction is an idol problem which essentially means addiction is a
00:16:45.680 heart problem are you with me and that's why willpower is it's not just going to
00:16:52.639 work it's not going to work you can't will yourself out of an addiction
00:16:58.800 we don't need behavior modification what do we need we need heart transformation
00:17:05.119 from the inside out 1 John chapter 1 it gives us the hope here's what he says if we walk in the
00:17:12.559 light as he is in the light we have fellowship with one another and the
00:17:17.599 blood of Jesus his son cleanses us from all sin if we say we have no sin does he
00:17:27.359 have your attention if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth
00:17:34.080 is not in us if we confess our sins he's faithful and just he's going to forgive
00:17:39.440 us our sins and he's going to cleanse us from the inside out
00:17:45.039 from all unrighteousness everything cleansed
00:17:51.600 freedom church starts when you step into the light it starts when you're
00:17:57.360 confessing honestly to God and I believe someone that you trust the exact nature
00:18:03.919 of your sin your idolatry your addiction i got to warn you don't wait until it
00:18:10.640 gets worse uh don't wait until you're caught
00:18:17.679 take the step before you're forced to bring something into the light it's going to go way better for you so let me
00:18:24.000 ask you the question what is mastering you tonight
00:18:30.000 what is mastering you right now pleasure
00:18:36.320 screens porn achievement
00:18:42.240 control substances food
00:18:48.240 what masters you shapes you yeah uh some of us are well aware that addiction to
00:18:54.400 food can shape us okay you don't need to remind me thanks Doug i I don't mean to make light of that food addiction is a
00:19:00.960 real thing but it's not the only addiction that shapes us
00:19:07.039 every addiction shapes us what masters us shapes us god
00:19:14.160 didn't make us to be enslaved to anything he wants you to be free he
00:19:21.840 wants you to step into the light and live there that is the biblical perspective on the
00:19:29.280 experience of addiction but what if some of us are asking the question about how we are to respond how do we respond to
00:19:36.960 those that are caught in addiction the Corinthians what did they do they looked down on those who were immoral or with
00:19:44.559 addictive pasts suing them even that's not the way to go about it we're not
00:19:50.400 going to advocate for that not the right way to respond so what guidance from scripture do we have for that james
00:19:57.120 chapter 5 james 5:16 great memory verse for you confess your sins to one another
00:20:03.120 and pray for one another that you may be healed for the prayer of a righteous
00:20:09.840 person and I'll qualify that with those who have received and walk in the grace
00:20:14.960 and salvation that Christ provides that's our only hope for salvation and righteousness it's him not us those who
00:20:21.679 are walking with him has great power that prayer has great power as it's
00:20:29.039 working the reality is the older I get the more and more I am realizing uh I can't
00:20:36.880 change anyone including myself it's true i'm recognizing my desperate
00:20:44.159 need for prayer how do you respond to those in addiction
00:20:49.200 first of all uh pray pray persistently
00:20:54.240 prayer is the most powerful thing that you can do for someone else do you believe that is it  the most powerful
00:21:02.320 thing that you can do pray for them and please do
00:21:07.840 we all need prayer you and I can't change anyone
00:21:15.840 and the addicted know this full well they can't heal themselves it's only by
00:21:22.080 the power of God so if you do nothing else pray persistently for them ask the
00:21:29.919 spirit of God to guide your words and your moments and there's no coincidences that you would bump into a sudden person
00:21:36.559 at a certain time at just the right time when they need it ask the spirit to provide those divine appointments
00:21:44.720 ask the spirit to change them from the inside out that's what they
00:21:50.799 need what else can we do well you can't go wrong when you love them that's a
00:21:56.480 pretty big command according to Jesus love them but I feel like I need to add this we love without enabling
00:22:05.120 love without enabling sometimes the most loving thing that you can do for someone is not to rescue them from their natural
00:22:13.840 consequences are you hearing me don't rescue them if you remove the
00:22:19.679 consequences the challenges or any correction that you can give you might
00:22:24.880 be delaying their healing proverbs 27:5 says "Better is an open
00:22:30.880 rebuke than hidden love." Why is it better because keeping silent
00:22:37.600 enables them to continue without any accountability
00:22:42.799 it's what it means when we speak the truth in love love confronts with truth
00:22:48.000 that's what it does love doesn't speak keep silent it speaks up speak the truth
00:22:54.159 in love ephesians 4:15 it's not loving church to stay silent
00:23:01.120 when someone is ruining their life we love but we do it without enabling
00:23:09.360 we pray persistently we love without enabling and finally uh hear me on this
00:23:15.360 one we bear their burdens but not their choices
00:23:20.960 we bear their burdens but not their choices listen to Paul's council to the Galatians in chapter 6 brothers if
00:23:27.919 anyone is caught in any transgression you who should who are spiritual should
00:23:34.559 do what restore him restore him in a spirit of gentleness
00:23:41.840 restoration's always the goal not dismissal not ignorance
00:23:49.200 not it's it's always restoration we serve a restoring God paul goes on he
00:23:56.240 says "Keep watch on yourself lest you too be tempted bear one another's burdens and so
00:24:04.400 fulfill the law of Christ." What's the law of Christ love we love God we love others
00:24:11.919 bear one another's burdens and you're going to fulfill that law and then skip to verse five for each one will have to
00:24:19.919 bear his own load wait a minute that that seems contradictory doesn't it not
00:24:25.279 exactly there's actually a difference between a person's burdens and a
00:24:30.400 person's load in fact there's actually two English words and there's actually
00:24:36.080 two Greek words as well Paul used here i want you to think about an unnecessary
00:24:41.679 demand or an overwhelming disaster
00:24:47.200 that is a burden or a baros in the Greek okay that's about all the Greek that I
00:24:53.600 know but anyway in Paul's day it could be the persecution that Christians were facing it could be natural disasters it
00:25:00.799 could be diseases could be illnesses it could be loss it could be devastation this kind of stuff is too heavy for any
00:25:07.919 one person to bear are you with me it's hard to carry that kind of stuff so we
00:25:13.919 should help them but a load is a little different it's the Greek uh the Greek
00:25:19.200 word is for tion or it looks like fortune if you want to be honest uh and
00:25:25.600 it means a manageable and reasonable responsibility
00:25:32.000 when it comes to the addicted we can help carry their burdens but not their
00:25:37.440 forteon or fortune not the things that they are personally responsible for not
00:25:44.159 their choices here's one way to tell the difference if you find yourself rescuing someone over
00:25:50.480 and over and over again and they stay the same they don't make any change
00:25:55.760 you're probably carrying their load their fortune but if they are actively working on
00:26:03.679 change and you're seeing little baby steps here and there and there they might actually
00:26:09.600 just need your help with the overwhelming burden of all of that okay
00:26:16.080 the choices are theirs don't carry their choices i just want to be very very clear here when when they cannot care
00:26:22.960 for themselves we should care for them we really should or somehow ensure that they have the
00:26:30.080 care that they need what's this look like medical help rehab detox uh this
00:26:37.279 could be providing housing or food or clothing until they can get on their feet so to speak however
00:26:44.320 what happens if they refuse the care if they take no steps for change
00:26:52.240 what happens if they land in jail or they have fines or they have
00:26:57.520 restitution or they cause damage of some kind physically mentally verbally
00:27:02.799 sexually whatever kind of damage there is i'm just going to say it
00:27:08.080 it's not right for you to absorb that kind of load hear
00:27:14.960 me out that is their fortune for tion however you want to pronounce
00:27:21.520 it that is their load to bear some of you might just needed to hear
00:27:27.520 that today we open the door but they have to walk through it
00:27:33.520 they have to take steps to enter God's freedom and sometimes continuing to care their
00:27:40.240 fortune means more about you and your need to be needed
00:27:47.039 than it does about their addictions and their struggles don't be afraid church to walk with the
00:27:54.640 addicted don't be afraid to be a friend to someone that's caught in sin jesus
00:28:01.039 was known as what a friend of sinners
00:28:06.240 but there are boundaries and God's spirit will help you to discern what load is theirs and what burden you can
00:28:13.600 help to carry loads and burdens aside I got to say this
00:28:18.720 some of you might be in a life and death situation with your loved ones i mean it's that
00:28:26.880 urgent and it's a fine line i get it
00:28:33.279 if I understand the heart of God in this situation it would be that we would do all that we
00:28:39.679 can to keep them alive in order that they would get to a point
00:28:45.679 where they want to change do you hear me on that felt like I just
00:28:51.600 needed to share that love chooses life
00:28:56.640 when it's between life and death we always go for life in order that they
00:29:02.159 would have an opportunity to change that's what we do let me pull all of
00:29:08.320 this together for a greater perspective on this this will hopefully give you and I a greater appreciation for how God
00:29:14.159 sees all of us and a greater appreciation for the gospel the root of
00:29:19.279 all addiction the root of all idolatry all rebellion
00:29:24.799 or all sin the root of it all is self worship
00:29:31.520 cs Lewis said this "Human history is the long and terrible story of a man trying
00:29:36.799 to find something other than God which will make him happy."
00:29:42.559 We want to be our own gods we want what we want and we want it now
00:29:51.840 that was me as a kid but to be honest my addiction to myself as an adult right
00:29:58.399 now this is the struggle for all of us
00:30:03.760 self- worship but I want you to listen to this romans 5'8 while we were still sinners Christ
00:30:11.200 died for us he didn't wait until we were all cleaned up he came when we were
00:30:18.960 still stuck in our sin and in our self worship that's grace
00:30:25.200 and that is our only hope because none of us could lift that overwhelming
00:30:30.880 burden of God's holy standard so who's responsible for salvation god
00:30:38.080 it's not up to you to save yourself it's God's work of salvation he does the
00:30:44.799 heavy lifting so what's our responsibility to respond
00:30:50.399 simple trust receive the gift of his grace and then walk in the freedom that
00:30:57.600 he provides for you walk with him walk with other people in
00:31:03.120 the freedom that he gives to you transformers not my only experience with addiction
00:31:10.399 looking back on it um probably my drug of choice in order to escape
00:31:17.919 as a kid it's all I knew back then I had family members that struggled with
00:31:23.279 alcohol where I witnessed the dark side of addiction because of that experience
00:31:29.840 I was afraid of alcohol for much of my life to be honest with you but I also had a
00:31:36.559 season as an adult where I started to use alcohol after hard days of work
00:31:42.640 and then it started to taste pretty good at dinner and then I noticed I couldn't wait to get home in order to have a
00:31:49.760 drink and then it grew into becoming a craving for alcohol during the day and that's
00:31:56.240 when the lights went off for me i was headed down this dark pathway of
00:32:01.679 addiction and with God's help I stopped but if I didn't I knew it would consume
00:32:09.519 me just like it did some of my family members that's my experience with addiction but I realize that is nothing
00:32:18.320 compared to the nightmare some of you are walking through even right now
00:32:23.919 some of you might be walking that dark path yourself or you might have a family member as I
00:32:29.360 did or you're uh they are caught in full-blown addiction drugs alcohol porn
00:32:35.760 sex gaming gambling any other kind of addiction i'm here to tell you there is hope and
00:32:44.559 it's not in your ability to fix yourself it's hope in Jesus Christ to bring
00:32:50.399 salvation and restoration to you you can trust him with your addiction you can
00:32:57.679 trust him with your life you can trust him with the lives of those that you love he's trustworthy
00:33:04.799 so what do you do with a message like this two groups of people to address here the addicted
00:33:10.799 or those that are overcoming their addictions let me start with the overcomers uh remember where you came
00:33:17.039 from and such were some of you
00:33:22.720 we all have overcome or we are overcoming something even if at the core
00:33:28.720 it's you yourself never forget that sin that tripped you
00:33:34.240 up number one it's going to help you to appreciate God's incredible gift of grace that he gave to you when you
00:33:41.919 didn't deserve it at all while we're still sinners Christ died for you
00:33:49.279 i pray that as a church we'll never get over that never secondly it's going to
00:33:56.080 help you to identify and connect with someone that's caught in their addiction
00:34:02.000 and their sin you can look them in the eye and say "Me too i had something that
00:34:08.159 controlled my life." And it'll give you a greater compassion for them and it
00:34:14.800 might actually move you to do something for them to help them the easiest thing
00:34:20.639 that you can do if you feel that tug I want to help but I don't know where I get started become a mentor at
00:34:26.320 regeneration we need mentors people that are willing
00:34:31.520 to just walk right beside those that are going through any kind of a struggle doesn't have to be addictions uh people
00:34:37.679 can go to regeneration for anything but they need someone to walk with them will
00:34:43.679 you be a mentor i have packets out at the at the guest services um or one of
00:34:50.399 the display stands if that's you or you're just considering it sign up take a packet read through what's required to
00:34:56.800 be a mentor you can help us with that lots of resources and training available
00:35:04.000 but it's all about walking with those that are going through this transformation consider that
00:35:10.560 don't be afraid to step into relationships with others that are struggling
00:35:16.400 god can use your efforts he can even use your mistakes
00:35:21.839 but what he can't use is your silence your distance your ignorance it's
00:35:27.760 totally worth the risk finally I want to say a few words for my friends that are caught in some kind of form of active
00:35:34.160 addiction there is a God who made you he died in your place for the very
00:35:42.240 addictions that are consuming your life right now he loves you like really loves
00:35:48.400 you  he's crazy about you and we're his people and we're trying to love you like
00:35:55.280 he does because we're following his lead his love has changed us and we want you
00:36:00.880 to experience that kind of change too you don't have to be stuck anymore
00:36:06.640 this is a safe space to share your struggles but don't use your addiction
00:36:12.560 your struggles your shame as an excuse to stay that way i'm pleading with you
00:36:17.920 tonight confess step into the light try something new
00:36:24.560 maybe regeneration if you've never tried it before give it at least six weeks throw yourself into this fully
00:36:32.000 i believe God will meet you there and he will give you a band of brothers and
00:36:37.040 sisters to walk along this journey with you if we could have overcome our struggles on our own wouldn't we have
00:36:43.359 done it by now healing happens in community
00:36:49.680 you don't need to feel the shame that our enemy uses to keep you isolated and to keep you stuck shame will cause you
00:36:58.000 to think that you have no value and that your addiction is your identity
00:37:05.440 god says something totally different isaiah 43 says this "But now thus says
00:37:11.520 the Lord he who created you oh Jacob he who formed you oh Israel fear not for I
00:37:21.040 have redeemed you i have called you by name you are mine when you pass through
00:37:29.520 the waters I will be with you and through the rivers they shall not overwhelm you when you walk through fire
00:37:36.240 you shall not be burned and the flames shall not consume you for I am the Lord
00:37:41.839 your God the Holy One of Israel your Savior
00:37:48.640 he's our savior and his name is Jesus
00:37:54.560 to close today we're going to pray persistently as we worship through
00:38:00.079 singing together and we're going to speak the name of Jesus
00:38:05.200 right into the most painful spots that you're walking through our closing song
00:38:10.720 is all about speaking the name of Jesus into the mess of our lives into our
00:38:16.000 streets into our families we speak Jesus the most powerful thing you can do is
00:38:22.400 what  pray but if you don't know what to pray just
00:38:27.760 speak his name just speak his name
00:38:32.800 over yourself over yourself over your addictions over over your family members and your friends over your city over our
00:38:40.320 nation over our world
00:38:45.599 I'm going to open the front i mean it is always open but if you feel like you need to surrender something your
00:38:51.359 situation whatever it is to God or if you would just like some prayer someone
00:38:57.280 to pray with you come forward today can be your day of freedom
00:39:05.440 and today you can actually help someone else find the freedom that they need i
00:39:11.680 want to invite you to come let's pray together
00:39:17.680 father God we speak your name
00:39:23.520 the name of Jesus into our lives into our church family
00:39:31.040 holy Spirit set your people free free of addiction free of any trauma
00:39:38.320 free of any sin or idols that are holding us back from the freedom and the
00:39:43.839 healing that you want for us god I pray that you would give us the courage to be
00:39:49.119 honest with you and with someone else this week even today about what we're
00:39:55.040 walking through show us how to walk in true freedom and
00:40:00.160 to help as many people as possible find it for themselves
00:40:06.000 it's in Jesus name we pray and the church said "Amen." Thanks for listening
00:40:12.079 to the week's message we'd love to connect with you on social media so give us a follow and be sure to check out our website grandpoint.urch/next
00:40:19.940 [Music]