Combating Addictive Behavior
Dr. Richard Shropshire - The Barnabas Connection
Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:13-19)
Most sermons on spiritual warfare and the armor of God stop here. But if you will notice, all of the armor is defensive, not offensive. Even the sword of the Spirit is a defensive weapon in this context to counteract the misuse of scripture by Satan. And yet, the posture suggested (all of the armor on the front of the body) would suggest an offensive stance; therefore, there must be more to the equation:
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.
The offensive weapon of spiritual warfare is intercession.
And it is also the most effective weapon to combat repetitive or additive behaviors:
- Make up a list of three to five persons you know are not saved.
- Put that list on a 3 X 5 card, and carry it with you everywhere.
When faced with temptation (pornography, drug or alcohol use, anger,whatever the arena of your weakness,) take out the card, and begin praying out loud for the salvation of those persons
Here is the theological rationale:
- Temptation is a work of the devil.
- He desires to tempt you into sin for your destruction.
- His temptation is an "arrow" that he shoots in your direction.
- When you use his temptation as a"trigger" to remind you to pray, you are turning his strategy for your destruction into your strategy for victory.
- As you do this with consistency, he will realize that his strategy is not working, and will cease in that area. He may begin to attack in another area of temptation; but you will experience victory in that consistent area of defeat.
