When we lived in the chaos of our addictive lifestyle we were ruled by the obsession or dependency of the day. We thought that we were in charge of our lives but actually we were under the tyranny of whatever was controlling us in the moment. This tyrant was dictating to us what we needed in order to feel some comfort. When we ran after the object of our obsession, we gave up our freedom. We were prisoners to the things that controlled us and even though we tried to convince ourselves that we were in control, we were actually powerless over them.
Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. (Romans 6:13-14 NLT)
When we came into recovery and accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, God, in His grace, set us free from the power of sin and death. Recovery is actually the process of sorting out truth from lies. The Bible calls it “renewing our minds.” In the past we thought we were free when, in fact, we were slaves to our fleshly desires. Now we can joyfully believe and affirm the truth that Jesus sets us free. If any part of our thinking says that we did it by our own effort, then we are not acknowledging the truth, and are therefore, not truly free.
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (John 3:36; Galatians 5:1 NIV)
Only in Jesus can we be truly free from the powerful lies associated with obsessions, addictions and dependencies and live happy, joyous, and free lives.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV)
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