a christian with an addiction

[Ghostdog]

for most of my life ive had an addiction. when i started i was young and i didnt realize it would lead to an addiction. this addiction lead to my first arrest in 2011, then in 2016, 2018 and finally may of this year. i served 2 prison sentances in between those times. the last few years i finally admitted i have a problem. back when i was younger i prayed many times for God to remove this from my life and it seems that He wont. i guess i thought that i would pray and God would answer and remove it and then life would be good. i havent had any cravings lately but i did go back to it a few weeks ago. there are days when i question my salvation over it. can a person be a christian and still go back to an addiction? i would think not. its the whole putting away the flesh and all that. idk. 

[missmuffet]

20 minutes ago, Ghostdog said:

for most of my life ive had an addiction. when i started i was young and i didnt realize it would lead to an addiction. this addiction lead to my first arrest in 2011, then in 2016, 2018 and finally may of this year. i served 2 prison sentances in between those times. the last few years i finally admitted i have a problem. back when i was younger i prayed many times for God to remove this from my life and it seems that He wont. i guess i thought that i would pray and God would answer and remove it and then life would be good. i havent had any cravings lately but i did go back to it a few weeks ago. there are days when i question my salvation over it. can a person be a christian and still go back to an addiction? i would think not. its the whole putting away the flesh and all that. idk. 

It is not that Jesus will not help you with your addiction it is that you are not trusting in God 100%. You need to trust in God totally and give this addiction to Him. You also need professional help. 

[Arrabon]

@Ghostdog

Sorry to hear about your struggles, but being here is a great choice, and talking about your problems is a great choice too.

@missmuffet is right to me, in that you need professional CHRISTIAN counseling to get past your issues.

Many decades ago I went through several struggles of my own, and each time God lead me to a CHRISTIAN counselor, which God used to change my life.

God can do the same for you, but it takes time, strength and courage, and a will to face your problems head on, be honest about them with yourself and your counselor, own the problems, and then do the work it takes to get past where you are.

 

God will bless you 

Edited August 23, 2021 by Arrabon

[missmuffet]

1 minute ago, Arrabon said:

@Ghostdog

Sorry to hear about your struggles, but being here is a great choice, and talking about your problems is a great choice too.

@missmuffet is right to me, in that you need professional CHRISTIAN counseling to get past your issues.

Many decades ago I went through several struggles of my own, and each time God lead me to a CHRISTIAN counselor, which God used to change my life.

God can do the same for you, but it takes time, strength and courage, and a will to face your problems head on, be honest about them with yourself and your counselor, own the problems, and then do the work it takes to get past where you are.

 

God will bless you 

But first of all you need to give this addiction to God and that means you need to also give yourself to God totally. You then need to work with a Christian professional who will help you along with God. 

[Arrabon]

32 minutes ago, missmuffet said:

But first of all you need to give this addiction to God and that means you need to also give yourself to God totally. You then need to work with a Christian professional who will help you along with God. 

@missmuffet

You are so right again.

Please tell @Ghostdog how he does those things. 

Not everyone knows how!!

[missmuffet]

6 minutes ago, Arrabon said:

@missmuffet

You are so right again.

Please tell @Ghostdog how he does those things. 

Not everyone knows how!!

First of all admitting you have a problem is 50% of the battle. 

[Starise]

The best people to talk with would be those who have also been addicted and broke from the addiction. Anyone else really doesn't understand the magnitude of it. I'm not saying others can't help or don't have good advise. They mean well. For me though I would want to hear from someone who kicked it and what it took to do that.

We all struggle with the flesh daily. We all deal with the addiction of sin. We either cave in or we don't.

[Marathoner]

2 hours ago, Ghostdog said:

can a person be a christian and still go back to an addiction? i would think not. its the whole putting away the flesh and all that. idk. 

The short answer? Yes, my friend, it can happen. 

The long answer, if you're so inclined to read, is simple in much the same way. For as long as we endure in this world we struggle against the weakness of this flesh which is perishing; this is our place and no measure of high-minded platitude can overcome the truth of our estate. Thus for the sake of the suffering the Lord in His wisdom has given those who suffer also, so they might comfort and encourage one who stumbles and falters. 

When I stumbled and fell, shame overcame me so that I believed my place was upon my face in the dust, but this was not the will of the Lord who called me forth. What did the Living One say? Rise and stand to your feet, and also, Your portion is no longer the dust. Did this go against my fervent belief and well-earned shame? Of course, but when we understand that we are called by Jesus Christ our heart yearns to answer the Lord and stand before Him. 

Who makes us perfect? He does, one step at a time. Who justifies us in the sight of our Father in heaven? His only begotten Son whom He sent; He hides us in Himself. Who makes us stand or fall? The Son of the living God and as the scripture testifies, He will indeed make us to stand. Hence,

Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
Do not plunder his resting place;
For a righteous man may fall seven times
And rise again,
But the wicked shall fall by calamity.
(Proverbs 24:15-16 NKJV)

The poor and contrite of spirit the Lord will never despise, my friend. 

“Heaven is My throne,
And earth is My footstool.
Where is the house that you will build Me?
And where is the place of My rest?
For all those things My hand has made,
And all those things exist,”
Says the Lord.
“But on this one will I look:
On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word."
(Isaiah 66:1-2 NKJV)

The Lord is gracious and swift to forgive just as the prophet Jonah testified; the scriptures are filled with example after example of God's loving kindness toward men. Yes, we can stumble and even fall but never forget the calling of the Lord upon you, @Ghostdog, which is the same calling upon me: if we fall, we rise to our feet again. The prideful will say "I never fall!" but we know the truth of the matter, don't we?  

Edited August 23, 2021 by Marathoner

[Arrabon]

@Marathoner

Love your response - "Iron sharpens Iron."

Many of us guy's fall, but it's how we get up, and who we let help us get up that matters.

Again, @Marathoner, great post.

[Arrabon]

@Ghostdog

Read @Marathoner's post around 100 times at least .