What Are the Seven Cycles
to Addiction?

Definition:

People who do not have control over what they are doing, taking or using. The brain experiences pleasure - and releases an immediate reward, leading to further and more frequent use.

Is a "habit" the same thing?

Habit - it is something that we have control over - it is done by choice.
Being Behavioral or Substance Dependent - Are people who do not have control over what they are doing, taking or using.

What are some results of this behavior?

This problem can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, hopelessness, despair, failure, rejection, anxiety and/or humiliation.

What activities some people have no control over?

People who are dependent on alcohol, drugs, sex, food, work, soaps, cleaning house, sleeping in, just being average, biting nails, smoking, gambling, computer, online games, leaders (such as dictatorships), teachers (such as Jim Jones) , corrupt teachings, television reality programs, porn, etc.

Anything that we do that controls us, may lead to an unhealthy lifestyle or habit

Is there a cycle to addiction?

Yes, there is...

Fantasizing (in the movie theater of the imagination)
Obsessing (I need it now)
Frustration that leads to anxiety (what will I do?)
Yielding to the addiction (doing it, eating it, etc.)
Shame (guilt and remorse)
Promising to stop (I am never going to do this again)
Fantasizing again... (I just need a little more to feel better)....etc

The imagination is so very powerful, isn't it?

There is something very seductive about false teachers and corrupt leaders.

2 Peter 2.19 "You aren’t saved by being good,” they say, “so you might as well be bad. Do what you like; be free.”

They offer “freedom” from law. But they are themselves slaves to sin and destruction. We are slaves to whatever controls us

Who controls us? What controls us?

Sin controls us - until that addiction power is broken...

Romans 6.19-20 "I speak this way, using the illustration of slaves and masters, because it is easy to understand: just as you used to be slaves to all kinds of sin, so now you must let yourselves be slaves to all that is right and holy.

20 In those days when you were slaves of sin you didn’t bother much with goodness."

It's our choice...

Romans 6.16 "Do you not know that if you yield yourselves to any one as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?"

What is different when we submit to the Holy Spirit's control?

GOD control comes only as we embrace GOD's words, believe them, sow them into our "spiritual heart" and let those words do their job in our thinking...

The results are entirely different -

Galatians 5.22-23 "But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control; and here there is no conflict with Jewish laws."

No conflict with GOD here...

Romans 8.5-9 "Those who let themselves be controlled by their lower natures live only to please themselves, but those who follow after the Holy Spirit find themselves doing those things that please God. 6 Following after the Holy Spirit leads to life and peace, but following after the old nature leads to death 7 because the old sinful nature within us is against God. It never did obey God’s laws and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their old sinful selves, bent on following their old evil desires, can never please God.

9 But you are not like that. You are controlled by your new nature if you have the Spirit of God living in you.

Steps to Take...to overcome any addiction

Admit you have a problem
Realize any addiction can ruin your life
Detach from bad influences
Only GOD can deliver
Understand the born again offer
Start Bible Study here
Get connected to others
Find truth and buy into it
Be accountable
Be transformed in your mind
Enjoy life again!
You are destined to be a winner!

When wrong people leave your life, good things begin happening!

Some helpful scriptures to meditate on...

Ephesians 5.8 "Don’t drink too much wine, for many evils lie along that path; be filled instead with the Holy Spirit and controlled by him."

GOD has a deal for you, if you choose to say "yes."

And one of my favorites:

Romans 12.2 "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how His ways will really satisfy you."

Not too bad, is it?

Can you succeed? Absolutely. Sure you can.. try this -

1 John 4.4 "Dear young friends, you belong to God and have already won your fight with those who are against Christ because there is someone in your hearts who is stronger than any evil teacher in this wicked world."

1 John 5.4-5 "for every child of God can obey him, defeating sin and evil pleasure by trusting Christ to help him.

5 But who could possibly fight and win this battle except by believing that Jesus is truly the Son of God?

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