Question of the Day

When Kenneth and Gloria started their journey of faith they had questions too—lots of them! So, we've compiled the most frequently asked questions by people like you—people who earnestly desire to find God's answers to the practical, real-life challenges of everyday living. We have a new question every day, so check back often!

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Is there hope for someone lost in an addiction?
Is there hope for someone lost in an addiction?
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The short answer is: Yes! There is hope for anyone lost in addiction. The longer answer is more complex. When we’re believing for someone’s deliverance from an addiction, we must place our faith in God’s promises to us. Truth and hope for the future live in His Word.
 
The Bible is not naïve about the nature of addictions. God recognizes the ways in which sinful choices can enslave us, but while He holds us responsible for our actions, He has provided deliverance through Jesus Christ. Just look at what the Bible says Jesus’ sacrifice did for us in Isaiah 53:4-5:

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed. 

Read that again. Those words capture a description of all sin, including addiction, weakness, sorrow, trouble, rebellion and the need for healing.

Addiction, like other sins, is the result of the Fall of man. It came into this world through the Fall of the first man—Adam. Until then, God had ordained Adam to be spirit-ruled and in union with Him, created in His image. The entrance of sin, or rebellion to God and His Word, gave way to the work of the enemy. If Adam had never disobeyed God, if he had followed God’s Word, then sin—including addiction—would never have entered the world. 

But that’s not what happened. Adam’s disobedience opened the door to sin and to the work of the enemy in this world. John 10:10 states that the enemy’s mission is to steal, kill and destroy. Addiction allows him to do that. Sadly, millions of people struggle to break this bondage.

But remember: There is hope! Believers are no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6:20; Galatians 5:1). Jesus came to the earth for the purpose of destroying the enemy’s work (1 John 3:8). We are no longer subject to the enemy’s authority in our lives. Christ has delivered us from the power of death and sin. We are now alive in Him (Ephesians 2:5)! 

Of course, believers can become held in the bondage of addiction because of sinful choices that put them back in slavery to sin. They participate in practices that trigger an automatic response. The Bible acknowledges this response and tells us that as believers, we should “not let sin control the way [we] live” (Romans 6:12). The choice is ours. We decide what and whom we will obey—"sin, which leads to death, or…God, which leads to righteous living” (Romans 6:16).

To break the bondage of addiction, we must follow the Word and:

  1. Submit ourselves to God and resist the devil, knowing that he will flee (James 4:7).
  2. Recognize that God is faithful to provide a way out of addiction. He won’t allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13).
  3. Know that Jesus endured temptation and even battled it with the Word—and so can we (Hebrews 4:15; Matthew 4:1-11).
  4. Approach God with confidence, so we can receive mercy and grace when we need it (Hebrews 4:16).
  5. Believe that, in Christ, we have the strength we need (Philippians 4:13). 

If you are standing in faith for deliverance for yourself:

  1. Begin to study the above scriptures. Learn how to use the Word to withstand the work of the enemy in your life, and take authority over his attacks. He has no authority over you—period!
  2. If you need prayer, contact the KCM Prayer Line to speak with one of our prayer ministers at (817) 852-6000. They are ready to pray with you anytime. 
  3. And if you need additional support, look for an inpatient or outpatient service that bases its approach on the Word. 

If you are standing in faith for deliverance for someone else: 

  1. First, determine to be a person who lives by the God kind of love. After all, it is only the love of God flowing from you that will cause the other person to want to live a godly life (1 Peter 4:8). This isn’t the same as enabling their addiction, but it is recognizing that the person and the addiction are not one and the same. God sees the difference. He sees the person bound by the addiction, the person He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for. And with His help, you can make that distinction, too. 
  2. Resist the temptation to shame, criticize or condemn the person you’re standing in faith for, as that will only hinder your prayers for them (2 Timothy 2:24-26). 
  3. Instead, intercede for their deliverance. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results (James 5:16)! 

Yes, there is hope for someone lost in addiction, and that hope is Jesus!