1. What is it & how do we use it to our benefit?

2. Definitions: - Man’s view… - God’s view… Effects of our natural bodies… Spiritual applications & goals…

3.  Webster’s:  ‘to devote or surrender to something habitually or obsessively’  ‘persistent compulsive action that is known by the individual to be harmful’  Addiction ‘synonyms’:  Disease  Bad habit  Genetic pre-disposition  ‘I don’t have a problem’ (rationalization)

4.  Examples:  Drugs  Alcohol  Smoking  Pornography  Video games  Television  Work  Power  Money  Gambling  Internet (social websites, etc.)  Sports  Shopping  Depression  Victimhood  Apathy  Laziness  Isolation

5.  ‘Addiction’ occurs only once in Scripture (I Cor. 16:15)  God’s opinion of addiction:  Rom. 6:12 – Sin reigning over our bodies  Reign (936) – to exercise the highest influence or control  Gal. 4:3 & 9 – Being enslaved to the world  Bondage (1401) – to give wholly to one’s needs & service  Bondage (1398) – to obey, give one’s self up to, to become a slave  Exo. 20:3 – No other God’s before Me

7. Belief System Impaired Thinking Addictive Action Unmanageable Life Ritualization/Habit Compulsion Dissatisfactions/ Despair/Guilt

9.  Humanistic view:  See…it’s not my fault  It’s a chemical problem, not a moral problem  We can ‘fix’ it  Spiritual view:  Battle against the weakness of the flesh  It’s an opportunity for growth, not a stumbling block  God created us with this ability…how can we best use it?

11. Belief System Impaired Thinking Addictive Action Unmanageable Life Ritualization/Habit Compulsion Dissatisfactions/ Despair/Guilt Matt. 5:29-30 I Cor. 10:13-14 Prov. 28:13-14 I John 1:8-10 Eccl. 4:9-10 James 5:16

12.  I Cor. 16:15 – ‘…addicted to the ministry of the saints.’  God created us with this characteristic, it’s up to us to decide how we’re going to make it work in our lives  Eph. 6:13 – ‘Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand (present) in the evil day and having done all, to stand (future).