I Love an Addict… But He Doesn't Want to Change

Introduction:

See: Luke 15:11-32

2 Timothy 2:24-26 - And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

How Can We Best Love an Addict?

1. We let them Go .

   Proverbs 22:10 - Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out...

2. We Wait .
3. We Pray .

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

Small Group Discussion
Read any of the passages from this week’s message

1. What was your big “take-away” from the message?
   

2. How do you know when an addict truly repents? What are some signs?
   

3. When an addict is unrepentant, what specifically do YOU do while you wait?
   

4. How do you know what course of “treatment” is best for an addict (residential, group therapy, living with a believer, etc)?

Breakout
Pray for an addicted loved one, by name, that God would grant them repentance, spare their life, and use you and others to minister the Word to them.

I Love an Addict.

Introduction:

Galatians 6:1 - Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

How to Truly (and Lovingly) Help an Addict:

1. Get the Facts .
2. Biblical Confront .

See Proverbs 24:11  |   Matthew 18:15-17

When Confronting the Addict...

DO NOT:

1. Allow blame-shifting.
2. Allow a victim mentality.
3. Put the blame on yourself.
4. Get emotional.
5. Be an enabler.
6. Look for instant change.

Hebrews 3:13 - But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

DO:

1. Cry out to the Lord – for the addict and yourself.
2. Get coaching - from a pastor and the police.
3. Agree on the terms for helping - and the consequences for the addict not complying.
4. Look for genuine repentance.

2 Corinthians 7:10 - For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

3. Follow through with "Treatment".

   What should the "treatment" include?

   1. Biblical counseling.
   2. Church and Small Group involvement. - not just attending – but being involved
   3. Constant accountability.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

Small Group Discussion
Read any of the passages from this week’s message

1. What was your big “take-away” from the message?
   

2. Specifically, what are some clues that someone has an addiction?
   

3. How do you know if an addict truly wants to repent? Read 2 Corinthians 7:10. What’s the difference between “godly grief / sorrow” and “worldly grief / sorrow”?
   

4. What are some ways that people (unwittingly) enable addicts? Why is that such an easy trap to fall into?
   

5. How do you know what course of “treatment” is best for an addict (residential, group therapy, living with a believer, etc)?

Breakout
Pray for one another to be able to recognize, and truly help, an addict that may be in your lives.

I Want to Be Done with My Addiction.

Introduction:

5 Things You Need to Get for Change to Stick:

1. Get Real. with God.

   Revelation 3:20 - Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

2. Get biblical Counsel .

3. Get specific about "Putting Off" and "Putting On" .

   See Ephesians 4:22-32, Romans 6:19, Ephesians 5:18

4. Get a new Fellowship .

   1 Corinthians 15:33 - Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals.

5. Get Hopeful .

   1 Corinthians 6:9-11 - Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

Small Group Discussion
Read any of the passages from this week’s message

1. What was your big “take-away” from the message?
   

2. Explain why “just quitting” is not enough for deliverance from addiction. What else has to happen? Be specific. See Ephesians 4:22-32, Romans 6:19.
   

3. Imagine a friend in your neighborhood confesses a serious drinking problem to you. How would you help? Where would you tell him/her to start? Why?

Breakout
Confess any addiction issues you struggle with and pray for one another.

Addiction is a Worship Disorder

Introduction:

Seeing Addiction as God Sees It:

1. Addiction Defined: Addiction is bondage to the domination of a substance (legal or illegal) which becomes the central focus of my life.

   Disease defined: A disease is a diagnosable condition with a primary physical cause.

   See Proverbs 23:20, 1Corinthians 6:10, Galatians 5:21

   Sin (including addiction) is Enslaving .

John 8:34 - Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin."

Ephesians 5:18 - And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit...

Sin (including addiction) is Deceptive .

Five Signs of Addiction:

1. Absorbing Focus (it occupies my thoughts, dictates my schedule, claims my money).
2. Increasing Tolerance (always need more)
3. Growing Denial (I don't have a problem, I can quit when I want, it's no big deal)
4. Damaging Consequences (money, job, marriage, friendships, health)
5. Painful Withdrawal (quitting is physically painful, emotionally painful)

2. Addiction Described:
1. Addiction is Idolatry

   Eph 5:5 – For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

   1 Cor 1:18 - For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

2. Addiction is Adultery
3. Addiction is Foolishness

   No one tells me how to live.

   Prov 28:26 - Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.

   I'm not really worried about the consequences.

   Prov 9:17-18 - "Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant."
   But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

   I'll always get away with it.

   Prov 15:3 - The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

   No matter how bad things have gotten for me (relationships, money, health), I can't give this up.

   Prov 27:22 - Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, yet his folly will not depart from him.

   I know it's bad for me but I can't stop! I keep going back to it over and over.

   Prov 26:11 - Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.

   It's God's fault I am like this.

   Prov 19:3 - When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the LORD.

3. Addiction Destroyed :

   1 Cor 6:9-11 - Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

Small Group Discussion
Read any of the passages from this week’s message

1. What was your big “take-away” from this message?
   

2. Define addiction in your own words. How do you know when something is an addiction?
   

3. Is addiction a disease? Why or why not? What are the differences between addiction and a disease (like diabetes)?
   

4. How is addiction idolatry? How is it adultery? How is it foolishness?

Breakout
Pray for this sermon series to save lives in bondage to addiction.