Lesson 1: Slavery to our own desires
Romans 6:16 -  Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone 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?

Addictions can have many effects on us, including emotional, physical and spiritual consequences. They can leave us powerless to do things we want to do or know is right. We often even deny we have a problem, that what we are doing is truly an addiction.

Most of us fail to realize addictions such as drugs or alcohol or tobacco make physical changes in our brains which will make quitting more difficult. Substances are not the only things that make changes to our brain. Other things may also cause physical changes in our brains (for example: pornography and masturbation) because we become addicted to the chemical changes these cause in our brain.

None of us sets out to become an addict. Generally we find events or memories, often from childhood, causing us pain for which we have never found healing. Rather than suffering the pain we choose to self medicate with something that allows us to forget the pain and to feel good for a time. If the source of the pain is neglected, allowed to fester, then the need to self medicate can take on a life of its own – an addiction – over which we lose control. We become enslaved to the self medication (drugs, alcohol, pornography, etc.).

One more thing to understand as we begin this study is that our brain may be so altered by the chemical changes we have made that making a choice will not be as easy as we believe it should be. In situations like this we may need the help of others. This is especially true as we think about what caused us to become addicted.


We may need to go back to some place in our life where pain or despair caused us to seek refuge in the thing or the action to which we are now addicted. If you can go back in your memory and understand why you first started using or doing that to which you are now addicted, you can ask Jesus to help you understand your need and help you overcome that pain through repentance or forgiveness.

Overcoming the addiction has two requirements: the Bible encourages us to not become tired as things take time (Galatians 6:9, 2 Thessalonians 3:13), and we must not lose heart or become discouraged (Jesus’ story in Luke 18:1-8, and Hebrews 12:12-13). Time is needed for the physical affects of your addiction to leave your body and mind. Determination is needed for you to consciously and intentionally change habits you have formed. One of the best ways to change your habits is to see where you are or what time of day you are most likely to do this thing you are addicted to – and either do not go there or change your pattern of behavior when you are there. For example, if smoking is your addiction, and you most often smoke right after you eat, change what you do after you finish eating. Do not just sit where you usually sit to smoke, do not open the door for temptation rooted in habitual behavior, but find something you especially enjoy as an alternative and do that instead. I am here to help pray for you and encourage you.

My prayer for you: Dear Jesus, I pray for (disciple) right now, asking You to help him/her to seek You earnestly and diligently as he/she seeks freedom from the chains of addiction. Your promise in Matthew 11:28 is that Your burden is much lighter than ours and we can come to You always. Thank You for Your promise.