Reversing Addiction Consequences

Dr. Tony Evans says there's a way to escape the flaws and failures celebrating this is the alternative Dr. Tony Evans, author, speaker, senior pastor of Oakland Bible Fellowship Dallas, Texas, president of the urban alternative. Many Christians live their lives like spiritual POW unable to break free from the sins that hold them hostage.

There's an escape route in place to come straight from Scripture.

Let's join Dr. Evans as he tells us about it. I want to talk about the consequence of the diction that shreds my soul kills relationships because you find yourself caught. That's not you, there is somebody in your circle of influence who finds themselves addicted the biblical word for what the world calls addiction is strong.

Thus ritual nature of the addiction stronghold is ace spiritually based addiction, which means if you try to fix an addiction which is really a stronghold without the right spiritual connection. You can't be released from it. Because you haven't dealt with the core issue that's behind it. You just deal with the thing itself in your kitchen whether you have a refrigerator or so on electric can opener or a toaster or whatever appliance you have all different but they all find their power from the same source electricity. Regardless of your addictions.

It would take us flambeaux to talk about this addiction and that addiction in this addiction about addiction in the southern addiction because they are coming by the dozens, but I would like to submit to you that they all emanate from a common source. So if we can get through the common source we can apply that source to the uniqueness of the particular spiritual addiction/promo that needs to be addressed when living in a time when people find themselves stuck now my concern is not for the person who stopped and wants to be, because I can help you addiction and you want to stay addicted all facts and figures. In truth, the Bible can't change something you are pursuing. But I am speaking to those who are know someone who is interested in know they are caught want to be caught, but don't know how to get out. They are trapped in some scenario for which they cannot find release and so this issue of illegitimate bondage must have a spiritual understanding underpinning it for release to occur, select review again. What we are referring to as we move forward with referring to a spiritually based. Trapped in some category of life that has been inculcated with negative patterns of thought that like a snake has wrapped itself around the mind making something seem impossible to break or to fix because you feel handcuffed to with what it feels handcuffed to you saying something as changeable. That is outside of the will and the word of God.

Most people run into something in their lives. Sometimes they're big sometimes they are small. That is of less consequence but yet addictions have a way of growing. They have built into them. Gateway potential, the capacity to expand themselves in our lives and in our circumstances. When you are in addiction or better yet a spiritual addiction stronghold you feel like you're in a two prison, and somebody is thrown away the key, but many people seek to do with this stronghold that they're battling is still accepted as an inevitable reality and the best. I hope to do with it is to decorate themselves says never go change. Please let me make my addiction as pleasant as possible.

To understand this stay with me here. I want you to follow me to second Corinthians chapter 10 verse two says I asked that when I am present.

I need not to be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some holy God us as if we walk according to the flesh, for though we walk in the flesh, we do not, according to the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are not the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses we are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. The problem of addiction has to do with a lofty thing. See the phrase he said this lofty thing in verse five has been raised up against the knowledge of God, so let me define the lofty thing. The Greek word lofty synonym for this partition.

If we want to have to classrooms in the same space we close the petition. This petition is lofty goals from the floor to the ceiling and we close it to divide the room so that we can have two separate classes as opposed to having one bigger class.

So we divided the way you lofty thing now the realism we divide the room if all the information in this happen room doesn't cross over to the meeting in capital. We want the content to be separated so that one room is not enough for a ring with another room. What Paul is saying is the reason why we state if David is because of our partition in the mind. There is a blockage in the mind. He says speculations and thoughts raised the petition out against the knowledge of God.

So what the enemy of God's NC set up a partition in the mind so that the true God can't get through because he partials all your thinking. Your speculation and your thought, no matter how many servings you hear it can cross over to the other room because the other room is filled with contradictory information that the enemy wants the knowledge of God. The cross over into calls this other information on behalf of the room, not because that information, knowledge, and speculation against the knowledge of God. So the lofty thing is contradicting what God says what God thinks so that it doesn't go all the way through. So what happens is that the enemy is able to keep the truth of God from infiltrating your thought patterns so that you had everyone's moment and defeat unlovable. Now the biblical word for this lofty thing is double mindedness.

It is the job of Satan to keep thinking into waves at the same time. Mind you, getting God's thoughts on Sunday and is in the room you have his thoughts on Monday because if they can get you to have God's thoughts on Sunday but getting his thoughts on Monday.

He can keep God's thoughts from penetrating all of you. Therefore, God's thoughts don't last long so if that's the problem. We do this we begin now to remove the petition so there is no longer a division in the mind that now God's knowledge flows through and the fortresses destroyed and all the speculation is holding me hostage.

He says in John chapter 8 verse 31 and 32. If you continue in my words. Your truly my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free always are going to be freed by the truth day that nobody will disagree with that said another way, you will only be freed by the truth, not what you believe to be true. We Will run riot, I know my truth and what has your truth gotten you know it's not what you believe to be true. Not talking about truth, some truth truth about the truth. Truth refers to an absolute standard by which reality is measured. It is an absolute standard by which reality is measured and truth always sits outside of you and one of the reasons people stay in stronghold is because they're living on truth or bad truth, or some TV programs truth on some cultural truth and not the truth.

The absolute standard by which reality is revealed here is one of the biggest falsehoods that keep us in custody and locked up spiritually stronghold a spiritual addiction and that is trying to get the flesh to fix the flesh. Paul said in the Scripture we just read is the greatest.

We do not walk according to the flesh, the flesh can't fix the flesh, you can try to manage it and try to force it down.

You can try to make a New Year's resolution you can promise you that will do it again.

You can talk to yourself.

You can go to the counselor you can take medication but if it's a spiritual issue.

What will you do is go to the thing that's the problem to fix the problem. He says no what you must do first and foremost is continuing the treatment of the word continue means to hang out by stating to loiter. That's what the continue or bind, you must abide in the truth abide in the truth we visited we come when listening to the word of God. Most of us will know next Sunday. What we are descended because we don't embodiment visited no recent luminal luminal to have victory over the master of sin, you must abide in the truth.

So if you are battling something in your life and your Christian is not a Christian is a hold of the boat excursion like the Spirit to help you if you are a Christian you have the spirit but the spirit is the spirit of truth. You got abide in the truth. So here's what I want you to do this week. Every day I want you to read Romans six, seven, 803 chapters Romans 670, why because Roma 678 is will tell you the truth about the master call sin, whatever that sin is in chapter 6, Paul is going tell you about your new identity in Christ will tell you you been baptized with Christ and you are not who you used to be because were buried with him in baptism raised with them into a new life so that sin is a liking to you and tell you to ship your identification in your noon is in Christ and therefore does not object is considered a dog person dead. Go tell you, you must now identify yourself as Jesus Christ identifies you look on the chapter 7 and is compiled with struggle like you struggle. I have some things in my life.

Tell us what is which is good that the new reports. In the chapter he says and I struggled in the thing I didn't want to do the things I didn't wanted to kept coming back and I resisted it but it showed up again until I got chapter 8 and understood the power of the Holy Spirit about the law of the Spirit is greater then the law of sin and death, so that in verse 13 he said.

Therefore, I have no longer any obligation to the flesh when I understood that I got this supernatural peace when it's time to the truth. Dr. Evans will come back with advice for believers who read the Bible, but have a hard time understanding its message that's coming up after these thoughts from Tony on 40 years of faithfulness that so many ways that God is demonstrating his faithfulness to me into this ministry over these 40 years, you know, there were times when we just weren't sure we were going to make it. We got down to our last paycheck. After that there was no money to pay anyone. I remember a Starbucks special prayer time and asking God to intervene and then out of nowhere a donors heart was touched they wrote us a notice and God placed it on my heart to send you this gift and was able to sustain us until we were able to rebuild so I am not a doubter about the greatness of God is faithful and I'm certainly grateful for all the friends he's given us who been faithful to very grateful for 40 years, seen his kind hand faith this much.

The urban alternative is celebrating 40 years of God's faithfulness.

Look forward to seeing where he leads us in the future right now. I wanted let you know that today's message is part of Tony's powerful series you turn reversing spiritual consequences. This series is proven to be a valuable resource to help undo the negative results of bad choices and that's why he's written a new book to further illuminate the matter is called U-turns reversing the consequences in your life and it's the perfect complement to what we been learning about today the book and 12 message series focus on parts of your life where you may have taken wrong turns areas like fear and anxiety financial challenges addiction issues since they passed down through generations and more. Regardless of where you've been and where you're currently heading these powerful lessons can get you moving in God's direction, so we're offering them as our gift to you. When you make a donation to help us keep Tony's teaching on the air. Give us a call at 1-800-800-3222 or visit Tony Evans.org today to make your contribution and request, and if you want to learn even more, or equip yourself to lead others in these life-changing truths check out the U-turns Bible study kit and DVD lessons. Dr. Evans has put together again.

You can get all the details when you call 1-800-800-3222 or visit Tony Evans.org. I have her contact information for you again after part two of today's lesson and this it's beyond a Sunday sermon a chance to really dig into the Bible and the kingdom in a new way anytime and anywhere because it's all online. The Tony Evans training center, in-depth courses, all kinds of topics cultural transformation intro to expository preaching. Jude Josh Hebrews, Old Testament, New Testament, and so much more. These are sermons their teaching courses to help you engage understand Scripture and not just to hear about, but to explore the kingdom of God on your own. Find out more@tonyevanstraining.org Tony Evans.org Salinas Senior sinks will only know it, but a lot of Bible stop agreement, but understand and understand.

Do you take medicine you don't understand you go to the doctor you say I'm hurt. He writes a prescription, you will know what he wrote to the pharmacist you get the medicine you will know all the stuff that's in that medicine, but what you do is you ingest it you take it you swallow with and it does its work even when you don't understand how short we are to seek to understand the word of God. But while you are taking the time to seek if you just keep taking it in and continue with the ability to do its work. If you continue in so if you are startling with something. If you are a believer every day this week.

Read chapter 6, seven and eight of the book of Romans over and over again that the medicine now in you because when you continue in my word, you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. It becomes popular, so it's been ingested and will do that we listen to a sermon on Sunday church something else. He tested if you will continue in my word to hang out for the truth will make you free. But in verse 36 incense. So if the son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

In the first one. The truth will make me free, but in the second one the sun sets me free. So what happens between being made free and being set free and was the different between being free and free and what's the difference he if somebody comes in you in jail and comes up to you and says someone is just posted bail for you so you applaud somebody is paying what you need to get out now that you have on freight but you still in jail you're free because that was the posted. But you're not.

But you are free but then I got to do paperwork paperwork so that between being free and being the word of God post bail but the son has the key to the law. The bail free.

The sun sets you free. It is rarely the knowledge of the Bible. It is the relationship that produces the experience of the freedom that you have Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12.

Since the word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword says it's a life. The book is alive is about, but is alive with the book does put Hebrews 412. She simply was for 12 book, the word of God when taken in my soul and spirit. The reason why we stay trapped in certain things is because the soul and spirit are not divided they all mixed up Del Valle line because things have not been separated so that which is God is God and that which is not is not so. We got all mixed together.

But he says with the word of God does its cutting.

It separates the soul and the spirit so that they become to distinct realities and you know what's what.

She probably was not what I want to do this and do it makes sense that he says what God shall cost between the two children to segment but then after he says that it comes to verse 13 and he says, and all things may bear before his eyes, the word of God. But in verse 13 he thought about till he takes the word written and God the person and when the word connects with the written word Solomon mine not only of bail posted but Jesus comes with the key and window sign sets you free. You are operating in a baby is Luke 24, 34, says. When Jesus rose. They said he is risen indeed the same in me because Jesus Christ never stop living after he died on the cross. After Jesus died on the cross was very much alive on Saturday as it was on Friday that the Scripture says that on Saturday he went to Chino to preach victory to the salt that it so Jesus Christ was alive on Saturday as he was of his on Saturday was still laying in the tomb was spiritually alive, but he was not likely alive, but as the preacher would say early Sunday morning.

Just a little while before day job, so that was already true became visible was already real. You could say it's one thing to be in jail and he somebody posted bail. All job and stop when folks see you walk out of the jail house and stated that you are free. Jesus made his freedom visible on Sunday morning in 1863 Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation but folk in Texas and Louisiana and Arkansas didn't find out about it till June 19, 1865. So that was a between legal freedom and the experience of freedom, not because the proclamation had been sometimes it was God's fault didn't know about so one reason you can stay is because nobody told you to be free on the cross, Jesus enjoy emancipation trust price is ready. I want you to know what the petition and no you don't believe in freedom free is free and only if you continue you continuing this is where you call on the sun and tryout like a great man. Years ago, 19, three in Washington DC. If you have an experience the freedom that comes from having your sins forgiven your life turned completely around drop by 20 of.org today.

Click on the link that says Jesus there. Tony will explain to you exactly what it means to become a real Christian and connect you with information and free resources you can use to start your new life. Don't wait.

Drop by 2011.org today and while you're there, be sure to request your copy of that special package I mentioned earlier Tony's brand-new U-turns book and 12 message teaching series on CD and digital download there. Yours is our thank you gift when you make a donation to help support Tony's ministry.

Just visit Tony Evans.org before the special, limited time offer runs out or collar 24 hour resource Center at 1-800-800-3222 and let one of our team members help you.

And don't forget Dr. Evans is also put together a companion U-turns Bible study kit complete with custom video sessions on to DVD discs.

You can find out more from one of our resource team members at 1-800-800-3222 or go online to Tony Evans.org when next time Dr. Evans will tell us about the biblical cure for the epidemic of debt that cripples families ruins marriages and threatens our economy. I hope you'll join us. The alternative with Dr. Tony Gavin is vacuum I think of an alternative celebrating 40 years of faithfulness, thanks to the generous contributions of listeners like you