I did a lot of drugs for many years; my life was also filled with drunkenness and sexual immorality. Sin always feels good for a season, and cocaine was the drug that almost destroyed me. I remember times when nothing and no one was more important to me than getting high. My life was out of control and broken. Sin will always take you farther than you want to go.

I hit rock bottom several times and desperately wanted it to stop, but I could not do it on my own. One night, feeling utterly filthy and empty, I knelt on my apartment floor. With my arms stretched out to God, I cried, "Father! Help me!"

And He did. I never had a desire to snort another line of cocaine again. That was a miracle—a true work of God. He freed me when I cried out to Him from the depths of my heart, laying my soul bare before Him. It makes me think of Psalm 40:2

He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire.

He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.

The Lord removed the cocaine addiction, but was I free from all other struggles that night? No, I was not. I was still living a sexually immoral life. I began to realize that the sinful lifestyle I had sought after for so many years was like a prison. However, in the years to come, Jesus Christ gave me both the desire and the will to turn from sin. This is true freedom—not the freedom to live in sin willfully and eagerly, but the freedom to love and obey God more.

I am a child of God and a work in progress—a sinner saved by grace who trusts solely in the work of Jesus Christ for my life here and for life eternal. I am loved by Christ, and I am growing to live in obedience to God, being led by His Holy Spirit and His Word. Yet, I must be on guard daily. The sin that I once ran to, I must now run from, resisting it and remaining aware of its power to destroy both body and soul. Satan works against us, and the temptation to sin will always follow us in this world. But as God told Cain in

Genesis 4:7 sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

Addiction: Faith, Freedom, and Rest for your Soul

To Those Struggling with sin and addiction:

Trust in Jesus Christ-the one who came and died for ALL your sins, regardless of how bad they are. Run to Him and cry out to Him. He will not turn you away. He will hear you. He hears a broken heart when it cries out to Him. He heard mine.​ Know that Jesus Christ will be with you all your days if you place your faith and trust in Him. Jesus says this in Matthew 11: 28-30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul.

Know that you can be freed from a lifestyle of sin through Jesus Christ. 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.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (underlined for emphasis)

Talk to God by praying daily. He hears our prayers. He cares about us.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, having cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares about you. 1 Peter 5:6-7

​Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22

Listen to God by daily Bible reading. Fill your mind with the things of God.

O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119:97

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

​Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.

Colossians 3:1-2

Turn from sin. Turn to God. The temptation to sin will always follow us.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. Romans 6:11-13

God gives us the power to resist and to flee from sin.

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Work at your recovery and do not be idle. Work a job, work at life, and work on your relationships. We were all made to work. God told Adam to work the Garden of Eden, the Apostle Paul was a tentmaker, and Jesus came to this world to do the work of God.

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3:23-24

Persevere! Do not give up on the war. If you fall, get back up. Forget what is behind and press forward. To lose a battle does not mean you will lose the war. Even If you fell just ten minutes ago. Get up! Set your eyes on Jesus, ask God for His forgiveness and move forward - persevere! God gives us everything we need to live a victorious life. Apply God’s ways to your daily walk.

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 2 Peter 1:3-7

Rest assured. God will forgive you if you confess your sin to Him.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

But do not use that as an excuse to live a lifestyle of sin.

No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 1 John 3:6

Do not use your freedom to indulge your sinful nature Galatians 5:13 Remember, it was sin that wove the crown of thorns. It was sin that nailed Jesus to the cross.

Seek council. Seek help from those who understand your battle—especially from the people of God and fellow followers of Jesus Christ—for support and encouragement. Many Christians have successfully come out of addiction, and there are many others currently going through the same struggles

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

Be thankful to God, in both the good days and the bad days, knowing that Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you. Be thankful for the things He has done and for the things He will do.

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Psalm 107:1

I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High. Psalm 7:17

Love your neighbor as yourself. Serve God by serving others.

One day Jesus will praise you for it. Help others from your life experience.

And the King will answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me. Matthew 25:40

​

Always Love God, because God Loves You!

Dear friend—this is life, and it is hard. Life is difficult, and we all make bad decisions. To reiterate, the temptation to sin will always follow us throughout our lives. However, we must change our bad decision-making into good decision-making. Most of all, we must turn completely to Christ through the Word of God and by the direction of God's Holy Spirit. Trust God, turn from sin, and persevere!