COUNTERFEIT WORLDS
Fleshly Addictions
Christ Himself told us that we have three enemies: the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. The ‘world’ refers to other people, temptations, and counterfeit living without God in the Devil’s world.
The flesh is our most powerful enemy … the flesh is most attracted to the world and its addictions.
The Devil is the most powerful enemy of Christ. Man’s most powerful enemy is his flesh — the inherent nature to sin; it is in our genes and passed to each generation through the male (father). This is the reason for the necessity of the Virgin Birth of Christ! Man’s flesh is susceptible to all kinds of addiction — mental and physical.
Before we continue, keep in mind a few points of doctrine: When God created man originally, there was no void in man’s soul because God fellowshipped with man, (Genesis chapter three). Since the Fall of Man, the spirit of man is dormant, separated from God by sin, until faith in Christ. The result of God’s absence (because of sin) leaves a void in man’s soul. This void was originally designed by God to be filled by God for the benefit of man and the Glory of God.
When man is saved by faith in Christ, he is re-filled by God the Holy Spirit. Until faith in Christ, man is constantly trying to fill the subconscious void in his life with countless counterfeits (drugs, alcohol, sex, tobacco, sugary things, overspending, competition with others for ‘status’, etc). Souls without God are in search of God and do not realize they are looking for God in all the wrong places and satisfying the appetites of the flesh! (Please see Job 23:3; Psalms 42:2; 63:1; 143:6; Isaiah 26:8.) As stated above: The soul without God attempts to find its fulfillment in counterfeit ways through the world, the flesh and the devil … and without finding God, that soul will never be satisfied.
The Bible warns of addiction: drugs, gluttony, SIN, lust, drunkenness, ETC. God specifically warns us about the FLESH (the carnal nature of man). Please turn to the following versus regarding our flesh: Romans 7:18, 25; 8:8, 13; 1 Corinthians 15:50; Galatians 5:17; 6:8; especially read 1 John 2:16.
Drugs and alcohol take control of the inner life, changing the character of the person, and as a result, that person becomes something that person would not ordinarily be.
This change negatively affects the thought patterns of the mentality of the soul — therefore the behavior. This negative change is destructive, neutralizing the soul, neutralizing the conscience — our inhibitions. By contrast, the “filling of the Spirit” affects the thought patterns of the mentality of the soul, positively, therefore the production of the soul is positive. The filling of the Spirit uses Bible Truths to produce the light of Christ in us — His Character — the “fruits of the Spirit.” These things … are what truly satisfies the soul. Are you filling your soul with the right things?
The “high” of drugs and alcohol demand more drugs and more alcohol. The high is never high enough, never long enough — the craving is insatiable and controlling. Addiction seizes control through the flesh. The battle of addiction is for control of the soul. The first ‘trip’ begins with a step through the door of illusion (darkness has a light and life of it’s own) it is counterfeit, it appeals to man.
The lure of the counterfeit world, which is all around us, offers just that — counterfeit worlds without reality, without substance, except ‘substance abuse.’ Drugs offer a counterculture lifestyle of illusion. Addiction is like a magnetic hook in the flesh that never stops pulling, never lets go — it drags the person down (NOT UP), leading to depths of despair. Just one more high, one more feeling of bliss. Sooner or later — the final plunge. When the soul walks in darkness it gets disoriented — lost!
ADDICTION MAKES SLAVES OF US ALL IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER
Smoking, overeating, sugar, lust, perversion, lying, cheating, gambling, procrastinating, stealing, deceiving, etc. … ALL are addictive. We are ALL truly creatures of habit. (See Ephesians 2;2; Luke 9:25.) Addiction, especially alcohol and drugs, destroys the influence of the Truths of God so that the soul is deceived among the thorns of addiction. Drugs and alcohol lead to a false since of security; they give us something to hide behind. Drugs and alcohol make earthly affections supreme.
ADDICTION MEANS SURRENDER
NEVER GIVE UP YOUR FACULTIES TO ADDICTION! STAY IN CONTROL – SAY NO TO ADDICTION! STAY CALM AND YOU CAN STAY IN CONTROL. BE SATISFIED WITH WHO YOU ARE OR MAKE A POSITIVE CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE. THE ONLY REAL ANSWER FOR YOUR LIFE IS JESUS CHRIST! MEET CHRIST! CHRIST DIED TO SAVE YOUR SOUL FROM SELF DESTRUCTION, FROM ADDICTION, FROM THE WORLD, THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL.
“BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND YOU WILL BE SAVED, AND YOUR HOUSEHOLD” (ACTS 16:31).
Are you a follower, following the wrong leaders? These leaders are the world, the flesh and the devil. All three are addictive.
FOLLOW CHRIST!
By contrast, Bible Doctrine feeds the soul, producing Divine Viewpoint, which in turn produces the fruits of the Spirit. “Be not drunk with wine (addictions) but be filled with the spirit” (Ephesians 2:1 – 5:18).
“Walk as children of light”
“The fruit of the Light consists of goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5:8-9).
Happy Studying!