Some struggles don’t go away with a single prayer.
You’ve promised yourself and God you’d stop. You meant it.
Yet you find yourself going back—to the same website, the same bottle, the same secrecy, the same outburst, the same numbing pattern.
You may be thinking:
- “Maybe I’m just too broken.”
- “Why can’t I change like other Christians?”
- “God must be so tired of me.”
This is for you.
We’ll walk through:
- Sin as bondage, not just “bad choices”
- The spiritual, relational, and bodily dimensions of addiction
- Confession, accountability, and trusted community
- Practical steps: access, boundaries, and new habits
- Professional treatment and support groups
- Dealing with relapses without giving up hope
- How the gospel speaks to shame, fear, and powerlessness
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1. Sin as Bondage, Not Just “Bad Behavior”
The Bible doesn’t treat sin as a small mistake you can easily fix with willpower. It describes sin as slavery.
“Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.”
(John 8:34)
Paul describes people as:
- “Slaves to sin” (Romans 6:17)
- “Held captive by [the devil] to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:26)
This is deeply realistic. Sin:
- Pulls you stronger than you intend.
- Costs you more than you expected.
- Keeps you longer than you ever planned to stay.
Addiction is a vivid form of this slavery—a behavior, substance, or pattern that increasingly masters you.
Yet Scripture also says:
“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
(John 8:36)
“Sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.”
(Romans 6:14)
Freedom in Christ is not always instant, but it is real. You may battle fiercely and repeatedly, but you do not battle alone or hopelessly.
Christian counselor David Powlison wrote:
“Sanctification is not God handing you a tool and walking away. It is God staying with you, working in you, and fighting for you.”
— David Powlison, How Does Sanctification Work? (paraphrased)
2. Addiction: Spiritual, Relational, and Bodily
Addictions are not only “spiritual” or only “medical.” Biblically, you are a whole person—body, soul, relationships all intertwined.
Spiritual dimension
- Addiction often becomes a functional god—what you go to for comfort, escape, control, or pleasure.
- It competes with loving God with all your heart (Matthew 22:37).
- It promises salvation (“You’ll feel better, safe, in control”) and then enslaves.
Behind every addictive pattern are deeper heart-level issues: fear, loneliness, pain, anger, shame, emptiness.
Relational dimension
Addictions:
- Isolate you: secrecy, hiding, lies.
- Damage trust: family, friendships, church.
- Prevent deep connection: the “relationship” with the addictive behavior often replaces real relationships.
We are made for community (Genesis 2:18; 1 Corinthians 12). Addiction warps that design.
Bodily/brain dimension
God created you with:
- A body that remembers patterns.
- A brain that forms habits and cravings.
Substances, pornography, compulsive behaviors, and certain patterns literally rewire reward pathways, making cravings feel overwhelming.
Scripture recognizes the bodily aspect of our struggles:
“For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war…”
(Romans 7:22–23)
Because you are embodied, you may sometimes need:
- Medical support
- Sleep, nutrition, and exercise
- Structured environments and treatment
This does not contradict faith; it honors how God actually made you.
Ed Welch, a Christian counselor, often says:
“We are body and spirit together. Wise care will always consider both.”
— Edward T. Welch (paraphrased from multiple works)
3. Confession, Accountability, and Trusted Community
Addiction grows in secrecy. One of God’s primary tools is bringing your struggle into the light, carefully and wisely.
“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.”
(Proverbs 28:13)
“Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.”
(James 5:16)
Confession to God: Honest, not formal
Confession is not a formula. It is real honesty:
“Lord, I keep running back to this. I hate it and I also feel like I need it. I cannot break this on my own. Have mercy. Change me. Show me the roots, and give me strength to take hard steps.”
Confession to trusted people
Not everyone is safe. But someone needs to know.
Look for:
- A humble, gospel-centered pastor or elder
- A mature Christian friend of the same sex
- A trained Christian counselor
- A solid support group (e.g., Celebrate Recovery, certain 12‑step groups with biblical grounding)
Accountability is more than “Did you mess up?” once a week. It includes:
- Regular, honest check-ins
- Prayer together
- Wise feedback about triggers and patterns
- Encouragement and hope when you fall
Ray Ortlund describes healthy church culture like this:
“A church should be a place where anyone can walk in and say, ‘I’m a mess,’ and be met with both honesty and hope in Jesus.”
— Ray Ortlund, The Gospel (paraphrased)
4. Practical Steps: Access, Boundaries, New Habits
God changes hearts, but He also calls you to take concrete steps. Grace does not cancel effort; it empowers it (Philippians 2:12–13).
1. Remove or restrict access
Ask: “What makes it easy to sin?” Then make it harder:
- For digital addictions (porn, social media, gambling, etc.):
- Install robust filters/accountability software (e.g., Covenant Eyes, Accountable2You).
- Remove certain apps or devices from private spaces.
- Have passwords held by a trusted friend or spouse.
- For substances:
- Remove alcohol, drugs, or triggering items from your home.
- Avoid certain stores, routes, or environments.
- Don’t keep “just in case” stashes.
- For other behaviors (spending, bingeing, etc.):
- Cut up or limit credit cards.
- Avoid situations or people that reliably lead to acting out.
Jesus uses strong language for this kind of decisive action:
“If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.”
(Matthew 5:30)
He is not calling for self-harm, but for serious, costly steps to distance yourself from what enslaves.
2. Set wise boundaries
Boundaries are ways of saying:
- “I am weak in this area and need guardrails.”
- “I will not put myself in situations that make relapse easy.”
Examples:
- No internet alone after a certain time.
- No driving alone past certain places.
- No private texting/DMs with certain people.
- Regular curfews or check-ins with someone you trust.
3. Build new habits and rhythms
Breaking a habit always leaves a void; it must be filled with new patterns:
- Regular sleep, healthy eating, and movement—your body affects your resilience.
- Daily, realistic time in Scripture and prayer (small but consistent).
- Involvement in Christ-centered community: small groups, serving, worship.
- Life-giving hobbies and relationships that bring healthy joy.
Zack Eswine, writing on suffering and weakness, notes:
“God usually works in the ordinary: small obediences, simple prayers, quiet faithfulness.”
— Zack Eswine, Spurgeon’s Sorrows (paraphrased)
5. The Place of Professional Treatment and Support Groups
Sometimes addiction is severe, long-standing, or dangerous. In those cases, professional help is not a lack of faith—it’s wise stewardship.
Consider seeking:
- Christian counseling with training in addiction
- Psychiatric help when there are co-occurring issues (depression, anxiety, trauma)
- Detox or rehab programs when medically necessary
- Support groups:
- Celebrate Recovery
- Re:Generation (in some churches)
- Certain 12‑step groups (with careful discernment and biblical grounding)
Remember, God often works through ordinary means:
- Doctors
- Therapists
- Group structures
- Legal consequences and treatment plans
As Tim Keller said about medicine and mental health:
“If we believe God works through farmers to feed us, we can also believe he works through doctors and counselors to heal us.”
— Timothy Keller (paraphrased from various talks)
Seeking structured help is often an expression of repentance and humility, not faithlessness.
6. Dealing with Relapses Without Giving Up Hope
Many people in deep sin patterns experience relapse—months of progress, then a fall. This can feel devastating.
You may hear:
- “See? Nothing has really changed.”
- “God must be done with you.”
- “Why try again?”
But Scripture presents the Christian life as warfare and a journey, not a straight upward line.
“For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.”
(Proverbs 24:16)
The difference is not that a Christian never falls, but that by God’s grace, they get up again.
When you relapse:
- Run to God, not away.
Confess specifically and quickly (1 John 1:9). - Tell someone safe.
Don’t let shame push you back into secrecy. - Review what led up to the relapse.
- Were you tired, stressed, isolated, angry, lonely?
- Were there warning signs you ignored?
- Adjust the plan.
- Stronger boundaries?
- More frequent check-ins?
- Professional help?
- Receive fresh mercy.
Lamentations 3:22–23 says His mercies are “new every morning”—including the mornings after we fall.
Spurgeon once said of God’s mercy:
“When God forgives, He forgives like a God.”
— Charles H. Spurgeon
Your relapse does not surprise God. It does not exhaust His patience. But He does call you to get up, repent, and keep walking.
7. How the Gospel Speaks to Shame, Fear, and Powerlessness
Addiction is rarely only about the behavior. Beneath it are powerful emotions:
- Shame – “I am disgusting. I don’t belong.”
- Fear – “If people knew, I’d be rejected. If I face life without this, I’ll fall apart.”
- Powerlessness – “I’ve tried and failed so many times. Why bother?”
The gospel and shame
In Christ:
- You are covered with His righteousness (Isaiah 61:10).
- You are adopted as God’s child (Romans 8:15–17).
- Your story is no longer “the addict,” but “the beloved, redeemed, and being renewed.”
“Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
(Romans 10:11)
Edward Welch, in Shame Interrupted, writes:
“In Jesus, those who feel worthless and rejected are given a new identity: honored, loved, and brought near.”
The gospel and fear
You may fear facing pain without your usual escape. But Christ says:
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.”
(Isaiah 41:10)
You are not being asked to walk through change alone. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you (Romans 8:11).
The gospel and powerlessness
On your own, you are powerless. But not helpless.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
(2 Corinthians 12:9)
Recovery is not about discovering hidden strength in yourself; it’s about depending on Christ’s strength in your weakness and walking with His people.
Paul David Tripp reminds us:
“Your hope is not that you are strong, but that God is and He has committed Himself to you.”
— Paul David Tripp, New Morning Mercies (paraphrased)
8. Scriptures for Those Stuck in Sin Patterns and Addiction
You might take one of these each week, read it daily, and turn it into prayer:
- John 8:31–36 – True freedom in Christ
- Romans 6 – Dead to sin, alive to God
- Romans 7–8 – Battle with sin and the Spirit’s power, no condemnation
- Galatians 5:16–25 – Walking by the Spirit vs. desires of the flesh
- Psalm 32; Psalm 51 – Confession, cleansing, and restored joy
- 1 Corinthians 10:12–13 – Temptation and God’s faithful help
- Hebrews 4:14–16 – A sympathetic High Priest in our weakness
9. Recommended Books and Resources for Further Help
On addiction and life-dominating sins
- Edward T. Welch – Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave
A biblical, deeply insightful look at addictions as worship and bondage, and how Christ frees us. - Edward T. Welch – Crossroads: A Step-by-Step Guide Away from Addiction (workbook)
Very practical and heart-focused; helpful for individuals or groups. - John Piper – Finally Free (by Heath Lambert, foreword by Piper)
Specifically addresses pornography, but the principles apply to many addictive patterns.
On change, habits, and sanctification
- David Powlison – How Does Sanctification Work?
Realistic, hope-filled view of how God actually changes people over time. - Paul David Tripp – Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands
How we help one another change in the context of community.
On shame, identity, and the gospel
- Edward T. Welch – Shame Interrupted
For those who feel permanently stained, unworthy, or exposed. - Ray Ortlund – The Gospel: How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ
Helps churches move from pretending to being safe places for honest strugglers.
On suffering, weakness, and God’s presence
- Zack Eswine – Spurgeon’s Sorrows
For those wrestling with depression alongside addictive struggles. - Timothy Keller – Walking with God through Pain and Suffering
Deepens your view of God in the middle of hard, long battles.
A Pastoral Prayer for Those in Bondage
Lord Jesus,
You see the one who feels trapped, ashamed, and exhausted.
You know the patterns they hate and the cravings that feel stronger than they are.Thank You that You came “to proclaim liberty to the captives”
and “to set at liberty those who are oppressed.”Give them courage to bring their struggle into the light
with wise, safe people.
Strengthen them to take practical steps,
even when those steps feel costly.When they fall, do not let them run away in despair—
draw them back quickly in repentance and hope.Remind them that, in You, they are not defined by their worst sins
but by Your finished work and their new identity as beloved children.Surround them with a community of grace
and, by Your Spirit, do more than they can ask or imagine.In Your strong and gentle name, Amen.
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