Addiction is one of the silent battles many believers face but rarely talk about. It thrives in secrecy, guilt, and shame. These addictions come in various forms but whatever form it takes, addiction is anything that has gained control over your mind and habits — something you feel you can’t do without.

As believers, we must understand that addiction is not just a bad habit; it’s a stronghold; a system of thought and behavior that contradicts the freedom Christ has given us. God did not create us to be slaves to anything except righteousness. Yet, we live in a world where indulgence is celebrated and self-control is mocked. Many are in chains and don’t even realize it because society has normalized addiction in subtle ways.

But you can’t walk in dominion if you are in bondage. You can’t grow spiritually while feeding an appetite that rules you. Addiction, no matter how small, is an enemy of your spiritual health.

Romans 6:12-14
New King James Version
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.

13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Paul’s message is clear: sin must not reign. You are no longer under its rule because grace has given you the power to say no to sin.

Jesus said in John 8:34-36 
New King James Version
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.

36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

This is your new reality! Hallelujah! 

Christ already made provision for your deliverance. But freedom starts when you stop excusing your bondage. You must first call it what it is — sin that needs to be broken. Until you see it as bondage, you won’t seek deliverance.

Now that you know your new reality in Christ, the follow-up question would be “How do I stop this sin?”

To overcome addictions, you must feed the Spirit and starve the flesh. You can’t overcome addiction by willpower alone. The flesh cannot cast out the flesh. You need the power of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16 
New King James Version
16 Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

This means that as long as you are feeding your spirit — praying, studying God’s Word, staying accountable, and surrounding yourself with godly influences, your spirit will grow stronger than your flesh. But when you neglect your spiritual life, the flesh takes over.

You don’t overcome addiction by focusing on not doing it — you overcome it by filling yourself with something stronger. Just as darkness cannot survive in the presence of light, addiction cannot thrive in a heart saturated with the Word and presence of God.

Be deliberate about your spiritual diet.

Don’t only starve the flesh — feed your spirit.

And God has made this possible for us, as stated in Ezekiel:

Ezekiel 36:26-27 
New King James Version
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

So, it is possible not to give in to sin because now, you have the Spirit of God in you to cause you to walk in His statutes. Hallelujah!

Philippians 2:13 
New King James Version
13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Be assured that as long as you have the Holy Spirit in you, you can walk in the Spirit at all times. You accomplish this by constantly feeding your Spirit. Have set times of prayer, Bible study, sermon listening and time in worship. In this way, you’re feeding your Spirit.

Romans 8:13 
King James Version
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Romans 5:20 
New King James Version
20 But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.

Grace means that even when you fall, you can rise again. It means God is patient with your process, but He doesn’t want you to remain bound. His grace gives you both forgiveness and the strength to fight again.

So don’t give up. You might have fallen ten times, but you can rise eleven times. Keep pressing. Keep praying. Keep fighting. The presence of struggle does not mean the absence of progress.

Proverbs 24:16
New King James Version
16 For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again…

You are that righteous man. Rise again.

Prayer Point
Father, I acknowledge that this habit has had a hold on me. I confess that I have tried in my strength and failed. Today, I surrender it to You. Deliver me from every bondage of addiction. Strengthen my spirit, Lord, and teach me to walk in Your freedom daily. Let the power of sin be broken in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.