The Great Escape: Series on Temptation
Part II: How Habits Become Addictions
Ephesians 4:17-23
I. INTRODUCTION
Defining a Bad Habit:
Defining an Addiction: Addiction is a chronic condition that involves a compulsive need to engage in an activity despite negative or harmful consequences that come back over and over again and inhibit our functioning.
The Bible defines addiction as choosing or pursuing something other than God in a habitual, patterned, or repetitive way in order to meet a particular need.
II. WHEN DOES A HABIT TURN INTO AN ADDICTION? Ephesians 4:17-20
A. A Cue/Trigger: that tells your brain to go into automatic mode and let a behavior unfold.
B. Routine: which is the behavior itself
C. Reward: something that your brain likes that helps it remember the “habit loop” in the future.
D. Examples of Habits:
1. Eating to much
2. indulging in to much screen time
3. neglecting health
4. reacting with anger or profanity
5. reckless decision making
III. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT ADDICTIONS?
Exodus 20:3 NKJV
“You shall have no other gods before Me.
Exodus 20:4-5 NKJV
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.
John 8:34 NKJV
Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
1 Corinthians 6:12 NIV
12 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.
1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV
13 No temptation[a] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted[b] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,[c] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Titus 2:11-12
11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
IV. The Spirit and The Word Can Break Any Habit Ephesians 4:24-31
Isaiah 61:1 NKJV
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
John 8:31-32 NKJV
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
V. THERE’S IS A HIGH COST OF LOW LIVING
Matthew 16:25-26 NKJV
25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
VI. WHAT DOES JESUS DO ABOUT HABITS THAT TURN INTO ADDICTION? Ephesians 4:32
A. Reaches for Us
Matthew 9:9-12 NKJV
9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him. 10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
B. Redeems and Restores
C. Confronts us with Truth
1. The Woman at the Well
John 4:7-10 NKJV
7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
2. The Rich Young Ruller
Matthew 19:17-22 NKJV
17 So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ 19 ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” 20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
3. Nicodemus
John 3:4-8 NKJV
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
D. Offers us Intimacy
Matthew 11:28-30
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am [a]gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
6 Steps to Overcoming Bad Habits
- Seek God’s help
- Matthew 7:7-8
- Hebrews 4:15-16
- 1 Peter 5:6-7
- Make a commitment to change
- Romans 12:1-2
- Be specific in identifying the habit to be altered and avoid the tempting situations
- Write down the habit you’d like to change. Use definite language and place it where you normally engage in the bad habit
- Replace the undesirable habit with a desirable habit
- Replace something positive with a positive payoff
- Have someone hold you accountable. Who would that be?
- Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
- Stay Positive, even when there are setbacks
- Proverbs 24:16
- Psalm 37:24