Helping the Addict

Series: Unstuck

Helping the Addict

Galatians 6:1-2

The goal of this series is to engage the church in helping people trapped in circumstances that make it hard to hear the gospel. 

Addiction in America

In the last 20 years in the US, 750,000 people have died from drug use.   Twenty-one million people have an addiction to substances.   One hundred thirty people die every day from opioids.   Over 600 billion dollars are invested in managing the addiction epidemic.   (addictioncenter.com)

definition:

            a harmful pattern of behavior that you cannot control

Addictions are first a spiritual problem. The root of addiction is sin.

Jesus is the only hope for eternal and temporal transformation. 

The solution to sin addiction is addiction to Christ.   

Christians should be actively involved in helping those in addictions.

we must get involved

1.    God loves the addicted.

2.    People we love are affected. 

3.    Delivered addicts are grace billboards. 

4.    Addicts become great servants.

5.    Scripture teaches us we must get involved.

Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won’t be tempted. 2 Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Galatians 6:1-3

How can we help?

1.  Provide community.    Addiction is accelerated by isolation.   

2.  Be honest and don’t enable. 

3.  Pray for their restoration and for your heart.  

4.  Be persistent.  Overcoming addiction is usually a long (and frustrating) process.  

5.  Be humble.  We are all sin addicts. 

6.  Constantly point people to the gospel.