Am I Addicted?

Main Point: Addiction is a real, powerful, and prevalent sickness.

Addiction: A surrender of oneself to something habitually and obsessively.

Signs of Addiction:
1. Cravings
2. Loss of Control
3. Escapism
4. Tolerance
5. Withdrawal
6. Shame and Guilt
7. Loss of Interest
8. Secrecy
9. Conflict
10. Financial Strain
11. Loss of Self

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“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. —1 Corinthians 6:12

When you are

by something that is not helpful, you are addicted.

Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. —Proverbs 27:5-6

When someone who loves you believes that you are addicted, you are probably

.

the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. —Romans 7:14-17 (NLT)

Being stuck in a cycle of

is a sign of addiction.

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. —Romans 7:18-20 (NLT)

When an action leads to a loss of

and a loss of

Reveal Answer

, that is a sign of addiction.

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? —Romans 7:21-24 (NLT)

Internal and external

,

Reveal Answer

, and endless

Reveal Answer

are all signs of addiction.

Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind, I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature, I am a slave to sin.
—Romans 7:25 (NLT)

Takeaway: The first step towards overcoming addiction is admitting that you are addicted.

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Discussion Questions

1. What does 1 Corinthians 6:12 mean when it says, “All things are lawful for me, but I will not be dominated by anything”? How does this apply to addiction?

2. How would you define addiction in your own words? How does the idea of “surrendering oneself habitually and obsessively” resonate with you?

3. How does Proverbs 27:5-6 challenge our understanding of love and friendship in the context of addiction? Why is it important to have people in our lives who can offer “open rebuke”?

4. In Romans 7:14-17, Paul describes his struggle with sin. How does this struggle relate to the experience of addiction? Have you ever felt this same internal conflict?

Table Discussion Question: Why is admitting that you are addicted the first step toward overcoming addiction? How can acknowledging the problem open the door to healing and recovery?