Baggage of Addictions sermon notes audio

Baggage of Addictions. When you offer yourself to God, you are also offering your Baggage of Addictions to God. When we come to Christ, we come with all of our baggage of addictions. Is this correct, or do we clean up first? No, we can’t clean up on our own. We come and give it all to him allowing him to begin dealing with it. We give it, take our hands off it, and allow him to deal with our baggage of addictions.

BAGGAGE – EVERYBODY HAS SOME

by Delbert Young

Baggage of Addictions

Baggage of Addictions sermon notes audio

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Baggage of Addictions

Scriptures: 2 Peter 2:19, 1 Corinthians 6:12, Romans 6:12-14, James 5:16, 1 John 1:9, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, 1 Corinthians 9:27,

Welcome to our second lesson in the series called BAGGAGE: EVERYBODY HAS SOME. Today we will be talking about the BAGGAGE OF ADDICTIONS.

Have you ever seen anyone desire to become addicted? I have never heard anyone say, “Man, I really want to have an addiction that screws up my life, so today I am going to begin smoking one or two packs of cigarettes a day ($4 pack x 2 per day x 365 days per year = $2,920 a year). My clothes and automobile will smell like smoke. My teeth will turn yellow and, if I am really lucky, I will get lung cancer and die ten or twelve years early. I hope that happens to me.” No one says that. No one becomes addicted to cigarettes intentionally, but how many billions have this addiction unintentionally?

I have never heard anyone say, “I want to be really fat, so I am going to get me a sack full of Krystal burgers and eat and eat and eat. Every day I am going to eat fatty food all day long. I will get so big that I cannot fit in a chair and if I am lucky, I will get unhealthy, my legs will give out on me, my blood pressure will go out the roof, and maybe, if I am really lucky, I will develop heart problems.” No one does that intentionally, but they do create a baggage of addictions.

Or maybe someone says,

“I am going to gorge on food until I can’t eat anymore. Then I will poke my fingers down my throat and puke all that food up. I will binge and purge until I become anorexic and bulimic. If I am lucky, my teeth will fall out, my body will stop working normally, and I will never be able to have children.” People just do not say that or intentionally do that, but it happens every day.

Baggage of Addictions sermon notes audio

No one ever says to themselves, “Man, my life is going so great that today I think I am going to screw up my life. I am going to make some decisions that could start the ball rolling in a very painful and negative direction. Maybe today, I will begin gambling. So I will go to Vegas and become addicted to gambling, and I will play Blackjack, Craps, Poker, Slots, and do Online gambling. Also, I am going to lose all my money. Moreover, I will lose my retirement money and the money I put back for the children to go to school. If I am really lucky, I will lose my house and they will repossess my car.” No one plans to do that, but it happens all the time.

Here is another one.

I am going to drink my first alcoholic beverage today. I’ll get addicted and one day I will lose my job. Or better yet, I will lose my family. I will pass out and urinate all over myself. My liver will enlarge and if I am really lucky, I will get Cirrhosis of the liver.” No one ever says that. Does it happen?

How about this one? “I think I will buy this porn magazine and become addicted to pornography. So,  I will go to some of those sleazy porn shops, and I will visit some porn sites on the web and see what weird stuff I can find today. If I type in “X X X, I’m just one click away from opening up a window of destruction to my mind and life. I can even get some of those 900 numbers and call them. Yes, I think I will screw up my life today.” Even though no one plans to do that, millions of people open that window of destruction every day.

While we are on computers, I have never heard a person say, “I want to screw my life and family up, so I am going to go to chat rooms and become emotionally involved with someone. If I am lucky, I will have an Internet affair, fall in love, mess up my family, and get a divorce. If I am really lucky, I will get to do that several times during my life.” No one intentionally does that, but it happens.

Baggage of Addictions sermon notes audio

Let’s do one more.

“I think I will become a drug addict. Those pills make me numb. I will take those pills, sleep all day, and waste my life away, and I know what I will do! As a matter of fact, I will get me some Marijuana and then maybe I can find myself some Cocaine or some Meth. I will become worthless, spend all my money, lose my job, and begin stealing from my family and friends. If I am real lucky, I will get arrested and spend several years in prison.” Does anyone say that, or intentionally do that? No, but it happens every single day. It happens to good, good people.

The apostle Peter said…

2 Peter 2:19  They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity – FOR A MAN IS A SLAVE TO WHATEVER HAS MASTERED HIM.

To what does that verse say a person is a slave? A person is a slave TO WHATEVER HAS MASTERED HIM OR HER – not whoever, WHATEVER. People think their addiction promises freedom. In reality, it makes you a slave. To what are you a slave? What has mastered you? At this moment, what is out of control in your life? What is bigger than you, bigger than the word of God, and bigger than what is good for you? If you are honest enough to say, “Yes, there is something,” I have incredible news for you. I promise you that today in the presence of a very holy God, if you will apply his living word and submit to the power of his Spirit, the risen Christ will set you free. You can be free.

Be honest with yourself. What has mastered you? It may be something seemingly not dangerous. For example, caffeine is not really dangerous until you have to have six cups of coffee before you can properly function. Or, maybe it is the Internet, not porn, but just that you have to get Online to check that e-mail, or play computer games. Perhaps, maybe, it is work – work, work, work. Or, maybe it is masturbation, or shopping, or spending money. Some people are addicted to the appearance of their body. They have to get that workout fix. Some people are addicted to the sun. They have to have that suntan so their skin will look like an alligator by the time they are 40. Maybe you are addicted to your temper. Your temper is your master and controls you.

Baggage of Addictions sermon notes audio

Maybe you are addicted to being abusive mentally or physically to people who love you. Maybe you are addicted to being critical and negative about everything and everyone. THE QUESTION IS WHAT IS YOUR MASTER?

Here is what every person who eventually became addicted to whatever master it was, said. “I don’t really have a problem. I can quit any time I want.” Then why don’t you? Because you can’t! The thing is your master! It owns you! It controls you! You know I am right, so you had better listen to the word of the Lord today.

I want to look at one scripture from three different translations.

(KJV) 1 Corinthians 6:12  All THINGS are lawful unto me, but ALL THINGS are not expedient: ALL THINGS are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the POWER of any.

Things have power and the power is to make you addicted. A thing has the power to become your master.

(NIV) 1 Corinthians 6:12  “Everything is permissible for me” – but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me” – but I WILL NOT BE MASTERED BY ANYTHING.

The verse uses “…THING” four times.  Paul said WE determine what THING becomes our master, or if we will NOT be mastered by anything!  Again, what is your master?

(NLT) 1 Corinthians 6:12  You may say, “I am allowed to do anything.” But I reply, “Not everything is good for you.” And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I MUST NOT BECOME A SLAVE TO ANYTHING.

Baggage of Addictions sermon notes audio

We must not allow anything to own us. Also, we cannot allow anything to put us under its power. Furthermore, we cannot allow anything to master us. Moreover, we cannot become a slave to anything. So, if a person tells me they cannot stop smoking (or any “habit”), what are they actually telling me? They are saying, “I have a master. I have become a slave to …”

We are only to subject ourselves to the Holy Spirit, who will never “control” us. We must only submit ourselves to the Word of God, which will only enlighten our minds and show us the correct way. Even God refuses to control you. Anything that does control you is not of God.

We talked about it last time. One of the main reasons we come to Christ and become Christians is to change and receive deliverance from baggage. It is to allow Christ to work in our lives. The problem is, and it is especially true with addictions, we love our masters. We love its control.

We don’t want to admit that our baggage of addictions is a sin of some sort. Paul speaking to a church full of Christians in Rome said…

Romans 6:12-14  Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil DESIRES. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather OFFER YOURSELVES TO GOD, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. FOR SIN SHALL NOT BE YOUR MASTER, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Please admit that the thing that masters you, outside of God, is sin. The first step in getting free from the baggage of addictions is (1) ADMIT YOU HAVE A MASTER. Can you be honest enough to do that, or are you just playing church?

Baggage of Addictions sermon notes audio

The second thing necessary in being delivered from the baggage of addictions is (2) OFFER IT(YOURSELF) TO GOD. That is what the verse said. “…but rather OFFER YOURSELVES TO GOD.” When you offer yourself to God, you are also offering your BAGGAGE OF ADDICTIONS. When we come to Christ, we come with all of our baggage of addictions. Is that correct, or do we clean up first? No, we can’t clean up on our own. We come and give it all to him allowing him to begin dealing with it. We give it, take our hands off it, and allow him to deal with it.

(3) WE CONFESS IT TO SOMEONE.

James 5:16  Therefore CONFESS YOUR SINS TO EACH OTHER and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a Righteous man is powerful and effective.

Notice, that the confession is not to just anyone. It is to a RIGHTEOUS person. I have seen too many times when people confessed their addictions/sins to the wrong people. Before long, it was a slander. That is not what the Lord wants. You be careful to whom you confess your sins. You heard about the three preachers who decided to confess their sins to one another. The first one confessed he had problems with lust and asked the other two to pray for him. The second preacher confessed he had problems with gambling and asked the other two to pray for him. The third preacher confessed he had problems with gossip and slander and said he could not wait until the other two left so he could make some phone calls.

Another thing about confessing to a righteous person is you become accountable. You give that person the right to question you and hold you to it concerning your addiction and sin. People with addictions have no accountability.

Do you know why most people will not confess their stuff?

It is because the person hearing the confession will not receive it with grace. They condemn, accuse, and suspect. Let’s say for example, that a husband came to his wife today and confessed his addiction to pornography. The grace by which she receives that confession will make the difference in his deliverance, or the addiction becoming worse. If that were to happen today wife, do not take it personally even if it is personal.

Baggage of Addictions sermon notes audio

Do not get mad though you will be tempted to do so. In the example of the husband confessing to the wife, her response does not only mean a difference in the life of her husband but also the difference in her life and future and the life of her family. His deliverance now can mean a happier life for her later. Your condemnation and anger will mean an unhappy life now and a devastated life later. The person confessing is taking a chance. He or she is crying out for your help. Do what Jesus would do. Help them get deliverance.

1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to FORGIVE US our sins, and to CLEANSE US from all unrighteousness.

Help the person get cleaned up. That is what the Lord did for you and wants to do for the person confessing. Do not get angry, condemning, or judgmental.

(4) DEMOLISH THE ADDICTION.

The last thing you must do to become free from the BAGGAGE OF ADDICTIONS is to demolish it.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to DEMOLISH STRONGHOLDS. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we TAKE CAPTIVE EVERY THOUGHT to make it obedient to Christ.

You must demolish the cigarettes, alcoholic drinks, drugs, porn, etc. and then you must beat your body and mind into subjection.

1 Corinthians 9:27  No, I BEAT MY BODY and MAKE IT MY SLAVE so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Baggage of Addictions sermon notes audio

The apostle said that his body and mind were not going to be his master. He disciplined his body and mind. Are you ready to do that? You are probably not, but one day you will be. I pray it is not too late. The Krystal has to go and then you beat your body and mind – discipline them –into subjection. The purging must stop. You keep people around you after you eat for several hours. Allow them to go to the bathroom with you if necessary. You must beat your body and mind. The gambling addiction must stop. You cannot control it. Also, you cannot set a limit. Furthermore, you lose and then you become a slave to your mind.

It tells you, “Next time you will win,” so you bet more and more. You must beat your body and mind and stay away from it. You must empty out and throw away the alcohol. It controls you. You cannot go a day without alcohol. The porn must go. Put it in the trash and if you visit porn websites, you must give up your computer. The chat room must go. You must give up the computer or only use it when others are around.

It’s that time for the service to be real or fake.

You walked in with the BAGGAGE OF ADDICTIONS. You can walk out with them, or you can begin the process of dumping. Again, as I said last time, even if you begin today, it will most likely take time to get totally free, but at least you have begun.

(1) ADMIT YOU HAVE A MASTER.

(2) OFFER IT TO GOD.

(3) CONFESS IT TO SOMEONE.

(4) DEMOLISH THE ADDICTION.

Let’s pray. I am serious. I want heads bowed and no one looking around. You would say, “Delbert, I have an addiction(s) and I want to be free.” If that is you, raise your hand and begin the process of (1) ADMITTING YOU HAVE A MASTER and (2) OFFERING IT TO GOD. You will need to do (3) and (4) on your own, but do them today. Some of us may hear a confession today. You handle it with grace. Forgive and help the person get clean. That is what Jesus will do. Father, I pray for these now…

Baggage of Addictions sermon notes audio

Baggage of Addictions sermon notes audio

Baggage of Addictions sermon notes audio

Other Related Sermons:

Adventure With Addictions 1

Adventure With Addiction 2 audio video notes

Baggage Everybody Has Some

Satan Cannot Do – #6 and #7 audio

Baggage Dump sermon notes audio

Also see:

Sermons Change The World

Delbert Young Sermons YouTube