Page 116 - Biblical Counseling II

addiction to a substance or practice is to replace it with an "addiction" or focus on God. This is also the
teaching of Deuteronomy 6:5 that adds, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all
your soul and with all your might."

However, it is also important to note that God may not take away every area of temptation. For example, the
apostle Paul faced an unknown "thorn in the flesh" though he repeatedly prayed for God to take it away (2
Corinthians 12:1-10). He continued to struggle with a personal issue, though God gave him the grace to deal
with it daily. In some cases, God may allow the temptation or struggle to remain; however, this does not
mean we are to give up. Instead, it causes us to depend on God's grace: "My grace is sufficient for you, for
my power is made perfect in weakness" (1 Corinthians 12:9).

Addictions are a very real issue, but they are not impossible to overcome with the help of God and God's
people. Scripture offers much encouragement regarding the reality of addiction, God's power to fight
addiction, the importance of other believers to help, and the strength of God's Spirit for the believer who
seeks to fight against addictive struggles” (“Compelling Truth,” p. 1, 2020).

Let’s Practice…

1-8. Explain the 8 steps of the addiction cycle in Dr. Ted Witzig’s article.

9-10. Choose two Bible verses that apply to addiction and stand out to you.

Let’s get Personal…

Using the information from the first article and the four steps mentioned in the second article, explain how
you would help a man in your community who is addicted to alcohol and asks for your help.

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