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  THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF ADDICTION
  by Shane Idleman
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Summary: This sermon addresses the stronghold of addiction, emphasizing
the need to break free and surrender to God. It highlights the dangers
of addiction, whether it be to substances like alcohol or drugs, or
behaviors like gambling or gluttony. The message stresses the importance
of repentance, seeking God's help, and the power of prayer and fasting
to overcome addiction. It also touches on the deceptive nature of sin
and the need for humility in seeking healing and transformation.

Topics: "Breaking Free from Addiction", "Surrendering to God"
Scripture References: Isaiah 28:7, Luke 21:34, 1 Corinthians 6:9, James 1:22, James 4:7

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DESCRIPTION
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This sermon addresses the stronghold of addiction, emphasizing the need
to break free and surrender to God. It highlights the dangers of
addiction, whether it be to substances like alcohol or drugs, or
behaviors like gambling or gluttony. The message stresses the importance
of repentance, seeking God's help, and the power of prayer and fasting
to overcome addiction. It also touches on the deceptive nature of sin
and the need for humility in seeking healing and transformation.

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CONTENT
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Gaming to gambling and I'm going to give part two of this which is
vitally important part two on January 2nd New Year's resolutions are
coming and I know there's going to be a lot of resolutions in this area
So I'm going to tell you how to break free of the stronghold of
addiction on January 2nd So get friends here family here yourself here
And if you need extra help or you know somebody that needs help we've
made my book help I'm addicted free in the lobby just grab a copy or two
or three and get it to those who need to hear what God can do in the
lives of People who submit to him and the book is about four and a half
hours long so obviously there's a lot more in that than I can give you
here, but it's so important because This is something that we're dealing
with in our culture today have you read the news about the opiate crisis
and the ravage of alcohol during kovat and The disease related things
because of gluttony and I mean, it's just like we are an addicted nation
and God's Word has something to say about being in bondage to something
because it's it can be a form of idolatry If I put anything before God
It can become an idolatry now I'll share with you one of my personal
struggles is having Christian crack before my Bible study in the
morning. It's it's in a cup It's black Something called Keurig You know
kind of makes that Starbucks come on you guys know So if I have to have
that every I can't don't talk to me don't have the kids around me I
don't want to pray first. I can't read the Bible first.

I nothing I have to have this Now I'm ready It's addiction I'm just here
to shoot you straight and It will all addiction in some form or another
is not meant to be your friend I Didn't read this at the first service
and I almost didn't at the second, but I think it's important to help
start this third service It was written. I was told by a young woman who
overdosed and died And her family found this in her journal and I will
tell you I've done a few memorials from this church For those in their
20s who died of heroin It's it's it's it's a nightmare This can relate
to alcohol marijuana Things like that and they found this in her
journal. I destroy homes and the title is the cost of addiction I
destroy homes and tear families apart.

I take your children and that's just the start I'm more costly than
diamonds more costly than gold. The sorrow I bring you is a sight to
behold Just try me once and I might let you go but try me twice and I'll
own your soul You'll forget your morals and how you were raised I'll be
your conscience I'll teach you my ways I'll take and take and take till
you have nothing more to give and when I'm finished with you, you'll be
lucky to live If you try me be warned, this is no game. If given the
chance, I'll drive you insane I'll ravish your body.

I'll control your mind. I'll own you completely your soul will be mine
Your nightmares the nightmares I give you while lying in your bed the
voices you'll hear from inside your head the sweats the shakes the
visions You'll see I want you to know these are all gifts from me
Anybody detoxing can relate to that? But then it's too late and you'll
know in your heart that you are mind and we shall not part You'll regret
that you tried me. They always do but you came to me not I to you You
knew this would happen many times you were told but you challenged my
power and chose to be bold You could have said no and just walked away
if you could live that day over now, what would you say? I'll be your
master.

You will be my slave and I'll even go to you when you go to your grave
Now that you have met me, what will you do? Will you try me or not? It's
all up to you. I Will go to hell This is in the book. I mentioned you
can get in the foyer and I know this is apply to some people, you know,
if you're addicted to caffeine or sugar, it's probably not gonna apply
to you know, but it does the harder things that begin to really Really
tax our lives and any type of an addiction will take you farther than
you want to go cost you more than you want to pay and keep you longer
than you want to stay and so We find ourselves in Genesis 9 verse 20 and
Noah began to be a farmer and he planted a vineyard So the ark was in
the flood on the floodwaters for about five months or so And I believe
it stayed stationary and they lived in it for about seven months on the
ark And then after that he planted a vineyard it took some time I'm sure
and so this is who knows how long maybe a decade or so after the flood
And So he planted a vineyard then he drank of the wine and was drunk and
became uncovered in his tent So there was this nakedness that happened
in Ham the father of Canaan Now it's interesting here.

Ham is Noah's son But he also adds the father of Canaan and that tells
me right there that Ham When they were on the ark didn't have any kids
so for him to identify Canaan that means he's had a child So this is
some time after the ark had landed there on the mountains of Arat So Ham
saw the nakedness of his father and he told his two brothers outside
about the nakedness of his father Now this is interesting because
commentaries are divided Nobody really knows Uncovering a person's
nakedness often would would mean sexual relationships in the Old
Testament However, if you keep reading verse 23 But Shem and Japheth the
two sons that did was right what was right took a garment and they laid
it on their shoulders and what they did is they walked backwards and
they didn't Look at their father's nakedness. They covered the father's
nakedness So some because of the language and different thing I mean if
you get somebody who's a Hebrew student and they can really unpack it
They would even say that this son mocked their father Was chest was was
kind of belittling and making fun of his father. Look at this Look at
what he's done and he uncovered his nakedness Maybe he maybe he did
something and and so we don't know exactly but we do know that it
brought some wrath From the father and so Noah awoke Awoke from his wine
and knew that his younger son had what his younger son had done to him
again We don't know exactly what he had done.

But then he said curse be Canaan Notice, he didn't say curse be ham the
son. He actually went to the grandchild and Canaan is actually the
Canaanites You've heard that as we're going through the Old Testament
the land of Canaan flowing with milk and honey the promised land And so
we see that's descendants here of him But curse be Canaan and how is
Canaan going to be cursed in a nutshell? He's gonna have to serve the
other two brothers Especially in the Jewish culture that the the
firstborn or the heir of everything and they were Elevated they were
they were up here and to be so be serving your brothers is actually a
curse it's a curse on Canaan for doing that to Noah and It really should
have been on him, but we see here the sins of the father affect the
family How many of us can shake our heads to that? Don't worry wives.
I'm not done yet the sins of the parents Can really affect the children
and what we're seeing and then one of the things that I'm concerned
about really is with With now a new variant.

Here we go again You know, it's in the fear that many people are
instilling in their children At a fear at a very young age and they're
gone they're fearing all these things and and the parents are in fear so
the kids are living in fear or Addictions or different things that can
really be passed down to our children And so the the children the
grandchildren the great-grandchildren of Ham We're gonna pay you the
price of their father's sin Now I need to clarify because it does come
up. I don't use the terminology generational curses The reason is now if
you talk to people who do we're kind of saying the same thing It's not
like something way out there. It's I just don't use that because it
would be like telling somebody.

Well, you're cursed Because of your great-great-grandfather. Sorry,
buddy There's a curse God's curses on you but what we do know is that
because in the Old Testament that was the case for many from for
millennial if a father did something for example Achan Took the things
from the city of Jericho and they had to stone his whole family Can you
imagine stoning little children or when the the ground was swallowed up
when they challenged Moses? Authority and the man in this whole
household or they'll take the man in his household There was always that
identity the sins of the father were passed down to the children But
then in Ezekiel and other places that are taught no longer God says well
I punish the children for the sins of the father or the father for the
sins of the children But each one will be judged based on his own
behavior And that's what's been taken down now since the time of Ezekiel
and in the in the Old Testament prophets But you can still say there is
and what I say is there is a pre predisposition So if there was
something in your family if you know 1930s your great-grandmother was
into seances and the occult the horoscopes You know that could be an
open door To where there's no stronghold and it can be passed down to
the children doesn't mean God can't break it doesn't mean there's
freedom But if somebody struggled with alcoholism, there's a good chance
and I don't know if it's in the DNA You know, I don't know exactly how
it works But there is an inclination often often that is passed down and
if you know if you've seen certain sins come out that you know I know my
dad dealt with that or my grandparents dealt with that or and so there
can't be a predisposition I just personally and I don't think the elders
here do as well saying that there's a generational curse on that family
I would say there's a predisposition to that sin. There's a likelihood
There might be an open door a demonic open door that you need to close
and we I mean sometime we should tell you about all the different types
of Demonic things that are released in people once they submit and
surrender repent of other things There seems to be a release because
there's no longer that stronghold on someone because repentance has
taken place and now there's freedom In that area.

So that's what we see here and Noah lived 350 years after the flood
actually lived to be 950 years old and so I take the Bible literally I
believe that that did happen because a couple things most speculate that
the atmosphere was much different the rays of the Sun the Covering
around the earth the natural environment. Also, I personally believe it
was very clean eating Not all the junk and garbage that we have today
that is really affecting it affects your cell at the cellular level what
happens is these toxicities, let's say glyphosate for example and
roundup or sodium bicarbonate or Aspartame or MSG monosodium glutamate
partial hydrogenated oil. I mean you name it all this Jim we're eating a
lot of chemicals and it begins to damage the cell and your cells are
meant to Reproduce die reproduce die and Technically you can see how a
person could keep living based how the body was designed And so I think
in the fall something happened that stopped that renewing process So God
said you're not gonna live to be under 100 over 120 years old in my
opinion that's what that meant and No So we see something now happening
that where that people die because it's the body's not you die of a
toxic state wrinkles old age It's all because the body can't continue to
fight off disease and different things and on a separate note The the
one reason we're calling the church to prayer and fasting January 1st
one of the best benefits of fasting of course spiritually, but
physically benefits of fasting is something called a Tophagy takes place
and your body instead of having no more food because you're not eating
begins to burn Your fat as fuel but also decay and dead and disease
cells now become food for the body begins to break them down Autophagy
self-consuming.

It's a Greek word. I believe a Latin word and it consumes Tumors and
different things by fasting it has major major physical benefits as well
but let's talk about this for a minute the slippery slope of addiction
The slippery slope of addiction Noah began to be a farmer and he had
drunk wine and was drunk now Let's define addiction and this is from the
biblical counseling coalition very good resource on this the Bible can
Sympathize with the feeling of bondage from addiction yet. It never
avoids holding us morally responsible for our actions Is that
interesting the Bible says yes? Oh, we know it's hard.

It's slavery, but you're still in you're still in control That kind of
that goes that goes against popular psychology Does it not how often
have you heard this alcoholism is a disease? Well, I'm here to tell you
it is not a disease according to Scripture And I know that gets people
upset, but that's okay. You can't you can't you can't fix it unless you
stir the pot And let's put something up there. I heard this actually
from Greg Lori, I reached out to his secretary many many years ago and
got the exact wording if It's a disease.

It's the only disease without germs or virus if it's a disease It's the
only disease that is self-inflicted If it is a disease, it's the only
disease Contracted by the act of the will if it is a disease It's the
only disease that is bottled and sold over the counter for a profit if
it is a disease it's the only disease that will cause a father to grab
his baby and shake him violently or cause a mother to desert her
children or cause them to Not have money for for clothes and things if
it's a disease It's the only disease that will keep one out of heaven
and send that soul to hell that sir is not a disease It's an addiction
called sin and Why this is so important I Remember actually a couple
leave the church when I just told you I just told you it's it is a
disease and you know I the reason is when it's a disease is not my fault
There's different views now I was trying to try to see where they're
coming up with the concept of disease and when they talk about the
mental Anguish the physiological pain the dependence of the body I can
see what they're saying But disease is not the right word because
disease removes all types of responsibly. There's nothing you can do
You're not you know, you can't do anything about a disease it comes upon
you now. I think some disease is self-created For sure, especially what
we're seeing and especially in our country with the health care system
and a lot of disease is directly related to lifestyle Choices, but this
is what the Bible calls sin It's it's a it's a choice And so what we'll
say is hey, it's not my fault.

It's a disease and When I researched this the word disease actually came
up I think about 80 years ago or so the whole reason the whole reason it
was called a disease is because those in the medical field didn't want
addicts to feel bad and So they changed the the diagnosed diagnostic
whatever they call it diagnosis to disease They have a disease a a calls
it a disease most places online call it a disease But if you look at the
definition of a disease, it's not a disease it's a choice and The reason
they want to remove that that feeling of feeling shame because this term
addict and I got it you know, that's a harsh term and but Conviction
that can also be good Right We own it. I got God has us feel Shame and
guilt so I take it to the one who took my shame and guilt Without
filling these areas of conviction. We don't change to the degree we
could so somebody's always excusing their sin You're not going to see a
lot of freedom and many of you know could be you those, you know caught
in addiction is Excuses are at the top of the list Correct.

I can stop whenever I want I don't have a problem. It's not my fault.
It's Your fault.

I can't control myself or my favorite the devil made me do it The devil
made you do it flip Wilson The old-timers remember that guy right the
devil made me do it. No, he doesn't he just entices. He just temps now
I'm not minimizing the pole of addiction because if you ever been caught
in it, it's not it's not something just get up and pray Lord take this
away.

Thank you very much positive thoughts read scripture. I'm good Sometimes
it's a battle the battlefield of the mind But the Bible counseling
coalition goes on to say the individual feels both guilty because they
caved in yet unable to stop They feel responsible, but they also feel
out of control The Bible is not naive about the nature of addiction God
holds us morally responsible for our actions But he also recognizes the
way in which sinful choices can enslave us This is one of the best
definitions that I've ever heard on the addiction and just a few words
here Addictions are best described as voluntary Slavery that's exactly
what it is volunteer voluntary Voluntary slavery and if we had time we
could turn to Paul's words, I believe is in Romans He says whoever you
choose to obey becomes your master So there's a choice involved If there
was really no choice behind it, we'd have to get rid of quite a few
scriptures Make no provision make no provision for the flesh to fulfill
its lusts Meaning I make provision for thought for planning. No
temptation has overtaken you but what is common to? All-men that God
will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able But with the
temptation will make a way of escape that you may be able to bear it
Unless you're addicted to such such such and such No, you don't have
that.

There's there's and it's it's actually quite empowering to say Lord, I
got with your help. I can't overcome this with your help. I can I can do
this versus well This is a disease this is my death sentence.

There's nothing I can do and I think the enemy keeps us trapped in that
area as well But again, I'm going to talk about more about more about
that on how to be set free on January 2nd right now I'm just just laying
the foundation But this area I should clarify two things to Drug what is
the word drug? well, we have a Without taking anything if you just you
know who you are You're you're the way you think they caught, you know
cognitive patterns, you know your heart rate your hormone levels You
know, if any of us weren't taking anything how we would act as normal,
you know, sleep eat normal Communicating people there's normal normalcy
there But when you take something labeled as a drug it alters that So So
using them in the mind right a lot of Neurotransmitters What cocaine
will do it'll make you I remember the very first time I tried crystal
meth at 17 years old I looked at a dime for about 30 minutes and
couldn't believe The dime is just Wow and then alcohol gives you a
different effect I was in a running with the wrong crowd of people and
we would you know Smoke weed then get drunk then take you know That's
something a little harder and it was that they would have they would
offset each other I remember a trip to Las Vegas. I stay up the whole
weekend My friend's dad would make the crystal meth and sell it It was
just it was a hard it's a hard thing to break out of so I have sympathy
for that. It was a teenager But they do different things to you.

They they were alcohol make you it's like sedating That's what most
people say. I just want to relax Anybody relate just want to work work
your venti Starbucks doesn't make you relax Gives you the opposite Let's
go go go go go move move. It's a central nervous stimulant.

It's actually a drug I'm trying not trying to upset people today, but
caffeine is a drug. It's actually listed in the manual of mental
disorders Caffeine-related stress disorder caffeine induced sleep
disorder all under five all over 500 milligrams a day Which is a vent a
is probably 300 of strong coffee. And so you get that in a couple
monster drinks you are Soaring and so it alters who you are And that's
why I've talked about this before because Morgan will say you've had
coffee didn't you? How'd you know because you're a jerk? You're meaner
to the kids.

You're snappy. You're irritable You're anxious your attention span is
not there it all because it's affecting me. It's a central nervous
stimulant It makes your body like fight-and-flight Thousands of years
ago.

You had to run from a lion. So what will kick in? adrenaline Cortisol
these are these are fight-and-flight and that's what this drug does to
your body It's actually not very healthy to take that type of drug and
sit and do nothing because your body needs an outlet for all these these
these hormones and neurotransmitters that are they're firing and so
other drugs Crystal myth will give you something different cocaine is a
little bit different but similar and then He was at our first service
today mark. He's gonna talk on January 2nd I noticed and asked him if
you give his brief testimony, but he's six months free of crack cocaine
Do you want to talk about something? hard to break That he's just gonna
briefly just give his testimony briefly, but that's something really
hard We can't love us can't relate to that and at 24-hour fitness.

I had a lot of people Well, not a lot probably a few dozen that were
addicted to crack cocaine. It would take them out I mean you it's your
payday. You wouldn't see him for a week and Trying to have sympathy with
him, but it's a hard hard thing.

So that's what a drug is it alters? Who you are and what you do and
that's why? We have to be careful because when we take drugs to offset
something how we're feeling sometimes the the drug has worse Side-
effects than what you're actually feeling just go and look at the side
effects of Xanax Whoa, that's worse than the depression or the anxiety
and this is make sure you talk to your doctor about weaning off
carefully and slowly if not, it could lead to suicidal thoughts and
traumatic types of episodes and and hallucinations, I'm like
Unbelievable. So we have to be careful in this area of Big Pharma
because Big Pharma is not for big health It's putting a pill on it I
Mean that's what we do, right? You call most doctors call most doctors.
Tell them you're struggling with anxiety.

What will they do? First good what I would do is say, okay. Tell me
about your mental diet. Tell me about what you're feeding your mind Next
tell me about your relationship with the Lord your devotional your
prayer time.

Tell me about that and then I'd look at what's their physical diet Did
you know your deficit and key vitamins and nutrients and things it can
really mess up your hormone levels Thyroid levels all of it. It's how
God designed us you start playing with God God designed us You're gonna
start having problems mental diet physical diet. No, I'm not saying
there's never a time in a place for something I mean, I've seen where
people have actually Reset their serotonin levels by taking some intake
up hibitors that can really balance out So is it why do we always think
it's brain chemistry right off the bat and that's our first go-to We
don't know that.

Have you done your due diligence? I mean if somebody's struggling with
anxiety, the first thing I do is wean yourself off of caffeine quickly
Because what it is it makes you anxious. Hello. This is not rocket
science, but we don't want to do that Just give me a pill Just give me
the pill Same thing a doctor.

Hey doctor. I have very high blood cholesterol levels here my HDL my LDL
ratio high density lipids low density lipids It's not good. What am I
going to do? Here you go.

Here's a statin drug This will cause your liver to produce not produce
cholesterol To me, that's not a good thing. You're supposed to produce
your every cell in your body needs cholesterol. It's very important to
the body Why don't you ask them what their weight is what they're eating
and how to get them in shape? That's how you combat these things.

I mean we can go down the line of diabetes Did you know type 2 diabetes
is health-related? It's a disease that is caused by poor lifestyle
choices It's it's caused by that losing sight amputation on limbs
gaining weight and then we go and we get We go and we get the insulin
What's insulin actually when you do that leads insulin is the hormone
that tells your body to store fat Oh, we've got a problem here And if
you're insulin resistant, how are you shooting more insulin to your body
really gonna fix the problem most doctors will tell you this is
Unrepairable this you're gonna have this for the rest of your life, and
it's just not true I can I can tell you dozens and dozens of people I've
known personally who have reversed all of these things by taking care of
how the body was designed So what kind of person would I be if I didn't
tell you the truth? Yes, it's convicting. It's hard to hear But we need
to hear it those things we need to hear are often the most important but
this word drunk then means affecting someone's behavior to the extent of
losing control over That behavior that causes problems embarrassment and
shame Uncovered like he was uncovered you become spiritually dull
Spiritually dull Ephesians 518 do not get drunk on wine which leads to
debauchery. I love that word What is debauchery excessive? indulgence in
sensual pleasure so Getting drunk leads to excessive indulgence in
sensual pleasure Without a shadow of a doubt after 12 years now.

We're going on a planning the church Anytime somebody is addicted to
let's say alcohol. They've also got a problem with pornography or
Gluttony, there's no way like hey. I'm not I'm this alcohol.

It's got me, but all these other areas are doing great Because you just
open the door to all types of sensual It's a sensuality that spiritual
aspect is taken over your life, and we'll rule and reign in all areas of
the lust of the flesh You lose that discipline or that that knowing of
the Holy Spirit that filling the Holy Spirit in that area other areas
will cumble as well And he said instead be filled with the Spirit
Instead Paul in Ephesians 5 instead be filled with the Spirit to me. It
tells me there's a choice Don't be filled with this spirit ever see on
the liquor store spirits That there might be something to that but be
filled with God's Spirit, so I Know you're all curious on our church's
stance on this issue So here it is obviously the Bible allows for the
enjoyment of an alcoholic beverage now and then But what we forget is
that the alcohol content in Jesus's day was not what it is today Wine
was not at 12% you can ask Jewish historians or Josephus early church
fathers different things was probably around 2% because it was very
diluted with water So you could drink a big glass of wine, and you're
not gonna have 12% alcohol and feeling pretty good It's not gonna alter
that state. That's why the Bible goes on to say hard drink or Strong
drink that's a differentiation of the alcohol content so yes it allowed
for a little bit of alcohol But what is that definition? Every night
well, that's not a little bit.

That's an addiction and Just because something is allowable or
permissible doesn't mean it's necessarily a good idea Paul said yes, all
things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the bondage of
anything So just because you can we really shouldn't be asking I tell
people this afternoon. We're saying can I do this? No, you see here's
how you should here's what you should be asking Should I do this? Should
I cuz it can can you I mean technically biblically speaking sure you can
have a Beer, and it's those people have one beer every couple months or
a drink of wine now once a week now I mean, it's not it's not part of
their life And and that's the Bible allows for that But you can also own
a rattlesnake You know you can own a rattlesnake But should you? You can
go catch a coyote and make him a family dog you can you have the Liberty
as a Christian to go do that You motorcycle riders you can go dirt bike
riding without any gear in any helmet go 60 mile You can do that as a
believer. You can do that Should you I know he says no you shouldn't So
see I think we missed the question look the Bible said the Bible never
Encourages crossing the line the Bible never says Jesus was even a
remotely intoxicated But he made the water into wine sure but diluted
wine the print that the the we don't know the fermentation process How
long we but they're never encouraged drunkenness, and this is something
interesting as well God now Let me flesh this out for a minute.

God never created alcohol You're not going to go into the Garden of Eden
when we learned about earlier, and there's going to be that though the
wine tree Or the modelo keg The IPA the big popular thing I looked at
some of those the other day at the storm like eight percent Nine percent
you're feeling pretty good on that beer. No wonder you can have just one
Because see that the content has been increased, but what he did what
happened there was an alcohol before the fall The fall What how is
alcohol made it's made in the decaying process of the fruit so as the
fruit is decaying and dying There's fermentation, and that's where
alcohol comes from So it's because of the decaying aspect of fruit After
the fall and from that comes the alcohol so God allows it in In
moderation where it doesn't affect or influence you I remember I've been
I've been at Christian gatherings And it's like, you know, they're very
liberal in this area and like yeah I just have one and the goblet is
like a 32 ounce goblet You fit the whole you fit the whole bottle of
wine in there. I bet you just have one And and so we love we love good
news about bad habits And I get people ashamed but the antioxidant
effects the benefits the antioxidants i'm like no just eat some grapes
Much better much healthier So here's the thing you're in control, but I
but that's the church's stance, but we also promote I would encourage
abstinence You know why why walk the razor's edge? now Now growing up
and have a history of this, you know It's it's when I was 12 years old
is when I started I remember in court still I remember the street I
remember the Coors container and I didn't say ooh gross I said wow that
makes me feel pretty good and it was hooked at a young age And so I know
the struggle that is there and we're not talking about perfection here.

We're talking about direction Where does God want the direction of our
heart, but you're in control until you take that first drink And it
begins now now you take that strong drinker and now it begins to alter
Now I was in control Now i'm I don't know i'm in semi-control now. I've
got this influence kind of Talking to me a little bit And now well,
maybe if one is good two might be even better And I I can handle and so
you once you once you open that door, it's hard to close it That's all
i'm saying and most people I talk to now There's people going here. This
is I mean lies are are affected more than you realize some of you might
know But there's a lot of families here dealing with this at this church
and who listen online And nobody sets out to be an alcoholic And a lot
of times it starts with the first or the second or they've got it for a
few years but then here comes Difficulty and they run to that and here
comes and now now it's now it's not about feeling good anymore Now it's
about not feeling bad So now we have it more And now it's turned into
kind of a problem But I I got this and now it's that slippery slope This
this is a slippery slope Because most people and you know who you are
the people who don't have a problem with it Say shane, we got to get
this sermon out This is so important the people have a problem with it,
but they acting like they don't they don't like this sermon You're
judgmental The bible says I can drink.

No, it doesn't say that So be careful There's the scripture supporting,
you know, alcohol are are far outweighed by those warning of its
dangers. Let me tell you Oh, there's old testament examples. There's new
testament scriptures proverbs is filled with it.

Strong drink is a brawler. It's a mocker. Jesus actually said Don't be
weighed down by carousing and drunkenness and that day come upon you
unexpectedly The reason it's a razor's edge as well is because a person
could have just one too many to to drive and here they are driving Do
you know if you hit somebody and they're injured? It's a felony You
could become a felon like that They're injured Try talking your way out
of that one razor's edge slippery slope Or what about if we have it in
the home, you know now and then have some strong drink in the home Well,
guess who sees that strong drink little kiddos I think that's what
started mine You know just barely learning to drive I named the houses
and the parents I still remember those families We're like, oh what a
wild turkey.

I wonder what that is and you try it's wild. Let me tell you And you can
pour a cup out just get a cup of water replace it and the parents will
never know Don't act like you don't know what i'm talking about. Come on
Please But see out of sight out of mind so I would encourage parents I
wouldn't have in your house It's just it's too easy to open that door
First time I had wine was on m14 m4 across from the little league field
in quartz hill.

I'll never forget the house We opened it up My mom said are you drunk
when she picked me up at 12 years old? And see I didn't I didn't say oh
this is gross I said oh Because it makes you feel alive now i'm talking
because I was shy And introverted and and and and not the party guy and
quiet and kind of you know Maybe dorky the right word or not smart
uneducated kind of and then this Oh 10 feet tall and bulletproof And now
the life of the party But it cost me a great deal Because it takes and
takes and never gives It's a slippery slope You will not be filled with
the spirit to the degree you could be filled You will not be filled with
the spirit to the degree you could be filled If you're engaging in this
Even now and then I believe I i've never i've never unless it's you
maybe tell me afterwards I've never met someone who came up and said man
After that big glass of wine I had amazing prayer time I was in god's
words just amazing I just oh, it's usually the opposite Let me see
what's on netflix Let me feed The spiritual side that I just opened up
this door. That's not healthy. It's not good R.a. tory said the
gratification of the flesh fulfilling the flesh and the fullness of the
spirit do not go hand in hand You can't have both So I know christians
go to this church Or outside the church friends christians.

Yes, they have a little bit now and then But the fullness of the spirit
is not there They're not on fire for god filled with the spirit doing
great things for god They have this liberty, but this liberty is costing
them the fullness of the spirit Because you can't be you can't have you
can't have both in this case And with the slippery slope the farther you
slide down the harder it becomes to get back up Like I said, you know
earlier I alluded to this. I don't have a bone to pick. I just have a
truth to tell I'm, not trying to ruin anybody's fun, or i'm just telling
you the truth Did you know that there's three million deaths a year as a
result of harmful use of alcohol in the world? That's five percent of
all deaths in the world the abuses I mean we if we had time I could talk
about gaming addiction, you know, that's huge right now with covid And I
mean that that one I never understood I can't sit in a computer and and
play mario Or pac-man or whatever the games are call of duty, you know
these games these games I just that's not my cup of tea, but others can
sit in there for hours It begins to affect their health their
relationship their attitude.

Don't be doing this to people. I see you guys Gaming is very addictive
Very addictive What else is very addictive like gaming? Just try going
no day without it each day. I try them like this Oh, that's right Oh,
that's right What's going on? What's going on? What's going on? Oh,
let's see right now But there's this it's a stronghold that takes you
captive uh gambling Have you ever seen a family destroyed by gambling?
It's that one you just want to slap them in the face Because there's no
there's no drinking nothing.

It's just like I know the next time the next trip to vegas That's what
or the next or down to the races or and it's just like they're all about
getting it's a fix Adrenaline and they eventually end up losing and
listen vegas doesn't look the way it looks because there's lots of
winners very slippery slope What happens the devil plants thoughts and
we think they are our own thoughts? Probably over the last year I've
talked to a couple dozen people Who've went years? And they'll fall back
into it The number one at the top of the list is this It's been a while.
I can handle it now. I'll just have one And when when you when you have
a stronghold in an area of life and kate unless you've been completely
delivered Good for you.

I've never heard. I haven't heard that very often But opening that door
again the door that god wants you to close and satan has a strong when
you open that door again It actually sometimes becomes harder now And
that verse jumps out at me a lot when jesus said You know the spirit
leaves But then the house is not swept put or swept and put in order,
but there's there's nothing there and he brings back more spirits And
the last state of that man is worse than the first state of his man
There's something i've seen that many times when you open the door to
something when it comes back in it ravishes It's hard to stop now, but
that's the excuse It will never happen to me One won't hurt. I got this
I'll never forget.

I mean I open up I think in the book a little bit, but many years ago. I
was in construction I just met morgan And uh, you know, I was done with
it destroyed my life in like 2002 three four five six i'm like it's been
it's been five years or so and me and my friend are talking I think I
can have a beer now. I mean gosh Boy, oh boy one turned to six And then
six pretty good.

How about ten? How did how did this happen years and years and years and
years? Because that addictive nature it's that it's that hook of the
enemy that always wants to get you I even I mean we started the church a
friend of mine told me you got to try this. It's pretty good It was
called called kabucha And when you know I could I had to have one every
single day For like a month i'm like lord this can't what is going and
then you look. Oh, wow trace amounts of There you go And the longer you
let it ferment the stronger it becomes And so all these things that are
there that can pull the enemy Is waiting for opportune times He's not in
a hurry.

He's patient. He knows What will take us down and they'll teach you in
recovery that halt is something to be aware of hungry angry lonely tired
Those are the areas he will hit even with pornography even with pills
Hungry the body's craving something so you run to that lonely tired
Angry, you know if you go run to the liquor store when they get in a
fight at home What they're really looking for is an excuse But these
things are triggers triggers triggers, I just called a man from our
church About a month ago or so that this happened to was doing great and
then fell And I didn't I didn't rebuke or anything. I said, hey just get
back up You got hit with the right hook.

We've all been there. Just get back up Fight again learn from it. But
then you get caught in shame and guilt And failure and you stay there
And you start going back into the addiction it gets deeper See, it's
really it I often say it's not the fall that hurts.

It's staying down that does Now don't fall because it does hurt. Don't
get me wrong but that I mean life to me is like a bunch of setbacks a
bunch of right hooks a bunch of failures and But you're getting back up
and you're you're fighting saying lord. I repented that I don't want to
go there again But the enemy wants to keep you in discouragement because
then it's shame And guilt and failure it leads to caving in again Then
now you're now you're doubly shamed and guilt and it's just an endless
cycle that he keeps you defeated Most addicts are miserable those
addicted to things Those addicted to gluttony is is something that was
actually talked about a lot 100 years ago But we don't talk about it
anymore really because it's it's kind of offensive and I understand that
I mean if i'm not careful, I could I could put on some weight because
Some of you have that addictive nature.

Some people don't a friend of mine doesn't i'm like Praise god must be
nice Must be nice to have one piece of gum. I want the whole pack You
can have one little piece of that chocolate bar. I want the whole thing
dipped in peanut butter You know, right? Who can go buy in and out
burger and just have one burger that's it Not me double doubles Two
double doubles french fries and a chocolate shake then i'm good.

Don't worry. It's been a long time but that that that is possible Right,
but that also that that weakness can also be a strength because many
times those people are very motivated Very disciplined go-getters. So if
you can turn that to god honoring things you can be very productive So
that being a struggle of mine if god that's what people are saying.

How do you write 12 books? Well, I just don't watch tv. I don't do
things. I don't waste my time So this this thing that god takes and he
channels the energy in the right direction the time the productivity So
whatever your weakness is can be turned into a strength god Imperfect
and weakness there is the strength of god in your life because you admit
that lord I need you So this area that is that it can be a a stronghold
can actually be a stronghold for god If you turn it around on its head
and be very productive with it So be careful those opportune times if
you're looking for an excuse you will find it isaiah 28 Drunkenness in
the bible always had friends.

You would see wine and pride You'd see drunkenness and gluttony that
they're always married Isaiah 28 they are swallowed up by wine. They are
out of the way through intoxicating drink. They air and vision they
stumble in Judgment you will not have a clear vision for your life.

You will not be productive You will stumble in making right decisions
when alcohol and drugs are leading the way Wine is a mocker. It will
mock you Will it not Anybody else relate and say if I could redo that
day If I could redo that night if I could redo that time period Man It
mocks you mocks you I still run to people and they're like, oh shane. I
haven't seen you in 25 years.

I'm thinking. Oh Where was it at? Where where do you see me schooners? I
remember the old schooners location And now one of the bouncers that
bounce there is one is involved in our homeless ministry. It's pretty
cool God, I don't know if you ever kicked me out, but um And you live
with a little bit of shame and guilt Because of the past and it mocks
you it makes fun of you I still run to people who knew me.

I haven't seen them in a long time like school reunions Like shane, I
remember I can't believe you're still alive You were the craziest guy
you put your truck in four-wheel drive and just then all i'm like, oh,
thank you Thank you for reminding me of this and they just remind you of
who you used to be Forgetting of who you are now and it mocks you It's
it's it's it's humbling to see how far I mean i've i've totaled
vehicles. I don't know how I walked away Got arrested when I was a
teenager And spent the night in the jail old location in lancaster
Getting out there in the morning going. Oh, I don't know how what
happened.

I know what happened didn't learn my lesson next weekend Here we go
again And just god's grace the evidence of god's grace on our lives and
and and watching us and having the mercy and helping us Steer us through
if we if we commit everything to him That's why I love that verse while
you while while you're still a sinner while you're caught in your sin
christ died for you While you're mocking god still god died for you
Strong drink is a brawler fights Alcohol right 10 10 foot tall and
bulletproof Lots of fights lots of of things I remember I shared with
some of you a while back. I was kicked out of black angus for life But I
think they they don't remember anymore so that's good um it was it was
in the 90s and me and my friend and we were on steroids and really big
and fighting and There's five bouncers and it didn't go well and the
police were called and uh, the bouncers broke their arm, I think and
there's they want to do a lawsuit and It was just just you just you just
think you're fighting and I remember other times and I would be in los
angeles You don't want to mess around in some places people would chase
me with a knife And we just have to get out of there. It's just it's
just not a good atmosphere Because it opens up all kinds of things And
whoever is led astray by them by it is not wise Woe to you men mighty at
drinking Woe to you men valent and mixing intoxicating drink meaning
there's nothing to that.

Oh, here's the verse I was looking for luke 21 But take heed to
yourself. Lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing With carousing
nights on the town or unproductive you christians can be unproductive
And and woe to you if you're carousing And drunkenness and the cares of
this life and that day come upon you unexpectedly. What day is that? The
day of jesus's return and so the final statement here I want to make is
I talked about this.

Maybe you might want to go and listen to the last service if you need
Thoughts on this but I talked about aa recovery or Celebrate recovery my
thoughts or a teen challenge, which that would be my my top choice Of
course what my thoughts are on that. I don't want to go into it now But
if something's working for someone I don't want to discourage that I
mean i'm not really just I guess I will talk about for a minute But like
aa, you know, it's all like a higher power Hi, my name is chris. I'm an
alcoholic even though you've been clean for six.

I mean, it's just there's it's not really biblical however, it's helped
a lot of people and a friend of friends of mine go there and they they
are mentors to people and They help them. So, you know if it's working
for them, i'm not gonna i'm not gonna You know speak against it I would
just point them in making sure that you do identify the true and living
god and that you are surrendering your life to him Because you can be
sober but not saved Sober but not saved it's amazing I had a guy so
bothered by that statement the last service that he realized that he's
sober but not saved Because you can go through the motions of
christianity You can be sober but not saved and that's my problem with
groups that are not christ-centered So we'll close with that first
corinthians. Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the
kingdom of god? Do not be deceived Folks listen do not be deceived
neither fornicators sex outside of marriage nor Idolaters putting
something worshiping something above god nor those who cheat on their
spouse nor homosexuality nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards Nor
revelers nor extortioners will enter the kingdom of heaven Now, of
course Many people and I get this question, but shane I struggle with
some of these well remember struggle is not a lifestyle Because a person
struggles with a certain sin i'm not encouraging you to do that i'm just
saying that's not a lifestyle of sin It's like the the lamb And the pig
they both get caught in the mud The mud represents the sin of our lives
The lamb hates its condition It cries out it needs help But the pig
loves the mud And it wallows around and enjoys it and it even leads
others in That's the difference so this verse Do not be deceived means
If you practice such things if you're like, I don't care.

I love my gin and tonic I love this. I love this lifestyle That's who I
am I'm an i'm an unrepentant Sin I'm, not repenting and acknowledging
that this is wrong Because a person can be on fire for god a couple and
they fall into fornication before like oh Lord, we made this mistake and
we don't want to do this lord. Our heart's not to do that See the heart
is right.

So the a struggle with sin is not the same as a lifestyle from sin And
the judgmental jerry's like to email me and say shane you're encouraging
sin No, i'm not i'm encouraging making a stepping stone not a stumbling
block get back up and fight again Don't sin, but but the bible says if
you when you do sin I'm, sorry if you do sin do this you have an
advocate the father through the son And so we have to encourage people.
This is serious If if this type of if anything any one of these
lifestyles is unrepentant if you enjoy it Oh, this is the way I am god
created me this way. Who are you to tell me this is wrong? This is how I
was made god loves me.

Regardless. I'm going to embrace a sinful lifestyle Really it's not the
it's not the sinful lifestyle. That's really, you know, all these
different distinguishing marks.

It's the heart That's why he says all these things All if you embrace
any one of these things The heart is not right. You've not repented of
your sin and allows and allow christ to change you That's why we warn
people if you put if they put homosexuality way up here You know and now
there's the bible has a lot to say about it But if you're if you're
drunk and you're cheating on your wife and you're and you're and you're
worried about this one Let me you better first be worried about this one
That's what they mean by all sin is the same because in god's eyes if
it's unrepentant sin, no matter how it manifests itself And some it
manifests itself this way in drunkenness others that manifest in in this
thing if it manifests itself And there's unrepentant sin That's a very
dangerous road to be on But then paul encourages us and such were some
of you And such were some of you isn't that great news? It doesn't it
doesn't just keep beating people It says hey listen such were some of
you but because you've been washed by the lamb You've been sanctified by
jesus christ. You are justified because of what christ did on the cross
You have been set free.

You have been saved. You have been cleansed Yes, such were some of you
so many of us can say this morning. Yes, that was me That was me amazing
grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me though I struggle
don't hold me down though.

I struggle don't hold me back I the lord jesus christ is still on the
throne and god you will get me through this struggle You will get me
through this challenge the power of persevering prayer This kind does
not come out except by prayer and fasting you better get on your face
before god and be set free of these things So I'm going to close on that
note and just throw it out there if if that is you If you do not know
jesus christ as your lord and as your savior you can say i've been
justified. I am i'm not Embracing this any of these sinful lifestyles If
you can't say that then repent this morning And say I need that I need
that i'm sober, but i'm not saved I know about the bible, but I don't
know the god of the bible don't leave here different Don't leave here in
this state. Don't live your life with the question mark here And also
what we're going to do.

I know it's a step of humility But those who are struggling with
addiction any type of addiction The altar is going to be open. We did
that the first service the second service The altar is going to be open
if you struggle with something that has got you bound Gluttony food
sugar caffeine alcohol, whatever it is We want to open the altar during
worship and we want you to just that time with god We'll also open the
prayer room. So the prayer team will be available Maybe maybe here first
then there or there and then here Or of course you can stay in your
seats.

You can leave quietly out the exits You know, that's up to you and god,
but we want to make that a place of Transparency because that's where
healing takes place And that's with any good recovery. You know what the
first step is The first step is it's not my fault It's not my fault,
it's my spouse I have a tough job I need to relax The first step is lord
I need help I can't overcome this on my own This this is beyond my scope
of repair i'm humbling myself And i'm coming forward and saying lord I
need help in this area. I need to be I need you to overcome What is
overcoming me? It's a step of humility.

Here's here's why this is so important. Listen to this Hearing from
god's word. I just spent an hour three hours actually today to different
congregations It's wonderful to hear what god's word has to say it's
powerful many people are encouraged I see a lot of this But do you know
that won't help you that's called hearing And not doing Bible says if
you hear god's word, but don't do it.

You live in deception And that's why unlike many churches they have okay
quick song. Let's get out here. Let's go to the buffet We do the
opposite like let's wait on god.

Let's go and pray for you Let's have the altar open because that's the
time that god begins to heal the heart and change the heart That's the
time of pressing in and having that relationship with god built and and
be satisfied. That's the time where the heart changes It actually
doesn't change all the time when the message is being preached it can
But a lot of times it's changed when action follows For example, how
many people do you think and even heard it today thousands of people on
facebook media social media youtube heard it and said Boy, he's got a
good point He's got a good point That's where it ended that's where and
if that's where it ended that's where it's going to end there will be no
change Because god's word never says agree with it and say that's a good
point in my mind, but not backed up by my actions so again We're going
to open the altar Don't be ashamed. Don't be don't be worried about what
people think Because if the truth be told most of us struggle with
something Let's be honest That's why I tell people, you know that come
down hard on a maybe a child that that fell back into addiction I say
well, you can't give up your your uh, caffeine and your nicotine And
you're you're binging on tv and you're porn well, that's different
really That's different.

Now the outcome might be I mean, you know, if you're you're you're
hooked to heroin and you're hooked to sugar There's going to be
different Consequences don't get me wrong But people are there's many
people have a stronghold in their life that they just can't give

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Video: https://sermonindex2.b-cdn.net/o3tNtfgf5Jg.mp4
Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/shane-idleman/the-slippery-slope-of-addiction/
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