Page 104 - Overcoming Addiction

Matthew 5:21-22
“You have heard that the ancients were told, 'You shall not commit murder'
and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' "But I say to you
that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court;
and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca,' (empty head) shall be guilty
before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, 'You fool,' shall be guilty
enough to go into the fiery hell.”

Matthew 5:27-28
“You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery'; but I say
to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed
adultery with her already in his heart.”

As God leads us forth to battle against the enemies in the land, we must
desire to fulfill the spirit of the command of Christ, not merely to fulfill the letter
of the command. Only as we fulfill the spirit of the command will we be
considered righteous in the eyes of God. All of the laws of God are summed up in
the words “You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, soul, mind and
strength, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does not seek its own
interests, but the interests of others. Love will not commit adultery because to do
so is a purely selfish act as well as a serious trespass against our neighbor.
In the same way, righteous men and women will choose not to take illegal
drugs, or to get drunk, because to do so is a violation of love. It is a purely selfish
act. Love is the true spirit behind the Law of God. If we are to go forth and
conquer we must have our heart covered with the breastplate of righteousness,
which is the perfect law of love.
We see then that these first two parts of the Christian’s armor are closely
related to one another. The belt of truth speaks of honesty and agreement with
God about those things that dwell within us. The breastplate of righteousness
speaks of embracing the spirit of God’s commands as they relate to the enemies in
our flesh. We must set our minds on what is pleasing to God, rather than seeking
to hold onto those things in which we find pleasure.

Ephesians 5:8-10
You were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as
children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and
righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

As overcomers in Christ, our attitude cannot simply be to know what we can
and cannot do. Our attitude cannot be focused upon a desire to please ourselves,
or a pursuit of knowing which of our selfish desires God will allow us to keep. Our
heart’s focus must be to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Truth and
righteousness are those things that must adorn us, bringing all our inward parts
into a willing subjection to the rule of God over us.
It is sometimes difficult to grasp the proper application of the parables of the
Bible. It may seem somewhat elusive to you to understand how these first two
symbols of spiritual warfare apply to your own life. An illustration from the Old