Page 97 - Overcoming Addiction

"Vengeance is Mine, I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge His
people." It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

These words should cause us to tremble if we are not walking as overcomers
after having come to the knowledge of Christ’s atonement and having become
partakers of His Holy Spirit. The Christian who continues in sin will be judged
more severely than the person who has never come to Christ. The reason is that
those who are given more abundant grace have more expected from them. In the
Gospel of Luke we find another parable given by Christ.

Luke 12:47-48
“And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in
accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know
it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From
everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom
they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.”

Those who have known the great gift of salvation through the precious blood
of the Son of God shed on their behalf, and who have become partakers of the
indwelling Spirit of Christ, have much expected of them. God has given them all
things necessary to lead a godly life. For them to trample on the blood as if it is a
common thing by continuing carelessly in sin is an abomination in the sight of
God. To treat the gift of the Holy Spirit with contempt, when He would make
known to them the path of righteousness and provide all power for a holy life is
equally contemptuous.
When it is understood that God will not allow such flagrant disregard for His
will to go unpunished, men and women are incited to put aside sin and pursue the
will of God for their life. In my time with a rescue mission I have met numerous
men who confess to be Christians, yet who are still enslaved to their evil desires,
and they have shown great carelessness in their attitudes. It is evident that they do
not fear God. Some of these men have spoken to me of having had prophetic
words spoken over them concerning a specific call of God on their lives, yet they
are doing nothing to ready themselves for usefulness. The apostle Paul told
Timothy the following:

II Timothy 2:19-22
"The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Everyone who names the name
of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness." Now in a large house there are
not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of
earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if
anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor,
sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Now flee
from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with
those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

I believe that the prophetic words spoken over some of these men were truly
from God. Yahweh has a high calling that He would bring them into. Yet if they do