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Like most young men who grew up in middle class America, during my teenage years, I was introduced to pornography. For those who get hooked, each has their own reason for why it captured them. Mine was curiosity initially, and then became the ability to see what was “secret” or hidden. Eventually, I found that it fed something in me as a teen. During those years of difficult adjustments to life, cliques among other teens, dating, etc. – porn became an odd sense of validation. And later in my 20’s it became something I no longer wanted, but still seemed to have a hold over me.

As I grew in my relationship with God and His validation of my life became more important, I found strength to overcome the hook of porn. But continued to wrestle. Freedom from porn itself was actually easy. Freedom from the triggers and desires it once soothed, was not so easy. As I have talked with other men, I realized that this sense of validation is really at the heart of the hook. And it’s the same hook for teens who cut themselves, for sexting, for lust, for drunkenness, and a host of other sexual and/or addictive behavior. The hook is not so much what the activity or desire is, but what we feel it gives us or satisfied in us. For example, teens who cut themselves often describe themselves as being completely numb about life, but when they cut themselves and see the blood flow, they are reminded they are alive. This coupled with the endorphin high from the pain, leads to a euphoric sense that they can live another day.

Colossians 3:2-5 says, “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore, consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living among them.”

Notice what this passage says – ‘immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and greed, amount to idolatry.’ This was a HUGE awakening for me. Why?

Well what is idolatry? It is worshipping an image or a thing or an idea as if it were God. Another way of saying it is, idolatry is expecting something less than God to provide something that only God can really satisfy.

Any desire of the flesh, including the desire for money, that we attempt to satisfy by any means other than God is idolatry. Once I realized that I was expecting porn to fulfill something inside of me, and that even participating in viewing it was actively worshipping it for what it was “giving” to me, I was able to pull the “hook” out of my life and set it aside. That doesn’t mean it isn’t a temptation. ALL things that are idolatry have a strong temptation that we need to continuously and consciously reject. The desire to earn money – when money becomes what we focus on and try to continuously gain, we are chasing a lifestyle or materials things that we believe will “get” us something. It doesn’t have to be a tangible thing we “get” either. It can just be the feeling of relief or ease that comes with engaging in spending the money, or viewing our huge bank account.

The same effect happens to those who are obese or those who are anorexic. The idol of being thin, or the idol of being insulated from some hurt, or the idol of food induced endorphin rushes, are all the same. We are seeking a material activity or thing to provide a satisfaction that only God can. The worst part of idolatry is that it is “empty” gratification. In fact the word “idolatry” in the Bible carries the idea of worshiping what is empty or nothingness.

How do we break addictions/idolatry? Look at the very first verse in the passage above. We have to first set our minds on being satisfied by God. It takes an active resistance, and may even take us speaking it out loud when temptation is really strong. It takes friends who are willing to call our bluff, and help us get back on track when they know we have fallen short. It takes a firm stance that God alone will be our source of life and satisfaction. Even 12 step groups know this – the first step is to acknowledge we are not in control, and then to acknowledge we need (and need to follow) a higher power.

The next verse is a bit trickier. “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ is God.” The simplest explanation of this, is that when we set our minds on being satisfied by God alone, we must treat the desires of our flesh as if they do not exist. We need to deny them, and treat them as if they are dead. If we are a follower of Jesus Christ, we have committed our life to follow him, and as such we declare our fleshly/selfish desires and goals are dead, and we now live the life God has prepared for us. We even physically demonstrate that when we are Baptized. We go backwards into the water, dying to the life we lived, and are brought up out of the water being raised to the life that Christ offers. We align ourselves with His death and resurrection, and make the public statement that we have given our lives over to His love, power and purposes.

Are you struggling with an addiction?

What is it you are trying to satisfy? What wound are you trying to cover or heal on your own?

No matter where you are, or how afraid you are, the addiction/idol only has power as long as you give it power. And as long as it has power it will suck the life out of you, your relationships, and your family. Stand up to the empty idol, show it that it has no power, by giving yourself to the one who is all-powerful.

Start with acknowledging you are not in control of your addiction, then seek God to be your higher power to dig out the roots of it.

Get some trusted friends who will call your bluff and help you take one step forward at a time.

As God begins to heal you, and bring freedom, He will also show you again and again that what He has for your life is amazingly satisfying, fulfilling, and guilt free. Best of all, he will position you to help brings others to freedom and get rid of their idols too.