RENEWING OUR MINDS

When we lived in the chaos of our addictive lifestyle we were ruled by the obsession for our drug of choice or our dependency of the day. We thought we were in charge of our own lives but in reality, we were under the tyranny of whatever was controlling us.  This tyrant was dictating to us what we needed so we could feel some comfort.  When we pursued the object of our obsession, we gave up our freedom.  We were prisoners of whatever controlled us and even though we tried to convince ourselves that we were in control, in truth, we were powerless over its demands.

Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.  Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.  (Romans 6:13-14 NLT)

When we came into recovery and accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, God set us free from the power of sin and death.  Recovery is the process of sorting out truth from lies. The Bible calls it “renewing our minds.” In the past we thought we were free, when in fact we were slaves to our fleshly desires.  Now we can joyfully believe and affirm the truth that Jesus sets us free.  If any part of our thinking claims that we set ourselves free by our own effort, then we are not acknowledging the truth and are therefore not truly free.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1 NIV)

Only in Jesus can we truly be free from the powerful lies associated with obsessions, addictions, and dependencies, and only in the freedom that Jesus provides will our lives be happy, joyous, and free. 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, Thank You for rescuing me from the deceit of darkness and bringing me into the light of Your truth.  I am so thankful that You set me free to live my life to the full.  Amen