99Relapses Podcast Episode #19 Part II- Show Transcript

Hi, I’m James Egidio welcome to the 99Relapses podcast. The podcast that moves you from recovery to discovery through the grace and mercy of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. This is episode number 19 part two titled identity and how it defines addiction. In this episode, I will discuss how identity and the problem of control can lead you down a continuous path of addiction. And finally i will finish with who and what you should be living for but just to recap, episode number 18, I discussed that when you go through the whirlwind of an addiction and especially an out of control addiction, you lose who and what defines you in life and you resort to the world or worldly ways for self identity and reassurance, which of course also leads to self-reliance and willpower and the problem of control. I also discussed how the world has expanded the definition of gender and gender identity, as opposed to how God identifies this. As I mentioned in episode number 18. We live in a society where our true identity in God. In Jesus Christ. Is continuously being drowned out by who likes or dislikes us through social media, by the clothes we wear, the car we drive the house we live in or how much we have in our bank accounts. And even our preferences for a specific political party. And this is a trap. This is a trap that’s set up by the enemy. As I had mentioned in episodes 10 through 13. And what this does, is it separates us from the love that God has for us. As well as this purpose in our plan for us. And this separation from God puts us into a self-reliance mindset or mode. Rather than letting God guide us and putting him in control. And that’s not a good place to be, especially during an out of control addiction. I also mentioned in episode number 18 is an important takeaway and concluding that episode. Is that when you turn away from the world and how the world identifies you through other people, places and material things you experience that true freedom, that true freedom in Jesus Christ, as found, as I mentioned in 2 Corinthians 3:17, which reads. For the Lord is the spirit and wherever the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. Also in Galatians 5:1, it reads, so Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free and don’t get tied Again, in slavery to the law. So this vicious cycle of being in control perpetuates the desire for everything else is what it does. It ends up taking place of God, it takes God out of the equation and then the desire becomes things like smartphones, the internet, food, drugs, alcohol addiction to shopping, gambling, pornography money, power, status, and even unhealthy relationships. With this self-serving attitude, you ended up losing who and how you’re identified by God. And you end up seeking the world’s approval and reassurance for identity. So remember. As a Christian who accepts Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior you do not belong to this world. In 1 John 2:15-17. It reads. Do not love this world, nor the things that offers you. For when you love the world, you do not have the love of the father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure. Craving for everything we see. Pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the father, but from this world and this world is fading away along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. Furthermore as Christians, we’re not defined or identified by the world. We are defined. And identified through Jesus Christ, our Lord and savior. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior, you receive a new life. This is mentioned in 2 Corinthians 5:14-17. And it reads. Either way Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all. We also believe that we have all died for all. We also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead. They will live for Christ who died and was raised for them. So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How different we know him now. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life has gone. A new life has begun. I also mentioned the word desire and how it relates to addiction and episodes, number four and five. And I highly encourage you to go back and listen to those two episodes. If you have not already listened to them and in episode 14, I briefly mentioned the problem of control as well. In which I will close this episode out with. Right now i’m going to take a short commercial break and when I come back i’ll talk about the problem of control and addiction Okay, welcome back to the 99 relapses podcast. I’m going to go ahead and finish out this episode. Discussing the problem of control. Where the problem of control becomes an issue is during an addiction, the person or yourself, even yourself. You may have experienced this. You start to identify with societies view of overcoming that issue of the addiction with self-help or, willpower. In other words, the world’s standards to solve your problems. And this stems from being indoctrinated by what society shows in our face as we grow up and don’t know any better. And we’re not in faith at the time or We just don’t even know better because there’s people in faith living in the world. Society shoves in our face this whole thing about fame and money relationships and image makers, such as cars and homes. And. What this does is this sets us up for failure because this all leads to believing our own lies about ourself. And our self-reliance and independence and it puffs us up with pride and ego and it takes us away. From God from Jesus Christ. And this attitude can not make you the kind of person that you always wanted to be. Nor can it free from addiction. As I had mentioned in episode number 14. And that is where the problem of control takes place. And the first step has to do with, of course, the transparence of control. And what I mean by that is. The reason why you may have relapsed multiple times is because you’re trying to gain control of your addictive behavior. Through willpower, self-discipline, intelligence and good intentions. And the root cause of this comes from identifying with the secular world or seeking identity with the secular world. And this can even be something that occurs subconsciously without you even knowing It just as you get indoctrinated and wedged into the world and pushed into the worldly ways. through media and It keeps telling you, oh, you can do it on your own. You can do it on your own. It’s all about willpower. Unfortunately, the results always take to a place that you don’t want to be. And this is where you need to put your trust in God and let him control your life. And of course, this is done by reading and meditating on the word. The holy Bible on a daily basis, along with your prayer life. Proverbs 3:5-6. It reads. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do. And he will show you which path to take. And remember a person’s will wants to stay in control, but willpower doesn’t work with addiction. Addiction is very powerful. In fact, The first three steps of the traditional 12 step programs are all about giving up control. And they’re as follows. Number one. We admitted, we were powerless over our addictions that our lives have become unmanageable. Number two, we come to believe that a power greater than ourselves.; And of course it goes without saying. That power is God and Jesus Christ could restore us to sanity. And number three. We made a decision to turn our lives over to the care of God as we understand him. If you haven’t learned to trust God or don’t know God, or stay angry with God, you won’t be able to give him control. Isaiah 41:10 reads fear not for, I am with you. Be not dismayed for, I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous hand. Proverbs 19:21 reads many are the plans in the plan of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. Proverbs 16:9 reads the heart of man plans his way. But the Lord establishes his steps. 1 Corinthians 10-13 reads, no temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability. But with temptation, he will also provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure it.. And. The opposite of control is submission. And that submission should be giving your addiction to the one true God, Jesus Christ. If you haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior now is the time to do Matthew 16:24 reads. Then Jesus told his disciples. If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Luke 9:23 reads. And he sent to all, if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Matthew 16:25 reads for whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever his life for my sake, find it. And Hebrews 11:6 reads. And without faith, it’s impossible to please him. Whoever draws near to God must believe that he exists and he rewards those who seek him. So then the question becomes well, who and what do you live for? And here’s the takeaway from all this. Recovery from addiction. Through my experience of coaching and counseling clients becomes a process of replacing those idles, those things that create the addiction, the drugs, alcohol, pornography, the smartphones, and all that with Jesus Christ and he can, and he will enable you to become the kind of person he created you to be. Like I said, if you haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior now is the time to do it. Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the 99 relapses podcast. I would like to close out this episode with a prayer. Heavenly father I just give you so much thanks and praise Lord we just lift you up knowing that you’re the almighty God we just thank you so much for your son jesus Christ, our Lord and savior. As I continue to pray, Lord, we just ask and I just ask that you continue to give us the the discernment and the ability to see that you’re the one that’s in control and that we’re not in control that you’re the one that’s in control and have the power to guide our lives and to direct us in that we’re to surrender to you Lord and give the power and the Control over to you, Lord. As I continue to pray, I just ask that you place a hedge of protection around all those that are listening to this message and that they overcome their addiction and they allow you Lord to do your work, to have the faith in you. To have a faith in near that. Is mentioned Hebrews 11, about faith. And knowing that you are a powerful God and where we are as human beings, powerless. And without you we’re nothing, Lord and as I pray, I just thank you so much for your son, Jesus Christ, who made that ultimate sacrifice at the cross for us. To wash away our sins and we are so grateful for that. And I’m so grateful for that, and I thank you so much in your son’s name Jesus Christ Amen. Again, thank you so much for listening to this episode of the 99 relapses podcast. After listening to episodes number 18 and 19, I highly encourage you to go to the 99 relapses website. And go to the tools and exercises tab at the top of the navigation bar and participate in doing these exercises. For episodes 18 and 19, and even past episodes it’s important because it’ll guide you. It’s an interactive. Podcast. It’s not just the learning experience. I specifically designed the 99 relapses podcast as a podcast. That you can participate in as well as listen too, and Here’s the thing about that with exercises for episodes 18 and 19, you’ll be able to acknowledge and name the things that have been replaced that have replaced God in your life. And in this exercise, you’ll be able to confront the attachments that may be hindering your relationship with God. Of course, as these attachments are powerful; they’re not more powerful than God. Because there are subconscious. But you cannot pray or ask for help about things that you can’t name. So it’s really important to go back go to the website look at the exercises, print them out and go from there. Keep this in mind. What you do comes out of who you are when you attach yourself to things you desire, fear or resent, you give power to them and you allow them to control you. Again, thank you so much for listening to the 99 relapses podcast. For current podcast episodes, episode show notes, episode recovery memory versus as well as episode recovery lessons and tools go to 99 relapses.org. That’s the number of 99 relapses.org. Also, if you’d like to make a prayer request for yourself, family or Friends, please do not hesitate to send an email. To me. For a prayer request at 99relapses.org also, if you have an interesting story to share about how God has changed your life through addiction and recovery, or an expert in the field of Christian addiction or recovery. Have published a Christian book, podcast, website, and would like to be featured as a guest on the 99Relapses podcast. Please email me anytime at james@99relapses.org. And I will respond within 24 to 48 Thank you again and God Bless