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The Devil Made Me Do It.
The school children poured excitedly through the doors and scattered to different places on the playground. One group of children made their way to a secluded area and plopped onto the ground. Giggling, they began to clap their hands then hit their laps. Once the rhythm was established, in unison they inquired, “Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?” Do you remember that game? Someone is accused and in turn casts suspicion on yet another.
This “blame game” isn’t played just by kids. Adults play a real-life version of it quite often, and quite well. As a matter of fact, adults were the creators of the original “blame game.” Adam, when asked by God if he had eaten of the forbidden tree said, “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat” (Genesis 3:12). And when Eve was confronted, her answer in essence was, “The devil made me do it!”
People today are still blaming the devil. After all, what a great excuse! Well, is he also the culprit for our addictions? The Bible tells us that the devil is the originator of sin and started this mess we are in. However, it also reveals that the devil had some help along the way. Yes, the devil made the suggestion to eat the fruit, but he couldn’t, nor did he make Adam and Eve eat it. They chose to eat it.
Today many are suffering from addictions that are the result of their past and present choices. What does an addict look like? Most likely an alcoholic or a “crack head” come to mind. But what about the woman with a drawer full of candy who takes a “chocolate” break instead of a smoke break? What about the man who parks himself in front of the television from the moment he gets home until bedtime? Consider the individual who surfs the Web all day after school or work until the wee hours of the morning. And let’s not forget the teenager with the cell phone glued to her ear practically 24/7.
An addict is someone who is physically and mentally dependent on a particular substance, thing, or activity. Anything from prescription drugs to alcohol, sex, pornography, gambling, work, sports, shopping, money, power seeking, and even religion can become addictive to anyone under the right circumstances. So what consumes your time and energy? What must you have and/or do to make your day complete? What is your addiction? And whom are you blaming for it? On his popular show in the 1960s, comedian Flip Wison transformed himself into “Geraldine” by donning a dress and speaking in a falsetto voice. Geraldine would perform some outrageous antic, then say, “The devil made me do it!” Upon hearing those words the audience would howl with laughter. Geraldine got tons of laughs when she engaged in inappropriate behaviors and blamed it on the devil. But chances are great that the people who love you don’t think your addiction is funny.
Right now some of you are saying to yourselves, “I am not an addict.” And that may or may not be the case. But to be on the safe side consider saying this prayer: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23, 24). For those of you who admit that you have an addiction, what can you do to break it?
An Eye-Opening Experience An army began to form in front of Elisha’s house. Petrified, his servant inquired what they should do. The prophet assured his assistant that they were safe, and to prove it to him, he prayed, “Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see.” When the young man’s eyes were opened, he saw things he had not previously seen—angels with “horses and chariots of fire” all around them (2 Kings 6:17).
One of the first things you can do to break free of your addiction is to make the following request: “Lord, I pray Thee, open my eyes, that I may see.” Like the young man there are things happening that you are not seeing. Once seen, they can play a major role in your deliverance. There are two specific things you must ask God to show you. The first is what your behavior is doing in material, emotional, and/or economic terms to yourself and your loved ones. (Note: Some addictions may require additional support.) If you sincerely ask, God will reveal the sobering truth of the impact of your addictive behavior. Thankfully, because He is loving and merciful, He does it in a way so as not to leave you riddled with guilt and condemnation.
After seeing the negative impact of your addiction, ask God to show you the wonderful things He has prepared for you. Oftentimes we talk about the American Dream, but there is something far better than that. It is God’s vision for your life. God has taken great care and pleasure in planning a fabulous life for you. Ask Him to show it to you, or at least a glimpse of it. When God opens your eyes to see both the consequences of your behavior and the awesome life He has planned for you, you will be motivated to abandon your addiction for God’s vision.
A Tale of Two Mirrors Have you ever gone to a carnival or a fun house? If you have, you know one of the attractions is a set of special mirrors, which gives extremely distorted images of your body when you stand in front of them. Didn’t you and your friends have a barrel of laughs looking at yourselves? What if the images you saw were based in reality? Would it be funny if you were actually disfigured in that manner?
The devil is something like that carnival mirror. He distorts the beautiful things of God and makes addictions appear glamorous, exciting, and appealing. When we walk around with our addictions, we are actually in an extremely disfigured state. And those who see us and care about us don’t think it is a laughing matter.
After God opens your eyes, you will discover that you have been standing in front of a carnival mirror far too long. That’s why you didn’t enjoy godly things, and reveled in your addictive behavior. So what do you do now that your eyes are opened? Do what you eventually did at the fun house—walk away from the carnival mirror. Stop looking at yourself in the devil’s carnival mirror. Look into God’s mirror—the Holy Bible. There you will see truths—not distortions and lies. God’s mirror is so powerful that when you look into it daily—that is, study, memorize, and ponder it—you are delivered from your addictions. That’s what James 1:25, King James version, says: “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”
Conclusion If you want deliverance from your addictions, ask God to open your eyes to “the good, the bad, and the ugly.” Then once that is done, spend time looking in the mirror—God’s mirror. There “ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). In God’s Word you will also discover the One who is Truth —Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And “if the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).
CAROLYN HENRY HURST is the founder of Going GodWard Ministries. She is married to Pastor Jerome M. Hurst. E-mail: GoingGodWard@aol.com.
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