Drugs. I’ve done them, have you? If you would of asked me in high school what I thought of doing drugs, I would have said,“Drugs are fun.” If someone would have told me to stop doing them I would have said, “It’s my life, I’ll make my own choices.” If someone would have told me that drugs open up the door to other drugs, I would have said, “That will never happen to me.”

Years later. I wish I could preach to every middle school and high school student on the planet an entirely different message:

• Drugs are fun, for a season, then the fun runs out and they ruin your life.

• Your choices don’t just impact you, they impact anyone who cares about you. You can cause people a ton of pain and grief through your choices.

• It Can Happen To You – We could all get addicted to hard drugs. We could all overdose. We could all _____. Even in my life now, I never say, that something could never happen to me. Why? Because we are all one decision away from stupid. One decision away from addiction. One decision away from overdosing. One decision away from trying a harder drug.

• Drugs will Limit Your Life - How they limit your life will be different for everyone. You will never even come close to reaching your full potential if your a drug user.

Here are some Tips for getting away from Drug Addiction:

Get Away From Any Body That Does Drugs – You will become who you associate. Want to stop doing drugs? Cut off everybody you know that is associated with them.

Don’t Give Drugs A Chance - If you give them a chance, they will be fun at first. That is what draws everyone in. Nobody when they start can fast forward and see where they will be if they continue using. The fun wears off. You start to crave a bigger high, you try harder drugs, you get addicted, they ruin your life.

Realize People Love You - Just because people don’t love the choices you’ve made, does not mean they don’t love and care about you. The people that love and respect you the most, want to help you the most. I can promise you, your friends that use drugs, don’t love you. If they did, they wouldn’t let you use. Open up in front of people that love you and have their life together. They can and will help you!

Don’t Try to Help People if it’s a Struggle for You - If you’ve struggled with drinking and have gotten free, you shouldn’t go to bars to help people struggling. That will open up doors for you to fall. The same is true with drugs. Be straight up rude to temptation. Ignore it.

Do Whatever it Takes - Go to rehab. Stay in your house for a few months instead of going out and being tempted to go places you know will get you in trouble. Do whatever it takes to get clean and stay clean.

Once Your Clean, Spread this Message - Talk to students and people who have never used about your journey. Tell them it’s not worth it. Tell them it can happen to them. Tell them their choices impact more people than just them. Tell them the fun wears off. Tell them how drugs will ruin and limit your life.

If you currently use or know someone who does, I did a few posts in the past on how I got free from addiction, bondage, and sin in my life. Here are the links:

Part 1 – The Argument For

Part 2 – Enough is Enough

Part 3 – God First, Freedom Second

Part 4 -The Spiritual Side

Part 5 – The Natural

Part 6 – Never Quit

Part 7 – The Other Side

I hope this helped you.

Because of the joy^[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

Hebrews 12:2

The Other Side of Bondage

We’ve talked about this verse before, but I want to point out the latter part of it . . . Because of the joy (seeing you live the life He intended you to live) awaiting Him, He endured the cross. NOW, He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Jesus is now on the “other side” of the cross.. Do you think he ever looks back and regrets it? No Way! Would you not agree that He is living the life right now (He is seated on the right hand of God in Heaven!)

I want to conclude this series with a few encouraging words for those who may be in bondage:

There is an “Other Side” to your Bondage – Listen to me, the bondage your in right now is temporary, and if you’ll focus on Jesus… you’ll be on the other side of it in no time.

When You’re Free, You Won’t Need Anything – James 1:2-4 changed my life! The end result of going through trials is that you’ll “Be Perfect and Complete, NEEDING NOTHING!” It’s hard to put into words, but you have not lived until you have lived in the freedom Christ has provided for you.

When You Don’t Need Anything, You’re Free to Give Everything - Perhaps this is the greatest joy in being free… When you’re free… you no longer need to focus on yourself. You can focus on others and help lift people out of their addictions, bondage’s, etc. by pointing them to Jesus.

If you’re bound to anything my prayer for your today is that you’ll realize the freedom that is available to you through Christ. He died so you could live a life free from sin, free from addiction, and free from bondage.

If you’re bound, please listen to me, you do not have to live like this anymore… There is another side and another life that God intended you to live – Don’t go another day without seeking Him.

If you have questions or would like help with something you’re going through – let me know and I’ll try and get the right resources in your hands and help you in anyway I can.

So don’t get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing IF WE DON’T GIVE UP.                                                                                          -Galatians 6:9

People who get free are the people that do not quit…they don’t stop believing….they keep pressing on regardless of the circumstances… they refuse to live at a level lower than God’s best.

Keith Moore said this and it’s had a huge impact on me, “Do you know you can believe God for 3 weeks and quit and get the same results as someone who never believed at all?”

No matter where you’re at in your Christian journey you’re going to face things that will make you want to throw in the towel.

The key is recognizing that God is faithful…He’s a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, He isn’t a respecter of persons, what He’ll do for one, He’ll do for you. In fact, He’s already provided everything you need to live a life of victory you just have to receive it.

Your victory, your freedom, and God’s will for your life will all come when you make the decision to never give up.