³ You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  I Peter 4:3

Enough is Enough

One thing I know about bondage is that it gets old – fast! When you’re in bondage you may not admit it is old, that you are discontent with what you’re doing, and that you’re really empty inside because everyone around you is doing the same thing and they seem to be having the time of their life, they seem to be very content, and the last thing they look like they are is empty. That is a huge lie – nearly everyone I talk to living a life bound to something hates it, but they don’t know what to do to get out.

However, here is what I know, if you’re going to be set free from any addiction or bondage – you have to decide you’ve come to the point where enough is enough. Here is what you need to know:

Whatever you’re bound to will Never Satisfy You -I know the feeling of going out and “having the time of my life” to come home and go to bed and feel so empty and unsatisfied night after night after night. That will never stop unless you stop what you’re doing.

Stop Just Accepting Your Life, Start Leading It – Most people allow other people, circumstances, etc. to run their lives for them. They allow other people to decide how to live their lives and as a result stay in bondage. You’ll need to decide you’ve had enough of letting that happen.

There is a Life that Will Satisfy and Fulfill - I’ve been bound and I’ve been free – free is a lot better. If you’re in bondage right now, realize there is another side to you’re bondage and it is possible for you to live free. There is nothing more liberating than being free from sins, addictions, and bondagess in our lives. It’s true life!

If you want to be free you MUST come the place where ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Once here, you’re positioning yourself to be free.

²⁵Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

Hebrews 11:25

The Argument for Sin, Addiction, and Bondage

This is going to be a little bit of a longer series. I want to talk to people who may be in bondage. You can be in bondage to any number of things: porn, cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, people approval, depression, loneliness, poverty…the list could go on and on. In my life I’ve been in and bondage and set free from many things including: drinking, drugs, chewing tobacco, loneliness, depression, brokenness, etc.

While some of these things were fun and “cool” in the beginning, after a while they severely limited my life and left me empty inside. Maybe you’re reading this and you relate to that… you’re living “the life” but inside you’re empty. You don’t know how to break free. My hope is that this series will help you not only get free, but to stay free and start to live a life without limitations.

Today I just want to highlight reasons I’ve stayed and reasons I’ve seen people stay in bondage to things:

It’s Fun - Drinking, Drugs, Sex . . . it’s fun isn’t it? I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard, “Bubba, I’d love to pursue God, but I can’t give up partying, drinking, sex, etc.”

It’s My Life and I Know What’s Best for Me – In other words – my decisions don’t effect you, so stay out of my business. I’m living this life by choice and I can whatever comes my way.

It’s What You Do - It’s college – you’re supposed to party, have sex, go to bars, etc. I’m a guy – we all watch porn don’t we? etc.

Everybody’s Doing It – Monkey see, monkey do – follow the crowd

I’m Scared to not live Like This – These people don’t know any other way of life – trying to change would be like trying to start life all over, they feel all alone.

I Want to Change but I just Can’t Stop Doing It -These peoples know they need to change, but don’t know how.

I Have to Handle This by Myself and Before I can ask for Help or Go after God -  People think they can get through things by their own strength and so they fight restlessly trying to beat their addiction. They end up running in circles and usually end up going right back where they started…

These are just a few arguments I’ve used and heard when it comes to staying in bondage to something…

What are some arguments you’ve used and/or heard?